Eating for Flexibility

Eating for flexibility. By Mary Grace 8/21/2010

My yoga teacher said in one of my first yoga classes, if you want to bend like a string bean, then eat the string bean. This got me thinking. Can you eat for flexibility? You are what you eat is something everyone has heard sometime in their life. You really are what you eat, do we ever really think about the real importance of the foods we eat and how those very foods become who we truly are? Every part of your body is created by the food you eat. It makes sense that you can eat for flexibility. We have all eaten too much and felt stuffed. What exactly is happening when you over eat? Your body becomes saturated with the food you eat. Another great example is how you feel when you are fasting. Most people I know who have fasted and continued to practice yoga felt amazingly more flexible the more empty they become. Somehow, by not eating, your body can deeply open up as the body becomes clean and clear. Lets talk about key foods to avoid if you want to feel flexible. The most important thing to avoid is overeating of anything at all. Being full simple congests your body. Lighten up if you want to feel lighter. The next most important thing is to be fully hydrated with purified, mineral rich water. Dehydration can cause the muscles to dry out any your body feels tighter. Simply drinking more water can help your body feel more flexible. There are a lot of foods to avoid if you want to feel more flexible. The main food to avoid is flour products. This includes bread, pasta, cereal, cookies, cakes, muffins, bagels and all types of flour containing products. It seems like most of us eat these foods at almost every meal. The reason flour is such a flexibility challenge is because of its main ingredient, Gluten. They sure named this substance correctly. Gluten acts just like glue. Just imagine making paper mache, mixing white flour and water and making very effective and strong glue. I found this on the internet about glue How to Make Your Own Glue Basic Flour Paste Blend whole wheat flour with cold water to make a liquid paste (about the consistency of pancake batter). Beat until the mixture is free of lumps, and then gently heat until boiling, while constantly stirring. Allow to cool before using. Store in an air-tight container. If the paste hardens, soften by mixing in small amounts of warm water as needed. Wallpaper / Papier Mache Paste * 1 1/2 cups white flour * 1/2 cup sugar * 1 tbsp alum * 1 cup cold water * 2 cups boiling water Combine flour and sugar. Slowly add cold water and beat/mix out any lumps. Put mixture in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the boiling water, and stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil. When stiff, remove from heat and add alum. Store in air-tight container. Should keep several weeks. If the paste hardens, soften by mixing in small amounts of warm water as needed. And some people eat these ingredients at each and every meal. It is no wonder why so many people feel stuck and are in pain. They don’t know that they are eating glue. Next time you are thinking a flour product will be good to eat, just imagine wallpaper glue being inside of you. You might just decide to eat something else. Recent research has determined that as many as 1 in 133 Americans have celiac disease, and many don’t know it. An expert panel convened by the National Institutes of Health last month estimated that some 3 million Americans may suffer from the illness–10 times as many as doctors once thought. The disease is not just discomforting; gluten from wheat, rye, barley and several other grains triggers an immune response that attacks the lining of the intestines, cutting down on the absorption of calcium, iron and other nutrients. There are many reasons to cut wheat out of your diet, and there are too many alternatives to choose from.

Common symptoms of a wheat allergy include: * Eczema (atopic dermatitis) * hives (urticaria) * Asthma * “Hay fever” (allergic rhinitis) * Angioedema (swelling) * Abdominal cramps Other wheat allergy symptoms may include: * Anaphylactic shock * Arthritis * Bloated stomach * Chest pains * Depression or mood swings * Diarrhea * Feeling dizzy or faint * Headache * Joint and muscle aches and pains * Nausea or vomiting * Palpitations * Psoriasis * Rashes * Sneezing * Suspected irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or similar effects * Swollen throat or tongue * Tiredness and lethargy * Unexplained cough * Unexplained runny nose And don’t forget wheat’s main ingredient. GLUE! You don’t want glue inside of you. Don’t be a dough girl or a dough do. The next food to drop from your diet if you want to increase your flexibility is Dairy and especially the biggest flexibility thief, cheese. Cheese is glue also. Casein, the main protein in milk is glue.

Let’s investigate the most abundant milk protein, casein.

