After reading my first two blog posts, you might get the idea that I only care about technology, but that's just not true. I have opinons about many more topics. So today, I want to talk about food and nutrition. Specifically, I want to talk about the role that nutrition plays on the immune system. First, let me start out by saying that I'm neither a nutritionist, nor a doctor (and no, I've never played either on TV). What I am is a guy with an autoimmume disorder called Crohn's Disease that causes chronic imflammation of the digestive system and so I'm really focused on the stuff that goes into my system by way of my mouth.
Interestingly, physicians who treat this disease want to use really toxic drugs to suppress the immune system in order to control the symptoms and slow the imflammation; and they are quick to say that diet isn't really the cause of the disease. And that may be very true. But I'm here to tell you that diet IS a good way to positely impact the desease WITHOUT the use of the drugs.
As you can guess I do a lot of research on the disease itself and on ways to treat it without drugs, and the number one method is to adjust diet, including supplementation, as reported from fellow sufferers. Crohn's disease affects each person differently, and is triggered by different substances and different events. Some claim stress can trigger a "flare" of the disease, while others claim paricular times of the year are worse than other. Almost all claim one type of food or another. And the symptoms can range from severe pain, to gas to diarrhea to joint and eye pain. It's all over the board.
But the point is, almost everyone can point to a food or substance that causes problems, which leads me to believe that while diet may not be the cause of the disease, it's definitely a key factor to controlling it. As a matter of fact, I've come to believe that the disease itself causes the body to develop allergies or sensitivities to certain substances that when exposed, cause inflammation in various parts of the body including the mouth, intestines and joints. And with continued exposure, the inflammation causes irreversible damage to the affected tissue... usually the intesines. And it's this damaged tissue that causes the ultimate problems, including intestinal blockages, which really suck, by the way!
Over the past 25 years of being diagnosed with Crohn's, I have identified the following foods that exacerbate the disease: caffeine, alcohol, deep fried foods, processed foods, and most recently discovered, refined sugar. Now, what's interesting is that I've known about the caffeine and the fried foods for awhile, and have kept them out of my diet, but the remaining substances, especially sugar and processed foods, I have discovered through extensive reading and testing. And the subject of processed foods, I would probably dedicate a separate blog post to, but suffice it to say, when your foods contain chemicals and substances that have been cooked and processed beyond recognition, there isn't much nutritional value left to be found. At best, they provide empty calories. At worst, they wreak havoc on the human body. (No, don't get me started on processed foods...)
What's interesting is that doctors tell us Crohn's sufferers to stay away from high fiber foods, such as veggies because it can worsen the inflammation, and this is indeed true when the disease is active. But, when the disease is under control, fresh whole foods, like veggies, fruits, lean proteins, etc. are actually good for holding the disease at bay. That's because fresh whole foods supply the body with the things it needs to maintain the immune system, and when the immune system is behaving, it can work wonders on fending off all kinds of nasty things... like Crohn's disease.
So this is why I am a food Nazi. And it shouldn't required having a digestive disease for everyone to be a food Nazi, especailly those of you with kids. Look at the list of the things I can't eat. None of them are nutritious or healthy for our bodies, even for people without digestive diseases. Our bodies were never intended to process these foods and chemicals... they're all products of the inventive human being; but thought wasn't necessarily given to what these foods could do to our systems. It was a matter of taste over health. The truth is, our bodies are engineered to eat whole, raw foods. Veggies, fruits, seeds and nuts, lean animal proteins, etc. and it's these things that will provde us with the optimum nutrition and minimize disease... and not just digestive disease like Crohn's, but also Diabetes and heart disease that stem from the stuff that we stuff our faces with.
And before someone jumps all over me about consuming animal protein, I just want to mention a couple of things. There's a reason why the meats we have today are so unhealthy for us... it's the way the animals are fed, raised and bred for taste and mass consumption. Cows, pigs and chickens were never meant to be fattened up on corn and animal-based feeds and treated with steroids and antibiotics. They were meant to feed on the land. Healthy in = healthy out. It's very difficult to find really healthy lean meats today unless you get them from an organic farmer who has grass-fed livestock. But if we were able to get ourselves back to the way livestock should be raised - off the land - then we wouldn't have so many concerns and issues about consuming animal protein. Also, if meat was actually raised in this healthy manner, then we would be able to eat it in its most healthy and natural state... raw!
Anyway, blah, blah, blah. I've rambled on enough. I am pleased to report that by staying away from these trigger foods, getting a boost of probiotics from really good yogurt and probiotic supplements, and taking a vitamin C and D for immune system health, plus running 3-4 days per week, I am off all toxic, immune system suppressing medications and am feeling better than as long as I can remember. And, since staying away from those foods, I really have lost the taste for them altogheter. Just the thought of a big hunk of cake or a chocolate chip cookie makes me feel unhealthy.
There's nothing like eating healthy and feeling healthy. It's said that 80% of the human immune system is controlled from the digestive system. So get out there and eat it raw and eat it whole! You'll be glad you did!
No comments:
Post a Comment