As we step into 2023, Alternative Medicine Specialist Dr. We asked Ümit Aktaş.
“My questions first” Why do we get sick so often?” I want to start. Of course, we are faced with more germs and viruses during the winter months, but viruses that have been dormant for a while during the Covid-19 pandemic, sources of infection have entered our lives very quickly. This seriously shook us. With the opening of schools, families with children are devastated. Because viruses circulating through school-age children also affect households. This leads to a real epidemic situation.
Dr. Umit Aktas: We live in a toxic world. The air we breathe, our seas, our agricultural lands are polluted with toxic substances. In fact, our body can handle them. We have excellent detox mechanisms, powerful molecules that remove toxins. However, this power can only emerge when we eat right. What do we do instead of consuming foods that support the immune system and our body’s self-healing power? We consume foods full of chemicals, additives, toxic substances that have been proven to cause cancer and predispose to heart attacks. The answer to the question of why we get sick so much is on your table!
So what is the subject of a healthy life?
Dr. Aktas: Definitely nutrition! When you consume foods in their most natural form, taking into account the rhythm of nature, that is, when you consume them in season, you build a strong foundation for being healthy.
STAY AWAY FROM FAT-FREE DIETS!
What small changes in diet make us fitter?
Dr: Aktas: You need to consume more fat. Fat-free diets make you sluggish and exhausted. Your energy increases when you consume healthy fats such as omega-3s found in oily seeds such as cold pressed olive oil, butter, walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds. Staying away from carbohydrates such as pizza, pasta, wheat bread also creates an energy doping effect. Their glycemic index is very high, creating sudden spikes and then sudden drops in blood sugar, stealing your energy and paving the way for insulin resistance. Even when you cut out simple carbohydrates for a few days, you will feel much more fit. Omega-3 fatty acids and magnesium also play important roles in energy production. You should make sure that you have plenty of these valuable food items in your diet. It is also useful to add foods such as onions, garlic, okra and liver that activate the mitochondria of power plants to the list. Remember, if you want to be fit, you need to lead an active life. The more you move, the more energy you get.
HERBAL TEA SUPPORTS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
What kind of teas can we drink instead of classic black tea or coffee to start the day better?
U.A: If you do not have tachycardia or high blood pressure problems, black tea is a healthy choice to start the day. You do not need to drink green tea for healing, black tea is not inferior to green tea in this sense. Rosehip tea, thyme tea, which supports health, strengthens the immune system and fights diseases (Thymus vulgaristype), linden tea, ginger tea, olive leaf tea are also excellent options.
What is the secret of happiness cures?
U.A:Avoiding processed foods, eating right and supporting your health with herbs.
Are there foods that make us sluggish, tired or irritable?
U.A:Processed foods filled with sugar, additives, chemicals that cause fluctuations in blood sugar, bread made with wheat flour, pizza, pasta steal your energy and make you feel tired and tense all the time.
WHEAT BREAD IS NOT AS INNOVATIVE AS IT IS MADE!
What are the foods that we thought were healthy but have now been “played with”? How do we choose the best? What does real food mean?
U.A: For some reason, when it comes to whole wheat bread, everyone thinks that they are consuming a healthy food. It doesn’t even matter! Genetically modified wheat is a health hazard with its speed in raising blood sugar and the aggressive gluten molecule in it. There are many people who think that consuming soy is healthy. Unfortunately, there is no soybean left in the world that has not been genetically modified. Stay away! Do not forget that ready-made meatballs contain more soy than ground beef. When purchasing corn, make sure it is local seeds. It is the food that has not been interfered with the real food seed and its structure. For example, flower oil, corn oil are not real food. Because they are exposed to high temperatures during the production phase and toxic substances are formed in them. When yogurt is packaged and additives are added to it, it ceases to be a real food. What will you do? You will start to ferment yoghurt at home and you will consume homemade yoghurt. You will eat vegetables and fruits in season, and if possible, you will prefer local seeds. Put some effort, do some research, and most of all demand! While real cheese produced with şirden yeast was about to become history, its value was realized and the number of producers using şirden yeast is increasing day by day. Change has begun, it will accelerate as you demand.
INSULIN RESISTANCE IS VERY EASY TO IDENTIFY
Insulin resistance, hidden sugar and type 2 diabetes are among the most important problems of today. How do these problems manifest themselves in the person?
U.A:Insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes are manifested by the following symptoms, and they get deeper as you continue to eat wrong.
- You have a weight problem and these weights gather around the waist and belly.
- You gain weight easily but lose it hard. Your body is almost resisting not to lose weight, and even if you lose weight, you gain it back as soon as possible.
- You cannot control your appetite. You are hungry very often, you have frequent sweet cravings. Your craving always wants to eat floury, sweet things. You can’t stay without bread, rice, pasta, pies, donuts, chocolate.
- It is difficult even to get out of bed in the morning, you always feel sluggish and exhausted.
- You have no tolerance for hunger. When you miss even a meal, you feel like you’re going to faint and you turn into an angry person.
- You get sleepy after dinner, you fall asleep in front of the TV, it’s like you faint.
- You have a concentration problem. You often complain of forgetfulness.
- You are very thirsty and drink a lot of water.
- You wake up in a sweat at night and find yourself in front of the fridge again.
- You urinate too often.
Do vitamin supplements always work? What will we take?
U.A: First of all, it should not be forgotten that the beginning of everything is proper nutrition. Vitamin supplements, on the other hand, ensure that you are not deprived of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are essential for your system and that you cannot get enough of with your diet. It should be kept in mind that agricultural soils are not as rich as they used to be, so getting essential vitamins and minerals from foods is harder than before. Which nutritional supplements and how much you should use should be determined by your doctor after some tests. Of course, you must first find a doctor who believes in the importance of nutritional supplements and their effectiveness in preventing diseases.
So, what are the eating habits that we should avoid in order to be more fit in 2023?
U.A: Eliminate wheat flour, which paves the way for insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes. Instead of wheat flour, try recipes prepared with healthy alternatives such as flaxseed flour, chickpea flour, cornmeal, buckwheat (grecka) flour for the new year. Eliminate processed foods from your life. Industrially produced foods contain many poisons. Chemicals used to give color to fruit juice, to make chips and breakfast cereals crispy, to prevent yoghurt from spoiling, and to extend the shelf life of foods are carcinogenic. Let’s take the potato, for example. When you eat a boiled potato, you feed the friendly bacteria in your intestinal flora and make them multiply. But that potato turns into a toxic bomb when it packs in as chips or turns into a fried potato in the kitchen of one of the fast-food chains. The essence of the word; You can make a big difference in your health by simply eliminating processed foods, wheat flour.
Finally, what would be your recommendations for a strong immunity as well as nutrition?
Ü.A: First of all, have your vitamin D value measured and take vitamin D supplements if necessary. Take care to keep this value above 100 ng/ml for a strong immune system.
- The secret of strong immunity is in a healthy intestinal flora. Consume plenty of fermented foods such as homemade yogurt and pickles, but don’t be content with that, get probiotic support. Anyone can benefit from a probiotic supplement. Prefer enteric supplements that dissolve in the gut.
- Start your day with a small cup of cold-pressed early harvest olive oil. It is an excellent, healing habit for a strong immunity, protection from cancer, supporting heart and brain health, and living a long life!
- Lead an active life. You can keep your immune system alive by just walking regularly and paying attention to using the stairs instead of the elevator. But don’t overdo it, too much exercise, a heavy exercise program destroys the immune system.
Alternative Medicine Specialist Dr. We would like to thank Ümit Aktaş for this enlightening interview.
We wish Pudra.com readers a wonderful new year!
