HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1985-09-25, Page 52Page 22 Regional Value Spotter,
eptember 25, 1985
Let food be your medicine
(NC) — "Let food be your
medicine, and medicine
your food," said Hippo-
crates.
However, when Hippo-
crates handed down his ad-
vice, the family's food was
unadulterated by preserva-
tives, refining processes, or
chemical additives.
Since that time people
have been adding supple-
ments to their food. Euro-
pean women used to place
iron nails in apples for a few
hours before eating the
fruit. They believed this
gave them rosy cheeks. The
Hopi Indians burned corn
leaves, then added the
mineral -rich ash t6i tortil-
las, while the Pima tribes
added a pinch of limestone
to their flour as a nutri-
tional supplement. •
With today's technology
and testing procedures we
know a great deal about the
nutrients in foods and, in
theory, we can get needed
vitamins and minerals
from three balanced meals
daily. A balanced diet can
be planned by selecting
foods from four primary
areas — meat, fish, and
poultry, fruit and vegeta-
bles, cereals and grains,
and dairy products.
However, studies of diets
reveal that most people do
not eat well-planned meals.
YOUR VERY
GOOD HEALTH
Dr. Allan Sornersall
Since the turn of the cen-
tury refined white flour, re-
fined sugar, and marbel-
ized red meat have become
staples in the North Ameri-
can .diet. Our insistence on •
refined foods means our
diets are high in fats and
sugars, and low in"vitamins
and minerals.
In addition, millions of
people are on diets and con-
suming Less than 2,000calo-
ries a day, making it impost
sible for them to gain all the
needed nutrients.
Therefore, nutritional
supplementation has been
on the increase. People
from all walks of life are be-
coming more knowledge-
able about nutrition —from
the condition of the soil
from which our food comes,
to its preparation, presenta-
tion, consumption, and ef-
fect upon our bodies.
Store shelves are heavy
with nutritional supple-
ments from a variety of
manufacturers and the con-
sumer needs awareness of
quantities and ingredients.
Natural substances are
preferable to synthetic, for
the natural ingredients are
accompanied by trace nu-
trients, such as other vitam-
ins, minerals, enzymes, co-
enzymes and
o-
enzymes.and flavonoids.
Dr. Allan Somersall is Spe-
cial Consultant to Shaklee
Canada. If you have any
questions on nutrition or diet
call Shaklee at 1-800-263-
9138.
For fine Fashions
and Accessories,
Children's wear, Furniture,
China and Linens,
Shop Kingsmills.
Serving London for over 120 years
Hours:
Mon. - Sat.
9:30 - 5:30
Fri. till 9,
(KINCISNIES
130 Dundas St.,Downtown London 432-7111 or 1-800-265-1500
010.) hatnbuxger. Pala
and french fries are a, On
farni,Esr meals or snacks
for teenagers. Couple these
types of meals with break-
fasts of coffee and sweet
rolls, and it adds up to an
inadequate diet that may
hinder the development of
an adolescent's full biologi-
cal potential.
The,second decade of life
is one of dramatic physical
change and emotional tran-
sition., It's. a • decade in
which the adolescent estab-
lishes the food habits he or
she will carry through life.
Unfortunately, teen-
agers give little thought
and pay even less attention
640,
Dr. Allan Sornersall
to their nutritional needs.
Generally their diets
supply fats, sugars and a
modicum of protein; plus a
lot of empty calories. And
on the whole theedon't get
an adequate supply, of vi-
tamins and minerals.
As parents we attempt to
instill good eating habits in
our children, but our influ-
ence wanes with the ons-
laught of adolescence. The
approval of a teenager's
peers lo prabpbly the single
most influential factor in.
their dietary habits.
Furthermore, over-
weight female adolesce
are vulnerable to the attr
tions of crash diets, whic
creates its own set of health
problems.
Growing bodies need the
support of every essential
nutrient td meet the de-
mands of rapid physical
growth and increased
activity.
Nutritional deficiency
may not show up for many
years — diabetes, hypo-
glycemia, heart and liver
disfunction — and one area
of protection lies in thesens-
ible use of food supple-
ments during the final
years of growth. Vitamins
and minerals are the build-
ing blocks to the develop-
ment of healthy tissue and
convert food into enerky.
As parents, it is our -re-
sponsibility to, instill in our
children the importance
and necessity of good
nutrition.