Dr. Anthony Chaffee - 'Plants are trying to kill you!'

Summary

In this provocative talk titled 'Plants are trying to kill you,' the speaker discusses the evolutionary arms race between plants and animals, highlighting how plants produce toxins and defense chemicals to deter consumption. The speaker argues that many common foods contain harmful substances, such as lectins, cyanide, and hormone disruptors, which can lead to chronic diseases. Emphasizing the importance of understanding plant toxins, the talk challenges the conventional wisdom of a plant-based diet and suggests that a diet focused on meat and water may offer significant health benefits, aligning with the natural diet of our ancestors.

Takeaways

• 🌿 Plants have developed a variety of chemical defenses to deter consumption, including toxins and anti-nutrients.
• 🍲 Many common vegetables and fruits contain natural carcinogens and other harmful substances intended to protect the plants from being eaten.
• 🧬 The evolutionary arms race between plants and animals has led to plants becoming more poisonous and animals developing specific adaptations to consume certain plants.
• 🥚 A diet consisting primarily of meat and water can provide all necessary nutrients without the need for plant-based foods, as evidenced by various populations and historical examples.
• ⚠️ Certain plant compounds, such as lectins, can have negative health effects, including binding to insulin and leptin receptors, potentially leading to overeating and weight gain.
• 🚫 The consumption of plant-based foods can lead to various health issues, including autoimmune diseases, hormonal disruptions, and inflammation.
• 🌱 The bioavailability of nutrients in plants is often reduced by the presence of anti-nutrients like phytates, oxalates, and tannins, which can bind to minerals and prevent absorption.
• 🌞 Some plants can cause photosensitivity, leading to skin damage when exposed to sunlight, as seen with furanocoumarins found in certain fruits and vegetables.
• 🍅 Nightshade plants, including potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers, produce a toxin called solanine, which can be harmful if not properly prepared or consumed in large quantities.
• 💊 The script suggests that many chronic diseases treated with medications may actually be symptoms of plant toxicities and malnutrition, indicating a need to reconsider the role of plant-based foods in our diets.

Q & A

What is the provocative title of the speaker's talk and what does it imply?

The title of the speaker's talk is 'Plants are trying to kill you'. It implies that plants have natural defenses, including toxins, to deter animals from eating them, which can be harmful to humans if consumed unknowingly.

Why do plants produce toxins and other defense chemicals?

Plants produce toxins and other defense chemicals as a survival mechanism. They cannot run away or fight back like animals, so they use these chemicals to deter herbivores and pathogens from consuming them.

What is the evolutionary arms race mentioned in the context of plants and animals?

The evolutionary arms race refers to the ongoing process where plants evolve to become more poisonous to deter animals, and animals, in turn, evolve to become more resistant to specific plant toxins, allowing them to eat those plants without harm.

How did the speaker's study of cancer biology influence their dietary choices?

The speaker learned about the presence of numerous carcinogens in plants during a cancer biology course. This knowledge, along with the understanding that plants use defense chemicals to protect themselves, led the speaker to adopt a diet primarily consisting of meat and water.

What are some examples of plant defense chemicals mentioned in the talk?

Examples of plant defense chemicals mentioned include lectins, cyanide, phytates, tannins, oxalates, hormone disruptors, nutrient blockers, and nightshades.

Why do some animals like pandas and koalas have a very specific diet?

Pandas and koalas have a very specific diet because they have evolved to consume plants that are toxic to other animals. They have adapted to the specific poisons in their food, allowing them to survive and thrive on a limited range of plant species.

What is the significance of the research conducted by Professor Bruce Ames from Berkeley?

Professor Bruce Ames conducted research that revealed the presence of thousands of natural toxins in plants, including carcinogens. His work highlighted that plants and vegetables contain significantly more natural pesticides and carcinogens than the industrial pesticides used on them.

How do lectins potentially contribute to health issues?

Lectins can bind to carbohydrates on the surface of cells, potentially causing damage. They can also interfere with insulin and leptin receptors, leading to metabolic issues such as insulin resistance and obesity. Additionally, lectins are implicated in conditions like Parkinson's disease and autoimmune diseases.

What is the potential danger of cyanogenic glycosides found in certain plants like cassava and bitter almonds?

Cyanogenic glycosides release cyanide when the plant tissue is damaged. Consuming these compounds can lead to acute cyanide poisoning, which can be lethal. Long-term exposure to even low levels of cyanide can cause serious thyroid and neurological damage.

What is the speaker's perspective on the role of plant toxins in modern diseases?

