Wednesday, July 12, 2006
The Appy Naturopath
The Optimum Nutrition Bible – by Patrick Holford
Review by Karen Jackman
Appy Naturopath
Every day, we are bombarded with health information. It’s not a surprise. Health is a trillion dollar global business. Be it from newspaper columnists and television hosts telling us about the latest health regimen/ pill/ diet choice which will prevent cancer/diabetes/heart disease etc etc, or gaudy infomercials waxing lyrical about the “fat buster” tablet/shake which will “transform your life”.
Either you are extremely lucky or your are living a hermit’s life if you have not yet been accosted by an overzealous gym membership salesman.
You know the ones who herd us off the street in Orchard and then launch into a tirade about how we are not looking after our bodies properly – a status quo which can only be rectified (of course!) by buying their zillion dollar personal training contract.
While it is very encouraging to see that people are becoming more aware and enthusiastic about looking after their health in a “holistic” way (through diet/exercise/mindset and using natural immune system boosting remedies), not all the information is good (or it is skewed or over marketed at the expense being informative) … and some of it is just plain dodgy.
That is why when I was really relieved when I came across Patrick Holford’s compact, unassuming and unpretentious reference book: “The Optimum Nutrition Bible”.
Patrick Holford is a British nutritionist, author of more than 20 books on nutrition and health, and founder and director of the Institute of Optimum Nutrition in London.
Optimum Nutrition was his first book and it is one of those books which cuts through all the nonsense and confusion about what food and vitamins REALLY do.
Essentially it is a nutrition guide – so exercise and state of mind are not its central issues (although Holford mentions them and emphasizes their importance throughout).
Optimum Nutrition explains once and for all (under clear headings) exactly what a well-balanced diet really means, how to boost your immune system, how to increase your energy and fitness levels and … of course!: how to prevent cancer and turn back the ageing clock (my particular favourite) .
I have always been interested in health – having volunteered in hospitals in my hometown in South Africa when I was at school – and later immersed myself in medical issues as my local newspaper’s health journalist.
I am in the process of learning how to be a naturopath and am also a parent so Optimum Nutrition is a book someone like me finds essential.
Chapter 11 – The Vitamin Scandal – has been particularly useful to me so far.
The chapter reveals that as much as two thirds of the average calorie intake is from fat, sugar and refined flours.
Holford also tells us (backing up his comments by referring to studies and research) that most people are being short-changed on health due to inadequate intakes of vitamins and minerals… and that most people are putting up with feeling “all right” (as opposed to feeling brilliant) without even realizing that they can use dietary changes to improve their health.
The reader can quickly scan through a list of vitamins and minerals – find out what each one does and what foods contain them. Did you know that broccoli was such a brilliant vegetable?
It's a good source of Vitamin A, and Vitamin C, potassium, folacin, iron and fiber. Broccoli has as much calcium ounce per ounce as milk and contains a few important phytochemicals: beta-carotene, indoles and isothiocyanates. Phytochemicals prevent carcinogens (cancer causing substances) from forming. They also stop carcinogens from getting to target cells and help boost enzymes that detoxify carcinogens. It contains so many nutrients – a plate of that every day and you will be firing on all cylinders! Needless to say, I have negotiated this vegetable into my six-year-old’s daily diet.
He eats the “tree veggie” with long teeth but happy in the knowledge that he no longer has to tuck into peas, corn and aubergines until further notice.
Holford has a comprehensive supplementation regime for almost every illness and he recommends these are followed BEFORE treatment via conventional medicine (I would not recommend this if your illness is life-threatening, by the way). I am about to launch on his regime for PMS …. I’ll keep you posted!
Meanwhile, you can pick up this book on Amazon.com.
Review by Karen Jackman
Appy Naturopath
Every day, we are bombarded with health information. It’s not a surprise. Health is a trillion dollar global business. Be it from newspaper columnists and television hosts telling us about the latest health regimen/ pill/ diet choice which will prevent cancer/diabetes/heart disease etc etc, or gaudy infomercials waxing lyrical about the “fat buster” tablet/shake which will “transform your life”.
Either you are extremely lucky or your are living a hermit’s life if you have not yet been accosted by an overzealous gym membership salesman.
You know the ones who herd us off the street in Orchard and then launch into a tirade about how we are not looking after our bodies properly – a status quo which can only be rectified (of course!) by buying their zillion dollar personal training contract.
While it is very encouraging to see that people are becoming more aware and enthusiastic about looking after their health in a “holistic” way (through diet/exercise/mindset and using natural immune system boosting remedies), not all the information is good (or it is skewed or over marketed at the expense being informative) … and some of it is just plain dodgy.
That is why when I was really relieved when I came across Patrick Holford’s compact, unassuming and unpretentious reference book: “The Optimum Nutrition Bible”.
Patrick Holford is a British nutritionist, author of more than 20 books on nutrition and health, and founder and director of the Institute of Optimum Nutrition in London.
Optimum Nutrition was his first book and it is one of those books which cuts through all the nonsense and confusion about what food and vitamins REALLY do.
Essentially it is a nutrition guide – so exercise and state of mind are not its central issues (although Holford mentions them and emphasizes their importance throughout).
Optimum Nutrition explains once and for all (under clear headings) exactly what a well-balanced diet really means, how to boost your immune system, how to increase your energy and fitness levels and … of course!: how to prevent cancer and turn back the ageing clock (my particular favourite) .
I have always been interested in health – having volunteered in hospitals in my hometown in South Africa when I was at school – and later immersed myself in medical issues as my local newspaper’s health journalist.
I am in the process of learning how to be a naturopath and am also a parent so Optimum Nutrition is a book someone like me finds essential.
Chapter 11 – The Vitamin Scandal – has been particularly useful to me so far.
The chapter reveals that as much as two thirds of the average calorie intake is from fat, sugar and refined flours.
Holford also tells us (backing up his comments by referring to studies and research) that most people are being short-changed on health due to inadequate intakes of vitamins and minerals… and that most people are putting up with feeling “all right” (as opposed to feeling brilliant) without even realizing that they can use dietary changes to improve their health.
The reader can quickly scan through a list of vitamins and minerals – find out what each one does and what foods contain them. Did you know that broccoli was such a brilliant vegetable?
It's a good source of Vitamin A, and Vitamin C, potassium, folacin, iron and fiber. Broccoli has as much calcium ounce per ounce as milk and contains a few important phytochemicals: beta-carotene, indoles and isothiocyanates. Phytochemicals prevent carcinogens (cancer causing substances) from forming. They also stop carcinogens from getting to target cells and help boost enzymes that detoxify carcinogens. It contains so many nutrients – a plate of that every day and you will be firing on all cylinders! Needless to say, I have negotiated this vegetable into my six-year-old’s daily diet.
He eats the “tree veggie” with long teeth but happy in the knowledge that he no longer has to tuck into peas, corn and aubergines until further notice.
Holford has a comprehensive supplementation regime for almost every illness and he recommends these are followed BEFORE treatment via conventional medicine (I would not recommend this if your illness is life-threatening, by the way). I am about to launch on his regime for PMS …. I’ll keep you posted!
Meanwhile, you can pick up this book on Amazon.com.
# posted by Karen @ 7:20 PM 
