Home Spa Lifestyle

Vegetables provide many nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fiber. They also increase the alkalinity of the body more than any other food group.

by Dr. Larry Wilson — 

While the nation wallows in debt and debates how many more trillions to spend on a failed medical system, there is good news: You can have your own health care system right at home. It really works; I hear reports to this effect, almost daily. It need not cost a lot, and it is actually quite enjoyable. Let us explore the home spa lifestyle.

Food choices — the basis of health

Vegetables. Fill at least two-thirds of your plate with cooked vegetables twice every day, if not more. Vegetables provide many nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fiber. They also increase the alkalinity of the body more than any other food group.

The best vegetables are roots, such as carrots, onions, garlic, beets, parsnips, turnips, yams, sweet potatoes and rutabaga. Winter squashes are also excellent, as are vegetables from the cabbage family, which include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower.

Greens such as kale, spinach, mustard greens, beet greens and Swiss chard are very good. Both fresh and frozen peas and green beans are also healthful choices. A bag of frozen peas cooks in five minutes and makes an excellent, tasty and filling snack or even an entire meal.

Reduce or avoid nightshade vegetables, especially if you have any pain in your body. These are tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant and all peppers including table pepper, which is usually rancid.

Proteins. Most people need to eat concentrated protein once or, optimally, twice every day. Protein foods, especially those of animal quality, offer many beneficial nutrients including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids and more.

The best proteins are eggs, chicken, turkey, lamb and some organic and preferably certified raw dairy products. These can include whole milk, plain yogurt, kefir or cheeses. More outlets are offering hormone-free meats from range-fed livestock. This is usually best, but does not necessarily assure cleanliness and quality.

Avoid pork, ham and all pig products, as they can contain parasites even if they are well cooked. Also avoid most beef, as cattle are generally very hybridized and, therefore, less healthful. Avoid all processed meats and American cheese or any type of “cheese food.”

Twice a week only, you can eat small fish, such as salmon or sardines. These contain fewer toxic metals because of their small size, and they are high in beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. For the best health, strictly avoid all larger fish, such as tuna, ahi, mahi-mahi and most sushi, which is now a dangerous food due to toxic metals. Wild-caught fish may be a little better, but not necessarily so.

You also may have dried beans such as lentils, and a few nuts and seeds. These usually are not as good as most meats and high-quality dairy foods. Almond butter, however, is quite good for most people.

Avoid strict vegetarian regimens. They work for a while, but then cause serious deficiencies in most people, which are not easily corrected.

Whole grains. The majority of people today cannot digest most grain foods, especially wheat, which I suggest everyone avoid. If you can eat grains, the best are brown rice, white basmati rice, quinoa, blue corn chips with sea salt, and a small amount of the others, such as rye, oats, barley, buckwheat and amaranth. These are staple foods that provide many nutrients and are rich in what I call etheric energy.

This subtle form of energy assists the development of the body to extend life and provide superior health. However, people who have a lot of yeast in the intestines or other problems do not utilize most grains very well. Pasta from rice, corn or quinoa is good; wheat pasta is not as healthy, though it is better than most breads.

Fruit and sweets. Fruits have very little etheric energy, even when fresh. They have even less when dried, frozen or canned. Fruit often upsets blood sugar levels and can contribute to intestinal diseases like yeast infections. Also, while technically alkaline-forming, the body may not be able to neutralize some fruit acids when digestion is poor.

For these reasons, avoid most fruit and all sugars, perhaps with the exception of some berries for dessert, or a piece of apple or other juicy fruit in the summer during the fruit’s harvesting season.

If possible, do not substitute with artificial sweeteners. If you must, use a little stevia, raw honey, agave syrup or pure maple syrup as a sweetener.

Beverages. Ideally, drink only distilled or spring waters. These are the cleanest and healthiest. The next best water is carbon-filtered tap water or reverse-osmosis treated water. Most tap water is contaminated with metals, chemicals and even medical drugs. Avoid alkaline water machines, as they can be very dangerous if used for long periods of time.

Drink three quarts or more of water each day. An excellent habit is to drink several large glasses of healthful distilled or spring water upon rising in the morning. This, plus a sauna, is a great way to start your day.

Other than pure water, only mild teas can perfectly hydrate the body. These include a daily cup or two of black or green tea and mild herbal blends. Preferably, do not add sweetener to them.

Other recommended daily beverages are four to six ounces of carrot juice or one to two ounces of wheat grass juice. However, avoid loading up on more vegetable juices, as these are very yin (in Chinese terminology) and can upset digestion and blood sugar. One cup of coffee is OK, if you think you must have it.

Avoid all fruit juices, even those that are diluted. Do not consume soda pop, energy drinks or strong sweetened teas. Also, stay away from alcohol in all forms, though a little wine or beer once in a while is OK for some people.

Sunshine. Daily sun exposure for 20 to 30 minutes will benefit almost everyone. To obtain the most vitamin D, do not apply sunscreen. If you are sensitive to the sun, sunbathe early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

Food supplements. Everyone should take basic food supplements such as kelp, fish oil or omega-3 fatty acids from other sources, vitamin D or cod liver oil and sea salt on food, but not in their water. Most people can use some brewer’s yeast or nutritional yeast and rice polishings. Sprinkle about a tablespoon on your food daily. Kelp occasionally causes nervousness, in which case reduce the amount.

To flavor food, use mild herbs that are not irradiated. The label must say nonirradiated. Excellent herbs include East Indian cumin, turmeric, curry powder, garlic, rosemary, thyme and dill. Avoid or use sparingly most medicinal herbs, especially those imported from Asia or Latin America. Sadly, Ayurvedic and Chinese herbs often contain toxic metals and other toxic substances.