The speaker suggests that many chronic diseases are actually a result of plant toxicities and malnutrition, rather than diseases per se. They argue that the focus should be on identifying and removing these toxins to allow the body to heal naturally, rather than treating the symptoms with medications.

Outlines

00:00

🌱 Plants' Defensive Mechanisms

The speaker introduces the topic by discussing how plants, like animals, have developed defenses to protect themselves from being eaten. While animals can physically escape or fight, plants use chemicals and toxins as their primary defense mechanisms. These chemicals can be harmful to humans and other animals, emphasizing that not all plants are safe to consume. The speaker aims to provoke thought on the hidden dangers in our food.

05:00

🍃 Categories of Plant Defenses

The speaker lists various chemicals used by plants for defense, such as lectins, cyanide, phytates, tannins, oxalates, hormone disruptors, and nutrient blockers. He highlights that these chemicals can cause serious health issues, ranging from minor discomfort to severe diseases like cancer. The speaker stresses that understanding these plant defenses is crucial for making informed dietary choices.

10:01

🏞 Evolutionary Arms Race

The speaker explains the evolutionary arms race between plants and animals. Plants have become more poisonous to deter predators, while animals have adapted to tolerate specific toxins. He shares his personal experience of adopting a meat-only diet for health reasons, influenced by his studies in cancer biology, which revealed numerous carcinogens in common vegetables.

15:02

🦘 Animal-Plant Symbiosis

The speaker elaborates on the symbiotic relationships between certain plants and animals, such as the cassowary bird and specific fruits. He describes how some plants have evolved to be consumed by specific animals, aiding in seed dispersal. The discussion includes examples of how various animals have highly specialized diets to avoid plant toxins.

20:04

🌿 Natural vs. Industrial Toxins

The speaker references Professor Bruce Ames' research, showing that natural plant toxins are significantly more abundant and carcinogenic than industrial pesticides. He argues that the misconception of vegetables being universally healthy needs to be challenged, as many contain harmful compounds that can affect human health severely.

25:06

🥦 Lectins and Health Issues

The speaker discusses lectins, a type of protein found in many plants that can bind to carbohydrates on cell surfaces, potentially causing various health issues. He mentions research and books highlighting the dangers of lectins, such as their role in obesity, insulin resistance, and autoimmune diseases. The speaker points out how removing lectins from the diet can lead to significant health improvements.

🥜 Cyanogenic Glycosides

The speaker talks about cyanogenic glycosides, which release cyanide when plant tissues are damaged. He highlights the dangers of consuming cassava root and bitter almonds, which contain these compounds. He emphasizes the need for proper processing to reduce toxicity and notes the serious health risks associated with long-term exposure to even low levels of cyanide.

🥗 Nutrient Blockers and Digestive Inhibitors

The speaker explains how certain compounds in plants can block nutrient absorption and inhibit digestive enzymes. He mentions protease inhibitors in soy and wheat, which hinder protein digestion, and phytates, which bind to minerals and prevent their absorption. The speaker argues that these factors should be considered when determining recommended daily allowances for nutrients.

🌞 Photosensitivity and Plant Toxins

The speaker describes how some plant compounds, like furano coumarins in limes and celery, can cause photosensitivity, leading to severe skin burns upon exposure to sunlight. He provides examples of how these compounds have affected agricultural workers and livestock, illustrating the hidden dangers in commonly consumed plants.

🌶 Nightshades and Traditional Knowledge

The speaker discusses nightshades, such as potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers, which contain solanine, a toxic compound. He highlights traditional practices for reducing toxicity, like peeling and cooking, and notes that many people are unaware of these risks. He warns about the dangers of consuming green or sprouted potatoes, which have higher solanine levels.

🌼 The Poison Garden

The speaker shares a story about a garden in England that cultivates toxic plants, some of which can be lethal upon close contact. He uses this example to illustrate the potent defense mechanisms of plants and the potential risks they pose to humans, even in small quantities.

🍖 Nutrient Bioavailability in Plants vs. Meat

The speaker argues that while plants contain nutrients, they are not as bioavailable as those in meat. He suggests revising dietary guidelines to reflect the differences in nutrient absorption and highlights historical and modern examples of populations thriving on meat-based diets. The speaker asserts that many chronic diseases are due to plant toxins and advocates for a reevaluation of our dietary habits.

