Healing Principles of Food

1. Healing Principles of Food The Science and Lessons from Culinary Traditions of the Healthiest and Oldest People in the World Vilasi Venkatachalam, M.Sc., MS, RD, CLT

2. AlmostImmortals and their Longevity Formula • 5 Things You Should Know • About Your Body, Sleep, Stress and Health • Healing Principles of Food

3. The term "Blue Zones" takes its name from the blue ink Belgian demographer Michel Poulain used to circle an area of long-living Sardinians on a map Alberta Lea, MN Sardinia, Italy Loma Linda, CA Okinawa, Japan Ikaria, Greece Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica

4. Five Blue Zones What did they eat? • Sardinia, Italy: Bread, Cheese, Wild greens, Wine • The islands of Okinawa, Japan: Rice, Fermented soy – Miso, Natto, vegetables – Crucifers, Bitter Melon, Turmeric, Mugwort, Seafood and Teas • Loma Linda, California: Seventh-day Adventists -Plant-based diet based on the bible • Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica: Corn, beans, plantains, eggs (Hospital menu was made with healing foods!) • Ikaria, Greece: The highest percentage of 90 year-olds on the planet - nearly 1 out of 3 people make it to their 90s. Herb teas all day long – Wild Mint, Spleenwort, Purple Sage, Rosemary, Artemisia Meal - Little Bread, goat’s milk, olives, feta cheese, homemade wine 150 types of wild greens for salads and PIES! Common Denominators… Moved Naturally Eat mainly plants Put Family First Strong Community and social connections Faith http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W92F-iTImG4

5. Loma Linda’s Blue Zone Secrets Loma Linda, California has the highest concentration of Seventh Day Adventists. Find your own “time of rest” Maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI) Get Moderate Exercise Regularly Birds of a feather flock together Snack on Nuts – Adventists who ate at least five servings of nuts per week, cut their risk for heart disease in half. They also lived about two years longer. Give Something Back Eat Meat in Moderation – Many Adventists follow a vegetarian diet. The Protestant church is known for advocating a healthy, vegetable-based diet while abstaining from alcohol. Eat An Early Light Dinner Put more Plants in you Diet Drink Plenty of Water – The AHS (Adventist Health Study), suggests that men members who drank 5 to 6 glasses of water per day had a 60-70% reduction in fatal heart attacks.

7. Oats, dairy, kale, cabbage, herbs, fish, fowl and game Kefir Tea Rye ,Millet, spelt, barley, buckwheat Fish, Garlic, Rice, Tubers, Cabbage and turnips, Onions, Garlic Wild- animals, greens, grains, fruits, Nuts Fish Fruit, Fish, Fat from coconut and animals Millet, Vegetables, Palm fruit and oil Corn, Beans, Fruits, vegetables, game, fish Wild Plants and Animals

8. 5Things You Should Know About Your Body And the Healing Principles of Food

9. Stress, Sleep, Sugar • Hormones – Insulin, Cortisol, Thyroid, DHEA, Estrogen, • Progesterone, Testosterone • Inflammation • Your Gut • The Four Sentinels – Getting rid of toxins and wastes • - Liver, Lung, Kidney, Small Intestines • The Largest Organ in Your Body and the consequences of • neglecting it….

10. Quenching Inflammation with Food • Studies show that we can dramatically lower our inflammatory load within 4 weeks if we eat 8 servings of fruits and vegetables. • Addition of herbs and spices increase the antioxidant potential of vegetables. e.g. adding 3g ( ½ tsp) of fresh marjoram to salad increases the antioxidant potential to 200% • Teas in all shades-green to black, and tisanes made up of chamomile, sage, ginger, hibiscus, star anise, cinnamon, nutmeg, milk thistle etc • Flax, Hemp, Chia and omega-3 supplements – Don’t have to eat fish to get Omega-3 • 1 tbsp of flaxmeal (~1.6g) – daily dose – 2 Tablespoons - Strongly recommend • 7 walnut halves (~1.3g) • 2 oz of wild salmon (~1.4g) • 2 sardines canned in tomato sauce (~ 1.3g) • You can safely go up to 6 grams of omega-3 fatty acids (DHA + EPA)

11. Your Gut • 60% of our immune system is in our gut…which means that this is the first site where the body recognizes and responds to intruders. • Bacteria in the gut are our largest organ • Leaky gutmake the gut cells weak and pull the cell layer apart. • Constant stress • Inadequate sleep • Assault by medications • Toxins, food additives, pesticides, • refined foods, refined sugars, trans fats • heavy metals • Food Sensitivities Digestive Enzymes Probiotics – Fermented foods Prebiotics – grains, oat bran, pectin, Onions, Bananas, Eggplant, Okra, Guar Gum Others – Clarified Butter, Coconut Oil, Nuts, Seeds

