POST UPDATED 1/26/20
NOTE: The nutritional content references in this blog are from statements made by the Medical Medium, Anthony William. They are not based on the widely accepted nutrition calculations found on many food labels, as Anthony warns us that those calculations are not always accurate.
So, I want to talk to you today about grains, beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc. and strep. This is an area that confuses a lot of people who are trying to heal from various health symptoms. I repeatedly get asked questions about this. Do grains feed strep? What about beans? Can I eat lentils and chickpeas when I have strep symptoms? These are all great questions. So let me break this down for you piece by piece.
Grains and Strep
Gluten-based grains, such as wheat, spelt, rye, etc., and even non-gluten grains, like corn, feed pathogens including strep. Clean grains, for example millet, quinoa and gluten-free oats, do not feed pathogens. However, if you have COPD, recurrent UTIs, endometriosis, or asthma, it is best to eliminate grains altogether while you are healing. If you are healing from severe health issues, like rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, sarcoidosis, spondylitis, eczema & psoriasis, chronic fatigue, etc., it is also a good idea to keep out even the clean grains. Keep in mind that grains can create more mucus that can confuse the immune system for SOME people. If you choose to include grains in your diet, it is good to be aware of the potential issues. Eating a lot of rice, for example, could potentially instigate a pathogen (meaning trigger, but not directly feed it). Grains can be mucus-producing and hard to digest. They can cause confusion in the immune system and crowd out healthier life-changing food choices. So use your judgment and intuition regarding including grains in your diet when you are dealing with issues like those I’ve just mentioned.
What if I still want to eat grains?
If you feel that you are healthy enough to eat grains or have other reasons for keeping them in your diet, there are healing foods you can include to improve the healing power of your meals that include grains. (Remember if you are stuck, plateaued, struggling, or in the middle of a flare, cutting out grains completely is an option to consider.)
If you choose to eat grains, here are Anthony William’s recommendations:
- Choose clean grains like millet, quinoa, and gluten-free oats.
- Eat celery with grains. The mineral salts in the celery make the grain release its potential phytochemical – it chelates the grain.
- Eat cucumbers with grains to balance the acidity of the grains.
- Add spinach to your grain dish to help the body break down and use the amino acids.
- Eat lettuces, such as watercress, arugula, sprouts and migrogreens, with grains to neutralize the acidity.
- If you are concerned about arsenic, eat parsley and cilantro to help chelate it.
- Tomatoes are incredible with grains.
- Onions work synergistically with grains. Scallions and chives work great with millet, teff, and amaranth.
- Ginger is a tonic for the stomach to help utilize grain better.
- Turmeric enhances good amino acids in grains.
- Rosemary stimulates and strengthens digestion.
- Avocado is a good fat replacement for grains.
- Garlic phytochemicals bind to the grain and become one, as bug killers.
Beans, Lentils, Chickpeas and Strep
Now let’s talk about beans, lentils, and chickpeas. This is where it gets a little trickier. These foods do not feed strep directly. But, they are not health-supporting foods either. In fact, eating them in substantial quantities can provide a breeding ground in your body where strep and other pathogens can grow. They are not totally health-destroying. They are in the middle. If you eat a lot of them and you’re sick, they aren’t going to help you and could make the environment in your body such that it is harder for you to heal. They create a less ideal environment, but do not necessarily feed pathogens.
Beans, Lentils, Chickpeas and Fat
This discussion about beans, lentils, and chickpeas would be incomplete without covering how they measure up in the fat department. In his IG Live on August 2nd, about 6 minutes before the end, Anthony William mentions that beans are high in fat. Since then, the question about fat-free and beans has been asked a lot.
So, let’s talk about fat. Every food contains intrinsic fat. All fruits and vegetables contain saccharides, amino acids, and fatty acids. Beans happen to contain more fat than we realize. We think of it as a fat-free food, and while it is not an overt/radical fat, it is also not fat-free. Think about how you feel when you eat beans, they’re very satisfying. So it makes sense that they contain more fat. Lentils and chickpeas also contain fat, but not as much as beans.
