Brown Rice for better health

[Mayb]

My blood type food, and food from my blood tolerancy test cosnisting different type of food , except brown rice and some sorts of fruit.

 

[adam7117]

For me it wasn't feeling hungry, it was feeling an increase of inflammation. Aching joints, foggy brain, sluggish.

Yes, those are more the symptoms that I am feeling today -- I can also now add diarrhea to the list as well.

Oh dear, it's certainly not looking good for the brown rice fast. Hats off to you for giving it a go!

Even though I like brown rice very much and it's easy to be imaginative with it - for some reason - I tend to avoid it. It makes me feel a little heavy and bloated, which is a surprise - but now with the information on lectins, it makes a bit more sense. Just eat too much of it.

Recently, I have taken to pastas made out of buckwheat. The brand I'm using is 80% buckwheat and 20% rice and my body seems to like that a lot better.

Then, I was reading "Detoxification and Healing" and the author mentions that some people can't eat rice - or too much of it - because of the lectins in the rice.

Have a look here:

http://www.owenfoundation.com/Health_Science/Lectins_in_Foods.html

You'll see that rice is agglutinating for all blood types.

Indeed, and according to that source so are all the bean types - except mung beans. And what a shock about the lentils - they get 4 pluses! I've gotta say that my body does not tolerate either beans nor lentils - tried lentils for the first time during the holiday break and my intuition was right, no go (I'm O+).

Personally, baby green beans, chickpeas and peas seem OK and I like them a lot - but the source rates them as loaded with lectins... This is where the Blood Type diet works for me (D'Adamo rates them as neutral).

So it's getting a bit confusing. Probably, trying things out to see how they feel is the way to go - would you agree? I guess, in that case we ought to look for a light satisfied feeling - as opposed to bloated farty foggy sensations... And again, probiotics seem to be a major key here, as per Psyche's post...

There is one more thing about the above source - a couple of foods have "lysis" next to them. What does it mean? Is this referring to cell damage?

Lysis (Greek λύσις, lysis from lyein = to separate) refers to the death of a cell by breaking of the cellular membrane, causing the contents to spill out, often by viral, enzymic or osmotic mechanisms that compromise its integrity. A fluid containing the contents of lysed cells is called a "lysate".

I'm a bit concerned because I use a lot of rosemary and thyme in my cooking!
(Lysis list: basil, savoy cabbage, passion fruit, rosemary, thyme)

 

[Laura]

OK, thanks anart -- I hadn't missed the thread, but the family menu is a matter of some negotiation right now. I am actually lucky because my wife is generally going along with most of the changes I am trying to introduce, but as she is not involved here and therefore less-motivated, I have found that in order to make the most permanent changes in our diet, I have to compromise to a certain extent and introduce them one at a time. If I try to do it all at once, she feels that I'm pushing too hard and fights it. At this point we are dairy-free and gluten-free, and I'm working toward eliminating corn and soy (soy is going to be the biggest challenge since my wife is from Taiwan, but we have at least replaced soy milk with rice milk and she has agreed to cutting down on using soy sauce in cooking, although it hasn't been completely eliminated yet). The bean curd issue worked out for me personally last night since I am on the brown rice fast, but hopefully we will eventually move away from that as well collectively. My daughter is working on a persuasive essay for her Language Arts class right now about eating correctly, and one of her paragraphs is about soy, so I am hoping that will make her a bit more amenable to cutting it from our diet as well.

Keep in mind that the Oriental use of soy is very different from the Western use. Yes, it probably contributes to the small size of many orientals, but some of the fermented versions of it make it usable as a food source. It's not ideal, but about every culture has "survival food" that they have developed during hard times and then later use as the focus of a cuisine style. That's probably the case for soy in the Orient. And old habits die hard: witness our attachment to so many things that are very bad for us. Of all of them, I think that wheat and dairy are at the top of the list.

