God Given Food Chapter 2. https://amzn.to/3YyvMIl
The health of our intestines has a lot to do with our overall health. If we are not digesting food properly then we will develop nutrient deficiencies that can and often does lead to disease.
Our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made; it’s miraculous. Psalm 139:14. When we eat real food with all the vitamins and minerals that are naturally in food, our bodies know how to process it and where each vitamin or mineral is needed most, and our vessels transport these nutrients to the proper places. It’s an incredibly complex system that has an intelligence of its own, something we are completely unaware of.
Our gut has a multitude of microbes that help us digest food. Billions of organisms live in our intestines helping process our food into usable nutrients that our bodies absorb for the benefit of our health. These microbes can be damaged or out of balance, and the walls of our intestines can be damaged, too, by the foods that we eat and the drugs that we take. This compromises our digestion, and we won’t be getting the nutrients we need even if we do eat the right food. Food allergies are caused by food that is not digested properly being absorbed by the body too soon. Poor digestion can cause multiple health problems like autoimmunity and arthritis, and mental issues like ADHD and depression. Candida is a fungal overgrowth caused by eating poorly (candida loves sugar) that a lot of people seem to be talking about parasites nowadays, also caused by bad eating habits.
Common everyday products that cause gut imbalances and intestinal damage are antibiotics, other drugs, ultra processed foods, and alcohol.
Habits that promote good digestion: Avoid antibiotics and other drugs; avoid alcohol; don’t eat ultra-processed food (junk food or fake food); eat meat from pasture raised animals not given antibiotics or other drugs; eat probiotic foods and take quality probiotic supplements.
Probiotic foods are quality kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, pickles (and other fermented vegetables if you can find them), and kombucha. Look for sauerkraut and pickles in the refrigerated section for REAL fermented products. Unfortunately, everything is compromised nutritionally and research needs to be made to find the right healthy products. Brands for kefir and yogurt need to be researched as well.
That is when being a member of the Weston A Price Foundation comes in handy; they provide an annual shopping list that helps me find the right brands that are good for me. I also recommend the podcast on the website. Start at the beginning (Episode 1) and listen to the basics about food first. Highly educational. You do not need to be a member to access the podcast. https://www.westonaprice.org/#gsc.tab=0
If you like reading about health, I recommend Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride’s two books on healing the gut: Gut and Psychology Syndrome https://amzn.to/49viwKs and Gut and Physiology Syndrome https://amzn.to/4aBlONy (called the GAPS Diet). If you would prefer a simpler guideline I found Healthy Gut Cookbook https://amzn.to/48Vlcku to be very helpful, and there are other books that assist in streamlining the process of the GAPS Diet.
Right now, we are just in the learning process. We are gaining knowledge to implement later. So no pressure, but if you feel like there is something you are eating that you should give up and are ready to do so, please share in the comment section below. What can you substitute that is good for you? You may also share your answers to the questions at the end of Chapter 2.