You have approximately 50 to 70 trillion cells in your body. Each cell has a lipid bilayer called the cell membrane, where the body's innate intelligence resides. Life begins and ends in that cell membrane. Inside each cell, you have your DNA nucleus. While you can't change the genes you were born with, you can influence their expression. Hormones communicate with your cells. If inflammation surrounds your cell membranes, the communication system is disrupted, leading to various health issues, including weight gain, autoimmune conditions, and cancer.
In this post, I will provide you with a list of seven foods that you might be consuming, which can create a lot of inflammation in your body and compromise your health. Avoiding these foods can contribute to living a longer and healthier life.
1. Wheat
Dr. William Davis, in his book "Wheat Belly," presented alarming research on the effects of wheat bread and wheat products, including gluten, on spiking blood sugar levels. It's crucial to understand that elevated blood sugar levels accelerate the aging process. When glucose is elevated in the body, it is considered a toxic state, prompting the body to release more insulin to remove it from the bloodstream and transfer it to cells.
While short-term spikes in blood sugar are manageable, prolonged elevation can lead to insulin resistance, which is the first domino to fall on the path to diabetes, followed by conditions like cancer, heart attacks, kidney failure, and a host of other serious health issues. A study highlighted that an A1C level of 7.5% or higher can reduce lifespan by about 100 days per year. That's a significant impact on longevity due to high blood sugar levels.
According to Dr. William Davis, two slices of whole-grain, heart-healthy wheat bread can spike blood sugar levels as much as a 12 oz can of soda or a candy bar like a Snickers. This spike might not be immediate due to the fiber content in wheat, but it occurs over time. Wheat, gluten, and similar grains convert into sugar in the body and can be problematic. Moreover, most wheat is sprayed with glyphosate herbicides and pesticides.
FOODS CONTAINING WHEAT TO AVOID:
- Breadcrumbs
- Bulgur
- Couscous
- Most cereals
- Einkorn
- Farro
- Flour
- Pasta
- Matzah
- Seitan
- Sprouted wheat
- Wheat protein
- Biscuits
- Crackers
- Cookies
- Waffles
- Pancakes
- Scones
- Kamut
The healthiest gluten-free diet consists of whole foods that are naturally gluten-free rather than highly refined "gluten-free" packaged foods. A tiny exposure to gluten can lead to the production of antibodies in the body for 3-6 months. Therefore, it's essential to be 100% gluten-free; merely reducing gluten is insufficient. It takes just 1/1000 of a gram of gluten exposure (a tiny crumb of bread) to reactivate the immune system. Cross-contamination must be avoided.
LOOK FOR HIDDEN SOURCES OF GLUTEN:
- Soups and sauces/gravies often use wheat flour as a thickener.
- Beer and most soy sauce contain gluten.
- Balsamic vinaigrette often includes soy sauce.
- Foods with “malt” in their name, such as barley malt, malt extract, and malt vinegar.
- Communion wafers.
- Imitation seafood and seitan.
- Instant coffee.
- Most mushrooms (grown on gluten-containing grains like rye/wheat).
- Many spices and spice blends.
- Blue cheese.
- French fries (prepared in fryers that also fry wheat-flour-breaded foods).
- Restaurants like IHOP use pancake flour in scrambled eggs and omelets.
- Shampoo, conditioner, & hair products.
- Toothpaste, mouthwash, and cosmetics.
- Certified gluten-free supplements.
- Play-Doh and art supplies.
- Pet food.
HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVES TO WHEAT PROTEIN:
- Coconut flour
- Cassava flour
- Rice flour
- Tapioca flour
Due to its addictive nature, some people experience a period of “withdrawal” when removing gluten from their diet. Symptoms may include fatigue, headaches, depression, and nausea.
Before starting a gluten-free diet, consider doing lab tests for gluten sensitivity, such as the Cyrex Array. Additionally, because dairy is the second most inflammatory food after gluten, and over 50% of people with gluten sensitivity also react to dairy, it's best to follow a gluten-free + dairy-free diet. At some point, it may be possible to reintroduce dairy, especially less reactive dairy products like ghee, butter, or cream.
