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An Oxygenation Diet

Dietary considerations have often played a minor role in traditional medical therapy. Despite many clinical and laboratory findings showing that certain types of diets (especially those high in saturated fat, cholesterol, sugar, and salt) may contribute to a variety of degenerative diseases like cancer, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes, the mainstream medical community has always emphasized medications, radiation, and surgery to treat these health problems rather than looking to correct their underlying causes. It isn’t that physicians don’t care, but many simply do not have an adequate understanding of diet and nutrition to begin with. They receive minimal instruction about nutrition in medical school, which often totals six hours of class. Unless they decide to educate themselves about diet and nutrition after they graduate, many physicians know less about the subject than their patients.

This mind-set often exists regarding oxidative therapies. Many physicians view ozone and hydrogen peroxide as effective natural treatments that strengthen the body’s immune system, alleviate symptoms, and keep them from reappearing. If a relapse occurs, additional oxidative treatments are recommended.

However, a growing number of oxidative practitioners feel that changes in diet and lifestyle are necessary in order to complement ozone or hydrogen peroxide and restore one’s health for the long term. Although choosing the right foods for us is a highly personal matter and there is no one diet for everyone, this chapter will explore some of the components to several comprehensive nutritional programs that can complement oxidative therapies for most individuals. From time to time, references will be made to those suffering from specific health problems, such as cancer or AIDS.

Remember that the material provided in this chapter (like in all chapters in this section) is for information only. Consult a qualified professional for specific guidance regarding your personal dietary needs. An entire book could be devoted to the subject covered in this chapter. If you are interested in learning more about a specific approach to diet and nutrition, consult one or more of the diet books listed in appendix 2.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

What kind of diet are we looking for? Ideally, we want to strive for a dietary program that will satisfy the following needs:

1. It will be low in elements that produce free radical damage, while being high in those that protect against and destroy free radicals.
2. It will provide adequate amounts of protein, carbohydrates, minerals, and fiber.
3. It will be low in fat, sugar, and salt.
4. It will provide additional oxygen to the body that will help oxygenate tissues and other body cells.

It was mentioned earlier that environmental pollutants are a major source of free radicals. Many of these pollutants come from what we eat and drink due to pesticide residues found in the food supply. According to the Handbook of Pest Management in Agriculture, the increase in pesticide use in the United States has jumped 3,300 percent since 1945.¹

Unless we own our own private greenhouse and grow only organic fruits and vegetables, it is not easy to avoid pesticides and other pollutants completely. One way is to purchase only organically grown foods, which are free of persistent chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Although organic produce is somewhat more expensive than conventional produce, many feel that the long-term benefits are well worth the trouble.

The second way to reduce our consumption of pesticides and other free radical–producing substances is to eat as low as possible on the food chain. The food chain refers to the series of living things that are considered as being linked, with each thing feeding upon what is before it in a series. The higher up the food chain we go, the higher the levels of pesticide residues.

For example, when we ingest protein from the flesh of a chicken that has eaten grain sprayed with pesticides (or eat one of its eggs), we are consuming a far greater concentration of pesticides than if we were to consume the protein directly from the grain. While eggs and dairy products generally contain two-fifths the pesticide residues found in meat, vegetables and leafy vegetables contain only one-seventh as much. Fruits and legumes contain one-eighth, while grains and cereals have only one-twenty-fourth the pesticide residues found in meat.²

ANTIOXIDANT NUTRITION

Basically speaking, a good oxygenating diet consists of fresh, whole, and oxygen-rich foods that also provide an abundant amount of antioxidants such as beta-carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Depending on their nature, these antioxidants will either protect cells from free radical damage or serve as scavengers to “mop up” excess free radicals in the body.

