How Nightshades Might be Making You Sick
It seems you just can’t eat anything these days! Even some seemingly healthy foods can make you sick. Foods that are common allergens are often touted as staples for a healthy diet, such as eggs, corn, soy, and even peanuts. These foods are also found in just about every packaged food item you can buy in the store, making them very hard to avoid.
The nightshade food group includes many vegetables and spices that most would consider part of a healthy diet, yet they could be contributing to chronic illness in some people.
Here’s what you need to know:
What are Nightshades?
Nightshades are part of the plant family known as Solanacea. Nightshades include:
- Tomatoes
- Potatoes
- Peppers
- Sweet bell peppers
- Eggplant
- Cayenne pepper
- Paprika
- Hot sauce
Nightshades also include any other spices derived from tomatoes and peppers. They do not include sweet potatoes.
How Nightshades Might be Making You Sick
Nightshades contain an alkaloid that acts like a poison in some people, contributing to inflammation. Nightshades have been linked to illnesses including:
- Arthritis
- Joint inflammation
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Digestive upset, including nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
Some people are more sensitive to the effects of nightshades than others, so symptoms may be weaker or more pronounced depending on the individual. Some may simply experience upset stomach, while others may suffer from debilitating conditions such as fibromyalgia or arthritis.
Treating Symptoms of Nightshades
If you suspect that you are sensitive to nightshades and that these foods could be causing your health problems, there is only one thing you can do: Undergo an elimination diet. An elimination diet involves cutting out all foods that are known to cause allergies or sensitivities, including dairy, corn, soy, wheat, peanuts, shellfish and, of course, nightshades.
Once you have avoided all of these foods for at least three to four weeks (though possibly longer if you have experienced severe symptoms), you can start adding back one food group at a time to see if you have a reaction. Since you suspect nightshades, you should start by reintroducing this food group first. If you experience symptoms again, you know these foods are a problem for you. If you don’t experience symptoms after a few days to a week, nightshades are likely not a problem for you.
Have you experienced negative side effects as a result of eating nightshades? Do you think that nightshades are contributing to your chronic health condition? Tell us about your experiences in the comments and whether you have done an elimination diet!
Join the Mailing List
Guest Post by: Tara Spenser is currently the resident writer for workingcapital.org, where she researches safe business capital advances. In her spare time, she enjoys blogging, swimming and being a mom.
« previous post
Beyond Natural Health: Author ...
What is homeopathy? Some natural health practitioners use the term “natural” and “ho...
next post »
Lose Weight with Coffee
The results of the studies conducted by Center for Disease Control and Prevention showed t...
Leave a Reply
No trackbacks yet.
Posts with similar tags
- How to Do an Elimination Diet
Do you feel sick all the time? I was right where you are a little over ten years ago. If it wasn’t for an elimination diet, I would have never known that the chronic diarrhea, brain fog, muscle aches, yeast infections, mood swings, and anxiety were related to gluten intolerance.
Gluten was literally killing me.
This protein... - Symptoms of Fruit Allergies
Food allergies are a major problem for many and can wreak havoc on general health. While everyone is aware of allergies to nuts and shellfish, they may not realise that fruit is another problem food.
In this modern society when healthier lifestyles are a necessity, having allergic reactions to fruit could cause health problems for certain... - How to Implement an Elimination Diet to Discover Food Sensitivities
Food allergies and food sensitivities are not the same. When people have food allergies, their bodies have an immunological response to a specific food, causing the body to attack itself because it believes the offending food is a disease-causing agent.
With food sensitivities, people tend to have macro responses, such as respiratory distress or behavioral outbursts....
Posts in similar categories
- Heal Your Relationship with Food
In today's world, countless people face a dieting dilemma. Numerous weight-loss plans claim to be "the best" and consumers eagerly try them to slim down once and for all. Many achieve short-term success and the dieting cycle continues. However, there’s a better path to weight management and a healthy attitude towards nutrition. When you think... - Bee Pollen for Urethral Strictures
Urinary tract infection or trauma causes urethral strictures. Sexually transmitted infections might also cause the disease. The scarring occurs because the body tries to repair the injury or infection. Straddle injury is the most common trauma injury. The scarring causes the walls of the urethra to narrow. Urethral stricture occurs mostly to men as compared... - The Power of Stones
In many cultures around the world certain stones are thought to have powers. From ancient times to modern times these stones bring everything from health to luck to protection from disease. Though these claims have never been scientifically proven, there are still many people who think wearing or carrying these stones can improve their lives.
Here... - How to Do an Elimination Diet Do you feel sick all the time? I was right where you are a little over ten years ago. If it wasn’t for an elimination diet, I would have never known that the chronic diarrhea, brain fog, muscle aches, yeast infections, mood swings, and anxiety were related to gluten intolerance.
Gluten was literally killing me.
This protein...
- 7 Tips For Buying Healthy Bread
Although many people will try and tell you differently, carbohydrates are still an incredibly important macronutrient and they are necessary to carry out necessary bodily functioning. But as you are probably well aware, the key is to choose the right types of carbohydrates. So instead of eating things like ice cream, cake and cookies, you... - 3 of the Most Proven Home Remedies To Stop a Toothache Without a Dentist
A toothache is one of the most painful things some people will experience in their life. When you have a toothache you will feel it in just about every bone in your body. What's worse is the fact that toothaches always seem to start when your dentist's office isn't open and you can't get anybody... - How to Reduce Your Risk of Injury at the Gym
Millions of people around the globe wake up to the fact that our modern lifestyle and eating habits are conspiring against us to make us heavier and less healthy. More people are turning to a workout plan to get themselves back into top shape. Regardless of whether you’re totally new to working out or just... - What Causes Child Stomach Pain?
When our children are sick, we as parents are willing to do whatever it takes to make it all better. When our children suffer, we suffer as well. We can feel so helpless at times and become nearly as miserable as our children when they are faced with pains. As children can't articulate exactly how... - Is Your Probiotic Healthy?
Something has really been irritating me about probiotics lately and that’s the fact they’ve become popular. All of a sudden my favorite horror movie scream queen (Jamie Lee Curtis) is selling probiotic yogurt and telling everyone they should regulate their digestive systems.
Good advice.
I just wish the stuff didn’t contain so many unhealthy preservatives like fructose,... - Physical Effects of Depression and Anxiety
Tens of millions of people have been diagnosed with depression and anxiety. Many people when they think about the effects that depression and anxiety will often cause on people suffering with these disorders relate most often to the emotional anguish that people with these diagnoses often experience. Aside from the emotional suffering which can be...
Recent Post
-
Top 21 Healthy Quotes
by admin with No Comments
Looking for some healthy inspiration? Here are my top 21 healthy quotes.
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." - Benjamin F... -
Ease Skin Sensitivity Naturally
by admin with No Comments
When your skin is sensitive to everything, daily living can be a challenge. I get a kiss on the cheek and I break out. It’s terrible. Can you re... -
Heal Your Relationship with Food
In today's world, countless people face a dieting dilemma. Numerous weight-loss plans claim to be "the best" and consumers eagerly try them to slim do...
-
Products, Promises, and Politics – How Religion Sells Everything and Takes You for a Ride
by admin with No Comments
Religion is all around you. It’s in everything you do, every thought you have, and in everything you buy. Religion sells everything and the long... -
Why You Should Question Your Doctor
by admin with No Comments
Are you struggling with chronic disease? For years, I suffered from terrible stomach pain, brain fog, muscle aches, and anxiety my doctor’s coul...