💉 Reconsidering Chronic Diseases

The speaker concludes by proposing that many chronic diseases are not true diseases but toxicities caused by plant consumption. He criticizes the medical community for not recognizing this and emphasizes the need to treat the root cause—plant toxins—rather than just managing symptoms. The speaker calls for a shift in dietary recommendations to reduce the burden of illness caused by plant toxins.

Keywords

💡Plant Defenses

Plant defenses refer to the various strategies that plants have evolved to protect themselves from being consumed by animals, insects, and pathogens. In the context of the video, this concept is central as it explains why plants produce toxins and other chemicals that can be harmful to humans. The speaker discusses how plants use poison as a deterrent, mentioning that 'plants are trying to kill you' as a provocative way to highlight this natural defense mechanism.

💡Lectins

Lectins are proteins found in many plants that can have negative health effects when consumed, particularly if they bind to carbohydrates on the surface of cells. The video emphasizes the role of lectins as one of the plant's defense chemicals, which can cause issues like inflammation and contribute to conditions like autoimmune diseases. The speaker cites examples such as how certain lectins can interfere with insulin and leptin receptors, potentially leading to overeating and weight gain.

💡Cyanide

Cyanide is a highly toxic chemical compound that is found in some plants as a defense mechanism. The script mentions cyanide as an example of a plant-produced toxin, highlighting that certain plants contain compounds that release cyanide when damaged, such as bitter almonds and cassava root. The video underscores the potential lethality of consuming these substances in significant quantities.

💡Phytates

Phytates are substances found in plants that can bind to minerals and inhibit their absorption, thus acting as nutrient blockers. The video discusses phytates as part of the plant's defense arsenal, preventing the efficient absorption of essential minerals like calcium and magnesium. This concept is tied to the broader theme of how plant consumption can lead to malnutrition and health issues.

💡Hormone Disruptors

Hormone disruptors are chemicals that interfere with the normal functioning of hormones in the body. The script specifically mentions phytoestrogens found in plants like soy, which can mimic the effect of estrogen and potentially lead to hormonal imbalances. The video suggests that these plant-derived hormone disruptors can have significant health implications, including effects on reproductive health.

💡Nutrient Blockers

Nutrient blockers are substances in plants that prevent the absorption or utilization of essential nutrients. The video explains that nutrient blockers like tannins, oxalates, and protease inhibitors can interfere with the body's ability to digest and absorb nutrients from food. This concept is integral to the video's argument that plant-based diets can lead to malnutrition and contribute to chronic diseases.

💡Photosensitivity

Photosensitivity refers to an increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight, which can result in burns or rashes. The video discusses furanocoumarins found in plants like celery and limes, which can cause photosensitivity when they come into contact with the skin and are exposed to sunlight. This keyword is used to illustrate another way in which plants have developed defenses that can be harmful to humans.

💡Nightshades

Nightshades are a group of plants that include potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers, which produce a toxin called solanine. The video mentions nightshades as an example of plants that have been consumed by humans for centuries despite their toxic properties. The speaker argues that the traditional processing methods used to reduce the toxin levels in these plants have been largely forgotten, leading to potential health risks.

💡Mitochondrial Damage

Mitochondrial damage refers to harm caused to the mitochondria, the energy-producing structures within cells. The script discusses how carcinogens found in plants can damage mitochondria, potentially contributing to the development of cancer. This concept is used to link the consumption of plant toxins to serious health consequences.

💡Toxin Theory of Modern Disease

The Toxin Theory of Modern Disease, as presented in the video, posits that many chronic diseases are not diseases per se but rather the result of long-term exposure to plant toxins and malnutrition. The speaker argues that by treating symptoms rather than addressing the root cause of toxicity, the medical community is failing to effectively combat these health issues. This theory challenges conventional wisdom and suggests a reevaluation of the role of plant-based diets in human health.

Highlights

Plants have evolved various defense chemicals to deter consumption, including toxins.

Most plants in the world are inedible due to these defense chemicals.

Plants and animals are in an evolutionary arms race, with plants becoming more poisonous and animals adapting to specific poisons.

Lectins, which are proteins found in many plants, can have negative health effects, including binding to insulin and leptin receptors.

Certain plants contain high levels of carcinogens, such as Brussels sprouts with over 136 identified human carcinogens.

Plants use cyanide as a defense mechanism, which can be harmful or lethal to humans if consumed in large quantities.

Nightshades, including potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers, produce solanine, a toxin that can be harmful if not properly prepared.

Plants contain natural pesticides that can be more harmful than industrial pesticides.

Plants can cause a variety of adverse health effects, including acute poisoning and long-term damage to the immune, reproductive, or nervous systems.