2. Glyphosate
Glyphosate is a harmful chemical that depletes minerals from your body. This depletion is significant because the mitochondria, responsible for energy production, fat metabolism, longevity, and energy, can only use two fuel sources: amino acids (obtainable from proteins) and minerals. When minerals are depleted due to glyphosate exposure, the mitochondria are essentially starved, leading to fatigue, weight gain, and difficulty losing weight.
Another issue with glyphosate is its ability to damage the tight junctions in your mucosal barrier. Your digestive system serves as a physical barrier that keeps food digested and then eliminated. Consuming wheat and glyphosate can inflame the digestive tract, compromise the integrity of tight junctions, and lead to various health issues.
Moreover, research from MIT researcher Stephanie Seneff and her colleagues Nancy Swanson has shown that glyphosate can force heavy metals like mercury, aluminum, and other toxins deeper into our tissues, including the brain and bones.
To mitigate the risks associated with glyphosate, ensure that all your food is organic and non-GMO. Remember, wheat is often sprayed with glyphosate. Additionally, other foods heavily sprayed with pesticides include corn, soy, and coffee.
Here is a great product - Purium Biome Medic - filled with all-natural ingredients, awarded a Gold Seal by the Detox Project as a glyphosate detox solution. Biome Medic can help flush harmful toxins, support “good” bacteria and protect your microbiome from GMO damage.
3. Fluoride
Fluoride is commonly found in drinking water, toothpaste, and processed foods. It has neurotoxic effects that can impact brain development and cognitive function, especially in children. Long-term exposure to high fluoride levels can lead to skeletal fluorosis, affecting bones and joints. Additionally, fluoride exposure is linked to pineal gland calcification, a crucial hormone-regulating gland in our endocrine system.
4. Vegetable Oils & Seed Oils
Vegetable oils and seed oils are highly inflammatory and unstable. Consuming these oils can cause long-term inflammation in your body. The processing of these oils involves high heat, which leads to rancidity. To mask the rancid smell, chemical agents, detergents, and bleach are added. These oils should be avoided.
OILS TO REMOVE:
- Canola oil
- Corn oil
- Cottonseed oil
- Soybean oil
- Safflower oil
- Sunflower oil
- Rice bran oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Peanut oil (refined)
- Fish oil
FATS YOU WANT TO USE FOR COOKING:
- Butter
- Ghee
- Beef tallow
- Duck fat
- Lard
OILS YOU WANT TO USE FOR DRESSING:
- Coconut oil
- Avocado oil
- Olive oil
Avoid these nine vegetable and seed oils, along with fish oil, especially when dining out, as most restaurants use these unhealthy fats for cooking.
5. Fruit Juices and Excessive Fruits
Dr. Perlmutter, a leader in fructose research, has argued that consuming fructose raises uric acid levels, increasing the risk of gout flare-ups and brain disorders like Alzheimer's and dementia. Uric acid has also been linked to metabolic diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes. Your body cannot handle more than 5 grams of fructose at a time, as 90% of fructose is metabolized by the liver.
Excessive fructose consumption can lead to weight gain. Dr. Richard Johnson, author of "Why Nature Wants Us to Be Fat," argues that animals, when preparing for hibernation, convert some of the glucose from fructose.
When juicing fruits or consuming excessive fruits, especially those with added corn syrup, a concentrated amount of fructose is consumed, overwhelming the liver and leading to metabolic issues. Additionally, excessive fructose consumption can lead to weight gain, as fat accumulates around organs and in the body.
The Solution:
- Avoid fruit juice.
- Limit fruit intake based on your metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
- If you consume fruit, ensure you stay active to help metabolize glucose more efficiently.
6. Artificial Sweeteners
Replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners is not a good idea. Artificial sweeteners disrupt the microbiome, increase hunger hormones like ghrelin, and decrease the satiety hormone leptin. Moreover, some artificial sweeteners may cause DNA damage and cancer.
ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS TO AVOID:
- Sorbitol
- Acesulfame potassium
- Splenda
- Aspartame
- Sucralose
- Saccharine
- Equal
HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVES TO ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS:
- Monk fruit
- Stevia
- Allulose
- Xylitol
- Erythritol
- Raw honey
7. Farmed Fish 🐠
Farmed fish and seafood, including salmon, are problematic due to their feed, which often includes GMO corn, soybean, canola oil, wheat, and other animal byproducts. Opt for wild-caught seafood options such as salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring.
8. Farm Fresh Alcohol 🍷
The average California wine contains 64 different herbicides and pesticides. Given the concerns about glyphosate causing inflammation, leaky gut, and various diseases, this is alarming. Moreover, the FDA has approved 76 additives for use in winemaking, including toxins like dimethyl dicarbonate.
The first Biohack which I highly recommend to my clients is to remove all kinds of alcohol. If you choose to drink, opt for clear liquors such as whiskey, vodka, or tequila, or consume them on the rocks without mixers. These are generally better metabolized by the body compared to beer and wine.
For those who enjoy wine, healthier options are available. European wines typically have lower levels of glyphosate. However, I often recommend biodynamic wine, which is organic. A reputable company for this is Dry Farm Wines, known for their high-quality, low-additive wines that can even prevent hangovers.
Tips to Mitigate the Negative Effects of Alcohol Consumption:
Ionic Elements by Purium is a supplement recommended for every day - a combination of electrolytes such as fulvic acid and ocean trace minerals. And you can Carry Ionic Elements with you for emergencies such as after alcohol intake. These drops can be added to water or juice for quick and lasting hydration. It works on a cellular level to facilitate fluid movement in and out of cells.
Take a high-quality Glutathione and Ultra Binder by Quicksilver Scientific about an hour before drinking. Apply promo code SMILA at the checkout for a discount.
Glutathione is a potent antioxidant that helps the liver metabolize alcohol more efficiently.
Binder includes activated charcoal to aid in alcohol metabolism and prevent hangovers.
Keto Guide
If you want a comprehensive grocery shopping list that goes even deeper than what I've outlined here, then download my Keto Guide. You'll find approved foods and beverages, as well as the best ways to cook them. Keto is not a diet; it is a metabolic process. If you're interested in trying Keto, I am happy to guide you.
Food Sensitivities
Additionally, consider testing for food sensitivities—the most prevalent cause of inflammatory reactions, intestinal permeability, and leaky gut, yet often overlooked in conventional medicine. As an FDN-P, I recommend the MRT blood test, which is the only sensitivity blood test in the world that quantifies the degree of the inflammatory response in sensitivity pathways. This test not only identifies foods with the highest degree of reaction but also pinpoints the foods that have the lowest degree of reaction in sensitivity pathways. Immunologically speaking, the least reactive MRT foods are your best foods (provided you account for any food allergies and celiac disease). The least reactive MRT-tested foods have the highest probability of being well-tolerated and can form the basis for a multi-phased eating plan. Book Consultation to learn more.
Detox
While focusing on clean nutrition is a significant step toward optimizing your health, it's important to understand that nutrition alone is not sufficient for effective detoxification. Detoxification is a comprehensive, multi-level process that goes far beyond removing some food or simply incorporating green juices into your diet. It involves various aspects of lifestyle, including proper hydration, stress management, adequate sleep, regular exercise, and targeted nutritional supplementation.
Effective detoxification also requires addressing and supporting the body's natural detox organs, such as the liver, kidneys, and lymphatic system. This can be achieved through specific techniques, and supplements that support detoxification pathways. Additionally, reducing exposure to environmental toxins is crucial for successful detoxification.
To fully understand and implement a comprehensive detoxification plan tailored to your individual needs, Book Consultation.
Sending Optimal Health & Ultimate Wellness,
Julia Smila, Holistic Health Practitioner & Pranic Healer
Comments