The following paragraphs are from my good friend Robert Cohen in his book, Milk-The deadly poison. CASEIN is a tenacious glue. Eighty-seven percent of milk is water. Four percent of the remaining thirteen percent is CASEIN. The furniture in your home is held together by this powerful glue. So too is the label affixed to a bottle of beer. If you are a beer drinker, try scraping that label off this weekend. That will be no easy task and quite a learning experience! Food manufacturers have long understood that glue holds foods together giving them a firmer and more concrete appearance. It is no coincidence that each of the major tuna fish manufacturers have elected to put nature’s perfect glue in their little cans. Open that tin and expect to eat tuna? Got milk? Got glue! Starkist Tuna (Sorry, Charlie), Bumble Bee Tuna and even Chicken of the Sea all use this tenacious glue. Why do they put milk in our tuna fish? It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature! Can we ever look at Hostess Twinkies the same way after learning that CASEIN is used as the binding agent? American’s munchie cravings are satisfied by Ring Dings and Yankee Doodles…all containing this most powerful bovine glue. Why do they do that to us? – Thank You Robert!

Between 30 million and 50 million people in the United States suffer from lactose intolerance. That means at least 1 out of every 10 Americans is lactose intolerant. Maybe these allergies to these substances are a warning sign that these products are not healthy for us. Most people think something is wrong with them, and they need medication to get relief. Only to keep eating the product the body is clearly telling them it’s not right for them. If your body is trying to reject something, don’t eat it. And if you are not feeling any one of these symptoms, this doesn’t mean you can handle it. It could mean that you just got used to it. Think of an allergy as the immune systems defenses working overtime to eject something that does not belong. Rather then suppress your allergies, thank your body for responding the right way, and telling you to not put the harmful substances back in. In one of my first yoga classes with the yoga master, Sri Dharma Mittra he said, you bend like the string bean, are you eating string beans? That made me think. You really are what you eat. In another class, Dharma said to the class, “If you eat cooked, dead, fried, toasted foods, you will feel cooked, dead, fried and toasted. If you eat live foods you will feel live”. This sounds so simple, we have to laugh when we hear it for the first time. It just makes sense. And if you really pay attention to the relationship between food and your mood, al lot about your dietary effects will be revealed to you. The way you feel is directly caused by your food. You will simply feel better when you eat better. You have the power in your hand to control what you put into your mouth. Most people think they don’t feel good because of something else. They constantly rationalize why they don’t feel good. Some people blame their job, their kids, their age, maybe even their past injuries why they are in pain. And if staying in pain is working for them, then they are defiantly correct in these rationalizations. But this is not true. Once you make real dietary changes, you will feel very different. It is a relief that the power is on your plate. What you eat is something you CAN control. You work every day to earn the money, you go out and buy the food, prepare it, and eat it. Then you have to clean up afterwards and repeat the cycle. These are conscious choices you are making. No one is forcing you unhealthy foods. You are making the choice. If you are making all these choices, then it is easy to make different choices. As you make one healthy choice, it is easier to make the next healthy choice and the next healthy choice, and this new cycle begins to be created. Every little bit helps. Have one day a week that is your healthy day, the day where you omit all dairy, wheat, and try to eat raw, fresh organic foods. One day can turn into two days, and three, and then it becomes second nature. As you give your body what it is really craving, your body will ask for more healthy foods. Its only natural. What are the foods to eat that will make your more flexible? I believe it is the elements in the food that you are eating that makes you feel better, or feel worse. I recommend eating foods with a very high mineral content, as well as a very high water content. Juicy cucumbers, crisp celery, the abundance of greens, kale, salads, sprouts, the elements in these foods will make you feel more flexible. The main element that aids in flexibility in these foods is minerals. Minerals are essential to life. Its what we are made of. You are what minerals you eat, and metabolize.

Specific minerals and what they do In addition to vitamins your body also needs 15 minerals that help regulate cell function and provide structure for cells. Major minerals, in terms of amount present, include calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. In addition, your body needs smaller amounts of chromium, copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, zinc, chloride, potassium and sodium.

