The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Nutrition

What’s the Good of Nutrition?

Let’s keep it simple.

• Organic foods
• Non-GMO and non-glyphosate foods
• Unprocessed foods
• Whole Foods
• Fermented foods – probiotic-rich like Greek coconut yogurt, sauerkraut, pickles
• Grass-fed, grass-finished meats
• Healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, coconut
• The avoidance of any foods that bother you or cannot digest properly any excitotoxins and foods that cause inflammation
• Adding healing foods & nutrients (green leafy vegetables, low glycemic fruits like berries)
• Removing or limiting processed sugars, starches, yeast-feeding foods
• Foods that support detoxification and cleansing like artichokes, garlic, onions, dandelion greens, lemon, lime 
• Drinking pure water
• Consuming balanced meals (remember to always add in some green vegetables when eating meats of any kind or at the least some superfoods like Spirulina or green juice) helps with the acid-alkaline balance. 

Before starting any new supplement regime, always discuss it with your medical practitioner—check out my Instagram and Pinterest pages at @NancyGuberti to get food ideas. 

What’s the Bad of Nutrition?

• GMO genetically modified organisms
• Glyphosate laced foods
• Processed food
• Fast Food
• Conventional food loaded– pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics
• Artificial anything
• High fructose corn syrup, processed sugar
• Mercury in food products such as high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
• Mercury in fish
• Arsenic in food, typically in conventional chicken, apples, rice
• Peptides of gluten & casein in wheat and milk, respectively
• Corn offers very little nutritional value and is linked to inflammation
• Excitotoxins, Histamines, Salicylates 

So what is an excitotoxin? It is a chemical that causes a brain cell to become overexcited and fires uncontrollably, leading to cell death. Mono-sodium-glutamate (MSG) and other excitotoxins like aspartame have the potential for inflicting permanent damage to the brain and nervous system. 

What are histamine-enriched foods and drinks? Foods that are high in histamines help release histamines. Avoid or reduce foods that are high in histamines. Keep a food journal to determine how much you consume daily and if a negative health pattern is associated. Common histamine foods and beverages include alcohol, fermented, dairy, aged cheeses, deli meats, pineapples, bananas, legumes, seafood, egg whites, and dried fruits.

What is Salicylate? Salicylates are found naturally in certain fruits and foods. You can also find it in medications and other products like aspirin and toothpaste. Why is it a concern to some people? First, it is usually hard to diagnose. Some physical reactions can include dark circles under the eyes, red face or ears, diarrhea, headache, difficulty falling asleep at night, night waking, and being excessively tired and lethargic. Behavioral symptoms of a reaction can be hyperactivity and aggression. If you have asthma, food allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, insufficient enzymes, food sensitivity, or intolerance, it will be difficult to metabolize and excrete salicylates. Some foods that contain salicylates are almonds, apricots, apples, berries, cherries, coffee, tea, cucumbers, pickles, nectarines, oranges, peaches, and peppers, plums, and tomatoes.

Isn’t this fascinating? Keep a food journal to determine if there is a pattern between what you eat and how you feel.

What’s the Ugly of Nutrition?

Red food dye (Carmine)

According to the FDA, this red food coloring, also known as cochineal extract, is made from dried, ground bugs. Since these bugs feed on red berries, the berries accumulate in the females’ stomachs and in their unhatched larvae—which is what gives the extract red coloring. Carmine is one of the most widely used coloring agents, and food manufacturers routinely use it to turn foods shades of pink, red, or purple.

Shellac

If you haven’t eaten your fill of bugs, here’s another opportunity for insect consumption. Shellac is used to make that shiny coating on jelly beans and Skittles and give fresh fruits and vegetables that perfect, glossy finish. It is the excretions of Kerria lacca insects.

Gelatin

Gelatin is used in many packaged foods as a thickening agent. In addition to gummy candy, gelatin is found in Jell-O, ice cream, and yogurt. According to the USDA, the gelatin that gives them their kid-pleasing texture is created at the expense of several different animal parts, including ligaments, skin, tendons, and bones.

Bacteriophages

Bacteriophage is a case of an additive that sounds utterly disgusting, but experts reassure us that it’s also perfectly safe and even smart! Cheese and Cold cuts are often sprayed with a mixture of viruses, known as bacteriophages, that work to help prevent listeria, a microorganism that can be lethal when eaten. Scientists state, “the viruses attack the bacteria and prevent bacterial growth on the food and a way to prevent illness.” Fascinating.

Artificial Sweetener, Aspartame

Aspartame is made by feeding genetically modified E. coli bacteria, harvesting their protein waste, and adding methanol to the harvested proteins.

How about we stop here with the ugly? But there are probably worse foods, so keep being your health advocate and stay empowered.

Be mindful of what you are eating today.

Make living healthy a priority today. Join the other members and get your questions answered. Are you a member yet? Join today http://totalwellnessempowerment.com/membership/

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Tags: Functional Medicine, good bad ugly of nutrition, healthy food, immune health, Nancy Guberti, nutrition, weight loss