Ok Here is a quick Poll.. How many of you out there have been on an airplane and heard the announcement: “We will not be serving any Peanut Products on this flight due to a SERIOUS Peanut Allergy, if you have foods which contain Peanuts, please do not eat them on this flight”. Chances are, many of you are nodding your heads now. And maybe a couple of you are those Peanut fearing folks who make your presence known in every social situation you come into. Allergies to Foods has grown in the past 50 years by a staggering amount. There are fingers being pointed and science trying to uncover the reasons. Here is the latest Science behind the phenomenon.
Here is what we know about food allergies. A new Report Came out which points to a dramatic increase in food allergies across the populations of developed countries. It is now estimated that 1 in 10 of us has a food allergy BUT 1 in 4 of us THINKS we have a food allergy. This is not surprising given what we see and know about inflammation from processed foods in our diets. Dissecting the science and putting this in a different light, our nuclear families (4 persons) has at least 1 person who has a chronic inflammatory response to the foods that we eat on a daily basis. This is big news and should make us all want to stop and pivot our groceries buying and cooking habits.
Food Allergies and autoimmune diseases are not all the result of our food system though. There are antibodies and immune deficiencies that occur during pregnancy and can evolve over childhood that increase the sensitivity to certain foods. Specific treatments are being studied and implemented and from the science I study, we are just scratching the surface into this world of allergies and the microbiome.
The Microbiome is the living community of bacteria inside our GUT. If you have followed me for any length of time, you know that this is my passion and getting this community healthy is the HOLY GRAil of Health. The GUT and Microbiome is made up of all aspects of our digestive system, from the Mouth through the Colon. The prevalence of Food Allergies is linked directly to the Health of our Microbiome and its effect on our entire body. So this is where our Journey begins. I have laid out some key truths that have lead us to where we are now and how our Modern Hypochondria has made us sick.
We Forgot How to Eat Dirt.
There is a hypothesis that has been circling the scientific community for a long time about the health of younger siblings in a home. The hypothesis is , because younger siblings are exposed to more bacteria, illnesses, and DIRT more… they have greater immunity. As a parent I totally believe this hypothesis. Our first child had a vastly different first year of life than our second. Protections are taken and Precautions abound with your first kid because you fear your going to kill the little bugger. The second kid frequently was found eating all kinds of weird stuff in the park, licking food that had fallen on the floor, and certainly had dirtier finger nails . But the connection with the outside world increases the exposure to pathogens that have BOTH good and bad elements that the GUT has to contend with. Our developed world is frequently neglecting the value of some dirt in the mouth or some grubby hands on a shopping cart. We freak out way too much and in turn it is making us sicker and more susceptible to Food Allergies.
The New Food Safety Environment.
Recently there was an E.Coli outbreak among Romaine Lettuce. People got sick and the Government pulled every bag of lettuce off the shelves. The move was extremely efficient and points directly to the control that we have over 90% of the food environment.
Here is the TRUTH about our food. We have disinfected, triple washed, overly Pasteurized, overly processed and fortified everything. This is part Hypochondria and also our desire for perfection. Like most aspects of our life, we are fearful of what we cannot see. Bacteria and dirt, scare us. The fear of sickness and our food production system have developed such an efficient means for the shelf life of food as well as its cleanliness. Our bodies are growing more and more accustomed to food that is devoid of taste and microbes. Thus , Real Food or small amounts of Pathogens have an effect on our GUT which causes sickness. Organic and locally grown foods are the work around and a way to develop the antibodies for protection against disease and a food production system that is focused on keeping us sick!
Environmental Factors in the Home.
Im going to put it like this. If you are spraying your counters down with bleach after every use and have a Clorox Hadi-wipes container nearby, you are destroying your GUT and the Bacteria that live in it. In no other way is our Hypochondriac nature more on display than in our arsenal of cleaning products. These should be no mistaking the truth that lies behind the chemicals that are sold in stores. The companies are selling SAFETY. But safety at what cost? The use of harmful cleaning products in the home and other environmental factors that we live with on a daily basis have a direct correlation to the the rise in Food Allergies and auto-immune diseases. Our fascination with “Streak Free Shine” is costing us years off our life. Go green, save money and use soap and water.
Short Chain Fatty Acids are the Answer to Allergies.
I write a lot about MCT’s or ‘Medium Chain Triglycerides’ . SCT’s are ‘Short Chain Triglycerides’ and like MCT’s are the bodies best source of fuel and an optimal food source for healthy bacteria. First we need to get around the modern view of Fatty Acids. FAT is good for your body. If you are still espousing the high-carb/low-fat lifestyle please rethink your food choices. The progression of Food Allergies over the past 50 years is directly linked to the development of a processed food revolution. Being a hypochondriac about how much Fat you are ingesting is leading you to eat more processed food that is devoid of nutrients.
