The Food Pyramid Finale

There is paleo, vegan, vegetarian and (gluten-free). I look at all of it and wonder why not indulge in all, once or twice a week. Has the food pyramid been consulted? Decades ago, a nutrition body determined how often and what food should be eaten for a healthy long life. The food pyramid came into being.

History has a vivid story to tell as well. Our predisposition to meat occurred 500,000 years ago: our genetic affinity to carbs, 2 million. Gluten-free is not a grain but a classification of grain, devoid of the 'modern' gluten that mimics our thyroid hormone. Gluten-free identifies other grains that are missing the 'protein' responsible for our ill health. Are we going to blame Mother Nature for growing the wrong thing? Blame us for tinkering with wheat to perhaps speed up the growing process before harvest. (And just prior, to it) There is a price to pay and we're paying for it! Chemicals abound in our food supply, but to a lesser extent in the NON-GMO, organic world. And we're in a hurry, too. (Even two minutes is too long!)

Protein is necessary for health and weight loss. Its contribution to immunity and the creation of strength and new cells cannot be underestimated. 'It' and fiber are found in foods such as green peas. Whoever thinks of green peas, anyway. I love tossing it in with cubed rutabaga or butternut squash or both with added melted butter, just a smidgen, then oil, lightly draped over the mixture. Such a cute mix! Oh, Yum! If eating dried legumes is nefarious with the Plant Paradox author/cardiologist then where do we go? Are a consensus of healthy offerings becoming suspicious now? Let our pressure cooker do the 'walking.'

Dried foods such as beans have been touted, historically, as a means for long term health. It has kept people alive. But the lectin doctor says be careful. Oh where is that Italian rum cake. I need it now. I will have it! ... Eating my radishes, homemade noodles, salmon, egg or hot pepper sandwiches on sourdough. Such a delight. Oops! Those are the good carbs. Sourdough is fermented bread that devours it's gluten and sugar ingredients making them digestible in the gut. Food must be digestible to be digested. 

 

Bakeries are making organic sourdough bread. Good bread does take more than day to make, after all. There is a price to pay for 'in a hurry', I believe. Chewing on the crust of bread, especially the end slices gives our jaws a workout. Could that help with wrinkles, too?

We now have companies bringing food ingredients to our door, hoping to make meal preparation a breeze. Shopping for weekly groceries, online, might be a cheaper alternative, however. Have we come full circle? In the 50's the food pyramid was all aglow. T.V. dinners gave us time. We took those short cuts, occasionally, if at all. Microwave ovens helped make it easy. And so the inventory grew and grew. Now dining out has never been so easy, with many brand name menu items now available in the freezer section of the grocery store. Does the food pyramid even rate consideration? Is taste the only criterion for eating? Does the body have a say or is it only about food taste and appeal?

The body needs the macronutrients, protein, fat and carbohydrates in play for health. Too much protein  can place a burden on the organs responsible for its complex breakdown. Certain vitamins are fat soluble while others are water soluble. When highly processed foods are consumed on a daily basis, the body reacts, having been thrown into disarray, understandably. The liver, it seems will do all the talking as the body packs on the pounds. Enter the food pyramid. It helps in keeping us on a path to health.  Though its interpretation is subjective, it forms an important part of the discussion: what to eat, how often and how much. We must pay attention. Books have been written over the past several years highlighting our addiction to sugar, starches and the many 'triggers' in the food we eat. We ignore these facts and the food pyramid's directive at our own peril. We see its results and feel it, too.!

Be considerate of the mitochondria, telomeres and DNA of our bodies. Our gut must be healthy to eat wheat and dairy. Fruits and vegetables, the main truths in our diet, make the eating of organic wheat possible. Grass fed beef is better than animals fed the other way. Less meat perhaps? Easy access to food is not a good thing. Fruits and vegetables are generally not included, it would seem. An apple a day is a very good start. The lungs will thank you. and dogs love them. Mine do.

 

The food pyramid is our friend, a reminder that 'fries with that' is not the intended target and not in our best interests all the time. But an occasional flirt with the dark side just might just help lift our spirits until next time. (Check out (Doughnuts for Dinner-May/2013)