Eliminating Bad Food

I eat pretty healthy, which is odd for a teenager. Most people my age eat whatever is available or whatever seems most tasty; nutritional value does not usually come into play. I often get asked why I don’t eat certain things, and sometimes I don’t have the answer. Sometimes I have just read the science behind it in a book, but I don’t fully understand why. In understanding why certain foods are eliminated from my diet I can inform others; maybe even persuade them to look at what they are putting into their body. By writing this blog I hope to clarify why I don’t eat certain things, also to help myself & others understand how certain foods affect our overall health.

Why I choose not to consume artificial sugars or sweeteners:

• super normally stimulating without any nutritional value
• promote insulin resistance (insulin keeps blood sugar levels balanced, high blood sugar can lead to damage in many vital organs)
• promote leptin resistance (leptin keeps body fat stores and energy levels in check, high amounts of leptin can cause over consumption and a screwed up appetite)
• promote intestinal permeability (a leaky gut can let in foreign substances which cause inflammation and lead to chronic illnesses, also very stressful on your immune system)

Why I choose not to drink alcohol:

• I’m under the age of 21
• more empty calories
• it’s an addictive substance for some people
• interferes with normal glucose functions
• known to be neurotoxic (kills neurons that send messages to the brain - which is why people think and react slower when under the influence)

Why I choose not to eat or cook with seed oils:

• contain high proportions of polyunsaturated fat (PUFAs) and omega-6 (good for brain function, but not in large amounts) which promote systemic inflammation
• PUFAs go rancid through oxidation when exposed to light, heat, and air which then causes free radicals to form (too many free radicals can damage cells and DNA)
• contain antioxidants to protect fats from oxidation but not many, so some oxidation still occurs (too many oxidized fats can cause damage to liver & toxic byproducts)
• least stable of all oils - there are many healthier options like olive or coconut oils

Some common seed oils are: canola, chia, corn, cottonseed, flax, grape seed, hemp, palm kernel, peanut, rice bran, safflower, sesame, soybean, sunflower.

Why I choose not to eat grains (even whole grains):

• most fibers, vitamins, and minerals are removed in the refining process
• water is sucked out - sugar, salt, & fat are added to increase palatability
• effect they have on hormones leads to overconsumption, elevated blood sugar levels, reliance on glucose for fuel, increase in body fat, and increased triglycerides in the blood

Whole grains:

• lower glycemic index (GI) than regular grains which means that it raises blood glucose levels slower than regular grains, but a lower GI is irrelevant to good food choices (for example watermelon has a rather high GI of 72, while M&M’s have a lower GI of 33)
• don’t contain a single vitamin or mineral that can’t be found in fruit and veggies (fruit and veggies also both contain higher amounts of fiber than whole grains)
• contain a phytate (antinutrient) that holds on to minerals so they can’t be absorbed and used by our bodies
• contain proteins that can’t be digested properly which then cause inflammation (inflammatory effects include allergies, asthma, celiac disease, lupus, chronic fatigue, and the list just goes on and on…)

*Even gluten free grains contain problematic proteins which is why some people still have unexpected immune reactions to gluten free grains. So gluten is not the only problem with grains.

Why I choose not to legumes:

*Legumes include beans (not green beans), peas, lentils, and peanuts.

• contain large amounts of phytate (the antinutrient that makes nutrients unavailable to us)
• contain short chain carbs (sugars) that aren’t absorbed completely in our small intestine - they act as food for bacteria, the bacteria ferment these carbs which cause gas and bloating

Peanuts (which are not actually considered nuts):

• contain lectin which is toxic when raw, lectin is not destroyed by heat like other legumes are so when lectin gets into the blood it causes an unhealthy immune response

Why I choose not to eat foods containing soy:

• soy contains isoflavones which are a type of phytoestrogen (phyto=plant, estrogen=female sex hormone), our bodies recognize isoflavones as a female reproductive hormone which does not create a healthy hormonal response

Why I choose not to eat or drink dairy products:

• contain bioactive substances that promote aggressive growth (which is intended for young mammals)
• contains biological messages intended for offspring of the same species to double or triple body weight in a short amount of time (human milk intended for infants, cow milk intended for calves)
• casein (makes up 80% of milk protein) causes a specific immune reaction which can lead to headaches, GI upset, asthma, and allergies
• whey (which is a blend of immunoglobulins, insulin like growth factor 1, and estrogen) causes the release of large amounts of insulin when consumed
• Insulin like growth factor 1 is a growth promoter in children, but for adults is associated with the promotion of various cancers
• contains lactose which causes bloating and gastrointestinal upset when not digested properly

*You can find enough calcium in meats, nuts, seafoods, and veggies that you don’t necessarily need milk for calcium. Also the amount of calcium that your body can actually absorb is more important than the amount of calcium in your diet. If you eat too many phytates (antinutrient) you will not be able to absorb as much calcium; but eating good fats and proteins will promote the absorption of needed vitamins and minerals such as calcium.

In conclusion eating unnatural sugars, processed carbs, beans, legumes, and dairy all builds up to cause a leaky gut, autoimmune disease, and sensitivity to certain foods. If you don’t want these negative effects I suggest trying to avoid the majority of these foods as much as possible. The only way to find out how these foods affect you is to eliminate them for a period of time then reintroduce them one at a time. Not everyone will react the same to any one of these food groups. Also I’m not saying that they aren’t ok every once in a while, but why eat foods that make you feel less than optimal when you could eat tons of delicious foods that make you feel great? The only reason to eat something unhealthy is because it tastes amazing, not to fuel your daily processes and not to make you feel better after a stressful day at work. Hopefully this persuaded you to make some better food choices and maybe even gave you some answers to why you haven’t been feeling or performing your best lately. Try eliminating these foods a little at a time and I guarantee that you will be feel more energized, happy, and relaxed in no time.

Bibliography

Hartwig, Dallas, and Melissa Hartwig. It Starts with Food. Las Vegas: Victory Belt Pub., 2012. Print.

This entire blog is based off of the information in their book and the information I have gathered through reading various blogs/articles as well as participating in the Whole Life Challenge.