Food confusions and myths – let’s get some facts straight

Have you been told to stay away from the nightshades because they are likely to aggravate your symptoms such as inflammation or rheumatoid arthritis? What about dark or raw chocolate, have you been told about its superfood powers, yet its more sinister side never mentioned? And what about high protein foods, have you been brainwashed into thinking they are the most critical component of your health?

Well, hold tight for a little bit of myth busting. We are living in a flood of misinformation that is keeping us sick and my role is to guide you through the confusion. If you would like to read more about nightshades, chocolate and high protein foods then please read on!

NIGHTSHADE PLANTS

Nightshades are a family of foods and spices that contain chemical compounds called alkaloids, which are thought to promote inflammation. But let’s backtrack here. There are only two causes of inflammation 1) pathogens (viruses/bacteria and other bugs) and 2) physical injury.

Foods themselves do not cause inflammation, they only contribute to inflammation by feeding pathogens. But pathogens DO NOT feed off fruits and vegetables, they only feed off foods such eggs, dairy, gluten, soy and corn, for example, as well toxins.

Secondly, we need to look at what the nightshades are mostly eaten with? For example, tomatoes with bread (wheat/gluten), potatoes with butter/cream (dairy), peppers stuffed with feta (dairy), aubergine baked with parmesan (dairy).  These are just a few examples, but you get the point, right? These beautiful healing vegetables are so seldom eaten without the troublemaker foods, so it is automatically assumed that nightshades are the issue!

And when a person does experience symptoms due to one of the nightshades, it is likely they also experience symptoms to other fruits and vegetables, if they look closely enough. And that’s a sign that the person is dealing with a high pathogenic load, as fruits and vegetables create detox reactions when the pathogenic load is high.

For example, potatoes are extremely high in lysine, which is anti-viral, while tomato skins kill off unproductive bacteria, such as fungus, worms and other parasites. And as these foods help to flush the bugs out of the intestinal tract, it can lead to symptoms, as the bugs die off.

What you do need to avoid though is unripe fruits and vegetables, for example green peppers or tomatoes; potatoes with green patches; or any other fruit with green patches. These are unripe and can be highly irritating, and in the case of nightshades, the unripe food remains in the nightshade category for as long as it is unripe.

Otherwise, rest assured, you are safe! Each of the nightshades when eaten ripe and without troublemaker foods is a safe, highly nutritious and healing!

CHOCOLATE

In the health world today, there is so much talk about the benefits of eating dark chocolate or raw chocolate. It has become the revered superfood, packed with anti-oxidants and minerals that are highly beneficial for the body. I myself get sucked into the powerful marketing messages, somehow within seconds forgetting what I know to be true, as I launch into a slice of raw chocolate tart!

And gosh, it tastes good in the moment, but my body knows better. There’s a dark side. Chocolate is very high in caffeine, and if you’re sensitive, like I am, it hits the nervous system much like coffee does. But not only that, our relationship with products such as coffee and chocolate, is not one of give and take.

Caffeine, even in small but regular amounts can, over time, cause symptoms such as thinning hair and hair loss, nutrient deficiencies, accelerated aging, weight gain, loss of libido, and more, resulting from a weakened liver and burnt out adrenals. The number of women I see who experience one or more of these symptoms is astonishing.

The adrenaline produced from chocolate and other caffeine products literally singes the liver and other organs of the body, and is also a direct fuel for viruses and bacteria. The more adrenaline present, the more the viral or bacterial flares will occur and the more your symptoms will be present.

In addition to the adrenaline produced, chocolate itself is also a delicious food for strep bacteria, the culprit behind so many common symptoms such as sore throats, sinus infections and styes, digestive issues such as SIBO, bloating and constipation, as well as UTI’s acne and many more.

My advice is to save your chocolate for the very occasional treat and do not be swept up by what others tell you. Addictive chemical compounds cause dependency in the emotional centre of the brain and feel good substances, such as coffee, chocolate, matcha and caffeinated teas can trigger an emotional connection to that caffeine making it even harder to let go. This connection can then lead to heightened emotions when that substance is taken away. 

PROTEIN

There exists a great myth about protein that has led to a lot of fear about how much protein our bodies actually need. This myth first appeared in the 1930’s when protein became a buzzword in food industry as a means to direct our food choices to where industry wanted us to spend our money. But the reality is that it is not the high protein foods that the liver requires in order to make the proteins it needs to support the body. The proteins that the liver creates are actually made from fruits, vegetables and leafy greens.

And the biggest issue with eating a diet that is heavily focused on high protein foods is that it is inadvertently high in fat. High protein = high fat. And when the diet is high in fat, it burdens the organs, especially the liver and heart, and makes the blood thick and lacking in oxygen. This in turn makes it hard to function, let alone overcome symptoms.

It’s important to know that proteins are present in all natural wholefoods so your options are endless. The skins of potatoes contain healing proteins, tomatoes contain proteins, and even bananas contain protein. Leafy greens such as raw spinach is packed with protein, as are sea vegetables such as nori.

And while it is fine to eat small amounts of other foods such as good quality animal foods, pulses, nuts and seeds, for example, they shouldn’t be the focus of the diet. Our current obsession with high protein diets needs to end here, as it is the very thing that will keep us stuck with our health.

Wishing you much love, health & happiness,

Rebecca