 

[Laura]

Yes, Adam7117, it sure can get confusing unless you just keep in mind that everyone is different and individual and we all need to try things/test things with a good knowledge base. This latest book I read really emphasizes that point: "Detoxification and Healing." I wish everyone would read this one! After reading about 50 books on the related topics, I can say this one is tops! If you can only read one, this one would be it. Lots of foundational information and easy to understand explanations and some of it pretty funny to boot! I learned things I never read anywhere else. He also emphasizes - and illustrates why - everyone is different and no hard and fast rules can apply. Yes, there are general trends, but every person needs to learn the basics and find out what works best for them.

 

[Gaby]

There is one more thing about the above source - a couple of foods have "lysis" next to them. What does it mean? Is this referring to cell damage?

Pretty much. I wonder where this table came from. Sometimes lysis can mean destruction of the cells by a bad technique ("mishandling" the blood sample), which means that the testing has to be done again. But I don't think they would had added that to the results, they would had repeated the test.

I search around for your favorite spices and their possible lectin mediated problems, but couldn't find anything. I'm not sure what happened here. Is this an immune mediated lysis? Are we missing something obvious?

 

[3DStudent]

Hmm, in the beginning of this thread I was thinking that brown rice is the next super food. And this I took well because I eat a lot of it. But now I'm beginning to think it's not as good as I thought with the agglutination. I've been enjoying beans too, but it seems they "gum up" the cells too. So I guess buckwheat is the only super food that you can enjoy a lot of.

I'm writing this because I eat the same big batch of a mix of food each week which is mostly rice and beans with some vegetables. I haven't officially started the Ultrasimple diet yet so I didn't know that the rice is limited there. I also seem to not be too aware of how I react to foods. Maybe it's a subtle thing or I need to start a true elimination diet. Though I've been generally following the detox diet, which looks similar to the elimination diet.

 

[1984]

FWIW, I have been taking a product for several months now called Lectin Lock. It's main ingredient is bladder wrack (a seaweed). It does seem to help me with the bloated feeling (one of the symptons of lectin) that I get from brown rice. I do follow the Ultra Simple diet amount of 1/2 cup twice a day but I still feel bloated though (even with that small amount) if I don't take the lectin lock product.

Here's some information on it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fucus_vesiculosus

Fucus vesiculosus, known by the common name bladder wrack, is a seaweed found on the coasts of the North Sea, the western Baltic Sea, and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, also known by the common names black tang, rockweed, bladder fucus, sea oak, black tany, cut weed, dyers fucus, red fucus, and rock wrack. It was the original source of iodine, discovered in 1811, and was used extensively to treat goitre, a swelling of the thyroid gland related to iodine deficiency. In the 1860s, it was claimed that bladder wrack, as a thyroid stimulant, could counter obesity by increasing the metabolic rate and, since then, it has been featured in numerous weight-loss remedies.

 

[Gaby]

FWIW, I have been taking a product for several months now called Lectin Lock. It's main ingredient is bladder wrack (a seaweed).

That is interesting, I stumbled upon this product today while searching about lectins. I was wondering about personal experiences with it and here you are :)

 

[abstract]

The outcome of the experimentation is quite intruiging. There's always a bigger fish.

 

[shijing]

For me it wasn't feeling hungry, it was feeling an increase of inflammation. Aching joints, foggy brain, sluggish.

Yes, those are more the symptoms that I am feeling today -- I can also now add diarrhea to the list as well.

Oh dear, it's certainly not looking good for the brown rice fast. Hats off to you for giving it a go!

Thanks -- actually, one of the things I wasn't sure about was whether my symptoms were due to me not dealing well with brown rice, or due to flushing toxins (the point of the fast). I experienced the same symptoms again today, although not quite as severe, and the diarrhea isn't continuous -- just once at the beginning of the day (don't mean to be graphic, but I figure its germane to the conversation). So I am not sure how to interpret what's going on. In any case, tomorrow is my last day, so hopefully I will have cleaned some toxins out and not damaged my intestines with lectins, if I am indeed sensitive to them.

