Category Archives: alcohol

Inflammation: Grains, Nuts, Seeds, & Omega 6 Fats

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I bet you can guess that this post will tell you that some of your favorite foods/snacks are unhealthy. To an extent, yes… but my main point is to give you some perspective as to why these health foods aren’t so healthy after all…

Let’s start with Phytic Acid… one unhealthy property of Grains, Nuts, and Seeds. P.A. is a natural outer coating, which protects the nut and the germ/bran portion of a grain. This layer exists to ward off passer-by animals to avoid consumption because it will certainly cause digestive issues, thus allowing the plant to fully thrive/grow. What kind of digestive issues? Malabsorption (causing nutrient deficiency) and inflammation (food intolerance, food allergy, bloating, cramps, gas, fatigue, etc.). When consumed, the acid can actually bind to certain trace minerals such as Calcium, Iron, Potassium, or Magnesium and prevent the digest system from absorbing these (and other) nutrients. So, while you may be eating a healthy food, the digestive system actually cannot break down nor absorb any of the food’s healthy properties. Soaking (8-12 hours) or Sprouting (3-4 days) Grains, Nuts, and Seeds prior to consumption can help release most of the Phytic Acid, but trace amounts may still remain.

Gluten is another malabsorption and inflammatory property, and it is found only in Grains (with the exceptions of Corn and Rice). Gluten is a Wheat Protein. The body’s digestive organs are lined with a protective mucosa layer. This layer prevents bacteria, fungus, parasites, and you-name-it from entering the body and wreaking havoc. Gluten yields antibody properties that can break down this mucosa layer and penetrate the body’s immune system. Gluten can actually create holes in the intestines and undigested food can pass freely into the bloodstream (called Leaky Gut Syndrome) – holy immune system freak out, Batman! Gluten and its anti-digestive properties can be attributed to many health and mental diseases found all over this country (and world). It makes sense because the American diet is FULL of Gluten-based foods: Bread, Pizza, Flour, Beer, Oatmeal, Cereal, Snacks and the list goes on! Now, I believe that everyone has a Gluten Sensitivity, it just depends on how sensitive a person is and how long they can tolerate its intake before health problems become prominent (a person can even have issues and not even be aware of those issues because they don’t know any different).

Omega -6 Fats, also known as Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs), are also prevalent in American diet with their presence in Grains, Nuts, Seeds, Above Ground Vegetables, and Beans (we’ll stick to Grains, Nuts, and Seeds for now). According to most Doctors, Hospital Journals, and the U.S. Government, Omega -6′s are healthy and anti-inflammatory. I call Bullshit! Why? Because a Omega -6′s molecular structure is highly unstable and are rapidly oxidized (rancid/spoil) at moderate temperatures and at moderate pressures – not only in cooking, heating, or food processing, but also in the heat and pressure of a 98 degree human digestive system. Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids are called Poly-’s because they have more than one double bond (extra flimsy). Monounsaturated Fatty Acids have one double bond (flimsy) and Saturated Fatty Acids yield no bonds (strong like bull!). If these Omega -6 Fats aren’t damaged prior to consumption from food processing, packaging, and transportation, they can certainly be damaged, turn rancid, and cause inflammation when consumed. Now, different Grains have different amounts of Poly’s, as well as different Nuts and different Seeds so it’s a matter of choosing a less-inflammatory one over the other, but is it really worth it in the end if they still cause inflammation to some degree?

We covered how Grains contain THREE anti-digestive/inflammatory properties, while Nuts and Seeds contain TWO anti-digestive properties. These properties can encourage acne, eczema, rash, attention deficit disorder, chronic fatigue, brain fog, dehydration, constipation, weight gain, weight loss, erectile dysfunction, lack of libido, bipolar, mood swings, estrogen dominance (stress, emotional imbalance), dysbiosis, candida overgrowth, chronic infections, low immune system response, thyroid dysfunction, insulin-resistance, sugar sensitivity, dairy intolerance, food allergy, poor sleeping patterns, and you get the point. 

