posted May 30, 2006 09:36 PM         

We are living in an amazing time. Information and technology are accelerating at light speed. More and more we are becoming aware of unique and transformational insights that were not available even 10 years ago.

Just as computers, calculators, cars, games, homes and telephones have experienced a radical technology upgrade over the past 100 years due to the acceleration of information exchange and communication, so too has the world of nutrition and optimum performance.

As with any discipline, the higher you rise, the greater the distance if you fall. We have to be more careful as we climb higher. This is more true with nutrition information than any other field. Recall that the great law of the cosmos is: “You are what you eat.” Due to the level of chemicals, chemical solvents, petroleum byproducts, air pollution, water pollution, etc. we have to be extremely aware of what we are putting in our body.

Additionally, our healthcare system is set up entirely backwards. In ancient China, doctors were only paid when their patients were healthy. If the patients became sick, the Chinese doctor went bankrupt. American doctors are not trained to make us healthy but to stitch us back up or load us with strong pharmaceutical drugs to keep us alive in times of crisis. Therefore, in order to maintain health we should refer to the health-giving disciplines: diet, exercise, meditation (in essence…the martial arts). The martial arts as originally taught, represent a complete system of health and harmony. Simply being involved in the martial arts for exercise or competition or self-defense or breaking boards is not complete and is not enough. Spiritual connection to nature and diet have always been a major factor in the tradition.

In order to rise higher we have to be aware of the pitfalls and aware of the path. With the proliferation of super-drug sugars (high-fructose corn syrup) and artificial protein powders as well as every kind of nutrition marketing scam, we must be keenly aware of quality concerns. We must be able to distinguish what is sugar-filled chemical garbage and what is valuable. To do this, I recommend that you reflect on the ancient wisdom of diet that has been time-tested over thousands of years. A wisdom that directs us to add certain foods, superfoods and herbs into our diet that help us to automatically develop healthy and longevity inducing eating habits.

What To Do
The ancient-old dietary strategy that works is called “adding.” The idea is to avoid any sudden changes in your diet, but gradually make better choices by “adding” into your diet extraordinary foods, superfoods and herbs. Let these extraordinary substances work their magic over time.

If we try too hard to change our habits, we end up snapping back like a rubber band. Just like any martial art, consistent practices create habits that lead us to our goal over time.
Start by visiting your local healthfood store and selecting from the following list of products. Begin with the recommended dosage and then double or triple that dosage over time.

Add the following new foods:
Flax Seed Crackers (instead of regular crackers): Flax is a complete protein, is still “living”(flax crackers will grow new plants), is a source of essential omega 3 fatty acids.
Hemp Seed: Hemp is a complete protein source, a source of essential fatty acids and a fantastic source of trace minerals. Udo Erasmus, the world’s leading authority on fats and oils ranks in his book Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill hemp seed as the #1 whole food in the world.

Sea Vegetables (Seaweeds): Sea vegetables are the best source of wholesome minerals to be found in any food. Mineral deficiencies afflict nearly every individual in North America to some degree or another due to the poor farming techniques practiced here over the last 200 years. Sea vegetables are not farmed, but are wild ocean foods containing their full complement of nutrition. Select kelp, nori, dulse, arame, hijiki or other seaweeds and add them to your diet daily.

Vegetables: Organic green-leafy and other vegetables are essential for maintaining great health over a lifetime. If you don’t like vegetables, start liking vegetables.

Add the following superfoods:
Goji Berries (lycium): Considered the #1 food in the Chinese medicinal system. It is a complete protein source and the #1 source of beta-carotene of any food in the world. This food has a deep connection with the martial arts going back thousands of years. How this could have been kept a secret in the West for so long is a complete mystery.

Cacao Beans (Raw Chocolate Nuts): All chocolate is made out of the cacao bean (chocolate nut). This was the sacred and favorite food of the Toltec, Aztec and Mayan nobility for thousands of years. The cacao bean is not actually a bean, it is a nut, like an almond. Almost nobody knows about this amazing food which is REAL CHOCOLATE, even though everyone has eaten highly-processed chocolate. Please read my book Naked Chocolate for more information on this subject.

