Page 23 - Spring2015

all of the cleansing methods promoted today do acid. Stomach acid is essential for the digestion of Various foods
not cleanse the body of the chemicals that we all proteins. In the presence of adequate stomach
are exposed to. I will explain why most of these acid, the protease enzyme pepsin is produced, are claimed to
methods cause real harm to overall health by which initiates the digestion of protein. clog the colon,
weakening the organs of elimination and ham- When the stomach pH is low enough, that is, but there is
pering or even halting the healing process. when it is acidic enough, enzymes are produced
There is some truth to the saying that you by the pancreas to break down fats, carbohy- no scientific
don’t see the things you aren’t looking for. Af- drates and proteins. When meats or high protein evidence that
ter my epiphany about my mostly vegan diet, I animal products enter the small intestine, pancre- this really
started to see more evidence that this was not atic enzymes that break down fats and proteins
a good way to eat for cleansing or for overall mix with these foods. The amino acids or protein happens.
health. components of the meat are then absorbed by the
My wife and I were amazed when watching small intestine. By the time what is left of the
a documentary on ocean pollution by environ- meat or any animal foods enters the colon (large
mentalist, explorer, and film maker, Jean Michel intestine), it has been completely digested.
Cousteau. Jean Michel found large amounts of Some people do have trouble digesting some
human-made environmental pollutants when animal proteins, especially dairy products, but
testing killer whales and harbor seals. He then the protein that is the most difficult to digest is
decided to test his staff. His vegan-style vegetar- wheat gliadin, a vegetable protein. The food that
ian assistant and her son had the highest level of rots in the colon is the darling of the natural foods
certain environmental pollutants in their bodies, movement: fiber.
while Jean Michel’s other assistant, who stated Here is an interesting fact that contradicts
she ate everything except fish, had low levels. what the “meat-clogs-the-colon” proponents
This point was brought home to me when suggest: protein-rich foods such as meat, poultry,
one of my clients, through testing by a holistic fish, eggs and other animal-source foods cause
doctor, was found to have high levels of a con- the stomach to produce adequate amounts of
taminant from gasoline in her body. She showed stomach acid. Without adequate stomach acid,
me the supplement that was recommended by her the pancreas does not produce sufficient diges-
doctor to remove this toxin from her body. The tive enzymes. If high-protein foods are not eaten,
main active ingredients were two amino acids. digestion suffers due to low stomach acid.
I found it fascinating that these amino acids are Vegan diets are very low in complete pro-
only found in animal products. teins because grains, beans, and vegetables have
very small amounts of proteins. I have found that
MEAT AND THE COLON vegetarian protein sources are good complemen-
Many dietary restrictions are being used tary protein sources if adequate complete protein
today in the name of cleansing. Depending on sources are consumed, ideally from meat, poul-
the teachings of the diet gurus, the avoidance try, fish or other animal-source foods.
of sugar, salt, dairy, saturated fats, all fats, red In my counseling practice I have commonly
meat, all meat, or other categories of foods will found many vegans or near vegans to have di-
be recommended in order to cleanse the body. gestive disorders from a lack of stomach acid
For most people, the foods the diet gurus because of inadequate protein in their diets. Eat-
condemn are handled easily by the body. Various ing some complete protein from animal sources
foods are claimed to clog the colon, but there is at every meal helps you digest all the food in the
no scientific evidence that this really happens. meal more completely.
Vegan advocates promote the idea that meat,
and by association all animal products, rot in the FOOD COMBINING
colon creating toxins, or toxemia, which interfere Closely related to the “meat-and-dairy-rots-
with the elimination of environmental toxins and in-the-colon” theories of cleansing are the food
create illness. In reality, protein-rich foods such combining and acid-alkaline theories. Food
as meats stimulate the production of stomach combining was first popularized by William Hay
Wise Traditions SPRING 2015 Wise Traditions 21

150123_text.indd 21 3/27/15 2:58 AM