This is my favorite time of year. The kids are back in school, football season has started, we are eyeing up wood for upcoming fires and I pulled out a sweatshirt for those early mornings outside with the dogs.
You may have noticed a rise in some “odd” eating trends if you follow the online world of nutrition: Low anti-nutrient diets like The Plant Paradox (lectins) and Dr. Owens research on oxalates and autism (among many other conditions), low FODMAP diets remove specific plants and grains, carnivore diets and fasting are all the rage. Without going into the details and nuances of these various diet strategies and why some people may have therapeutic benefits from them, let’s talk about one reason, among many, why some people may not tolerate certain plant foods or perhaps feel better when they don’t eat.
Not sure many have thought about this but plants can’t run. They can’t escape from predators the way animals can so as defense, they secrete or harbor various natural compounds so that predators will not eat too much of them. They come in various forms, phytates, oxalates, lectins, salicylates, etc. Genetically, some people may have issues with some of these foods but other people, due to various factors like antibiotic use and pesticide exposure, may have compromised gut function and are not able to digest these foods. For me, one glaring factor to low tolerance is our exposure to the same food year round.
It is likely that many of these “plant toxins” are not harmful in certain doses but are actually beneficial as they create a hormetic type of response in the body (a favorable biological response to a stress). However, beyond a certain amount, this positive response can turn detrimental for some. Let’s take an example of an extremely high oxalate food, spinach. You can actually feel the spinach crystals on your teeth when you eat cooked spinach. It is a slight gritty coating on your teeth. If you eat this vegetable seasonally, depending on where you live, you may only have this high oxalate food for a few months out of the year. The rest of the year, you may be favoring a lower oxalate food that is in season like Dino Kale, thus creating a natural balance between a low and high oxalate food. The seasons and where you live are working with you to create a balanced diet.
How many of us go into the store and buy the same 5 veggies and 5 fruits each time? I think the system can get overloaded with the same foods and cause issues ranging from digestive upset to joint pain and anxiety. Couple increased food exposures with poor preparation techniques and increased gut microbiome issues we see in the modern world, it is no wonder why we are seeing so many people needing to go on more extreme diets.
As the season changes, please start to think about eating seasonal. I don’t mean just eat seasonal, but really think about what that means and why it is important. And make a plan for the fall season. Research your area, get to the Farmer’s Market and see how you can start to rotate some of your foods. I will be doing the same!
It is pumpkin spice season for a reason after all :-).
Don’t forget to prepare for the upcoming cold/flu season with Dr. Sherri’s Immune Tonic.
Take care of yourself,
~ Dr. Sherri
Clinic update:
If you haven’t been to our new clinic space, please come visit! It is not only beautiful, it has a wonderful energy to it. We have a passionate and close team (MD, ND’s, PA, MA, health coach, yoga therapist) that has been working together for many years. We have lunches and dinners there together. We round table about our patients and get excited about future offerings here. Stop in, say hello, visit the dispensary. We will keep you updated on future workshops, IV therapy and fall/winter sauna packages.
We are looking for a personal trainer or Physical Therapist to join our clinic. Our movement room is available for lease and we are looking for a motivated person! If you know of anyone, please send them our way!
We are looking for the right fitness or physical therapy professional to share our healthy space! Work among medical doctors, naturopathic doctors, and health coaches in an amazing healing facility!
The room is 375 square feet with a large window and large sliding doors opening to a natural green space. It is part of our well established holistic healing center and is attached to a full kitchen, bathroom with shower, and offices for our medical and naturopathic doctors, nurse practitioner, health coach and office staff. Our facility offers many perks, including an infrared sauna, migun bed and supplement shop.
The lease would include access to towels, washing machine and dryer, exercise bands, fitness balls, bosu ball, aeropilates machine with rebounder, free weights, yoga mats, exercise mats and built is stereo system. There are options to mount TRX straps and bring in other equipment.
Lease options are as follows: