Soy Products, Grains and Pasteurized Dairy; How They’re Affecting Your Health
This blog is part of a series; its original title was Heilkunst Basics : Grade Three
There is a polarity between generally applicable advice, and more individualized recommendations. Grade three in the Heilkunst process brings us back to some more generalized considerations for nutrition. This is not a complete list, but will give you some good general indications about some of the most common foods and food groups which are better avoided or at least minimized in your diet:
- Soy products – Soy is one of those foods which has a tremendous industry and marketing effort behind it, but which is actually not particularly healthy for us to eat. The widespread adoption of soy products, including soy milk, tofu, and other meat-substitute products falls more under the category of “anti-nutition”. The only exception to this rule are any soy foods which have been produced through a process of fermentation, which includes tamari (or soy sauce), and tempeh, which you’ll usually find in the freezer section of your health food store.
- Grains – For some similar reasons to soy, grains should generally be considered to be “anti-nutrition”. I’m not just talking about refined white flour products, but ALL grains, including whole wheat breads, rice, pastas, and all baked goods. The modern grains have generally been highly altered in terms of their genetic identity, and do not provide much nutrition at all. In fact, it is the consumption of grains (and sugars) which are the primary culprit behind issues of high cholesterol and heart disease, and NOT the consumption of saturated fats and animal proteins. Just like soy, the act of sprouting a grain first does mitigate most of its anti-nutrition factors, but even then is still best used in minimal proportions in your diet.
- Pasteurized dairy – Raw, unpasteurized milk is one of the most wholesome and nutritious foods in nature. Commercial dairy, however, has all been pasteurized, which means that it is another main item in the category of “anti-nutrition”. The act of raising the milk to the high temperature required for pasteurization effectively kills all of the active enzymes in the milk, as well as de-naturing the basic protein structure.
There are other so-called “foods” which could go on this list, but I wanted to highlight these three which have become so central to our modern diet, and which have been effectively propagandized into the false belief that they are part of a healthy and nutritious diet.
Hello! Our family followed a grain-free diet for about a year and recently re-introduced gluten-free grains for our children who seem to do better with the grains than without. What are your thoughts on gluten-free oatmeal? I wonder if certain blood or metabolic types do better with or without grains. Taking out grains typically creates a low-carb diet, which I’ve read isn’t necessarily suitable for everyone. Thanks for your input!
Hi Brianna,
Yes, while it is true to say in general that the consumption of grains and sugars need to be reduced for most people, there are certain combinations of typologies (blood, glandular, and metabolic), which need to incorporate a certain amount of carbs in their healthy diet. That being said, even then, the emphasis can often be more on carbs from vegetable matter, for example, rather than grains, although even the grains may be OK in certain specific typologies.
yes, i can live without soya, it is so foreign in my country anyway. i can live without milk although i will miss it. I also made my own sauerkraut for the enzymes, great! i have substituted sugar with some honey and low g.i fructose, and take them 2 to 3 spoonfuls a day. no grains only oatmeal with milk for breakfast , my B type blood says is beneficial but then come my adrenal body type asking me to eliminate SALT… while thousands of adrenal fatigue websites advocating that salt helps your adrenals to function..so what is left to eat then?? i am terribly confused.
HI George – regarding the issue of salt the question is one of focussing on what is the most acute issue in your regimen at a given point in time. While your adrenal glandular type is in the process of being re-balalnced, minimizing the adrenal stimulants helps this goal very much (salt is an adrenal stimulant). But over the longer-term, while you are in a more balanced state, I get mix of different food sources is acceptable.
Also, Dr. Abravanel doesn’t talk much about the different types and qualities of salt. Richer nutrient sources of salt, such as the Himalyan salts, for example, are better choices in general, given your general need to reduce its quantity.
Everyone, even out-of-balance adrenal types, needs a healthy supply of salt every day, it is just a question of proportion.
The specific issue of “adrenal fatigue” can be suffered by anyone, and is separate from the adrenal body type specifically. A medical approach (ie homeopathic remedies) helps this issue more thoroughly.