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Ultra Processed Food Addiction?

Writer's picture: Dr. Thomas J. LewisDr. Thomas J. Lewis

The Epoch Times published an article with the following title.


Here is a link to the article.



I don't dispute what they state in this article, but I believe they are missing a VERY important consideration.


 

Here are some suggestions to overcome the nutrient deficiency problem associated with ultra-processed foods.

  1. Each whole food (dah!)

  2. PERFECT/OPTIMIZE GUT HEALTH

  3. Take a multivitamin/mineral daily

  4. Drink or otherwise take a liquid fulvic/humic solution daily

  5. Make and take your own bone broth daily (make it with bones AND organ meat)


 

Here is the AI response to the question, "Does nutrient deficiency cause hunger?"


Yes, nutrient deficiencies can cause hunger and cravings (aka a type of addiction), but this depends on the specific nutrient and the severity of the deficiency

Explanation

  • Hidden hunger

    When someone doesn't absorb enough micronutrients like iron, iodine, or vitamin A, they may experience hunger even if they eat a lot of calories. This can happen when someone eats a diet that's high in calories but low in nutrients. 

  • Vitamin B12 deficiency

    People with vitamin B12 deficiency may experience digestive problems like nausea and vomiting, which can lead to a decreased appetite. 

  • Vitamin D deficiency

    Low levels of vitamin D are linked to being overweight and obese. Vitamin D helps to control leptin, a hormone that reduces hunger and fat storage. 

  • Magnesium deficiency

    Early signs of magnesium deficiency include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and weakness. 


When you have a deficiency and become hungry, could this be misinterpreted as addiction? Can you see how a craving could be mistaken as an addition.



Here is what Rush University Medical Center says about signs of nutrient deficiency.


1. Severe hair loss

While everyone loses about 100 strands of hair a day, suddenly finding clumps of hair on your pillow or in your shower drain merits a mention to your doctor. It could be a sign of bigger issues, such as low iron levels, which affects your energy, or thyroid disease, which could lead to sudden unexplained weight gain or weight loss. 

"Always get that checked out," Graham says. "We will do a blood test to check your iron levels." 


If your iron levels are low, you might also always feel cold, have headaches and feel dizzy often. If you have a thyroid disorder, it can make your muscles weak, your joints ache and your skin dry and pale.


Reversing iron deficiency

The good news is you can eliminate an iron deficiency with supplements. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 8 mg for men over 18 years old and 18 mg for women.

"It might take three to four months to remedy, but it is doable," Graham says. Be sure to also include iron-rich foods in your diet, such as spinach and beans.

2. Burning sensation in the feet or tongue

"If you're experiencing this, it should definitely sound an alarm," Graham says. Talk to your doctor, who will likely order a blood test to check your B12 levels. You almost might have issues with balance, constipation and dry skin.

B12 plays an essential role in your health by producing hemoglobin, part of your red blood cells that helps the cells in your body receive life-giving oxygen. The vitamin is needed for a variety of systems, like your digestive tract, to work properly.

In addition, B12 deficiency can create mild cognitive impairment, so if you're experiencing any changes in memory, thinking or behavior, see your doctor. Over time, B12 deficiency can permanently damage your nervous system, traveling up the spine and into the brain.

Vegans take special note: Plant-based diets eliminate most foods (meat and dairy products) rich in B12, increasing the risk of deficiency. But you can get your daily dose from almond milk, nutritional yeast, and fortified soy and coconut milk.

"It can take a long time to become deficient in B12 — as long as three years to deplete the liver of this important vitamin," she says. "But over time, not having enough B12 can seriously damage vital functions  and it must be addressed."

Raising your B12 level

Taking B12 supplements will bring back and maintain proper B12 levels. "The body does not create B12 on its own," Graham explains.

Healthy adults should take in 2.4 mg of B12 daily. For some, especially those with autoimmune diseases like pernicious anemia, B12 must be taken in shot form to help carry B12 directly to stomach cells.

Calcium regulates your heartbeat. So a deficiency could cause an arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, and even lead to chest pains.

3. Wounds are slow to heal

If you are diligent about brushing and flossing daily and your gums are still red, swollen and bleed, you might need to boost your vitamin C intake. Another sign might be that you bruise easily.


"Vitamin C is like a cement. It pulls the cells together and makes wounds heal," Graham says.

In fact, vitamin C has many powers, including serving as an anti-inflammatory and as an antioxidant to limit damage to cells.


Boosting vitamin C

First and foremost: If you smoke, take steps to quit. Among its many negative effects on your health, smoking limits your body's ability to absorb vitamin C.

Also, eat more fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C, including kiwi, red bell peppers and, of course, oranges. Healthy adults should get 60 mg of vitamin C each day.

4. Bone pain

If you are feeling pains in your bones, you might be deficient in vitamin D.

"If you’re an adult and it feels like you’re having growing pains — like you had as a kid — tell your doctor," Graham says.


Treating vitamin D deficiency 

For adults, the RDA of vitamin D is 600 IU (800 IU for adults age 71 and older). Foods rich in vitamin D include salmon, herring, sardines, canned tuna, oysters, shrimp and mushrooms. Or, choose cow's milk, soy milk, orange juice, oatmeal and cereals that are fortified with vitamin D.


