September 2024: FOOD SAFARI

Humans evolved 7 million years ago as hunter-gatherers. During this journey, we walked upright and developed big brains. We didn't have large muscles, or sharp teeth, but we did have a super efficient endurance system. We could travel long distances to procure food and avoid extinction. It's important to understand our original design, because the last 100 years has seen us change into a different human.

OUR ANCIENT DESIGN AND GENES ARE AT WAR WITH OUR MODERN BODIES

Modern Human is our new official title. The problem is, we still have most of the same genes of our ancient ancestors. This genetic discord poses a challenge. Are we going to evolve as viable humans when our (once) fit bodies are no longer a necessity? That's not all, today's diets are at total odds with the simple basic foods that served us for tens of thousands of years. Faced with daily diets unsuitable for our ancestral genes, plus new lifestyles that force us to restrict physical movement, it's small wonder that many of us are going through metabolic, and mental health disorders. Your Bulletin team has some answers that might seem harsh, but bear with us. We want to be able to celebrate a lot of future birthdays with you!

GETTING BACK TO BASICS

The American love affair with sodas, cheeseburgers, and fries, along with quantities of other less than optimal foods, is due for a change. You might question if nutrition experts in their right minds would mess with what has become the mainstay of our food preferences?

Getting back to basics means reducing the impact of parts of our diets that are causing the most metabolic harm and long term health dysfunction.

FRANKENFOOD

Global analysis has detected the long-term harm of foods that we consume on a daily basis:

• HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP (HFCS)

This popular synthetic substance is cheaper and sweeter than sugar. HFCS is in every type of commercial food, desert and drink.

Humans did not evolve to consume large amounts of fructose. Unlike a lot other sugars, fructose does not digest normally, but goes straight to the liver. A fructose overload can create uric acid and gout, but that's not all. The overworked liver can develop

"non-alcoholic fatty liver disease", which could require a liver transplant. Excess uric acid can also cause cognitive decline, loss of energy, cardiovascular disease, and adult diabetes.

Food and drink purveyors are allowed unlimited amounts of HFCS in their products, but must show it on their nutrition labels. Consumers are encouraged to become familiar with nutrition. Food and drink purveyors are allowed unlimited amounts of HFCS in their products, but must show it on their nutrition labels. Consumers are encouraged to become familiar with nutrition labels. Don't let "grams" throw you. Twenty-eight grams equal one ounce. Source: David Perlmutter, MD

THE NEXT BAD ACTOR IS: TRANS FATS

Trans-fats present a substance not found naturally in nature. Its use is mandated by the government to be shown on all nutrition labels when exceeding more than 0.5 grams by volume. Food processors, including bakeries , know that even 0.5 grams of trans-fats in their products offers extended shelf life. A commercial loaf of white sandwich bread, with trans-fats, will keep fresh for a week. A homemade loaf will last only about 24 hours.

Because trans=fats are in such a wide variety of ultra processed foods and deserts, it's easy to get a cumulative overdoes of trans-fats, even at only 0.5 grams per product. The deep freying of foods, such as frenech fries, also creates trans-fats, and just like HFCS, trans-fats can leat to fatty liver disease.

Be aware that commercial bakers are adding a host of additives to baked goods that enhance flavor, shelf life and texture. What was once simple flour, water and yeast, is now an ultra processed food.

SURPRISINGLY GOOD FOOD

The power of stuff that grows in the ground is amazing. Nothing defies aging any better than plant foods. There are new studies underway on what types of basic nutrition astronauts will require on extended human trips to and from Mars:

•  Water, coffee and tea. The poly phenols and antioxidants in these plants are excellent for basic health and are easy to transport:

•  Stone fruit. These nutrient power-houses can be dried, frozen and canned.

•  Nuts have everything, protein, carbs and fatty acids, plus a little omega-3.

•  Berries. These have powerful and dense nutrients, like antioxidants, vitamin C and poly phenols. Berries are easy to freeze and store.

•  Cruciferous veggies are the very best. They include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, Swiss chard, and kale. These provide us with vitamin C, multiple nutrients, fiber, and also act as toxin scrubbers.

Note to our readers:

We're changing our domain name to "New Health Order" as of this issue. You can now go to www.newhealthorder.org to view back issues of all the 2024 Health Bulletins online. Going forward, we will provide a one-year supply of our past publications on this website. Your New Health Order Team, Roger and Arlene.

IT"S NOT WHAT YOU DO ON ONE DAY, IT'S WHAT YOU DO EVERYDAY THAT COUNTS!