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The Value of Listening To Your Body

If pressed to name just one thing that you can do to improve your health, it would be this:

Don't ignore discomfort; whenever you don't feel well, try to identify and address the root cause(s) of your symptoms.

Conventional medical practice would have us believe that prevention entails being diligent in going for regular diagnostic testing - let's be clear that this is screening for disease once it is already well under way, which is quite different from exercising true prevention of disease.

Consider undergoing a colonoscopy and finding widespread inflammation, ulceration, and polyps. These findings indicate that your gastrointestinal tract has been stressed beyond its normal capacity for a long while now, likely years.

What do you mean this has been going on for a long time? If I was developing these ulcers and polyps years ago, wouldn't I have felt something?

All of us have unique genetic dispositions that dictate how much feedback we receive from our organs. But by and large, all of us do experience warning symptoms, the most common symptoms of gastrointestinal distress being stomach pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and excessive gas. Mucous or blood in the stools are more obvious signs of an unhappy GI tract.

Rather than carefully consider which foods are the root causes of these and other common symptoms, some of us come to accept them as being normal, or just annoyances that are easily brushed away with over-the-counter or prescription meds.

If you experience stomach discomfort in any form after a meal, it's important to consider the possibility that your GI tract may not be able to properly digest something you ate.

Sounds simple, right?

Sadly, I have seen literally thousands of people over the years who don't do this. They haven't been taught to try to figure out which foods and drinks allow them to feel comfortable, and which of their daily food choices create discomfort.

Like the 48-year old female nurse who, in reporting chronic bloating and excessive gas production for the better part of her adult years, was astounded to lose 25 pounds in two months and have her abdomen feel perfectly comfortable after committing to avoiding all dairy and gluten.

Or the 28-year old post office worker whose decade-long battle with cystic acne melted away within two months of staying away from all highly processed foods and eating nothing but vegetables (raw and cooked), fruits, legumes, rice, quinoa, millet, potatoes, hard squashes, organic eggs, salmon, almonds, and soups made with a wide variety of vegetables and beans.

For these and countless other people I have worked with, until they took time to understand the intimate connection between their diet and health, it wasn't obvious to them that they couldn't restore their health without identifying and avoiding foods that their bodies were not tolerating.

But I've never eaten a food that has made my stomach unhappy - my abdomen feels perfectly comfortable all the time, so why do I still have problems with my heart, lungs, kidneys, skin, hair, joints, nose, ears, and pharynx?

It's possible that your genetic disposition is such that your GI feedback system isn't as sensitive as that of the average person. But it's more likely that over time, your feedback mechanisms have given up, much like how a smoker's body gradually stops giving feedback via coughing, mucous production, and tearing of the eyes as the smoker continues inhaling tobacco.

So while you may not experience gas, bloating, and abnormal bowel movements when you ingest foods that your body can't optimally use, don't be fooled into thinking that these foods can't contribute to a wide range of health problems.

That's right - having a latte or yogurt or any other food made with pasteurized and homogenized dairy on a daily basis may be the sole cause of your recurrent sinusitis, nasal congestion, ear infections, laryngitis, eczema, hyperhidrosis, joint pain, itchy skin, or other types of inflammation. It's possible that pasteurized and homogenized dairy isn't a root cause of your chronic health woes, but the point is that it serves you well to be open to this possibility and to carefully observe the timing of your flare-ups in relation to the foods that you eat.

In my experience, in the absence of regular exposure to an obvious household or environmental toxin, pasteurized and homogenized dairy is the most common root instigator of an inflammatory response in the body. So where there is a chronic or recurrent health challenge, I strongly encourage my clients to go 60 to 90 days without any dairy to observe how their bodies react.

How in the world can dairy and unfermented gluten cause some area in my body that is far removed from my gastrointestinal tract to get inflamed?

Casein and whey in pasteurized and homogenized dairy, as well as unfermented gluten in many grains are not the same nutrients that they were on the farm fifty or more years ago; today, with factory farming and genetically modified organisms, they are grossly adulterated pseudo-nutrients that act as antigens that stimulate antigen-antibody complex formation.

Put another way, for most of us, intake of casein, whey, and gluten stimulates inflammation. As your body tries to encapsulate and eliminate these antigen-antibody complexes within your bloodstream, some of them inevitably get deposited in your tissues, where they cause inflammation and damage; which tissues tend to receive the most deposits varies from person to person and may be determined by genetic predisposition. In any case, this is how regular intake of homogenized and pasteurized dairy and gluten can create chronic or recurrent inflammation anywhere in your body.

