We Crossfitters, MMMM we love food, especially when its called Chocolate (except for my Chava Chocolate), beer, pasta, chips, or giant Philly Cheese Steak sandwiches or Pizza. Really, the list is enormous and personal, but in general, we really love to eat!In this recent quest to uncover what is killing my training progress, it has caused me to go back and do some more homework into what happens when we eat certain food. Doesn't it seem logical that if we have been eating (an enjoying) certain food, and we have been doing it our whole lives…it is something we should be eating, right? The food we love SHOULD be loving us back, right again?
Well, NOT exactly.
I heard James (OPT) Fitzgerald put it this way
Food Sensitivity = Uncomfortable Belly, headache, small rashes
Food Intolerance = Rumbley Belly + Explosive Poop
Food Allergies = Potential Death
So, on some level, you could think you are okay with a food because your body's reaction to it is so subtle and constant, it feels like normal.
But many foods that cause Gut Irritation like Wheat, Corn, Rice, Oats, Processed food, Dairy, Beans are doing much more damage to us even if we feel very little.
There is much evidence to support that eating this type of food screws up your gut (small intestines) lining which in turn set off a chain of events that has the potential to lead you into some pretty messed up diseases (IBS, arthritis, heart disease).
Here's how it works..
The foods that are best for our bodies will break down into their simpliest, smallest molecules before moving from the outside to the inside of the small intestines. Protein will break into amino acids then re-form into proteins once through the intestinal wall (on the microscopic level).
The foods that cause irritation are NOT broken down small enough to pass through easily. Instead, the BASH their way through the wall leaving small holes (ouch!) in the walls. This allows things to pass through the lining that normally can't, and that will cause your body to send out the troops!
Over time, our immune system attempts to heal it which results in INFLAMMATION.
Inflammation is very bad for your body. Anything that ends in -ITIS means inflammation. The word FLAM(E) is in that word so you can imagine what that means…YOUR INSIDES ON FIRE! Not really, but in the way that fire is bad, so is inflammation for your insides!
It is completely possible to have more than one inflammation going on at a time. Imagine the workload for your body to keep up with all that firefighting! All that attention is moving away from focusing on the work of good health, and so the downward spiral begins.
If you are not feeling that good, achy joints, acidic stomach, headache, or just not yourself, the solution may be as simple as eliminating foods from your diet that are the "usual suspects" and tracking the results.
Of course, it is always important to consult with your Dr. as I am not one and this article is not meant to be used to diagnose, treat or prescribe treatment for any condition.
But if you are feeling anything less than great, it is time to assess whether or not your food is loving you as much as you love it!
Of course, if you need a partner in tracking that information and understanding what changes may help, I am here to serve you.
Please contact me for questions and a consultation. It's definitely something I can help you to do effectively and beneficially! Contact me today, start feeling more energetic, healthier, stronger and clearer sooner!
4 Comments
Great article Anne! I myself have gone to the doctor with these very symptoms only for them to tell me that everything looks fine. The only problem is that I don't always feel fine LOL. I know that I should feel better and that I probably need to tweak a few things in order to do so. Thank you for the push in the right direction!
Kathy-
I am glad to hear that it helped you! Its likely when you start doing some food elimination you may just hit on something that helps. I know for me, bread and milk (things I grew up eating) really give me some irritation now. By avoiding them, I feel better, and stay healthier!
Let me know how it all works out!
I stumbled onto this article and it really got me thinking. I Crossfit and lead a pretty "healthy" lifestyle. But I definitely don't feel as good as I think I should. My doctor says I'm a "perfectly healthy" 43 year old. If I look to the foods that I eat as a possible culprit, should I start by eliminating, one at a time, the usual suspects (i.e. wheat)…hopefully finding what is causing me to feel like S#*%?
Chris..a really good place to start is by doing a 30 day strict program. That means you take out all the grains, dairy, processed foods, beans, candy, sodas etc (ala paleo). After the 30 days, you can add one food back at a time over a 3 day period, then take it out again for 3 days, and track how you feel. It makes it easier to see what is giving your trouble. Hope this helps!