Phytates in plants can bind to minerals, preventing their absorption and utilization by the body.

Fiber in plants can act as a barrier to the absorption of nutrients, potentially contributing to malnutrition.

Hormone disruptors found in plants, such as phytoestrogens, can mimic estrogen and disrupt hormonal balance.

Plants can cause photosensitivity, leading to skin damage when exposed to sunlight.

The speaker advocates for a diet primarily consisting of meat and water, citing personal health benefits and historical examples.

The speaker suggests that many chronic diseases may be a result of plant toxicities and malnutrition, rather than diseases themselves.

The speaker argues for a re-examination of recommended daily allowances (RDAs) due to the impact of plant toxins on nutrient absorption.

The speaker calls for a paradigm shift in medical practice, focusing on removing toxins and allowing the body to heal naturally, rather than treating symptoms.

Transcripts

[Music]

thank you

okay well thank you very much for that

kind introduction thank you all for

having me here the title of my talk is

uh plants are trying to kill you which

of course is a very provocative uh title

and and is meant to be but it's just

it's trying to make people think about

you know obviously this can this uh uh

this community knows full well about the

the danger of carbohydrates how this

changes us metabolically and physically

and biologically can cause a lot of harm

but we need to remember as well that

there are other chemicals and toxins

that exist in the food that we eat they

can also cause harm

so uh let's take a think about this okay

so just botany 101 plants are living

organisms and they like to stay living

organisms if you eat them they die and

so they have defenses just like any

other living organism and while animals

can run away or fight back plants can't

and so they use a lot of different

things but poison is one of their main

deterrents they use these defense

chemicals to poison the animals that are

trying to eat them and they have

hundreds of different ones geared

towards different animals insects and

pathogens that are trying to eat them

this is why most plants in the world are

inedible we sort of know this

intuitively if you got lost in the woods

here and you ran out of food you

wouldn't be able to eat any random plant

most of them would make you very sick I

don't think anyone is is going to be

able to spot the vegetables in this

picture right so you have to you have to

know exactly what to eat and the reason

is because there are these defense

chemicals

so here are just a just a few sort of

categories of the ways that plants

defend themselves or use lectins is

something people are gaining more uh

interest in there's tons of different

kinds of lectins uh they use there's

2500 different plants you use cyanide

that we know of there's different uh

various toxins phytates tannins oxalates

hormone disruptors nutrient blockers

things that make you very sensitive to

light and nightshades we've known about

for thousands of years and yet for some

reason we're still eating these things

so again just does botany biology 101 I

literally learned this in seventh grade

that plants and animals are in an

evolutionary arms race plants becoming

more and more poisonous so less and less

animals can eat them so that they can

survive and thrive and animals becoming

more and more uh adapted to the specific

poisons in specific plants so that they

can eat that plant and Survive and

Thrive and this is where they get their

dedicated food resources it's like uh

koalas and pandas they eat a very

specific diet they eat other plants they

will they will get very sick the way I

came to a the way of eating that I do

which is really just meat and water is

22 years ago when I was taking cancer

biology at the University of Washington

in Seattle we went over how plants use

defense chemicals in order to defend

themselves we were looking at this from

a cancer perspective so we were looking

at Carson carcinogens and we learned 20

years ago that brussels sprouts alone

had over 136 identified human

carcinogens in them and that just you

know white cat I'm telling you this is

why kids no one likes brussels sprouts

right you know and and that's why right

you know that bad taste that bitter

taste is is your your brain and your

tongue which are sophisticated machines

and they can tell you like hey this is

bad for you spit it out you know so if

you you know and that's what we would

normally naturally do uh as a kid so you

give an infant a piece of broccoli they

will hate you for it you know you give

them a piece of bacon you know and their

eyes light up right

so so yeah so we were learning that you

know white white cap mushrooms had over

100 known carcinogens but also spinach

kale lettuce celery cabbage cucumber

broccoli literally given pages and pages

of every plant that you've ever come

across in a grocery store and not a

single one had less than 60 known human

carcinogens in them they were quite

abundant we have research from Professor

Bruce Ames from Berkeley in the 1980s

that that actually went into this which

we'll go on to in a minute we were quite

taken aback by this obviously we were

very very shocked as some of you may be

right now and I remember thinking in my

head well but vegetables are still good

for you though right and our professor

must have just read our minds looked at

us like you guys aren't getting this and

he just said I don't need salads

I don't eat vegetables

I don't let my kids eat vegetables

plants are trying to kill you so I was

like right forget plants and I just

stopped and you go to the grocery store

