Gluten Intolerance or Pesticide Poisoning?
It was seven years ago when I realized that my body was reacting negatively to various food products. Shortly after eating pasta or bread, for example, I was so bloated that it felt like someone was inflating a big balloon inside my belly. This left my stomach in severe pain, which slowly spread to the rest of my body and kept me swollen for two or three days. During those days, I experienced a lot of gas pain, constipation, anger, and depression, along with a desire to eat more than I normally did just to be able to digest and eliminate something that had hit my body hard.
Friends suggested that this might be related to gluten intolerance. I was not convinced. I had enjoyed pasta or bread since childhood, and this kind of thing had never happened to me previously. Plus, it was not only pasta and bread that was giving me the bloated stomach and pain. My body was reacting adversely to a variety of foods and drinks, regardless of their gluten content. For example, I would eat a few almonds or drink a cup of tea or a glass of wine, and I’d have the very same reaction. So, I did not buy the gluten argument. Yet, what could it be? What was the common agent in these products that caused my body such discomfort?
I went to a medical doctor who prescribed probiotics for me, saying that my gut flora needed to get healthier. I used it for a while and paid more attention to my diet, but I still had a huge desire to understand the root cause. The bottle of probiotics had not been enough to satisfy either my gut or my curiosity. My stomach was still bloated after eating or drinking.
I started searching online to see what studies I could find other than the widespread efforts connecting gluten intolerance to the digestion issues experienced by an increasing number of humans around the world. I have to say I’ve never given much credit to popular opinions when it comes to science. Rare studies done by authentic scientists appeal to me much more than those who make copious efforts to program the public into believing in so-called facts generated to satisfy the needs and goals of highly profitable corporations.
A couple of studies that tackled the root cause of the problems I had been experiencing resonated with me. Dr. Stephanie Seneff’s article from 2013 definitely caught my attention, as it explained in great detail how the gut flora was messed up by the active ingredient in the herbicides that were widely used in the most common crops: glyphosate. Its increased levels disrupt the gut by preferentially killing beneficial forms and causing the overgrowth of pathogens, creating many deficiencies and much dysfunction in the body. Dr. Seneff talks about her work on glyphosate and its effects on the rapidly growing rate of Celiac disease, along with others including Alzheimer’s, cancer, obesity, and autism.
Dr. Seneff’s findings made a lot of sense to me. I surmised that something like glyphosate was the common agent in all the foods that caused my body to react adversely. I kept searching. Yes, all around the world pesticides are commonly used for wheat, almonds, tea leaves, fruits and vegetables. And yes, animals are also fed crops like this, so conventional milk products likely have glyphosate, as well.
Another research study conducted by Dr. Jörgen Magner and his collaborators perfectly added to the story. In brief, they did a comparison study on a family’s urine test samples to detect the pesticide levels before and after their diet changed from conventional to organic food. Their results were striking; they observed significant differences between before-and-after samples.
Dr. Magner’s work convinced me to do my own experiment, to see if my body would stop reacting if I switched my diet to organic. Maybe the organic versions of the same foods or drinks would not give me the big painful balloon in my stomach. I hoped I would be able enjoy them like in the good old days. I started watching my body more carefully, eliminating certain foods from my diet and looking at the effects of others. However, it was not easy to get a clear feeling given that my gut was all messed up. I knew I had to format it and start with a healthy flora to understand which food was affecting me and how.
As I looked for detox ideas, I found a website (thecandidadiet.com) that talked about Candida Overgrowth symptoms and how to eliminate them. These symptoms sounded very similar to what I had been experiencing. Candida overgrowth in guts apparently effected millions of people around the world every year causing bloating, constipation, cramps, nausea, swelling, yeast infections, food sensitivities, low mood, brain fog and chronic fatigue. The pieces of the puzzle were coming together for me. I decided to try their recommended detox program. The idea was to starve the Candida by eliminating sugar, starch, and alcohol intake. These fed the fungus and contributed to its growth. At the same time, I was to consume foods that would promote growth of the variety of beneficial bacteria and other necessary formations in the guts to restore the balance of the flora. If you are seeking remedy for your digestion issues, I highly recommend thecandidadiet.com. It is a thorough website that covers the details on Candida Overgrowth, how to go about the detox process and bringing your digestion back into balance.
The detox was rather painful but effective. It turns out that Candida not only hurts you when it’s alive but it also makes you suffer when it dies. Copious toxic gasses are released in the body as the Candida dies off. This was the most painful part of the detox process for me. I went through a couple of weeks of severe headaches, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, and skin breakouts. After I suffered through this process, however, I started to recover. I felt literally clean. It was like returning to my human self after getting rid of a monster that had taken over my body. Huge relief!
Feeling normal again, I wanted to try eating some of the foods I liked. Pasta had always been my favorite, so I started with some organic spaghetti. I was curious to see if I would get one of those painful balloons that puffed me up and radiated throughout my body. I waited…waited…and nothing. I felt perfect. No balloon…no pain…no gas…no constipation…no depression. I went on to try other formerly problematic foods and drinks over the following weeks: organic almonds, tea, wine, and milk. The detox and change of diet worked amazingly for me. Since then, I have been enjoying eating and drinking again without having to worry about the painful consequences.
It has been six years now since I switched my diet mostly to organic. Over these years, my body has become much more sensitive to food products that contain toxic substances. It feels great to be able to taste something and know that—no, this is not good for me. No authority other than your gut will give you better guidance—when it’s cleansed and balanced, of course.
It has been fulfilling to observe the increasing awareness and demand for natural food around the world. More and more farmers are switching to better farming practices, the variety of organic produce is expanding, and the prices are dropping. Clearly, consumers are changing the dynamics of the game and reshaping the food industry.
The future of humanity looks bright as we leave the toxic life forms behind and restore our pure connection to the Earth.