G5 DIFFERENT DIETS

My Account Truly Heal Functional Medicine Health Coaching Course G5 DIFFERENT DIETS

Each person is unique. They have different genetics, prenatal nutrition, birth experience, childhood experiences, health history, pathogen exposure, diet, nutrient intake, and lifestyle. People’s biochemistry, metabolism, and microbiome are different.
Therefore, our food and nutrition needs are different and need to be personalized.

Vegetarian

The consumption of a majority plant based diet supplemented by animal products that do not cause harm to the animals (eggs, honey and dairy products).

This diet has a low intake of pro-inflammatory foods, high in fiber and leads to an overall reduction in disease risk.

However vegetarianism can lead to a deficiency in essential amino acids, vitamin B12 and iron (mainly in women).

Due to the delicate nature of balancing protein, fat and carbohydrate this diet can easily be mismanaged. This most commonly leads to an extremely high carbohydrate intake and excessive soy product consumption.

Vegan

Do not consume any animal or animal derived products.
Low in pro-inflammatory foods, has been shown to lower cholesterol and protective against some diseases.

There is a high risk of deficiency in essential amino acids, vitamin B12, cholesterol and iron.
Similarly to Vegetarianism it is easily mismanaged resulting in a high carbohydrate diet and high intake of soy products.

Paleolithic

Consumes a diet that is in accordance to how Paleolithic man once ate. Consisting of meat, fish, vegetables, nuts, seeds, oils and some fruits. It is grain free and low in carbohydrates.

Since this diet avoids grains it is used to counteract gastrointestinal issues, and was first introduced for this purpose by gastroenterologist, Walter L. Voegtlin in 1975. Paleo has become popular with a wider audience due to the emphasis on wholefoods, and avoiding processed food, but most importantly those who follow the diet have a wider, more diverse microbiome, which can reduce gastrointestinal symptoms.

Effective in reducing blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides due to the low fruit (fructose) intake. Consists only of unprocessed whole foods.

This makes the diet very clean and free of additives. The mismanagement and misinterpretation of this diet is the major issue. An increase in the consumption of meat products without a balance of vegetables can be detrimental for health.

Many people use the umbrella of this diet as an excuse to consume as much meat as they wish.

GAPS (Gut and psychology syndrome)

(Gut and psychology syndrome)

This is a specialised diet designed for autistic children by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. It focuses on the slow introduction (elimination diet) of food items starting with bone broth. The end resulting diet, once all the appropriate food groups have been introduced, closely resembles the Paleolithic diet.

The proper application of this diet results in the re-florastation and healing of the intestinal cells and membranes of the GIT system.

Along with being very strict, there is no scientific proof to back the case studies and success that the creator of the diet had. The extremely high consumption of fat is also a concern for certain people.

Recommended book: “Gut and Psychology Syndrome” by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride MD

Raw Diet

The consumption of 100% raw food, commonly vegan/vegetarian.

Raw food is rich in vitamins and phytochemicals.

Cooking food makes it easier to digest. Therefore some people would not benefit from the sole consumption of raw food. Their less than optimal digestion would results in many of the nutrients in food being wasted and not absorbed. Raw food diets are also linked to the proliferation of certain diseases such as candida.

Mediterranean

This diet is focused on the food that was available to the Mediterranean people. There is a high consumption of olives, seafood and bright, colourful vegetables.

This diet is quite balanced and is considered as one of the healthiest diets. It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols and essential amino acids. People traditionally on this diet have one of the lowest incidences of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Due to processed food (pizza, pasta, canned sauces, white bread) and the issue of contamination (mercury in fish, inorganic olives) it is hard to replicate the living conditions + diet that the Mediterranean people experienced. Genetic factors also need to be considered.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

This diet encompasses the anti-inflammatory aspects of other diets.

It involves the avoidance or reduction of foods that inflame such as: refined carbohydrates (white bread and pastries), fried foods (french fries), sugar-sweetened beverages (soda), red meat (burgers, steaks), processed meat (hot dogs, sausage), margarine, shortening and lard.

Instead the diet focuses on consuming foods that combat inflammation: tomatoes, olive oil, green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, collards), nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc.), fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines), low fructose fruits (strawberries, blueberries, cherries, oranges.

This diet focuses on consuming whole, unprocessed food.

