On the diet issue, I have been experimenting for many years, dealing with gut issues, for scientific thinking now, which most GPs are not up with. The gut is almost a second brain, with cascading effects on health. Cardio-surgeon/ cardiologist, Steven Gundry, in The Plant Paradox: The Hidden Dangers in “Healthy” Foods that have Caused Disease and Weight Gain (2017), details more concerns about our modern diet. We have all heard of the problems that gluten causes many people, but Gundry believes that gluten is the tip of the iceberg, the real problem being the plant-based protein, lectin. Lectins are found in grains, peanuts, legumes, dairy products, beans and many gluten-free foods. Lectins, he describes as having a spikey shape that can cut through the thin one cell gut lining, leading to inflammation, and at worse, leaky gut syndrome, autoimmune disorders, diabetes and heart disease.
Apparently, Dr Gundry has had a lot of success in helping people regain health and lose weight, including himself. The diet is going to be hard to stick to, since so many foods contain lectins, but one can eliminate the worst, such as beans, tomatoes, and peanuts. It may not be possible to eliminate everything, but reduction is a good strategy, and that includes cooking, and peeling skins, which helps.
