At some point along the way I came across information about Dr. Steven Gundry, MD and his Lectin-free protocol. I read his book called The Plant Paradox. He claims that people can heal their leaky gut issues, chronic inflammation, joint pain, and auto-immune problems, by eliminating foods containing lectins. So, for over a year I stuck to a lectin-free diet with few exceptions. I guess I wasn’t one of the 90% who heal in 8 months.
Then I read Gut Check, where Dr. Gundry talks about the other 10% who may have additional food sensitivities. I eliminated the common foods that he claims people are sensitive to such as spinach, cinnamon, vanilla, lemons. I have always been careful to replace any eliminated food with another food of equal nutritional value, so as not become deficient in any elements.
So, basically, the lecti- free diet eliminates most grains, except millet and sorghum. Thankfully there are excellent sources for sorghum pasta. One can consume cassava flour, and almond flour so I often eat the Siete tortillas found in many supermarkets. Expensive but sometimes on sale when I purchase extra; they kept well in my cooler, and now in my freezer. I had to eliminate tomatoes, beans, lentils. There are lists in The Plant Paradox of which foods to eliminate, and what foods are acceptable. I learned to be quite creative with my recipe choices. Lectins in dried beans and lentils can be reduced by soaking overnight
I have wanted to be tested specifically for my food sensitivities through Dr. Gundry’s Vibrant-Wellness.com testing, and recently sought out a nurse practitioner (using his testing) ninety minutes away for a brief consultation. When I found out it would cost close to $4000 to read the results of a $600 sensitivity test and $400 gut bacterial test I passed it up. I wouldn’t mind paying an additional $500 to interpret the results and come up with a proper nutritional protocol, but paying more than double is outrageous, in my opinion. Of course, I would appreciate the expertise of a medical professional, but I also I believe I am perfectly capable of doing the research to interpret the results and act accordingly regarding what foods to eat. I will continue to search out more affordable practitioners that are affiliated with Dr. Gundry’s Vibrant Wellness program.
I learned that the supplement glucosamine somehow counteracts the negative effects of lectins in the body; hence, probably the reason many people benefit with reduced pain using this supplement.