A

Ancestry: Your digestive tract works with and most easily digests what your ancestors ate. For example, dairy is great for northern Europeans, and soy works better for Asians, while Africans are better able to digest peanuts.
Appetite: Your appetite is indicative of your health. Eating a meal, being able to go 4-5 hours before getting hungry again, and then feeling hunger once more is the healthy pattern.
Age: Different life phases normally require different amounts of energy. In youth, more carbs are necessary. In middle age, this can depend on your body type and activity level. Older adults require more fats and minerals, less protein and many fewer carbohydrates.

B

Blchhh!!!: Modern agricultural methods have led to a lot of “extras” and missing parts in our food. The extras include traces of chemicals used for pest and weed control, as well as chemical fertilization. Natural minerals are missing because of long-term chemical fertilization with petrochemicals. Some foods may also contain new proteins from genetic modification. While some people don’t have problems with GMOs, many do. Overconsumption of these foods can have negative cumulative effects.
Better: Eat fresh foods and avoid the “Dirty 10” of both vegetables and fruits. Try to eat free-range and healthfully raised protein sources.
Best: Eat as much organic food in all food groups as possible. Although it is viewed as “boutique” food, organic food is the only food we ever consumed for thousands of years. It’s what our bodies recognize and use best.

Carbohydrates: For many years we were taught to get the majority of our energy from grains, and fats were maligned. An epidemic of diabetes, heart disease, thyroiditis and obesity has ensued. Human health has declined since grains and high doses of sugar have become a staple. Archeological evidence proves this. And the biggest problem….eating sugary food is addictive!!!!
Change: Balance your diet with low-sugar carbohydrates—mostly vegetables. Increase healthy fats, both animal and vegetable, and eat protein from healthy animals. These changes will cut your cravings for bread, potatoes, cakes, cookies, etc. Also try substituting fruit for grains. Ultimately using grains, potatoes and fruit only in small amounts to give you a short-term energy boost will improve most people’s health in many ways.
Cholesterol: The main sources of inflammation in the vascular system are man-made fats and too much sugar (that includes grains, potatoes, etc.). Reducing these two items and increasing exercise, along with the above recommended diet, will drop your cholesterol ratios to a healthy range. It is the ratios that are the most important, not the numbers.

Did you know: The brain is made up of 93% Cholesterol? Our nerves are also coated in a cholesterol-containing substance that enables hormones to travel. It is an integral substance for the body, and taking away too much can lead to hormonal and memory problems.
Doppler Carotid Test: This is the best way to judge if you have plaque buildup in your arteries. This ultrasound test will accurately predict the relative age of your vascular system and reveal how much inflammation you might have.
Don’t go nuts!!!: Make changes to your diet slowly. Finish out what you have in your pantry. Take out what you think is the most problematic or change out what is easiest. My favorite suggestion: switch all of your junk/snack food to organic. You will see a lot of changes with just that!!!

CONTACT DEBBY AT WAYS OF THE TAO FOR A PERSONALIZED CONSULTATION AND PLAN.