12. Getting rid of toxins and wastes - Liver, Lung, Kidney, Small Intestines • Most of our detoxification takes place in the liver, small intestine, lung and kidneys. The major load is carried by the liver . • When it cannot clear the waste, it spills back into the system causing inflammation and potential food sensitivities. • We can increase volume and the efficiency of the liver by eating: • Bitter s - greens and other vegetables such as dandelion, endive, bitter melon • Crucifers such as cabbage, broccoli, broccoli rape, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, rutabaga, turnips with greens, radishes with greens, daikon (mooli), arugula, watercress, mustard greens, kale, collards… • Allium or lily family vegetables such as onions, garlic, scallions, chives, shallots, leeks… • Spices and herbs such as parsley, cilantro, milk thistle, grape, turmeric, rosemary, oregano, thyme, lemon zest, sage, ginger etc • Condiments such as mustard, horseradish, pesto with parsley and basil

13. Hormones – Stress, Sleep, Sugar • Create a lifestyle that prevents disruption of your hormones and neurotransmitters (thyroid, insulin, cortisol, melatonin, serotonin and dopamine) which throws off system controls for growth and metabolism. • Moderate Glycemic index foods such as whole grains cooked intact, beans, legumes, tubers and roots. Add spices such as cinnamon, fenugreek and fats like avocado, flax, tree nuts and coconut to further lower insulin resistance • Raw (unprocessed) cacao, medicinal mushrooms, sea kelp, acai, rosemary, turmeric are other superfoods that help • Omega -3 fatty acids in the form of fish, flax, nuts or supplements • Theanine and EGCG from black and green teas (used as mood modulators in Japan) • Sunlight for Vitamin D • Sleep 8-10 hours to bring cortisol down and synthesize melatonin • Manage thoughts that become cortisol, and add to inflammation and insulin resistance (stress)

14. Modern Science supports, the Powerful5000year old wisdom!5 Steps to a Healing Plate: Oils, unrefined, with rich aromafrom Olive, Peanut, Sesame, Mustard, Coconut, Rice Bran, Walnut in small amounts…adds antioxidants that protect from inflammation, heart disease, cancer, arthritis… UNLIMITEDamount of Spices and Herbs…just 2 teaspoons a day will protect your heart, liver, brain and joints from disease Vegetablessuch as garlic, onions, cabbage, cauliflower, mustard greens and other leafy vegetables, radishes, okra, eggplant, guar (cluster beans) protect the liver and other organs such as your eyes and heart… A clove of garlic is a serving! Eat 1-2 cloves of garlic and 2 cups of vegetables daily. Beans, Peas, Lentils and other Legumesand low-fat dairy such Yogurt/Buttermilk daily…along with calcium, yogurt also adds good bacteria. Beans, legumes and vegetables provide food for it to grow. Together they keep the colon healthy. Beans and Legumes turn down cholesterol production, keep blood sugar stable and protect from cancer Whole Grains and Flours such as wheat, rice, millet, sorghum, amaranth…commonly known as Jowar, Bajra, Raagi, Rajgheera provide important minerals and vitamins involved in producing fuel for the cells , fiber which prevents cancer, heart disease and turns down cholesterol production sPICES, hERBS, bEANS, pEAS, lEGUMES, wHOLE gRAINS, hEALING oILS, gARLIC, oNIONS, cABBAGE, cAULIFLOWER, tURNIPS, mUSTARD gREENS

15. Your Plate 1-1 ½ cups Dal, Handavo, Dhokla, Adai, Iddli, Dosa, Uttapam Beans & Legumes Vegetable Yogurt Also as Raita, Kadhi etc Vegetable Rice Garlic Chutney, Mint-Cilantro Chutney, Coconut Chutney • 2 cups cooked – 4 servings • Add spices to increase the antioxidant potential • 1-2 cloves of garlic daily • Potatoes are not vegetables but are full of nutrients! Roti/Bhakri Garlic Chutney, Mint-Cilantro Chutney, Coconut Chutney Whole wheat flour, enriched with Besan; Bhakri with Jowar and Bajri Ancient Wisdom, Modern Solutions

16. 1 AVOID OR ELIMINATE: • High Fructose Corn Syrup • Hydrogenated or Partially Hydrogenated Oils – including Vanaspati, Dalda, • I can’t believe its not Butter, Promise. Avoid corn oil, soybean oil • Artificial Sweeteners, additives, food coloring • Processed food – white flour, white sugar LIMIT: • Salt • Fat – 2 tablespoons of good fat and 8-10 nuts per day Ancient Wisdom, Modern Solutions

17. 2 Vegetables and Fruits • Daily: 2-3 cups a day • 1-2 cloves of garlic • 2 -3 cups of vegetables • Cabbage, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Mustard Greens, Radishes, • Brussels Sprouts – at least half a cup daily • 1-2 teaspoon of oil with the vegetables • A lot of herbs and spices – e.g. turmeric , cilantro, ginger, • garlic, onions (all colors), • Potatoes are not vegetables but have many nutrients! • 1-2 fruits per day – Limit Fruit Juices Ancient Wisdom, Modern Solutions

18. 3 Beans and Legumes • High Fiber ~15 g dietary fiber per cup! • High Resistant and Slowly Digested Starch • Vegetable Protein ~23% protein • Low Fat ~1% • Low Glycemic Index (GI) • High Vitamins and Minerals –Folate, B Vitamins, Selenium • Compounds like Phytates, Trypsin Inhibitors etc that • prevent cancer, heart disease and diabetes Ancient Wisdom, Modern Solutions

19. A special note on beans…moods, memories and sleep • Beans have Arabinose that decrease the absorption of sugar and keep the amount absorbed low and steady. • Add at least ½ -1 cup of beans, lentils and peas daily. It will provide soluble fiber, minerals, protein as well as retard glucose absorption from the gut. • It also has special compounds like saponins and lignans that protect us from inflammation and cancer. • The B vitamins and minerals support the hormones and neurotransmitters responsible for satiety, calm and sleep.

