#power #powerfood #food
“I will continue to bring our readers awareness to the power of real foods” — Paul Ebeling
The Sources of Power in Powerfoods
1. Broad chemical influences on the body.
These include:
- Alkaline-forming Vs acid-forming
- Organic Vs chemical-infused
- Raw Vs cooked
- Gluten-free Vs gluten-containing foods
- Smart carbs Vs Dumb carbs
- Whole Vs processed foods
Each of the above factors has multiple influences on the body and a person will respond to these differences depending on their predisposition and levels of health.
2. Specific Chemical Needs: The GAP Theory
Each food has different levels of specific nutrients. If a person has a particular need for a nutrient it will affect them greatly. Powerfoods tend to have very high levels of Key nutrients.
3. Genetic Influences of Food
Scientists have been debating what is more important: our genetics has given to us by our parents or upbringing. It turns out that the 2 are combined. Our environment activates the expression of our genes, this is very powerful.
4. Subtle Influences of Food
Many health systems around the world have different ways to conceptualize health with very powerful results. Instead of interpreting food in terms of vitamins and minerals and proteins they talked about principles like heat, cold, fire, water and air, which they could directly perceive.
These principles are understandable within chemistry or physics to a degree but often the complete use of these systems relies on the idea of subtle energies that modern science has not been able to consistently measure. Energies like chi and prana in food, our bodies, and the environment.
These cultures have produced large numbers of very healthy people. They picked out certain foods that were particularly balancing for various needs aka powerfoods.
5. Social and Cultural Influences of Food
Growing, preparing and eating food takes more time and energy than any other facet of man’s life. In all societies, there have evolved intricate cultures around food which affect how people think, act and the kind of lives they will live.
Older cultures also discovered foods and combinations of foods that were particularly healthy.
The Mediterranean diet is a Key example.
At 1st, nutritionists did not understand how everyone could be so healthy consuming so much oil. It turned out that mono-unsaturated olive oil has many properties that are just now being understood and appreciated.
The Italians did not understand the chemistry of various levels of saturation of fats. But they just knew olives grew well and over time, through trial and error, developed just the right combination of oil and tomatoes and vegetables and meats to maintain health.
With all these factors in mind, it turns out there are many foods that can bring us greater health when we understand their potential and use them in the best situation.
Eath healthy, Be healthy, Live lively