Beta-carotene

The best sources of beta-carotene include fresh carrots, leafy greens, squash (especially yellow squash such as pumpkin), yams, sweet potatoes, and broccoli. The best fruit sources include cantaloupes, apricots, and peaches. One of the best sources of all is nori, a seaweed that is used extensively in Japanese cuisine. Found in health food stores and Asian markets, it can easily be added to soups and stews. In her book Good Health in a Toxic World: The Complete Guide to Fighting Free Radicals, Sara Shannon recommends two servings of beta-carotene-rich foods a day, with additional supplementation as needed.³ We will examine nutritional supplements in detail in the following chapter.

Vitamin C

The best sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits (like oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, mandarin oranges, and lemons), tomatoes (technically a fruit), strawberries, leafy green vegetables, broccoli, brussels sprouts, green peppers, and acerola cherries. Three or more daily servings are recommended from this group, although many oxidative practitioners recommend additional supplementation.

Vitamin E

Cold-pressed and unrefined vegetable oils (such as canola, olive, safflower, and soy) are very high in vitamin E. Whole grains (including oatmeal and brown rice), dried beans and other legumes, and leafy green vegetables are good sources as well. Sara Shannon recommends a daily intake of three servings of leafy green vegetables, two servings of grains, and two teaspoons of unrefined vegetable oil. As with vitamin C, therapists working with oxidative therapies often recommend extra vitamin E.

B Vitamins

A number of vitamins make up the B vitamin family, including B₁ (thiamin), B₂ (riboflavin), B₃ (niacin), B₆ (pyridoxine), folacin (folic acid), and B₁₂ (cyanocobalamin). Together, they are known as the vitamin B complex. The B vitamins are necessary to aid in the proper digestion and efficient utilization of carbohydrates, and they help break down proteins so they can be efficiently used by the body. They also aid body growth and help keep the nervous system in optimal condition, which is important in immunoregulation. Vitamin B complex has also been found to be an antioxidant cofactor, which means that the B vitamins play a supportive role in enabling the antioxidants listed above to work more effectively.

B vitamins are found primarily in grains, dried beans and peas, and seeds and nuts, especially oats, wheat germ, and peanuts. They are also found in brewer’s yeast, a highly nutritious product available at many natural food stores. A varied diet including these foods will help preserve good health and can complement most oxidative treatment programs.

There are a number of other antioxidant cofactors, including the minerals selenium and zinc and the amino acid glutathione. Since many people have deficiencies in these substances, we will discuss them in the following chapter on vitamin and mineral supplements.

Antioxidant “Superfoods”

A team of researchers at the Department of Nutrition at the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences of the University of Oslo in Norway analyzed over 3,100 different foods and evaluated their antioxidant content, expressed as “mmol/100 g,” or millimole (1/1000th of a gram) of antioxidant per 100 grams of food. Their findings were published in Nutrition Journal in 2010.

The Oslo researchers divided foods into different categories. Among the beverages, espresso coffee scored 12.6 mmol/100 g, followed by hibiscus tea (6.99), Lipton green tea (6.8), red wine (2.5), filter-brewed coffee (2.13), and pomegranate juice (2.1).

Among nuts and seeds, walnuts with pellicle—the thin skin or membrane surrounding the nutmeat—scored 21.9, followed by pecans with pellicle (8.5), sunflower seeds (6.4), and chestnuts with pellicle (4.7). Dark chocolate (70 to 99 percent cacao) samples averaged 10.9, while one popular 85 percent cacao bar from Switzerland scored 13.6.

Certain vegetables and fruits also scored high in antioxidant content, including dried apples (3.8), dried apricots (3.1), blue cauliflower (3.3), dried plums (3.2), curly kale (2.8), red and green chili peppers (2.4), red raspberries (2.3), and strawberries (2.16). Herbs and spices generally scored very high in antioxidant content, but most of us use them in small quantities. Those with the highest content included allspice, cloves, mint, oregano, rosemary, saffron, sage, and thyme.