Of course, this is just part of what happens when you ingest foods that you can't use. The main idea to digest is this: when any aspect of your health is suffering, your first thought should be to identify foods and drinks in your diet that may be the root stimuli of inflammation.

What's the big deal? Even if the cream in my three cups of coffee and the many servings of wheat products that I eat daily are causing inflammation, if I can manage my discomfort with medication, why can't I continue to enjoy myself?

This is precisely the road that many people choose to take. They'd rather continue to stick with the status quo of eating and drinking their comfort foods and beverages, and leave it to their doctors and medications to deal with uncomfortable symptoms that come up.

Regrettably, choosing this road inevitably leads to worsening of overall health. Taking pain medication might numb you to inflammation brought on by foods that your body can't optimally use, but your organs have to pay the price that comes with dealing with these undesirable substances.

Let's give dairy and gluten a break for a moment and consider the effects of regularly eating sugary foods or meats that are cooked at high temperatures - eating such foods is a reliable way to put significant strain on your liver. Unfortunately, your liver isn't designed to produce clear feedback; it's a mighty resilient organ that has to process the bulk of the nutrients that enter your bloodstream from your diet, so your liver does its best to parry the burden of excess sugar, damaged cholesterol, and free radical-laden fatty acids while continuing on with its processing responsibilities.

After several years of being stressed by a poor diet, you might see the effects of liver dysfunction as jaundice. Or you might find out from your physician that your abdominal exam and blood work show signs of a fatty liver - that is, a state of enlargement from chronic abuse.

If you continue to ingest foods and beverages that are harmful to your liver, you'll likely develop enough scar tissue within your liver to cause liver failure, a condition called cirrhosis.

To reiterate the central point: the best way to improve your health is to be alert to what your body is telling you on a moment-to-moment basis. No physician in this world is more capable of restoring and maintaining your health than you. You have to figure out how to eat and live in a way that allows you to be emotionally balanced, mentally alert, physically fit, and physically comfortable. You have to decide that it's not normal to live with chronic aches and pains, and that each "niggle" is your body letting you know that something within your life has activated an inflammatory response.

If you're sufficiently motivated to minimize premature aging and illness by being mindful of your daily food choices, you might find the following list of nutrient-dense foods worth reviewing; these are foods that are typically well digested by the masses. But as you go through this list, please keep in mind that you still have to stay alert to your body's feedback and make adjustments as necessary.

GRAINS

Rice
Quinoa
Buckwheat
Millet (actually a seed, but typically used like a grain)

VEGETABLES

Lettuce
Carrots
Celery
Cabbage
Cucumber
Bok choy
Zucchini
Beets
Jicama
Sweet potatoes
Hard squashes
Yellow, red, and green onions
Garlic
Basil
Cilantro
Parsley
Chives
Radish

FRUITS

Avocado
Apple
Banana
Pear
Berries
Grapes
Melon
Mango
Papaya
Coconut
Olives

LEGUMES

Chickpeas
Lentils
Black Beans
Kidney Beans
White Beans
Green Peas

Please keep in mind that your digestive capacity changes all the time. The goal is to consistently choose foods that leave you feeling light and comfortable within. If your GI tract is currently in a weakened state i.e. if you regularly experience stomach pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, or other common symptoms of indigestion, initially, you might find that your body prefers mainly cooked foods, as heat breaks down natural fibers in plant foods, rendering them easier to digest; any loss in heat-sensitive nutrients is more than compensated for by better overall digestion.

What about nutrient-rich plant foods that aren't on the list above, foods like tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, fennel, spinach, kale, and organic soy? Or what about "clean" animal foods like organic eggs, raw, organic dairy, wild fish, and organically raised flesh meats? And how about common nuts and seeds?

All of these other foods may be just fine for your physiology. As your appetite dictates, you can try any minimally processed foods that are available to you. If you really listen, your body will let you know which foods can remain on your menu for now. Keep in mind that just because a particular food doesn't work today doesn't mean that you can't have it at some point in the future. I've had countless clients whose tolerances changed as their health changed. Stay open and listen.

Also keep in mind that a fair test for any food requires that you chew well (until liquid is best) and that you are physically and emotionally at rest as you're eating. Without these conditions, a food that your body is perfectly capable of digesting and using as healthy fuel may remain partially undigested in your GI tract, which is the beginning of trouble.

