Walking along Brighton's pebbly beach, I was given an extraordinary lesson in primary healthcare.

My companion was Udo Erasmus, an international authority on fats, oils, cholesterol and human health.

Udo explained that we are genetically programmed for health after four-and-a-half billion years of natural experimentation.

However, there are three basic requirements for it to continue. The first is that we mustn't jeopardise our genetic blueprint by poisoning it through pesticides, drugs, chemicals or toxic food.

The second requirement is that we need to supply our genetic programme with basic, unadulterated building blocks from nature (air, water, light, fresh, raw and whole food).

The third is a well-functioning digestive system so the building blocks can be absorbed. Quite a tall order, these days.

Yet Udo remains surprisingly upbeat. He was raised on a farm and went on to do a degree in zoology, followed by graduate studies in genetics and biochemistry.

In 1980, he was poisoned by pesticides and when conventional medicine was unable to help him, he turned to nutrition.

Several years of research culminated in his bestselling book Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill which earned him his PhD.

Although he has formulated other foundational food supplements, fats are his forte.

For years, we have been told to reduce our fat intake but we do require the essential fats for the development of the human brain, for the structure of all our cell membranes, for our hormones and to lubricate our joints and skin.

Most people on a typical Western diet consume too little of these and far too many refined, heated and hydrogenated fats and oils that interfere with normal biochemical processes.

Deficiencies of good fats or an excess of the wrong fats compromise immunity and affect growth, fertility, vision, mood, learning, memory and energy.

Udo pioneered technology for pressing and packaging edible, fresh oils and is best known for his oil blend Udo's Choice, which can be found in most health food stores.

It was developed to address the need for a food oil that provides the correct amounts of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.

Like all fresh-pressed oils, it is sensitive to light, air and heat and should be stored in the fridge.

Use as a salad dressing or add to dishes such as steamed vegetables, soup or rice after cooking. Or simply blend it into a protein shake or yoghurt to make it more nutritious.

As we left the beach, Udo confirmed his commitment to tackling modern health problems by using grassroots solutions.

He also passed on one of his favourite quotations by Prem Rawat: "The ability to think is God's gift to you but what you think about is your gift to yourself."

Despite being called a "fathead" by his schoolteachers, there doesn't seem to be much wrong with Udo's way of thinking.

For a free CD on Grassroots Solutions, books or products by Udo Erasmus, contact Savant Distribution in Leeds by calling 08450 606070 or visit www.savanthealth.com
Martina is a qualified nutritionist at the Crescent Clinic of Complementary Medicine, 37 Vernon Terrace, Brighton. Tel: 01273 202221 or email: martina@thehealthbank.co.uk