Tag Archives: gluten intolerant

Could Holiday Meals Be Making Us Sick

Thanksgiving is a time of family, gratitude, and, of course, food. But for many, it also marks the beginning of a season filled with colds, flu, and digestive issues. Why does this occur? Allow me to explain.

The culprits often lurk in plain sight on your holiday table: gluten and sugar.

The Problem with Gluten:

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and oats. For many individuals, perhaps even most, gluten wreaks havoc on the gut lining, leading to inflammation and damage to the tiny villi tentacles in the intestines that are essential for nutrient absorption. When these villi tentacles are damaged, your body struggles to absorb the vital nutrients it needs to maintain optimal health.

At Thanksgiving, traditional stuffing, rolls, pies, and even gravies abound with gluten. Most people are unaware of what gluten is doing to their bodies, but if you're gluten sensitive or gluten intolerant, this can result in bloating, digestive discomfort, and an immune response that increases your vulnerability to illness.

Sugar: A Hidden Immunity Killer

Now, let's address sugar. The Thanksgiving table often overflows with sweetened cranberry sauces, candy yams, desserts, and sugary beverages. Excess sugar dampens the immune system, impacting your body's ability to fend off viruses and bacteria. Sugar also nurtures harmful gut bacteria, disrupting your microbiome—the cornerstone of your immune health.

Combining gluten and sugar creates a formidable challenge. Your immune system is weakened, your gut health is impaired, and your body lacks the nutrients it needs for recovery.

How to Stay Healthy This Thanksgiving

Here's how you can enjoy the holiday without compromising your health:

1. Go Gluten-Free: Substitute traditional stuffing and bread with gluten-free options made from almond flour or rice. Choose mashed sweet potatoes or roasted vegetables over rolls.

2. Minimize Sugar: Opt for naturally sweetened dishes using alternatives like stevia or monk fruit. Concentrate on whole, fresh foods rather than sugary, processed ones.

3. Prioritize Nutrients: Ensure your Thanksgiving meal is rich in nutrient-dense choices like green beans, collard greens, turkey, and salads with healthy fats such as grass-fed butter or ghee.

4. Supplement Smart: Despite an ideal diet, you can't obtain all the nutrients you need from food alone, especially given today's depleted soil. Take your 90 essential nutrients daily for immune support and overall wellness.

Thanksgiving doesn't have to derail your health. With some careful selections, you can savor the holiday, bolster your body, and step into the winter season feeling robust and lively.

Happy Thanksgiving,

The info shared here has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, cure or treat any illness or disease.

Anti-nutrients Consumed by Nearly Every American

For a majority of my life, I ate grain-based foods at almost every meal. Breakfast usually included toast, cereal, pastries or a burrito. Then, lunch came around and I’d have whatever food the school cafeteria was serving; a sandwich, burger, pizza or pasta dish. At home for dinner, my mom would make very traditional Mexican meals; which almost always included tortillas or bread. Let’s not take into account the snacks I’d eat; any Little Debbie™ product I could get my hands on. This was normal to me; as it still is now for many American adults and children. What isn’t normal, however, is obesity, autoimmune diseases, skin problems, joint and muscle aches, digestive problems and several other diseases triggered as a result of the anti-nutrients delivered from grain-based products.

An anti-nutrient is a substance, present in grains and legumes, that compromise one’s health. While a nutrient, on the other hand, is a substance that nourishes growth and the maintenance of life. There are four major anti-nutrients found in grains: Lectins, Gluten, Phytates and Saponins. Although Lectins, Phytates and Saponins provide some nutritional benefits when present in moderation, excessive amounts of these in the blood stream are damaging. Certain forms of Lectin suppress immune function, interfere with normal protective gut barriers and promote systematic inflammation. When Phytates are consumed in excess, they bind to essential minerals in the digestive tract, making them difficult to absorb; leading to nutrient deficiencies and other health problems. Saponins, found in legumes, while deemed less harmful, are still capable of infiltrating cell membranes; compromising function, especially towards the immune system.

Gluten is a term we are all very familiar with. It’s the most common anti-nutrient; which is believed to affect millions around the globe. Although some individuals still do not believe they are gluten intolerant, some side effects of gluten consumption include bloating, constipation, gas, acid reflux, IBS (and other bowl problems), allergies, migraines, and skin & joint conditions. If you constantly have to consume antacids, Pepto-Bismol™ or allergy medications, there’s a pretty good chance your food choices are harming your health.

There aren’t many, if any, benefits you would gain from consuming carbohydrates in the form of grains. On the other hand, a diet high in carbohydrates (in the form of vegetables) would deliver nourishing nutrients, not anti-nutrients, to your body. It’s a fact, consuming a diet high in grains could have serious effects on one’s health; if it isn’t already. In order to give your digestive system a boost from all the grains it’s consumed over the years, try adding the Healthy Body Digestion Pak™ 2.0 to your diet. The digestive enzymes and beneficial flora found in this Pak™ will help support nutrient absorption, a healthy digestive system and optimal health.*

Remember, the food you consume is either nourishing your body or harming it. Prevention is the key!

Rocio Ramos
Contributing Writer and Fitness Instructor


*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Bruce Jacobs
Youngevity Rep #E100397

Healthy Body
Digestion Pak™ 2.0

Item #10257

This pack is specifically formulated to support and promote healthy digestion. Each pack provides broad spectrum foundation nutrition and includes BTT 2.0 Citrus Peach Fusion-480g canister (1), EFA PLUS™-90 soft gels (1), Beyond Osteo-fx™ powder-357g Canister (1), Ultimate Enzymes® (1) and Ultimate Flora fx™ (1). *See individual products for detail.

 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

The info shared here has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, cure or treat any illness or disease.