May 30th, 2011
By Craig Fear
Underlying cause #3: Food Sensitivities
It always amazes me when people come to see me with dozens of foods they are supposedly allergic to. What no one ever tells them is that it’s usually because their upper digestive system is not breaking their food down properly.
First let’s distinguish between a food allergy and a food sensitivity. A food allergy is a reaction to a protein in a food. It’s often a severe reaction. A food sensitivity is an allergic-type reaction to a non-protein substance and the severity of the reaction varies greatly. Most food sensitivities are a lot more subtle than true food allergies and they can be difficult to identify. But what unites both of them is often poor diet and poor digestion.
If the stomach is not breaking down the food properly, undigested food assaults the small intestine. The small intestine is where our food gets absorbed into our body. You could say that our food doesn’t really become us until it passes through the delicate lining of the small intestine. Under normal circumstances, the food is thoroughly digested before it enters the small intestine so that it can easily pass through the lining.
However, if something passes through that lining that shouldn’t, your immune system is waiting and ready to take care of the foreign invader. About 70% of our immune system lies in our gut.
But if food doesn’t get broken down properly, it can damage the lining of the small intestine. Things start leaking through in inappropriate sizes. This is known as “leaky gut”.
This sets the stage for food allergies and sensitivities as well as a whole host of immune issues such as asthma, skin conditions and autoimmune conditions.
Furthermore, inflammation develops in many areas of the digestive tract. Now we have all these conditions that end with -itis. Something that ends with -itis literally means inflammation. So now we have gastritis, inflammation in the stomach. Ileitis, inflammation in the ileum. Pancreatitis, colitis, diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis, etc. Get the point?
Medications deal with the inflammation on the symptomatic level. They may or may not help but they never address the root cause.
And what’s the root cause? Again, poor diet and poor digestive function. We keep throwing fire (poor food) on the fire (inflammation) and wonder why we have digestive problems.
In reality, most food sensitivities and food allergies can be resolved through a period of removing the offending food and healing the digestive tract.
How to do this?
Number one, make sure your stomach is breaking down food properly. Make sure the blender is set on high! My previous blog detailed steps for correcting poor stomach function.
Number two, stop eating pro-inflammatory foods. Unfortunately, there are a lot of pro-inflammatory foods out there. Basically, all processed foods promote inflammation in the body. Sugar is at the top of that list, which I’ve discussed at length. Next in my opinion are grains, especially those that contain gluten.
So for starters, let’s remember that grains, even whole ones, are high in starch. Starch is essentially long chains of glucose molecules. Glucose is sugar. Now that’s not necessarily a bad thing as glucose is essential for life. The problem is that we juts consume so dang much of it in America. Think of the standard American breakfast – cereal, pancakes, waffles, bagels, toast, muffins, pastries. In other words, grains, grains, grains, grains and more grains. And most of that are refined grains.
Food for thought: Grains are fed to cattle in factory farms to fatten them up. Could the same dynamic be occurring in the US population?
“But I eat only whole grains”, you say. OK, good. But grains are still hard on the body’s digestive system. Traditional cultures, soaked, sprouted and fermented grains. This makes them more digestible. It also makes them more nutritious.
The food industry is not interested in doing this. Don’t ask Kellogg’s, Nabisco, Quaker Oats, General Mills or any other giant food corporation to do this anytime soon. It takes time and care to prepare grains properly. Time and care are not profitable.
And then there’s the gluten issue. Gluten is the main protein in wheat, barley and rye. It’s a very complex protein and it’s hard on the body’s digestive system. Furthermore, most wheat is the US is genetically modified and sprayed with pesticides.
This does not mean you need to give up grains forever. Grains can be very healthy for many people. However, I would recommend keeping them to a minimum for some time, especially for weight loss. And if you’re having a chronic digestive issue, consider a strict elimination diet for 2-3 weeks. You can do this for any food that you suspect is giving you problems.
Dairy, soy, corn, eggs are the more common foods that can cause many problems for people. The saying, “One man’s food is another man’s poison” is very true.
But if you’re experiencing a long term chronic issue and/or an inability to lose weight, start with eliminating grains and monitor your symptoms. I bet you’ll feel much better.
Finally, if you’re going to consume grains, choose sprouted grain products which you can find in health food stores. Sprouted grains have a smaller gluten content, higher nutrient content and are easier on digestion.
Another good habit is to soak grains overnight in warm water with a tablespoon or two of an acidic medium such as whey, yogurt, kefir, buttermilk or lemon juice. Soak in equal parts water for a minimum of 7 hours and up to 24 hours. In so doing the cooking time of grains is dramatically reduced. Oatmeal soaked overnight for example needs only to be a simmered for a few minutes. Truly instant oatmeal!
OK, be honest. Are you overwhelmed by the thought of having to give up grains? Does the thought of going breadless send shockwaves of terror through your body?
Admittedly, it can be a little overwhelming to do this on your own, especially if you’re experiencing a long term chronic digestive issue. This is where a qualified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner can help.
