Forgotten Traditional Health Advice

“Having good health is very different from only being not sick”
- Seneca the Younger

A vast number of claims have been made over the years regarding dietary and health practices. Sometimes there seem to be a never ending procession of health experts promoting often contradictory advice. As with any controversy, we could endlessly analyze the data and arguments behind each new and conflicting claim. There are easier ways however. Societies have empirically adjusted to dietary changes. Over thousands of years, most cultures develop standard diets, food preparation methods, and health practices based on trial and error. This wealth of knowledge represents the cumulative experience of millions of individuals over hundreds of generations.

Rather than theorize or conduct limited studies, it is almost always simpler and more effective to learn what our ancestors traditionally ate, and how they prepared their food when given choices. It is also useful to recognize that every sub-population and individual has genetic variability. In order to arrive at your optimal individual diet at any given period of life it helps to keep an open mind, experiment with traditional practices, and follow your instincts.

What follows is only a general overview of the many traditional dietary and health practices that have been forgotten by most of society today. These general guidelines can dramatically improve both mental and physical health for many individuals and reduce the need for continual research. If you try to become attuned to your body’s reaction to these practices you will hopefully be able to learn what is most helpful to you. Effects are not always readily apparent or noticed, however, so when in doubt I try to simply follow traditional wisdom. These and other subjects can be studied in far greater detail, but this overview serves as a good starting point. In fact, only a small fraction of modern society comes close to following this basic native wisdom, so for most people extreme study is superfluous.

First, eat varied and natural foods when in season. In the modern world of commercial food production, this is easier said than done. Much of our diet is now based on a few staples such as corn and wheat. Overdependence on a few foods can increase the chance of deficiencies in some nutrients or phytochemicals as well as increasing the intake of mild toxins beyond a threshold where they are easily eliminated. An example would be someone who can handle a certain level of wheat gluten but develops mild allergies on a modern high gluten diet, or an adolescent who can handle a small amount of rancid oil but develops severe acne on a modern diet of fried foods.

Substitute fruit and nut mixtures for dessert and sweets as much as possible. Conventional sweets cause insulin spikes and also have the effect of revving up and then crashing the body. This effect mimics a mild stimulant taken several times a day. Eventually the process leads to a drain on the body’s energy. Fruit and nuts cause less of a spike and contain numerous healthy factors such as vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, and other phytochemicals that are missing in modern over-processed foods such as granulated sugar.

Substitute lightly cooked grains, legumes, and root vegetables for processed white flour whenever possible. Substituting these for white flour helps by delivering a wider range of nutrients as well as contributing complex carbohydrates in a more natural form. These substitutes also reduce white flour’s harmful contaminants such as oxidation products and gluten. Toxic substances such as gluten and oxidation products have always been eaten in minor amounts, but they may overwhelm some people’s genetic defenses when consumed in the unnaturally large quantities of today. You may also wish to experiment with sprouting the grains and legumes slightly before preparation. Sprouting generally increases nutrient content and aids digestion. The traditional fermentation process of preparing sourdough bread also aids in removing some of the grain’s toxins and increasing digestibility.

Oil is an extremely important but complex and unstable molecule. Processing, heating, and oxidation can damage oils and fats more readily than proteins and carbohydrates. Our body evolved an extreme sensitivity to rancid smells in order to protect us from damaged oil molecules. Unfortunately this instinct is tricked by modern scent removal methods used in commercial oil production. Oils are the building blocks for our nervous system and are critical for the construction and function of the rest of our bodies as well. Eat only cold pressed oils, avoid (like the plague) hydrogenated oils, and substitute whole nuts, seeds, oily fruits, and organic meat for pre-processed oils in your diet. Traditional cultures were particularly careful to eat oils fresh, unheated, and unprocessed whenever possible. One of the most important things you can do for your physical and nervous system health is to begin eating fats and oils in natural forms and ratios. In particular, the modern diet is deficient in essential omega 3 fatty acids that go rancid quickly and therefore are not compatible with the long storage periods of today’s food industry. For those wishing to learn much more, the definitive book on this subject is, Fats that Kill, Fats that Heal by Udo Erasmus.

Do not continually deny your appetite. We instinctively crave the foods that contain nutrients our body is lacking. We also feel aversion to foods once we have obtained enough of the needed nutrient or the food’s natural toxin level builds in our body. Rather than constantly fight our body’s better judgment, it is often easier and healthier to simply eat what we desire as long as it is in a totally unprocessed form. For example, try sweet fruit and nuts instead of a donut or eat a little fresh sashimi or steak instead of a preservative laden hot dog. I would stress that it only helps to follow your instinctive taste if you are eating natural food. Modern processed foods contain flavor enhancing chemicals and additives that are designed to trick our natural sense of taste. Also, it does little good to gorge your body with calories and toxins trying to get limited nutrients from an over-processed and adulterated food source.