If you're looking to make a dedicated effort to getting comfortable and healthy from the inside-out, it's best that you keep your diet simple, meaning that you shouldn't eat too many types of foods in one sitting. Initially, you might even try eating just one food per meal. For example, you could try eating three bananas for breakfast on day one. Then have two bananas and half an avocado on day two. The day after that, assuming that you felt comfortable with both bananas and avocados, you can add blueberries, or perhaps some organic eggs. By adding just one new food at a time in this systematic way, you have a good shot at attributing any symptoms of discomfort to specific choices.

If this effort is unrealistic given your circumstances, just try avoiding all forms of dairy and gluten - this action step is often enough to allow dramatic improvement in health.

Yes, I have seen recurrent ear infections go away on a dairy-free diet.

Yes, I have witnessed eczema disappear on a dairy-free diet.

Yes, I have had clients who made full recoveries from irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's after eliminating unfermented gluten and pasteurized dairy from their lives.

Yes, I have had patients who were urged to consider joint replacement surgery return to playing tennis three times a week (with their original joints) after moving to a plant-centered diet, free of dairy, gluten, and processed sugar.

Yes, I have seen chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia become non-issues within two to three months of avoiding dairy and gluten and proper supplementation with vitamin D-3.

I could go on, but the point is this: what you put in your mouth each day is arguably the single greatest determinant of the health of all of your body parts - your skin, hair, eyes, nose, sinuses, ears, mouth, throat, all of your internal organs, glands, joints, nervous system, and all other groups of cells not mentioned here.

If you have a health problem and you're serious about getting well, it's highly worthwhile to give full priority to figuring out which foods to eat and which ones to avoid.

I hope that this post proves to be useful.

 
 

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Comments

Awesome article! Sending it to everyone I know. One question, however. This is never mentioned when recommending dairy free diet. Does that include goat milk? I don't see goats in dairies... even if it is "homogenized" goat milk, does it contain the whey and caesin that cow's milk does, that is so unhealthy?

Thank you for all you give us. God Bless you and yours.

Hi Marjorie,

Yes, unfortunately, goat milk also contains casein and whey, slightly less casein than cow's milk, but a good amount nonetheless. When goat milk is homogenized and pasteurized, it is best to avoid if you have any chronic symptoms of dis-ease.

Ben

I love the information in this article about determining which foods are helpful or harmful to one's health! But I have a problem implementing the recommendations: specifically, I use store-bought dairy - daily - for something to put my freshly-ground flax seed on. The flax seed gets gummy in a liquid and is hard to eat on something dry. Yogurt is an ideal consistency. Is there something healthier that I can use instead? Thanks!

Hi Susan,

How about almond or rice milk? Or even a smoothie made with bananas, berries, and non-dairy milk?

I hope this helps

Ben

Hi,

Dark chocolate almond milk blended with ice, banana, even a frozen one chopped up, and ground flax seeds or flax oil is one of my favorite things. Takes the cravings for sugar away also.

Well yeah the sugar craving would be satisfied, because the chocolate almond milk, and banana, have a good amount of sugar in them. O.o

Hi Susan,
I've been using ground flax in my breakfast every day for over a decade. I will add it to my smoothie, mix it into my cooked oatmeal, or simply stir it up with some almond, rice or soy milk and let it gel like a pudding (I'll add some chia seeds as well in that case). It works well in any of those--no need for dairy! :)

I have been making my smoothies with non sweeten coconut milk, a frozen banana and some blueberries or other berries. I also add some ground up flax seed. A handful of romaine lettuce and a few chucks of pineapple are great too.

Susan. I put milled flax seed on my salads, in my greens, smoothies, oatmeal, and I make a dehydrated cracker with it. Hope that helps!

Thanks Dr.Kim,
As someone who was diagnosed 9 years ago with ulcerative colitis and told they would be on meds for the rest of their life I want to commend you for this article and urge those with g.i. issues to take it seriously. After thoroughly researching the colitis issue I found a "diet" called the simple carbohydrate diet that was based on cutting out ALL dairy, wheat, sugar and starch out of your diet for a year.I did exactly that and except for the occasional relapse am now colitis free and have been for 7 years.I have added sugar and starch back to my diet in minimal amounts but not gluten or dairy. I make my own bread out of almond flour and use almond or coconut milk .
Gratefully,
anne

Very inspiring, Anne. I'm sure that it was a lot of work and sacrifice, but totally worth the effort.

Thanks for sharing.

