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Guest Health Blogger:

At age 57, I have a greater understanding that I have a sensitive digestive system.  Apparently, I am not alone.  74% of Americans are suffering from some sort of digestive disorder and as Dr. Cary Nelson of Probiotic America, points out “All Health Begins in Your Gut.” There is so much written about “Eating Right”, but eating right for one person may not being exactly eating right for another.

Each one of us responds differently to foods so there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to Eating Right.  You have to become an investigator and take a scientific approach to figuring out which foods cause your stomach distress and which ones don’t. Here are a couple of interesting statistics on foods that have surprised me and might intrigue you.

• 50 percent of people have some sort of reactivity to eggs.  I, on the other hand, don’t.
• Fermented foods, which are a great source of probiotics, can actually cause yeast flare ups in people who have an over-abundance of histamines in their system. (I tried fermented foods, but they did not solve my digestive issues)
• Some people with gluten sensitivity are also sensitive to dark chocolate.
• Avocados and coconut water are superfoods and drinks for some people, but cannot be tolerated by others..

While the solutions to fixing your gut are pretty individualized, there are a few agreed upon culprits in destroying your gut according to Dr. Nelson.

He calls these the Big 4 Digestive Destroyers.

• Azodicarbonamide- used in some flours. Banned in other countries.  Allowed in our country
• Diet Soda—Bad bacteria or yeast love the artificial sweeteners in them. Those sweeteners can lead to Leaky Gut Syndrome and actual cause you to gain weight.
• Sugar—Our daily recommendation is 5-8 grams a day. Most of us (even us healthy eaters) can, without knowing, eat more than 40 gram a day.  4 grams is equivalent to one teaspoon, meaning we could be eating 10 tsps of sugar daily, even without eating cakes, candies and drinking sodas.
• Alcohol—kills off friendly bacteria in your digestive tract.

For several months now, I have been investigating different foods and new ways of eating. . I am not much for journaling (which is highly recommended by most nutritionists), but I am an information junkie, so when I read something about let’s say using apple cider vinegar to aid in stomach issues, I try it out. One caution, only try one thing at a time because if you add too many variables, you will never know which one of them worked.

What seems to be working for me might sound odd, but is very common outside of the United States. I am eating dinner in the morning- protein, fat, fiber. While apple cider vinegar did not work for me, drinking warm water with lots of lemons at most meals, has been very helpful. I am chewing my food very carefully and I attempting to be in a relaxed state when eating, which sometimes means eating alone rather than with my family. I am also working to eat fewer processed foods, no gluten and far less sugar. In order to accomplish that, I am reading labels more.  Are you with me on this journey?  Let me know.  I definitely need a Right Food Support Group.