Why Overeating Leads To Disease

​A plant-based diet comprised of whole grains, legumes, seaweeds, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds can assure us more energy, lower risks of cancer, a higher fiber, mineral, and vitamin intake, as well as an overall better mood and quality life which results from a healthy diet. These foods give us balanced proportions of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Though those nutrients are absolutely essential, enormous amounts of these foods can become toxic when we overeat.

Here's how:


1) Proteins Putrefy

The putrefaction of proteins, especially those that are animal-based, will create harmful bacteria and viruses in the intestinal tract. Animal-based proteins are usually very high in fat and contain absolutely no fiber. Fiber triggers peristalsis, the contraction of the muscles in our digestive tract to move waste, so that food does not have time to sit and become toxic. Without fiber, protein becomes toxic, highly acidic, and contributes to a higher risk of colon cancer. Excess protein in the diet will, over time, rob the bones of calcium and sodium to buffer the body's acidity caused by the excess protein. Osteoporosis, mineral deficiencies, and most acidic conditions can usually be traced back to excess protein. Protein also works very hard on the pancreas, liver, and kidneys. Excess amounts create higher amounts of urea and ammonia, all of which has to be processed by the liver and filtered out by the kidneys. Switching to a plant-based diet will greatly lower your protein consumption to a healthier level that leaves your body strong and your organs rested so that they can work well into old age.


2) Fats Turn Rancid

Rancid fats create free radicals which lower our immune system and increase our risk for developing cancer and degenerative disease. Whenever we eat fat, the gallbladder creates bile acids to emulsify the fats so that digestive enzymes can go in and begin the digestion process. This in turn creates secondary bile acids which become carcinogenic when they sit in the digestive tract for too long. For men, food should leave the body within 15-18 hours of eating it, for women it can be between 18-22 hours. This is why plant fats are superior over animal fats. Whole plant fats like nuts, avocados, and olives all contain enough fiber to move the food through the bowels before they become carcinogenic. They are also saturated with antioxidants to protect you against any free radicals that may occur during the digestive process. I advocate only whole plant fats. I do not recommend incorporating plant oils into your regular diet. They are liquid fat concentrates that impede digestion and overburden the digestive organs and enzymes. The only exception to this rule is taking up to 1 tablespoon of raw flax oil a day. This is the only oil clinically studied to dilate the vessels and actually reverse tumor growths. I will write a separate article about the misconception of plant oils, namely olive oil, later this week. 


3) Carbohydrates Ferment


Fermentation of carbohydrates creates a damp, yeasty environment that is perfect for Candida proliferation, as well as other illnesses like cancers. The type of carbohydrates I'm speaking of here are starches and simple carbohydrates. These include whole grains, refined grains, potatoes, dried fruits, high glycemic fruits like bananas and oranges, flour products, all sweeteners (except for raw honey), legumes, corn, and alcohol - especially beer. Our intestines are warm and damp. This is a perfect climate for yeasts and fermentation. When we eat too many starches and refined carbohydrates, they begin to ferment and become like alcohol in our intestines. People with severe candida cannot even process whole grains, as these easily become fermented in a hostile intestinal environment. If you feel dizzy, lightheaded, or surreal after eating potato chips, white rice, or french fries it's because your intestinal tract is literally fermenting and causing your blood alcohol to rise. It's like going out and having a drink. This is a symptom associated with Candida. It can be taken care of by adhering to a strict diet, followed by an herbal and supplemental protocol. For every year you've had the condition, it will take at least one month to begin healing from it. For every month, it can take at least a week. This is usually a good way to gauge the length of healing for an ailment. Systemic illnesses are more unpredictable, in terms of their healing times. Fermentation of refined carbohydrates and starches is why it is so important to eat whole grains and fruits so that our bacteria can thrive and keep the intestinal tract from becoming an environment full of damp yeast and fermentation.


Our bodies are 98 degrees fahrenheit. Imagine the hottest day of summer. Now imagine taking some chicken, or cheese, or olive oil and sitting it outside in the heat for 24 hours. What is it going to look, smell, or taste like? Better yet, because animal products have no fiber, put them outside for 2-3 days. That is what is happening in your intestinal tract - and you haven't even added enzymes or water. If you really need the visual, throw some meat or cheese in a bowl with several tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and let it sit out in the heat for only two days. This little experiment will explain more than any article I or anyone else can write.

It can be argued "Well, any food will rot or smell when exposed to heat and enzymes". This is very true. However, whole plant foods are equipped with enough fiber and antioxidants to move the bad bacterias out of the body in a timely manner, all while protecting you from carcinogenic exposure with their ample supply of antioxidants. Animal products have absolutely no fiber and cannot even begin to boast the supply of antioxidants that plant foods can. This is why raw fruits and vegetables are so good for us. Their antioxidants, enzymes, fibers, vitamins, and minerals are intact and have not been compromised or weakened. I'm not an advocate of a long-term raw food diet, but I do believe that 50% of our vegetable and fruit intake should be raw. Incorporate into that diet whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and steamed vegetables and you have an ideal balance for a healthy body.

Remember, food should be eliminated from our body within 24 hours of eating it. We should really strive for 18 hours, but 24 still indicates regular bowel movements. A diet rich in fiber, or supplementing 1 tablespoon of fiber three times daily, will help you achieve this. A fast moving digestive tract ensures that waste will not putrefy, ferment, or become rancid. When the GI tract is quick and regular, your immune system functions stronger, you have more energy, and you greatly reduce your risk of obesity and cancer.