Interview with Nutrition Consultant, Dr Teri Nguyen-Gwarek, D.C.

A: Yes, it's true that food can be medicine, but it's also true that food can be poison. We have to know which foods can heal and what foods can damage. This includes how the food was raised, method of preparation, what it's combined with, etc... For instance, fermented raw dairy can be nutritious and healing for those without allergies to dairy, but when homogenized, pasteurized, and processed, it become depleting and difficult to digest. How it's prepared and cooked, whether it's something that can be easily digested greatly determines if the food we eat is beneficial or damaging to our body.

Q: Many people suggest that athletes and people who work-out should consume a lot of pasta and breads. What do you say about that?

A: On the contrary, grains and its products are not part of a healthy diet. Grains weren't introduced to the human diet until recently in our evolution; thus our digestive systems have not adapted sufficiently to digest grains. Gluten, a protein in many grains like wheat, rye, etc. are especially damaging to the intestinal lining, creating nutritional deficiencies due to mal-absorption. Its high carbohydrate content also overstresses the pancreas from overproduction of insulin, which contributes to obesity amongst a long list of other problems.

Q: How important is proper bodily elimination to one's health?

A: Proper and sufficient elimination is absolutely vital to maintaining good health. Ideally, we should eliminate once for every meal eaten to effectively dispose of accumulating waste material. This is evident in healthy infants nourished solely on breast milk. This is rarely observable today as our deplorable diet of lifeless, over-cooked, over-processed, adulterated, chemical and additive-ladened food supply create conditions that are toxic to the liver, and burdening to the digestive and other eliminatory systems.

To ease constipation, eat whole and simple foods as close to its natural form as possible. Raw foods contain fiber, more nutrients as they are easily destroyed by heat, and its own enzymes for digestion; thus, sparing our body's limited supply. Proper food combining of eating starches and proteins in separate meals; not drinking fluids with meals that dilute digestive juices; chewing thoroughly; taking meals in a peaceful, relaxed atmosphere, etc. are also helpful. For those with a weakened digestive and eliminatory system, supplementation with enzyems, probiotics, magnesium, herbal remedies may be necessary until the body is strengthened over time by proper nutrition and lifestyle.

Teri, thank you for taking your time to chat with us!

Teri N-Gwarek, OHP now has a website: http://www.health-excel.com