Nutrition: Intestinal Health
By J. Bradley Myers ,CNT, CC: a graduate of SWIHA's Holistic Nutrition program.
 
Do you suffer from: bloating after eating, chronic fatigue, Fibromyalgia, irritable bowel, migraine headaches, acid reflux, diarrhea or asthma? Do you have a family history of colon disease, Crohn’s or celiac disease?  If so, you may be contributing to these problems by eating the wrong foods. Many of these symptoms are reactions to foods or combinations of foods.

One percent of adults and three percent of children have clinically proven allergic reactions to food. These reactions are the leading catalyst to many diseases. When discussing intestinal health we are basically talking about digestion.  The main components in digestion are the enzymes produced in our bodies that breakdown the food. These digestive enzymes are powerful but selective. They each work on specific macronutrients. Proteins, fats and carbohydrates are broken down with specific enzymes secreted in the saliva, stomach and intestines. This breakdown does not happen in an efficient manner if there is not a sufficient amount of enzymes present.

When we do not adequately breakdown our foods, we do not receive the complete nutritional benefit from that food.  Without that nutrition our body does not get the fuel it needs to maintain its vital functions nor can it meet our energy requirements. This is similar to not getting good gas mileage in your car. Your body is running but in a less than efficient way. The fatigue that can be a result of deficient nutrition can affect every aspect of our lives including our sleep and exercise cycles.
The other problems that can arise when we do not breakdown our foods, due to a lack of the appropriate enzymes, are intestinal challenges such as bloating, chronic fatigue, Fibromyalgia, irritable bowel, migraine headaches, acid reflux and diarrhea.  Discovering your Paleolithic Diet, I believe, is the best eating plan for each of us still.

It’s a fact that our DNA has been developing since time began.  Around 30,000 years ago there was a cave person who looked just like you. The location of this person’s cave gives us a strong indication of which foods are best for you. Caves located by the ocean obviously ate sea foods and more than likely fruits and vegetables that grow near the shores. Caves located in the mountains had access to fruits and berries as well as some animals. It only makes sense that since our DNA was developing during this period; the foods that we consumed would still be the most familiar to our body. The more nomadic of the tribes would be exposed to other food sources and types but the average cave dweller did not roam the earth as much as had been thought .  It was not unusual for some Paleolithic families to remain in the same geographical area for decades providing the food held up. Therefore the food compatibility became stronger through the generations. It is almost impossible to discover our exact Paleolithic diet.  Without researching too deeply into the subject it would be safe to say that if you imagined yourself on a deserted   continent and only possessed a stick; what you eat would depend on what you could kill, knock out of a tree or dig up with that stick.

In contemporary times you could simulate this diet by walking around the perimeter of the grocery store avoiding all isles. We will research your perfect diet by removing certain foods that interfere with proper digestion. Symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, acid reflux, bloating, constipation or diarrhea are indicators of intestinal challenges. These same foods could be the reason that you have not been successful in managing your weight. Once we have eliminated the offending foods we can safely say that what remains are your perfect foods.  With Immuno 1 Bloodprint at Live Well Life Coaching, I help the client discover their perfect diet by exploring what their ideal foods are.

We utilize Immuno Laboratories a federally licensed blood laboratory located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  This laboratory developed a test known as the Immuno 1 Bloodprint. After our licensed phlebotomist draws your blood we send it to the Immuno Laboratories to be tested against 115 different food antigens (molecular level of food). By observing the antibody reaction your blood has to these antigens they can observe which foods blend well with your blood and which do not. The antibody reaction signifies that the body is sensitive to the foods and will have a difficult time breaking it down and absorbing the nutrients. This in turn will cause the body to utilize more than the budgeted amount of energy for digestion thus lessoning the amount of available energy to function normally.

The internal stress caused by the inability to efficiently process the food will result in inflammation and other intestinal challenges.  A comprehensive report is then generated detailing which foods are toxic to your system.  By removing these foods you will find that you feel better. Some people feel a tremendous boost in energy, sex drive and a general increase in mental acuity.  Others notice the constant intestinal irritability they feel is gone as well as an increase in their ability to manage their weight. 

Eat for your Blood Type, Dr. D’Amato’s Eat for Your Blood Type diet theory, reinforces an often maligned theory that certain blood types respond better to some foods than others.  I have personally tested this theory by comparing dozens of Immuno 1 Bloodprint reports with the suggested eating lists for the corresponding client’s blood type.  Interestingly enough I observed a 75% average correlation between blood type food sensitivities and results from the IgG ELISA Assay. If you think about life 15,000 years ago this successful comparison makes sense.  There was probably only one blood type per village. After all, breeding was within the community and contemporary beliefs and practices about breeding within the family structure were not in place then. There was a good possibility that many generations came and went before an outside blood type was introduced into the Paleolithic community.  Seventy five percent is a substantial correlation and I feel strongly about recommending this theory in the search for your Paleolithic diet. 

Elimination Eating Plan - The elimination eating plan is quite literal.  The process is to eliminate the offending foods that slow metabolism and result in intestinal challenges that result in poor health and weight gain. There are four main categories of food that seem to cause the majority of our intestinal challenges that could result in fatigue, acid reflux, headaches and weight gain. These categories are gluten (a starchy protein molecule found in most grains), casein protein (milk protein), citric acid (citrus fruit and tomatoes), and eggs.

It is unrealistic to think that you can eliminate all four categories simultaneously and not disrupt your entire life and those close to you. I start with the elimination of all gluten and casein foods.  These two categories cover 80% of the sensitivities experienced by humans. This elimination is developed in stages and after 1 month in full swing, the benefits are clearly noticeable. You feel less bloating after meals and your energy level is noticeably increased.

To gain a better understanding of food sensitivities and intestinal health and how they can affect you, call 480-831-7455, or email Brad, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , at Live Well Medical Spa at Warner Family Practice for an appointment today.