The Adverse and Beneficial Effects of Food

The Negative Effects of Meat

Meat is hard to digest and assimilate, especially red meat, hence it overworks the digestive organs (and many people have compromised digestive functions). This can result in partially digested protein reaching the lower bowel, which putrefactive bacteria feed upon, generating toxins. These then pass into the blood and onto the liver, placing a burden on this organ.
Meat uses up a lot of metabolic energy/enzymes/nutrients in digestion and assimilation that the body could use for detoxification.
Meat uses up metabolic energy in converting ammonia, formed during the breakdown of amino acids, into urea and excreting it as waste.
Meat is high in saturated fat and cholesterol and low in essential fatty acids, so predisposes to obesity, arterial disease, etc. Excess saturated fat in the diet depletes the body of potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron, as well as vitamins B2, B3, B6, C and biotin.
Meat produces alkaline conditions in the bowel, unfavourable for the beneficial bowel flora and is acid-forming in the tissues, which results in mineral depletion and predisposes to arthritis and diabetic acidosis.
Inorganic meat contains:

Antibiotics which kill beneficial bowel flora allowing putrefactive varieties and candida to thrive.
Contains pesticides and other chemicals used in and on animal feed, which adds to the toxic burden.
Contains growth hormones, one of which (DES) has been shown to induce cancer.

High meat intake increases the risk of cancer, especially of breast, brain, spinal cord, lung, stomach and pancreas.
Cured and processed meats contain sodium nitrate, which forms nitrosamines in the stomach, which are carcinogenic (cancer causing).
Cooking meat at high temperatures i.e. frying, grilling, roasting, barbecuing, produces polycyclic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which are carcinogenic. HCAs induce free radical formation and damage DNA and heart muscle.

The Negative Effects of Sugar

Causes tooth decay.
Makes the bowel more alkaline, which assists the growth of adverse bacteria.
Decreases the secretion of stomach digestive juices, this means that protein will not be digested properly and will pass into the intestines, where it will feed adverse bacteria. These then produce poisons that irritate the bowel and are reabsorbed into the body.
Feeds the yeast Candida – a fungi that lives in the bowel, allowing it to multiply, so that it can penetrate the bowel wall and circulate in the body. Candida overgrowth predisposes towards many different types of illnesses.
Inhibits mineral absorption, especially magnesium and manganese and vitamin C and excess sugar causes loss of potassium.
Provides no vitamins or minerals, but depletes the body of calcium, zinc, chromium and phosphorus, as well as the vitamins B.
Places a strain on blood sugar control mechanisms (pancreas and adrenals) and high intakes predispose to hypoglycaemia and diabetes and possibly heart disease, as sugar causes lesions in artery walls in animals.

The Negative Effects of Tea and Drinking Water

Tea:

Depletes potassium and adversely affects macro-mineral balance in the body, due to its diuretic effect.
Inhibits the absorption of iron.
Blocks the action of and also destroys vitamin B1.
Can cause congenital abnormalities in babies when consumed during pregnancy.
Contains caffeine.
Contains aluminium (high body levels of aluminium are implicated as a causative factor in Alzheimer’s disease).
Contains tannins that adversely affect the heart muscle and have carcinogenic (cancer causing) effects.
Depletes the body of vitamins B2, B3, B5 and inositol.
Contains fluorine (see Drinking water).

Drinking Water:

Contains Chlorine, which destroys vitamin E and kills the beneficial bacteria in the intestines.
Contains Fluorine and excess in the body can lead to: Contains Fluorine and excess in the body can lead to:

Kidney damage
Osteosclerosis, osteoporosis or osteomalacia (all conditions where the bones in the body are broken down).
Sperm damage and shinking of testes.
Nerve damage and muscle weakness.
Reduced production of the hormone serotonin in the nervous system.
Reduced synthesis of DNA and protein throughout the body.
Copper depletion.

The Negative Effects of Coffee and Caffeine

Coffee:

Depletes potassium and adversely affects Macro-mineral (sodium/potassium /calcium/magnesium) balance, due to its diuretic effects.
Inhibits iron absorption.
Destroys vitamin B1 and blocks its use in the body.
Increases gastric acid secretion, leading to heartburn, indigestion, hyperacidity and dyspepsia and affects other stomach secretions.
Has been linked to duodenal ulcers, bladder tumours and other cancers.
Adversely affects blood fats and increases the risk of heart disease.
Adversely affects acid/alkali balance and blood sugar levels.
Contains caffeine (see Caffeine).
Can cause miscarriage when consumed during pregnancy.
Contains over twenty carcinogenic (cancer-causing ingredients).
Depletes the body of vitamins A, B2, B3, B5 and inositol.

