Читать книгу The PH Diet: The pHenomenal Dietary System - Bharti Vyas - Страница 28

Just as nutrients maintain life, anti-nutrients are harmful to life. In following the pH Diet, you learn not only what to eat and drink for good health but also what not to eat and drink, which is equally important.

An anti-nutrient is any substance that stops beneficial nutrients being absorbed and used by the body, or any substance that promotes the excretion of a beneficial nutrient. Alcohol, cigarettes, man-made chemicals, pesticides, antibiotics and synthetic hormone residues can all be described as anti-nutrients. Even tap water may contain nitrates, lead or aluminium, all of which are anti-nutrients in their own right. Fried food, food cooked on a barbecue and burnt food can all be classed as anti-nutrients as they cause ‘free-radical’ damage to our cells. Free radicals are incomplete cells that attack healthy cells, causing damage that can lead to certain diseases, especially cancer and heart disease.

Many common medicines are also anti-nutrients. Aspirin, for example, irritates the gut wall, making it more permeable. The more anti-nutrients you take in, the more toxic and acidic you will be and the longer you should stay on Level 1, gradually reducing your intake of anti-nutrients over the coming weeks.

If you drink alcohol on most days – even just a glass of wine with dinner – introduce some alcohol-free days into your life. Start with one a week, and gradually build up. Alcohol is rich in calories and poor in nutrients. It also weakens your resolve and is likely to result in cheating, snacking or going off the rails completely. If you do not drink much alcohol but caffeine is your poison – in the form of coffee, tea or cola drinks – then try a caffeine-free day once in a while. As with alcohol, caffeinated drinks are deficient in nutrients, and there are many alternatives you may enjoy (see page 8). Again, start with one day a week and increase it gradually.

Nicotine is another anti-nutrient and should be reduced slowly. If you are having problems giving up smoking, you may find that alkalizing your body reduces cigarette cravings. A recent study has found that people smoke more when their diet is acidic.