How Removing These Key Food Items Can Offer Clear Skin + More Energy

Hi and welcome back!

Today we shine more light on the potential hidden dark side of certain foods that could be causing a myriad of symptoms we experience every so often, and even daily (fatigue). Miss the intro to nightshades? Get that here, or just review below!

I’m going to pose the possibility that a food reaction may be a culprit of fatigue,  bloating and skin flare ups. One culprit has hit the google stream as of late, so let’s focus on one of the most commons hidden food triggers, nightshades. Let’s explore what happens when the body “perceives” itself being attacked and it’s damage over time.

NIGHTSHADES CONNECTION TO COMMONS SKIN REACTIONS

Have you ever been on an elimination diet?  Even if you haven’t, many have at some point experienced how frustrating it is to figure out skin flare ups or fatigue based food triggers.

I think for many women, we seem to have pinpointed a problem only to discover it’s not what you think or you just opened the outer layer of an onion.

As a natural skincare formulator and having done my share of facials, I see firsthand how the rise of low grade inflammatory conditions affect women’s energy - and their skin.

Many women experience low grade puffiness due to water retention, eczema flareups to name a few, and the nutritional world is now connecting to nightshades as a often underlying factor for people with chronic inflammatory conditions.

In Fact: A very telling study from 2017 found that 52% of psoriasis sufferers saw an improvement by removing nightshades from their diet.

So with a conclusion of 50% of people suffering from really, a inflammatory response in the body, it’s a high enough number to test out what the triggers are by simply removing items from your diet.

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• Tomatoes

• Tomatillos

• Chili Peppers

• Bell Peppers

• Eggplant

• Potatoes (not Sweet Potatoes)

• Gogi berries

• Huckleberries

• Chili powders

• Cayenne pepper

• Paprika

• Red Pepper Flakes

• Tobacco

• Ashwagandha (an adaptogenic herb)

• Sorrel

• Gooseberries (also known as Goldenberries)

• Belladonna (typically found as a homeopathic remedy)

Circling back, the primary reason that nightshades could trigger skin specific ailments and other symptoms are due to naturally-occurring phytochemicals called Lectins that are there to protect the food from its natural environment and pests.

The problem is, unlike pesticides, we cannot rinse them off because they grow within the plant.   

Other than Lectins, here are three additional tagalongs to look for:

• Salicylates

• Histamines

• Glycoalkaloids (most notably Solanine)

Salicylates
Salicylates can certainly be tricky to identify. Many “prescribed” low-salicylate diets are give to calm eczema or atopic dermatitis. A salicylate sensitivity is a reflection of liver detoxification issues versus relation to the gut.

That means it’s not actually a food issue, but your liver struggling to process salicylates through Phase Two Detox.  For this phase its critically important to support the pathway with healthy fats and protein so the body can convert toxins - out of the liver channel.  

Histamines
As far as histamine is concerned, nightshade foods can create a higher histamine burden than your body can handle.  For myself, I also found bone broth consumption put me over the edge due to the slow ferment process.
High histamine responses often manifest into hives, itchiness, swelling, nausea, heart palpitations, elevations in blood pressure, anxiety, and other GI symptoms.

If you suspect histamines, I suggest adding support  so you can better breakdown of histamines in your diet by supplementing with the DAO enzyme about 10 minutes before eating every meal.

Glycoalkaloids

As far as the Glycoalkaloids like solanine, the information is newer to the nutrition and health community.  Dr. Gundry has done a incredible job of pointing out his one to one findings on all kinds of flares due to phytochemicals.

He notes  glycoalkaloids —  much like lectins, are the plant’s first line of defense against bugs, viruses, bacteria, animals, and even humans, which might even cause digestive issues like vomiting, diarrhea, and severe abdominal pain.

They grip onto cholesterol in your body’s cell membranes. The cholesterol is there to strengthen your cell membranes so they’re less permeable to molecules that may want to pass through and cause damage to the cell.

Without cholesterol, your cell membranes wouldn’t be strong enough to keep out these molecules. It’s the perfect place for glycoalkaloids to strike because once the cholesterol is attacked, your cells could split or leak.

One of the things to note about glycoalkaloid toxins is that they take your body a long time to process — more than a day in some cases.

Removing the Triggers

Just the words “food elimination diet” harbors a feeling of fear and restriction. Suggestions here are meant for exploration so you can heal and feel better.

Removing too many items can lead to both micronutrient and macronutrient deficiencies and nightshades are not a problem for everyone.

Nightshade Reduction

To test out if nightshades and the three tagalongs of salicites, solanines and glycoalkaloids are an issue, try completely excluding them from your diet for 3 weeks. See if you notice any improvement in your health and skin. Nightshades can be hidden in the products, so read labels carefully. One biggy here fiding and staying clear of potato starch and spices.

There are great replacements for these foods, like avocado, Brussels sprouts, and Jerusalem artichokes. Here’s a quick guide on how to replace!

FREE your mind from restriction! Here’s great recipes free of nightshades!

Here’s 31 Quick & Easy Lectin-Free & Nightshade Free Snack Ideas

Tell me!

Have you tried eliminating Nightshades before and what was the result?

If you haven’t given it a try yet, are you considering this elimination?

Till next time ….. Love n’ Light! - Kassandra

Shedding Light on Nightshades + What You Need to Know

Hola Chica!

As naturalista’s, we often already play the role of our own health detectives out of the love for truth.

Have you ever had a trigger response from a food you’ve eaten? I know that when I eat gluten, or too much of one food type over time - I feel it! It may be a pleasure reward in the moment, but boy do I pay for it later.

