DEBBY `COLON` Cole, body ecology consultant and colon therapy instructor of the Colon Care Centre in Kingston said that the body ecology diet, developed by Donna Gates of the United States, is thought to be a boon for the immune system.
The body ecology diet, she says, will address viral and fungal infection, various auto immune diseases, nutritional deficiencies and digestive disorder. Its primary focus is on healing the digestive tract and establishing a rich inner ecosystem. For the past year it has been experimentally used in the autism community with very good results.
Those who adopt the body ecology diet will begin to eat meals rich in cultured foods that have been known to be essential for a long healthy life, the health care consultant says. You will notice much better digestion, weight loss, more energy. You will create a healthier hormonal balance; you will have much prettier skin, and even retain minerals better. It is an ideal diet if one is struggling with a severe immune disorder that requires immediate cleansing, such as cancer and active viral condition including AIDS.
The body ecology diet is based on the concept of the inner ecosystem where a group of micro flora both friendly and unfriendly, exist. When we are healthy the friendly micro flora greatly outnumber the unfriendly, the health consultant notes.
Upset the balance
However, many factors weaken our immunity and upset the balance; the chemicals we add to our foods, fast food diets, the stress in our daily life among other things. When the body is in a weakened state, the unfriendly bacteria can multiply quickly, producing symptoms such as headaches, flu, skin rashes, food allergies and other potentially serious disorders.
By rebuilding our health and our immunity we can restore our inner ecology. It is believed that approximately 85 per cent of the immune system is located in the gut. When the gut is impacted or wounded the body is compromised.
The body ecology diet features 80 per cent vegetable (land and sea) 20 per cent protein mostly nuts and seeds and young coconut. The meals are rich in cultured foods to encourage digestive healing of the mucosal lining. It will also ensure that one digests the raw foods and it protects against parasites that are sometimes found in raw foods. Include a range of good fats, including raw butter, the fats include coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, pumpkin seed oil, flax, evening primrose, borage and cod-liver oil.
As you create your meals, your goal is to create a balance in the body of 80 per cent alkaline and 20 per cent acid. You may need more protein to enhance the yeast die-off. Most people consume cooked food rather than raw. Make the effort to include raw foods including salads or cut up veggies at least once per day. If the time is hot, plan for lighter cooling foods. If it is cold, eat heavier, warming foods (hot soup or porridge).
Constipated
If you are constipated avoid contracting (fibre poor) foods such as meats and eggs. Instead, eat more expanding (fibre rich) foods such as salads and raw cultured vegetables. Women should eat foods with as little salt as possible as salts restrict a complete shedding of the uterine lining.
When you wake up in the morning, your body will be in an acidic state. Ideally, you want to use alkaline foods to bring back balance as your body recovers from the overnight cleansing stage. A green vegetable drink is suggested.
Seven super foods
1. Green vegetable juice/chlorophyll
2. Cultured foods (fermented vegetables, kefir from young coconut, fermented soy. natto, miso)
3. Essential fats and oils (raw and unrefined coconut oil, olive oil, pumpkin seed oil, evening primrose, flax, hemp).
4. Sugar sweetener
5. Grain and fibre
6. Vegetables from the ocean and land
7. Medicinal condiments (Sea salt, apple cider, vinegar, herbs and spices)
Essential for perfect digestion
1. Fibre
2. Flora
3. Fluids
4. Fats
5. Foods
6. Constipation is caused by a sluggish thyroid that needs mineral and good fats. The adrenals must have minerals or you have no energy to cleanse.
The high protein diet
Many people lose a lot of weight and feel good when they start this diet. The carbohydrate that many of us consume to excess, cause wild fluctuations in blood sugars and hormone levels and leads to storage of fats, creating an acidic blood condition and feed yeast. This diet does a fair job of food combining, which helps people to lose weight, but over the long run eating large amounts of animal protein two to three times per day puts a heavy burden on the liver, kidney, heart and intestine. Friendly bacteria and yeast must be present in the intestines to convert toxic
by-products from the protein back into useful amino acids.
The raw diet
Developed by Anne Wigmore, this diet results in rapid elimination of toxins with emphasis on cleaning the liver and colon. It is very beneficial for people with cancer, full blown AIDS, or a herpes outbreak, but when the viral infection is dormant you must have a diet that is more strengthening. A healthy immune system keeps these viruses dormant and under control. The raw food diet usually violates food combining rules and allow too many fruits and sweet desserts made from fruits and nuts. Nuts are rich in arginine, an amino acid that can trigger viral outbreaks. If your energy suddenly drops after eating, then this is a clue to ease up.
Macrobiotic
A macrobiotic meal always includes a dark green leafy vegetable and immune strengthening foods. Unfortunately some of these foods contribute to yeast overgrowth. Macrobiotic dieters eat mostly brown rice. Macrobiotic would be a much healthier diet if it is balanced with raw cultured vegetables. Some animal protein also occur in this diet but most macrobiotic eaters get protein from tofu, tempeh and miso soup. Soy products are not the best source of protein for those with blood type B.
The vegetarian
Healing always requires additional protein. The body ecology diet works well if individuals are not strict vegetarians. Even if you have been a vegetarian for years please be willing to allow fish temporarily as you begin this diet, for its additional protein. Digestive enzymes and lots of cultured vegetables will help ensure you digest the fish easily.
Information contributed by Beverly Cole of the Colon Care Centre in Kingston.