Gluten free

Excludes the consumption of any gluten containing grains and foods; white flour, whole wheat flour, durum wheat, Graham flour, triticale, kamut, semolina, spelt, wheat germ, wheat bran, etc.

This diet reduces inflammation. The avoidance of gluten reduces the inflammation and damage to our gut lining and digestive system. For people allergic to gluten, this diet is completely necessary to avoid the inflammatory cascade gluten has on the body.

Gluten containing foods are rich in several nutrients including B vitamins, complex carbohydrates and fibre. Therefore thoughtful substitutions will need to be made.

Following a gluten free diet is difficult due to the prevalence of gluten in almost all processed food.

NOTE: Just because a food item is labeled gluten free, does not mean it is necessarily healthy. These foods can still be inorganic, highly processed, loaded with sugar, trans fats, preservatives and flavours.

Dairy free

No consumption of any dairy containing products. Not only cows milk derived products (cheese, yoghurt, cream, etc.) but also goat, sheep, camel and horse.

As with gluten, the avoidance for people allergic to casein and lactose is vital to avoid the inflammation and cascade of damaging events that happen in the body. Casein is also an inflammatory protein and, even without an allergic response, can increase gut permeability and inflammation.

Diary contains: calcium*, B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin A and protein. The amount of advertising we are exposed to that advocates the consumption of milk is astounding. This advertising can be very misleading and ignore the many dangers dairy is associated with.

* A whole food diet (without dairy) contains more than enough calcium for bone health, when addressing weakened bones it is more important to look at co-factors such as vitamin D, vitamin K and magnesium.

Metabolic typing

This diet focuses on the consumption of food that is relevant to your genetic ancestry. Bill Wolcott believes that every person has a different biochemical metabolism and therefore requires a different makeup of macro nutrients to survive. The three types are protein, carbohydrate and mixed.

The decision is made with an in-depth questionnaire interpreting the interrelationship between the Autonomic Nervous System and the Oxidative System.

There is not much research to back up this diet. Changing not only the source but also the quantity of macro nutrients is not agreed on by all practitioners, as some believe that everybody needs a certain percentage of proteins, carbohydrates and fat.

Blood group by Dr. Adamo

The blood group was created by Dr. Adamo. The diet focuses on eating certain foods in accordance with your blood type.

Protein lectins that are incompatible with your blood type antigen, target an organ or bodily system and begin to agglutinate blood cells in that area. Therefore, when eating in accordance with this diet this reaction is avoided.

As there are only 4 majour variables, there are many people or situations where these may not apply. Furthermore evidence supporting the blood group diet were either badly designed studies or showed a possitive result regardless of which blood type the individual was or ate.

Ketogenic Diet

The implementation and understanding of this diet is very controversial and confusing. Proclamations of its success are widely spread however correct application is rarely achieved.

Ketogenic diet entails putting the human body in a state of non-diabetic ketosis. This state changes the bodies primary core metabolism from the breakdown of glucose into energy (ATP) to the primary metabolism of lipid derived ketones.

The application of this diet follows the understanding that cancer is a metabolic disease. Therefore cancer cells use anaerobic metabolism to produce energy. The metabolic shift to non-diabetic ketosis results in the starvation of cancerous cells. This theory is supported by a growing body of literature and cases showing this diet resulting in the cessation of growth or even reduction in tumor size.
However this diet is considered a last resort treatment, this is due to the one-way street this diet entails. Once the metabolic change has been made, reverting back to glycolysis as the major energy source can result in a dramatic and detrimental growth of cancerous tissue.

The one-way street nature of this diet must be expressly made clear to patients.

Several checkpoints need to be made before this diet can be fully considered. The primary bodily functions that need to be checked are; the adequate production of bile acids and pancreatic lipase. Therefore if a patient has had a cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal) he/she should not pursue this diet. Both the production of bile salts and the adequate release of pancreatic lipase can be tested for in a stool test.
Even in healthy individuals the supplementation of bile salts and lipase may be required due to the increase in lipid metabolism.

The transition in metabolism source is not considered easy and some people experience symptoms. These symptoms are referred to as the “keto-flu” and may last from 1 to 3 weeks.