and everything has plants right

everything's in I either is plants or

has plants in the ingredients and I just

walked around and I just came across

it's eggs and meat I'm like okay so I

just eat eggs and meat and that's what I

did for a number of years and had

massive health benefits I was I was

playing professional rugby while in

University and my athletic performance

as well as just my physical health just

increased dramatically it was just night

and day difference and and again still

feeling those positive results 22 years

later

so that's the thing is that most plants

will kill most animals so it's not that

some plants are poisonous some aren't

it's that all plants are poisonous it's

just that certain animals have have

evolved the ability to defend themselves

against specific plants but if they eat

other plants they will get sick or even

die

so you have pandas and and koalas right

they eat a very specific diet it's a

very very monotonous in nature they

don't have this big broad range of

things that they eat very specific

things you know there's 340 000 species

of plant in the world quality one pandas

eat one cows horses grazing animals eat

grasses and they only eat specific

grasses and then the the leaves of the

giraffe eats are different from the

leaves that a gorilla eats those are

different from the leaves of the deer

eats and so on and if you mix those

leaves around they all get sick or die

there are symbiosis between plants and

animals obviously this is an

evolutionary Trend in the ecosystem you

have animals co-evolving with plant

scale the Great Plains and grasslands

have evolved with the big grazing

animals they they work together

symbiotically but also you can look at

fruits with things like well fruit the

plant wants you to eat them like well

maybe maybe not they want something to

eat them but not necessarily you because

certain animals when they ingest these

seeds those seeds will germinate in

their intestine then that will uh on

this plant so a good example of that is

the cassowary bird here in Australia and

elsewhere and they eat about 150

different berries and fruits and those

will all kill you

and they will kill basically any other

animal that eats them because those

plants want the cassowary bird to eat

them because those seeds will not

germinate if they don't go through a

cassowary bird first and so if the

Castaway birds leave an area those those

plants and trees will die off

and you know we have this they say you

know like don't eat the red berries this

is this is something that that people

knew it identifies like the red berries

like don't eat those right so most

fruits are still actually going to be

toxic to humans

so this is the study from Professor

Bruce Ames from Berkeley this was

published in 1989 and he showed that

just the natural plants and vegetables

contain 10 000 times more naturally

occurring pesticides by weight than the

industrial pesticides that we were using

on them and that they were orders of

magnitude times more likely to cause

cancer than the industrial pesticides in

this case ALR which they were looking at

specifically they were trying to

actually get it banned and they were

saying we're not going to get rid of

this this is poison and it is

spinach is worse

so

he at that point identified 42 different

toxins that existed in just a plethora

of different uh plants like everything I

mean in the article you'll see it's just

every single plant that that would exist

in the in the produce aisle was there

and 42 toxins 20 of which were shown to

be carcinogenic in mice

fast forward 11 years later when I took

cancer biology we already know about 136

Justin brussels sprouts

so uh there's more so even though we've

talked about today about the who pushing

you know fake meat and lab meat and all

these sorts of things they still have a

page that you can look up

that all talks about all the natural

poisons that are in plants and these

this natural toxins in food as they call

it does not talk about anything that

exists in actual meat except for the um

the Aquatic biotoxins but this is from

algae you know the the the you know

shellfish and fish eat the algae and

that can uh make that toxic but you know

this is why you avoid things uh you know

uh that that are invested in that area

um they talk about all sorts of

different

um different things like uh that Cyanide

purana humorins lectins solanine

mycotoxins and much more they talk about

poisonous mushrooms as well think about

this we eat mushrooms but there are over

10 000 varieties of mushrooms in the

world how many of those don't kill you

on the spot or give you a religious

experience right

yeah there's like five right and yet we

think that because these five don't give

us an acute stage reaction of that

nature that not only are they safe but

good for you which I think is a bold

assumption to take with your health

see like the natural toxins can cause a

variety of adverse health effects and

pose a serious health threat to both

humans and livestock some of these

toxins are extremely potent these are

all things that we eat all the time they

give examples of these things adverse

health effects can be acute poisoning

ranging from allergic reactions to

severe stomach diarrhea stomach ache and

diarrhea and even death long-term

consequences include effects on the

immune reproductive or nervous systems

and also cancer So speaking earlier

today about the effects of the

mitochondria on cancer

all of those carcinogens

in in Plants damage your mitochondria

so going into some of the the specific

categories such as lectins lectins or

