A Different Perspective

Victoria Larson, N.D.

We are not out of the woods yet. New Zealand sought to eliminate COVID-19 rather than merely “contain” the virus and had very few deaths, per capita, as a result. The more “industrial” countries (US, UK, Italy, France) did less testing and had increased per capita deaths. Americas appreciate their freedoms but where do we draw the line.

Many people believe the way to control the spread of disease lies more in what kind of field the germ (be it bacteria or virus) lands on. That field is your God-given body. It means that keeping yourself as healthy as possible will go a long way towards avoiding disease. Stay as healthy as possible! Let’s not focus so much on the disease as the person.

Vital force is that magic that makes us “alive.” This is a good time to maximize essentials of good health-good appetite, digestion, elimination, and sleep. Remove conditions such as pain and stressors as much as feasible. Start with the basics-water (6-8 glasses a day), good food (fresh, organic, not packages), adequate sleep (7 -10 hours), sunshine, (15 minutes every day the sun shines). If these seem too simple to you, ask yourself how many of us are doing them. It’s harder than you think- put water and vegetables on your daily list and track your progress.

Simple things like sleep can mean it’s easier for your body to stave off infections. Fifteen minutes a day of sunshine to your upper chest (where the thymus gland lives) goes a long way towards giving you a faster response to any infections. Real sunshine works better than pills-get out to that garden!

During the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic in America and Europe, patients who were exposed to fresh air fared much better than those who were more confined. Pandemics tend to occur every 10-20 years. 1957 gave us the Asian flue, 1968 gave us the Hong Kong flue and 1978 gave us the Russian flu. Sure, we need to keep our social distance and wear our masks, but equally important is maintaining good health.

I know many people are hurting for money but buying sugared drinks is not going to help things. Sometimes buying the cheapest food possible is not the wisest choice. Healthcare is a lot more expensive than food, real food, and America spends less on food than any other nation. And we have the most expensive healthcare. We spend more on pharmaceuticals than other nations. And we have the highest per capita death rate from COVID-19.

I promise you that a bunch of carrots with the tops still on is way cheaper per pound than a plastic bag or box of whittled down carrots. Convenience is everything. That bunch of real carrots will make zero garbage just compost. The outer portion of a carrot has higher nutrition than the core. Cut off the tops of your carrots before storing them so they don’t dehydrate in the refrigerator. Carrots are better for you cooked than raw, but the less contact with water, the better. Cook them whole, and then slice them afterwards. Serve them with a source of fat (olive oil, butter) for the best absorption of nutrients. Not only will they be delicious but then will have about 25% more Falcarinol, which is a cancer-fighting compound.

Potatoes are a popular and cheap vegetable, readily available. The purple potatoes are more nutritious than the white or brown ones. Studies have been done to show that purple potato can lower the risk of hypertension (HTN) enough to decrease the risk of stoke and heart attack by 20-34%. Potatoes aren’t all bad. To avoid the high glycemic rush associated with potatoes cook them and then chill them overnight, and then reheat. This will lower your blood sugar response by as much as 25%. To slow the digestive time for potatoes (also to lower your glycemic response) sprinkle potatoes (especially fries) with vinegar as the English do or serve them with mustard as the French do.

You should know that strawberries are one of the most contaminated fruits in the United States, often having traces of more than 60 different agricultural chemicals. So it pays to seek out organic strawberries whenever possible. Saving a few pennies here may not be worth it. Organic strawberries have more Vitamin C and more cancer-fighting nutrients than conventional. Shop your local farmers markets. If you cannot easily find organic berries rinse your berries thoroughly.

I generally recommend only 1-2 fruits per day unless the weather is extremely hot. Fruits are mostly water. When choosing fruits, try different ones so you don’t keep eating the same ones every day. Make a fruit salad of many kinds of fruit-the kids will love it. Add nuts or seeds, fresh mint or basil. Fresh lemon or lime juice adds a nice tang. If you must add sugar, use date sugar, or brown sugar, or honey as these have a bit of nutrition, whereas white sugar has none.

People are fond of saying they don’t “like” something (garlic, fish, tea, whatever) but try something new each time you go to a market. We’re supposed to eat a wide variety of foods. Try one new fruit or vegetable-you may find a new taste that you really like. When did you last have chicory, kohlrabi, or lambs quarters? They’re out there. Seek and you shall find.

Comments to: A Different Perspective

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *