Category Archives: Questions & Answers

Questions & Answers

The Connection Between Enzyme Deficiency And Lactose Intolerance

Lactose intolerance is a result of an enzyme deficiency.

Asians and Africans have the highest prevalence of lactase deficiency. The rates of lactose intolerance in those groups are in the range of 60 to 80%. These numbers aren’t surprising given that historically, Asians and Africans did not have dairy in their diets.

For Europeans, the rate of lactose intolerance is in the range of 5 to 17%. Again, this isn’t surprising because people from Europe have been keeping cattle and drinking milk for a very long time. 30 to 45% of North Americans are lactase deficient.

If you are lactose intolerant, eating dairy products results in symptoms like gas, bloating, and diarrhea. It means having to cut back on dairy or switching to another type of milk, such as the lactose-free version.

Not drinking milk may seem like a foreign idea, but that is the reality for huge numbers of people throughout the world. It’s primarily Westerners who drink so much milk.

Further readings:

Lactose, or milk sugar, is made up of galactose and glucose bound together. The body has to split these two simple sugars apart when digesting milk. The enzymes responsible for breaking down lactose is called lactase. Once lactose is broken down, the galactose and glucose are used for energy.

If you are lactase deficient, you will likely notice massive bloating and diarrhea about two hours after ingesting dairy products. If you are bound and determined to keep drinking milk despite the symptoms, you can take exogenous lactase. If that doesn’t work, drop dairy from your diet and look for other sources of calcium.

One of my favorite calcium-rich foods is sardines. Sesame seeds and broccoli are also good sources of calcium.

As people get older, their levels of digestive enzymes drop. As a result, it’s possible to become less lactose tolerant with age.

You don’t have to drink cow’s milk to get enough calcium. The crazy thing is the countries with the highest milk consumption have the highest osteoporosis rates. And the countries with the lowest dairy consumption globally have got the lowest osteoporosis rates.

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Questions & Answers

What Is The Connection Between Rheumatoid Arthritis And The Gut?

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that can be very painful.

I worked with clients with rheumatoid arthritis for years, and I noticed that every patient I saw with an autoimmune condition had preexisting issues with their gut.

In my opinion, there is a significant connection between rheumatoid arthritis and a faculty gut microbiome. Genetics also plays a role, but it’s also possible for mothers to pass on microbial communities to their children.

I mentioned before that I have a collection of old medical books. I have a British Medical Journal from the 1930s that includes a chapter on rheumatoid arthritis. The author recommends that “in all cases, look for the hidden infection.” I think they may have been smarter back then than we are now.

If you intervene earlier, before the structural joint abnormalities develop, it’s possible to stop rheumatoid arthritis in its tracks. You can reduce the pain very significantly. The gut has to be in a good place to reduce the inflammatory mediators that play such a big role in autoimmune conditions.

Further readings:

The gut is the seat of immune dysfunction because much of the immune system is located in a part of the small bowel. In fact, I think it’s the first three inches of the small bowel that contains about 60% of the body’s entire immune defense system.

When people eat an unhealthy diet, drink too much alcohol, take drugs, don’t sleep enough, and live a highly stressful lifestyle, their gut will suffer. When the gut suffers, so does the immune system.

But what if you have an exemplary diet and you’ve got rheumatoid arthritis? How do you get rid of it now?

The key starting point, and I can’t emphasize this enough, is to get a three sample comprehensive stool analysis, so you know exactly what’s going on with your microbiome. It’s essential to cleanse the gut of harmful bacteria. Get rid of the Citrobacter overgrowth and the yeast overgrowth.

If you have no choice but to take pharmaceutical medications, make sure you don’t take more than prescribed. Steroids, disease-modifying drugs, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can themselves have negative side effects, including on the gut. But, remember, don’t ever feel bad about taking medication to improve the quality of your life.

If you work on getting the gut healthy by eating the right foods, taking a few supplements to take the microbiome back in balance, and living a healthy lifestyle, you’ve made a huge step towards improving your rheumatoid arthritis. Digestive enzymes and probiotics are also crucial for improving the gut in the hopes of mitigating the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

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Questions & Answers

Oats And Weight Loss: What You Need To Know

“Will eating oats for my lunch and supper carb get in the way of weight loss?” is a question I’ve been asked before.