Calcium: Calcium, the most abundant mineral in the body, is found in some foods, added to others, available as a dietary supplement, and present in some medicines (such as antacids). Calcium is required for muscle contraction, blood vessel expansion and contraction, secretion of hormones and enzymes, and transmitting impulses throughout the nervous system. The body strives to maintain constant concentrations of calcium in blood, muscle, and intercellular fluids, though less than <1% of total body calcium is needed to support these functions. The remaining 99% of the body’s calcium supply is stored in the bones and teeth where it supports their structure. Bone itself undergoes continuous remodeling, with constant resorption and deposition of calcium into new bone. The balance between bone resorption and deposition changes with age. Bone formation exceeds resorption in growing children, whereas in early and middle adulthood both processes are relatively equal. In aging adults, particularly among postmenopausal women, bone breakdown exceeds formation, resulting in bone loss that increases the risk of osteoporosis over time. It is common to believe that calcium comes from dairy products, but since dairy products lack magnesium, its calcium can not be absorbed by the body. Dr. Fuhrman points out that despite its reputation, milk’s calcium-absorption rate is lower than what you might think: “Many green vegetables have calcium-absorption rates of over 50 percent, compared with about 32 percent for milk. Additionally since animal protein induces calcium excretion in the urine, the calcium retention from vegetables is higher. All green vegetables are high in calcium. It is also noted that the countries with the highest rate of dairy consumption, also have the highest rates of osteoporosis (Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark & the US) Turnip greens have 100 mg of absorbable calcium with the highest rentention. Go for the greens. Sources-Kale, bok choy, turnip and mustard greens, tofu, almonds and broccoli. Chloride: A mineral that regulates body fluid volume, concentration and acid-base balance. Balance intertwined with that of sodium. Chloride: The major anion (negatively charged substance) in the blood and extracellular fluid (the body fluid that lies outside cells). Blood and other body fluids have almost the same concentration of chloride ion as sea water. The balance of chloride ion (Cl-) is closely regulated by the body. Significant increases or decreases in chloride can have deleterious and even fatal consequences: * Hypochloremia: Abnormally low blood chloride. Chloride is normally lost in the urine, sweat, and stomach secretions. Excessive loss can occur from heavy sweating, vomiting, and adrenal gland and kidney disease. Something we need to make sure we are properly replacing while doing hot yoga. The normal serum range for chloride is 98 – 108 mmol/L. Most of the chloride in your body comes from the salt (sodium chloride) you eat. Chloride is absorbed by your intestines when you digest food. Extra chloride leaves your body in your urine. sources: Sea vegetables are a great source of chloride. Chromium: A mineral important in regulating blood glucose. Chromium is known to enhance the action of insulin, a hormone critical to the metabolism and storage of carbohydrate, fat, and protein in the body. In 1957, a compound in brewers’ yeast was found to prevent an age-related decline in the ability of rats to maintain normal levels of sugar (glucose) in their blood. Chromium was identified as the active ingredient in this so-called “glucose tolerance factor” in 1959. Chromium also appears to be directly involved in carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism, but more research is needed to determine the full range of its roles in the body. The challenges to meeting this goal include: sources: some spices, fruits & vegetables, brewer’s yeast, & whole grains ½ cup of broccoli may have 11 mcg of chromium. 3 oz of turkey breast has only around 2 mcg of chromium, so again, the vegetables are better, and easily absorbed. It is recommended that we get around 35mcg per day. Copper: Is a mineral that is important for nerve function, bone maintenance, growth, blood formation and utilization of glucose. Copper comes in two forms, copper gluconate and copper sulfate. Copper is a trace element that is found in virtually every cell of the human body. It is a primary element in the production of melanin in the human body. Melanin is responsible for pigmentation in the eyes, hair and skin. Copper is active in many ways in the human body. It is a powerful antioxidant which acts on the body to remove free radicals and help prevent cell structure damage. It is also thought to have anticarcinogenic properties, and unlike the copper bracelets sold as an arthritis cure, copper inside the body can help to alleviate some arthritis pain. In the human body, copper assists the utilization of iron. The copper balance is the body can be upset by extremely high intakes of high fiber diets, iron or vitamin C, all of which interfere with the way the body metabolizes the copper. Prolonged intake of zinc which is at a ratio greater than