OK…this hits close to home for many families! Dr. Oz had three generations of Italian women who ate in ways that caused obesity, high blood sugar levels, and serious ratios between cholesterol along with other indicators that their health was interconnected to their diets.

Now…mind you, I am Italian and I grew up with a mom who made our meals from scratch, throwing together excellent and healthy dishes that included Italian and other ethnic cuisines from the Mediterranean region as well as traditional American foods. We were not obese and we enjoyed reasonably good health until the exposure to uranium radiation resulted in cancer for both of my parents. My father also had undergone surgery for gallstones when I was born, so some dietary changes and choices had been a part of family culture for decades. I began my career in holistic and Bio-Energetic Medicine after watching both parents die from cancer. I have also owned and operated a Natural Foods Restaurant, so I know what I am talking about…food and its relationship to health.

Italian food can be and is healthy when you have a comprehensive variety of whole foods, including vegetable dishes and fresh fruit. I listened to Dr. Oz discuss the types of food these women cooked and ate and even noticed pictures of their tables. I didn’t see the fruit and the vegetables or even the sardines and greens that are part of the healthy Mediterranean regional cuisine. Where were the lemons, the pine nuts and pesto, the dark leafy greens, the pears and hazelnuts…what I saw was pasta and red sauces, some overloaded with melted cheese. Not so healthy ladies!

The rice balls were present, but where are the white beans and the figs? Where are the artichokes and anchovies? Where are the pine nuts and the roasted garlic cloves? Look…you need variety and all of the food groups to be considered a healthy diet. These women are lazy cooks of Italian descent…and need to begin to include more of the whole foods that I have mentioned to be considered a real authentic Italian diet. Here’s a tip: Watch Giada on the FoodNetwork to get a few more good ideas…and notice that Mario is getting more involved with healthy foods while Michael is the best Italian chef on the FoodNetwork lineup. His waistline is trim and he has a garden…follow his lead. Even the delightful Jamie Oliver is creating healthy Italian dishes from scratch in the cafeterias of our school children now! Real Italian cooks use fresh herbs from their gardens to enhance the flavor and the health of so many dishes.

You can find healthy oils. You can find fresh nuts and seeds that have not gone rancid. You can shop daily for fresh produce which is the old way that still works for all of us. Frequent your local Farmer’s Markets and Whole Foods stores where you’ll find the diversity of fresh organic vegetables and fruits. Fennel, artichokes, and other specialty items might be a little more difficult to locate, but most Food Co-ops will order these specialty foods for you, and commonly carry fresh organic herbs like rosemary, oregano, thyme, and basil. I didn’t notice that the women on Dr. Oz had any of these healthy ingredients on their tables or at the cafeteria where one of them works.

Where’s the Red Wine? Where are the lemons? Where are the melons and the grapes? Where are the berries? Where are the beans and the fresh basil which are going to give these women a big boost with weight management and improve blood sugar levels and alter their fatty metabolism. They have a lot to learn about real Italian cooking…

In my opinion, you can take all of the traditional foods and make them healthier by going organic and fresh. Use fresh organic herbs instead of dried, use organic produce instead of canned or frozen items, and use the whole grain mill to grind your own flour to make your own pasta with fresh tomato, basil, and mozzarella for your marinara sauces. One more thing…don’t eat horrible processed cheeses, if you are going to eat any cheese; then select properly aged cheeses that are made by true artisans the old-fashioned way. The same applies to cured meats where you don’t want to settle for nitrites and nitrates, but use salt and seasonings to cure the meats in the traditional ways.

One other thing: Balsamic Vinegar! Get the real stuff that’s organic. It’s going to be a primary ingredient in salad dressings that you’ll make, instead of getting a bottle out. Use organic olive oil and fresh pine nuts and freshly grated parmesan for your pesto.

The issue of bone health is also critical for women and while you are eating a well-balanced diet; please remember to include the unique qualities of Pearl Powder to get calcium, magnesium, and other trace minerals necessary for proper metabolism in your body.

The one issue that was not fully addressed about breast health for both men and women on today’s show: The Lymphatic System.

The function of your lymph is imperative for healthy breasts and other tissue and organs. Both men and women need to ensure the function of their lymphatic system with movement and exercise, in addition to eating the healthy foods that will keep the lymph functioning in a manner that keeps the cancer-causing agents out and the healthy nutrients into these tissues. Regular bodywork and massage therapy will also bolster the function of your lymph.

And by the way, find those beans and toast to a healthy Lifestyle with a large glass of organic Red Wine!

These are my Italian Family Food healthy ideas and suggestions…from a family that grew grapes and made wine for two hundred years and a mother who adored her children and husband showing it by providing a wide variety of healthy foods for family meals.

This entry was posted on Monday, January 18th, 2010 at 4:25 pm and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.