Symptoms during the transition stage could be:

Bad breath
Frequent urination
Feelings of fatigue
Lightheadedness
Blood sugar dips
Constipation
Carbohydrate cravings
Muscle aches
Headaches
Diarrhea and gas
Disrupted sleep
Not everyone experiences these side effects however if they do not begin to ease this may indicate an incorrect diet or an inability to breakdown fats sufficiently.

To become ketogenic in earnest, regular testing is required to monitor ketone levels. Although it is possible to measure ketone levels via urine, this can be influenced by weight loss, which commonly goes hand in hand with the beginning of a ketogenic diet. Therefore finger prick blood testing is available and gives a clear understanding of the current blood ketone levels. These tests are also more precise for detecting ketones (beta-hydroxybutyrate). Unfortunately the testing strips are more expensive then urine strips (about $2 for one test).

Some fats are more apt to readily convert to ketones than others: short and medium chain fatty acids, like those found in cultured butter, cultured ghee, coconut oil, and especially MCT oil (taken as a supplement) will readily convert to ketones. This can help improve the efficiency by which a person adapts to a healthy fat-based, ketone fueled metabolism.

Important facts about the Ketogenic diet:

A ketogenic diet is high in fat and not high in proteins. The body favors the metabolism of glucose, protein and then fat. Therefore a proper ketogenic diet must be low in both carbohydrates and protein.
The diet consists of 80% fat, 15% protein and 5% carbohydrates.
5% carbohydrate intake generally means less that 30 grams carbohydrate consumption per day (that’s as little as 3 regular carrots or 1 apple or 100 grams of rice)
A high intake of green leafy vegetables it extremely pertinent during this diet. The increased intake of fat can lead to an acidified system. Therefore the regular intake of chlorophyll and other foods rich in phenols aid to alkalize the body.

Sometimes supplementation of vitamins found in carbohydrate rich vegetables and fruits must be added.

Specialised Diets:

The latest nutrition science shows that many people with chronic health conditions suffer with issues relating to oxalates, salicylates, amines, histamine, glutamate, and FODMAPS, as well as poor mitochondrial function, methylation, transsulfuration and sulfation.

Phenols

Phenols are found in many fruits, vegetables and spices. There are also often artificially added tp processed foods in the form of artificial colouring, artificial flavouring, and artificial preservatives such as BHA, BHT, TBHQ. These are all phenols that many people struggle to metabolise adequately.

Phenols require a biochemical process called sulfation. People with ADHD, autism, IBS, and depression tend to have low sulfation. A reduced capacity of sulfation results in low production of the enzyme phenol sulfotransferase (PST) which is needed to break down these phenolic compounds.

Phenols can then act as a neurotoxin and cause hyperactivity, irritability, aggression, inattentativeness, headaches, sleeping challenges, as well as being an inflammatory agent leading to skin rashes and red cheeks and ears.

There are several types of phenols and related compounds that people can have an intolerance to: particularly, salicylates and amines.

Salicylates

Salicylates are natural substances created by plants, a type of phenol, used as a defense mechanism against organisms eating the plant.3 But these natural food chemicals can also negatively affect humans. particularly those that can’t process them well.

Salicylates are found in foods from plants: most fruit, some vegetables, herbs, spices, tea and flavour additives. For example, citrus fruit, berries, tomato sauce and mint flavouring are naturally high in salicylates and so are processed foods with those flavours.

Salicylate or salicylic acid can also be found in medication such as aspirin. When it cannot be broken down properly, it can cause significant symptoms in children and adults.

Symptoms of salicylate sensitivity:

headaches or migraines
itchy skin rashes such as hives (urticaria), eczema and others
irritable bowel symptoms – reflux in babies or adults, nausea, vomiting, stomach bloating and discomfort, wind, diarrhoea and/or constipation
bedwetting, cystitis
asthma, stuffy or runny nose, nasal polyps, frequent throat clearing,
behaviour problems such as irritability, restlessness, inattention, oppositional defiance, symptoms of ADHD
sleep disturbance – difficulty falling asleep, night terrors, frequent night waking, sleep apnoea
anxiety, depression, panic attacks
rapid heart beat and arrythmias
tinnitus, hyperacusis, hearing loss
joint pain, arthritis, gout, and more ….

A low salicylate diet can help children and adults suffering especially from a range of behavioural, neurological and physical symptoms including challenges with hyperactivity, mood, irritability, focus and sleep.

