Roundup used on genetically modified (GMO) corn and soy crops, contributes to dysbiosis, as verified by Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientists in a study published in Interdisciplinary Toxicology. They concluded with a plea to world governments to reconsider policies regarding the safety of glypho- sate residues in foods. GMOs: While this issue has been less widely analyzed, a 1996 study published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology found that the Bacillus thuringiensis toxin added to Monsanto’s GMO corn crops to kill pests is not de- stroyed during human digestion. Danish researchers at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University suggested it may damage cells of the intestinal lining. Gluten: “Gluten causes leaky gut,”


says Port Jefferson, New York, naturo- pathic doctor Doni Wilson, author of The Stress Remedy, voicing one side of the controversy based on her review of scientific literature. She’s concluded, “Whether you are sensitive to it or not, gluten increases the production of zonulin, which can result in damage to intestinal walls and cause the cells on the outside of the intestines to set off an immune response to anything that pass- es through. In this condition, what we’re eating—cheese, milk, eggs, corn, soy—is leaking through the gut lining, triggering an immune response and potentially creating multiple food sensitivities.” Wilson also notes that in her clin- ical experience, only about half of her patients with gluten sensitivities com- plain of digestive issues. “I’ve found that gluten causes the immune cells on the outside of the small intestine to affect the nervous system, causing headaches, anxiety, depression and insomnia,” she says. Her findings are backed by research from the Massa- chusetts General Hospital Center for Celiac Research and Italy’s University of Catania. The same researchers confirm that non-celiac gluten sensitivity or intolerance can also foster depression; a University of Cincinnati study pub- lished in the journal Headache links gluten and headaches. Other proteins in wheat can be


problematic, advises Fiona McCulloch, a Toronto doctor of naturopathy, citing a study presented at the annual European Gastroenterology Conference, in Vienna,


As a gluten tolerance test, substitute an amount of non-gluten carbohydrates for the same amount of


gluten-containing products. For example, instead of two pieces of bread, substitute three-quarters of a cup of brown rice—a rough


equivalent in carbohydrate content. A positive difference in hunger,


cravings and energy levels when gluten is eliminated indicates a condition of gluten intolerance.


~Fiona McCulloch


last October. The report showed that a family of proteins called amylase tryp- sin inhibitors can lead to the develop- ment of inflammation in tissues beyond the gut, including the lymph nodes, kidneys, spleen and brain.


Glyphosate residues can be a factor


in gluten intolerance. Although wheat crops produced in the U.S. are not yet genetically modified, many non-organic wheat crops are sprayed with glyphosate to promote rapid drying, according to the Environmental Working Group. Inadequate digestive enzymes:


Lactose intolerance is the most com- mon result of missing digestive en- zymes like lactase, according to the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota. Avoiding milk products may relieve digestive distress for some.


Eliminate Items,


Then Challenge Most experts believe the easiest way to deal with food sensitivities is to stop eating the food in question. The so-called “elimination and challenge” diet, which has been in use for decades, is effective, free and addresses the foods responsible for common food intoler- ances, says Virgin.


Simply avoid the food of concern completely for at least three weeks, then eat a small amount of it and catalog and the results. For some people, it may only take a couple of hours for symptoms to return after eating a piece of bread, cup of milk, an egg or bit of tofu. 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 elim- ination 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 indulgenc- es 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 dramat- ic reduction of symptoms by taking a spore-forming probiotic Bacillus indicus product for 30 days. After the healing period, sensitive people may be able


natural awakenings March 2017 17


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