Listening can be difficult

   I have been doing my best to listen to my body when it tries to let me know what is good and what is not, but honestly, listening can be difficult. My weight has stagnated over the last couple of months and I have yet to understand what my body needs to get my weight loss kick started again. I am seeking the loss of another 30 pounds. Weight plateaus are common and there are several recommendations on how to break through them. I have increased my calorie intake for a few days hoping to convince my body that it no longer needs to conserve energy (fat). I have increased exercise, which is a good thing, to try to increase my metabolism, but that hasn’t seemed to work either. I increased my leafy green vegetable intake, especially spinach and kale, and have been dealing with a mild case of diarrhea for the past couple of weeks. I am taking probiotics and eating a bland diet to combat the diarrhea, and that is working.

 

   So, I have not figured it out, but that just reinforces that each of us is different. We each have our own needs tailored to our own metabolism and sensitivities. I will be adding in different foods slowly to determine which might be bothering me. Life is an experiment, and I am enjoying this one, even if it is a little difficult to read what my body is trying to tell me.

Can Gluten Free Diets Make You Sick?

   It is possible that gluten free diets can make those people sensitive to substances other than or in addition to gliadin (the gluten found in barley, rye and wheat) feel unwell or even worse. It is possible that gluten free products contain other things that make you sick. Not because they are gluten free, but because you may be sensitive to the sugars or other things in gluten free products. They are usually loaded with various sugars and other starches. So, can a gluten free diet make you sick? I don’t think so. A better answer would be to find out what really bothers you and work from there. We shouldn’t just assume that gluten is the problem for every gastrointestinal ailment.

   Other dietary triggers that can potentially cause gastrointestinal symptoms can include lactose and casein from dairy products, certain preservatives and poorly digested carbohydrates known as FODMAPS. If you are sensitive to gliadin, there has been some research done on cross-reactivity, where your body reacts to peptides similar to wheat gluten. However, as with most studies, there are conflicting results and theories.
   Since gluten is found in grasses and grains, their effect can range from non-toxic to initiating auto-immune responses (such as celiac disease). Even cutting out all grains might not solve your stomach issues, if the real culprit is dairy, or one of the many FODMAPS.
   This further reinforces that we are all different. There is no blanket treatment or diet. There is no one answer that fits all. We can do our best to be tested, if possible, and proceed with caution. I would still suggest eating real food, limit manufactured or processed foods and those foods that contain so many chemicals that you need a Masters in chemistry just to figure out what you are placing in your mouth.
   If you are suffering, I hope that you find relief soon. Take care and may you find and maintain good health.

The Perfect Human Diet

During the first week of our journey, we learned that many of the health issues we suffer stem from diet-related inflammation ... and if it isn't making us sick (yet) it is certainly making us fat. So if the low-fat, high carb diet offered by the USDA's Food Pyramid or MyPlate isn't working for you, then what is the perfect human diet? 

If you are like us and ask yourself, " is there such a thing as a perfect human diet?", you may want to check out the interview with C.J.Hunt that is on YouTube where he discusses his documentary on the Perfect Human Diet. A disabled broadcast journalist, C.J. Hunt's documentary is an unprecedented global exploration to find a solution to our epidemic of overweight obesity and diet-related disease - the #1 killer in America. While the interview is 14 minutes, the film itself is full-length (roughly 2 hours) and is though-provoking as it bypasses conventional dietary wisdom by exploring modern dietary science, previous historical findings, ancestral native diets and the emerging field of human dietary evolution; revealing for the first time, the authentic human diet. While the film promotes a grain-free, Paleo diet, it does offer up a detailed look at what we really need as humans to achieve optimal health. Upon viewing it, decide for yourself the dietary journey you wish to take based on breakthrough scientific facts.