We get diabetes, cholesterol and hypertension before we touch forty. Our children get diabetes and excess protein problems. Obesity affects their health and habits. Yet we do not do much about it.
I had this “Khalli –Vhalli” attitude towards healthy eating habits until my daughter Joanna was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes five years ago. What is alarming is the increasing number of Type 1 diabetes cases in Kuwait. There are already 7 Indian kids in my known circle of Kuwait with diabetes. Joanna was diagnosed in the aftermath of a severe viral fever infection. In the same year, I heard about 4 such cases, diagnosed in the same hospital, which is a very good reason to believe there is a link between viral infections and autoimmunity. Considering the extreme weather conditions of Kuwait, the viruses that survive in this environment, become extremely deadly, put up a good fight with the human immune system. Juvenile diabetes is an autoimmune disorder where the body develops certain antibodies that attack insulin producing pancreatic beta cells. Winter is the time all such viruses look for a suitable habitat. If you have a family history of diabetes and you have daughters, they are already in the risk group (Refer to http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/type-1/ for more)
The phenomenon is not just limited to Kuwait although our life style has a lot to attribute to it. Worldwide, 45 children are being diagnosed with diabetes everyday and 95 % of it is in the urban population. Viruses are also linked to stomach, pancreas and liver cancer as well (courtesy Readers Digest Nov 2010.issue)
Scientists have not pinned down the exact reasons of autoimmunity. There are different theories of excess hygiene, stress, vaccines, and milk proteins etc that contribute to autoimmunity. I am curious about why the majority of type 1 diabetes and autoimmune disorders affect girls more than boys and why in urban population?
Women naturally have stronger inflammatory responses than men when their immune systems are triggered, and inflammation plays a key role in many autoimmune diseases. Yet, the obese life style also has a lot to do with such triggers .Girls are less active compared to boys, and the urban population has more unhealthy eating habits with little or no exercise.
Kuwait is a paradise for food lovers. We get Continental, Chinese, Indian, Arabic, you name it and it is available in close proximity at affordable prices which increases the frequency of dining out. We blame the weather, safety and security for not going out for a walk or to a garden. Our kids pay the price for it. They are locked up in an apartment with a few electronic gadgets and plenty of processed food disasters.
I was giving this lecture to a friend of mine and she said, ‘I never give junk food to my kids’. For her junk food means only Hardees, KFC and Pizza hut. But then we do not realize that Kerala parathas and chicken 65 that we get in Indian restaurants are equally unhealthy. Do we store chocolates and ice creams back in our native homes like we stack here?
The funda of stomach is “Garbage in, Garbage out, and in between it manifests health disasters”. Junk food slows down metabolism and digestive enzymes and our intestine becomes a fertile ground for viruses that causes stomach infection.
The traditional food in Kuwait is meant for fighting the extreme weather. They need the fat, protein and carb to fight the cold in the winter and heat in summer. The grilled meat and fish are the inevitable part of traditional Arabic diet. But just the see the way Arabs supplement their fiber quota with plenty of salads, cucumber and “jar jeer”
Oriental people eat plenty of hot soups, half cooked vegetables and green tea. In fact, they have fewer incidents of diabetes and heart problems compared to other parts of the world.
In the west, people eat less carb and more protein. But then they top it with wine and rum which would stimulate digestion. Controlled quantities of alcohol are part of ayurveda, homeopathy and allopathy.
I grew up eating rice three times a day and green salads were never part of our diet.But we ate plenty of cooked vegetables topped with bananas, jack fruits, papayas, custard apples , mangoes supplemented with a lot of exercise. My mother’s problems were children eating over fibrous diet and being under weight. I have exactly the opposite problem.
Few tweaks for healthy habits suitable for life in Middle East:
1. Go brown. Say no to white bread. Alter it with brown bread, brown kuboos and brown rice.
2. When you eat Arabian food, eat like an Arab. Have a lot of salads, green leaves and then try some of their lemon and mint tea.
