Most of the time the larger components of our foods – like large proteins – stay within the intestine until they are thoroughly digested; unfortunately, some people suffer from a “leaky gut” – a condition where the intestinal barrier becomes incompetent and these inadequately digested proteins enter the body. Intact food proteins (also called antigens) are now floating around in the bloodstream, where they provoke the immune system to make antibodies against them (like they naturally would to bacteria or virus proteins). Unfortunately, these antibodies are not specifically directed to these foreign food proteins, but are also able to attack similar looking proteins in our own tissues (like the collagen proteins in our skin, eyes, and joints).

This kind of reaction rarely occurs with plant proteins because plant foods are so gentle on the intestines (keeping the gut barrier competent), and because plant protein structures are so radically different from the proteins in our own (animal) tissues. In the case of plant proteins, our immune system rarely becomes confused when distinguishing between what is “self” and what is “foreign.”

Wheat may cause trouble by damaging the intestinal barrier resulting in a leaky gut. Other common causes of a leaky gut are antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs – like Motrin and Advil), environmental chemical toxins, infections, and a generally unhealthy, high-fat, high-cholesterol diet.

Unfortunately, in an effort to do the right thing, some people's immune systems become slightly confused and attack not only the foreign cow-milk proteins, but also the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas.  The reason this happens in only some people, and not everyone, is unknown.  One explanation has to do with the difference in the permeability of intestinal walls.  Some intestines allow proteins into the body more easily, because of injuries caused by viruses, environmental chemicals, medications (NSAID, like Motrin and Advil), and the unhealthy, high-fat, high cholesterol diet.  This condition is sometimes called a "leaky gut."  A very "leaky gut" will indiscriminately allow the influx of foreign proteins into the body.

Once the cow-milk protein is in the blood then a phenomenon, known as "molecular mimicry," occurs.  Foreign proteins, like cow-milk, stimulate the production of antibodies directed against small segments of their proteins – specific sequences of amino acids.  Unfortunately, these same sequences of amino acids are also found on the body's own tissues (a copy or mimic of the foreign protein segment).  In the case of type 1 diabetes, a segment of 17 amino acids has been identified on the cow-milk protein that is identical to a segment on the surface of the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas.1  Antibodies appropriately produced to attack and destroy the cow-milk protein find the beta cells first -- they attach to the cell surfaces, activating T-cells, which then attack and destroy these insulin-producing cells.  Once these cells are destroyed, the pancreas can no longer produce sufficient amounts of insulin for the body's needs.

Gluten damage to the intestinal barrier creates a "leaky gut". Now "foreign proteins" from microbes and food are indiscriminately allowed to pass through the intestinal wall, causing all kinds of trouble.

Unhealthy foods cause the production antibodies that in turn attack the body’s own tissues. These diseases, where the body attacks itself, are referred to as autoimmune diseases. The process is known as molecular mimicry.¹⁶ In Phyllis’s case micro pinprick injuries resulted in hot, swollen, painful joints, a condition properly referred to as inflammatory arthritis. The problem begins with damage to the inside lining of the intestines forming a “leaky gut.” Now foreign proteins, such as cow-milk proteins, can pass into the blood stream.¹⁷ The body makes antibodies to these “invading milk proteins.” Unfortunately, the attack is not isolated to the cows-milk proteins. Proteins of similar structure are also attacked in the person’s joints, causing inflammation with swelling and crippling pain. Changing to a starch-based diet removes the animal proteins from the intestines immediately, and eventually heals the leaky gut. Inflammation begins to subside in four to seven days. Within four months over 70% of patients with inflammatory arthritis are dramatically improved or cured.¹⁸

Ignoring the effect of the diet of the patient with inflammatory arthritis is scientifically short-sighted; it is now clear that in most people with these conditions, fragments of protein from foods and from organisms living in the gut certainly DO leak into the bloodstream after most every meal. In reaction to these foreign substances, antibodies in the blood are commonly produced against components of egg protein, chicken protein, milk protein, and wheat protein within hours after eating these foods.