Keep in mind that the Oriental use of soy is very different from the Western use. Yes, it probably contributes to the small size of many orientals, but some of the fermented versions of it make it usable as a food source. It's not ideal, but about every culture has "survival food" that they have developed during hard times and then later use as the focus of a cuisine style. That's probably the case for soy in the Orient. And old habits die hard: witness our attachment to so many things that are very bad for us. Of all of them, I think that wheat and dairy are at the top of the list.

Yes, that is very true, and I appreciate the encouragement about not having completely eliminated soy. I would only say additionally that a bit more vigilance is probably still needed here in the States, because although Asian people who live here bring their cooking traditions with them, the sources for soy products themselves are still somewhat different here than in Asia; on balance the same product in the States will probably be worse than its counterpart in Taiwan (although you can get some things directly imported). So I will continue to try to minimize it, although of all the things on the no-no list, it is probably the thing I miss the most!

 

[theos]

FWIW, I have been taking a product for several months now called Lectin Lock. It's main ingredient is bladder wrack (a seaweed).

That is interesting, I stumbled upon this product today while searching about lectins. I was wondering about personal experiences with it and here you are :)

I've taken bladderwrack as a tea a few times. Whew, that stuff is ...it's got a very strong, funky taste. It was so strong, I conveniently forget to drink any more after trying it for a few days off and on. Here's a bit more about the vitamin and mineral content.

herbwisdom.com/herb-bladderwrack.html

Bladderwrack is rich in iodine, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, sulfur, silicon and iron and high in some B-complex vitamins. It contains moderate amounts of phosphorus, selenium, manganese and zinc and small amounts of vitamins A, C, E and G. It also contains anti-sterility vitamin S as well as vitamin K. It is rich in algin and mannitol, carotene and zeaxantin with traces of bromine.

As far as noticing any results. I didn't take it long enough to find out. Now that I see that it can lock lectins I may try it again. A naturopath that I visited told me I don't digest any grains well, not just wheat, so I cut down from having it nearly every day.

 

[Gaby]

There is one more thing about the above source - a couple of foods have "lysis" next to them. What does it mean? Is this referring to cell damage?

Pretty much. I wonder where this table came from. Sometimes lysis can mean destruction of the cells by a bad technique ("mishandling" the blood sample), which means that the testing has to be done again. But I don't think they would had added that to the results, they would had repeated the test.

I search around for your favorite spices and their possible lectin mediated problems, but couldn't find anything. I'm not sure what happened here. Is this an immune mediated lysis? Are we missing something obvious?

I asked the administrator of the website, and she/he was very kind to respond:

Hi,

The cells rupture in lysis. Their ‘skins’ dissolve. However, please realize that foods (and their lectins) do not come into contact with the blood cells in your body. Lysis only happens when blood is drawn from the body and placed on a microscope slide with the lectin.

Hope this answers your question.


Admin
Owenfoundation.com

So yeah, the cells were damaged. It seems they are not aware of leaky gut though. Still, the spices and the cabbage listed that had lysis are not typically problematic foods. They are considered healthy. So I'm not sure. Perhaps a good experiment is to do an elimination diet (Ultra simple diet) for a week, eliminating also these "lysis food items" for a week, and then re-introduce them, one food item/spice at a time and see what happens. When re-introducing, having a generous amounts of the food. Then everybody will know better if they tolerate them fine or not.

In my case, I do have allergies to spices and I can't tolerate cabbage either. Doing a "fast" with cabbage and grapes, I started to get more inflamed, bloated and was putting weight. I had to stop. But I have lots of allergies, I have the "hay fever" allergies (oral allergy syndrome) and I can't tolerate most of the food items listed in the birch pollen family, specially in the high season and were they aren't cooked:

_http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/tipcon/orale.shtml

Oral allergy syndrome

Oral allergy syndrome is an allergic reaction to certain proteins in fruit, vegetables and nuts.