Short Chain fatty Acids are made from Fiber broken down in the Small Intestine. SCFA’s are the best source of energy for the bacteria in your GUT as well as the cells in your colon. Dietary Fiber is best exemplified in our diet through VEGETABLES. The more we eat Fruits and vegetables, the more our bodies can break it down and feed the Good GUT bacteria and the cells of our body.
This is the time for Science to led the way to better health. We are uncovering new truths that dispel myths about nutrition every day. Speculation is part of the scientific process but the more we deny the new science and continue as usual, the more we collectively push ourselves closer to the edge. Once we fall off the edge our kids will be paying for our cancer and Alzheimer treatments for years to come. As well, our progression as a society will be halted because there will be too much attention focused on undoing what we got wrong in the past. You don’t have to look far to see it happening now in Nutrition science.
Food Allergies are no joke. The increase in prevalence point to a greater issue in our health and habits. Beat the odds and adjust your eating while your health is still good. Love yourself and love the food that you consume. Think before you eat. Ill be here to support you the entire time.
Love
Eric
1/7-1/13 *** This is Week 6 of the Pausing BackSquat Exposure Cycle. If last week hurt, good. This week we are staying at 78% for all sets so we are going to drive home consistency as well as shorten the rest time . “The Chief” is on tap for the Benchmark WOD, this workout is full throttle all the way. Its 5 Rounds so be careful . Do the warm up completely and go into it nice and sweaty. Some cardio on the week as well so eat right and fuel the muscles for optimal recovery after the long ones.
1/7
Baseline:
3X
20 Jumping jacks
20 Mountain Climbers
20 Jump Lunges.
Rest 1 min, Repeat
Lunge Flow: @ 5 At each
Ankle Roll outs,
Hamstring Flossing,
Elbow To Instep + Reach,
Samson Lunge + Reach
Pigeon Stretch X :15 Each Side
Barbell Prep:
7X Shrug + High Elbows
7 X Muscle Clean
7X Hang Power Clean
7X Power Clean
WOD;
“The Chief”
5 Rounds
3 Min AMRAP per Round
-3 Power Cleans 135/95
-6 Push Ups
-9 Squats
**Rest 1 Min Between Rounds**
1/8
Baseline:
Row 500m
3X
12 Barbell Good Mornings
12 Barbell Back Rack Lunges
12 Barbell Snatch Grip Push Press
12 Barbell Bent Over Row
Hamstring Primer:
3X8 @ no more than 135/95
-Romanian Deadlift
-Pendlay Row
Snatch Skill Work:
8 Sets , Building:
1X Tempo Snatch Deadlift (+:04)
1X Pausing Snatch (Pause :02 @ Knee)
WOD;
21-15-9
Snatch 115/75
Chest TO bar Pull Up
Lateral Box Jump Overs 24/20”
1/9
Baseline:
800m Run
3X
10 Kip Swings
10 KB Goblet Squat
10 KB Cossack Lunge (side Lunge)
10 American KB Swing
Squat Flow: Squat Flow: Kang Squat, Internal Rotation, Ankle Roll Out, Bootstraps, PNF Stretch, Squat W/ T Spine Stretch
Pausing Squats #6:
On the Minute X 10 Mins
1 Pause Squat (+:03)
1 Free Tempo Squat
WOD;
20 Min AMRAP
400m Run
20 Wall Ball Shots
Cool Down:
Banded Hamstring Stretch
Banded Pigeon Stretch
1/10
Baseline:
100 Jump Rope Single Unders
20 Arm Circles
75 Singles
20 Trunk Circles
50 Singles
20 Lateral Lunges
30 Singles
20Jumping Pull Ups
Gymnastic Strength:
5 Rounds Not For Time
:20 Ring Support Top
:20 Paralette (or Box) L Sit Hold
:20 Free Standing Handstand Hold
-Rest As Needed between movements and sets
-Scale difficulty with bands or using wall on handstand, don’t short the time under tension!!
WOD;
3 Rounds,
21 Cal Bike
100 Double Unders
15 Cal Bike
10 Strict Ring Dips
9 Cal Bike
10 Chin Ups
**Rest 2:00 Between Rounds
1/11
Baseline:
4X :30 @ Each. Rest :10 Between Exercises
-Row @ 30-34 Strokes Per Minute
-Mountain Climbers
-Barbell Strict Press
-Sit Up to Split Stretch (keep feet spread apart and reach forward as far as possible after sit up)
Shoulder Primer:
W/ Light Dumbbells 5-15#
20 Reverse Flys
20 Bent Scare Crows
20 See-Saw Press
20 Front Raises
20 Lateral Raises
ROW Conditioning:
9 X 1:30 On, :20 Off
@ 1:55-2:15 pace. The goal is to hold the SAME pace for all 9 sets. Dont be a hero.
*If you hate me after this, fine….
WOD;
3X
500m Row
12 Push Jerks 155/115
15 Toes To bar
Cool Down:
Lat Band Mobility
Bully Stretch
