Got Health Issues? Do a Macronutrient Check
NUTRITION
Doug Grant
Our health starts with what we eat. You know the importance of eating healthy. You encourage your patients to do so. There’s so much fake stuff and processing that goes into our food before we finally eat it. Research shows that allergenic processed foods are slowly killing us.1 Got diabetes? Chances are your diet has something to do with that. Got gout? Your diet probably isn’t helping that either. Other forms of arthritis? Cancer? Bowel diseases, autoimmune diseases, and even heart disease? Diet, diet, diet, and more diet.
This means the hunt is on for clean, hypoallergenic macronutrients (carbs, fats, and proteins). Let’s look at how making just a few simple changes to your diet can turn your health around.
Eating Foods Free of Soy, Gluten, Dairy, and GMOs
The eight most common food allergens are milk, eggs, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. Even if you aren’t allergic to any of these, it may do your body good to cut down on their consumption.
Soy used to be the rage years ago, and it technically still is, but genetic modification has turned such a great alternative to dairy into a health nightmare with you fighting to see if the soy is healthy or not. GMO soybeans contain phytoestrogens, which can cause testosterone imbalance, infertility, increased risk of cancers, and even more issues for men. For women, it also increases the chances of infertility and the risk of cancer and disrupts menstrual cycles.2
With the rise in the consumption of processed allergenic bread products, there’s been a rise in cases of gluten intolerance. They are direct cause and effect. Even if you don’t exhibit signs of gluten intolerance (digestive issues, fatigue or migraines after eating gluten-containing meals, or diagnosed with one of many autoimmune diseases), it might be wise to get ahead and seriously moderate your intake. Gluten is a protein that triggers an inflammatory response in your gut, leading to the aforementioned issues and conditions.
The dairy industry’s marketing tactics worked so well that they worked too well. Now so many people are lactose intolerant and experience a wide array of health issues when consuming non-raw dairy products. The most ironic part is that pasteurized milk increases your chance of developing osteoporosis. Processed dairy consumption has been linked to acne problems; type 1 diabetes because some milk is processed to remove fat but sugar is added to make it palatable; and even cardiovascular problems because of the high amounts of bad fats in processed cheese.3
Americans consume more GMO foods than any other country in the world. We’re not talking natural GMOs that occur in nature every day, but those that combine fish genes with plants—those that decrease nutritional value and that research has shown to cause health issues, such
as autism, disease, and even liver damage.4
Staying Away from Synthetic Ingredients
Preservatives fight the natural order of food. They aren’t added for the sake of your health. They’re added to extend the length of a food’s shelf life. That’s it. The consequences of getting your regular dose of preservatives in your diet can manifest as asthma or other breathing difficulties, behavioral changes (especially in children), heart damage, and cancer. Preservatives weaken heart tissue and cause cancer by transforming into carcinogens when your body digests them.5
While research has yet to unveil the exact ingredients causing breathing troubles and behavioral changes, it’s safe to conclude a nutrient deficiency is at the root. Processed foods aren’t providing your body with the nutrition it needs.
Additives and food dyes are slowly disappearing from ingredient lists in Europe but not in the United States. Some countries are banning them because research studies have directly linked health problems to certain additives and dyes, such as blue #1, yellow #5, and red #40.
You can google a full list, but the bottom line is that food dyes and additives aren’t safe. They’re added because
"Additives and artificial ingredients are chemicals— not nutrition."
they make food look prettier, smell more appealing, or create a certain texture a company wants. In other words, companies take advantage of human psychology and trick you into buying their products. These ingredients have nothing to do with making you healthier. Think about it: dog food contains colored kibble because humans buy the food. Dogs are colorblind and will eat just about anything, including cat poop.
Food dyes have been linked to behavioral problems, including hyperactivity (especially in children), allergic reactions, and tumor growth. The research isn’t entirely conclusive, but the ingredients in question are found only in processed foods.
Additives and artificial ingredients are chemicals—not nutrition. The FDA has analyzed all of them, but it considers them safe for human consumption in small amounts. The problem is humans are consuming them in vast amounts, and it’s killing people.
Skipping Artificial Sweeteners
Companies tried to answer the rising awareness surrounding sugar and its health risks by manufacturing artificial sweeteners. Society dove on the concept of being able to eat or drink something sweet with zero calories, only to leam that artificial sweeteners are just as deadly. They can cause temporary reactions, such as headaches and migraines, and more serious ones, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, kidney damage, and more.
Stuffing Yourself with Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
Clean Suits and vegetables provide bonus content called antioxidants, the very things your body needs to fight off disease-causing free radicals. Without antioxidants, your body slowly wears out from the inside, making you age prematurely and grow susceptible to a myriad of health issues. You can’t get a significant dose of antioxidants from junk food. Antioxidant-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, walnuts, and pecans.
Nature solved the problem of fighting free radicals by creating nutritional antioxidant powerhouse compounds in foods call phytonutrients. The word literally means “nutrients found in plants.” Antioxidants are just the worker components that make up a large part of the phytonutrient compound.
One of the greatest benefits of phytonutrients is their wide spectrum of antioxidant abilities. Many of you have heard of antioxidants and have a general understanding that they’re good for us, but why are they good for us? Extensive research has confirmed that phytonutrients help prevent disease, cure it, and actually slow the aging process.
Nutrition in a Nutshell
That’s a lot of information to take in. Hopefully, you’re disturbed enough to want to make some dietary changes. Here’s one last push to get you motivated.
Junky food contains empty carbs, bad fats, and lots of chemicals that offer nothing nutritionally. Clean macronutrients offer proteins, carbs, and fats that promote optimal health from head to toe. Even better, they’re packed with essential vitamins and minerals. Any form of poor health bums through nutrients, so eating poorly digs you a bigger health hole.6
You don’t have to make extreme changes overnight. Just start making sure at least one meal a day consists of purely healthy, hypoallergenic macronutrients. Some companies are getting the hint and coming out with hypoallergenic formulas you can feel confident to have your patients use. Make sure you keep the protein levels up and that phytonutrients are high with your choices. Your body will thank you by providing boosted energy levels, a better night’s sleep, a more balanced gut flora, and optimal health.
References:
^ http://journals.sagepub. com/doi/abs/10.1177/0884533610 386234
https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/soy-alert/studies-showing-adverse-effects-of-dietary-soy-1939-2008/
Oo http://www.pcrm.org/health/diets/vegdiets/health-concernsabout-dairy-products
4^ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3791249
U/i https://mphprogramslist.com/50-jawdroppingly-toxic-foodadditives-to-avoid/
Os https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11795/
Douglas Grant has been a team nutritionist for many NBA teams and professional athletes for more than 20 years. He owns Optimal Health Systems, formulating and working with thousands of doctors around the world on health programs and therapeutic whole food products to help with disease and bring back optimal health. He holds a patent on muscle building and repairing formulas that are widely used around the globe. Contact OHS for more information at 800-890-4547.
