Basic Foods for Life
Ka’at Ib: Basic Foods for Life
I was listening to a talk show on the radio a few years ago; it was one of those pseudo-intellectual guest shows that are geared towards a middle-class, mainstream audience, but it caught my attention because of the topic they were discussing that day: eggs. In an attempt to sway public opinion about the food, a "specialist" scientist was a guest on the show. The goal of the scientists was clear: to convince people that eating eggs was not bad for one's health as was previously thought. He carried on and on about the health benefits of eggs, how they are not responsible for soaring cholesterol levels, and how they must be included as a part of a normal and healthy diet. I listened to the scientist's arguments for eggs with amusement, as just a few years prior to the show, his colleagues were pounding into our consciousness that eating eggs was just not healthy. I found it amusing that the medical community, whose members are always so sure of themselves, are, quite often, forced to recognize that they were wrong in their loudly publicized recommendations. I became somewhat engulfed in my own thoughts, only to suddenly be pulled from my musings by the voice of one of the hosts. He was commenting on the scientist’s newest revelations about eggs, saying how they help keep a man virile and strong. He was giving his support to the consumption of eggs, saying that they are needed for sexual prowess in a man: "That is why vegetarians do not have any energy! They eat grass and granola, and then all they can do is sit around saying 'ohm' all day...they don't have energy and have trouble Making children!" Because of its sheer ridiculousness, I exploded into a fit of hysterical laughter while driving down the street.
Isn't it interesting how our nutritionist and specialists from the medical community arrogantly command what we should eat and what we should not eat, only to retract their guidelines just years later? Isn't it interesting how fad diets emerge, ensuring that we will be of optimal health (and weight), if only we eat according to their food plan (Atkins, for example)?
We are preoccupied with human nutrition and health. What should we eat? How much should we eat of it? What is bad for our bodies? The food model on which we base our food choices changes with time, depending on the current mood of society. At one time, eggs, bacon, ham and potatoes were eaten heartily at breakfast; later, dry toast with fat-free yogurt and herbal tea was considered enough for a morning meal. Corn, wheat, and grains were once the staple of a healthy diet, but now, many peo- ple are turning to low-carbohydrate diets such as the Atkins, eating primarily meat, cheese, milk and animal products. It is easy to become confused about what makes a proper diet for a human being!
The US government has its food guide pyramid that it forcefully supports. We can find it in every school and cafeteria: we are to eat 6-11 servings of grains/cereals, 3 servings of milk, limited fats and oils, etc. But even the US government food guide pyramid is not exempt from criticism and change, and revisions seem constant. Where is one to tum for his education on eating right when the guidelines constantly change?
The Earth Center teaches in its Ankhkasta Healing Certification course that there is an ancient food pyramid that has been used in Africa for millennia. This "food guide pyramid" is based on human physiology and health needs, and does not change with time - it is as solid as the pyramids themselves. Despite what scientists believe at any given time, the human body has not changed much over the centuries, nor have our nutritional needs.
According to the African food pyramid, what a body needs is basic foods supplemented with occasional foods, and this will lead to optimal human health for any body type. According to the traditional African diet, there are two types of food: basic food and occasional food. Basic foods are considered "safe" foods and work to maintain the body and produce energy; they do not need quantity control. Any excess of basic food is stored as energy so that the body can use it later. Occasional foods add elements needed for functions of the body. Eating too much of these foods causes harm to the body, so quantity control is necessary.
Basic foods include cereals, starch, legumes and vegetables. One can eat as much as one wants of these basic foods without causing damage to the body. These foods work together with the body and ensure energy, health and vitality.
Occasional foods include meat, fish, insects, animal products, fruit and nuts. Animal products cannot be consumed as a basic food and are considered only as an emergency food. They are not tolerated well by the body, are hard to eliminate and stay in the blood for extended periods of time. This is harmful to the body and often poisons organs. Animal products can only be tolerated by the human system in very small amounts; a very active person can consume only 22 pounds of animal products per month safely, while inactive people only tolerate 1/2 pound per month before harmful consequences begin. Fish, nuts and fruit add important elements for body functions, and their excess is eliminated as waste.
When one follows this ancient food pyramid, one is able to get the nutrition that is needed by the body without causing unnecessary harm and health problems caused by poor food choices. In nature, one eats seasonally, allowing the addition of fruits and nuts into the diet without risk of excess. For example, bananas and mangoes are eaten when ripe, nuts are eaten during specific periods, and cows are milked when appropriate. The body thrives when one eats in harmony with one's needs.
The African (Kemetic) Food Pyramid will be available through The Earth Center. For more information on the Kemetic/Initiatic Healing knowledge, contact The Earth Center and enroll in the Ankhkasta Natural Healing Certification Course (soon available online) at 773-722-1528 or online at www.theearthcenter.com
