Diet

Medicine in its practice is designed to meet an extremity - combat disease, destroy bacteria and virus, and kill the killing disease. Then it must rely upon nature, using all the means at its disposal to rebuild health.

In many cases, and, in the view of leading Bio-chemists, who are the leaders and instructors of our doctors, most diseases are traced either directly or indirectly to poor nutrition, or unbalanced nutrition.

The antiquated idea that the use of foods is only to provide energy, keep us warm, and enable us to work and play -- overlooks the most important necessity of our bodies in these days of strenuous living.

As indicated, parts of the body are constantly aging -- wearing out -- and must be rebuilt. Not an entire part at a time being cast aside, as a worn-out bearing in a motor -- although this actually happens with such items as hair and teeth. These are perhaps minor losses; but real trouble comes when the heart muscle or an important gland wears out!

Proper nutrition supplies energy not only to the brain and muscles, but must also provide the "building blocks" to restore the worn-out cells of every part of the body -- thus constantly renewing its very structure.

Authorities tell us that while food provides these "building blocks" in the form of protein or energy from - sugars or starches; in order to utilize these elements we must have an abundance of vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Certain vitamins are known today, but many are yet unknown -- but all are necessary. All these precious minerals and vitamins are found in a balanced utilizable form in vegetables. All doctors agree that we need raw green and yellow vegetables in far greater quantities than any of us consume.

Why should we get our vitamins and minerals from raw vegetables and fruits in preference to any other way? You need much raw food daily in the diet. Why? Because the enzymes are produced by the glands from food elements, and good health is impossible when the enzyme producing glands atrophy. Heed this important fact. The elements from which enzymes are produced are destroyed at 126 degrees Fahrenheit. You need much live, raw food daily in order to supply the glands with a reserve of these essential, vital elements.

Why use juices? Why not just eat the raw vegetables? For optimal health you need far more than you could possibly eat. The stomach just couldn't handle that much bulk. Then too, if modern research is correct, the power to break down the cellular structure of raw vegetables and assimilate the precious elements they contain, even in the healthiest individual is only fractional -- not more than 35%, and in the less healthy, down to 1%.

In the form of juice, these same individuals assimilate up to 92% of these elements. The juice of the plant, like the blood of the body contains all the elements that build and nourish. It is a well-known fact that all foods must become liquid before they can be assimilated.

It is also an established fact that many of the elements of the plant can be obtained by eating the animal that lives on the plant; that is if we eat the glandular part of the animal in which these previous food elements are stored. But as you can readily see, that method is getting our minerals and vitamins and enzymes "second-hand"! Why not eat the plant that builds the body structure of the animal? Raw fruits and vegetables enable us to do just that, and we get our vital elements in their entirety -- unchanged and unspoiled by cooking.

HOW TO COOK VEGETABLES

More vitamins, minerals and delicious flavors are lost in preparing vegetables than in any other aspect of culinary art. Legumes and grains have to be thoroughly cooked to be tender. Fruits are more frequently eaten raw. But our poor vegetable friends are commonly man-slaughtered by sitting, soaking, peeling and worst of all -- boiling.

Ideally, vegetables should be gathered just before being cooked. When necessary to store, prevent lost vitamins by chilling in a dark place. Wash quickly, as more nutrients are lost by contact with water both by washing or boiling, than any other way. Culprit number two is peeling vegetables, as the minerals are usually concentrated under the skin. Make it a rule to peel vegetable only when the skin is tough or bitter.

Cook your vegetables in the shortest time possible, guarding carefully against overcooking. They should be crisp, yet tender. The shorter the cooking time, the more delicious the flavor and brighter the color.

Waterless cooking is probably the best method. If you do not have waterless cookware, use only enough water to keep vegetables from burning. A double boiler may be used by first bringing a few tablespoons of water to a boil and heating the vegetables through, then putting over boiling water to finish. Steaming is an excellent method, either as usual or in a pressure cooker, providing the time is clocked carefully, as pressuring can rapidly over-cook. Stir-frying can yield healthful and delightful results provided the frying pan or electric skillet is wiped with a few drops of oil and a paper towel. Then a few tablespoons of water and chopped vegetables are added and stirred frequently over medium heat for 10-20 minutes, adding water tablespoon by tablespoon as is necessary. Serve immediately. Summer and zucchini squash with a little onion are delicious this way and cook in 10 minutes. Broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and cabbage responds beautifully to this treatment, but need a little longer cooking time.