Continue reading »]]> Summary by Kris Lawler, ND

This book is about inflammatory imbalance.  Because the foods we eat are a primary cause of inflammation, making changes in our diet is one of the most powerful things we can do to reduce excessive inflammation.  This is not an extremely restrictive diet.  Most foods can be enjoyed when you learn the trick to balance inflammatory and anti-inflammatory foods.

The IF (Inflammatory Factor) Diet Plan proposes a natural and practical solution for people at risk for inflammatory related illnesses.  This includes heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, autoimmune disease and prostate disease as well as inflammatory conditions such as allergies, food allergies, asthmas, arthritis and obesity.

The IF Diet Plan suggests a safe way to lose weight and feel better with more energy, vitality and mental clarity.  The IF Rating system was developed to help categorize foods as inflammatory or anti-inflammatory.  Each food is assigned an IF Rating number representing the net inflammatory or anti-inflammatory effect of the food.  The foods with positive + IF Ratings are anti-inflammatory and the foods with negative – IF Ratings are inflammatory.

The IF Rating system favors lean protein, fruits, vegetables, cold-water fish and whole grains.  Highly processed foods, hydrogenated oils, saturated fats and sugar are minimized.  The body’s inflammatory response works through two complementary channels:  one is pro-inflammatory and the other is anti-inflammatory.  Our cells produce a variety of pro- and anti-inflammatory channels called prostaglandins using the food we eat as raw material.  These prostaglandins are released into our tissues in response to the immune system’s signals, promoting inflammation when there is danger and quelling inflammation when danger has passed.  Specifically, it is the fatty acids in our foods that our bodies use to make prostaglandins.  Certain types of fatty acids are converted into inflammatory prostaglandins (primarily from the omega-6 family) and the non-inflammatory prostaglandins (primarily from the omega-3 family).  Our goal is to maintain balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory prostaglandins by balancing our intake of Omega 6 and 3 fatty acids.  Most of us eat too many sweets, starches, empty calories, highly processed foods and grains.  We are eating an over abundance of Omega 6 fatty acids as well as consuming animals that are fed the same over abundance of Omega 6 fatty acids.  For instance, fish are being farm-raised on grain instead of consuming algae and smaller fish.  The amount of fat matters, but what kind matters more.  Research shows that diets that are higher in mono-saturated fats (like olive oil) and lower in saturated fats (like animal) tend to reduce inflammation. Inflammation plays a significant roll in all of the most common and serious degenerative diseases.  There is a medical test that measures a compound in the blood that signals the presence of non-specific inflammation long before a serious disease has developed.  The CRP test (C Reactive Protein) has become the standard for measuring systemic inflammation.  Elevated levels of CRP are a serious warning sign indicating an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.  Your medical doctor will make this test available at your request.

Continue reading »]]> Frequently the foods we are sensitive to are foods we ingest every day. Perhaps it’s milk, wheat, soy or eggs. Over a period of time the severe immune reaction to the food will result in more and more local tissue response in an attempt to isolate “the invader” from the rest of the body. As this reaction spreads to surrounding tissues, the symptoms you have will represent the swelling and diminished function of body organ systems. When the lining of your colon swells because of a food you ate, abdominal cramps and diarrhea may fill your day. If the food stimulates a response in the stomach, expect the fires of “acid reflux” to flare.

When we overeat processed foods (that nutrients and enzymes have been “processed” out of) you may exceed the capabilities of your digestive enzymes that the body produces to help digest food. This results in undigested or partially digested food in the intestine. It can pass through the inflamed lining and if the allergic food makes it into your bloodstream, you may experience any or all of these symptoms: sinus congestion, headaches, skin rashes, arthritis, colitis and malabsorption.

A common contribution to “gut inflammation” is an allergic reaction to foods, candida yeast infection, and alcohol consumption.

Continue reading »]]> Candida Albicans is a yeast-type fungus that normally lives in healthy balance in the body. It is found mostly in the intestines, genital tract, mouth and throat. When the *balance is upset an infection results. This is known as Candidiasis and the fungus travels to all parts of the body through the bloodstream. It affects both men and women. In the mouth it is called thrush, while in the vagina it is called vaginitis (yeast infection).

Possible symptoms are: new allergies to foods, fatigue, poor digestion, gas, heartburn, sugar cravings, irritability, frequent headaches, poor memory, “fogged in” feeling, dizziness, recurring depression, urinary tract infection, prostatitis, post nasal drip, habitual coughing, easily catch colds, sore throat, athlete’s foot, fungus toenails, skin rash, psoriasis, cold hands and feet, arthritis-like symptoms. Request a free symptom survey test and consult via e-mail: klnaturopath@aol.com

There are supplements available (click the links below), in addition to special diets and protocols, that will help eliminate yeast overgrowth and rebalance the body ecology.

These are a few of the supplements I use in my practice:

• Candidase
• ViraStop
• ProBio

*The imbalance may result from overuse of antibiotics, immune suppression, drinking chlorinated water (in a restaurant coffee and tea are made from chlorinated water), eating sugar and carbs, or breathing fungal (moldy) air.