Eat high quality foods raw when the taste is preferable to the cooked version. It should go without saying that low quality foods and foods with a serious potential for contamination should never be eaten raw – and arguably never eaten cooked. Unheated foods contain the maximum nutrient and phytochemical potential as well as avoiding toxic by-products of the heating process. If cooking does improve taste, it is likely due to increased nutrient availability when the food’s cell walls are ruptured in the heating process. Try to use low heat methods such as steaming or slow baking whenever possible. These are the traditional methods that increase nutrient availability, or kill pathogens in contaminated food, while creating a minimum of new toxins and nutrient damage. Despite thousands of years of culinary traditions, few societies ate as large a percentage of cooked food as we do today.

Fermentation and marination are other alternatives to cooking which were often traditionally preferred for foods such as milk and fish with a moderate potential for contamination. Proper fermentation or marination kills pathogens and increases nutrient availability by rupturing cell walls within the food. Natural fermentation may also add healthy by-products to the food such as anti-biotic or anti-fungal properties.

Past societies often ate bitter vegetables that were believed to have a cleansing effect on the system. Perhaps the bitter compounds assisted in the production of bile or were intermediary products used to bond and flush toxins from the body. At any rate, such vegetables are almost completely missing from the modern diet. Once common cleansing vegetables included greens in general - especially the more bitter varieties such as dandelion.

Stimulants such as caffeine have been around for millennia. Many groups with the strictest and most advanced dietary guidelines, however, refrained from these drugs. It appears that most cultures, after a period of exposure, come to the conclusion that stimulants over-tax and tire the nervous system.

Electrolytes are critical to nerve and other cell functions. A much wider range of electrolytes and minerals was once common in our diet. Nearly every traditional culture has a common dietary source of electrolytes and minerals. These sources include fruits and vegetable juices, various herbal teas, mineral water, soup broth made with bone, and fulvic acids naturally occurring in unchlorinated water.

To the extent possible, eat organic food and heirloom varieties. This is especially true for meat that is a more concentrated food source than plant products. The debate about organic vs. conventional food could fill volumes when fully analyzed. Suffice to say, it is likely organic foods contain less pesticide residue and a higher nutrient concentration since they are grown in a more traditional manner. The true benefit vs. the cost of higher priced organic food is impossible to determine due to infinite variables. I generally choose to save money in other ways rather than gamble with health. It is amazing how many people are conditioned to believe health insurance (and the associated job) are critical, while gambling on health with a questionable diet is acceptable. Organic food also tends to support smaller, more environmentally conscious and sustainable farms.

The preceding dietary recommendations may seem reasonable from an intellectual standpoint however many people find them extremely difficult to implement long-term (or even for one day in some cases). One of the main reasons for such difficulty is that we are no longer taught basic culinary techniques that were once a fundamental part of education. Considering the health and economic importance of diet, it is not surprising that most societies placed great emphasis on learning skillful food preparation techniques. There are various reasons why this knowledge is being lost in modern society, but the good news is that you can regain culinary skill with practice.

By visiting local immigrant and farming families or visiting other countries you can gradually pick up many quick, economical, and healthy recipes which have been time-tested for centuries. The recipes followed by such people are usually economical and quick to prepare in contrast to the recipe books that many Americans consider when they think of “cooking at home.” Preparing traditional foods yourself will enable you to regain a healthy diet that can be sustained and improved with practice.

Another healthy concept related to diet is fasting. Few topics seem to evoke such strong emotions as the discussion of fasting does. Eating French fries and soda for an entire day will rarely raise as much shock and concern as eating nothing. Despite its current lack of favor, fasting has been encouraged by many societies and most major religions throughout history. Historically, people often conducted at least one short fast per year in the winter or spring. Current medical studies are beginning to rediscover the benefits of fasting for health and longevity. Although modern studies have not focused on nervous system health, this is the area traditionally considered to benefit most from fasting. Fasting was historically believed to aid mental clarity and calm the emotions.

During a fast, your body is able to re-direct its energy away from digestion toward repair functions. Enzyme potential that was once needed to break down heavy food can instead be redirected to dissolve toxins and cleanse waste from the body. Unfortunately, this release of toxins often creates effects such as headache or nausea just as the toxins of a hangover or mild food poisoning do. The best way to relieve these symptoms is by drinking water, resting, or ending the fast if the initial release of toxins is too uncomfortable. Traditional wisdom recommends fasting only when you are able to rest and drink plenty of water. The first food eaten afterward should be something light and preferably raw such as fruit or vegetables.

A fast should never be a display of willpower or a competition with yourself. Fasts should generally be started when you have already achieved good health and a well-balanced nutritional intake. Our bodies are designed to warn us when we are doing harm to ourselves. When symptoms of a fast become too unpleasant, it is best to end your fast early and begin eating small amounts of natural, healthy foods.