protein that exists in in many many many

different plants they have a bunch of

different functions you actually have

lectins in animal uh meat as well but

they don't seem to cause any harm

lectins these are probably developed

antipathnogenic they're very very very

old and so probably against pathogens

and insects but there's obviously a lot

of cross-reaction with other forms of

life These are proteins that can bind to

carbohydrates and so they can bind to

carbohydrates on the surface of your

cells and I mean and this is something

that's been researched more and more uh

you know Dr Paul Mason has has a really

really good lecture on just lectins that

he's done at previous low carb down

under

um

uh venue and then people like you know

Paul or Dr gundry wrote an entire book

called The Plant Paradox talking about

how toxic leptins are and then concluded

that you should eat a plant-based diet

which I don't think I would come to that

same conclusion

so you know we talk about we talk about

a lot of carbohydrates here how that can

affect insulin how insulin

hyperinsulinemia can cause all sorts of

different problems but what we don't

necessarily know about is that certain

lectins can actually bind to your

insulin receptors and bind them more

tightly than insulin and cause a greater

intelligent effect can also bind to

leptin receptors and leptin so this is

um leptin is obviously a satiety signal

so it'll release from your whole your

adipose tissue and your stretch

receptors when your stomach is full goes

to your brain says hey we're full we're

hungry or we're not hungry we we don't

need to eat we have enough energy so you

block that you block that off which

insulin will do as well then you're not

able to see your satiety signals and you

end up over eating and you overeat and

you overeat and this is why we overeat

so this is another reason why people on

a ketogenic diet often reduce the amount

that they will eat naturally but

sometimes you'll actually see that the

lectins are also having an effect and

when you draw drop those people actually

lose weight as well there was a study

looking at people with ISO caloric

intake and just one just removed lectins

and they all lost weight and the others

didn't and it lost a significant amount

of weight it's also implicated in things

like Parkinson's disease they actually

found that lectins can actually track up

the vagus nerve and get into the

substantia and damage your cells

there and are implicated and thought to

be a part of Parkinson's or at least a

contributing factor to Parkinson's

demonstrating this there was a study in

2015 out of Denmark where they looked at

all the people who had a vagotomy where

they cut the vagus nerve between the

1970s and 1990s sort of mid-mid and they

found that in this population there was

a 67 percent reduction in Parkinson's

rates interesting

going on with lectins there's wheat germ

of gluten in which I'm sure a lot of

people are familiar with this is another

lectin this combines to the

carbohydrates surface antigens on your

uh enterocytes in your in your

intestinal lining and this can damage

them it can destroy them it'll also

destroy these tight junctions where

these cells are literally stuck together

and giving barrier protection against

things getting in your body that aren't

supposed to get in your body so when you

damage those tight junctions now

bacteria and other chemicals that would

normally not get into your system like

lectins will now get into your system

and cause all sorts of problems like by

Nature insulin receptors

lipopolysaccharides are are are coming

from bacteria can also bind the toll

like receptors and this

causes an inflammatory Cascade

and and they can also through molecular

mimicry is now implicated in autoimmune

diseases so these lectins obviously are

foreign agents they get into your body

and your body doesn't like that and so

it attacks them with with antibodies

some people the genetically susceptible

sometimes they have surface antigens

that look similar to these lectins and

other other foreign objects and so now

this there's a spillover effect of these

um of these antibodies that now attack

your your normal cells and this can be

demonstrated as far back as the 1800s

with Dr J H Salisbury For Whom the

Salisbury steak was named after who did

a 30-year research project into optimal

nutrition for human beings and wrote an

entire book called the relation between

alimentation and disease basically

saying the relationship between disease

and what you eat which is my entire

argument this has been made before and

he found that people that this was long

before processed sugar that he found

that people that

stop the implants just a a pure meat and

water diet really you advocated red meat

and water we're reversing things like

rheumatoid arthritis Crohn's ulcerative

colitis this was a century before we had

any significant medications that would

that would help this was devastating

when you got this and he found that

people would reverse it people today are

doing this all over the world people may

know of Jordan Peterson his daughter

Michaela Peterson who had such severe

juvenile juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

and she had two joint Replacements of

her ankle I believe her hip when she was

16 years old she eliminated um she went

keto first and eliminated out a lot of

different toxins and nightshades in

particular and had had very very good

results then she dropped all the salads

as well just went to Pure meat and water

diet now she's off all medications and

she's having kids and she's healthy she

has not had a single flare-up she had

