Virgin’s seven-food challenge is a bit more rigorous, but improves feelings of general well-being so readily that many people don’t even want to bring back the eliminated foods because they feel so much better, she says. Her three- week diet completely eliminates the most common food sensitivity triggers: gluten-containing foods (largely wheat), dairy, eggs, soy, corn, peanuts, sugar and artificial sweeteners. “When I say eliminate these foods
100 percent, I mean it,” cautions Virgin. “You need to give your immune system at least that much time to cool off.” She adds, “You can do anything such as this for just three weeks.” Virgin also recommends the elimi- nation diet for weight loss because it helps overcome food cravings triggered by the immune system response and leptin resistance, leveraging the hor- mone that turns off the body’s hunger signals, a finding confirmed by inde- pendent studies performed by Sweden’s Lund University and Italy’s University of Palermo. She’s also documented other positive effects through her own research and experience with participants in her programs, including improvements in energy, focus, joint pain, skin clarity and bloating, all in the designated short time frames.
Other Approaches People with food sensitivities may be able to tolerate occasional indulgences in their trigger foods once they’ve healed their digestive systems, notes Krishnan. Probiotics can help, especial- ly those encapsulated in spores so they can pass through the barrage of stom- ach acid and reach the small intestine where they are most needed. Krishnan’s research, to be pub- lished this spring, showed that half of otherwise healthy young people suffering from leaky gut had a dramatic reduction of symptoms by taking a spore-forming probiotic Bacillus indicus product for 30 days. After the healing period, sensitive people may be able to eat small amounts of certain foods with the assistance of dietary aids and supplements, adds McCulloch. Get dirty: Johns Hopkins University
research has shown that kids raised in an excessively hygienic environment expe- rience much higher rates of allergies and
Food Intolerances Self-Questionnaire
by JJ Virgin Answer each question with never (0), seldom (1), sometimes (2) or often (3).
1. I need a cup of coffee or another caffeinated pick-me-up to jumpstart the middle of my morning or afternoon. _____
2. I crave baked goods, pasta and other high-sugar impact foods. _____
3. I have difficulty falling asleep or I awake during the night feeling anxious and struggle to get back to sleep. _____
4. My bowel movements occur infrequently (less than one a day), which can sometimes be painful and involve straining. _____
5. My mood can change swiftly and I take out my crankiness and irritation on coworkers and family members. _____
6. I want to lay my head down on my desk mid-morning or afternoon because I have little motivation to remain productive. _____
7. During meetings or conversations I zone out and struggle to concentrate for long periods of time on my work. _____
8. After eating a big meal, I’m hungry and craving more of what I ate several hours later. _____
9. Doing routine and important tasks takes all the energy and initiative I have. _____
10. Even as an adult, I struggle with acne, rashes or blotchy skin, even though I use expensive skin cream. _____
11. I head to the bathroom or step outside after a meal because of gassiness, bloating or other uncomfortable gut issues. _____
12. The smell of a scented candle, perfume and detergent bothers me. _____ 13. Walking or moving around can create cramping, achiness or joint pain. _____
14. I develop headaches that prevent me from enjoying the moment and leave me scrambling for a pain reliever. _____
15. Even though I don’t have other cold/flu symptoms, I suffer from a scratchy throat or sinus trouble. _____
16. I eat all the right foods in moderation, exercise religiously, and yet struggle intensely to lose every pound. _____
Total Score: ______
What Scores Mean 18 or above – You most likely struggle with food intolerances that create many un- pleasant symptoms and stall fat loss. By removing the seven target foods for just three weeks, you’ll see these symptoms disappear and the scales will start moving again.
10 to 17 – You display some of the symptoms that food intolerances can trigger. You would greatly benefit from eliminating target foods to lose symptoms and those last few pounds.
Below 10 – While you suffer few of the symptoms brought about by food intoler- ances, you could still benefit from the same regimen. Even the healthiest person can take their game up a notch and ditch those last few stubborn pounds.
Source: The Virgin Diet, by JJ Virgin natural awakenings March 2017 25
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
