Column #73

This famous phrase is in several bible passages. Even outside the Christian faith it’s meaningful. For instance, it can bring to mind the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Indy, played by Harrison Ford, was searching for the Holy Grail. To get into the cave where the grail was guarded by a 700-year-old knight, he had to circumvent three traps relying on information from an old diary. He got past the first two traps and came to the third. It called for faith because Indy needed to cross an invisible bridge over a bottomless pit.

Was there actually a bridge? What if his first step missed the bridge? Yet he gulped, reached out his leg and stepped into “midair.” It was a big leap of faith.

In the real world leaps of faith are commonplace. Neil Armstrong did it and lived to say, “That’s one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.” How many others can you name who have made leaps of faith? Is your name on the list? It should be. Because unless we have faith, we live in fear. Unless we have faith, we can never face the many challenges of change. Since none of us is perfect, without change we can never improve.

For millions who suffer from chronic disease, the best hope for lasting improvement is found in changing their diet. Nearly every chronic disease is associated with an improper diet yet most sufferers take the well worn path of drugs and operations which mostly address symptoms rather than causes. The end result is that healthcare costs soar, lives become drug dependent, and the afflictions are rarely if ever actually cured.

From conception, the nutrients ingested by the mother are the building blocks for the unborn’s every cell. Just as an unborn is impacted by a mother who smokes, drinks alcohol, and/or takes drugs, the unborn is also impacted by the chemistries (nutrients) of various foods. Sugars, nutritional deficiencies, and imbalanced Omega-6 and Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) set the stage for chronic diseases.

Foods that build strong bones, powerful immunity, effective nerves, and superior brain function are mostly found alongside the path least traveled. Based on decades of research in the fields of nutrition and biology, I believe that over 95% of the food offerings in grocery stores (including Whole Foods) are not suitable. Obviously, limiting one’s food to just the 5% is radical change. It’s often difficult to adapt to new flavors, cooking methods, textures, or to adjust socially and emotionally. Plus it’s scary!

Many people, brainwashed by mythology, are afraid of red meat and fat while they relish whole grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and maybe only a bit of lean meat. Deserts are not considered off limits nor are sugary drinks. Ironically they don’t realize overall health has not significantly improved. Yet science has proven we require low glycemic foods that have all nutrients in a balance that replicates green leafy vegetables. And possibly of greatest importance is that our foods must have 1:1 EFA balances.

Foods that provide the best nutrient balance and load are green leafy vegetables, grass-fed and Omega-3 meats, and wild-caught seafood. Foods to avoid are fruit, nuts, most oils, grains, seeds, sugars, and grain-fed meat and grain-fed dairy products.

The best diet to optimize health calls for radical change, a path least traveled, and faith in science and anecdotal examples. These things are also true for about every other human shortcoming that holds people back from being the best they can be.

To your health.

Ted Slanker

Ted Slanker has been reporting on the fundamentals of nutritional research in publications, television and radio appearances, and at conferences since 1999. He condenses complex studies into the basics required for health and well-being. His eBook, The Real Diet of Man, is available online.

Don’t miss these links for additional reading:

Being the Best We Can Be by Asoka Selvarajah

Biography of Neil Armstrong

Cereal Grains Double Edge Sword by Loran Cordain

The importance of the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids in health and disease and growth and development

Food Analysis Tables - Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load, Sugar, EFA Balance

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade from Wikipedia