It is important to remember that there are other nutritional criteria besides antioxidant content when choosing foods to eat. In addition to antioxidants, other phytochemicals in foods can help lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, regulate blood sugar, improve sleep, calm the nerves, and even help prevent cancer. One of my favorite books about the healing power of foods is Healthy Foods by George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. (see the resources—appendix 2, here).⁴

A NEW BASIC FOUR

In 1956 the famous “Basic Four” food guide was created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which set the standards for a healthy diet for Americans. Developed under the influence of the meat and dairy interests, it emphasized a high consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy products, which made up half of its four food groups. As consumers became more aware of the serious dangers of high-cholesterol and high-fat diets that resulted from following the Basic Four plan, it was later amended by the USDA’s “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” of 1990, which expanded the four food groups to five. However, this plan, also influenced by the meat and dairy interests, still placed strong emphasis on an animal-based diet. This was later replaced by the “Food Guide Pyramid,” which placed a somewhat stronger emphasis on plant foods. Although it represented an important departure from past recommendations, many progressive nutritionists felt that the Food Guide Pyramid did not go far enough.

A dietary plan that is most likely to complement the benefits of oxidative therapies is the little-known “New Four Food Groups,” created by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). First proposed in 1991, it is seen as an “optimal diet” that not only provides adequate nutrition but can actually help prevent many diet-related diseases like hypertension, cancer, and atherosclerosis. Like the original Basic Four food groups, the PCRM’s food groups are easy to remember, but they emphasize plant foods rather than foods of animal origin. The plan features four primary food groups, with “optional” foods to be eaten sparingly.⁵

Group I: Whole Grains

This group includes bread, pasta, hot or cold cereal, millet, barley, bulgur, buckwheat, groats, and tortillas. These foods provide complex carbohydrates, protein, B vitamins, and zinc. Five or more servings are recommended daily from this group. A serving is considered to be one-half cup of cooked cereal, one ounce of dry cereal, or one slice of bread.

Group II: Vegetables

Group II includes dark green leafy vegetables like collards, kale, mustard greens, and turnip greens, as well as cruciferous vegetables, which include broccoli, cabbages, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. These vegetables are generally good sources of a variety of vitamins (especially vitamin C and riboflavin), minerals (particularly calcium and iron), and dietary fiber, which is often lacking in standard diets. Dark yellow vegetables (including carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin) are also excellent sources of beta-carotene. Three or more daily servings (one cup raw or one-half cup cooked) from this group are recommended.

Group III: Legumes

Dried peas, beans, chickpeas, and lentils are good sources of protein, dietary fiber, iron, calcium, zinc, and B vitamins. Foods in this category also include textured soy protein, soy milk, tofu (soybean curd), and tempeh, made from fermented soybeans. One-half cup of cooked beans, four ounces of tofu or tempeh, or eight ounces of soy milk is considered a serving. Two to three servings from this group are recommended.

Group IV: Fruits

All fruits are recommended by the PCRM, to be eaten as close to their natural state as possible. Of special interest are citrus fruits, tomatoes, and strawberries (which are all good sources of vitamin C), as well as cantaloupes and apricots, which are high in beta-carotene. A minimum of three servings from this group are recommended daily. One medium piece of fruit, one-half cup of cooked fruit, or one-half cup of fresh fruit juice constitutes a serving.

Optional Foods

To the chagrin of the meat and dairy industries, the PCRM placed meat, fish, and dairy products (along with nuts, seeds, and oils) into the optional foods group to be used as condiments. While not banned, the committee felt that they should no longer serve as the focal point for the optimal American diet, as they did in the past. PCRM chairman Neal Bernard, M.D., called this plan “a modest proposal” that if adopted could have a profound impact on America’s high incidence of heart disease and cancer. For more information about this organization, consult appendix 2 of this book.

DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS

Acknowledging that Americans were not only getting fatter but also becoming sicker, in 2005 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the USDA finally proposed dietary guidelines that were much more in harmony with the above recommendations. The key recommendations for adults include the following:

• Consume a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables while staying within energy needs. Two cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a reference 2,000-calorie intake, with higher or lower amounts depending on the calorie level.
• Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. In particular, select from all five vegetable subgroups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables) several times a week.
• Consume three or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain products per day, with the rest of the recommended grains coming from enriched or whole-grain products. In general, at least half the grains should come from whole grains.
• Consume three cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products.

