It’s a natural instinct to not want to be eaten.
Plants share this instinct, and as a result, they have protective measures that make sure they don’t go down without a fight – and trust me, you’ll know about it.
This “protective measure” is known as lectins, and all plants contain them. But because some plants contain a higher amount of it, it can cause digestive upset in some people.
Thus, the Lectin-Free Diet was born. It’s so popular in fact, that it makes an appearance in the popular Paleo and Whole30 diets that so many people still follow today.
But does avoiding side effects like gas, bloating, and brain fog have consequences?
In order to avoid lectins effectively, a restrictive diet may be necessary.
Going lectin-free can help with health problems like leaky gut and autoimmunity, but like with any restrictive diet, nutritional deficiencies are still possible.
You might not be getting enough fiber
So, choosing what to do next can feel like a double-edged sword.
On one hand, you feel terrible when you eat things like legumes, whole grains, and nuts, but on the other hand, you may be missing out on important vitamins, minerals, and fiber that are an important part of most healthy diets.
I found that adding a resistant starch supplement to my diet not only gave my body the fiber it needed to properly function – it eliminated my brain fog, and improved my gut health, too.
But many of the resistant starch supplements out there actually contained lectins, which canceled out any of the positive effects because of my food sensitivities – so I created my own formula with Jo Supplements.
It’s lectin-free, and has a simple formula WITHOUT all of the inflammatory ingredients I can’t have. You can order your own 3lb container to use in your morning smoothies, or as a flour substitute that comes without the side effects today!
You could be missing out on important vitamins
Besides fiber, many of the foods that contain lectin are also rich sources of protein, B vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.
Did you know that certain genetic variants can make you more likely to be deficient in certain vitamins or minerals?
Combine bad genes with a special diet that cuts out certain foods and it could be a recipe for disaster.
For example, a variant of my VDR gene is associated with decreased calcium absorption. Fortunately, supplementing vitamin C and probiotics can help.
Now I’ve got a diet that works with my body, instead of against it.
Quit the “guessing game”
Here’s the thing – it doesn’t have to be so hard.
When almost everything in the world has been streamlined, why is it that so many people still have no idea why they feel various symptoms, and can never find answers?
To me, it seems obvious, because the answers are already inside of us.
Okay, maybe it sounds a little cheesy…
But it’s true! Do you think lectins are the cause of your symptoms? Get to the bottom of your issues by checking your genes. You’ll get the answers you’re looking for, and health recommendations that are tailored specifically to your DNA.
Your DNA. Your health. Decoded.
It doesn’t get much simpler than that.
