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 destroyed 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 passes 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 clinical


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 Massachusetts Gen- eral Hospital Center for Celiac Research and Italy’s University of Catania. The same researchers confirm that non-ce- liac gluten sensitivity or intolerance can also foster depression; a University of Cincinnati study published 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, last October. The report showed that a family of proteins called amylase trypsin inhibitors can lead to the development of inflammation in tissues beyond the gut, including the lymph nodes, kidneys, spleen and brain.


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 equiva-


lent in carbohydrate content. A positive difference in


hunger, cravings and energy levels when gluten is elimi-


nated indicates a condition of gluten intolerance.


~FIONA MCCULLOCH


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-


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 glypho- sate to promote rapid drying, according to the Environmental Working Group. Inadequate digestive enzymes: Lac-


tose intolerance is the most common result of missing digestive enzymes 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 intolerances, says Virgin. Simply avoid the food of concern


completely for at least three weeks, then eat a small amount of it and catalog 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


ination diet for weight loss because it helps overcome food cravings triggered by the immune system response and leptin resistance, leveraging the hormone that turns off the body’s hunger signals, a finding confirmed by independent studies performed by Sweden’s Lund University and Italy’s University of Palermo. She’s also doc- umented 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, espe- cially those encapsulated in spores so they can pass through the barrage of stomach acid and reach the small intestine where they are most needed. Krishnan’s research, to be published


this spring, showed that half of other- wise 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 supple- ments, adds McCulloch. Get dirty: Johns Hopkins University


research has shown that kids raised in an excessively hygienic environment experience much higher rates of allergies and sensitivities. University of Wisconsin researchers found that youths growing up in households


natural awakenings March 2017 41


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