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!

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For more information about naturopathicmedicine please visit www.cand.ca