ten to one of intake of copper can also interfere with absorption and metabolism in the body. You can also get your dietary copper from many forms of nuts such as brazil nuts and hazelnuts. Cocoa also contains copper, as does honey, dried beans and whole wheat products. ratio of zinc. Recommended intakes of copper vary, but the common agreement among professionals seems to be between 2 to 3 milligrams daily, most of which is obtained from dietary sources. Of course, before starting any form of supplementation you should consult your health care practitioner. sources: sea foods, nuts and seeds. Fluoride: Is a mineral that is important to dental and bone health. Greatly improves resistance to cavitites. Fluoride also plays a role in the remineralization process. Remineralization, which is the process of restoring minerals that have been lost due to use or elimination, is especially important to bones. In the case of the bones, fluoride actually helps prevent mineral loss from occurring in the first place. Fluoride actually helps bones hold on to minerals more effectively. It’s believed that this function plays a big role in protecting a person against the onset of osteoporosis. No recommended daily intake has yet been established for fluoride. The general consensus is that 1.5 mg/day for adults and no more than 2.5 mg/day for children is adequate. Any canned or botteled drink has fluoride, including beer & wine, from the water added and the chemicals used (Cryolite) for growing of wine grapes. Teflon cookware puts fluoride in our body. Only cook with cast iron, glass or stainless steel. It really matters! I am actually shocked at all the placed we are getting fluoride in out food chain, infant formulas, sodas, wines, beers, tea, mechanically de-boned chicken, toothpastes, fluoridated salt, and of course, our tap water. I am starting to wonder about the fluoride conspiracy. sources: Everything, Toothpaste, anything containing fluoridated water, any packed, canned or glass liquid, foods cooked in or containing fluoridated water, fish with bones that are eaten, and tea. Iodine: A mineral essential for the production of thyroid hormones. The way this mineral works is that when the iodine is ingested, seventy-five percent of this mineral makes its way to the thyroid gland. At that point, iodine combines with two important hormones that are produced by the thyroid gland: thyroxine and triiodothyronine. These two hormones are required by every part of the body. Their most important role is supporting the body’s ability to produce energy. It is these hormones that control and regulate basal metabolic rates. In simple terms, they determine how fast and how efficiently the body is able to burn calories. Very importantly, thyroid hormones help control a child’s mental development and their overall growth rate. A major risk for pregnant women is if they develop an iodine deficiency, they increase their risk of their newborn babies developing some degree of mental retardation. Iodine is also a proven and effective antiseptic. In addition to helping clean and heal wounds, it will discolor the skin. Another role of iodine is for times when secretions build up in the lungs, iodine is used to thin them. Thus, making these secretions much easier to expel. sources: Seaweeds, iodized salt and foods containing iodized salt. Source of iodine is seafood and sea plants, such as, kelp and seaweed. Fruits and vegetables grown in coastal regions are other good sources of iodine. Processed foods are not a good source of iodine as they typically are not made with iodized salt (interesting iodine facts #2). Iron: A mineral that is an essential constituent of blood and muscle and important for the transport of oxygen. Certain groups can be at risk of having low iron levels. These include young children and early teens, women with heavy menses, women with multiple pregnancies, and people with conditions that cause internal bleeding, such as ulcers or intestinal diseases. But for healthy men and postmenopausal women, iron deficiency is rare. In fact, one study suggested that high iron levels may increase risk of heart attack and atherosclerosis, although a link hasn’t been proven. In addition, if you have the uncommon — but not rare — genetic disease hemochromatosis, iron supplements could cause a hazardous iron buildup in your body. sources: legumes, whole or enriched grains and dark green vegetables. Magnesium: A mineral found mainly inside muscles, soft tissues and bone.It functions in many enzyme processes. Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and is essential to good health. Approximately 50% of total body magnesium is found in bone. The other half is found predominantly inside cells of body tissues and organs. Only 1% of magnesium is found in blood, but the body works very hard to keep blood levels of magnesium constant. Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong. Magnesium also helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis. There is an increased interest in the role of magnesium in preventing and managing disorders such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Dietary magnesium is absorbed in the small intestines. Magnesium is excreted through the kidneys. Green vegetables such as spinach are good sources of magnesium because the center of the chlorophyll molecule (which gives green vegetables their color) contains magnesium. Some legumes (beans and peas), nuts and seeds, and whole, unrefined grains are also good sources of magnesium. Refined grains are generally low in magnesium. When white flour is refined and processed, the magnesium-rich germ and bran are removed. Bread made from whole grain wheat flour provides more magnesium than bread made from white refined flour. Tap water can be a source of magnesium, but the amount varies according to the water supply. Water that naturally contains more minerals is described as “hard”. “Hard” water contains more magnesium than “soft” water. Eating a wide variety of legumes, nuts, whole grains, and vegetables will help you meet your daily dietary need for magnesium. sources: nuts, legumes, whole grains and green vegetables. ½ cup of spinach has 75 absorbable milligrams of magnesium. Manganese: A mineral that is important for growth, reproduction, formation of bone, and carbohydrate metabolism. Health benefits of manganese ensure healthy bone structure, bone metabolism, helping in building essential enzymes for building bones. It acts as a coenzyme to assist metabolic progression in the human body. Apart from these, there are other health benefits of manganese actively involved in forming connective tissues, absorption of calcium, proper functioning of thyroid, sex hormones, regulating blood sugar level, and metabolism of fats and carbohydrates. Manganese is a mineral form, found in our human body in very minimal amount. Manganese is an actual component of manganese super oxide dismutase enzyme. It is a powerful antioxidant that searches the free radicals in human body and manages to neutralize these damaging particles and prevent any potential danger they may cause. The body may contain at the most 20 mg of manganese concentrated in our kidneys, pancreas, liver and most importantly in our bones. Manganese is very important for normal functioning of the brain and nerve areas of our body. Important Sources: The most important sources of manganese, rich in this mineral, include names like raspberries, pineapple, garlic, grapes, beetroot, green beans, rice, peppermint, oats, nuts, watercress, mustard greens, strawberries, blackberries, tropical fruits, lettuce, spinach, molasses, cloves, turmeric, leeks, tofu, whole wheat, banana, cucumber, kiwifruit, figs and carrots. The best sources of naturally abundant manganese trace mineral like green veggies, brown rice, coconuts, almonds, hazelnuts, etc are excellent absorption helpers. Molybdenum: A mineral involved in many enzyme processes, nerve function and protein metabolism. Molybdenum is a component of three different enzymes, which is involved in the metabolism of nucleic acids – DNA and RNA – iron as well as food into energy. These three enzymes are sulfite oxidase, xanthine oxidase and aldehyde oxidase. Molybdenum assists in the breaking down of sulfite toxin build-ups in the body, and may prevent cavities. With these qualities, there might be evidence of antioxidant properties in this nutrient. It assists the body by fighting the nitrosamines, which are associated with cancer, and may help to prevent anemia. It is needed for normal cell function and nitrogen metabolism. Molybdenum deficiencies in older males have also been linked to impotence and may be of value in fighting mouth and gum disorders. Molybdenum is part of sulfite oxidase, an enzyme that breaks down sulfites. Sulfites are found in protein food as well as chemical preservatives in certain foods and drugs. Should your body not be able to break down these sulfites, a toxic build-up results, and your body may react with an allergic reaction.Lima beans, spinach, grain, peas and other dark green leafy vegetables contain molybdenum. Phosphorus: A mineral essential to bone formation and maintenance, energy metabolism, nerve function and acid balance. Next to calcium, phosphorus is the most abundant mineral in the body. These two important nutrients work closely together to build strong bones and teeth. About 85% of phosphorus in the body can be found in bones and teeth, but it is also present in cells and tissues throughout the body. Phosphorus helps filter out waste in the kidneys and plays an essential role in how the body stores and uses energy. It also helps reduce muscle pain after a hard workout. Phosphorus is needed for the growth, maintenance, and repair of all tissues and cells, and for the production of the genetic building blocks, DNA and RNA. Phosphorus is also needed to help balance and use other vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D, iodine, magnesium, and zinc. Sources include green leafy vegetables, whole grains, hard potatoes, dried fruit, garlic cloves, and carbonated beverages. Potassium: A mineral that is essential for nerve function, muscle contraction and maintenance of normal blood pressure. Potassium is a very important mineral for the proper function of all cells, tissues, and organs in the human body. It is also an electrolyte, a substance that conducts