Now to be clear, we are not talking about overt/radical fats. Overt fats are how we refer to foods that are commonly known to contain a lot of fat. According to Liver Rescue, radical fats exist when the majority of the food’s calories are derived from fat. Beans, lentils, and chickpeas are often referred to as fat-free and are considered to be free of overt/radical fats. While they can be a better choice than some overt/radical fats out there, this does not mean that eating them is necessarily good for your liver. And we know now from Anthony that they contain higher amounts of fat than is commonly known. Understanding this about beans can help us tailor our diet even further. If you previously thought you were eating fat-free, but were including beans, you now have additional information that you can use when making choices about what you eat.
Boiled beans are OVERT fat free. However, they do contain a higher level of intrinsic fat that we should consider when going fat-free. Anthony William states clearly that we should avoid beans/grains when we are struggling with conditions that are difficult for us.
Side Note: Green beans, sugar snap peas, and green peas are different than beans and lentils, and are typically much lower in fat. Split peas are comparable to lentils.
What if I still want to eat beans?
If beans, lentils, or chickpeas are a part of your regular diet, please do not start to stress. There is a place for these foods in some people’s diets. In fact, there are recipes in Liver Rescue that contain these foods. They are not the worst options. An occasional quantity is ok to consume… depending on your symptoms and situation.
If you want to eat beans, lentils, or chickpeas, here are my tips:
- Opt for SPROUTED legumes! This is the top choice for consuming these foods. When you sprout, you change the constitution on the inside. The high fat in the seed and the carb is used to grow the plant. A cooked dry bean is different than a sprouted bean (which can be eaten raw or cooked). The green sprout that grows from the bean retains none of the qualities of the original seed, but now has the qualities of green sprouts (leafy greens).
- Eat these foods in relationship to the strength of your health. For example, if you are in good health, you may be able to tolerate these more than once a week. If you are in poor health or find you feel poorly when eating these foods, avoid them.
- Keep a food diary when you eat these foods to see how they may be affecting you.
- Pair these foods with greens. For example, eat boiled lentils with a salad.
- Do not eat these foods with overt/radical fat. In Liver Rescue, Anthony William specifically recommends avoiding the combination of radical fats with beans (as well as potatoes, gluten-free grains, etc.).
- If you have liver issues, be careful with bringing these foods in. Opt for lentils or chickpeas as they are lower in fat than beans. And keep these to a minimum as well.
- Do NOT stress over this. If you feel like you rely on these foods too much in your diet, start making some small steps to reduce the amount you consume.
What should I eat?
I understand for many that grains and beans can be a diet staple. But if you are stuck in your chronic illness or have plateaued on your healing journey, it is helpful to take these unhelpful foods out to make room for more of the Holy Four.
If this information is resonating with you and you want to take some steps to reduce your grain, bean, lentil, & chickpea intake and bring in more healing foods, I suggest focusing as much as you can on the Holy Four – fruits, vegetables, herbs, and wild foods. Here are some suggestions:
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- Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and squash are very satisfying and make great replacements for beans, lentils & chickpeas in recipes. Try adding them to your salads, soups, wraps, casseroles, curries, etc. in place of the beans.
- Green peas are low in fat. They are also a versatile addition to salads, soups, etc.
- Cruciferous vegetables can add heartiness to a dish.
- Looking for some variety in your food’s texture, try adding cauliflower rice to your recipe.
- Steamed or roasted (without oil) veggies can give your meal a variety of flavors and textures as well as fill you up. Try combining potatoes or squash with cruciferous vegetables, mushrooms, and any other of your favorite veggies for a hearty meal.
- As always, I recommend bringing lots of fruit and lots of greens into your diet.
I share information similar to this in my membership, The Intuitive Healing Community. In this community there is ongoing support, a wealth of resources, and so many lovely souls to share your insight and experience with. The doors will be closing soon, be sure to check it out HERE.
To your health, happiness and wellness,
Muneeza
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