What is the Body Ecology Diet?
Nutritionist Donna Gates designed the Body Ecology Diet. The goal of this diet is to eat for a healthy digestive system so that you can have a healthy body. A healthy digestive system affects the health of many other systems in the body, including the immune, endocrine, circulatory, and central nervous system. A healthy digestive system promotes good health in the rest of the body.
Good health begins with eating the right foods for a healthy digestive system
The main idea of the Body Ecology Diet is that modern humans do not have healthy digestive systems because most people include processed and artificial foods in their diets. Years ago, humans did not eat processed foods, but ate natural foods and were in better health. The Body Ecology Diet does not allow any processed or artificial foods. When you follow this diet, you can only eat only the foods and food combinations that will bring your digestive health back to where it should be.
Healthy bacteria are necessary for a healthy digestive system
The Body Ecology Diet encourages those who follow it to eat many cultured foods that contain live bacteria such as yogurt. There are certain foods that should be eaten together and those that should never be eaten at the same time.
Most carbohydrates are prohibited on this diet
Simple carbs like sugar, white rice, and white flour are prohibited, and the Body Ecology Diet also advises against eating whole wheat and some other whole grains. The idea is that these grains encourage the bad bacteria and yeast in your digestive system, and so your health is negatively affected. Only quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, and millet are allowed.
How nuts fit into this diet
If you have a peanut allergy or nut allergy, this diet makes it easy to eliminate the foods that you are allergic to. Since you cannot eat processed foods, you do not need to be as concerned about eating foods that could contain hidden peanuts or tree nuts. Only almonds are allowed until a later stage when other types of nuts may be introduced. It is not necessary to eat any nuts on this diet.
People with allergies to nuts can follow this diet
with the Body Ecology Diet, there is no chance of having anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction that can develop if you are allergic to tree nuts. If you carefully follow the diet, you will not eat any of the foods that nuts could be hidden in. You may want to check with your doctor before beginning this diet.