A low salicylate diet removes many but not all fruits, as well as some vegetables and other foods. Choose more fruit and vegetables from the lower end of the salicylate scale, such as traditional pears, potatoes, green beans, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, celery, lettuce, leeks, garlic, kidney and other beans, golden and red delicious apples, carrots and butternut pumpkin, and avoid those at the highest end of the scale such as berries, citrus, melons, stone fruit such as plums, grapes, dried fruit, tomatoes, avocados, broccoli and silverbeet.

Use vegetables and fruits which are picked very ripe. That is when salicylates are at their lowest, compared to hard, unripe, long-shelf-life supermarket produce that are picked green when salicylates are at their highest, stored, and artificially ripened.

Eat whole unprocessed fruit and vegetables rather than processed food with strong fruit or vegetable flavours, including juice, fruit yoghurts, jams, sweets, soup stocks and sauces.

Peeling fruits and vegetables will also help to reduce salicylate levels as high concentrations of salicylates are found in the skin zone.

Coffee is much lower in salicylate than tea.

Try to avoid salicylates in medications such as aspirin and certain topical creams like Dencorub, Vicks Vaporub, teething gel and oral gels like Bonjela and Ora-Sed, wart removers, acne cleansers and wipes, some insect repellents and nonsteroidal antiflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Nurofen(ibuprofen) – although technically NSAIDs do not contain aspirin, many salicylate sensitive people react to them.

Amine and Histamine

Amines are in foods that involve fermentation or protein breakdown, and can be found in both fresh produce (bananas, avocados, and tomatoes) and processed foods (cheese, chocolate, fish products, and yeast extracts).

Histamines are the most well-known type of amines.

Histamine intolerance occurs when the body is unable to breakdown histamine effectively because of a defect in one of two enzymes – diamine oxidase (DAO) and histamine N-methyltransferase (HNMT). DAO is found in the intestinal mucosa and is the primary enzyme for the metabolism of histamine in foods, while HNMT is the primary enzyme for the degradation of histamine in intracellular tissue, such as the bronchial epithelium. When DAO or HNMT enzyme activity is deficient, histamine is reabsorbed in the intestines and carried through the bloodstream in its active form, causing an excess of histamine in the body that results in an array of symptoms that can mimic an allergic reaction.

While histamine in excessive amounts can be troublesome, it also plays numerous essential roles in the body; it contributes to immunomodulation, is involved in the inflammatory response mechanism, acts as a neurotransmitter and aids in the regulation of several gastrointestinal processes, such as intestinal motility and the production of gastric acid.

Amines / Histamine can cause any of the physical and behavioural symptoms of salicylates above, as well as migraines, dizziness, nausea, acid reflux, irritated or itchy skin, trouble falling asleep, facial flushing, and gastrointestinal cramps.

What can cause or contribute to the development of Histamine intolerances:

Nutrient deficiencies such as copper, vitamin C vitamin B6 or zinc
Nutrient excesses like histidine, or a protein excess in general.
Deficiencies or dysfunction of DAO, HNMT or monoamine oxidase (an enzyme needed in the HNMT reaction). This is usually the result of a genetic fault although gut dysbiosis, certain medications and certain foods can also block the function of all these enzymes.
Excessive histamine consumption (avocado, dried fruits, eggplant, fermented foods, high protein intake, aged foods, leftovers)
Excessive consumption of foods that trigger the release of histamine (citrus, bananas, pork, egg white, chocolate, crustaceans, spinach).
Hormonal imbalance (insufficiency or excess); an increase in oestrogen levels in particular make women more susceptible to Histamine Intolerance.
High levels of stress place high nutrient demands on the body.
Gut dysbiosis, IBS or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Presence of pathogens (many of which produce histamine or block methylation).
MTHFR ( Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) genetic mutations.

The best method to test for Histamine Intolerance is a low histamine diet for one month, followed by slow reintroduction of medium to high histamine foods. If symptoms improve markedly during the elimination period, HIT is the likely diagnosis.

Oxalates

Oxalate is generally found in plant foods and less commonly in animal products. Almost all plant or plant-based foods have moderate to high amounts of oxalate. Oxalate is also produced as an end-product of metabolism of vitamin C, as well as of fructose and the amino acids serine and glycine. The body does not use oxalate for any of its processes; instead, it is excreted from the body through the urine or faeces.