salad once and that gave her a flare-up

and she said right never doing that

again right so that's I think very

interesting as well so you have these

cyanogenic cyanogenic glycosides and

these exist in things like cassava root

which is a very important root which

we'll talk about also almonds and bitter

almonds they are they respond to damage

and so if you once you're chewing an

almond or a bitter almond or cassava

that will release this cyanide so it's

normally not in the tissue just when

it's being damaged right so this is this

is a defense mechanism uh the cassava

root there's there's bitter and there's

sweet

the sweet or both of them combined

account for the third most important

source of calories in the tropics and is

the primary source of calories for over

500 million people in the world so this

is this is a very important source of

calories and it contains cyanide the

bitter cassava will kill you if you eat

it the amount of cyanide that it has in

it so it has to be specially processed

and they and they make the they grow the

bitter cassava because if they have a

problem with herbivores coming around

eating their crops well they're not

going to eat this one because it'll kill

them right and so that has to be

specially processed but it doesn't get

rid of all the cyanide in it and so

long-term exposure to even low-grade

cyanide can cause serious thyroid and

neurological damage and quite seriously

and

so we don't have have that really as a

staple here but people do eat almonds

and people don't realize that 400 to 800

grams of almonds can be a lethal dose of

cyanide in an adult

and yet we give this stuff to kids and

sell them in grocery stores which I

think is wild right and then there's

bitter almonds you know which are just

the inside of like a peach pit or stone

you crack that open it looks like a

little shriveled up almond that's very

bitter because there's a lot of cyanide

in it and one or two of those chewed up

crushed up we'll release that cyanide

can be a lethal dose of cyanide in an

adult

there are things that cause direct

toxicity Hemlock is a very well known uh

toxic plant uh what it has is a Gaba

receptor antagonist where we'll block

your Gaba receptor and you'll have

intractable seizures and be dead within

minutes even half a leaf is enough to

kill an adult kids that have made little

whistles out of the stems in America

have been known to be poisoned or even

killed it's very very toxic

oxalates is something that people know a

bit about they cause inflammation and

damage in your body they also bind

minerals they uh are being associated

with kidney stones as well tannins they

can block digestive enzymes slow growth

and at high doses can even cause kidney

damage or liver necrosis at high enough

levels seed oils or just poison as soon

as the oil gets out of the plant it

becomes very unstable and is very

pro-inflammatory and oxidative and

there's a direct correlation with the

rise in seed oils and the rise in

cardiovascular disease sort of the

opposite with animal fats and there's

actually an interesting paper that I've

read coming from the 1970s where they

actually found that seed oils were a

very good immunosuppressant and they

were saying this works great for people

that are getting a kidney transplant

they're not rejecting their kidneys the

problem was they were all getting cancer

and so they had to stop that

so then you have hormone disruptors this

this sounds like what it is it disrupts

your hormones you have phytoestrogens

that can that can have an estrogenic

effect in your body uh I was speaking to

someone uh just last week and they said

that their doctor uh their oncologist

because they had breast cancer didn't

want them eating red meat because of all

the hormones that were in uh meat but

look at this the estrogen that's in uh

red meat for three ounces of lean red

meat is about three point for hormone

treated cows by the way 3.9 nanograms of

estrogen per three ounces whereas the

phytoestrogens in soy is over one

million nanograms per three ounces so

don't eat meat what do you replace it

with you place it with plants that have

even more phytoestrogens and you know

the birth control pill has about 35 000

nanograms you know a fertile woman will

make you know over a hundred thousand

nanograms of estrogen a day so you know

3.9 nanograms is really not doing

anything so this is taken out of content

and it really matters that it's taken

out of that context it's been shown soy

has been shown to reduce reproduction in

sheep lower sperm counts and can derange

your your sex hormone ratios

nutrient blockers these are like the

tannins and the oxalates which can bind

different minerals there are also

different things that will just stop

your own

enzymes from working and digesting your

food properly so soy and wheat both have

Proteus Inhibitors that block your

protease from your pancreas from

actually breaking down normally

bioavailable foods like meat the Protein

that's in plants is is not bioavailable

if you think about wheat for example 80

percent of the protein in wheat is

gluten and that is completely

unavailable to us to be used as protein

and then what little left over is

bioavailable and able to be digested is

now going to be hindered by this

protease inhibitor and that wheat

protease inhibitor actually also

stimulates the tolac receptor which

increases inflammation

phytase you have phytic acid they're in

some plants these will bind to minerals

making mineral salts and they will stop

your body from being able to absorb

these like calcium and magnesium and

then it's it's an unbreakable Bond we we

don't have the Machinery to break those

