Before doing the Paleo diet, I have always believed that legumes are good for you.  Why not?  We read so many articles out there promoting legumes and how they are good sources of nutritional this and nutritional that.  When I found out that I should avoid legumes at part of the Golden Rules of Paleo Diet, I was a little confused.  I thought lentils helped lower cholesterol as well as control blood sugar disorders?

All Legumes Contain Lectins

Lectins are toxic, inflammatory, and resistant to cooking and digestive enzyme according to David Freed, Allergist.  Diseases such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Arthritis, Crohn’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Peptic Ulcers, Type II Diabetes, and other food allergy-related diseases are linked to lectins. According to Freed, lectins feed the rodents in our small intestines that strip away the defensive mucous layer or coat.  Lectins also cause discharge of histamine which causes acid secretion. In other words, lectins are bad news!

I Eat Beans But I Don’t Have Arthritis!

Yeah, right now you don’t.  There are lots of people who take their health for granted.  They want to live it, eat what agrees with them and make them happy… right now. But what about later? Eventually, people that are so steeped in their health-breaking habits will realize that there is no miracle potion that will blow away their physical miseries. The way you eat now will determine if you will become a physical wreck or if you will have healthy one.  Food can be your only medicine now.