Normally, your gut microbiome deals with oxalates, but an imbalance in your gut bacteria can lead to higher oxalate levels. This is called enteric Hyperoxaluria and can lead when untreated to severe kidney damage. It develops due to the absorption of too much oxalate in the digestive tract as a result of intestinal diseases and frequent consumption of foods rich in oxalates.

Oxalates are also inhibiting the absorption of calcium. When they combine they form insoluble solid calcium-oxalate crystals, which are the most common form of kidney stones. Hyperoxaluria increases the risk of calcium-oxalate stones. Increasing fluid intake and reducing the amount of oxalate in food can lower the chances of developing these kidney stones.

Unfortunately enteric hyperoxaluria, in particular, may either cause and/or exacerbate certain diseases like arthritis, asthma/COPD, fibromyalgia, thyroid disorders, thyroid disease, and a variety of digestive disorders as well as mineral deficiencies, dysbiosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Hyperoxaluria is also associated with depression and autism.

Oxalates can cause pain, inflammation, sore joints, pain when urinating, fatigue, brain fog, slow growth, gastrointestinal issues, and microbiome imbalance.

A low oxalate diet is designed to restrict the intake of high oxalate foods, with the understanding that there is no way to eradicate oxalates from the diet completely.

Low Oxalate foods:

Cauliflower, red bell pepper, avocado, grapes, cucumber, squash, blueberries, coconut, kale, apple, cherries, meat, bananas, papaya, broccoli, book chop, coffee.

FODMAPs

FODMAPs stands for fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides and polyols – which are short chain carbohydrates and alcohol sugars that the body
finds hard to digest. When FODMAPs reach the small intestine, they move slowly, attracting water. When they pass into the large intestine, FODMAPs are fermented by gut bacteria, producing gas as a result. The hydrogen or methane gas – causing gastrointestinal discomfort in sensitive people. FODMAPs can also trigger diarrhea by bringing liquid into the gut. FODMAPs have been linked with IBS, and a low FODMAPs diet has shown to reduce IBS.

Typical symptoms are: pain, excessive wind, bloating, distension and altered bowel habit (diarrhoea, constipation or both).

Where are FODMAPs foundY

They are found in a wide range of foods such as fruits, vegetables, breads, cereals, nuts, legumes and confectionary.

Low FODMAPs Diet restricts fructose, cow and soy milk, wheat, legumes, certain fruits (including, apples pears, watermelon, and cherries), certain vegetables (including brussels sprouts and the onion family).

FODMAPs are prebiotics, sources of fibre and can help the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. Therefore only people who are properly diagnosed with IBS should really adhere to such a diet. Many other factors can cause the same symptoms as FODMAPs do.

Elimination Diet

This diet is used to identify allergenic foods as well as foods the individual may be intolerant or sensitive to. The process involves beginning on limited dietary items (very low allergenic potential foods) and slowly introducing one food item after the other, monitoring physical and psychological reactions.

If a negative reaction is displayed to a food it is deemed allergenic and avoided. Food reactions are frequently over-looked, as these reactions are very common due to most people eating the same foods daily thus causing sensitivities and intolerances. In the long run however eating foods which cause a reaction within the body, can result in poor digestion, absorption eventually leading to inflammation and a weakened immune system.

Features of the Elimination Diet:

Identifies food triggers.
Promotes body awareness to foods.
Results in a personalized approach to food.
Reduces inflammation.
Supports gut repair.
Provides healing phytonutrients for the gut.
Reduces toxins
Doesn’t restrict calories

The Elimination diet is a reliable and accurate way to assess a persons intolerances and allergies. Although modern antibody testing (IgG, IgA, IgM) is advancing, due to testing limitations the elimination diet remains the gold standard.

The principles of the elimination diet are quite simple. However the compliance with this diet is a major issue. Many patients are unable to restrict their diet fully and thereby provide inaccurate results or fail to complete the whole process.

What to eat on an elimination diet?

Essentially the best elimination diets are the one’s which remove the largest number of foods while still having a balanced low allergenic diet. To begin removing these items from the diet is imperative: gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, corn, pork, chicken, fish, beans, lentils (legumes), coffee, citrus fruits, nuts, nightshades and spices.