The following guidelines are recommended for children and adolescents:

• Consume whole-grain products often; at least half the grains should be whole grains.
• Children two to eight years old should consume two cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products. Children nine years of age and older should consume three cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products.⁶

In January 2016 the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion of the Department of Health and Human Services released 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. While the full document is available online, the office’s key recommendations include:

Consume a healthy eating pattern that accounts for all foods and beverages within an appropriate calorie level. A healthy eating pattern includes:

• A variety of vegetables from all of the subgroups—dark green, red and orange, legumes (beans and peas), starchy, and other
• Fruits, especially whole fruits
• Grains, at least half of which are whole grains
• Fat-free or low-fat dairy, including milk, yogurt, cheese, and/or fortified soy beverages
• A variety of protein foods, including seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans and peas), and nuts, seeds, and soy products
• Oils

A healthy eating pattern limits:

• Saturated fats and trans fats, added sugars, and sodium.

Key Recommendations that are quantitative are provided for several components of the diet that should be limited. These components are of particular public health concern in the United States, and the specified limits can help individuals achieve healthy eating patterns within calorie limits:

• Consume less than 10 percent of calories per day from added sugars
• Consume less than 10 percent of calories per day from saturated fats
• Consume less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day of sodium
• If alcohol is consumed, it should be consumed in moderation—up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men—and only by adults of legal drinking age.⁷

WHAT OXIDATIVE HEALERS SUGGEST

A number of prominent individuals who have worked with oxidative therapies (and patients who have undergone these therapies) have offered sound dietary guidance as adjuncts to the therapeutic use of medical ozone and hydrogen peroxide. Although this book does not advocate any particular diet, they are worthy of consideration. Many complement each other extensively.

In his monograph Protocol for the Intravenous Administration of Hydrogen Peroxide, Dr. Charles H. Farr confines his dietary advice to the following suggestions:

Patients should be counseled to limit dietary fats and oils (all types) to approximately 20 to 25% of their total caloric intake. They should especially avoid heated, extracted and refined fats which are rich in lipid peroxide precursors of free radicals. Refined carbohydrates and simple sugars should be avoided and substituted with unrefined, complex starches containing adequate dietary fiber, obtained from whole grains, vegetables and whole fruit.⁸

In his book The Oxygen Breakthrough, Sheldon Saul Hendler, M.D., recommends an “ideal” diet to his patients that is very much in harmony with both the New Four Food Groups and Dr. Farr’s recommendations. Dr. Hendler’s “high-oxygen diet” includes the following:

• No more than 100 milligrams of cholesterol daily
• No more than 20 percent fat, with increased amounts of polyunsaturates and monosaturates and decreased amounts of saturates
• At least 65 percent carbohydrates, with emphasis on complex, unrefined carbohydrates
• 12 to 15 percent protein, with increased reliance on vegetable protein
• 50 to 60 grams of dietary fiber⁹

At the Hospital Santa Monica in Mexico, Dr. Kurt Donsbach offers the following modest food recommendations (along with friendly practical advice) to help patients achieve a higher level of health and wellbeing both at the hospital and after they return home.

