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Are There Better Nutritional Needs and Choices for My Body Type?

Individual people differ not only in their genetic makeup, but also in their metabolic efficiency and nutritional requirements

Nutritional Needs Are Affected By Lifestyle, Climate, Stress, Emotional State, Mental Health, Exercise and Environmental Pollution

Individual people differ not only in their genetic makeup, but also in their metabolic efficiency and nutritional needs and requirements. One of the most important principles in natural medicine is the principle of individual biochemistry. Although we are all composed of the same elements and require many of the same essential nutrients for survival, each one of us will always exhibit a wide range of individual need. This nutrition factor is further complicated by lifestyle, climate, stress, emotional state, mental health, exercise and environmental pollution.

“As the habitat goes, so go the inhabitants”

Knowing your individual body type, regarding how it works and how it functions is invaluable information when determining your best nutritional choices. This knowledge will bring you closer to understanding your biochemical needs. By studying the nutritional research and examining different theories from various experts in the field, you can achieve more confidence in your food and exercise selection, which ultimately empowers your ability to build muscle, reduce body fat and generally improve your nutrition and health.

There Are Many Naturally Occurring Food Chemicals Which May be Incompatible to Health

More and more nutrition scientists are warning us about the implications of choosing the wrong food base. And it’s no longer a question of simple deficiency. There are many naturally occurring food chemicals which may be incompatible to health. Thioglucosides for example, occur naturally in the Brassica family, which includes most varieties of cabbage, turnips, kale, rutabaga, watercress and rapeseed. Individuals with known or suspected hypothyroidism should avoid eating an abundance of these plants raw, as these substances are known to damage thyroid function or impair thyroid hormone activity. Impairment of thyroid activity directly affects metabolic rate and body composition.

Different Foods Influence Human Phenotype in Countless Biochemical Ways

Nightshade vegetables, which include potatoes, tomatoes, red and green peppers, eggplant and paprika, contain solanine, a glycoalkaloid associated with causing arthritic pain. Parsnips contain poisonous chemicals called psoralens. Psoralens are proven carcinogens (cancer-causing agents). Spinach, rhubarb and cocoa beans are high in oxalic acid, which interferes with calcium absorption. All breads and cereals contain phytates (phytic acid) which bind with zinc preventing its absorption from the intestinal tract into the blood. All foods are not created equal and they influence human phenotype in countless biochemical ways.

In defense of these natural foods, it is critical to mention their bio-directional nature. For example, phytic acid, while having the ability to bind zinc, also functions as a protective antioxidant. Phytic acid protects DNA, inhibits abnormal cell proliferation and strengthens NK (Natural Killer) cell activity. Likewise, Brassica plants contain sulforphanes, now recognized for their chemoprotective actions. Broccoli sprouts contain glucosinolate precursors, including sulforophane that have anticarcinogenic properties. Sulforophane can also eradicate the bacterium Helicobacter Pylorum that is associated with peptic ulcers and stomach cancer (the second most common cancer in the world)

Written by Dr Cory Holly, ND, founder of the Cory Holly Institute