20. 4 What is a whole grain? Bran: Fiber, B vitamins and minerals Germ: antioxidants, vitamin E, B vitamins and healthy fats Endosperm: carbohydrates and protein Processed grains have been stripped of the bran and germ. Grains • Whole, unprocessed grain or flour ground from the whole grain • Don’t remove the bran • Use different kinds of grains -Rice, Wheat, Bajra, Jowar, Makkai, • Amaranth (Rajgeera) • Enrich flours with bean flours for increasing protein content Ancient Wisdom, Modern Solutions

21. 5 Spices • All spices have medicinal properties and decrease inflammation • Special Mention: • Turmeric • Black Pepper • Ginger • Chilli Powder (Cayenne) • Ajwain (Bishop’s Weed) smells like Thyme • Cumin, Coriander, Fenugreek Ancient Wisdom, Modern Solutions

22. Key Medicinal Properties of Spices (Medicinal Seasonings – Dr. Keith Scott) Antioxidant - Allspice, cinnamon, clove, garlic, ginger, lemon balm, oregano, peppermint, sage, thyme, sumac (Although all spices contain antioxidants, the above spices are the richest sources of these vital compounds.) Anticancer - Anise, basil, black pepper, caraway, citrus, cloves, fennel, garlic, ginger, green tea, mustard, rosemary, soy, turmeric Blood Lipid Control - Caper, cinnamon, citrus, coriander, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, grape, oregano, rosemary, soy, star anise, thyme Blood Thinning -Caper, cinnamon, coriander, fenugreek, garlic, ginger Blood Glucose Control - Cloves, ginger, onion, oregano, rosemary, thyme Anti-inflammatory - Bay leaf, black pepper, garlic, ginger, green tea, oregano, rosemary, thyme, turmeric Antimicrobial - Allspice, anise seed, basil, bay leaf, black pepper, capsicum, cardamom, celery seed, cinnamon, clove, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, lemon grass, marjoram, mint, mustard, nutmeg, onion, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme Immunomodulation - Black pepper, garlic Toxin neutralization - Caraway, citrus, coriander, garlic, green tea, mustard, rosemary, turmeric Bioavailability Enhancement - Black pepper Synergism (they all work together for a much greater effect)- All spices and Herbs

23. Other Super Foods • Yogurt • Flax meal (Alsi) • Fenugreek (Methi) • Guvar • Garlic • Ginger • Ajwain • Turmeric • Purslane (Lunia, Loni) • Amla • Tulsi (Holy Basil) • Green Tea Purslane Ancient Wisdom, Modern Solutions

24. Fats & Sweets Vegetables and Fruits Herbs and Spices Low Fat Dairy Herbs & Spices Beans and Legumes Low –Fat Dairy Whole Grains WholeGrains Beans and Legumes Vegetables and Fruits Ancient Wisdom, Modern Solutions

25. Roots ¼ - ½ Cup Beets Burdock Carrots Celery root Elephant Yam Horserad. Jerusalem Artichoke Parsnips Your Plate Other Vegetables 1-2 cups Artichoke Asparagus Avocado Bean sprouts Beans, string Celery Cucumber Eggplant Endive Escarole Fennel Lettuce, dark green Mushrooms Okra Parsnips Peppers, all colors Pumpkin Radicchio Snow peas Spinach Squashes Swiss Chard Tomatoes Vegetable tomato juice Zucchini Crucifers ½ -1 Cup Arugula Bok choy Broccoli Broccoli rape Brussels sprouts Cabbage, all types Cauliflower Collard Greens Daikon Kale Kohlrabi Mustard Greens Radishes Radicchio Rutabaga Turnips with greens Watercress Lentils , Beans , Peas ½ -1 Cup Every kind – Adzuki, Black, Black-eyed peas, Cannelloni, Garbanzos, Kidney, Lima, Moong, Pinto, Split Peas ,Soy (edamame, miso, tempeh) Fermented Foods – 1-4oz per meal –e.g. Sauerkraut, Pickles, Miso, Kefir, Tempeh, Sourdough bread ALL Herbs Spices 2 tsp Black Pepper Cilantro Cinnamon Cumin Oregano Mint Parsley Rosemary Turmeric Whole Grains ½ -1 Cup Amaranth Barley Brown rice Buckwheat –Kasha, Soba Millet Oats - Steel cut, or rolled Quinoa Sprouted grain breads, tortillas, pasta Roots and Tubers Sweet Potatoes, Yams Potatoes Alliums ¼ - ½ Cup Chives Garlic Leeks Onions, all types Scallions Shallots