Caffeine:

Caffeine in tea and coffee predisposes to and perpetuates hypoglycaemia, as it stimulates the adrenal medulla to produce more adrenaline and the adrenal cortex to produce more corticosteroids, so is hormone and mineral depleting and in the long term is damaging to adrenal function.
Some people are addicted to caffeine, which can produce withdrawal symptoms for several days, such as headaches, irritability, fatigue and shaking hands.

The Adverse Effects of Alcohol

Alcohol depletes the body of many essential nutrients, such as potassium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, chromium, choline, inositol and folic acid, as well as vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, C, E. It also blocks the metabolism of essential fatty acids. Hence it hinders many functions in the body and taken long term can damage the oesophagus, stomach, duodenum, pancreas, liver, heart, adrenal glands, nervous system and brain. An excessive alcohol intake may be as little as two to three drinks per day. People who drink regularly may experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop, such as nervousness, anxiety, shaking and insomnia, which usually last two to three days. Alcoholics experience more severe symptoms, which can result in death; hence their withdrawal needs to be monitored. Alcohol predisposes to the following diseases/conditions:

Hepatitis, inflammation of the liver and cirrhosis of the liver.
Cancer: (esp. digestive system, breast and lung) because it increases toxicity of other substances (xenobiotics) and the generation of carcinogens by the body.
Heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure: alcohol is converted into cholesterol by the body and raises blood pressure by increasing adrenaline secretion.
Migraines: alcohol contains vasoactive amines, which cause vasoconstriction.
Obesity: because alcohol is very high in refined carbohydrates, which are readily converted to fat, one pint of beer provides 200-250 calories.
Hypoglycaemia and diabetes: alcohol adversely affects blood sugar control mechanisms, due to over-stimulation of the adrenals and pancreas.
Depression, mental and behavioural problems: due to hypoglycaemia.
Insomnia: by reducing the REM sleep cycle and acting as a stimulant.
Arthritis and gout: by inhibiting uric acid excretion by the kidneys, thus retaining uric acid in the body. For health our body tissues need to be alkaline not acidic (not to be confused with the bowel, which need to be acidic for health).
Kidney stones: by increasing the excretion of uric acid, calcium and phosphate.
Food allergies, gastritis, peptic ulcer, heartburn, hiatal hernia and irritable bowel syndrome: by increasing the secretion of gastric (hydrochloric) acid and the permeability of the bowel.
Catarrh (sinusitis, headaches, coughs/colds, gastritis and digestive disorders, ear disorders, cystitis, prostatitis, appendicitis, gallbladder disease): by irritating mucous membranes causing excess mucous secretion.
Infertility: by causing inflammation of the fallopian tubes and ovaries (irritant effects) and by increasing the breakdown, as well as production of testosterone (by the testes).
PMS: by causing nutrient deficiencies and hormonal imbalance (alcohol depletes the adrenal glands, which act as a back-up for the ovaries producing about 20% of the total oestrogens).
Fungal skin and nail infections, verucas, athletes foot and thrush: by allowing candida to proliferate in the body and causing excess sugar in vaginal secretions and increasing vaginal pH.
Infections in general: by depressing the activity of neutrophils (white blood cells).
Dandruff, dermatitis and other skin complaints: by depleting B vitamins, essential fatty acids and zinc and increasing the absorption of toxins in the gut.
Cataracts, glaucoma, mouth and tongue disorders: by causing nutrient deficiencies (particularly B vitamins).

Adverse Effects of Dairy Consumption

Dairy products include milk, butter, margarine, cream, cheese, yoghurt, whey, casein and caseinates (added to many pre-prepared foods).

Dairy products:

Promotes macromineral imbalance – a primary, fundamental change that predisposes towards many diseases.
Reduces iron absorption, predisposing towards anaemia.
Is mucous-forming in the lungs, sinuses, intestines and fallopian tubes, leading to problems, i.e. catarrh, rhinitis, sinusitis, chest infections, frequent coughs and colds and infertility in women.
Causes malabsorption of nutrients by (a) mucous, (b) neutralisation of stomach acid, (c) forming a viscous lining in the intestines.
Predisposes towards bowel disorders by adversely affecting the beneficial bacteria in the intestines, leading to diarrhoea, abdominal pain and bloating, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.
Contains high levels of fat and cholesterol, which leads to obesity and adversely affects arterial walls, predisposing to circulatory diseases such as angina, hypertension, atheroma, arteriosclerosis and heart attacks.
Milk contains the enzyme Xanthine oxidase, which can be absorbed and attacks the arteries in the heart.
Predisposes towards hyperactivity, arthritis and general joint aches and pains, headaches and migraines (particularly cheese from the amines it contains), muscle cramps, irritability, mental and behavioural changes, chronic fatigue and kidney disease.
Contains antibiotics and hormones i.e. those given to increase milk production in cows and growth hormones secreted by the cows’ pituitary glands, which are not destroyed by processing and can result in oversized, fat youngsters.
Can contain DDT and lindane, the latter appears to have strong links with the causes of breast cancer.
Encourages the growth of putrefactive bacteria in the bowel, which inhibit mineral absorption, especially calcium and produce toxins, which are reabsorbed into the body through the intestines.
Predisposes towards allergies, such as asthma, hayfever, eczema, food allergies, etc, as:

