Water, Water, Everywhere...

Although water covers 66% of the Earth's surface, only 2.5% of water is fresh water, and over two thirds of this is frozen in glaciers and polar ice caps.

Today, it has been suggested that around 14,000 people die daily due to water pollution. [Source Larry West "World Water Day: A Billion People Worldwide Lack Safe Drinking Water" 26 March, 2006]. Man has polluted almost every single water supply in the world. The quality of water in your region can be found be reading the Drinking Water 2005 Report from the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) http://www.dwi.gov.uk/consumer/wq05ccw.shtm

Part 3 of the report details the drinking water standards and the allowable levels of chemicals in the drinking water provided by your supplier.

In China, 80% of the country's major rivers are so degraded that they no longer support fish. Many Eastern European rivers run yellow with industrial poisions. Three hundred million gallons of raw or partially treated sewage is discharged around England's coastline each day and two million tons of toxic waste is dumped into the sea annually. [Source: Paul Chek - "How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy" 2004]

For drinking water, drink bottled water from natural sources. The best types are those with a hardness of 170mg/L or greater, a Total Disolved Solids (TDS) of 300 or greater and PH>7. [Source: Paul Chek - "How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy" 2004] The best known brands are Evian, Vittel and Volvic.

How much water do I need to drink? Well, the Chek Institute recommends that you take your body weight (in Kg) x 0.033 = how much water to drink in litres. A 75kg person would need to drink 2.5 litres of water a day to remain properly hydrated (75x0.033). This amount needs to increase under exercise or in hot climates.

You'll know when you are properly hydrated when your urine runs clear!

If you don't like the taste of water, then add a pinch of unprocessed sea salt to the bottled water, which can't be tasted but gives the water a much 'nicer' feel in the mouth, it will also reduce the frequency of urination!

You are what you eat....

Gillian Mckeith made these words famous on Channel 4 Series of the same.... but think about it, you eat food to replace dying cells and help repair and grow. If your body were a F1 car would you really put the cheapest fuel in it you could possibly find? You are literally, what you eat.

Many people buy ready prepared or packaged foods for convenience. But many of these contain what Paul Chek refers to as 'non foods'. A 'non food' is any food that costs more in nutritional value to digest, absorb and eliminate than it delivers.

Do you know the difference between strawberry flavour, strawberry flavoured and strawberry yoghurt?

Look in your fridge or freezer and pull out all the prepackaged foods. Then turn to the ingredients. How many do you not know what they are or can't pronounce?

The Food Standards Agency list a range of products which can be legally added to you food. A list can be found on the Food Standards Agency website

http://www.food.gov.uk/safereating/chemsafe/additivesbranch/enumberlist#h_2

Don't be confused about the term natural. Insects, insect larvae, monkey guts and even mercury are all 'natural' and are just a few of the ingredients which can end up in your food. [Paul Chek]

Always eat foods that are as natural as possible and have very little use of chemicals such as pesitcides or fertilizers in their creation. The Soil Association certifies produce which have passed a strict assessment in terms of how produce is grown and how animals are fed and treated..

The media often reports that there is no significant difference between organic foods and conventionally grown crops.

The Soil Association analysed 109 studies on conventional and organic foods. They determined that only 27 of these studies were valid comparisons - almost all of which found orgnaic foods to be significantly better. In many of the other studies, the organic produce was flowin in and was much older than the locally grown conventional crops, therefore decreasing it's nutritional value. [Paul Chek]

Typically, organic food as well as having less use of fertilsers and pesticides has higher levels of secondary nutrients such as phenolic compounds which are antitoxidants. According to research, phenolic compounds are ten times more efficient at mopping up cancer - causing 'free radicals' in the body than other antitoxidants such as vitamin C and E. [Paul Chek]

Organic foods have better protein quality due to the soil not being depleted of nutrients from the over use of fertilisers and pesticides.

Organic foods should also be free of pesticide and fertiliser residues present on conventional farms. This alone makes them worth the extra time and money they take to acquire. However, due to the amount of polution in the air and in the water system (nowadays, there is no totally pure source of water), organic foods are sometimes in contact with chemicals. So, it's hard to say they are totally free of chemicals.

Therefore, if we are what we eat, then we should always eat from the best sources of food, which typically means certified organic, locally produced and grown, which should always be thoroughly washed before use.

There is nothing more unequal, than the equal treatment of unequal people.

The above quote by Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) could equally relate to the inequality of one diet fitting all, as it could to the Declaration of Independence and the affairs of the United States.

The UK Government recommends that you eat the following balance of food every day (as quoted from Men's Fitness March 2007):

35% - Carbohydrates, such as bread, potatoes, pasta, rice or other cereals
33% - Fruit and vegetables - at least 5 portions a day, but aim for 9
12% - Meat, fish or vegetarian alternatives
15% - Milk, cheese or yoghurt
5% - (optional) Fatty and suggary foods such as mayonaise and sauces.

