Page 26 - Barefoot guide

GOOD FOOD FOR HEALTHY BODIES

Often people who die from COVID-19 are
quite old, or obese, or have illnesses like
diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, asthma,
or anaemia. These conditions tend to make our
immune systems weak. And the best medicine to
help you avoid or recover from these illnesses is
the right food.
NELIMA

WHAT HEALTHY BODIES NEED

Healthy bodies need a variety of naturally grown foods from these different
food groups.

Carbohydrates/starch:
These give your body energy.
• Examples are sorghum, millet, maize, rice, sweet potatoes, yams, cassava.
Too many refined carbohydrates (from white flour, maize flour, corn flour,
corn syrup and sugar) often found in highly processed foods, can lead to
diabetes and obesity.
Proteins
These help your body grow and repair and help build strong muscles.
• Examples are: Legumes, such as beans and groundnuts, also meat, fish, tree
nuts, eggs, certain insects and milk.
Fats
These protect your organs, nerves and brain; they help your body absorb nutrients.
• Too many trans fats such as margarine, and saturated animal fats (cheese,
butter, meat fat), can lead to being overweight and heart problems.
• Fats from fish oils, avocado, olives and seed oils are healthier than those
obtained from processed sources (like cooking fats) and animal fats.

Vitamins and minerals
Are essential for healthy organ functioning, strong bodies and a strong immune
system to help us fight disease.
• These are found in all vegetables and fruits; leafy greens are especially good for
iron, Vitamin A and calcium.
• The greater the variety of vegetables you eat, the more chance you will get
all the vitamins and minerals you need – our bodies need a great many
different minerals and vitamins to function well.
• Healthy living soil gives plants many of the minerals we need – plants grown
with chemical fertiliser will have fewer minerals such as calcium, zinc and
others.
• Deficiencies of vitamins and minerals can lead to stunting in children and
contribute to chronic illness such as anemia, and increased risk in pregnancy.

THE MIGHTY MICROBE:
• Don’t forget the mighty microbes we spoke about in Chapter 2. Microbes live in
our guts, and play a critical role in our digestion, immune system and general
functioning. To keep our microbes strong, we need a rich variety of food grown
in healthy living soil without chemicals.

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