Some of the most common issues that folks over 50 who live in
North America commonly have that your family doctor will most likely
ignore:
Dehydration
Mostly due to caffeine consumption.
Low stomach acid
Stomach acid production slows as we age causing a multitude of
low-grade problems because the nutrients we eat are not completely
digested and absorbed. The often resulting ‘indigestion’ or gas,
is often treated with over the counter acid neutralizers, making the
problem worse.
In areas where hard water is present (Southern Utah for
example), we consume alkaline (an acid neutralizer) every time we
drink water or consume drinks made with the local water. This
alkaline also reduces our stomach acid. Strengthening stomach acid
will increase nutrient absorption and mostly eliminate the
‘indigestion’ problem.
B vitamin deficiency
Many of the foods we eat contain blocking agents that prevent the
absorption of vitamins and nutrients. One blocking agent is
anti-thiamine (thiamine is vitamin B1) which prevents the absorption
of thiamine in the body. Thiamine is also the gateway vitamin that
allows some of the other B vitamins to be absorbed. Without it, some
of the B vitamin complex as well as vitamin B1 are not absorbed.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is quite common in seniors. Vitamin
B12 is found almost exclusively in animal products and requires
strong stomach acid to be absorbed. Brain fog, constipation, and
digestive problems, tingling in the limbs and fingers, as well as
other problems, are displayed. Some seniors think they are in the
beginning stages of dementia when it is actually a B12 shortage.
Phytic acid (or Phytates)
Also called anti-nutrients, which block the absorption of the
minerals and nutrients a seed or bean possesses In some cases every
other mineral or nutrient that is eaten along with those seeds or
beans is also blocked from being absorbed. In many cases, slow
cooking of beans and seeds or sprouting them will remove the
phytates. Soy has more phytates than any plant foods studied to date
and cooking does not remove all of the phytates. Even sprouting a
soybean does not make it a safe food to eat. Fermenting the soybeans
changes all of that and allows the many benefits present in the
soybean to be absorbed by the human digestive system.
GMO (genetically
modified organisms) food
Many foods sold in supermarkets are now genetically modified.
For plant products such as soy and grains, this allows the plant to
withstand more frequent and harsher herbicide and pesticide spraying.
Those chemicals remain on the plant or are absorbed into the plant
and remain all the way through processing and are ingested by the end
consumer.
Genetically modified animals such as salmon create an animal
unknown to nature and our bodies do not recognize it as real food.
Food growers and producers are currently lobbying the federal
agencies so they do not have to identify GMO food products on their
labels.
Inadequate levels
of Vitamin D
Sadly we have been fed so much misinformation about sunlight and
vitamin D it is almost criminal. The FDA has quietly admitted that
it has miscalculated the stats on vitamin D by a factor of 10 for the
past 50 years. This means that their suggested requirements for
sunlight on the skin have been incorrect by a factor of 10. The
chemical companies who manufacture sunscreen have been happy to
provide us with their not so healthy products to block out sunlight
from reaching our skin.
Humans have always needed vitamin D directly from the sun. Our
skin, however, has become sensitive to sunlight because of
inflammation from malnutrition and chemicals we have consumed.
Correct your diet to remove the chemicals and increase your nutrient
intake and get plenty of vitamin D from the most important and
complete source- the sun. Twenty minutes a day for fair-skinned
folks, longer for darker-skinned folks, then cover up for the day.
Collecting electrical energy from Electro-magnetic fields all
through our homes and in the air.
Concept
malfunction
It seems that one of the more difficult concepts for folks to
accept is the idea that the diet you maintained several years ago
affects your health today. And the food and diet you maintain today
affects your health condition several years from now.
Because some foods have immediate repercussions such as gassy
foods or high carb foods it is easy to apply that quick result
concept to all foods we consume. For example, when we consume too
many sugar-laden foods we may feel anxious or sleepy soon afterward.
When we eat gassy foods we often get flatulence soon afterward. So it
may seem that all the food we consume has an immediate effect on our
body and health.
While many have no difficulty applying long-term conceptual
planning to vacation planning, retirement plans, finances and long
term investments those same folks seem unable to apply that concept
to their diet and long-term health.
Entries are the works in progress. The finished work appears under 'Categories' or in the Pages Bar. All content on this blog is the copyrighted original work of Richard McDonald.