However, how many people look the same, talk the same or perform the same. Therefore, the idea that one diet can fit all is a myth and consequently you should always seek to eat according to your metabolic type.

There are 3 broad metabolic types:

Protein Type (Fast oxidisers)
Mixed Type
Carbo Type (Slow oxidisers)

When you don't understand how specific foods affect you, eating becomes a daily struggle. You struggle to feel satisfied, are constantly fighting weight, or struggle to get through between meals and end up snacking.

When you understand your metabolic type it is the first step in achieving or maintaining your ideal weight, increasing energy and endurance, strengthening your immune system and help in fighting diseases, increasing alertness and reducing anxiety and mood swings.

Understanding the metabolic type allows the creation of a 'custom' diet - one that's especially created for the metabolic type.

Protein Types:

Protein Types typically have strong appetites, have cravings for fatty, salty foods, failure with reduced calorie diets, fatigue, anxiety and nervousness.

Protein Types need a diet relativey high amounts of proteins and fat, compared to carbohydrates. However, all proteins are not created equal. Proteins high in fat and high in purines convert to energy at the proper rate for the metabolic type.

Consumption of carbohydrates should be minimised since they are converted to energy too quickly.

Carbo Types:

Many Carbo Types have relatively weak appetite, have high tolerance for sweets, problems with weight management, have variable energy levels and have a caffine dependenency. Therefore as a Carbo Type the diet needs to have relatively small amounts of proteins and fats in relation to carbohydrates. More than any other type, Carbo types have the freedom to eat a wide selection of carbohydrates - vegetables, grains and fruits. Because the body converts food to energy slowly, the amount of proteins and fats should be limited, as these foods would slow down energy conversion even more, leading to increased sluggishness and increased anxiety.

Mixed Types

Mixed Types fall between Protein Types and Carbo types. Typical tendencies of Mixed Types are, variable appetite, low crawings for sweets or carbohydrates, easy weight management - although if Mixed Types eats more of a Carbo or Protein diet then weight problems can develop.

Mixed Types require need a good balance of high purine, high fat proteins and low purine, low fat purines. Similarly Mixed Types need to make sure they get a good balance of vegetables and fruits that are good for both Protein and Carbo types.

Over time, eating to the correct metabolic type will dramatically improve your quality of life. Some benefits will be incurred straightaway, whilst others may take time to take effect.

In the next post there will be guidance on how to obtain your metabolic type.

One man's food is another man's poison....

Ever wondered how your friend lost weight following the Atkins diet or the South Beach Diet, but when you followed it, you put on weight, felt miserable or had cravings? Well, just like everyone is created unique so to are our bodies and just because a diet works for someone, doesn't mean that it will work for you.

Metabolic typing is the means by which you identify your 'metabolic type' and create a diet that suits your individual nutritional needs.

It might be a low fat, high carbohydrate diet filled with pasta and grains, or a high fat, high protein diet focused on meat and seafood....or a mix of the two. By combining the right foods for you, you will be able to:

• Achieve and maintain the ideal weight
• Eliminate sugar cravings
• Increase energy and endurance
• Strengthen your immune system
• Overcome anxiety, depression and mood swings
• Increase alertness and reduce allergies

Metabolic Typing was first discovered by a dentist Dr William Kelley. In the mid 60's Dr Kelley discovered that he had an agressive and untreatable pancreatic cancer. His doctor told him he only had a few months to live and suggested he got his affairs in order.

Dr Kelley's mother, Velma Kelley, demanded that Dr Kelley change his eating habbits from junk food and sweets, to fruits, vegetables and wholegrains.

Much to Dr Kelley's surprise, within a few weeks his condition improved. His energy increased and the tumors in his abdomen reduced. Encouraged by this, Dr Kelley experimented with lots of changes to his diet including varying the quantities of nutrients and trying new foods.

After a while, he found himself having more good days than bad. A year passed, then two. Dr Kelley's health was slowly improving. Importantly he managed to live well past the time the doctors were certain that he would die.

Word of Dr Kelley's recovery started to spread and many people sought his advice to help with their own conditions.

Then, in 1973, Kelley's wife became ill. She became weak and was unable to function or get out of bed. Kelley treated her with the same nutrients and vegetarian diet which had worked so well for him. However, the diet made her much worse.

After much experimentation, her condition deteriorated so much she was on the verge of dying. It was at this point that Dr Kelley realised that there was one thing he hadn't tried and that was meat. Consequently, out of desparation, he started feeding her meaty broths. She reacted well, so Dr Kelley continued to give her more meat.

Much to his surprise, she started to improve. Her recovery was swift and dramatic!!! Within 24 hours she was strong enough to sit up in bed, and after a few days was able to persue normal activities.

Suddenly it became clear to him, that what was a healthy diet for one, was an unhealthy one for others.

Over time Dr Kelley refined his plan and became known as "the father of metabolic typing"