The problem is our bodies do not recognise the chemical structure of these artificial additives. The liver has to work very hard to remove these harmful substances from the food we ingest. There is a strong link between the liver and the immune system. If the liver is congested and overworked it cannot clean and metabolise our food properly and toxins spill into our bloodstream. This puts our immune system into high alert. If this continues the results would be tiredness, irritability, weakened immunity and allergies, amongst other symptoms. More seriously, the toxins end up accumulating in our cells, waiting to cause more sinister illnesses in the future, such as cancers.

by Sue Moore

1. Reduce the amount artificial additives consumed

The only way to do this is to read labels on food products and begin to familiarise yourself with what they mean. Additives are usually identified by the letter "E" (e.g. E250 andE251-Sodium Nitrite and Nitrate, in almost all cold meats, bacon, polony etc.) Calcium Propitionate which is used widely in breads can cause gastro-intestinal problems and may also trigger migraines. It destroys the enzyme that enables us to assimilate calcium. Although it may only be present in small amounts, there is an accumulative effect. If your child is having toast for breakfast, sandwiches in his/her lunchbox and a "snackwich" in the afternoon, they are not only eating too much wheat but taking in a preservative with it each time.

The problem is our bodies do not recognise the chemical structure of these artificial additives. The liver has to work very hard to remove these harmful substances from the food we ingest. There is a strong link between the liver and the immune system. If the liver is congested and overworked it cannot clean and metabolise our food properly and toxins spill into our bloodstream. This puts our immune system into high alert. If this continues the results would be tiredness, irritability, weakened immunity and allergies, amongst other symptoms. More seriously, the toxins end up accumulating in our cells, waiting to cause more sinister illnesses in the future, such as cancers.

We cannot avoid toxins completely in our modern world, but we can give the body a fighting chance by REDUCING THE TOXIC LOAD! This is not too difficult to do, it's a matter of making healthier choices. For example, Woolworths sells two delicious breads which DON'T contain a preservative and are perfect for lunchboxes.(the small, round, seeded whole-wheat rolls and the Italian rolls). The latter is not ideal as is still a refined carbohydrate, but at least you are reducing the load of toxins your child's liver has to cope with. I got excellent results with my children by cutting out as many artificial additives as I could, so much so that they were able to stop using their asthma pumps.

2. Reduce the amount of refined sugar consumed

Sugar suppresses immune function. It is now added to most foods to make them more palatable, especially to children. For example, tinned peas, most have sugar added. Choose the ones that DON'T! READ LABELS!

I have found Marina tinned products to be a reasonably priced, healthy alternative. Healthier doesn't always mean more expensive. Buy the Black Cat sugar free peanut butter. Breakfast cereals are often sugar laden! Look at the side of the box and start to compare the amount of sugar in each one. If it doesn't list "sugar" look for "simple carbohydrates". Choose the ones with the lowest figures. You'll be shocked at how much sugar your children are taking in if they have, for example, cereal for breakfast, one of those new, convenient little packets of lunchbox cereal at school and another bowl of cereal as a snack in the afternoon. Sound familiar? If they are doing this, they will most likely be having difficulties with some aspect of behaviour, learning or sleep. Pronutro Flakes have one of the lowest sugar values. Better yet though would be sugar free muesli, sweetened with fructose, or cooked rolled oats. The more refined sugar they have, the more they will crave it. A handful of dates or raisins will satisfy this craving, as will fruit.

3. Keep blood sugar stable

The immune system cannot function properly if the blood sugar is constantly fluctuating. Ensure your child eats small, regular meals including foods that will stabilise the blood sugar, such as raw, unsalted nuts (cashews, almonds, etc) and avocados. Replace cane sugar (brown sugar included), with fructose. Fructose does not upset the blood sugar as much as cane sugar.

4. Reduce damaged fats

When fats/oils are heated above a certain temperature, their chemical structure is altered. Once again this puts enormous strain on the liver. Avoid products with "hydrogenated fats/oils" on the label. The immune and endocrine (hormonal) systems in particular, need healthy fats in order to function correctly. This means cold pressed oils, like a good quality flaxseed oil supplement, olive oil or the natural essential fatty acids that occur in avocados, nuts and seeds, corn on the cob and olives. Unfortunately if your child is consuming too much damaged fat (such as chips, fried food, sauces) it will block the body’s ability to absorb and use the healthy fats. If your child craves salty foods like biltong, crisps, even cheese, they are usually lacking in these essential healthy fats.

5. Increase the amount of raw food

We have spoken about what to eliminate, but we also need to ADD foods that will boost the immune system and provide a high water, vitamin and mineral content to nourish the cells. Eating raw fruit and vegetables is the best way to boost immune function! Try to introduce some raw veg before offering cooked food, for example avo dip with carrot sticks, or some cherry tomatoes and cucumber, whatever your children will eat. DON'T force the issue, just make it available. Eat some yourself and say, 'supper will only be ready in 15 minutes, here's something to snack on in the meantime."

SLEEP

Please remember your child needs a full, restful night’s sleep to allow their immune system to do its work. Address issues such as late nights and inappropriate TV viewing before bed.

WORST CULPRITS

• Margarine (full of damaged fats and preservatives). Use small amounts of butter instead.
• Ice-cream (sugar, colourants, preservatives, dairy and damaged fats). There are "healthier" alternatives if you want to give ice-cream as an occasional treat, such as Ricecream or Tofu ice-cream (don't be put off by the name, there is NO tofu in it.)
• Processed meats such as polony, sausages etc.(damaged fats and preservatives, sometimes colourants.)
• Sugary cereals (refined carbs, sugar, sometimes colourants)
• Coldrinks, particularly the brightly coloured ones (sugar, colourants, preservatives and sometimes stimulants like caffeine, which your child should never be ingesting.) Woolies has a nice range of juices in cans, with no added "baddies."

BEST FOODS FOR THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Fresh, raw fruit and veg, particularly avo's, raw nuts and seeds, fruit and vegetable juices (freshly made fruit juice. Other types are very acidic and often have added sugar and preservatives). If you have the time and the inclination, you can make your own carrot juice, but most of us don't have either. The AIM company makes a trio of powdered juices to which you just add water. They are called Just Carrots, Barleylife (which has all the nutrients you would be getting from green veg which is the one group of veg we all get too little of such as iron, calcium and vitamin B), and Redibeets (beetroot juice is excellent for the liver and is a good source of highly absorbable iron). Please consult an AIM member, a Natural Way consultant or a Natural Health consultant before you start any of these products. They are very concentrated source of nutrients and have powerful detoxifying effects. They need to be introduced in a specific way or you/your child may feel very ill from the detox process. I recommend these products wholeheartedly, but people are different and need supervision when introducing them.

HAPPY, HEALTHY EATING!

Sue Moore is a Natural Health Consultant and can be contacted on 011 675 5743.