Getting sick after eating goji berries

1. The goji berry is not only healthy. He comes from the nightshade family. People who suffer from increased intestinal permeability can develop complaints after eating goji berries. In some cases, goji berries and other nightshade products should be discontinued for health reasons. This plant family always contains some atropine. Atropine is a toxic substance that can cause allergic reactions. Most people are not bothered by it. But people who have a disease of the intestines or mucous membranes of the stomach or intestines allow toxins into their body. This condition is called increased intestinal permeability.

Contents:

1. Sick after goji berries What is the cause of getting sick? Increased intestinal permeability Toxins in nightshade vegetables Synthetic antibiotics Watch out for the following diseases Elimination Diet

Sick after goji berries

1. On May 2, 2014, an article appeared in the Telegraph, which showed that a handful of people were poisoned by goji berries. No poisonous substance could be found. In a report on RTL news, the facts were discussed in more detail. It was speculated that the goji berries were mixed with bittersweet berries. Bittersweet is also a nightshade plant, but it has berries that are poisonous to humans. Incidentally, there was no evidence whatsoever for mixing with bittersweet berries.

What is the cause of getting sick?

1. What probably happened is the following. Every goji berry contains some of the toxic substance atropine. In some goji berries, the concentration of this can be slightly higher. Normally a person does not get sick because toxic substances are kept out by the gastrointestinal mucous membranes. However, more and more people suffer from these mucous membranes, making them function less well and allowing toxins to pass through. As a result, it could happen that a handful of people became ill from the berries while others did not notice anything. On RTL news it was immediately reported that some people who suffer from food allergies can suffer from goji berries. Eating goji berries is not recommended for pregnant women; but that goes too far in principle because only people with increased intestinal permeability are eligible to suffer allergic reactions from goji berries.

Increased intestinal permeability

1. Normally, the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines ensure that nutrients enter the body and that harmful substances in food remain in the intestines to leave the body as quickly as possible. This mechanism no longer works properly in people with increased intestinal permeability. With them, the protective layer of the mucous membranes no longer works properly. This allows nonnutrients or even toxins to enter the body.

Toxins in Nightshade Vegetables

1. In the case of nightshade vegetables, scientists have known for a long time that they not only contain good substances. Potatoes contain solanine, tomatoes contain tomatine and almost all nightshade varieties, including tree tomatoes, paprika, red pepper, physalis, goji berry and eggplant, contain atropine, albeit in minimal quantities. This substance will not enter healthy people, but people with increased intestinal permeability (increased intestinal permeability) will get these substances.

Synthetic antibiotics

1. You can get increased intestinal permeability if you have had many synthetic antibiotics. Because of these treatments, the intestinal flora is completely disrupted, causing an overgrowth of a fungus or bacteria. This overgrowth can lead to infection. In principle, the body wants this infection to restore the intestinal flora. A side effect of the infection, however, is that the quality of the mucous membrane locally deteriorates. Incidentally, the problem can worsen if medicines are taken against a stomach infection. These drugs will cause the body to interrupt its ability to repair itself in the form of the infection. Yes, you read that right; an infection is part of the body's ability to repair itself. The dam flora and mucous membrane further deteriorate when this infection is suppressed by a drug. These side effects of drugs can actually worsen inflammation over time.

Beware of the following diseases

1. There are a number of diseases associated with increased gut permeability and nightshade plants. In fact, there are more diseases caused by impaired bowel function. Anyone who wants to know more about this can read the booklet 'The intestine thinks along' by K.D. Runow. Diseases associated with increased intestinal permeability are:

Elimination Diet

1. If you have one of the above diseases, it is wise to do an elimination diet, in consultation with a phytotherapist, orthomolecular therapist or naturopath. An elimination diet is part of the diagnosis for increased gut permeability. An elimination diet means that you temporarily do not eat nightshade vegetables for about six weeks. Examples of (products with) nightshade vegetables are antroewa, potato, tomato, tree tomato, red pepper, cayenne pepper, sambal, goji berry and eggplant. After this elimination period, you will eat one more member of the nightshade family. It may be that during the elimination period you were slowly relieved of all complaints, or that the complaints became much less. If the symptoms return after consuming a few potatoes or tomatoes, there is a very good chance that you will suffer from increased intestinal permeability and food allergy to nightshade products. Goji berry is then one of the nightshade plants you are allergic to.