We all know bacon is bad for you.
But – what exactly happens when you eat it?
This is a very heated subject and I am sure I will not be making any friends by writing this article about bacon, but I wanted to shed some light on why this food might be best left in the supermarket.
Pigs, like most animals, make high amounts of certain molecules (antibodies and carbohydrates). These molecules are for the pig’s own immune health. One of these carbohydrates (galactose alpha- (1-3) galactose let’s just call it ‘Alpha Gal’) is not found in the human body. So, when we consume bacon this foreign substance stimulates your immune system and proceeds down the pathway of disease. This is much the same process that happens when you catch a cold or a virus. Your body recognizes the virus as bad and seeks a way to remove it. Your body then starts to activate its own immune system, and after a certain point you would start to get a runny nose, cough, sinus congestion, etc. While I am not stating that you will get cold like symptoms from eating bacon, it would simply act as one more stone that you throw into a bucket of water before it overflows. Most of the time people do not realize how sick they are until it’s too late. This is when and how chronic diseases occur.
Some people will not even recognize they are sick until it’s too late. A good example of this process can happen when bacon or pork is consumed. You can actually get a delayed anaphylactic attack 3-6 hours post ingestion because certain antibodies can cause your throat to close up when you come in contact with ‘alpha gal’. We have developed this response to protect ourselves. An Interesting note is that ‘alpha gal’ very closely resembles your ABO blood type so your immune system will mount an intense reaction to remove it.
The other main player when you eat bacon/pork is a certain lectin called ‘Porcine Heart Lectin’, let’s just call this Uncle PHiL. Uncle PHiL is not a nice house guest. When he visits he always makes a mess. This is via a specific process called agglutination, which simply means Uncle PHiL likes to attach to red blood cells much like velcro on tennis balls. When agglutination occurs, your body seeks to kick Uncle PHiL out of the house.
In short, when bacon/pork is consumed ‘Alpha-Gal’ and Uncle PHiL are welcomed as guests into our house. They then proceed to make themselves at home. They become too comfortable and overstay their welcome. You the host, then have to ask them to leave.
Naturopathic Physician
While I don’t eat bacon or pork, I know a fair amount of people who do. I would say this is fine if done sparingly. After all, one of the tools I use in the treatment of my patients is dietary change. Since I understand that food is very important to people for certain reasons (energy, emotional, spiritually), I usually don’t act like a religious group and ask you to give up something 100% of the time. I work with you to get to know the individual and understand what makes you tick. I work with diet and lifestyle modification along with natural supplements and epigenetic modification to help fix the underlying reason of a complaint in a holistic format. If you are interested in taking charge of your health, please schedule an appointment with me at the Center of Excellence in Generative Medicine.
If you are interested in reading a testimonial of a patient of mine who decided to eat pork after avoiding it for a few months please read below:
“I feel the diet (new lifestyle habits) has made a HUGE impact. I weigh 121 pounds (10 pounds lost healthily – naturally eating 3 – 4 times a day, what I’ve been advised to eat) and my energy has gone through the roof (minus this weekend, which I will explain in depth below), and I have been waking up (until this weekend), with minimal to no discomfort – stiffness, and arthritis has almost completely disappeared. It is seriously remarkable. I have been feeling like a different person (up until this weekend).
This Weekend: I had an event. Called the XXXXXX (Fri, Sat, and Sunday) where Chefs compete with XXXXXX organic – farm raised – no hormone pigs (which I am not supposed to eat). These famous chefs prepare 5 dishes with pig. There’s also fine cheeses, paired with alcohol, etc and desserts. It is quite the extravaganza. This weekend – I completely came off my diet for the purpose of fully enjoying what the chefs had to offer (plus it is insulting not to eat what the chefs have prepared, etc). However, I certainly paid a price. Monday I couldn’t get out of bed and had a fever – stiffness and arthritis was through the roof. And I feel that is attributed to the food. Which didn’t only include pig, but wheat, and dairy, etc – things that I have entirely cut out since my initial appointment. I felt this was important to share because it clearly makes a difference what I eat.
Thank you for what you do. In this short time, I can’t even begin to explain how after 10 years of severe lethargy, pain, and arthritis daily I’ve had glimpses of my old self. I am so grateful for you and your work… it really does help change lives.
Eternally Grateful,
S.L.”
