Your Wellness Lifestyle Starts HereI come upon a lot of misinformation about a lot of things and the information regarding nightshade vegetables can be confusing. But what does the evidence say?
Nightshade vegetables are the edible parts of flowering plants and are members of the Solanaceae (solan-acee-ay) family. The nightshade family includes over 2000 plants, most of which are not eaten as food, and some of which, such as belladonna, are poisonous.
Nightshade vegetables include white potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, Goji berries, tobacco, and tomatillos. Many herbs and spices are derived from nightshades, including cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, chili powder, and paprika. Several condiments contain nightshades, including hot sauce, ketchup, tomato-based sauces, and salsa.
Nightshade vegetables are staple foods in many cultures, and have been consumed for centuries without side effects. Despite this, some health professionals claim that nightshade vegetables are harmful for people who have certain conditions, and others think that all people should avoid them.
The subject of controversy is nitrogen-containing substances called alkaloids and glycoalkaloids, which are naturally occurring pesticides in these foods. The claim is that they increase inflammation and can cause or worsen conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune diseases. The fact is that many nightshade vegetables contain phytochemicals that have been shown to be anti-inflammatory, rather than pro-inflammatory, such as capsaicin.
Solanine is one of the glycoalkaloids said to be toxic, but studies in both animals and humans have shown that glycoalkaloids/solanine in potatoes are safe, even when consumed in high doses.[1] [2] Some nightshades, like eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes, do not contain any solanine.
A literature search produced no studies definitively showing that consuming nightshade vegetables causes inflammation or disease. A Google search led to newspaper stories[3] and surveys consisting of self-reported data (notoriously unreliable) by doctors who had a personal interest in the topic because they had arthritis themselves.[4]
Dr. Steven Gundry’s comments about nightshades showed up in the google search results. Dr. Gundry says that nightshades are "aptly named because the word implies danger," and that the alkaloids in nightshades "could inspire people throughout history to consider these as evil plants." Note: it’s unlikely that people throughout history knew anything about alkaloids since the technology to identify them did not exist until modern times).
On his site, Dr. Gundry says concern may be warranted because alkaloids include strychnine, caffeine, nicotine, and morphine which have drug-like effects.[5] Gundry’s article includes many statements unsupported by references, and some statements for which there are citations that are irrelevant or misreported. But by far, my favorite comment is his statement that tobacco is not the only nightshade that contains nicotine – many nightshades do. He says this may be one of the reasons why some people become addicted to nightshades and cannot stop eating them – it’s the nicotine!
The bottom line is that there is no research supporting the idea that nightshade vegetables should be avoided. However, sometimes people with conditions like arthritis sometimes identify specific foods to which they are sensitive. These sensitivities are best identified with an elimination diet, which involves eliminating all but a few foods that are well-tolerated by almost everyone and then re-introducing the other foods one at a time to see if symptoms develop. Many members of Wellness Forum Health have been helped with elimination diets, and the results are highly variable. Some people find that there are no foods to which they are sensitive, while others determine that foods that are not usually on the highly suspect list like bananas and black pepper cause problems. In the case of nightshades, few members have discovered a sensitivity to them, and most of those who have discovered a sensitivity have identified one or two foods, not the entire category.
Elimination diets are difficult and time consuming, so it’s best to adopt a health-promoting diet first, and implement an elimination diet only if symptoms do not resolve after a reasonable period of time.
Nightshades are safe to eat for most people but do be careful. According to at least one doctor, they can be addictive. One you start eating them you may not be able to stop. Maybe that's why I crave potatoes?
[1] Mensinga TT, Sips AJ, Rompelberg CJ et al. "Potato glycoalkaloids and adverse events in humans: an ascending dose study." Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2005 Feb;41(1):66-72.
[2] Phillips BJ, Hughes JA, Phillips JC, Walters DG, Anderson D, Tahourdin CS. "A study of the toxic hazard that might be associated with the consumption of green potato tops." Food Chem Toxicol 1996 May;34(5):439-48
[3] Susannah Meadows "The Boy With a Thorn in His Joints." New York Times Feb 1 2013
[4] Childers NF, Margoles MS. "An Apparent Relation of Nightshades (Solanaceae) to Arthritis." J Neurol Orthoped Med Surg 1993;12:227-231
[5] https://gundrymd.com/nightshade-vegetables/
Nightshade vegetables include white potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, Goji berries, tobacco, and tomatillos. Many herbs and spices are derived from nightshades, including cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, chili powder, and paprika. Several condiments contain nightshades, including hot sauce, ketchup, tomato-based sauces, and salsa.
Nightshade vegetables are staple foods in many cultures, and have been consumed for centuries without side effects. Despite this, some health professionals claim that nightshade vegetables are harmful for people who have certain conditions, and others think that all people should avoid them.
The subject of controversy is nitrogen-containing substances called alkaloids and glycoalkaloids, which are naturally occurring pesticides in these foods. The claim is that they increase inflammation and can cause or worsen conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune diseases. The fact is that many nightshade vegetables contain phytochemicals that have been shown to be anti-inflammatory, rather than pro-inflammatory, such as capsaicin.
Solanine is one of the glycoalkaloids said to be toxic, but studies in both animals and humans have shown that glycoalkaloids/solanine in potatoes are safe, even when consumed in high doses.[1] [2] Some nightshades, like eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes, do not contain any solanine.
A literature search produced no studies definitively showing that consuming nightshade vegetables causes inflammation or disease. A Google search led to newspaper stories[3] and surveys consisting of self-reported data (notoriously unreliable) by doctors who had a personal interest in the topic because they had arthritis themselves.[4]
Dr. Steven Gundry’s comments about nightshades showed up in the google search results. Dr. Gundry says that nightshades are "aptly named because the word implies danger," and that the alkaloids in nightshades "could inspire people throughout history to consider these as evil plants." Note: it’s unlikely that people throughout history knew anything about alkaloids since the technology to identify them did not exist until modern times).
On his site, Dr. Gundry says concern may be warranted because alkaloids include strychnine, caffeine, nicotine, and morphine which have drug-like effects.[5] Gundry’s article includes many statements unsupported by references, and some statements for which there are citations that are irrelevant or misreported. But by far, my favorite comment is his statement that tobacco is not the only nightshade that contains nicotine – many nightshades do. He says this may be one of the reasons why some people become addicted to nightshades and cannot stop eating them – it’s the nicotine!
The bottom line is that there is no research supporting the idea that nightshade vegetables should be avoided. However, sometimes people with conditions like arthritis sometimes identify specific foods to which they are sensitive. These sensitivities are best identified with an elimination diet, which involves eliminating all but a few foods that are well-tolerated by almost everyone and then re-introducing the other foods one at a time to see if symptoms develop. Many members of Wellness Forum Health have been helped with elimination diets, and the results are highly variable. Some people find that there are no foods to which they are sensitive, while others determine that foods that are not usually on the highly suspect list like bananas and black pepper cause problems. In the case of nightshades, few members have discovered a sensitivity to them, and most of those who have discovered a sensitivity have identified one or two foods, not the entire category.
Elimination diets are difficult and time consuming, so it’s best to adopt a health-promoting diet first, and implement an elimination diet only if symptoms do not resolve after a reasonable period of time.
Nightshades are safe to eat for most people but do be careful. According to at least one doctor, they can be addictive. One you start eating them you may not be able to stop. Maybe that's why I crave potatoes?
[1] Mensinga TT, Sips AJ, Rompelberg CJ et al. "Potato glycoalkaloids and adverse events in humans: an ascending dose study." Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2005 Feb;41(1):66-72.
[2] Phillips BJ, Hughes JA, Phillips JC, Walters DG, Anderson D, Tahourdin CS. "A study of the toxic hazard that might be associated with the consumption of green potato tops." Food Chem Toxicol 1996 May;34(5):439-48
[3] Susannah Meadows "The Boy With a Thorn in His Joints." New York Times Feb 1 2013
[4] Childers NF, Margoles MS. "An Apparent Relation of Nightshades (Solanaceae) to Arthritis." J Neurol Orthoped Med Surg 1993;12:227-231
[5] https://gundrymd.com/
Pam Popper, President, Wellness Forum Health
Your Wellness Lifestyle Starts Here
Today’s healthcare system is not about health. It’s about selling a never-ending series of tests, drugs, and procedures to people. “Alternative health” is about selling different tests, supplements, and procedures to people. In order to maximize sales, tests and treatments need to be marketed to the general population, with no consideration about whether or not most people are actually candidates for or can benefit from the services promoted.