  • Grains to avoid: Wheat, Rye, Barley, Spelt, Quinoa, Millet, Buckwheat, Sorghum, Corn (take note that most alcohol is derived from grains/contain gluten)
  • Grains that are Ok: Rice, Gluten-free (still contains some gluten)
  • Nuts to avoid: Cashew (toxic properties), Walnut
  • Nuts that are Ok: [Soaked, Raw, Sprouted] Almond, Peanut, Brazil Nut, Macadamia Nut, Hazelnut, Chestnut, Pecan
  • Seeds to avoid: Flaxseed [Oil], Linseed [Oil], Hempseed [Oil], Cottonseed [Oil], Chia Seed, Sesame Seed [Oil]
  • Seeds that are Ok: [Soaked, Raw, Sprouted] Sunflower Seed, Pumpkin Seed

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Hydration and its many faces

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I’ve written a previous blog on water intake and my recommendations via Paul Chek’s book How To Eat, Move, and Be Healthy. I’m here today to dispute those recommendations based off of some new perspectives…

“Drink half of your body weight in ounces each day”

Holy crap that’s a lot of water! I’ve done it… 100 ounces? Sure, fill me up! Hell, there was a period where I was drinking a gallon of water a day. I peed every two hours, but at least I had clear pee and I was hydrated! Actually, I was overhydrated and, essentially, dehydrated. Make sense? Abs-probably not…

For those of you who’ve had experiences with “adult beverages” in excess – what color is your pee? CLEAR. Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it dehydrates the body! And the clear pee is actually a sign of dehydration. Wild, huh?

Our cells only have so much room for water. Once they fill up they’re done, nothing else can come in until they have more room. When we continue to drink more water because of the Clear Pee Perspective, the CPP (I just made that up and am mentally copywriting it), there’s no where for it to go, so it just goes right through the body. There’s another piece to this puzzle, though… excess liquids can actually strip the cells of essential nutrients (minerals, to be specific). So not only does excess water intake waste your time, but it also wastes your nutrients. This can lead to many cause and effects including constipation, dry skin, cramps, spasms, vitamin/mineral deficiencies, etc.

You want me to add what to my water?

Water is essential to doo doo-ing and cleansing the body, but so are the trace minerals that should come naturally with water – sodium, potassium, magnesium, iodine, choline, iron, yadda, yadda, yadda. Ideally, water is collected in the clouds, falls to the ground, is “filtered” by the earth’s crust and picks up these essential trace minerals along the way before it deposits in a spring. Today, water is stripped, processed, packaged, and filled with chemicals that hinder our health. This can be avoided by filtering water (Reverse Osmosis being the best method), but I recommend that you add back the natural minerals to the water (and your food) with Morton’s Canning & Pickling Salt. I would not recommend drinking water without its essential trace minerals – either add them or purchase brands like Evian, Fiji, or a good-sourced Sparkling Water.

You can hydrate yourself through food, too!

All natural, “whole foods” contain some amount of water. Fruits and veggies yield the highest water content, and the major bonus is their natural trace minerals that come along for the ride! It’s easy to tell which fruits are more hydrating than others: melons, citrus, and seed fruits. As for veggies, I would recommend a potato-a-dayto. And we can’t forget animal sources such as unprocessed dairy, eggs, and meat!

Ok, so we know that too much water and alcohol can dehydrate the body, but what else can do that?

To name a few: Coffee, Tea, Energy Drinks, Processed foods such as white bread, white salt, and white sugar, and Highly Pasteurized drinks such as Juice and Milk.

Soooooo, how much water should I drink?

I don’t know. Really. The answer lies within your daily needs, your daily habits, and your perspective. I have been hydrating myself with about 1-2 liters of liquid a day, depending on my needs. I would recommend to listen to your body (not your ego) – it always has the answers.

The idea is to keep this all in perspective with your daily living habits. Take what you want from this and use it how you see fit. There isn’t a one size fits all answer to anything – it’s all about how you can use various perspectives to develop an answer for yourself… What will make you happy now AND at the end of the day.

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Liver Love

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The liver is the only organ that has the capacity to rebuild itself ONLY when the environment is suitable. Limiting the amount of toxic load on the body will promote a good environment for the liver to work properly and efficiently. This isn’t rocket science: Eating crap foods, drinking alcohol, drinking unfiltered water, and using chemical-laced substances (cosmetics, cleaners, plastics, etc.), to name a few, are not good for the liver. 

Go organic, go green, go natural, go holistic, go straight-edge, go whatever you want to call the process of creating a healthier environment for a healthier body.