第7章
Nutritional Foundations for Self-Healing
The human body is a self-healing organism that will repair itself when given the right conditions-particularly the right fuel. As Hippocrates said, "Let food be your medicine, and medicine be your food." Our food becomes microscopic particles that reach every cell, determining our health at the cellular level.
Fiber, found abundantly in vegetables, forms the essential catalysts for every chemical reaction in the body. It stimulates peristalsis and sweeps the gastrointestinal tract clean. Importantly, refining grains to remove fiber can eliminate up to 80 percent of their vitamins.
Protein provides the amino acids necessary for DNA repair in every cell nucleus. Without protein, healing cannot occur, and energy cycles falter since each cellular chemical reaction requires specific amino acids. Every cell membrane consists of 50 percent protein and 50 percent fat. Vegetarian protein comes primarily from seeds-the reproductive part of plants containing all essential amino acids. These include grains (wheat, rye, spelt, barley, oats, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth), legumes (lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, soybeans), nuts (almonds, brazil, pecans, macadamia, cashews, hazelnuts, walnuts), and seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, flaxseed, sesame, chia).
Fat plays crucial roles in the body. Every cell is surrounded by a lipid membrane composed of 50 percent fat and 50 percent protein. Joints need lubrication, and sex hormones and stress hormones are made from cholesterol. Fat phobia has led many to consume excessive carbohydrates, resulting in 62 percent of Australians being overweight despite following low-fat diets.
Healing fats include polyunsaturated fats like omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids (EFAs), which only plants can create. These are vital for cell membrane construction and brain function. The omega-3 family includes EPA and DHA (found in cold-water fish that eat red algae) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) from flaxseed, chia, hemp, walnut and soybean. DHA constitutes 25% of the brain, 40% of cortical gray matter, and 90% of retinal fatty acid.
The human body consists of 45% saturated fat, 50% monounsaturated fat, and only 5% polyunsaturated fat, indicating our bodies need over ten times more saturated and monounsaturated fats than polyunsaturated fats. Saturated fat provides energy, enables vitamin and mineral absorption, and supports tissue growth, repair and maintenance.
Modern humans consume unprecedented amounts of carbohydrates, with severe consequences: 280 new diabetes diagnoses daily due to pancreatic strain, 62% of Australians overweight from excess glucose storage as fat, and increased cancer rates since cancer cells thrive on glucose. Carbohydrates should be the negotiable part of meals, with consumption adjusted based on individual factors like size, activity level, and health status.
Up to 70% of Australians are gluten sensitive, intolerant, or celiac due to gluten-heavy diets, hybridized wheat with more complex gluten structures, premature introduction of grains to infants, and mineral-deficient soil that compromises proper gluten digestion.
Given these factors, it's wise to prioritize fiber, adequate protein, sufficient fat, and add carbohydrates (preferably gluten-free) based on individual needs-a nutritional approach that supports the body's natural healing mechanisms rather than feeding disease processes.
