They say: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Hopefully, you are adding more than an apple a day to your diet.
Ask yourself: “Am I eating enough fruit?”
Probably not! Today, fruit often plays a minor role in our diet.
It hasn’t always been the case. Dr. Alan Walker of John Hopkins University examined the fossil remains of early humans and concluded that humans were exclusively fruit eaters. Fruit has always been an important food through history. Pythagoras, ancient sage known as the father of mathematics, ate fruit almost exclusively. Historians report that ancient Greeks, admired for theirs statuesque bodies, were heavy eaters of olives, figs, dates, grapes, apples, and oranges.
We Are Built to Eat Fruits
Physiologically, we are built to be fruitarians. Our saliva is alkaline. In contrast, meat-eating animals have extremely acid saliva, which is required to digest the protein in meat. We don’t produce enough hydrochloric acid to digest meat properly; this contributes to so many people suffering from indigestion, gas, bloating, waste accumulations in their body and ultimately diseases of all kind. We also secrete very little of the enzyme amylase, which digests starch, and our ability to digest fats is also limited, contributing to the problem. We have little of
the enzymes required in the digestion of milk and we do not have the necessary enzymes to break down the gluten in wheat. But we can easily and properly digest monosaccharides, the simple sugars found in fruits.
Even psychologically, fruits seem to be a natural choice. Think about it for a moment. Take the time to connect to your whole body. What appeals to you most? Is it a bloody piece of meat or a juicy and sweet piece of fruit?
Fruit As “Cleansing Foods”
Your body and its different systems get clogged up from years of eating the wrong food, the wrong combination of foods or simply too much food (to know more about the subject, click here). Fruit, being the easiest of all foods to digest of all food, offers much needed cleansing. By eating more fruit and giving your digestive system a break, your body has more energy for cleansing
accumulated waste and even healing organs that may not be functioning optimally.
More Reasons to Eat More Fruits
Fruits have so much to offer. They contain vitamins, important minerals and trace minerals, enzymes, phytonutrients, healthy and easily digested sugars, fiber and in some of them, high-quality protein. Perfect for good health!
Another reason to eat more fruits is that it is the best, most natural and easiest way (besides fasting) to maintain optimal weight.
Eating fruit will not only support you in preventing disease and obesity, but it will also slow down the aging process and increase your energy level.
Cathy’s Action Health Tips:
1) Don’t treat fruit as a dessert, a decorative accessory, a snack between meals or an addition to your cakes and pies. Fruit doesn’t mix well with other types of foods. Their digestion will be slowed down and result in bloating, gas and even painful indigestion. Eat fruits separate from other foods and eat them as a fruit meal so that they digest easily. The best way to eat fruits is in the morning on an empty stomach. For example, you can eat half a pineapple or 2 mangos to start your day. It’s an excellent way to break your fast (i.e. breakfast). When you’re hungry again, eat any other fruit that appeals to you. Listen to your body.2) Eat fruit up to lunch without mixing it with any other type of food. The summer season is the perfect time to experiment with that.
3) Think variety: melon, pineapple, mango, banana, kiwi, fig, date, grape, pear, apple, orange, grapefruit, plum, prune, peach, nectarine, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, etc. Remember that tomato, cucumber, bell pepper and avocado are also fruits. Add them to your morning breakfast. Experiment with fruit you’ve never tried before. I ate my first mamey here
in Belize!
4) Eat melons alone. They digest very fast causing fermentation, bloating and gas when mixed with other fruits. Wait ½ hour before to introduce another type of foods.
5) What about a one-day watermelon cleanse? This will contribute to the dissolving of sticky mucus and waste. Your body will thank you for it. You can even plan one-day watermelon cleanse once a week for the whole summer season.
6) A fruit smoothie as breakfast is another great way to add fruit to your diet. Mix a half-cup of water with one cup of blueberries and one fresh or frozen ripe banana, in your blender. You can add a few pitted medjool dates if you prefer it sweeter. Experiment with different fruits and have fun.
7) Fruits should not be eaten cold. Room temperature is ideal.
I Would Love to Hear From You!
How do YOU incorporate fruits in your diet? Is it working for you? I am sincerely interested in knowing what is or isn’t working for you and would love to hear from you. Send me an email to let me know.
To Your Long, Healthy, and Passionate Life !
Cathy
