Integritus Prime

As part of our Beyond Medicine series, we discussed Lifestyle Devils, which are harmful habits that lead to common lifestyle demons or lifestyle diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart diseases, strokes, autoimmune diseases, cancers and premature deaths. Part 1 details two of these habits – eating junk foods and high sugar foods – how they affect our body functions and cause illnesses, as well as how these habits can be changed. Next week, Part 2 will discuss another two eating habits also related to junk foods – saturated fats and high salt – and how these devils may be redeemed. In our third week of this series, Part 3 will elaborate on the final two: toxins including food additives, and addictive drugs.

To recap, these common Lifestyle Devils comprise the consumption of

1. ‘junk foods’;
2. high levels of sugar;
3. large amounts of salt;
4. animal (saturated) fats;
5. food additives, pesticides/insecticides and preservatives in processed or farmed products; and
6. addictive drugs.

Focusing on consumable products and substances that we habitually take into our bodies, we address the following two Lifestyle Devils here:

1.‘Junk foods’ generally refer to highly refined or processed and packaged products that are high in salt, sugar and/or saturated fats; have preservatives and food additives, and provide ‘empty’ calories. In other words, they have little or no nutritional value and are not good for your health. These ‘foods’ are usually ready to eat, such as burgers, pizzas, fried fish/chicken/sausages and chips or fries, canned soups; or easy-to-cook noodles and pasta.

To redeem this habit:

• Use complex carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes, potatoes, brown rice or brown rice pasta at home or even when eating out.
• Add vegetables and fresh salads with low fat dressings to your meals.
• Avoid fried, grilled and broiled dishes and use milder cooking methods such as boiling, stewing, blanching and steaming.

2. Refined sugar is found in prepared deserts, pastries, cereals, biscuits, sweets, and many manufactured fruit juices and fizzy drinks. Most of the time, refined sugar is found together with high saturated fat content as in ice creams, cookies, cakes and other desserts. Sometimes refined sugars come with high salt content – this may sound absurd but look at the nutrition content of ketchup, barbecue sauce, and sweet chili sauces. Some of these products also have flavor enhancers, which makes them taste good, so we end up eating too much. More on this later.

Refined sugars are digested quickly, causing the blood sugar level to spike, making the pancreas produce lots of insulin quickly to keep the blood sugar level within the normal range. Then, after a short period of time when the sugar level comes down, you feel hungry again. This makes you eat more of the same type of food and more often, hence increasing your risk of putting on too much weight, causing stress to the pancreas (which can lead to diabetes), getting you addicted to such refined products and yet, not having adequate nutrition. Refined sugars do not have fiber, protein, good fats, vitamins or minerals by themselves. This is also true for highly refined starchy foods, such as white flour or white rice.

To redeem this habit:

• Use fresh fruits for dessert;
• Choose high fiber, low sugar cereals;
• Try freshly squeezed fruit juices with no added sugar (as a treat only and not on a daily basis);
• Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water with a slice of lemon, cucumber or any fruit for a burst of flavor;
• Check the sugar content of any manufactured sauces and use little at a time or make your own low-sugar sauces and salad dressings.

Next week, we will discuss high salt foods, and saturated fats. The good news is that all these harmful habits or Lifestyle Devils can be changed slowly, mindfully and purposefully to attain good health and a productively happy life. If you are having difficulty with these devils, share with us what you plan to do about them or how you are coping with them.