Sometimes we have no idea where a ‘reaction’ comes from, nor does it always show up in your gut. Other common reactions can be foggy brain, insomnia and commonly - our skin.

There are common foods that cause allergies such as egg and dairy, but one heavy hitter the health industry is starting to recognize more than others are NIGHTSHADES and the active agitator within it called “Lectin.”

Later, I’ll help us connect the dots to how nightshades potentially affect our skin, but today’s dialog is breaking down the basics of new nutritional science I deem highly valuable to know for yourself, or someone you know.

Nightshades are a family of plants known as Solanaceae. The family includes some pretty popular veggies like:

• Potatoes

• Tomatoes

• Eggplant

• Peppers (including bell, cayenne pepper, and paprika)

WHY NUTRITIONISTS SUGGEST AVOIDING NIGHTSHADES

Many health experts believe you should avoid the nightshade family altogether. Why? There are a couple of reasons.

I’ve already mentioned an alkaloid called solanine. But nightshades also contain the alkaloids capsaicin and nicotine (yes, nicotine — tobacco is part of the nightshade family, after all). And all of these alkaloids may have irritating effects on the body.

Solanine has been linked to aggravated joint pain and inflammation. Though no scientific studies currently support this finding, The Arthritis Foundation reports that many patients do find this to be the case.

Nicotine is found in tobacco plants (also a nightshade family member) as well as these common nightshade vegetables. Amounts of nicotine in the veggies can range from 2-7 microgram/kg (a cigarette averages about 12 milligrams) but decrease with the fading of “green” coloring. So when a tomato ripens it does decrease in nicotine.

The bottom line with alkaloids is: Though they may not affect everyone, some people are very sensitive to them because they can’t digest them properly.

According to Dr. Gundry, lectins are toxic proteins found in certain plants.

Lectins are part of a plant’s natural defense system. The problem with lectins is:

• They can bind to cells on your gut wall

• Damage the gut

• Preventing you from properly absorbing nutrients.

Lectins are found in their highest concentrations in legumes, grains, and — you guessed it — nightshades.

Research has begun to show that – though some people are more sensitive to lectins than others – lectins are:

• Toxic, inflammatory, or both

• Resistant to your digestive enzymes

• Able to cause major discomfort if consumed in high concentration
  

BEWARE! LECTIN CONTENT IS MOST POTENT IN THE PEELS AND SEEDS

If you suffer from a leaky gut, an irritable bowel, or any other gastrointestinal sensitivity you should definitely think about cutting lectin-rich nightshades from your diet to see if you notice any difference.

THE SIGNS & SYMPTOMS OF A NIGHTSHADE SENSITIVITY

Nightshade sensitivity can be very similar to a host of other conditions but generally appear as:

• Diarrhea

• Heartburn / Reflux

• Nausea

• Irritable Bowel

• Joint Pain and/or swelling

TUBERS

Funny word, I know. Tubers include sweet potatoes, yucca, and taro root. The sweet potato is particularly wonderful with health-promoting antioxidants like β‐carotene and anthocyanins — both of which have been shown to protect against certain health issues.

LEAFY GREENS

The following leafy greens are incredibly high in nutrients (like vitamins A, C, E, and K).

• Romaine

• Red & green leaf lettuce

• Kohlrabi

• Mesclun

• Spinach

• Endive

• Butter lettuce

• Parsley

• Fennel

• Seaweed/sea vegetables

CRUCIFEROUS VEGGIES

Like leafy greens, cruciferous veggies like the ones below are also high in important carotenoid-antioxidants (like beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin) as well as vitamins C, E, and K; folate; and fiber.

• Broccoli

• Cauliflower

• Brussels sprouts

• Arugula

• Kale

• Cabbage

• Collard greens

• Bok choy

AVOCADO

Hello chipotle or avocado toast (minus the gluten for me). Avocado is actually a fruit, but because it’s a first-class choice when it comes to gut-friendly veggies.

Avocados are full of healthy monounsaturated fats and soluble fiber. As well as plenty of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Research has even found the avocado may also lower “bad” LDL cholesterol which is a huge contributor to cardiovascular diseases.

How to Test for Nightshade Sensitivity

The best way to test for a nightshade sensitivity is to go through an elimination diet. You’ll want to remove all nightshades from your diet (including culinary spices such as red pepper flakes, chili powder, and curry powder) and see if your symptoms resolve. If you do not experience any GI issues, fatigue, or joint pain after successfully removing nightshades from your diet, then you probably have a nightshade sensitivity.

So does that mean you can never eat salsa again? Not at all! The next phase of the elimination diet is the reintroduction phase. One at a time, you will begin to reintroduce each food you removed to test how your body reacts to it.

I suggest waiting two weeks before re-adding. Some people have only a very minor intolerance to nightshades, which means you may be able to tolerate some foods in the nightshade family depending on the amount of glycoalkaloids they contain

That’s it! Whether you sense a sensitivity, brain fog, digestive issues - or not, removing nightshades may be an interesting exploration.

Next I’ll dial in on how nightshades may be causing skin issues of all kinds.

I have to acknowledge just how frustrating it is to figure out triggers that confuse our inner health and outer skin issues.

Though nightshades can be an issue for people with chronic inflammatory conditions, the reason it affects skin isn’t so clear cut.

I’ll cover that in my next dialog with you.

Thanks for informing yourself, beaute! Questions? Contact me at hello@evoqbeauty.com.

Love n’ Light,

Kassandra