Foods to avoid. Most processed and prepared foods are not worth eating. Instead, eat fresh foods that you prepare yourself. Restaurants can be a problem, unless you are confident in the quality of food they serve.

Especially avoid all refined and processed grains such as white flour, most white rice, white and brown sugar, fructose and artificial sweeteners. Also, abstain from using table salt. It is a refined junk food that usually has poisons added to it.

Stay away from most boxed and canned foods, except the few listed above. Avoid most frozen prepared meals, as they are usually highly processed and contain a long list of chemical ingredients. Remember, there is no substitute for reading labels, especially if you are not sure what you are eating.

Always wash vegetables and fruit thoroughly. When eating out, preferably circumvent all raw food, unless you are sure it is clean.

Eating habits. Most people should eat every few hours to offset hypoglycemic tendencies. However, do not eat all the time. Before eating, rest a few minutes. Then sit down in a quiet place, consume your food slowly and chew thoroughly. Rest again after eating and before leaving the table. Whenever possible, rotate your diet, eating the same foods no more than every other day.

Avoid eating in the car or in noisy places. Do not eat standing up or when upset or anxious. Do not drink a lot of liquid with meals. Drink up to 15 minutes before a meal or an hour or more afterwards. This prevents diluting your stomach and digestive juices with too much liquid.

Food preparation. Lightly cook most food, except fats and oils. Light steaming, for example, kills many bacteria and parasites without damaging the food much. It also breaks down vegetable fiber to make nutrients more easily absorbed.

Cooking food adds yang energy. In most cases, cooking is very beneficial, as it concentrates the food and enables one to eat smaller amounts than if it were in its raw state. This is extremely beneficial for a digestive system under stress. It is not true that raw food enzymes are needed to digest food. If that were the case, most people in the world would be dead, since most cook their food.

Fats and oils, however, are most nutritious in the raw state. Look for certified raw dairy products, especially cream and butter. Also, cook eggs lightly so that the yolks are still runny. For example, soft-boil eggs only three to four minutes, or scramble or fry them — but not so much that the yolks become hard.

It is better to cook food quickly, at low temperatures, by steaming, searing in a broiler or over a barbeque, boiling in a little water or stir-frying. Try baking, Crockpot cooking and other simple, but acceptable methods as well.

Combining foods. The simplest food combinations are easiest on your digestion. If you can adapt to a single food at a meal, this is actually the most beneficial option for your digestive system. It can be a package of frozen peas or a large plate of steamed carrots. This takes some getting used to, but is most helpful for regaining and maintaining your health.

Also, do not add any more dressings, sauces, sweeteners or spices to your food than absolutely needed. These too can upset a stressed digestive system. We humans ate much simpler meals in earlier times, and our digestion was far better.

Rest and activity

Do your best to live in a peaceful, quiet location. A critical lifestyle change required for most people is to get more rest. Sleep at least eight or (preferably) nine to 10 hours each and every night. Going to sleep between 8 and 9 p.m. will give you the most restful night’s sleep. Going to bed late is not as optimal, unless your job requires it. Naps are also fine, if needed, until your body heals.

Do mainly gentle exercise. Most people are very tired, and vigorous exercise acts primarily as a stimulant that only worsens their health. Conserve most of your energy for healing.

Try to limit your exercise to gentle walking, cycling, swimming in oceans, lakes and rivers, and other gentle practices like tai chi or yoga. Bikram yoga is very good for some people, but is not the same as using a near-infrared sauna.

The home sauna

An infrared sauna is an inexpensive, comfortable method for removing all toxic metals, many toxic chemicals and chronic infections. Sauna therapy also rejuvenates your skin, makes you look more beautiful and dramatically improves circulation, hydration and oxygenation.

There is nothing better available from doctors, at any cost. You must use it daily or almost daily, preferably first thing in the morning upon awakening or last thing in the evening before bed, or both if you are a slow oxidizer or slow metabolizer.

Of the two types of infrared saunas, a near-infrared light sauna is best. The far-infrared types are more popular but do not penetrate as deeply and may emit harmful electromagnetic fields. Also, one cannot focus the far-infrared energy on a specific part of the body, as is possible with a near-infrared type. Infrared saunas are dry, clean and use very little electricity.

Meditation

The meditation taught by Roy Masters of the Foundation of Human Understanding in Oregon is very good for grounding, as well as developing self-awareness. It also can bring in more etheric energy to tremendously assist healing. The exercise is nondenominational, nondogmatic and is a systems approach that is simple to learn and practice, and safe no matter how often it is used.

The exercise is described on my Web site in an article entitled “Meditation” and is also offered on a compact disc for $9, plus shipping. The CD makes it much easier to keep oneself focused.

These are the basics of the do-it-yourself health care paradigm that I refer to as the home spa lifestyle. For more help, my Web site offers free plans to build a sauna for a few hundred dollars or less, or a simple unit is offered for under $600. See www.drlwilson.com for more details.

Dr. Lawrence Wilson has a medical degree and has been in the health field for more than 25 years. His books include Nutritional Balancing and Hair Mineral Analysis, Legal Guidelines for Unlicensed Practitioners, Healing Ourselves and Manual of Sauna Therapy and The Real Self. He also co-authored Toxic Metals in Human Health and Disease and contributed to The Dangers of Socialized Medicine. www.drlwilson.com or 928-445-7690.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 28, Number  3, Jun/July 2009.