1. Do eat a bowl of oatmeal or other whole-grain cereal every morning. (We shouldn’t have to tell you to avoid white sugar and white flour products as much as possible.)
2. Do eat four cupfuls of vegetables daily—half raw and half cooked. It will surprise you how many vegetables really exist. Try them all.
3. Do eat one cupful of fruit daily, preferably raw unless unavailable.
4. Do eat only the following fats: butter, olive oil, peanut oil. Margarine and unsaturated oils are the worst foods you can put into your body. (Flaxseed oil, bottled in black and kept refrigerated, is the only exception—it can be used therapeutically at one tablespoon once or twice daily.)
5. Do reduce coffee consumption to one cup daily. Get in the herb tea habit.
6. Do eat your heaviest meals at breakfast and lunch [and have your] light meal at night. This is the hardest rule to follow for most people.
7. Do eat a minimum of five servings of chicken, fish, or turkey each week. You can have a serving of beef or pork occasionally. If you are a vegetarian by choice, eat seeds and nuts to supplement your diet. Eggs and dairy products may be used as desired.
8. Do not combine fruits or fruit juices with concentrated proteins (meats, dairy products, eggs). This will produce gas and discomfort.
9. Do eat whole grains, freshly baked breads, and rolls.
10. Do use a seasoning salt made up of potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, lysine, and kelp as your flavor enhancer.
11. Be positive and happy when you eat. Your digestive system will work better.¹⁰

THE “LIVESTRONG DIET”

According to an article published by the Livestrong Foundation, an organization founded by former cyclist Lance Armstrong devoted to helping cancer patients, there are several important ways that we can increase oxygen levels by the foods we eat.

Eat Iron-Rich Foods

Iron-deficient anemia occurs when diets have insufficient iron and leads to reduced levels of hemoglobin, the oxygen carrier in the blood. This can lead to a condition called hypoxemia. In addition to red meat, poultry, and seafood, iron-rich foods include dried beans and peas, such as chickpeas, green peas, lentils, and kidney, black, and lima beans; dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach; dried fruit, such as raisins, cranberries, and apricots; peanut butter; tofu; brown rice; and iron-fortified cereals, whole-wheat breads, and pastas.

If you are getting your iron primarily from plant sources, try to combine the foods listed above (known as nonheme iron foods) with vitamin C to increase absorption of iron. Foods rich in Vitamin C include oranges, grapefruit, and other citrus fruits; broccoli; kiwi; leafy green vegetables (kale, collards, spinach); melons; peppers; strawberries and other berries; and tomatoes.

Eat More Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Some health advocates believe that an acidic environment in the blood can lead to reduced levels of oxygen and increase the risk of certain cancers. The intake of alkaline water, along with fruits and vegetables rich in potassium and magnesium (such as bananas, potatoes, tomatoes, and green leafy vegetables), can help reduce acidity in the blood and increase oxygenation. Fruits and vegetables are also rich sources of antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin E and can help protect the oxygen-carrying blood cells against the harmful effects of free radicals.

Go Low-Sodium

Diets low in sodium are believed to lead to increased oxygenation of the kidneys via the blood. Admittedly, reducing our sodium intake is a challenge, since so many of the foods we eat contain high amounts of sodium. Reducing our intake of prepared foods (especially instant noodles, soups, and sauces); smoked, salted, canned, cured, or precooked meats (including hot dogs, cold cuts, bacon, sausages, ham, and fish); frozen breaded meats and dinners, such as burritos and pizza; canned entrees, such as ravioli and chili; frozen entrees; salted nuts, popcorn, and seeds; canned and bottled spaghetti sauces; and canned beans and other vegetables with added salt can help. Limiting visits to restaurants (many restaurant meals are notoriously high in both calories and sodium) and preparing meals at home is another option. Generally speaking, a low-sodium diet aims to reduce sodium intake to less than 2,000 mg per day and includes a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, peas, legumes, and whole grains.¹¹

THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET

The Mediterranean diet—which is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts and low in refined sugars, meats, and whole-fat dairy products—has been found to help maintain healthy lung function since at least 2007. According to a 2013 study at the University of Auckland published in the the Journal of Asthma, asthma patients who adopted the Mediterranean diet experienced both increased lung function and overall better quality of life.¹²

THE IMMUNE ENHANCEMENT DIET

The second edition of the Immune Restoration Handbook by Mark Konlee lists a number of “foods that heal.” These foods are good for anyone who is involved in the healing process unless a physician prohibits their use. Many people fear that a health-oriented diet needs to be limited, but as we will see in the following diet plans, this need not be the case.