3. Keep your pizza and burger treats for a picnic day and make sure to go with a light diet the next day.
4. Do not stack your cabinets with crackers, biscuits and juices. Instead store nuts, popcorns and dry fruits. Have a count of the amount of chocolate and ice cream the children eat.
5. Say “no no” to nuggets, sausages, artificial juices and ready to eat processed food. They are high in sodium and saturated fat and directly affect your digestive enzymes, eventually leading to poor immune system responses.
6. Have plenty of fruits. Fruits starting with “P” (Prunes, Pear, Peach, Papaya, Pomegranate etc) are high in fiber along with bananas and water melon. They help bowel movement. Viruses that come to your body will take a natural exit when we eat fiber rich food.
7. Honey and dates are high in minerals and medicinal values. They stimulate a stronger immune system suitable for desert weather.
8. There are no short cuts for a healthy meal. You need to cook at home. Have control of ingredients that go in. Involve the children in cooking. Once they know how to cook, they will be less addicted to dining out.
9. Avoid having too many dairy products in winter. The fat in cheese and milk will slow down the digestion process and support excess mucus formation.
10. Most of the sauces like soy, barbecue and worcestershire etc have burnt sugar and sodium and unknown diet catastrophes. Avoid their frequent use.
11. Have an active life style. Regular exercises build muscles. Muscles burn more sugar. Means more room for a high calorie diet. Reduce the influence of play station and TV. Let our children get more rough and tough with their bikes, rollers, bats and rackets.
My grandmother’s recipe for viral attacks: If you suspect viral fever or cold, give a laxative to empty the stomach. Then provide 2-3 servings of herbal tea with jaggery (rich in iron and energy), dry ginger, cumin and black pepper corn, all of which are famous for anti spasmodic properties. The diet should be simple rice porridge or food that is easy to digest. Most of the viruses cannot survive this purification treatment of the digestive system.
Some useful food supplements for the winter:
1. Garlic - antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal activity. Generally people cannot eat it raw. For cold, sore throat or fever, roast a few garlic pods and eat it. Be careful if you are on medication for something else since garlic is a blood thinning agent.
2. Black pepper: Widely used in traditional Indian medicine and as a home remedy for relief from sore throat, throat congestion, cough etc. Use liberally in your salads and curries.
3. Honey: Keeps most of the allergies away. Have a spoon of honey every day in the morning
4. Dates: Dates provide several essential nutrients such as calcium, fiber, amino acids, sulfur, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, copper, potassium and fats to the body. They are wonderful sources of dietary fiber and are rich in vitamins. Have 1-2 dates daily.
5. Mint and Sage leaves: These are part of Arabic teas. Mint is used as a medicinal herb to treat stomach ache and chest pains and sage boosts the nervous system. Learn to drink Arabian herbal teas.
6. Cucumber: Cucumber contains erepsin, an enzyme that helps to digest protein. No wonder Arabs eat a lot of cucumber after a heavy poultry or mutton meal. Make sure to eat them after a non veg. diet.
7. Parsley: used as an enema and good for bones. You need to stimulate digestion in winter and your bones must be stronger to withstand the weather.
8. Lime and Oranges supply lot of vitamin C. Top your salads with Lime juice and orange slices.
9. Olive Oil: Gargle with olive oil if you have a sore throat. Olives are very good agents for fighting allergies and rheumatism.
10. Arugula/rocket (Jarjeer) famous for its digestive alcohol is a good source of vitamins A and C, folate, calcium, and magnesium.
According to the principles of Ayurveda, a healthy lifestyle comprises of a proper routine regarding ahar (the food you eat), vihar (your activities) and achars (what you practice, discipline) based on hetu (material cause), kala (season) and desha (habitat). And your ahar (the food you eat) will affect your vihar (actions) and vichar (thoughts)
We cannot escape from the global warming and packaged food revolution and resultant health hazards. But we can minimize the effect of it. Worship the stomach and do not let impurities enter there. Have a balanced diet. These are insights Jo and her diabetes brought into to my life. I am going back to the wisdom of our ancestors. Let our children go a long way, and we have to be there to walk them!
Picture source: www.greaterimmunity.com
