Food:
You Are What You Eat
By Sarah Zambarano, ND
ood is the ONE thing that people dose themselves with every single day. Food provides comfort and nourishment. It is engrained in casual social events, cultural practices, and religious customs. We need it. We crave it. We take pictures of it and “share” it for our friends to envy.
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Digestive Tract Physiology The digestive tract is a complex network of nerves, organs, microbes, and receptors stretching over 27 feet from beginning to end. To simplify a very complex process, when a person takes a bite of a meal enzymes in the mouth and the act of chewing imme- diately begin the chemical and mechanical work of breaking down food into smaller molecules to eventually be absorbed. Once the food passes through the stomach, more digestive enzymes con- tinue the breakdown process while destroying potentially harmful bacteria that may have been ingested with the meal. The food then travels to the small intestines, where the bulk of nutrient absorp- tion begins. In the large intestines, water is absorbed, and waste products are packaged for elimination. As the food travels from the mouth through the stomach and intestines, enzymes are released, immune cells are alerted, bacteria are fed and molecules are ab- sorbed. Vitamins, chemicals, and nutrients are taken into the blood stream. Some of these have an immediate effect on the body (think caffeine) and some pass through, are taken up without notice- able consequence, and are stored for times of need (for example, Vitamin B12).
Food Infl uences on Illness Multitudes of benefi cial bacteria within the gut communicate
chemically with the intestinal lining, infl uencing and sometimes alerting the organ's immune surveillance system. The food a person eats, chemicals and medications to which they are exposed, and the lifestyle they lead heavily infl uence which bacteria thrive, and which are kept in check. It is well known that excess growth of less favorable bacteria can contribute to obesity, anxiety, and auto-im- mune disease (VERY good reasons to keep a healthy microbiome!).
Immune tissue within the intestinal walls detect pathogens (harmful bacteria) and toxins, and can trigger both local and sys- temic responses to perceived threats. Every bite of food ingested has chemical components that interact with the receptors for both the nervous and immune systems that line a person's digestive tract. It should be no surprise, then, that food is often the fuel to
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the fi re of illness for patients. Food reactions can worsen auto-im- mune illness, change behaviors and mood, cause physical discom- fort, and wreak havoc on a patient's general health. A signifi cant focus of Naturopathic care is on tailoring the diet to maximize nutrients and minimize the food reactions that can contribute to a patient's illnesses.
What nourishes one person may be very offensive to another.
There is no single answer to food sensitivity, and every person is unique in their reactions. Finding out which foods are triggering a person's symptoms can be tricky, but identifying these is key to long-term healing and wellness.
Food Allergies Vs. Sensitivity People often mention their food “allergies” when discussing
their health. To clarify, a food allergy is a reaction in which a food protein creates a specifi c immune response. In these reactions, a certain group of cells, known as Immunoglobulin E (also called IgE), trigger a cascade of full-body responses that range from minor to life-threatening. Gastrointestinal distress, skin reactions, respira- tory effects, and even anaphylaxis (a sometimes fatal, whole-body reaction) can result. These reactions can become more severe each time the patient is exposed, and early identifi cation is important. Fortunately, these immune-mediated food allergies affect only a small portion of the population.
Celiac Disease is an immune reaction to gluten, a protein
found in wheat, barley, and rye. Although Celiac Disease has a dif- ferent immune cell (Immunoglobulin A, or IgA) responsible for its effects, it is also considered a true food allergy. Patients with Celiac disease will need to absolutely eliminate gluten from their diet and personal hygiene products – a very diffi cult task indeed. Ingestion of gluten for those with Celiac will not only result in feeling poorly, but will cause structural changes to the tissues of the intestines and can eventually impact nutrient absorption.
Food sensitivity, or intolerance, is a more generalized term,
in which the offending food triggers either an immune response controlled by other immune-modulating cells, or by processes that are not immune-mediated. Chemicals in foods, such as histamines, salicylates, colorings, preservatives, and sweeteners can initiate food reactions with physical (and, sometimes, emotional) symp- toms as a result. Symptoms of food sensitivities can range from
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