Vegetables

All vegetables are allowed on the immune enhancement diet except iceberg lettuce. Sprouts (including wheatgrass, red clover, radish, soy, and alfalfa), artichokes, asparagus, avocado, bamboo shoots, banana pepper, beet greens, beets, bok choy, Boston lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, collard greens, eggplant, endive, escarole, dandelion greens, garlic, green peas, green beans, jalapeno pepper, kale, kohlrabi, lamb’s-quarter, leeks, okra, olives (green and ripe), onions, parsley, potatoes, pumpkin, radishes, red sweet peppers, rutabagas, sea kale, shallots, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard, turnip greens, and turnips. Sauerkraut is also recommended.

Oil

Flaxseed oil (which can be mixed into yogurt or cottage cheese), olive oil, and hazelnut oil. These oils can be blended 50:50 with butter.

Seasonings and Spices

Paprika and crushed red pepper, seaweed (such as nori and kombu), hot peppers, apple cider vinegar, and thyme, as well as natural commercial seasoning mixtures like Spike or Bragg Liquid Aminos. Salt and black pepper are to be used in moderation.

Gluten-Free Grains

Rice (white or brown), rye crisp crackers, and products made with corn, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, millet, spelt, rye, kamut, or other gluten-free grains.

Fruit

Raw lemons, raw limes, grapefruit, raw pineapple, and unsweetened applesauce are recommended, while a maximum of one daily serving of all other fruits is suggested.

Sweeteners

Raw unfiltered honey, sucanat, raw cane sugar, brown sugar, date sugar, and blackstrap molasses are to be used in moderation.

Beverages

Reverse-osmosis filtered water, spring water, and mineral water are recommended over unfiltered municipal water. Green tea and black tea are good beverage choices if caffeinated drinks are required.¹³

THE RAW FOOD AND LIVING FOOD DIET

The legendary Ann Wigmore, D.D., N.D., was well known in the holistic community for her radical approach to helping people heal themselves of cancer, heart disease, candidiasis, diabetes, AIDS, and other “incurable” diseases through living foods eaten low on the food chain. Believing that raw, uncooked, fermented, and sprouted foods are easily digested, are free of chemical additives, and contain a minimum of pesticides, “Dr. Ann” built her living food diet on fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds, grains, and nuts. Methods of preparation include juicing, sprouting, fermenting, and light blending. She believed that foods prepared in this way allow the body’s cells to fully absorb the life force produced by the enzymes of live foods, many of which, by the way, contain hydrogen peroxide. Many living foods can be grown indoors as greens and as sprouts.

In her book Overcoming AIDS, Dr. Wigmore listed what she called “the most important foods for total health”:

Greens: Sunflower, cabbage, buckwheat, dandelion, watercress, parsley, lamb’s-quarter

Top of the ground vegetables: Corn, red pepper, celery, radish, zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms

Fermented foods: Cauliflower, beets, carrots, seed cheese, Rejuvelac (a drink made from sprouted wheat seeds; water is added to the seeds, and after several days, the water is drained out and consumed)

Fruits: Watermelon, peeled apples, peaches, figs, dates, avocado, tomato, bananas

Grains: Rye, millet, corn, wheat

Protein: Almonds, pine nuts, sunflower seeds

Sprouts: Alfalfa, fenugreek, mung bean, radish

Seaweed: Dulse¹⁴

Though this diet is admittedly unconventional, many holistic healers believe that it is probably the best diet to follow if one wants to make major changes in one’s life as part of the healing process: live more simply, free the body of toxins, enhance the body’s natural healing powers, and consume only the purest and freshest of foods. While some may feel that a total raw food diet is too extreme, certain aspects of her diet can easily become integrated into a personal diet plan. A number of Ann Wigmore’s books (which include many “how-to” recipes), as well as the address of her healing center, are included in appendix 2 of this book.