This condition is called “oral allergy syndrome” because it usually affects the mouth and throat.

People affected with oral allergy syndrome

Oral allergy syndrome is nearly always preceded by hay fever. It also tends to occur most often in older children and adults.

It is usually associated with birch-pollen allergies but it can also affect people with allergies to the pollens of grass, ragweed (more common in North America) and mugwort (more common in Europe). These reactions can occur at any time of year but are often worse during the pollen season.

Symptoms may include

* itching and burning of the lips, mouth and throat
* watery itchy eyes
* runny nose
* sneezing

Symptoms usually develop within minutes of eating or touching the food, but occasionally occur more than an hour later.

For some people, peeling or touching the offending foods may cause a rash, itching or swelling where the food touches the skin.

More serious reactions can include hives and swelling of the mouth, pharynx and windpipe.

In rare cases, severe allergic reactions have been reported, such as

* vomiting and diarrhea
* bronchial asthma
* generalized hives
* anaphylactic shock

Reactions to fruits and vegetables associated with oral allergy syndrome

Not all reactions to fruit and vegetables are associated with oral allergy syndrome.

A variety of fruit, vegetables and their juices sometimes cause skin rashes and diarrhea, especially in young children. These include

* apples
* grapes
* oranges
* tomatoes

Strawberries occasionally cause hives.
Food involved in oral allergy syndrome

Food associated with birch, ragweed, grass and mugwort pollen are listed in the following table.

Because the allergenic proteins associated with oral allergy syndrome are usually destroyed by cooking, most reactions are caused by raw food. The main exceptions to this are celery and nuts, which may cause reactions even after being cooked.

Some plant parts, such as the skin, may be more allergenic than other parts.

The allergic characteristics of some fruit seems to decrease during storage.

Foods associated with oral allergy syndrome, which could cause anaphylactic reactions, include:

* beans
* celery
* cumin
* hazelnut
* kiwi
* parsley
* white potato

FOOD MOST COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH BIRCH, RAGWEED, GRASS AND MUGWORT POLLENS Allergies to this type of Pollen May also trigger an allergic reaction to these foods
Birch Fruits: apple, apricot, cherry, kiwi, nectarine, peach, pear, plum, prune
Vegetables: anise, beans, caraway, carrot, celery, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, green pepper, lentils, parsley, parsnips, peanut, peas, potato, tomato
Nuts: almond, hazelnut, walnut
Seeds: sunflower
Grass Fruits: kiwi, melon, orange, tomato, watermelon
Mugwort Fruits: apple, melon, watermelon
Vegetables: carrot, celery
Ragweed Fruits: banana, cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon
Vegetables: cucumber, zucchini

Source: Zarkadas M, Scott FW, Salminen J, Ham Pong A. Common Allergenic Foods and Their Labelling in Canada - A Review. Canadian Journal Allergy & Clinical Immunology 1999; 4:118-141.

 

[Gaby]

Now that I see that it can lock lectins I may try it again. A naturopath that I visited told me I don't digest any grains well, not just wheat, so I cut down from having it nearly every day.

That sounds good, I would like to try it as well.

 

[glinda]

I'm going to try this diet for my son, who suffers from IBS. He has cut out gluten and now after a horrible 2 week on and off battle of cramping and diarrhea, he has cut out dairy. I like how one of the participants of your study used the brown rice fast for a day or two after bad episodes to calm down her system. Maybe this is what he needs to do. He won't go on an ellimination diet, but this might be something he will do. He's home sick again today, so I'm going to present this information to him and see if he'll do the fast. Thanks!

 

[Vulcan59]

Hi ChrisHealy,

Welcome to the forum. :) We recommend all new members to post an introduction in the Newbies board telling us a bit about themselves, and how much of the work here they have read. Have a browse through that board to see how others have done their intro post. Thanks.