Do you know anyone on a ‘special diet?’
I don’t mean the obnoxiously trendy ‘drop a dress size in one week’ weight loss quick fixes that we see everyday in magazines & TV.
I am talking about really specialized and therapeutic nutrition programs like gluten free, casein free, anti-inflammatory, anti-candida, elimination or rotation diets?
People usually go on these programs to correct some sort of health problem –typically a digestive dysfunction, neurological condition or disease.
Experts in functional medicine and cutting edge nutritional science have been using these therapeutic nutrition programs for years with great success. Some of these approaches have also been used successfully by alternative and holistic experts in health and nutrition.
Many people who don’t feel well and who have chronic digestive issues, cravings, addictions, mood imbalances as well as infants with developmental issues (or who are constantly getting sick) have found relief by eliminating certain foods from their diet.
Also, some people go through several doctors and didn’t get an answer as to why they don’t feel well. They eventually find their way to a real expert that helps them discover certain foods that trigger reactions.
Some food proteins are allergenic and when someone eats them, they usually see a myriad of immediate issues like runny nose, throat swelling, asthma, wheezing, sneezing, skin rashes (hives, eczema), nausea and diarrhea.
These are less immediate but very common results from eating problematic foods:
Digestive Dysfunction (gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, reflux, IBS), headaches, inability to focus (ADD/ADHD type behavior), fatigue, mood swings, joint pains, unexplained weight gain/loss, infertility, muscle aches and pains.
For people with celiac disease, anaphylactic shock and death can occur from an allergic reaction to gluten.
People who continue to eat foods they are intolerant to typically end up with more serious conditions, including:
Anemia
Psychological & Behavior dysfunction (schizophrenia, depression, inability to focus)
GERD & Dyspepsia
Headaches & migraines
Higher mortality rates
Infertility, miscarriage, low birth weight babies
Neural tube defects due to folate deficiency
Nutritional deficiencies
Intestinal cancers
Multiple food intolerance
Osteoporosis, osteopenia
People who want to get to the bottom of their unusual health issues have to search high and low because of at least 5 reasons:
First, the majority of mainstream nutritionists and doctors in the US are really unhealthy themselves.
Second, many people accept small signs of poor health as ‘part of life’ or believe that’s ‘normal’ to feel like crap, have bad skin, be bloated, fart and feel foggy headed or depressed.
Third, modern medicine is not designed to address the root cause of health issues – it is designed to suppress symptoms or ‘manage’ disease.
Fourth, most people are totally unaware of how their food affects their mood, energy and overall health until they get sick or a disease. Even then, some people would rather die than change their diet & lifestyle.
Fifth, because we eat often, it takes a big commitment and a skilled eye to find a food culprit.
Don’t forget there are also over 3000 chemicals added to our food supply and 400 pesticides in use today.
Are you starting to see the big picture?
My next blog will list the most common food allergens and certain foods that people eat often that are causing all sorts of problems...
talk soon
Antonio
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Friday, August 15, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Food and Your Mood
Do you want to know how food affects your mood?
Do you want to know the truth about why so many people are overweight, overwhelmed, exhausted, depressed, anxious, moody and craggy all the time?
It's true....it's scary as hell, but its true.
The FDA, you know, that jolly group of healthy, vibrant, compassionate individuals who loves us so much, allows 3000 chemicals in our foods - from food additives, colors, flavor enhancers and other strange things.
There are also 400 pesticides as well that are known to cause serious damage to your hormonal system and nervous system.
The craziest thing is this --> no one knows what happens when you mix these pesticides together or when you combine this noxious bug killer cocktail with the food additives.
Did you know there are laws governing the waste and removal of these poisons - laws specifically governing the mixing of these chemicals when they are disposed of -- but mixing them on our produce when they spray them seems to be ok. Way to go FDA!
If you didn't know - your moods are controlled by your hormonal and nervous system.
If you are eating foods that you are sensitive to - including any number of these harmful chemicals, or combination thereof, you can experience digestive issues which will inhibit the absorption of the foods you ate which means your body doesn't get what it needs to have normal function.
In fact, it may be getting what it needs to be dysfunctional.
Even if it your digestion isn't affected, you could be ingesting multiple chemicals that directly affect your brain function.
You know what's interesting?
The experts that are reversing autism and developmental disorders in children and helping people recover from serious life threatening diseases like cancer --> you know, the ones you don't hear about on TV, one of the first steps they have their patients do is eat organic, whole foods to get the chemicals out of their foods.
The next step is to eliminate foods that are common allergens.
Its easy to see how important foods are when we think of diseased or developmentally challenged people or children.
But what about the rest of us?
The absolute most important step anyone who wants to improve their health and lose fat and have normal brain function is to simply Go Organic.