The milk protein casein is inherently difficult to digest and pasteurisation causes a partial unfolding and disorganisation of the protein in the milk, so that it coagulates into a tight mass in the stomach, which digestive enzymes are unable to break down.
Cow’s milk is derived from grass, unsuitable for humans and if ingested as a baby, its proteins are readily absorbed through the baby’s immature intestinal wall, where the immune system cannot recognise them. There the immune system sets up a reaction against them, inducing allergic symptoms, which can show up at any time in a person’s life.
Lactose (milk sugar) intolerance is common in humans, as we are not designed to metabolise milk after weaning and results in an adverse reaction to milk due to the absence of lactase enzymes. Bowel bacteria break down lactose in a way that produces a lot of gas, resulting in pain, bloating and diarrhoea.

THE BOWEL BACTERIA

The bowel micro-organisms, also known as the bowel flora, play a very important role in contributing to either health or disease in the body. Billions of bacteria and other organisms such as yeasts/fungi live in our intestines, some of these promote health (i.e. Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium infantis, Streptococcus thermophilus, whilst others promote disease (e.g. (Bacteroides, Bacillus, Clostridium, Eubacterium, Fusobacterium, Candida Albicans). The healthy bowel is acidic in pH and this favours growth of the ‘friendly’ bacteria and keeps harmful bacteria to a minimum. In order to thrive, the good bacteria require a diet low in protein and high in plants, as they grow on vegetable fibre and feed on starch. The absorption of calcium, magnesium and all the trace minerals from the bowel into the blood stream depends upon the good bowel flora.

There are many factors that determine which type of organisms colonise the bowel. Western diets are high in wheat and dairy and because these foods are hard for our bodies to digest and are particularly viscous, they form a thick layer of rubber-like, black, decaying material, which adheres to bowel wall. This lining inhibits the movement of the bowel wall muscles and prevents the absorption of nutrients through it. This means that faecal matter is held in the intestines longer than it should be. When this situation is particularly bad, constipation can occur, but often it is taking place without the person realising. This tar-like lining weakens the bowel wall causing bulges and forming pockets full of decaying material, whilst the pressure against the wall can block blood vessels. This can result in a lack of oxygen to that part of the bowel, which can lead to death of parts of bowel tissue (epithelial tissue). Because the bowel has a poor supply/network of nerves anyway, the bowels can progress to quite a detrimental state before pain occurs and the person realises that something is wrong. Furthermore, this lining assists the growth of putrefactive and pathogenic (disease-promoting) bacteria, which produce gas and toxins/poisons (amines and ammonia) that irritate and inflame the bowel wall leading to damage/ulceration (amines also cause headaches). Moreover, these toxins, which can reach quite high levels, are absorbed through the bowel wall into blood, predisposing towards allergies and disease in general. These bacteria also produce metabolites from cholesterol and bile acids that cause colon cancer, which is why a lot of meat in the diet is disadvantageous, due to its high cholesterol content.

Other factors, which adversely affect the beneficial Bowel Flora include:

Excess protein in the diet or insufficient protein-digesting enzymes in the body, which allow undigested protein to reach the lower bowel. This feeds the adverse bacteria allowing them to thrive, generating alkaline conditions.
Diets high in processed/refined foods, meat, dairy, tea, coffee, sugar, chocolate or fermented products (i.e. alcohol) result in alkaline gut conditions, which favour growth of adverse bacteria and yeast and kill beneficial bacteria.
Certain drugs:

Steroids, i.e. cortisone and the contraceptive pill.
Antibiotics kill good bacteria and damage the reticulo-endothelial system in the liver, which filters undigested protein. If partially digested protein passes into the bloodstream, the immune system will be activated resulting in allergies. (If prescribed antibiotics during your nutritional therapy, please email us).

Stress, smoking, pollution and fluorescent lighting.

The beneficial Bowel Flora promote health by:

Reducing blood cholesterol.
Producing enzymes, which aid digestion and hence prevent digestive problems.
Synthesise vitamins K and B, especially biotin and folic acid.
Assisting detoxification especially of the bowel and liver.
Inhibiting the growth of adverse bacteria by producing lactic acid.
Inhibiting the growth of tumours.
Giving resistance to infections, coughs and colds, due to their antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal effects.
Increasing the number of immune cells and activating the thymus gland and spleen.

Adverse Effects of Wheat

White flour is high in cadmium, a toxic metal that prevents body enzymes using the mineral zinc, so important for immune system and fertility, as well as bone, skin, and mental health.
White flour contains many additives and few nutrients.
Twenty-one additives are allowed in white bread, most of which are bad for you, ie. sodium aluminium phosphate, sodium bicarbonate, benzoyl peroxide, ammonium sulphate and cysteine hydrochloride.
The additives chlorine dioxide and bromates are strong oxidising agents, which react with food and body tissues to form unnatural molecules that are often the cause of wheat allergy.
Yeast added in baking increases uric acid output and predisposes to allergies and arthritis and harms the beneficial bacteria in the bowel.
Salt and refined fat are added to commercial bread, promoting a sodium/potassium imbalance and overweight.
Refined wheat is acid and mucous forming in the body.
Wheat hinders the formation of prostaglandin 1, necessary for immune functions and so predisposes to allergies generally.
Wholewheat contains phytic acid, a phosphorus compound, which combines with minerals, especially calcium, iron and zinc to form insoluble compounds, which are carried out in faeces, causing losses of these nutrients.

Disadvantages of Wheat Gluten

Gluten is very elastic, viscous and difficult to digest, so it can reach the colon whole, where it adheres to the bowel wall and becomes mixed with intestinal secretions, mucous and other foods to form an impervious lining, which:

Prevents nutrients being absorbed through the bowel.
Prevents intestinal secretions from reaching the bowel causing a lack of lubrication and hence constipation.
Inhibits the movement of the bowel muscles, causing constipation.
Predisposes to diverticuli; bulges in the bowel wall that fill with stagnating, putrefying matter, which assists the growth of adverse bacteria and the toxins they generate are absorbed into the body.

Gluten protein is high in cysteine, a amino acid, which forms di-sulphide bonds in dough allowing it to stretch when baked:

Di-sulphide bonds are difficult for body enzymes to digest.
If the digestive system is not functioning optimally due to nutrients deficiencies, toxicity, insufficient stomach acid or activity, then gluten won’t be digested properly.
Partially digested gluten protein in the bowel feeds adverse bacteria, which produce toxins. Resulting in partially digested gluten being absorbed into blood, where the immune system doesn’t recognise it and sets up a reaction, resulting in allergies.

Wheat can cause:

Any kind of digestive upset, i.e. pain, discomfort, bloating, gas, diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, poor appetite and weight loss, poor immune functions, fatigue, sluggishness, mental imbalance, bone and joint pains, muscle pains and headaches.

Diseases associated with Wheat (in causation and/or exacerbation of)

Coeliac and Crohn’s disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, cancer of the colon, arthritis, anaemia, Premenstrual Syndrome, high blood pressure and heart irregularities, infertility, diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis, cysts and other benign growths or tumours, depression, autism and types of schizophrenia.

The Beneficial Effects of Vegetables

Vegetables assist cell detoxification by their:

Ability to stimulate the cells to produce detoxifying enzymes, especially, glutathione transferase and cytochrome P450 enzymes – particularly the Brassica family (cabbage) and allium vegetables i.e. garlic and onions.
High potassium content, necessary for the enzymes in our cells to work properly.
Good mineral and vitamin content needed for enzymes to work.
High fibre content, which reduces cholesterol and toxin absorption and promotes the growth of good bowel bacteria.
Phytonutrients, with their immune-stimulant and anti-oxidant effects, which reduce free radical damage (free radicals cause cancer).

The Benefits of Eating Oily Fish

They are rich in highly polyunsaturated omega 3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), which:

Help prevent clot-formation, stokes and heart attacks by reducing fats in the blood by up to 65% and preventing platelets sticking together.
Lower blood pressure by blocking the formation of the series 2 Prostaglandins.
Block inflammatory processes that predispose to arthritis, psoriasis, diabetes, cancer, etc.
Inhibit the growth and spread of tumours.

This article is written by GenerationIron.com! The Generation Iron Fitness Network is the first and only digital network for fitness and bodybuilding! Check out our latest workouts guides: