Why is our food affecting our health?
We are living in a world of serious epidemics. More and more common are the occurrences of Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD/ADD), dyslexia, dyspraxia, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression and other neurological conditions. There is a growing trend in western society of chronic conditions, such as asthma, sinusitis, hayfever, eczema, dermatitis/hives, obesity, recurring infections, chronic fatigue syndrome and others.
Underlying many of these disorders and chronic conditions manifesting especially in our children are food allergies or food intolerances. It is not just to our common food groups such as cow’s milk and wheat that our children are now showing major reactions but also to the overuse of preservatives, additives and colours. These can be greatly improved by eliminating food triggers and eating a nourishing and clean diet.
The food currently in our diet, being refined and processed, is having an affect on our children’s health globally and a lot of evidence is now emerging that this is largely the underlying problem in many of the conditions mentioned earlier.
The Guts of the Problem
Allergic and many other health conditions are inextricably linked to the health of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Huge amounts of microorganisms inhabit our digestive system and play an important role in strengthening our immune system as up to 85% of our immune system is in the gut. We are destroying the delicate balance of this ecosystem in our GIT and skewing our immune system with refined diets, food and environmental chemicals and widespread medicines such as antibiotics and contraceptive pills.
Resolution of these allergy conditions and improvement in neurological problems requires the correction of the major causes: Poor dietary choices (processed foods), removing gut pathogens, correcting bowel flora, restoring good digestion, removing toxins and drugs as well as psychological stress. These things are destroying the delicate ecosystem that exists within our bodies.
Whilst conventional medications may control symptoms they do have limitations. For the millions who suffer, allergic disease and neurological conditions, these problems are a significant cause of poor quality of life, and in some cases, death. The ability to employ dietary and lifestyle management strategies and restore the ecology of our bodies with natural medicines and foods has a power that cannot be understated.