So next time we’ll continue our journey south in the digestive process and discuss the fourth underlying issue that can prevent weight loss and good health. Yes, it is still related to poor digestion. This is why the first four weeks of the new twelve week weight loss/wellness program I’ll be teaching are spent on correcting digestive issues. It is so vital to healthy weight loss and good overall health in general.
Stay tuned.
May 23rd, 2011
By Craig Fear
Nutritional Therapists look at the human body like the roots of a tree. Feed the roots and the tree thrives. Feed the roots of health in the human body and the body thrives. In Nutritional Therapy, we call these roots Foundations. When these Foundations crumble, the health of the body crumbles. For most people that equates to weight gain. Weight gain is just a symptom of underlying imbalances in these Foundations.
If you’ve been reading these blogs I’ve already discussed at length what is in my opinion, the #1 underlying cause of not only weight gain but also poor health in general: Blood Sugar Balance. Everyone must have stable blood sugar to be healthy. Too much sugar will raise cholesterol, withdraw minerals from your body, suppress the immune system, lead to heart problems, type II diabetes, etc. etc. I’ve talked at length about this so I don’t want to repeat myself. Just read some of my recent posts and that will get you up to speed.
Beyond sugar, there are other underlying issues that contribute to weight gain and poor health. Over the course of the next several blogs, I will detail these underlying issues and tell you what you can do about it.
But before we dig in, a shameless act of self-promotion. In a few weeks I’ll be starting a 12 week weight loss program that is designed specifically to get at the roots of weight loss. If you live in the Pioneer Valley and would be interested, please check out the ‘weight loss program’ link right here on my website. My friend, Nancy, has created a short video describing the program.
OK, no more self-promotion!
Ready to truly get at the roots of your weight issue? Let’s go!
Underlying Cause #2: Digestion
50% of all Americans have some degree of digestive dysfunction. You can eat a healthy diet but if you don’t have the digestive capacity to break down and absorb the nutrients in your food, you cannot be healthy. I see this all the time. Heartburn, bloating, constipation, IBS and candida are just a few common digestive problems that are afflicting more and more people at younger and younger ages.
Let me ask you a question: Why are antacids the best selling drugs in America?
Don’t answer. I will tell you: Because they work!
However, they solve a symptom not a cause. Let’s understand why.
Your stomach is akin to a blender. That blender must be on high speed to break down your food so that it can be easily absorbed in the small intestine. And the acid in your stomach determines the speed. It drives digestion. What happens if that blender speed slows down, if that acid diminishes? You guessed it, digestion slows. Undigested food now sits in your stomach. You feel bloated. You feel sick. Remember your stomach is much warmer than room temperature. It’s hot in there! So now the food starts to ferment, putrefy and expand. You burp after meals. You get gassy. Your breath stinks.
If a little of that putrefying food refluxes back into your esophagus, you get a burning sensation. This is heartburn. Unlike your stomach, the lining of your esophagus is not made for the acid. So it burns.
So you take an antacid. The burning stops. But the underlying issue persists. So you start taking antacids like Tums, Rolaids, Alka-Seltzer or Pepto-Bismol. But then they stop doing the job so you move up to more powerful drugs known as acid blockers that literally shut down the acid producing cells in your stomach. Prilosec and Zantac are two examples.
So the question is what is the underlying cause of low acid levels? At the top of that list would be nutrient deficient, processed, sugar-laden foods. To produce stomach acid, your body needs things like zinc and B vitamins for proper production. The S.A.D. does not provide the raw materials for this. Things like overeating, over consuming carbohydrates, stress, alcohol and of course antacids themselves have been show to diminish acid production as well.
And when this happens, our metabolism slows.
Digestion is also a north to south process. Poor acid production also affects things further south in the digestive process. If food is not broken down properly, it assaults the intestines with just that, undigested food. And more problems result.
So what to do?
If you’re deficient in vitamin D, you take vitamin D, right? Deficient in minerals? Take minerals. Well, when the acid in your stomach becomes deficient, it is no different. Supplement with acid! You might be surprised to learn that all health food stores sell supplemental hydrochloric acid for use as a digestive aid. Dosing can be a little tricky as some need more than others, so be sure to see a qualified practitioner.
There are many other things that can boost the body’s acid production. One of the most low tech methods is to take a little apple cider vinegar before meals. Various herbs and bitters are known to help as well.
But to me the most important thing is the diet. I’ve seen so many cases of heartburn and stomach problems resolve with dietary changes alone. Start there. Reduce the starches and sugars in your diet and see what happens. At the top of that list would be refined carbohydrates. Next would come grains, even whole ones, as they’re hard on the body’s digestive system. You might find that not only do your digestive symptoms improve, but the numbers on the scale start going down too.
So Nutritional Therapists always help people with their digestion. Together with balancing the blood sugar, these two are in my opinion, the ultimate Foundations. I call them the twin pillars of good health. Because when they start to correct, many of the other roots of the tree start to correct on their own.
Of course, if we’ve been eating the SAD for decades, it can take some time for the roots to start thriving again. In the next blog, I’ll detail some of the other roots that need additional attention and support as well.
Stay tuned!