Spirulina: The #1 protein source in the world. 65% protein! 5 tablespoons of this stuff in your protein smoothie each day will give you more usable protein than any food you have ever eaten. This inexpensive protein food was consumed in Tenochtitlan (Mexico City) for thousands of years.

Add the following herbs:
Cordyceps Mushroom Extract (capsules): Cordyceps was so revered in ancient times that only the Emperors of China were allowed to have it! Now you can get it at your local healthfood store or on the internet! Do you realize what a privilege this is!? Cordyceps increases core strength (jing) and core energy (qi) more than any other food. This should be in the diet of any athlete. Take as directed on the bottle to start; after several weeks double the dose; after several more weeks triple the dose.

Reishi Mushroom Extract (capsules): The mushroom of immortality according to the founders of Chinese medicine (Daoists/Taoists). This is a great immune system food. However, it’s greatest gift is its spiritual aspects. If you are into the whole program of martial arts in all its facets including the practice, the superhuman power possibilities, the meditation and connection with Nature, this is the food for you.

Do you drink tea or coffee? Well, you can switch these with some of the great super-herbal teas of Chinese medicine. Try some of the following:
Gynostemma tea: Gynostemma has many of the same properties as ginseng. A very powerful adaptogen herb.Ginseng tea: Find a reputable source for your ginseng. The longer the ginseng roots have been growing in the ground, the better (they should be at least 8 years old before they are picked). And also try herbal combination teas containing Chinese herbs such as the following: astragalus, dang gui (angelica), polygonum (ho shou wu), eucommia, rehmannia root, codonopsis root, shizandra berry, jujube date, etc.

Health awareness is a continuous never-ending process that can take you to higher and higher levels of fitness, performance and insight. Be active and search the internet for the latest and great health information. Join websites and purchase books. If you do not know what you are doing, start somewhere and begin to learn.

Organic
Remember to choose organic foods whenever possible. The last thing we need is more chemicals and pesticides. Any food that is not certified organic is loaded with chemicals and pesticides. I think we can safely assume that the explosion of cancer and illness is directly related to the amount of artificial chemicals in the environment, in the air and on/in our food.

Does organic food cost more? Yes. Remember: you either pay now or you pay later. One week in a hospital will cost you more money than you could have spent eating exotic organic food for 5 years. Get your values in order. Organic food is essential.

We can no longer afford ourselves the luxury of being told what to do and what to eat by television and incompetent healthcare professionals (e.g. doctors). We have to become 100% responsible for our own actions. That includes food. If you are overweight, you are responsible. If you don’t like your diet, you are responsible for changing it.

Conclusions
Add organic foods, superfoods and herbs to your diet. Begin by walking into an organic health food store and staring in awe at all the amazing healthy choices. You must continue to educate yourself and to try new great things until you find your perfect system.

Start studying herbs, especially the Chinese herbs. The Chinese tonic herbal system is arguably the greatest medicinal system ever developed by humanity. Study this system to achieve the great strength, spiritual powers and super-physical properties of the great, ancient masters of the martial arts.

Eat more vegetables. This is the food that is least eaten by Western peoples, yet most highly regarded in the East. This can include: green-leafy vegetables, roots, stems (celery), as well as multi-colored leafy vegetables (such as purple cabbage).

Eat less meat. Cultivate qi (chi) using your spirit more and food less. The meat today is of very poor quality and getting worse all the time. Shao Lin monks are vegetarians. Consider becoming a vegetarian if that appeals to you. In any case, if you have been eating meat, switch to organic sources and eat less.

Last but not least, enjoy the process of dietary exploration. Enjoy what you are eating. Our food should not only cause us to lose weight, gain strength and muscle, but also, it should be enjoyable.

David Wolfe is the author of The Sunfood Diet Success System, Eating For Beauty and Naked Chocolate. He is co-founder of the online health-food store www.rawfood.com and director of the non-profit Fruit Tree Planting Foundation (www.ftpf.org). David also operates an extraordinary online health and nutrition magazine you can join at www.thebestdayever.com)[/i]

posted June 14, 2006 11:06 PM         

He says to add as many good things in your diet as possible, and without even trying, all the old habits just fall away.

posted July 08, 2006 10:55 AM         

I'm going to print your post when the library's open and read it ASAP. Thanks