Restoring Power by What You Eat

by Dr. Don Colbert - February 2008




God’s plan for us is that we would enjoy living in divine health. The very nature of our makeup, beginning with the structure of each cell, supports this fact. Healing is constantly taking place in our bodies.






For example, the moment we cut our finger, every cell in our body begins to work in harmony to bring healing to that wound. In a matter of days, the cut will disappear



as a result of the body’s God-given ability to heal itself. Of course, we are responsible to take care of our bodies in order to keep them in good working order. This includes getting plenty of rest, exercising and eating the right foods.







Most of us know that we should get seven to eight hours of sleep each night and exercise about thirty minutes three to four times a week for optimal health. Likewise, most of us are familiar with the types of foods we should eat to stay healthy, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. However, what you may not know is the powerful impact that two types of food can have on your health—power foods and acidic foods. You may also be unaware of the detrimental effect that poor food storage has on the nutrient content of the things you eat. Let’s take a look at these important dietary choices and methods of food storage that have a significant effect on the health of our bodies.







Choose Power-Packed Foods



Although there are many good foods that we can choose from, certain vegetables and fruits are especially power-packed with nutrients, which promote health and healing in our bodies. They should be eaten raw or juiced. If you prefer, you can steam or make soups out of them. If you do, be sure to drink the broth because it’s full of important phytonutrients that help fight disease such as cancer.







Eat one of the following cruciferous vegetables at least three to six times each week: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, mustard greens, radishes, turnips and legumes. I suggest broccoli and cabbage as the best choices. Carrots are also a good power food. They are rich in beta-carotene, which can help prevent heart disease and cancer. Tomatoes contain lycopene, which also helps prevent cancer. Parsley is a very potent power food. It is a main ingredient in the Middle Eastern salad called tabouli, which can be found in any health food store.







Soybeans and soybean products are some of the most important power foods. Nutrients in soybeans called isoflavones appear to offer protection against cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis. I encourage you to try soy burgers, tofu, soy protein, soy milk and miso soup provided you are not allergic or sensitive to soy. Chlorophyll foods—including alfalfa, wheat grass, barley grass and algae—are potent detoxifiers and may be consumed daily. Two fruits that are also power foods are strawberries and tangerines. Making these foods a large part of your regular diet will help you maintain a strong and healthy body for the work God has called you to do.







Limit Your Intake of Acidic Foods



There are many biochemical reactions that take place throughout our bodies and help us function. These reactions work best at a certain pH level, which is the measure of acid in the body. The ideal pH level for our bodies to function is neutral or slightly alkaline. A pH level of 7 is neutral; below 7 is acidic, and above 7 is alkaline. A healthy urine pH is from 7.0 to 7.5. However, most of us tend to have an acidic pH level. This problem is largely due to our diets. An acidic body environment can contribute to all sorts of health problems, including everything from arthritis and cancer to osteoporosis, which is one of the most significant health problems in America today. Approximately one out of every four females and one out of every eight males over fifty suffer from osteoporosis.







Calcium is usually lost from our bones as a result of the acidic foods we eat. For example, if you eat a lot of protein, such as the kind found in cheese and other dairy products, your urine pH level may start to drop, making your body more acidic. To stabilize this imbalance, your body will respond by taking calcium from your bones to raise your pH level back to neutral. Over time this process can have a devastating effect on your bones, causing them to become thin, brittle and easily broken. Other types of acidic foods that cause your body to pull calcium from your bones include fried foods, butter, oil, sugar, animal proteins, grains, desserts, processed foods, fast foods, tobacco and most drugs.







Another dietary danger that makes our bodies acidic and can contribute to osteoporosis is taking in too much phosphorus. We need to maintain a one-to-one ratio of calcium to phosphorus. The typical American diet has a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of one to two or more. This is a result of not only all the high phosphorus foods we eat such as meats, but also the abundance of carbonated and caffeinated drinks we consume, which are high in acid and phosphorus. When our phosphorus levels are too high, our body pulls calcium out of our bones to raise the level and achieve the necessary balance. We are literally “eating” up our bones by taking the calcium out of them when we eat and drink too many acidic foods and foods and beverages high in phosphorus.







Foods that help preserve the amount of calcium in our bones are alkaline foods. They include most fruits and vegetables, millet, almonds, apple cider vinegar, garlic, lentils and soured dairy products such as low fat yogurt. Your diet should probably consist of 50 percent alkaline-forming foods or higher and 50 percent acid-forming foods or lower. If your diet includes a lot of acidic foods, begin now to make changes that will protect your body from bone loss and disease.










Restore Power with Better Food Storage



With modern refrigeration and freezers, storing food for long periods has become very common. But what many people don’t realize is that the vitamin content of stored foods can decrease more than 70 percent over prolonged periods. For example, asparagus stored for one week can lose 90 percent of its vitamin C. When we purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, and then store them for days and weeks, much of the vitamin and mineral content is lost before we eat them.







Leftover meats should never be stored in the refrigerator longer than three days, since this is a primary cause of food poisoning. Oftentimes, people think they have the flu but are actually suffering from food poisoning from eating improperly stored leftovers. Much vitamin loss in fresh produce can be avoided by making sure your refrigerator is set at forty degrees. Frozen foods should be kept below zero. It’s best to store foods in airtight containers for short amounts of time before eating them to get the greatest nutritional benefits.







A Little Effort Goes a Long Way



With a little effort, you can make new habits of choosing power foods and foods that will help maintain a healthy pH balance in your body on a regular basis. You will also reap greater nutritional benefits from the foods you eat as you learn to be more careful about food storage.







Remember, the nutrients in the foods you eat will determine your health and the quality of your life. The investment you make in wise choices will pay great returns in the form of good health and well-being for the life that God has given you.







Alkaline Foods – Make your diet 50% or more of these especially if you have arthritis, osteoporosis, or cancer.



Vegetables



Fruits



Millet



Almonds



Chestnuts



Stevia



Apple Cider Vinegar



Fresh Squeezed Juice



Soured Dairy Products (Yogurt or kefir)



Alkaline antioxidant H2O



Good brands of bottled water include Evamore, Abita Springs, Deer Park, Arrowhead



and Mountain Valley Spring Water.







Food Storage



Keep refrigerator at 40 degrees



Keep freezer below 0 degrees



Never store meat more than 3 days in refrigerator















Healthy pH Level



pH balance should be 7.0 – 7.5






This article is developed from information in Dr. Colbert’s books Living in Divine Health: (Siloam, Lake Mary, FL. 2006) and The Seven Pillars of Health: (Siloam, Lake Mary, FL. 2006).









Dr. Don Colbert is a graduate of Oral Roberts School of Medicine and shares his years of experience and research in nutritional medicine in all of his work. He is a national speaker, bestselling author and host of a national talk show titled Your Health Matters. www.drcolbert.com












This article is not intended to provide medical advice or take the place of medical advice and treatment from your personal physician. Readers are advised to consult your own doctors or other qualified health professionals regarding the treatment of your medical problems. Neither the publisher nor the author takes any responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, action or application of medicine, supplement, herb or preparation to any person regarding or following the information in this article.









This article was originally featured in Joyce Meyer's Enjoying Everyday Life magazine, (March 2007). Copyright © 2007 All rights reserved. Joyce Meyer Ministries: www.joycemeyer.org 1-800-727-9673