Eat Clean: Wok Yourself to Health. Ching-He Huang

one time, of course, all foods were organic and I hope that we can return to this state of being again some day.

      Seasonal, local food

      Shopping for seasonal, local fruits and vegetables is something that I’ve been doing for a while; eating within the seasons ensures that produce is at its best both flavourwise and nutrientwise and is in abundance at the time. Eating seasonally is also better for the environment and produces fresher, cheaper ingredients.

      To go one step further is to grow some of your own food. Recently this has become popular in cities where people are utilising any outdoor space to grow vegetables, berries and herbs. What could be more local than that?

      From first-hand observation, my grandparents seemed much healthier than many of my parents’ generation and lived illness free until old age. They were farmers and lived off the produce from their land by necessity, not having access to processed foods. They were more active, too, and ate whole, organic foods within the seasons. Their generation probably had a lower life expectancy than elderly people now, but they lived until their late eighties. My point is that they lived until that age without heart disease, cancer or diabetes and died of old age, not disease. Of course, most of us don’t live on a farm – but we can still be in control of what we eat by choosing wisely.

      Why no alcohol?

      Limit alcohol or just quit drinking altogether. If you enjoy wine, look for wines with ‘no added sulphites’. Sulphites occur naturally in wine so no wines are actually sulphite-free; they just contain little enough that it doesn’t need to be declared on the label. Sulphites are one of the biggest causes of allergies (see here for more information). They are also regulated food additives that are used as preservatives to maintain food colour and prolong shelf life, prevent the growth of micro-organisms, and maintain the potency of certain medications. Sulphites are used to bleach food starches (such as potato) and are also used in the production of some food-packaging materials (such as cellophane).

      The sulphites that can be added to foods are potassium bisulphite, potassium metabisulphite, sodium bisulphite, sodium dithionite, sodium metabisulphite, sodium sulphite, sulphur dioxide and sulphurous acid. You may also see them described as sulfites, sulphites or sulfiting or sulphiting agents.

      Why no caffeine?

      Caffeine is a stimulant and can wreak havoc with the body’s own natural metabolism, as it impairs the metabolising of glucose in the body which could potentially lead to weight gain. It is known to raise blood pressure in some people suffering from hypertension. It may cause insomnia, increase allergies, and cause indigestion, severe headaches, migraines and forceful heart contractions. This stimulant interferes with the body’s natural ability to regulate itself, so it is best to limit coffee and chocolate intake.

      Why no GM products?

      Genetically modified (GM) foods are derived from organisms whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering – for example, through the introduction of a gene from another organism. The human species has evolved over thousands of years by adapting slowly to its natural environment. Originally all foods were organic, yet in the last 20 years the human diet has changed. The biotech industry has targeted two of the most commonly eaten foods – corn and soy – and has altered them to ‘living modified organisms’. Now several countries in the world have banned GM foods because the impact and true cost to humans and the environment is unknown. This tampering with nature’s genetic code could have detrimental effects on human health. There have been several independent studies that show that GM products give rise to tumours in rats, produce smaller animal foetuses and contain high levels of the toxin ghlyphosate, which is linked to birth defects and illnesses. GM foods also cause severe inflammation of the stomach and enlarged uteri in pigs (whose gastro-intestinal tract is similar to that of humans).

      I believe that not enough research and government regulation has gone into protecting our food sources and it is best to stay away from GM products. GM crops can also pollute other crops and many studies report that the world’s natural ecosystem could be destroyed by GM crops, which can eliminate their competing species in the wild, rendering many original life forms extinct.

      We do not know the damaging health effects of consuming GM products either, and with an increase in gluten intolerances, coeliac disease, auto-immune diseases and cancer I think it is best not to take any risks, especially when there has been no conclusive evidence that GM foods are safe.

      To read more, please see www.collective-evolution.com

      Why low sugar?

      Sugar is highly addictive. It can cause stress to the adrenal glands that regulate your metabolism and can put your system on a sugar high followed by a sugar low, with accompanying mood swings. Some experts suggest that ingesting excessive amounts of sugar is proven to lead to type 2 diabetes, which is reversible through a low-sugar diet. Sugar is present not only in the diet in the form of granular sugar, syrups and fructose, but also in carbohydrate-heavy starchy foods (including wholegrain varieties) such as rice, pasta, noodles and bread. Once digested, these sugars are turned into glucose, and this type of sugar can spike insulin levels and cause havoc with our body’s ability to naturally regulate itself.

      The main problem is that many of the foods we consume today are high in sugar. A person may consume a sugar-laden smoothie or cereal for breakfast, followed by a large pasta meal at lunch and then a starchy rich meal for dinner, including a sweet dessert. A high-sugar diet also feeds the bad bacteria and yeast, such as candida, in our body, an overgrowth of which leads to all sorts of problems, including from skin rashes, heart palpitations and leaky gut syndrome (where the bacteria has eaten away at the walls of the intestines and bacteria and toxins from bacteria waste leak back into the bloodstream). In fact, a candida overgrowth as a result of too much sugar is a silent killer that scientists are only sharing with the public now.

      Some doctors prescribe a strict no-sugar diet to limit the growth and spread of cancer cells within the body. Sugar is also incredibly ageing, as glucose in the cells shrink the cells; in the same way that salt is highly dehydrating, so too is sugar.

      Sugar from seasonal fruit is a better, natural source. Combined with the naturally occurring fibre in fruit, this type of sugar provides slower-release energy than sweet drinks or sugary snacks. It is also less likely to upset your insulin and natural metabolism levels. Ideally, we should be eating less than 5g of sugar per day per 100g of food. I have included a glossary at the back of the book that details which fruits are in season and their respective calorie content.

      As mentioned, bread and pasta spike your insulin levels and increase the glucose and sugar levels in your body, making vitamin absorption difficult. Surely these are more than good enough reasons to reduce one’s sugar consumption? The recipes in this book contain some sources of complex carbohydrates, such as brown rice, quinoa or noodles, including some sugars in vegetables such as carrots. However, limiting the frequency of eating these and their amounts, keeping their consumption in balance throughout the day, will limit the amount of glucose in the bloodstream.

      Why reduce wheat?

      It is also wise to reduce wheat consumption and ingredients that contain gluten, as gluten not only increases glucose levels but is also responsible for gastrointestinal issues, autoimmune diseases and thyroid problems.

      Why no smoking?

      Give up smoking! Did you know that along with nicotine (used as an insecticide), cigarettes also contain cadmium (used in batteries), stearic acid (used in candle wax), toluene (used as an industrial solvent), ammonia (used in toilet cleaners), paint, methanol (used in rocket fuel), arsenic (used in rat poison) and hexamine (used in barbecue lighter fuel)? Smoking also creates gases such as methane and carbon monoxide – more toxic chemicals. It is widely known that long-term smoking causes lung cancer.

      Alkalinity equals balance and low inflammation and toxicity

      Alcohol,