This phenomenon of the “leaky gut” is present in everyone to some degree, but is far more pronounced in those whose intestinal walls are inflamed for any reason, such as in people with chronic parasite infestation, diarrhea of bacterial or viral origin, inflammation of the large intestine (colitis) or small intestine (enteritis or Crohn’s disease,) as well as in many allergic/atopic conditions, like asthma and eczema.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), including ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve) can injure the intestinal wall directly (more about those later) and, ironically, contribute to the gut inflammation they are taken to treat!

Our food choices can injure our gut lining directly by their physical or chemical properties (fatty, acidic, nutrient poor, etc.) but also indirectly by unbalancing the micro-biome – the trillions of microbes that live in the mucus layer lining our intestine and form part of the functional barrier of our gut.

Fatty foods, especially saturated fats, reduce bacterial populations while high-meat diets spawn bacteria that can tolerate lots of bile in the intestine – and promote DNA damage and cancer growth (2).

People drink chlorinated drinking water, sodas with phosphoric acid, coffee, black and herbal teas and, of course, alcohol in wine, beer and other drinks – all of which kill beneficial bacteria!

Foods are sprayed with pesticides that alter the bacterial balance and most commercial flesh foods contain residues of antibiotics fed to the animals, which then concentrate in their tissues.

And of course, people often go to their doctor with a viral cold and ask for a prescription for antibiotics, “just in case” which inevitably unbalances the micro-biome – NOT a good idea!

All these agents and actions can reduce the numbers of beneficial organisms in the gut lining. This allows more unfriendly, harmful microbes to “set up housekeeping” in the mucus layer – which then proceed to injure the integrity of the intestinal wall. This makes the gut more permeable (“leaky”) to molecules that should never enter the bloodstream – and this is just what happens.

Once in the bloodstream, these small fragments of foreign proteins can lodge in sensitive tissues – like the delicate synovial membranes that line the joints. There, they can incite significant reactions, ranging from subtle but uncomfortable inflammation of connective fibers to hot, painful swelling and distention of the joints, as in acute rheumatoid arthritis.

Chronic inflammation of the joints – or any tissue – over the years can result in tissue scarring, contracture, loss of function and ultimately, destruction of the joint. Many other organs in the body – heart, lung, eye, kidney, muscle – can also suffer damage from repeated inflammation: failing “rheumatoid heart,” fibrous “rheumatoid lung,” bleeding kidneys in lupus nephritis, etc.

Chronic inflammation is energetically expensive and ultimately harmful for the body to sustain – yet, our Standard American Diet (“S.A.D.”) is filled with a daily deluge of meats, dairy products, processed foods, concentrated sugars, preservatives, colorings, flavorings and other chemicals may foster that very process.

So, the various kinds of joint inflammations, including some forms of rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis and others, may, indeed, have nutritional components and may greatly improve when offending foods are eliminated from the diet and other measures taken.

Not surprisingly, other inflammatory conditions including asthma, psoriasis, eczema, and related disorders also can involve the so-called “leaky gut syndrome,” and so, too, frequently respond to the same therapies outlined below.

The Most Likely Culprits

Almost any protein or other food substance can set off adverse reactions in the joints; however, in my clinical experience, the foods most likely to trigger joint inflammation are (in order):

1. Milk proteins (especially casein and lactalbumin) in dairy products – including whey, buttermilk solids, skim milk solids, “calcium caseinate,” “sodium caseinate,” all milk-derived cheeses, yogurt, ice cream, chocolate, etc.
2. Chicken protein – including the “light meat” and “dark meat,” as well as egg whites.
3. Wheat protein – including breads, pastas, wheat cereals, etc.
4. Beef and other red meats.
5. Soy protein – including tofu, tempeh, etc. including meat analogues, which often contain soy and wheat proteins.
6. Corn protein.
7. and, to a MUCH lesser extent, “nightshade” vegetables – tomatoes, (white) potatoes, eggplants, green (bell) peppers. These four plants all contain anmolecule called solanum that, in a small number of people, may cause inflammation in the tissues – hence the shady reputation of these otherwise nutritious foods. 

In my experience, less than 10% of people with an autoimmune disease have any problem when they eat any of the above nightshade foods.

I find that after 4 – 6 months, when most or all of the inflammatory symptoms have subsided, the above four “nightshade” vegetables can be reintroduced into the diet, one at a time, in the manner suggested below, assuming the person desires to eat them.