The effects of soil on the foods you eat.

More and more people are getting chronic diseases such as food intolerance and cancer, yet we are paying less attention to our diet and more to drugs than ever before. This article aims to bring to your attention some very important truths about your diet today.

With the Industrial Revolution, new methods of storing foods emerged; sterilization, fertilization and pesticides are now the norm. The Industrial Revolution was seen as a good thing at the time but in hindsight, it may have been one of the worst things humanity could have done to itself. Why is it that we can produce and store food for millions and yet millions around the world are starving?

The aim of today's food manufacturers is to prepare food which is the tastiest, last the longest and has already gone through the cooking process.

Our ancestors derived their vital nutrients from the soil. Whether in the UK or South America, mankind lived on what they could get from their local fruits & vegetables. None of these essential nutrients are found in today's fast-foods.

The very soil that people used to live from is now attacked by some of the deadliest pesticides known to man. Mankind's obsession with killing bugs has meant that our whole way of life has changed. Whilst concentrating on killing bugs and pests, mankind has ignored the more destructive danger known as cancer; a very real danger strongly associated with the use of pesticides. What will kill you, bugs or pesticides?

Fertilizers and pesticides commonly destroy vitamins such as Vitamin C, iron, folic acid, minerals and other essential nutrients. Some pesticides stay in the soil for up to fifty years! Think about it. Over 95% of the foods we eat are now contaminated by pesticides.

A study by Beasley (Betrayal of Health) in 1968 found that patients who died from liver or brain cancer or MS, had significantly higher traces of pesticides in their brains and fatty tissues than those who died from other diseases.

Did you hear about the American guy that died in Russia? They exhumed his body years later and he was perfectly preserved!

Do you find that you suffer from allergies? Runny nose, bad skin? Have you ever considered giving up wheat or at least cutting down its consumption? If not, why not? You probably think you need the "goodness" from wheat, right?

Consider this: Today's wheat is nothing like the wheat of old. Refining wheat has made it in to a dead food with between 80-100% loss of essential nutrients such as the B Vitamins, minerals and micronutrients.

Packing and transportation also aid in the reduction of common foods' nutritional benefits. Foods such as potatoes, spinach, broccoli and peas lose up to 80% of their Vitamin C content within a week of being harvested.

Not only have canned foods lost 50% of their nutrients but they have the potential to contain nitrosamines (from added nitrites), a potential cancer-causing agent. Nitrates are one of the most commonly used substances in the food industry, used in the preparation of hot dogs, luncheon meats and bacon. In the Cancer Risks Lurk in Hot Dogs and Burgers, Ralph Moss discusses the results of research which showed that children who eat 12 or more hot dogs a month are almost 10 times as likely to get Leukemia. More risk has also been observed in pregnant mothers who eat hot dogs.

Cows are fed chemically enhanced feeds, drugs, hormones and are now genetically engineered. Amongst the most widely used substances are growth factor, antibiotics and estrogen. Bovine Growth Factor and estrogen can cause obesity, arthritis, diabetes and heart disease.

The above sounds very scary and make no mistake about the fact that it is! We have only outlined a few foods in this article.

You can start with a healthier diet from right this minute and believe that even applying the slightest change can make a big difference to your health and longevity.

Try:

• Limiting dairy products
• Cutting out or reducing wheat
• Increasing your vegetable and fruit consumption
• Increasing your consumption of legumes & whole grains
• Reducing your consumption of alcohol
• Increasing the ration of monosaturated to saturated fats
• Supplementing with Omega 6 & 3 acids and antioxidants
• Cut out junk foods, fatty foods, processed foods
• Try and eat as much organic foods as you can

As a general rule, the more you stick to nature, the better you will be off. Common sense examples apply here. For example, don't buy your fruits & vegetables from a shop on a busy street with lots of cars driving by. If you are out and you can choose between a lasagna or fresh salmon, choose the latter.

Packaged foods, preserved foods and fast foods are not the way to go. Take care of your body and it will take care of you.