In addition to food, another important component of health comes from the fluids we drink. Again, it is easy to get bogged down in countless considerations related to water and its healthiest source. Modern treatment methods have made enormous strides in reducing disease but questions remain as to the long-term effects of some sterilization processes that introduce chemicals and upset the mineral balance in our water supply. As always, the simplest course may be to follow nature and traditional knowledge. Numerous studies now indicate what our ancestors knew – mineral water is good for general health. When societies couldn’t obtain mineral water from local sources they often substituted by drinking various herbal teas.

Try experimenting with several brands of mineral water and natural low-caffeine tea to see which you prefer. Minerals in solution are more easily absorbed than those in food and may replenish trace elements that are generally lacking in the modern diet. Natural drinks such as teas, mineral waters, and fresh fruit/vegetable juice can also provide substances (lacking in our modern diets) such as electrolytes and negative hydrogen ion that may boost nerve and overall body functions.

Beyond food and water, another vital environmental factor is air. Many advanced cultures proclaimed the health benefits of deep breathing techniques and taught these methods through systems such as yoga. The importance of clean air has also been demonstrated in numerous studies. Vehicle exhaust and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from foam, glues, and paints in modern homes are some of the most common pollutants. Effective methods of reducing air pollution can be as simple as keeping windows open (to lower VOC concentration) or as complex as relocating away from major streets (to reduce exhaust pollutants).

An overlooked but important aspect of air is negative ion. Air charged with negative ions feels fresh such as that near a shower or waterfall, while air that is deficient in negative ions feels stuffy and stagnant. Negative ions occur naturally through processes such as falling water droplets, plant transpiration, and wind friction. The ions are likewise removed by grounding on solids such as dust or surfaces in a closed room. Preliminary studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that negative ion replenishes energy and lifts mood. You may have felt this difference firsthand in high ion environments such as surf, waterfalls, or rain showers. Since we can’t all live by a waterfall, the next best thing is to keep your windows open when possible, plant vegetation around your home, use fans, and spend time outdoors. Keep in mind that commercial negative ion generators will charge dust particles entering the home and cause the particles to stick to grounded surfaces (such as your walls, furniture, and lungs). Therefore ion generators should be used in conjunction with a high quality air filter.

There is another forgotten element of health similar to negative ions. This factor is called by various names including prana, chi, and orgone. Just as with any other subject, it is unlikely that science has discovered everything about energy and how it interacts with organisms. For example, some religions and traditions teach the importance of walking barefoot on the earth (although for most ancient people this was a fact of life).

Science now recognizes some types of “earth energy” which might be considered forms of chi. One example is the energy created by the solar wind which is only visible at the poles as the aurora. Another energy is the continual exchange between the atmosphere and the earth visible at times as lightening. Lesser invisible exchange is occurring daily to equalize the charge between the atmosphere and earth (if not we would be subject to constant random lightning strikes). These continual flows of energy have only recently been discovered, are rarely considered, and may only be a part of additional unknown and unstudied energies.

Organisms have evolved for hundreds of millions of years in these natural energy fields. Yet modern humans are apparently the first species to accidentally insulate our cells from the surrounding energy environment. We spend much of our lives in cars and buildings that act as shielding Faraday cages. We travel in cars and shoes with insulating rubber soles. We stand on asphalt and synthetic carpet and even swath ourselves in an insulating layer of polyester fabric. It may be wise to consider the guidance of ancient religions before assuming that energy has no effect on us just because we can’t see or haven’t analyzed it.

Sunlight is another critical but overlooked environmental factor proven to greatly benefit health and mood. I mention sunlight after the other factors that affect our health because, in order to process it optimally, your body must have a good diet. When a person has dietary deficiencies or toxins, sunlight appears to give reduced benefits and can cause harm at lower levels. In particular, you should insure a sufficient intake of essential fatty acids before beginning to increase your sun exposure. Sunlight appears to work in conjunction with essential fatty acids. The combination of these two factors may be vital for physical and mental health, but both sunlight and essential fatty acids are severely lacking in society’s modern lifestyle and diet.

The proper quantities of sunlight vary greatly depending on individual factors and pigmentation. Unfiltered sunlight entering the eyes is also believed by many cultures to have positive effects. Optimal sun exposure is relatively easy to judge. The skin should never burn and only receive a minimal tan if any. This is best accomplished with repeated short exposures rather than long sessions. If possible, try to receive sun on large areas of skin every week. Sun exposure on the face and hands alone tends to burn and damage these small areas before significant benefits are gained for the entire body. For some individuals, sun exposure appears to be a pivotal factor in health and mood.