You can also get your daily dose by going out into the sunshine for 10 minutes without sunscreen (if you're going to be outdoors longer than that, make sure to put that sunscreen on to protect against potentially damaging UV rays).

For severe deficiencies, your doctor might prescribe a vitamin D supplement.

Unlike other vitamins and minerals, vitamin D levels are regularly tested in routine blood tests at your annual physical, so it's easy to identify deficiencies.


5. Irregular heartbeat

"Calcium regulates your heartbeat," Graham says. "So a deficiency could cause an arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, and even lead to chest pains."

Other signs you might not be getting enough calcium:

  • Twitches around your face and mouth. Calcium works with muscles to help them contract properly.

  • Muscle cramps. Without enough calcium, the muscles do not fully relax.

  • Fractures. Calcium is needed for strong bones. Without it, bone loss, or osteoporosis, can lead to more fractures.


How to get more calcium 

Adults should receive 1,000 mg of calcium each day from food sources and supplements.

Calcium-rich foods include as salmon and sardines (both of which are also excellent sources of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids), broccoli and bok choi.

And, of course, dairy products — including skim milk, and nonfat or low-fat yogurt. Try swapping one daily sugary beverage (soda, juice, coffee concoctions, etc.) for an 8 oz. glass of milk. And keep a few yogurts in the fridge at home or work for midday snacks. You can also use the milk and yogurt to make homemade smoothies, with fresh or frozen berries.


6. Your night vision deteriorates 

If you don't take in enough vitamin A, your night vision and the sharpness of your sight could deteriorate over time.

"A lack of vitamin A causes the cornea to become dry and that makes the eyes cloudy and can lead to vision loss," Graham says. "It can also damage your retina."

If you notice changes in your vision,  schedule a visit with your ophthalmologist, who will examine the back of your eye.


Achieving an "A"

In addition to annual check-ups with your primary care doctor, see your eye doctor annually — and don't hesitate to go sooner if you start experiencing blurriness or trouble with your night vision.

Graham also recommends a diet rich in vitamin A, including milk, eggs, mangos, black-eyed peas, sweet potatoes and apricots. "You can also take supplements if your diet is not meeting your needs," she says. Aim for 900 mcg of vitamin A each day if you're a man, 700 mcg if you're a woman.


Simple blood tests can reveal your levels of vitamins and minerals. However, the routine blood work at your annual physical doesn't typically include most of these tests.

"Communicating your concerns with your primary care doctor is essential," Graham says. "That way, we can check out your issue and reverse the problems early on. Often the treatment for these deficiencies is fairly simple, so the key is identifying them."

 

Don't forget to sign up for the free detox summit by Natural Health 365.

I am a featured speaker in this free program.


Why is detox important? The image below explains that is 1 of 4 key pathways.

Here are the details on joining the detox summit.

Event Period: March 4 - March 12, 2025

3-Day All Access Pass: March 15 - March 17, 2025


How to sign up? Click the image or the link.


 

Jonathan Landsman always offers special gifts for those of you who sign up for the docu



Improve Kidney Function eBook Registration Page:


Trapped Negative Emotions eBook Registration Page:


Blood Cleansing Herbs and Foods eBook Registration Page:


Natural Colon Cleansing eBook Registration Page:


Liver Cleansing Drink eBook Registration Page:

 

Lastly, Jonathan is offering another book "premium" that I authored.

They have named the book and I'm not sure of the final title but I called,

"Do blood labs tell you if you are healthy?"


Here are a few paragraphs from the book.


Do blood labs tell you if you are healthy? The answer should be "yes." But do they really? The actual answer is a decided no. Labs are predictive, but only when interpreted based on health and disease endpoints. The standard-of-care system uses "reference ranges" for individual lab values to determine if you are healthy or sick. You know better. You know people who are healthier and less healthy than you. Yet, the reference ranges for labs are so broad that people you know are usually all classified as healthy as you, for example. The reason behind this is complicated, but it is steeped in politics rather than science. Let's examine what testing.com says about lab reference ranges.

Let's see what testing.com says about the lab reference ranges used to evaluate your health.

1.     A normal result in one lab may be abnormal in another. Does this sound scientific or medically sound?

2.     A normal result does not promise health. If reference ranges are medically validated, how could this be?

3.     An abnormal result does not mean you are sick. If it's abnormal and doesn't mean you are sick, what does it really mean?


Do these facts about reference ranges instill confidence?


Fortunately, there is a better way to set reference ranges that are telling and predictive about your health. The method is scientific, precise, accurate, and employs common sense. Ask yourself an important question about your health. That being said, what is your #1 health goal? I hope your answer is to live a long and healthy life. Of course, the two go together. Using this simple concept, my team and I developed evidence-based reference ranges for biomarkers based on how longevity changes as the marker value changes. Put more medically and scientifically; we researched hazard ratios for dying younger than expected across the spectrum of values for a given biomarker. Three important findings came from this analysis.


1. Mortality risk changes across a given biomarker's entire range of values. That is, your health is a continuum and not an either/or as represented by standard of care biomarker reference ranges.

2. The "optimal" or "no early mortality risk" ranges differ greatly from the standard of care reference ranges.

3, Reference ranges determined based on early mortality risk sometimes do not even coincide or overlap with those of the standard of care. Therefore, if your doctor treats you with a drug to get you into their reference range for a biomarker, they are actually increasing your risk of dying young. Total cholesterol is an example.



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