Foods To Avoid And How To Keep Things Good For Our Immune System

In my last blog post we listed down The Three Pillars that support, grow and sustain all of the activities of your life. Once these are implemented, it fights to keep things good for your immune system.

Today, let’s dive into Toxic Vs. Non-Toxic Food.

Toxic food, in general, refers to food that has been altered from its original state and drained of its life giving power. This power drain can be created by a host of causes such as pesticides and herbicides but can be lurking in some of the most unlikely places.

For example, BPA in plastic is known to cause “Metabolic Syndrome,” a cluster of conditions that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.[i] Make sure you look for signs that say “BPA Free” whenever you purchase bottled water or any other product that uses plastic.

Equally as harmful are chemicals used in cooking such as Teflon, which up until 2013 used a toxic chemical known as PFOA, to create non-stick cook wear. Even though this toxic substance has been banned, when heated over 570°F (300°C), current Teflon coatings begin to break down, releasing toxic fumes into the air, which can cause temporary, flu-like symptoms known as polymer fume fever.[ii]

To sum up the effects of these toxins, let’s take a look at the difference between power draining foods and power boosting foods.

Preservatives

Of course, these are just a few of the many toxic substances that can drain your power. Preservatives can also ruin the delicate balance of bacteria in your gut, drain your power and make you sick with inflammation, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, cancer and other not so fun stuff.[iii] [iv]

If we simply dial back the time before refrigerators (around two hundred years ago) we find the use of natural preservatives like salt and vinegar as a virtual godsend, which enabled populations to thrive in harsh times by preserving meat and vegetables, which were not available.

Sadly, in the interest of profit, big food corporations created chemicals to add longer shelf life to foods. Many of these “preservatives” are highly toxic and should be avoided if at all possible.

Let’s take a look at a list of some of the most toxic preservatives so the next time you buy something in a package you can recognize it and choose a more healthy option.

BHA and BHT (butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene) found in chewing gum, breakfast cereal, crackers, potato chips, etc.

TBHQ (tertiary-butyl hydroquinone) is found in instant noodles, candy, etc.

Sodium benzoate is found in soft drinks, juices, pickles and salad dressings, etc.

Sodium nitrite and nitrate are found in deli meats, bacon ham, smoked fish and hot dogs.

Let’s recap what we know about preservatives.

Additives and Artificial Sweeteners

Additives and artificial sweeteners are equally (pun intended) damaging when it comes to protecting your microbiome and increasing your power. Again, make sure you read labels and if at all possible, forgo ingesting these substances, which can act like poison and make you sick.

Equal, Splenda, Sweet’n Low, Aspartame, etc.

Trans Fats, Hydrogenated Oils

Artificial flavors

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

Artificial Colors (Dyes)

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

GMOs – Genetically modified organisms are a highly debated topic typically focused on cross-bred vegetables and grains.

Note: Studies show that most pigs raised in the US who are typically fed a mixture of GE soy and corn causes severe inflammation in the pigs’ stomachs. Overall, inflammation levels were found to be 2.6 times higher in GE-fed pigs than those fed a non-GE diet. The GE diet test simulated a typical American, who will be exposed to a variety of different GE foods through his or her daily diet, rather than just one at a time.[v]

Can you guess the one thing these foods all have in common?

If you guessed more inflammation, which leads to more disease, you are correct! Since eliminating these power drains is so important, let’s go ahead and recap what we know about additives and artificial sweeteners.