Transcript Slide 1

Eating for Energy
The Purpose of Food
 Building blocks for healing, repairing,
regenerating, developing new tissues & cells
 Fuel for every organ system of the body
 Means of nurturing the body, mind and soul
 Used as a social “tool”
Do You Live to Eat or Eat to Live?
 Food is essential to life
 How you eat is often the primary indicator of your
health and vitality
 The body processes everything you consume
 Food can be used as a medicine or as a poison
 The digestion of food takes time and energy
Water: An Overview
 Cleanses, purifies, nourishes, and refreshes every
aspect of the body
 Responsible for the communication and
movement of information, molecules, and
chemicals
 You require half your body weight in ounces a day
 Only water is water (most herbal teas are okay)
Food: An Overview
 Composition of food:

Proteins, fruit, vegetables,
carbohydrates, fats and oils.
 Energetic characteristics of food:

Hot to cold, dry to moist, different
tastes and smells
 Acid versus alkaline
 Nutritional quality of food
Protein: An Overview
 Proteins: build structure of the body, give
the body strength and endurance
 Sources of protein: nuts, seeds, legumes
(beans), fish, chicken, pork, turkey, beef
 An excess can lead to pain (gout), stress
on the kidneys and bone
 Deficiency leads to a range of health
issues
Fruits & Vegetables: An Overview
 Fruits and vegetables assist in the healing
process and in every process of the body;
provide vitamins and minerals to the body
 Ideally 2-3 servings of fruit per day
4-8 cups of vegetables
 Eat fruits and vegetables of every colour
every week
 You many need to eat fruit one half
hour before meals or as a snack
Carbohydrate: An Overview
 Carbohydrate provides cellular energy, are
the primary fuel source for the brain and
blood, a primary storage form of energy
 Contains a primary source of fiber
 Excess is stored as glucose in muscles
and in the liver
 Choose complex carbohydrates =
avoid ‘the white stuff’
Fats and Oils: An Overview
 Fats and oils: provide support for the brain,
lubrication for the joints, and the moistness
and smoothness of body surfaces
 Fats are what makes a person feel satiated
 The right fats are essential to health



The brain is 80% fat; joint spaces are
primarily fat
Good fats: unsaturated fats
Bad fats: saturated fats and
hydrogenated oils
The Energetics of Food
 Warming foods: garlic, ginger, thyme, cinnamon,




sweet potatoes, oats, meats, cooked food
Cooling foods: peppermint, tomatoes, asparagus,
watermelon, raw food
Foods that increase dryness: dry cereals, dried
fruit, sugar, caffeine
Foods that increase dampness: dairy, bananas,
excess fruit
Specific tastes and smells stimulate
different organs
Nutritional Quality of Food
 Raw food has more nutrients than cooked
food
 Organic (typically) has more nutrients than
non-organic
 Food that is local and in season will usually
taste better and have more nutrients than
food that has been shipped/sitting in
storage
Nutritional Quality of Food
 Whole foods (fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and
whole grains) provide the optimal mix of nutrients
and have the most life energy
 Fresh food has more nutrition than canned, frozen,
processed, or refined food
 Additives, synthetic colourings, chemicals,
hormones, pesticides, and environmental toxins all
decrease the nutritional quality of food
Acid Versus Alkaline
 Different organs and body parts are
naturally more acidic or alkaline
 Most chronic diseases occur in an acidic
state
 Alkaline foods: most fruits and vegetables
 Acidic: sugar, salt, dairy, red meat, alcohol
Your ‘Ideal’ Foods
 Eat according to your unique constitution
 Always address the food considerations of
health issues first (e.g., diabetes, high
cholesterol)
 Identify your unique food intolerances/
allergies
 Recognize that ‘ideal’ food choices can
vary by season and by health status
Eating For Energy
 Overall low energy:






Address underlying health issues
Ensure you are eating breakfast
Increase nutritional value of the food you eat
Increase water consumption
Decrease the consumption of stimulants
(e.g., coffee, sugar)
Decrease alcohol consumption
Eating For Energy
 Energy drops after lunch







Address food intolerances
Increase protein at lunch; decrease simple
carbohydrates
Balance the portions of food eaten at breakfast
and at lunch
Increase the variety of food eaten at lunch
(combine protein, fruit & vegetables, carbs)
Eat slowly and in a relaxed environment
Rest after eating
Do not drink water with your meals
Eating For Energy
 Energy drops before dinner





Address underlying health issues
Look at total calories consumed throughout the
day, and nutritional value of the food eaten
You may need to eat smaller more frequent meals
throughout the day
Consider your eating environment: are you eating
on the run?
Increase exercise and movement between work
and dinner, especially if work is stressful
Questions to Consider
 Are you aware of any foods that your body cannot
tolerate?
 Does your food/eating pattern complement your
lifestyle or mirror it?
 Do you allow sufficient time for your body to digest
food?
 Is your food your medicine or your poison?
Thank you for attending!
Physician’s Name
Location
Phone
Email/website
For more information about naturopathic
medicine please visit www.cand.ca