Along with exposure to sunlight I’d like to discuss another once common practice that has nearly been forgotten in modern society - absorption of minerals and excretion of toxins by the skin. The skin grows from the same group of tissue as the intestines and serves the same absorption and excretion functions. Although rarely studied, many cultures place great importance on soaking in mineral springs or mud. Hot springs, and mud in particular, are a concentrated source of dissolved minerals. Mud often also contains natural fulvic acids that are produced by microorganisms to greatly aid mineral absorption. Springs and mud can be a valuable source of sulfur and trace minerals that may be lacking in the normal diet. If you do not have time to exhaustively research this inadequately studied field, it is easier to rely on the wisdom of countless cultures, movie stars at the spa, and even other animal species. After trying this practice with an open mind your body will hopefully tell you if it is helpful.

Positive or negative impacts to health are generally magnified the earlier they occur in an organism’s development. Although a lengthy discussion is beyond the scope of this book, there are some basic health considerations for children. Perhaps our greatest deviation from the historical norm occurs in formula feeding infants. Some benefits of breastfeeding have been shown to last for the child’s entire lifetime. If you want to spend years sorting through the data, keep in mind that formula producers have poured millions of dollars into “studies” attempting to find benefits, while the non-profit opposition has had little funding. After the quest for formula benefits still failed, the industry’s revised tactic was to quietly and quickly admit that breastfeeding is best. The millions of dollars are now spent trying to hook new parents on the “convenience” of formula with a barrage of advertising and starter samples. It should be clear however, that the traditional method of nursing for extended periods with human milk is likely preferable to feeding dehydrated milk of a different species (or soybean extract) augmented by natural and artificial nutritive replacement factors. While there is often a great time cost associated with traditional nursing, this price should be weighed against formula’s known and potential risks. Practices such as formula feeding which deviate severely from our evolutionary standard inherently create an additional risk potential from currently unknown or unstudied interactions.

Even before nursing infants, fetal growth is a topics worth consideration. Many societies have lengthy practices to promote a newborn’s optimal potential. One of the most common is the concept of detoxifying the woman’s (and sometimes man’s) body prior to conception. This is often done by short fasts or cleansing herbs before the planned conception. In addition to improving the health of a child, this practice is believed to minimize morning sickness that may otherwise be the body’s naturally induced detoxification process.

No discussion of health would be complete without mentioning the modern pharmaceutical industry that is inextricably tied to medical care in our society. It is tempting to say that this entire industry represents an extreme departure from the human norm. But that is only partially true. Native cultures often relied heavily on herbal remedies for nearly every disease. History shows that these herbal treatments were helpful, harmful, or neutral for varying conditions. The main benefits were generally to alleviate symptoms - except in bacterial and fungal infections where cures where common. Modern society has allowed for the creation of a massive pharmaceutical industry stemming from these early herbalists. The starting point for many drug classes was originally an herbal remedy. The main differences are that synthetic medicines can be customized, can be produced more efficiently at standard dosages, and have patent protection insuring profitability to fund research and marketing.

Not surprisingly, our modern pharmaceutical industry’s success tends to mirror the traditional herbalists. We have eradicated most bacterial and fungal infections and alleviated symptoms in most diseases to varying degrees. As with herbs, pharmaceuticals also sometimes do more harm than good through direct toxic effects or masking symptoms and diverting attention from surgical or dietary cures. The pharmaceutical industry is basically the most complex, scientific, and profitable system of “herbal” medicine in history. As such, we should realize its benefits but also recognize that good health through diet is the preferable or only cure for many conditions.

Exercise is a final critical factor for health. Traditionally, most people were more active than we are today. Exercise may have been particularly important to the strong development of children’s organs such as the cardiopulmonary system. This brings into question the current practice of training children to sit for long periods of time at school in preparation for future office careers. If you are not able to get much physical activity in your job, it is important to pick exercises that you enjoy the most, rather than activities you must force yourself to pursue. If you don’t like lifting weights then try hiking or vice-versa. Experiment with yoga or ride a bike around your neighborhood. Group activities can be a great opportunity to meet new people who will provide fun and encouragement.

The reasons for exercise’s benefits are not fully known - just as with sunlight, negative ions, and mineral waters. However, exercise is one area where modern medicine seems to be in complete agreement with traditional practices. Perhaps the billions of dollars spent on sporting equipment have helped to get the message out.

In the absence of good baseline health, however, exercise tends to quickly deplete the body and wear down reserves. The body senses this and we become tired and quit unless a good foundation is first developed based on diet and other factors. Traditional cultures also agree that excessive physical toil tends to decrease lifespan. A healthy balance of activity and rest is the way humans lived before the invention of agriculture, and this lifestyle still appears to be optimal.

By following these basic but forgotten health practices, you will likely achieve results beyond your best expectations. To learn much greater detail regarding traditional dietary, health, and other practices, you can read The Real Story of Money, Health, and Religion, by Loren Howe available in paperback or $1.25 download at http://www.lulu.com/content/592768