HOW CAN THE WORLD'S HEALTHIEST FOODS HELP ME DEVELOP A HEALTHY DIET?

1. Avoid foods to which you are intolerant and/or allergic. First and foremost, you must know your own body and what foods are toxic to your body. Food sensitivities are very individual. You can be sensitive to a food that no one else in your family or groups of friends finds problematic. It's part of why we are all individuals, and you should determine for yourself what foods may be causing damage to your body. Many healthcare practitioners are knowledgeable about food sensitivities and, especially if you are experiencing significant symptoms, you should consider talking with your healthcare practitioner about your diet and suspected food sensitivities.
2. Eat organically-grown foods whenever possible. Especially if you suspect food sensitivities, you should avoid foods with pesticides, artificial colorings and preservatives. These synthetic food additives can cause food sensitivities and may promote the intensity of other symptoms you are experiencing. Avoiding these artificial additives is essential in determining the foods to which you are sensitive and in developing a diet that promotes your optimal health.
3. Support healthy digestion. One way you can support healthy digestion is to ensure you have adequate amounts of digestive factors. After chewing, the food's next stop is the stomach, where an adequate amount of stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) is the next necessity. Stomach acid is required for adequate breakdown of proteins, and without proper breakdown, all proteins are potential antigens and toxic food molecules. Low stomach acid (hypochlorhydria) is common, especially in older people since as we age, we make less stomach acid. Research suggests that as many as half of the people over 60 years old have hypochlorhydria. A variety of factors can inhibit sufficient stomach acid production including the pathogenic bacteria, Helicobacter pylori, and frequent use of antacids. Hypochlorhydria is also associated with many diseases, such as asthma, celiac sprue, hepatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, and diabetes mellitus. Signs of hypochlorhydria include a sense of fullness after eating, bloating, excessive belching, indigestion, multiple food allergies, undigested food in the stool, and peeling and cracked fingernails.In addition to hydrochloric acid, the production of pancreatic enzymes and bicarbonate is also compromised in some people. If necessary, these digestive factors can be replaced with appropriate supplementation. Digestive enzyme support can also be obtained from fresh pineapple or papaya, which contain the enzyme bromelain, and other fresh vegetables and herbs. Processed foods, like canned pineapple, contain little enzyme activity since digestive enzymes are proteins, which are destroyed by heating, such as occurs in the sterilization process. How Does Digestion Work and How Can I Improve Mine? can tell you more about how to support healthy digestion.
4. Support the gastrointestinal barrier. The gastrointestinal cell wall is the barrier between potentially toxic food molecules and the inside of your body; therefore, the integrity of this barrier is vital to your health. Support for the mucus that covers the cells in the gastrointestinal tract is very important, especially in the stomach. The mucus layer is one way the stomach and upper small intestine protect themselves against the damaging effects of stomach acid. Alcohol, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs, called NSAIDS (e.g., aspirin), and the pathogenic bacteria, Helicobacter pylori can all reduce the mucous layer, leading to lesions in the stomach and small intestinal tract walls. Choline provides nutritional support for a healthy mucous layer and is found in vegetables such as cauliflower and lettuce. Choline can be obtained from lecithin (phosphatidylcholine) as well, which is high in eggs and soybeans. Some foods also help combat or protect against the damage of Helicobacter pylori; these include catechins found in green tea, some spices such as cinnamon, carotenoids found in vegetables, and vitamin C, found in many fruits and vegetables.

Use the World's Healthiest Foods' recipes to ensure that you get the essential nutrients to promote good health while on the Elimination Diet. These nutrient-dense foods have the power to help you look and feel your best, and they can provide long-term health benefits including reducing your risk of health problems. If you have a specific health or eating concern, you should also visit the pagesHow to Use the Power of the World's Healthiest Foods to Stay Healthy, and What Foods are Good for My Immune System? for more information on foods that prevent disease, so you can develop a diet to support your optimal health, while avoiding those foods to which you are sensitive.