“Beware of cuts to medical care” reads the headline in Sunday’s Arizona Republic business section, May 31st, 2009. Under that heading is the statement that more than half of Americans have reported that someone in their household delayed medical care because of the cost. Instead of visiting the doctor, they relied on over-the-counter or home remedies.
This is reported as though it were a bad thing. True, skipping necessary care could cost more in the long run. But we appear to be stuck in the model that a drug is required for every symptom, and that somehow “better living through chemistry” is actually an attainable goal. Despite every evidence to the contrary, we persist in seeking the quick fix, the perfect pill that will cure our ills.
How can we “go green” with medical care?
Here are some practical solutions to the dilemma. They take more than a week or two to fix the problem. But they do fix it in the end, and you are healthier for the work.
New onset type II diabetes: This is one of the easiest problems to fix without drugs. Standard medical care would dictate that you start taking expensive medication. Green medical care says otherwise.
Change your diet. Remove all obvious refined carbohydrate – breads, pastas, grains – plus potatoes, anything starchy. Eat only protein (meats, fish, fowl, eggs, fish), vegetables and fruits. Within a month or two your blood sugar will be reduced by 50% or more, you will lose weight, and you will feel much better. But beware! If you go back to your old diet, your type II diabetes will return. And the longer you are off the program, the harder it is to get well again. Now is your big chance to change your life around.
What about the cost of groceries? Organic is good, although it can be more expensive. Eating organics means avoiding pesticides and getting a higher level of nutrients. What is that worth?
Any supermarket has fruits and vegetables in abundance, around the edges of the store. A little meat can go a long way. The stuff in the middle aisles in cardboard boxes and cans is really expensive. Most of it contains ingredients which are unpronounceable, and whose purpose is to extend the shelf life of the product – not to nourish our bodies.
Learn to do stir-fry cooking. Basic stir-fry recipe for 4 people:
• ½ – 1 pound any meat
• 2 bunches of any greens (spinach, kale, collards, Swiss chard, turnip greens, etc)
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce or vinegar
Heat the oil in a wok or fry pan. Stir and fry the meat until almost cooked. Add the cut-up vegetables, maybe a tiny bit of water, stir until the greens are cooked. Add soy sauce or vinegar, and any desired herbs.
Serve over cooked brown rice, or a baked sweet potato or other root vegetable.
Learn to eat LOTS of vegetable (including root vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, turnip, rutabaga, parsnips and more exotic roots like cassava, jicama).
Learn to cook greens – you can get LOTS of greens for very little money. Combine them with a little meat, and some seasonings, and you have a great and filling meal.
Eat beans and other legumes, in moderation. ½ to 1 cup per meal is plenty, gives good protein (especially when combined with brown rice), and is pretty low glycemic.
Buy brown rice. It takes twice as long to cook as white rice, and has twice the food value and fiber. It is lower glycemic.
Martha M. Grout, MD, MD(H)
Arizona Center for Advanced Medicine
9328 E. Raintree Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85260
480-240-2600
www.ArizonaAdvancedMedicine.com