Below are a list of foods to include and a side list of foods that are excluded from the same group. However if sensitivity, allergy or intolerance is suspected from a food item in the include list, then that item should be removed from the diet. The elimination diet is not a ‘one fit’s all’ diet but more like a personal research experiment. The individual starts from a basic non-allergenic diet, slowly introducing different foods and evaluating how they feel.

	Foods to include:	Foods to exclude:
Fruits	Almost all fresh fruit (preferably organic)	Citrus fruits
Vegetables	Almost all fresh, raw, steamed, sautéed or roasted vegetables	Excluding nightshades (tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes) and sweet potatoes are dependent on individual. *
Starch	Rice, buckwheat	Wheat, corn, barley, spelt, kamut, rye, oats, other grains, and all gluten-containing products
Legumes		Soybeans, tofu, tempeh, soy milk, all beans, peas, lentils, etc.
Nuts and seeds		All nuts and seeds
Meat and fish	Beef, lamb, wild game	Chicken, pork, eggs, cold cuts, bacon, canned meat, sausage, shellfish, meat substitutes made from soy, fish
Dairy products and milk substitutes	Rice milk, coconut milk (however people can have issues with these two ingredients)	Milk, cheese, cottage cheese, cream, yogurt, butter, ice cream, non-dairy creamers etc.
Fats	Cold pressed olive oil, coconut oil, flaxseed oil	Margarine, butter, processed and hydrogenated oils, mayonnaise, spreads
Beverages	Drink plenty of water, and herbal tea’s	Alcohol and caffeine
Spices and condiments	Sea salt, fresh pepper, fresh herbs, turmeric and if tolerated garlic	Nightshade spices, onion, spice mixes, mustard, soy sauce etc.
Sweeteners		White or brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, desserts

* Other vegetables such as cruciferous vegetables (Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, cauliflower, collard greens etc) are hard to digest and may cause reactions such as bloating etc.

As mentioned above, the diet is fairly restrictive and comfort foods are unavailable during the elimination diet. There are other lists available on what foods to eat and which to exclude however some are even more restrictive (with fewer foods to eat). The elimination diet is all about self-experimentation, and figuring out what works for the individual. Starting on a simple diet of buckwheat and fruits for breakfast, rice, meat and vegetables for lunch and dinner and simply build on that diet (including more foods as you progress through the elimination diet).

How and when to re-introduce foods into the diet?

Firstly it is very important to eat the basic elimination diet for at least 2 weeks. This allows time for any previous symptoms to subside and to give the body a break before re-introducing possible allergenic foods. At the end of the 2 week elimination, start by introducing one single food group and waiting 2 days before introducing the next food group. For example: The individual decides to re-introduce eggs into their diet. So for breakfast or lunch they may add 2 boiled eggs and then eat nothing but the basic elimination diet for the next two days. Monitoring if any symptoms or signs arise after the consumption of eggs. If no symptoms or signs are noticed 2 days after introducing the food the individual can add the next food group.

How long does the elimination diet go for?

The length of the elimination diet can vary depending on the individual, the intensity and severity of the allergies (intolerances and sensitivities). Roughly 3-6 weeks. The elimination diet should not be over complicated with nutrient ratios, calories etc. as the main importance is avoiding allergenic foods as discussed above.

What signs and symptoms might be experienced?

Most importantly be aware of how the individual is feeling, both physically and mentally. Keeping a logbook of the elimination diet and the signs and symptoms can be very helpful.

Some signs and symptoms could include:

Insomnia
Fatigue
Joint pain/inflammation
Skin breakouts/rashes
Headaches
Bowel changes or GIT pain
Bloating
Brain fog
Sinus or respiratory issues
Full body sweat
Raised or quickened pulse rate
Red cheeks

Any sign or symptom that is experienced differently after introducing a food (after being on the elimination diet) can be a valid negative reaction.

How To Choose The Best Diet

It’s rather irrelevant whether a person is healthy or ill; everyone’s diet should be individualised. A generalised diet guide isn’t possible as we are all unique individuals with different genetic make-ups, lifestyles, medical histories etc.
Most diets don’t work out, this is because people see the diet as a temporary food habit change but then inevitably go back to their old eating habits. This is the wrong mentality of diet’s and why we must change them. A diet which really works for the individual is a healthy lifestyle change for the better, and this change is not temporary but long term.