I am in the middle of reading "the Myth of Normal, Trama, Illness & Healing in a Toxic Culture" by Gabor Mate (Ma-tay). He confirms what I already have learned and teach, and his insights into the state of our current healthcare system is far encompassing. He writes "I have come to believe that behind the entire epidemic of chronic afflictions, mental and physical, that beset our current moment, something is amiss in our culture itself, generating both the rash of ailments we are suffering and. crucially, the ideological blind spots that keep us from seeing our predicament clearly."
If you have attended my Emotional Eating class, you learned how trauma affects our health in body, mind, and spirit. Mate explores this area in depth, citing numerous studies going back to the 1930s. He also includes case studies from real people proving the effects of trauma experiences and disease.
In the United States, the richest country in history and the epicenter of the globalized economic system, 60 percent of adults have a chronic disorder such as high blood pressure or diabetes, and over 40 percent have two or more such conditions. Nearly 70 percent of Americans are on at least one prescription drug; more than half take two. These are the people who are stuck in the "medical mill" and have accepted their disease because "it runs in the family".
When asked, most people state that they want to be lean and healthy. So why aren’t most people lean and healthy? One factor is misinformation – most of what people hear, read, or are told about diet, health, and medicine is either incorrect or incomplete. But even after being provided with access to accurate and complete information, many people remain overweight and unhealthy. Why? These thinking and behavior patterns are difficult to change. Most of the time we are not aware of these patterns, which results in both confusion and frustration when they have the same unwanted experience (failure to lose weight and/or improve health) again and again.
How do we recognize and change these patterns? First, we must realize the connection between body, mind, and spirit. If one of these areas is not functioning properly, it affects the others. We are a complete being. "What happens in our cells, happens in our souls". Empower yourself to make changes and learn how to be an informed consumer when it comes to health care.
Start with acknowledgement. Admit that you are not moving forward because of your internal dialog and perceptions, not external forces beyond your control.
Become more aware of your thought patterns and change them. Your goal is to change your outlook to one of positive expectation. Remember that for things to change, you’ve got to change. In the absence of significant internal change, things will most likely remain the same.
Figure out the things you need in order to change your outcomes and then relentlessly pursue them. This can include therapy, a support system, reading books, gaining knowledge, finding new doctors, spending less time with some people, and changing your mindset.
Notice when you are starting to resist. Then remind yourself that resistance to doing things differently is what keeps you stuck where you are.
Work on motivation. Identify the reasons you want things to be different than they are now. People with strong reasons for change are more successful in achieving almost any goal than people who have not identified specifically why they want to change. Inadequate motivation leads to failure.
Start practicing self-control. Remind yourself that you really can think differently, change your mindset, make different decisions, and have different outcomes if you choose to do so.
Evaluate yourself and take responsibility for fixing things if necessary. If 90 days from now things are still the same, figure out why and then do something about it.
Decide to live a deliberate life, not a life that happens by default. In the absence of a specific plan for yourself, including a plan for your health, you will be forced to settle for whatever happens to you by chance. Most of the time this does not work out so well. So design your life according to what you want, and then do the things necessary to have it.
Liz Fattore
Nurture Your Health
Licensed Food Over Medicine Professional
Sources: Gabor Mate, Pam Popper
Your Wellness Lifestyle Starts Here
Did you know the human body is specifically designed to extract and utilize nutrients from food? If we truly needed vitamins pills and fortified foods for survival, our species would have become extinct a long time ago.
A few vitamins and nutrients are commonly found in supplements and fortified foods, but there are tens of thousands of nutrients in foods and new ones are still being discovered. These include thousands of flavonoids, hundreds of carotenoids, and tens of thousands of phytochemicals. Nutrients as they occur naturally in food exist in complexes, which are comprised of several nutrients in synergistic form. These are all combined in endless numbers of combinations and delivered to humans in nature’s perfect packages – food!
Nutrients in food work together to supply energy and to facilitate an endless number of biochemical reactions in the over 30 trillion cells that comprise our bodies. Studies have shown that nutrient needs vary from person to person and from day to day based on the environment and changing circumstances.