Firstly, don’t worry so much about carbohydrates when it comes to weight loss. Carbs are not what will make or break your diet efforts. As for oats, I think they are a great food, but twice a day is a bit much.

Further readings:

Rather than eating oats several times a day, there are other options for increasing weight loss. For example, smaller portion sizes, chewing food properly, and eating at appropriate times. Make sure you have ample amounts of healthy food available and don’t skimp on protein.

I suggest limiting oats to once a day at most and then having a different carbohydrate at lunch or supper. For example, sweet potatoes are a great choice. You can bake them, boil them, or mash them, and they are very filling. I think that sweet potatoes are one of the best carbohydrates you can eat for weight loss.

Give that a go. I think you might like it.

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Questions & Answers

Do Eating Fruit And Losing Weight Go Together?

Fruit and weight loss, does it work?

Of course, it works. If you’re going to eat fruit and eat a lot less food, you’re going to lose weight. But it’s also essential to use your common sense.

Fruit contains a lot of sugar. If you get stomach upset and low blood sugar, you may be eating too much fruit or too many high-sugar fruits.

My favorite fruits for weight loss are those that contain beneficial enzymes like pawpaw, papaya, pineapple, and kiwi fruit. Pineapple and papaya contain the enzyme bromelain, and the enzyme found in kiwi fruit has a very positive effect on the pancreas. In my opinion, these fruits are particularly useful for weight loss.

Further readings:

Kiwi fruit is remarkable. It has many compounds in it that help balance the microbiome. I find that most people can tolerate kiwi fruit, even if they have a yeast infection.

Watermelon contains the amino acid citrulline and can also be good for weight loss. But remember, watermelon is very high in sugar, so limit your intake if you have a Candida or vaginal thrush problem. In cases like this, I would suggest passing on the watermelon and having some pineapple, papaya, pawpaw, or kiwi fruit.

Fruit is fine, but don’t overstep the limits. Don’t eat twelve pieces of fruit and think that it will solve your weight problem. You need more than fruit in your diet to sustain good long term health, despite what fruitarians say. I’ve never had a client who feels good in the long-term by consuming primarily fruit, day in and day out.

Eat the right kinds of fruit and eat them in moderation. My favorite fruits are berries, and you can eat plenty of those without running into any trouble. And don’t forget that avocado is also a fruit. If you’re trying to lose weight, having one avocado per day is a fantastic idea.

Make sure you’re not eating canned fruit because it’s full of syrup and sugar. Opt for tree-ripened, organic fruit if you can. Consider fruit to be part of a balanced diet, not the end-all, and be all.

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Questions & Answers

White Rice And Weight Management: What You Need To Know

I think it’s entirely possible to eat white rice for breakfast and still lose weight. I would probably recommend opting for brown rice or a mix of three or four grains together. I like the combination of long-grain brown rice, black quinoa, and white basmati rice. Quinoa makes up about 20% of my mix because it can be a little overbearing.

I’ll mix the grains, put them in my little French cast iron pot, and steam it for 25 to 30 minutes. I think you will appreciate the flavors and textures of this grain combination more than just plain white rice. It looks better, tastes better, and has more nutrients to offer.

If you really want to have plain white rice for breakfast, I can’t see any particular problem with that choice. But I suggest having something else along with the rice; otherwise, it’s purely a carbohydrate breakfast. You could opt for egg or fish as the protein and some vegetables on the side. Even a few shiitake mushrooms are better than just rice on its own.

Further readings:

Protein helps make sure that your blood sugar doesn’t fall flat a few hours after you eat the rice.

I remember that when I spent time in India, I was amazed at the health of people that were just eating plain bags of white rice and occasionally a handful of lentils or some tomatoes and lettuce. That was the extent of their diet, and yet they seemed to be in excellent health. They weren’t obese. They didn’t have diabetes.

Sometimes simple everyday food is all you need. You don’t have to have the whistles and bells to be in good health.

When it comes to breakfast, I prefer oats. I think oatmeal is one of the best breakfasts you can have. But if white rice works for you, then do it.

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