Ben

Dr Kim,

What are your thoughts on sprouted wheat berries ground into flour? I've used the alternatives, rice, buckwheat, coconut but am always less than satisfied with the quality of the product even when mixed and xantham gum is added. My family just doesn't eat it. If we currently don't have major medical issues, would incorporating sprouted wheat into our diet be healthy? If not, I understand but I noticed you didn't mention it in your list of grains above. Thanks
so much for your reply.

Hi Anne, Is this the Specific Carbohydrate Diet you referring to?? I started it yesterday and am therefore inspired to hear of positive results.
I was diagnosed with UC 2.5 years ago..
Thanks
Divya

Hi Anne,

I have been baking 100% whole wheat bread, that I love, but I would like to try baking bread with almond flour instead of whole wheat because of the gluten. Would you share your almond bread recipe?

Many thanks,
Tracy

what do you recommend to maintain your calcium intake if you eliminate dairy?

Lynda, please review:

http://drbenkim.com/prevent-osteoporosis.html

Hope this helps.

Ben

I have often wondered how to maintain the calcium intake if dairy is eliminated--

Dr. Kim,

I went on a mostly plant based, wheat free diet following a prostate cancer scare, and went from 190 1bs to 170 in about 1 month. I am 6'2" so was not really heavy to begin with. After the initial yuck factor of sprouted bread and fresh vegetables I did acclimate somewhat, and did have more energy and felt better overall.

The problem was at 170, I was rapidly burning muscle tissue as I couldn't eat enough calories to maintain the muscle. I was eating nuts, some organic eggs, pasta, beans etc. was was still losing too much weight.

I am 57 years old and have since gone back to a more traditional diet, and have gained back about 7 lbs.

Any advice on how to maintain weight on a healthy diet would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Hi Brian,

Please review the following:

http://drbenkim.com/how-to-gain-weight.htm

I hope the suggestions there are helpful.

Good luck!

Ben

Generally I found this a very solid piece of good information and advice. Having suffered with gut issues for 15 years I consider myself fairly well informed. One thing I question is eating bananas and avocado together. I am so used to the fact that while on the pH Miracle diet I was taught to focus only on low sugar fruits and especially if there were gut symptoms and not to eat things like bananas except on their own and occasionally when in season and with no evident symptoms. I would be interested to hear comments. As a result of severe stress, heavy metals especially mercury and I think malabsorbtion and leaky gut and nutritional deficiencies I now find myself with a very severe life threatening viral infection which i have no idea how to control. While on the pH programme I have never experienced such a high level of gut health and health in general, but one is not always in control of circumstances no matter how hard one tries. I wish every single person a gift of good health but you must look after your gut. It is the basis of your health. thank you and best wishes for 2013.

Thank you Colleen. Bananas and avocados seem to work well for those with even the most sensitive digestive tracts, so I typically recommend this combination. But you still want to see if it works for you. Good luck.

Have you checked the mold spore level where you live and work? Toxic mold can wreak havoc with anyone's health, incl. in the gut. (Some big building stores have very affordable mold test kits.)
We are breathing in about 11.000 liters of air a day.
You may want to read up on turmeric for the viral infection, and maybe lemon juice. i used lemon juice (in water) and turmeric (in food) to clear up some serious gut trouble that I had for three years! Took some time to get better and now i can eat everything again! All the best.

Thank you Dr. Kim for the article "The Best Way To Get and Stay Healthy!
I love your writing! You make sense of issues like this and your writing makes it so easy to understand. I am wanting to change my diet. I have changed quite a bit over the last year, but I'm having trouble with changing over completely to a non dairy & gluten free diet.

I was looking forward to your newsletter today and you exceeded my expectations! You help me understand that this can be simple to do and I now understand how important it is to listen to my body's feedback.

May you and your family have a Happy, peaceful and prosperous New Year!

With warm regards,

Barb Endicott, LMT, NCBTMB

On the whole, I am a relatively healthy person. I practise sports at least four times a week:gym, jogging and swimming. I am very positive-minded and very sociable. I love my job. However, I am wondering if my breakfast which consists of tea with quite a lot of condensed milk and bread with quite a lot of butter might be responsible for some minor health issues which I chronically experience, notably stomach ache, feeling of discomfort in that region, excessive gas, burning eyes, itching in the groin and rectal area. Could you give me some feedback on this as I have decided to be more health conscious with regard to my diet for 2013. May you have a blessed year.

Have you been checked for yeast overgrowth, candidiasis? It can manifest itself in the symptoms you describe. The yeast thrive on sugars and simple carbs.

hi Ben love your articles and recipes I read them all the time
I'm a ceoliac with also fructose and lactose intolerances so I do find it hard to get into alot of the extra healthy fruits
I try not to eat gluten free products because they contain far worst additives than normal processed foods.
however following these strict diets I still have trouble. I wonder a way of eating herbs and veggies of really healing my gi tract. thank heaps keep up the good articles

hi Ben love your articles and recipes I read them all the time
I'm a ceoliac with also fructose and lactose intolerances so I do find it hard to get into alot of the extra healthy fruits
I try not to eat gluten free products because they contain far worst additives than normal processed foods.
however following these strict diets I still have trouble. I wonder a way of eating herbs and veggies of really healing my gi tract. thank heaps keep up the good articles

I was wondering about your limited list of fruits, excluding berries of all sorts and such things like figs, dates, prunes, etc. Are these fruits which are not well-digested by the general populace? And what about dried fruits (without additives)? Thanks for your feedback. I enjoy your newsletters very much and look forward to reading more on this dairy-free, gluten-free topic.
Happy, healthy 2013 to you and your family!

Hi, can you speak to how to make sure we are getting enough calcium and for teenagers without dairy? I have a spondylolythesis and have to wonder if that happened to me because of lack of bone structure in my vertebrae. Now I want to make sure i get enough calcium. Can you also speak to the forms of calcium and which ones are good for the body...a woman who sells distilled water told me that minerals from water can not be processed by the body and that they lodge into joints. Other people told me that distilled water is dead... This is why, like you suggest, I have looked to my body for advice on what it likes.

Dr. Ben's writing is easy to understand for any ordinary person like me. Filled with information and helpful advice. Excellent!

Such a great article for the New Year! I went gluten-free 15 months ago, and am now almost grain-free. It made a big difference in my gut-health. But recently I developed blepharitis along with a rash on my face & back. Do you think diaay is playing a role?

Dr Kim, what if someone has access to raw milk? I don't use much dairy, as I never cared for it much, and it didn't seem to like me (ezcema outbreaks when I was a kid, and all of us were forced to drink milk for our health).

I have found that at 22, I could no longer digest pasteurized milk easily (severe stomach ache) but fermented dairy was okay (cheese, yogurt). I tried raw milk when I was in my 40s and was able to digest it easily. I still don't use a lot of dairy although I've recently made whey from raw milk and am using that to soak steel cut oats, which I have for breakfast every day.

I know not everyone has access to raw milk, but wonder if the casein and whey made from raw milk more easy to digest since all the enzymes are present?

Please do not drink raw milk. My niece developed TB in a rare lump form from drinking raw milk. They were down one side of her neck and she still has the scars where they were removed and tested.

We've been drinking raw milk for 10 years and never got TB. Also have lots of friends and family who drink raw milk and they are perfectly healthy.

I have dealt with digestive issues for almost 15 years. I tested for a strong wheat sesitivity. I also show various sensitivities to foods that change all the time. Food has become a chore as to choose what to eat. It would be wonderful to learn the guidelines of how to eat and heal my gut. I need information AND specific recipes. I know you can do both. Great job on your newsletter. I read each one with great anticipation. Thank you for encouraging all of us.

Excellent advice! I had already decided to "clean" myself starting this month, and this article only reinforces my conviction that we are what we eat. Good luck to all those who decide to follow this advice.

Dear Dr. Kim,
I'm confused about whey as I've been advised by my naturopath to use a good quality whey powder in my morning smoothie as a protein source. I eat an entirely plant based diet and have for twenty five years. While not a strict vegan I use little dairy, primarily whey, yogurt and some cheeses. Does whey's protein benefit outweigh its inflammation producing potential? Thanks for all your wonderful, positive, informative, health focused newsletters.
Marie

Thanks for the good info on listening to food effects in the body.
Some practitioners recommend alkalizing for optimal
health. Would you please provide some advice on this
approach?

Happy New Year to you and yours Dr Ben.I was sad to read your comments about your articles in your newsletter email today. I can understand that to you it can feel as though your information sharing is becoming repetitive and so somewhat robotic. It helped me to realise that maybe you don't know how inspirational your site has been to me and to others as we opt for a better health outcome for ourselves than the one we have been brought up to accept as normal.I literally feast on your words and share your information widely, and have done so since I discovered your page a few years ago I think. I don't care how often you repeat the words you do - I need to hear them and read them over and over to keep myself on track! There is still such a reliance on the medical model of healthcare - medicating sypmtoms - that I see the people around me continue to be perplexed and continually entertained by their self induced health issues. You are clear, non-sensational, knowledgable and persistent in your message. It is very difficult to go against the majority when good sources of alternative information and products is not readily available.
Warmest appreciation for your work which I see as a most generous act of love for humanity. Blessings to you and your family and support team.

What do you think of amaranth and teff,and kaki, are they healthy?
Thank you, Jacques

Hi there, Dr. Kim. It's nice to know that there are some doctors out there who have a sound understanding of nutrition! One thing I would add to your suggested diet is a dairy-free probiotic. There are now some very high quality ones around, which include multiple strains. For those based outside of North America, you can now buy probiotics that do not require refrigeration (hence they will survive the trip).

(strong>Well done on yet another wonderful article.<strong>

First of all, you could sell your podcasts as pre-sleep relaxation therapy!! Your voice takes this A type personaity to a purring cat.

I am so excited to hear you speak about dairy and gluten free. I have loved your recipes, but needed oil, dairy, and salt free, so McDougall, Barnard and Fuhrman became the heavy hitters in my food world. I have also found that avocado fat does impact my blood pressure. But you are so right, "listen" to the body. I doubt that over my life bananas were a part, however, with frozen ones, they are like Ice Cream. Thanks for all and now await more of your podcasts.
Good health to your family this 2013.

Hi: I just love your newsletters. On the latest newsletter you talk about digestion. I eat very healthy and steam all my food, i.e. veggies, chicken, and fish.

This is a new occurence that I have a gas problem. There is no bloating or pain. I only drink water and sometimes red wine.

Please let me know why this is happening.

Happy New Year

I have taken care of a paralyzed man for almost ten years now. When I first started working for him he was suffering terribly. His kidneys were shutting down. He ended up on dialysis until about six months later when one of his sisters donated her kidney. Since that time, we have discovered that he is gluten intolerant and he also has problems with dairy related foods. He is now on a strict dairy free, gluten free diet; but, we also found that processed foods such as pasta can cause digestive problems. Food is extremely important to our health. I wish everyone was as careful about what they eat as they should be. Our health is the one thing we have that we can influence in a positive manner; no matter what problems we may currently have. Thank you so much for your informative articles. I love reading them and sharing with others. Sincerely, Lydie

I have tried eliminating dairy numerous times, but I end up with nasty fever blisters each time. I can't seem to keep them at bay without a glass of whole milk every day. I've even tried taking enzymes as supplements, but they don't do the trick. I feel better on a non-dairy diet in so many ways, but the fever blisters are just awful.

Hello Elizabeth,

Sorry to hear about your problem. The blisters you experience when you stop dairy is your body's mechanism for ridding you of the toxins created by the milk. So, persevere and stop the dairy altogether. After a week, you should free.

Dab them with a drop of T Tree oil on a Q tip. In the meantime, try Vitamin D 3 drops daily, and milk thistle. Both can be obtained at your local health food store. Let me know how this works.

Hi Elizabeth. The blisters and any other discomfort you may feel is your body taking the opportunity to houseclean. Since you've stopped putting in the bad things which take so much energy to deal with, your body now has the energy to get rid of poisons and toxins it has stored. That's why a person who changes his diet to more natural and more healthy sometimes feels worse for awhile and then thinks its not working. But that's it. It IS working! Just blow through it and hang in there. Soon enough all of that will disappear and you will be operating at a higher level of health. I know because I've been there.

I notice that this list does NOT include ORANGES or PINEAPLE !
My daily "King's" breakfast starts off with a slice of pineapple, and a sliced orange and banana smothered in cream a mix of 18% and 35% whipping cream, followed by sunflower seeds and ground flax plus 100 gms yogurt, followed by porridge with a generous handfull of mixed frozen berries, capped with 100 gms of yogurt. I'm 89 years old -excellent health, active, caregiver to my wife, sing in two choirs. douG

Hello,

Just wondering if anyone has any recommendation about how to avoid smelling like garlic(its like its my pores opening up throughout the night; i wear gloves so my fingers dont smell like it). I use raw garlic in some recipes like salsa, perhaps i put too much but ITS SO GOOD. However the self conscious feeling of having others tell you'they smell something ' is almost not worth the healthy clove. Any suggestions welcome!