electricity in the body, along with sodium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium. Potassium is crucial to heart function and plays a key role in skeletal and smooth muscle contraction, making it important for normal digestive and muscular function, too. Many foods contain potassium, including all meats, some types of fish (such as salmon, cod, and flounder), and many fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Dairy products are also good sources of potassium. Sources: fruits and vegetables. Selenium: A mineral associated with antioxidant properties and fat metabolism. It has been claimed to help prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease. One recent study did suggest that selenium supplements may decrease cancer risk. However, more research is needed. Taking excessive amounts of selenium may cause hair and nail loss. Selenium is incorporated into proteins to make selenoproteins, which are important antioxidant enzymes. The antioxidant properties of selenoproteins help prevent cellular damage from free radicals. Free radicals are natural by-products of oxygen metabolism that may contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Other selenoproteins help regulate thyroid function and play a role in the immune system. Sources: all plant foods contain selenium. Sodium: A mineral that regulates body fluid volume, concentration and acid-base. Sodium is an absolutely necessary mineral for the human body. Without it, nerves and muscles would cease to function, the absorption of major nutrients would be impaired, and the body would not be able to maintain adequate water and mineral balance. Sources: table salt (sodium chloride), foods processed with table salt, celery and other watery greens. Zinc: A mineral involved in wound healing, taste sensation, growth and sexual maturation and part of many enzymes regulating metabolism. Zinc is an essential mineral that is naturally present in some foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. Zinc is also found in many cold lozenges and some over-the-counter drugs sold as cold remedies. Zinc is involved in numerous aspects of cellular metabolism. It is required for the catalytic activity of approximately 100 enzymes and it plays a role in immune function, protein synthesis, wound healing, DNA synthesis, and cell division. Zinc also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence and is required for proper sense of taste and smell. A daily intake of zinc is required to maintain a steady state because the body has no specialized zinc storage system. Some studies have also shown that taking a daily multivitamin-mineral supplement containing zinc may increase immune response in older people. However, other studies have shown just the opposite — that zinc may weaken the immune status of older people. Add a little flax oil to your diet, and you can actually lubricate your joints and counteract the toxicity of cooked oils stored in our body. Although the body readily makes most of the fat that it needs from dietary starch or sugar, humans lack the ability to make EFAs and must get them in food. EFAs are found in all foods but are most abundant in certain oils. They come in two distinct families, based upon their chemical structure. The two EFA families are not interchangeable and, in fact, tend to compete with each other in the body’s metabolic pathways. The larger family, called omega-six EFAs, is abundant in many vegetable seed oils, including corn, sunflower, and safflower. Deficiencies of omega six EFAs causes impairment of growth and fertility, hormonal disturbances, and immunologic abnormalities. People living in North America and Europe have relatively high levels of omega-six EFAs in their diets, because of the increasing consumption of vegetable oil during the twentieth century. The smaller family, called omega-three EFAs, is most concentrated in fish oils and in flaxseed (linseed oil). It is also found in green, leafy vegetables and in the flesh of animals that feed on grass and leaves. The human brain is rich in omega-three EFAs; their deficiency causes abnormalities in the development and function of the nervous system, as well as immune defects. Omega-three EFAs formed an important part of the diet of Stone Age humans, who relied heavily on wild game and leafy plants for nourishment. Consumption of fish, flaxseed meal, and soybeans supplied omega-threes for our more recent ancestors. The past century has witnessed a systematic depletion of omega-three EFAs from the Western diet because of changes in food choice and in techniques of animal husbandry and food processing. Most of the fat we eat is simply burned or stored. A special fate awaits dietary EFAs. First, they are incorporated into the membranes that surrounding cells, giving cell membranes the degree of flexibility needed for each cell to respond properly to signals from other cells. Second, EFAs are plucked from the cell membrane and transformed into chemical messengers called Prostaglandins and leukotrienes (as a group, these substances are known as prostanoids). Altered production of prostanoids and abnormal regulation of free intracellular calcium levels are