The Food Hospital

There's a new show on the Cooking Channel called, "The Food Hospital."  A British physician, surgeon, and nutritionist have teamed up together in a medical practice that focuses on changing diets in order to treat medical conditions; avoiding the use of western medicines.  What's interesting to me is that they're acting like this is a brand-new idea!  This idea of using food as a medicine was first "published" by Hippocrates in the 4th century BC and has been the basis of Naturopathy for centuries!!!

Those of us who suffer from celiac disease understand very well the need to control our diets as the only medicine available to us.  There is no magic pill to take that will prevent the damage to our small intestines, and our whole bodies, every time we ingest gluten.  We must be ever vigilant in our dietary intake.

What most people don't know about celiac disease (including an awful lot of doctors that I've dealt with!) is that the symptoms are not restricted to the intestinal disturbances of diarrhea, nausea, bloating, flatulence,  vomiting, and stabbing pains....although none of those are pretty or fun and I'm not discounting them in the slightest!  Those symptoms can generally be kept in abeyance by adherence to a gluten-free diet.  Although, many celiacs suffer from the refractory form of the disease (I do!) which does not respond well to a gluten-free diet and so, those nasty intestinal symptoms continue even in the presence of a gluten-free diet.

The other symptoms that people aren't usually aware of include: headaches, exhaustion, bone and joint pain, easy bruising, unexplained nose bleeds, infertility, fluid retention, fatty stools, anemia, pale complexions, panic attacks, nerve damage, vertigo, malabsorption and malnutrition, and unexplained weight loss or gain!  Wow!!  Doesn't that sound like fun!!

This is a small bowel biopsy of someone

with celiac disease...look at the destroyed

tissue.

These symptoms can be alleviated, even a little, by the use of healthy foods in our diets.  Most Americans eat a highly processed diet full of sugar, white flours, and chemicals.  None of those foods are healthful for our bodies!  And, our bodies don't even recognize many of them as food!  Our bodies are hard-wired to understand "food" as whole foods.  I often use the analogy: Adam and Eve didn't eat Ding-Dongs!  When we put processed foods into our bodies (things that come out of a box), our bodies see them as foreign invaders and attempt to rid itself of the substances.  Because those chemicals contain little, if any, nutritional value, we are robbing ourselves of healthy with every bite.

Now, add to that the inherent malnutrition that accompanies celiac disease and what have you got??  Even more malnutrition and an inability to heal and fight off infection.  Because celiac disease is an auto-immune disease, you're always going to have a compromised immune system, so what can you do to beef it up and keep yourself as healthy as possible and help alleviate some of those nasty symptoms???  Eat whole foods in lots of variety to give your body the nutrition it needs!

Let's look at this dinner as an example:  This is a boneless, skinless chicken breast that I lightly salted and peppered, layered with asparagus spears, wrapped in bacon and baked at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.  On the side is jasmine-coconut-cilantro rice that I made by adding a small can of coconut milk and a handful of cilantro to the rice as it was cooking.  A very simple meal, to be sure, but one that is actually filled with important nutrition!

The asparagus contains high amounts of Vitamin C and A and also, the trace minerals of sulfur, folic acid, and potassium.

The chicken is high in protein, low in fat, and contains Vitamins A and B, along with the trace minerals of potassium, sodium, zinc, and iron.

The coconut milk that I used in the rice contains essential fatty acids, fiber, and Vitamins B, C, and E.

Rice is the 2nd most highly consumed grain in the entire world and one that is very important to a gluten-free diet.  Now, for this meal, I chose to use jasmine rice instead of the higher-fiber containing brown rice.  But, it is a whole grain rice nonetheless.  PLEASE DO NOT USE pre-cooked rices like Minute Rice or others on the market!  Those contain absolutely no nutritional value at all!!  Rice actually contains some protein, Vitamin E, and lots of important trace minerals.

So what, right??  That's the question that's flooding your mind right now because you can read labels as well, even better, than the next guy and you see all those vitamins and minerals listed on the side of that box that you'd rather be eating because it's faster and easier to make.  Well, let's talk about that for a minute---those vitamins and minerals are processed and have been added to that food, so they are not readily accessible for uptake by your body!  And, if you have celiac disease, you have even less ability to access that so-called nutrition.

Let's look at what those vitamins and minerals mentioned above can do:

Vitamin A==Needed for basic tissue and health maintanance, disease and illness prevention, to fight infections; can be used to treat eye problems, asthma, fibrocystic breast disease, plantar warts, ulcers, PMS, and in cancer prevention.

Vitamin E==An important antioxidant and anti-aging vitamin;  can be used in the prevention of atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, menopause relief, gout, arthritis, leg cramps, skin rashes, and as an immune enhancer.

Vitamin B (now there are lots of B's, so I'm just going to throw them all together and sum up some of the things they're good for):  depression, heart problems, fatigue, allergies, adrenal support, headaches, insomnia, asthma, infections....and about a thousand other things!

Vitamin C==Also an important antioxidant that can be used to boost immunity, fight infections, especially colds and flu, decrease fatigue, boost metabolism, prevent heart disease and scurvy and as a cancer treatment.

Minerals are not produced by the body and so must be introduced by the foods that we eat or supplements that we take.  Don't think that because the body doesn't produce it that you don't need it!!  Minerals are ESSENTIAL to life and health!!  And, again, they are best absorbed when introduced to the body as whole foods.  Minerals are essential to our physical and mental health and are a part of every cell in our bodies.  They provide structural and functional support to all of our body systems.  There is not a part of your body that does not depend on minerals for every bit of it's function!!

Now, I'm not saying that eating that one meal pictured above will prevent all the listed diseases and ailments--of course not!  But, a steady diet of whole foods can afford our bodies those protections and also, provide some relief from the celiac disease symptoms that plague our lives.

Another thing to consider:  the pain and exhaustion from the celiac disease can be greatly minimized by removing sugar and dairy products from your diet.  I know, I know, I know, believe me, I know!!  Those are my 2 favorite food groups!!  But, both are proven to increase pain and fatigue, so are they really worth it?

When I'm being "good", I adhere to a diet that removes sugar and dairy for 30 days at a time (to begin my cleansing).  Then, I allow myself a "free day".  Then, I go for 2 weeks without either and have another "free day".  I try never to have sugar more than once a week, but that usually doesn't last and I end up having to start all over again. 

I don't know what works best for you, but I highly recommend that you evaluate your diet--look right now at what's in your pantry and fridge and make changes, if necessary.  Start small---add in a piece of fruit instead of that candy bar or cookie, make a fresh veggie pizza for dinner, add soy milk to your morning cereal....any little bit can, and will, help!

In good health....