We are constantly eating foods that makes our body toxic, sick and act like poison; such as hyper-processed industrial junk food, sugar, flour, chemicals, additives, MSG, high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, artificial sweeteners, inflammatory foods. It inflames our gut and our cells leading to whole-body inflammation that everyone experiences as pain, allergies, headaches, fatigue, and depression and that eventually leads to weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, auto-immune diseases and cancer. Therefore the most important part of any diet change is getting rid of industrial food, caffeine, alcohol, and sugar and adding real foods, which are healing, detoxifying and anti-inflammatory.

Also getting rid of the most common food allergens and sensitivities depending on the individual is an important factor. Always checking for food sensitivities as they lower the immune response of the patient drastically and prevent recovery. Start with most common food sensitivities like gluten, dairy, nightshades, nuts and fish…. Once food sensitivities are solved and avoided the patient is ½ way towards recovery already.

Depending now on the individual constitution and disease, macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are adjusted.

For example:

A person with leaky gut and several food allergies can’t eat a lot of protein, as undigested protein leaking through the gut wall would cause further inflammation.
A person with metabolic syndrome or diabetes has to be on a low carbohydrate diet.
A person with congested liver, cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), gallbladder disease has problems with digesting fat and will do a lot better on a diet, which isn’t high in fat.
A person with kidney disease will do much better on a diet, which is restricting in dietary protein. High protein intake does increase the work of the kidneys and accelerate kidney deterioration in people with chronic kidney disease.
A person with a weak digestive system, low pancreatic enzyme production and already weakened through chronic disease does a lot better on cooked food than on a raw diet.
A very active, sportive person needs a higher caloric diet than a sedentary person.
A person with rheumatic disease benefits of an alkaline diet with low meat and low sugar content.
A person with hypertension could benefit of a low salt (table salt) diet.

The best guide to choose the perfect food is being aware of your own body. Observe how your body reacts to certain food intake. These are some signs that your body is not happy with the food you have chosen.

Being tired after eating
Bloating, flatulence, stomach cramps and aches
Diarrhea after food intake
Sweating directly after eating
Raised pulse after eating
Red cheeks after eating

Keeping a diet/food journal will help to pinpoint the foods, which don’t agree with you. An elimination diet is the best approach to find food allergies.
But sometimes it is not just the foods, which cause allergies that don’t agree with us. Also foods high in sugar, high in acidity, too much raw, too much in volume, too fatty, too spicy can cause symptoms of feeling unwell.

The Cancer Diet:

There are several points, which need to be taken into consideration when establishing a special cancer diet.

1. Sugar is very appealing to cancer cells.

In 1931 the Nobel Prize was awarded to a German researcher, Dr. Otto Warburg, who first discovered that cancer cells have a fundamentally different energy metabolism compared to healthy cells.
Malignant tumours use a process of energy production (glycolysis) where the cancer cells, creating lactic acid as a by-product, use glucose as fuel. This conversion of glucose to lactic acid generates a lower, more acidic pH in cancerous tissues as well as an overall physical fatigue from lactic acid build up.
This is a very inefficient pathway for energy metabolism, which extracts only about 5 percent of the available energy in your food supply. To compensate for this, cancer cells have around seventy insulin receptors compared to normal cells, which have just four. In simplistic terms, the cancer is ‘wasting’ energy, which leads cancer patients to become both tired and undernourished.
Fructose appears to be preferred by cancer cells for cell division, which contributes to its growth and spreading throughout the body. This means that although all sugars promote the growth of cancer; fructose is the most dangerous one.
In general a reduced consumption of simple carbohydrates (sugars) is recommended this includes fruits as fructose directly feeds cancer cells.
So what kind of fruit and how much are we allowed to eat? To be on the safe side, cancer patients should not eat more than 15g of fructose per day. Below is a table taken from the book ‘The Sugar Fix’ by Dr. Johnson.
LIST
Even though the theory that sugar feeds cancer was born nearly 80 years ago, most conventional cancer programs STILL do not adequately address diet and the need to avoid sugars and fructose.

As Patrick Quillin, PHD, RD, CNS wrote more than a decade ago:
‘During the last 10 years I have worked with more than 500 cancer patients as director of nutrition for Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, Okla. It puzzles me why the simple concept ‘sugar feeds cancer’ can be so dramatically overlooked as part of a comprehensive cancer treatment plan. Of the millions of cancer patients being treated in America today, hardly any are offered any scientifically guided nutrition therapy beyond being told to ‘just eat good foods’. Most patients I work with arrive with a complete lack of nutritional advice.’

2. Tumors consume a lot of energy

Tumors consume a lot of energy; therefore it is important to bring the overall energy of the patient up. Protein is a viable source to increase energy levels, however, consumption must also be treated with some caution in cancer patients. When we eat protein we produce energy via ketones. These are by nature quite acidic and can cause a decreased pH in the body. Therefore a careful balance must be found to ensure that the quantity of protein consumed does not exceed the requirements and lead to excess acidity.
There is no doubt that we need protein but for a cancer patient it should be easy to digest. Eggs, which contain all essential amino acids, are viewed as a complete protein. In their raw form the body’s enzymes easily break them down.
Red meat should be only eaten in very small quantities and avoided if possible during the initial healing phase. It is quite difficulty to digest and can be inflammatory.
The acidity of protein has to be balanced with lots of alkaline forming foods. (see table in chapter “Acidity and Alkalinity”)
3. Be aware of insulin spikes
Digestion breaks down carbohydrates into blood glucose the main energy source for the body’s cells. The presence of glucose in the bloodstream stimulates the pancreas to release a hormone called insulin to regulate the amount of glucose; our bodies needs. It is a very balanced system with just the right amount – not too much and not too little – to function optimally.
The amount of insulin the pancreas secretes depends on the amount and type of carbohydrate we eat. Some carbohydrates trigger sharper releases of insulin than others. (Glycaemic index) It is preferable to keep insulin production as moderate as possible to avoid some of the unhealthy side-effects that sharp fluctuations in blood glucose can cause. A steady level of insulin means less fuel for cancer cell growth, less fat storage and weight gain, steadier energy levels and fewer carbohydrate cravings.
IGF-1 (Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1) is an important hormone that stimulates cells (including many cancer cells) to grow. It is involved in multiple aspects of metabolism (protein, fat and carbohydrate). IGF-1 is released by the liver when the pancreas secretes insulin into the blood stream.

4. Eating foods that alkaline the body

Cancer thrives in an acidic environment, and doesn’t survive in a normal, more alkaline environment. Cancer cells make the body even more acidic as they produce lactic acid. So a diet high in alkaline foods like green vegetables that also limits acidic foods, such as those from sugar, meat, dairy, coffee, processed food, will raise blood pH levels and create an environment in the body that discourages cancer growth.

Summary of general dietary guidelines:

Avoid all processed, man-made foods
Eat plenty of organic vegetables (between 60-70% of your diet)
Avoid gluten, which then automatically includes bread, pastas, cereals, pizza. Don’t just substitute with gluten free products because they are very high in simple carbohydrates.
Avoid dairy products (milk, yoghurt, cheese)
Add fermented vegetables to the diet if tolerated.
Minimise fruit intake. The best fruits are organic berries!
Do not use any sugars, syrups or honey to sweeten. Stevia is the only sweetener occasionally allowed
Eat daily protein, which can be obtained from either organic white meat, grass fed organic beef, organic lamb, protein powders, fermented tofu, fish, eggs and legumes.
Don’t eat dried or canned fruit. The sugar content is too high!
No sodas or iced teas
Try to avoid eating salad or raw vegetables after 4pm if patient is chronically ill, has cancer, over the age of 50 years or has a weak digestive system in general. Most people in this group have problems digesting raw foods especially when eaten in the evening. Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine believe that our highest digestive energy is around 12-2pm and from then on the digestive ‘fire’ is reduced.
Don’t drink while eating. Have a 20 minute break before and after food
Have a 4-5 hour break between meals. Small snacks are allowed
Use coconut oil or organic ghee for cooking. Olive oil, walnut oil and hempseed oil are good for salads
Do not drink any fruit juices. Fresh juiced vegetable and green juices or smoothies are recommended
Make sure you eat a high fibre diet
Include sprouted seeds into the diet
Nuts and seeds in moderation are very healthy
Do not drink any alcohol
Drink at least two litres of fresh clean water daily.