What's more important than eating organic fruits and vegetables - is finding meats and fats that are grass-fed and organic.
Animals and humans store toxins (chemicals) in fats. That's right - the more fat a person or an animal is, the more toxic they are.
So eating meats and fats (eggs, butter, beef, lamb, chicken, etc) that are GRASS FED are better than meats that are only labeled 'organic.'
But if can only afford one or the other -- if you have to choose between organic produce and meats - choose meats.
I will have a list of the least sprayed produce in my book so you can still choose some produce that is non-organic if you have to and be safe.
One of my favorite places to get grass-fed meats is here in NYC at the Union Square Green Market.
For those who don't live in the Big Apple, check out: http://www.eatwild.com/ and you can find a source in your area.
For my readers and friends who live outside the USA, please send me your favorite website that you use to find grass fed and organic foods! I appreciate it!
If you choose grass fed meats whenever you can - you will be taking a massive step in reducing your exposure to these toxic chemicals.
Also m the more these smaller family run organic farms that have animals that are grazing on grass (as they are supposed to be) -- the less support these mega corporations that are producing crappy foods will have which means the organic industry will only continue to grow and that means it will become much easier to find organic and grass feds foods everywhere!
Stay tuned as next post will cover common food allergens that are producing allergic reactions, digestive dysfunction and brain chemistry imbalance in 90% of the client I have worked with in NYC - which means, it may also be happening to you.
Eat Clean - Go Organic and Grass Fed!
Peace
Antonio
Do you want to know the truth about why so many people are overweight, overwhelmed, exhausted, depressed, anxious, moody and craggy all the time?
It's true....it's scary as hell, but its true.
The FDA, you know, that jolly group of healthy, vibrant, compassionate individuals who loves us so much, allows 3000 chemicals in our foods - from food additives, colors, flavor enhancers and other strange things.
There are also 400 pesticides as well that are known to cause serious damage to your hormonal system and nervous system.
The craziest thing is this --> no one knows what happens when you mix these pesticides together or when you combine this noxious bug killer cocktail with the food additives.
Did you know there are laws governing the waste and removal of these poisons - laws specifically governing the mixing of these chemicals when they are disposed of -- but mixing them on our produce when they spray them seems to be ok. Way to go FDA!
If you didn't know - your moods are controlled by your hormonal and nervous system.
If you are eating foods that you are sensitive to - including any number of these harmful chemicals, or combination thereof, you can experience digestive issues which will inhibit the absorption of the foods you ate which means your body doesn't get what it needs to have normal function.
In fact, it may be getting what it needs to be dysfunctional.
Even if it your digestion isn't affected, you could be ingesting multiple chemicals that directly affect your brain function.
You know what's interesting?
The experts that are reversing autism and developmental disorders in children and helping people recover from serious life threatening diseases like cancer --> you know, the ones you don't hear about on TV, one of the first steps they have their patients do is eat organic, whole foods to get the chemicals out of their foods.
The next step is to eliminate foods that are common allergens.
Its easy to see how important foods are when we think of diseased or developmentally challenged people or children.
But what about the rest of us?
The absolute most important step anyone who wants to improve their health and lose fat and have normal brain function is to simply Go Organic.
What's more important than eating organic fruits and vegetables - is finding meats and fats that are grass-fed and organic.
Animals and humans store toxins (chemicals) in fats. That's right - the more fat a person or an animal is, the more toxic they are.
So eating meats and fats (eggs, butter, beef, lamb, chicken, etc) that are GRASS FED are better than meats that are only labeled 'organic.'
But if can only afford one or the other -- if you have to choose between organic produce and meats - choose meats.
I will have a list of the least sprayed produce in my book so you can still choose some produce that is non-organic if you have to and be safe.
One of my favorite places to get grass-fed meats is here in NYC at the Union Square Green Market.
For those who don't live in the Big Apple, check out: http://www.eatwild.com/ and you can find a source in your area.
For my readers and friends who live outside the USA, please send me your favorite website that you use to find grass fed and organic foods! I appreciate it!
If you choose grass fed meats whenever you can - you will be taking a massive step in reducing your exposure to these toxic chemicals.
Also m the more these smaller family run organic farms that have animals that are grazing on grass (as they are supposed to be) -- the less support these mega corporations that are producing crappy foods will have which means the organic industry will only continue to grow and that means it will become much easier to find organic and grass feds foods everywhere!
Stay tuned as next post will cover common food allergens that are producing allergic reactions, digestive dysfunction and brain chemistry imbalance in 90% of the client I have worked with in NYC - which means, it may also be happening to you.
Eat Clean - Go Organic and Grass Fed!
Peace
Antonio
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