A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH Submitted by BRANDON WOOLLEY/FIRE WITHIN NUTRITION AND FITNESS
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ith all the changes our world has faced in the last 18 months, it is more important now than ever to take care of our health, especially fortifying our immune systems. Many people are unaware that upwards of 70% of our immune system is in our gut. There is a single layer of cells that line the gut making up our immune barrier. A number of foods can penetrate and irritate this lining causing a hit to our immune system. Some of the most common items include wheat, grain, corn, soy, dairy, sugar and alcohol. While it is unrealistic and not sustainable to cut out all of these items on a regular basis, being more mindful of limiting them can make a huge difference in immune function and many other health-related issues. Let’s learn a little about how each can negatively affect your health, followed by some better alternatives. Then you can prioritize what makes the most sense to start with. Wheat, grain and corn can be lumped into a category
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of their own. The concern some doctors, such as Dr. Steven Gundry and Dr. William Davis, have with these items is a protein similar to gluten called lectin. Lectin protein breaks through the immune barrier, can cause inflammation and mimics insulin leading to an increase in glucose storage as fat in the liver and in adipose tissue. It is also a contributor to arthritic build up and cognitive decline via the vagus nerve that leads from the gut to the brain. Corn syrup is the biggest offending ingredient in this category and is a large contributor to non-alcoholic-fatty-livers-disease (NAFLD). Experts in the health field predict that one out of two Americans will end up with this disease by the year 2030 following current trends. There are plenty of grain-free granola and grain-free breading alternatives such as almond flour and seedbased cereals and granolas. A few of my favorites include Forager and Catalina Crunch. Soy is commonly sprayed with glyphosate (the herbicide) and contains natural xeno and phytoestrogens that can cause hormonal dysfunction in both men and women. Most packaged foods will contain some form