Foods contain the full spectrum of nutritional complexes and eating them allows the body to choose what it needs, and excrete that which is not needed, a process known as selective absorption. Consuming isolated nutrients leaves the body no choice – it must metabolize what is ingested, which can mean taking the missing co-factors that would normally be "packaged" with these nutrients from the tissues and organs of the body in order to create a recognizable complex. (Stephen Wood, Science News, 1994 July;146(1):3)
Did you know that medical journals are filled with tens of thousands of articles on supplements? Most show disappointing results – the supplement fails to deliver the promised result – but a surprising number report negative side effects. Some studies have even been stopped early because those taking the supplements were worse off than those taking the placebo.
A Cochrane review of 67 randomized trials including over 232,000 people taking antioxidants found that the pills were worthless and added this caution, "Vitamin A, beta-carotene, and vitamin E may increase mortality. Future randomized trials could evaluate the potential effects of vitamin C and selenium for primary and secondary prevention. Such trials should be closely monitored for potential harmful effects. Antioxidant supplements need to be considered medicinal products and should undergo sufficient evaluation before marketing. (Bjelakovic G, Nikolova D, Gluud LL, Simonetti RG, Gluud C. "Antioxidant supplements for prevention of mortality in healthy participants and patients with various diseases." Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008(2). Art. No: CD007176. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007176).
Did you know that most people have not been shown how to lower cholesterol properly? For example, a high-fat diet, regardless of the dietary source of the fat – will elevate plasma cholesterol and contribute to the progression of coronary artery disease. Rudel L, Parks J, Sawyer J. "Compared with Dietary Monounsaturated and Saturated Fat, Polyunsaturated Fat Protects African Green Monkeys from Coronary Artery Arteriosclerosis." Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (Impact Factor: 6). 01/1996; 15(12):2101-10.
Blankenhorn, D.H. et al, "The Influence of Diet on the Appearance of New Lesions in Human Coronary Arteries." JAMA March 23, 1990. 263(12):1646-1652
Degirolamo C, Rudel L. "Dietary Monounsaturated Fatty Acids Appear Not to Provide Cardioprotection." Curr Atherscler Rep 2010 Nov;12(6):391-396 A diet that includes high amounts of animal food, including fish, also contributes to higher plasma cholesterol levels.
Blankenhorn, D.H. et al, "The Influence of Diet on the Appearance of New Lesions in Human Coronary Arteries." JAMA March 23, 1990. 263(12):1646-1652
Degirolamo C, Rudel L. "Dietary Monounsaturated Fatty Acids Appear Not to Provide Cardioprotection." Curr Atherscler Rep 2010 Nov;12(6):391-396 A diet that includes high amounts of animal food, including fish, also contributes to higher plasma cholesterol levels.
Did you know that Vitamin C when taken in supplement form instead of consumed in food often acts as a pro-oxidant (chemicals that induce oxidative stress)? Best to rethink this supplement for daily use. It’s likely that the B vitamins are useless unless B12 is taken due to either a diagnosed deficiency or after adopting an exclusively plant-based diet.
Did you know that Vitamin D toxicity can cause hypercalcemia and acute kidney injury? A recent case report showed a 25-year-old man had taken 50,000 IU of vitamin D daily for seven months in response to diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency. He stopped taking it two weeks before admission to a hospital. At time of admission his serum levels were 126 ng/dL. Twenty-nine days after the last dose, his serum level rose to 492 ng/mL and 81 days after last dose the level was 274 ng/ml.
Vitamin D levels can remain elevated for months after high-dose vitamin D supplementation is stopped. It’s stored in the fat tissue, so accumulation – and toxicity - may not show – at least not immediately – in serum levels.
Vitamin D levels can remain elevated for months after high-dose vitamin D supplementation is stopped. It’s stored in the fat tissue, so accumulation – and toxicity - may not show – at least not immediately – in serum levels.
Liz Fattore
Nurture Your Health
Licensed Food Over Medicine Professional
www.lizfattore.com
Your Wellness Lifestyle Starts Here
In addition to causing significant side effects, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are not very effective much of the time. PPI-refractory gastroesophageal reflux, or reflux that does not respond to drugs, affects about 30% of the patients who have GERD. Almost half of these patients report that continual belching is a problem. Belching is not only a common symptom of GERD, but it can also increase the number and severity of reflux episodes.
An interesting study showed that breathing exercises improved belching and symptoms in patients with PPI-refractory GERD. The study included patients diagnosed with GERD who also reported belching, heartburn, and/or regurgitation even after taking PPIs daily for 12 weeks. Fifteen patients were taught a standardized diaphragmatic breathing exercise protocol, while twenty-one controls were placed on a waitlist. All of the subjects completed questionnaires at the start of the study, after breathing therapy, and then 4 months after therapy ended. The 21 control patients completed an additional questionnaire after their waitlist period, and then were also given breathing therapy.
During the intervention period, 80% of the patients taught better breathing techniques had significant reductions in belching frequency, as compared to only 19% of control patients. Intervention patients also experienced significantly greater reductions in reflux symptoms and more improvement in quality of life than the controls. Patients with the worst symptoms showed the most improvement, and the positive changes were sustained at 4 months after the termination of therapy.
Diaphragmatic breathing was the method used for this intervention, and anyone can learn how to do it. It’s defined as deep breathing that involves contraction of the diaphragm, the muscle located at the base of the lungs. There are hundreds of online videos that demonstrate the practice, but here are some simple instructions:
Most people are "shallow breathers," which means that they use the upper chest to breathe. This results in overuse of muscles in the neck and upper body, and underuse of the diaphragm. Shallow breathing is exacerbated during stressful situations or when people become anxious. Regular practice can make diaphragmatic breathing, a more energizing and restorative form of breathing, the default method. One way to get more practice is to take yoga classes, which almost always include a focus on breathing.
Most of us do not think about breathing much because we do it naturally. But learning better breathing techniques can improve your health in many ways.
Ong AML, Chua LTT, Khor CJL, Asokkumar R, Namasivayam V, Wang YT. "Diaphragmatic Breathing Reduces Belching and Proton Pump Inhibitor Refractory Gastroesophageal Reflux Symptoms." Clin Gastroentol Hepatol 2018 Mar;16(3):407-416.e2
An interesting study showed that breathing exercises improved belching and symptoms in patients with PPI-refractory GERD. The study included patients diagnosed with GERD who also reported belching, heartburn, and/or regurgitation even after taking PPIs daily for 12 weeks. Fifteen patients were taught a standardized diaphragmatic breathing exercise protocol, while twenty-one controls were placed on a waitlist. All of the subjects completed questionnaires at the start of the study, after breathing therapy, and then 4 months after therapy ended. The 21 control patients completed an additional questionnaire after their waitlist period, and then were also given breathing therapy.
During the intervention period, 80% of the patients taught better breathing techniques had significant reductions in belching frequency, as compared to only 19% of control patients. Intervention patients also experienced significantly greater reductions in reflux symptoms and more improvement in quality of life than the controls. Patients with the worst symptoms showed the most improvement, and the positive changes were sustained at 4 months after the termination of therapy.
Diaphragmatic breathing was the method used for this intervention, and anyone can learn how to do it. It’s defined as deep breathing that involves contraction of the diaphragm, the muscle located at the base of the lungs. There are hundreds of online videos that demonstrate the practice, but here are some simple instructions:
Just place one hand on your upper chest and the other on your belly just below the rib cage. Breathe in slowly and deeply, while your chest remains relatively still and your belly rises. Your rib cage may expand as well. Then exhale through your mouth while contracting the abdominal muscles. The belly should return to its original position.
In addition to helping with GERD, deep breathing can slow the heartbeat, lower blood pressure, and reduce stress and anxiety. The technique can also help patients with COPD, who generally have weaker diaphragms, to take in more air with less effort. Most people are "shallow breathers," which means that they use the upper chest to breathe. This results in overuse of muscles in the neck and upper body, and underuse of the diaphragm. Shallow breathing is exacerbated during stressful situations or when people become anxious. Regular practice can make diaphragmatic breathing, a more energizing and restorative form of breathing, the default method. One way to get more practice is to take yoga classes, which almost always include a focus on breathing.
Most of us do not think about breathing much because we do it naturally. But learning better breathing techniques can improve your health in many ways.
Ong AML, Chua LTT, Khor CJL, Asokkumar R, Namasivayam V, Wang YT. "Diaphragmatic Breathing Reduces Belching and Proton Pump Inhibitor Refractory Gastroesophageal Reflux Symptoms." Clin Gastroentol Hepatol 2018 Mar;16(3):407-416.e2
tofu mayo
Ingredients
- 1 package firm silken tofu
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard (can substitute regular mustard)
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor (I use my Ningxia smoothie cup) Puree until smooth and creamy. Store in refrigerator. Use within 10 days.
