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DON’T compromise on food.
Find quality time in food preparation and eating.”
This was the answer of Dr. Tagumpay Mateo, when asked
for tips on how to be healthy.
A
lot of people overlook their well-being while supposedly
pursuing a better life.
Dr.
Tam, an alumnus of the Clayton College of Natural
Healing (formerly Alabama College of Natural Healing),
is the first Filipino naturopathic doctor. A naturopathic
doctor resorts to natural medicines rather than artificial
substances to treat the body. It focuses on preventive
medicine and nutrition.
He
was also a registered respiratory therapist at North
Hollywood Medical and Dental School, California.
Before
specializing in cancer nutrition, he worked as a businessman
in the United States.
His
wife, the former Aida Chua, is a breast cancer survivor.
This experience, coupled with his own health problems,
led him to become a full-time medical missionary and
health crusader.
He
is a member of the American Naturopathic Medical Association
(ANMA), Association of Nutrition Consultants (AANC),
and Philippine College for Advancement of Medicine
(PCAM). He is president of Kaalamang Pangkalusugan,
a non-stock, non-profit organization in the Philippines.
When
consulting with Dr. Tam, he never prescribes over-the-counter
drugs but advocates for a change towards a healthy
lifestyle. He would include a nutrition management
program and a 10-day meal plan upon initial consultation.
The program is simple and easy to follow for vegetable
and fruit eaters, but may be difficult for meat lovers.
A
sample meal plan includes drinking warm water with
10-15 pieces of calamansi early in the morning. The
juice should have no sugar or honey. After 30 minutes,
one could have a fruit breakfast. However, it’s
not advisable to combine sweet fruits (banana, apple,
papaya, chico, mango) with acidic fruits (orange,
strawberry, ponkan, pomelo, berries).
The
diet also advises against eating fish, sugar, chocolate,
junk food, MSG, white bread or any processed foods.
It’s
necessary to drink 8-10 glasses of water everyday.
But drinking water must only be made an hour after
eating, because this allows the solid food to be processed
by necessary enzymes without being diluted. Tea, coffee
and sodas are shunned, as well as eggs and dairy products.
Day
One in the sample meal plan consists of having an
apple, banana and chico for breakfast; rice, steamed
vegetables (with broccoli) and blended pineapple for
lunch; and blended papaya for dinner.
As
the days progress, the recipes become more challenging
for people who are used to certain ways of cooking.
Sautéing food in oil is discouraged. Instead,
water can be used.
For
salad dressings, Dr. Tam recommends calamansi, soy
sauce or salt and olive oil. The food’s taste
won’t diminish if it’s properly prepared.
He also advises against taking in solid food in the
evening, because the digestive system has to rest.
He
won’t insist on having a drastic change of lifestyle,
but would recommend trying out the 10-day meal plan
and see how the body reacts to it.
As
a naturopathic doctor, he not only deals with preventive
medicine, but has attended to cancer patients and
people with degenerative diseases.
He
usually starts with detoxification. With detoxification,
contiguous poisoning is prevented, while the remaining
good cells recuperate and get proper nourishment.
When the remaining good cells are enhanced, the body
regains strength.
After
detoxifying the body, the patient is put on a nutrition
program. The nutrition program includes fruits for
breakfast, vegetables, lentils and vegetable salads
for lunch, and more vegetables, salads and fruits
for dinner. |