universal companions to sickness of any type, from heart disease to cancer, from diseases of the skin like psoriasis and eczema, to diseases of the mind, like depression and schizophrenia. Now that you understand the complexity of minerals and how necessary they are, I hope you can realize more now then ever the importance of choosing the right foods for your body. You can eat for flexibility. Simply eating more fresh, organic vegetables will make you more flexible. Without the correct ratio of these complex minerals, the body becomes fatigued, rigid, and there is an extreme loss of flexibility. This article is just the tip of the iceberg. I hope this inspires you to look deeper into the complexity of your body, and you can discover even deeper how you are what you eat. Nutrients and the Vegetables they come from Calcium- Beet root, cabbage, carrot, celeriac, kale, leek, lettuce, pepper, potato, spinach, tomato, turnip, apple, pear, currant, corn, wheat Copper- Cabbage, carrot, celeriac, leek, lentil, lettuce, pepper, potato, spinach, turnip, apple, pear, currant, barley, brown rice, corn, wheat Iron- Cabbage, carrot, celeriac, leek, lentil, lettuce, pepper, potato, spinach, tomato, turnip, apple, pear, currant, barley, brown rice, corn, wheat Magnesium- Beet root, cabbage, carrot, celeriac, kale, leek, lettuce, pepper, potato, spinach, tomato, turnip, apple, pear, currant, corn, wheat Manganese- Cabbage, carrot, celeriac, leek, lettuce, pepper, potato, spinach, turnip, apple, pear, corn, wheat Phosphorus- Beet root, cabbage, carrot, celeriac, kale, leek, lettuce, pepper, potato, spinach, tomato, turnip, apple, pear, currant, corn, wheat Potassium- Beet root, cabbage, carrot, celeriac, kale, leek, lettuce, pepper, potato, spinach, tomato, turnip, apple, pear, corn, wheat Sodium- Beet root, cabbage, carrot, kale, leek, lettuce, potato, spinach, tomato, turnip, apple, pear, corn, wheat Zinc- Cabbage, carrot, celeriac, lentil, lettuce, pepper, potato, spinach, tomato, apple, pear, barley, brown rice, corn, wheat b-carotene- Beet leaf, carrot, lettuce, spinach, tomato, corn Vitamin C- Brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrot, celeriac, corn salad, endive, kale, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, mango, pepper, potato, snap beans, spinach, tomato, turnip, currant Your nutrient absorption all depends on weather you eat ORGANIC VEGETABLES. Modern farming methods have severely depressed our mineral intake, and have also depressed our health. The same foods are grown in the same soil year after year, and with little regard to the quality of the soil. When the plants get weaker due to the lack of minerals, these plants become more susceptible to pests. Then they get dumped with toxic pesticides, and the further degration of the plants mineral content continues. The biggest challenge of non-organic vegetables is the abundance of genetically engineered foods in our food chain. Some foods are grown with pesticides already in the seed before its even grown, This is only a simple example. Please look more into genetically engineered foods. I surprisingly found a study online that showed the percent more minerals in organic crops as compared to conventional crops. If you don’t eat organic you are being robbed, and poisoned. Here are the findings. Boron 40% more minerals Calcium 30% more minerals Chromium 86% Copper 10% Iodine 498% Iron 20% Magnesium 30% Manganese 50% Molybdenum 152% Phosphorus 12% Potassium 10% Selenium 372% Sodium 20% Vanadium 10% Zinc 8% The nutrient content of the vegetable portion of a daily menu was estimated for both an organic and a conventional diet. It was assumed that both diets met the current recommended dietary intake for vegetables and provided 5 servings of vegetables of the recommended size (U. S. Department of Agri- culture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, 1995): 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables and 1/2 cup of other vegetables. It was also assumed that the five most frequently studied vegetables, as listed above, were consumed. U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrient composition data (U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service,1999) were used to estimate the nutrient content of vegetables produced with agricultural chemicals because nearly all crops in the United States are produced with these chemicals. The amount of each nutrient in each organic vegetable was estimated, using the percent difference numbers calculated for vegetables in this analysis, as follows:tent was statistically significant. In order to produce a coherent visual display, average per- cent difference was calculated by study for these nutrients, and these results were plotted for each of these frequently studied nutrients. Data were analyzed using SAS (SAS Institute Inc. , Cary, NC) and plots were produced using NCSS (NCSS Inc., Kaysville, UT). Nutritional Quality of Organic Versus Conventional Fruits, Vegetables, and Grains VIRGINIA WORTHINGTON, M.S. , Sc. D. , C.N. S. THE JOURNAL OF ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE Vol ume 7, Number 2, 2001, pp. 161– 173 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.