two apart so when we

eat these nutrients and we take in

things like oxalates and tannins and

phytase we are actually not able to

absorb and utilize those nutrients so

just because it says it on the packet or

this has this much of this nutrient

doesn't actually mean that that's

available and accessible to you and so I

think that we really do need to re

re-examine our recommended daily

allowances because it really does matter

whether or not you know what you're

eating is going to change what you

actually need to take in because you're

just not going to be absorbing certain

things and all of these rdas were

developed at a time when everyone was

eating a mixed diet

fiber there's a lot of there's a lot to

do with fiber but just quickly it can

actually be a physical barrier between

the enzymes

and your your food stuff that's come in

and so it can actually to get in the way

of that they won't break down as much

and then there's a physical barrier

between the breakdown products and the

Lumen of your intestine so you won't

digest and absorb as many nutrients when

you're eating fiber and this was touted

to be a good thing in the 1980s say oh

you eat more fiber this will actually

stop you from absorbing nutrients isn't

that great you'll lose weight right I

don't know I don't think that makes any

biological evolutionary sense anyway

certainly wouldn't wouldn't give you a

survival advantage to limit the amount

of nutrients you're getting from food

most animals are starving to death

rather than you know getting fat in the

wild

uh photosensitivity is is quite

interesting uh this is uh there's

different furana coumarins that I

mentioned before especially in the

Citrus and carrot family and so things

like limes just the juice of limes have

these ceramicumerins in them and then

when they get on your skin they react

with light and they are activated by

light and they will bind to proteins and

DNA and cause permanent damage and there

are cases of kids who have had

second-degree burns just from squeezing

limes in the sun

um

then you have celery and parsnips these

also have these foreign which will make

you photosensitive and

um and celery itself is there's actually

a a an ailment called celery dermatitis

where celery Pickers and handlers

they're picking a bunch of celery all

the time they actually get very

photosensitive to get these horrible

burns like you see here

and these are pictures of a couple of

sheep who have gotten into uh some some

plants that they normally wouldn't eat

normally you see this in pasture

pasture-raised animal livestock not not

wild animals they usually know what to

eat but this is when you're stuck in a

passenger sort of run out of the things

you want to eat you end up eating things

that you wouldn't normally and you end

up getting hurt and so this is this is

showing just the the burns that these uh

these animals can get

nightshades nice literally we've known

about these things being harmful for

thousands of years and yet we you know

just like Belladonna deadly nightshade

and tobacco they create they use a toxin

called solony among other things but we

regularly eat potatoes Tomatoes

eggplants Peppers capsicums all these

things are nightshades and they all

produce solenine

what we forgot when we adopted these uh

the use of these things from the new

world from in uh from North and South

America was that the people eating them

in those areas a were poor didn't really

have access to meat and so they sort of

had to for survival and B they process

these things in a very specific way the

tomatoes they you know when they're

green they have a lot more solony so you

have to wait for them to vine ripen then

they would blanch them take the skin off

take the seeds out that's where the you

know the the highest concentration of

these poisons were potatoes were used to

peel them now oh well that's all where

all the the nutrients and vitamins are

is in the skin like right that's where

all the poison is too it's a barrier

protection against something going in

and eating it you know I I think most

people would have grown up with one of

their parents telling them that when you

have to keep potatoes in a dark cupboard

and if it would turn green you have to

throw it out it's bad it's bad what does

that mean it means it's toxic it has a

toxic level of solanine in it or Sprouts

roots and that's bad too you have to cut

out the entire eye or throw away the

whole potato because it's bad

um

apparently some people's mothers didn't

tell them this and so if you look it up

70 people a year still die from eating

potatoes

potatoes right

so this is just a picture of a of a gate

of a of a garden in England that has

cultivated and brought together a lot of

these very very toxic plants so the to

the extent that if you get close enough

to these things they they can kill you

just by by some of the chemicals that

they're exuding and in fact some the

Hedge groundskeeper

um has actually actually succumbed to

that and died from one of the plants

there and and and you know just just to

jump back think about lectins Bryson is

another lectin right this is this is a

deadly deadly poison comes from the the

the

um sort of the skin of uh Castor beans

and even just a few milligrams of this

will kill you invariably

so

does it contain nutrients yes plants do

contain nutrients they're living things

they have things that are good for other

living things but this comes at a price

and they're also not as bioavailable as

we think this is why I think we need to

redo these rdas because it's a very

different story if you are excluding

these nutrient blockers and digestive

disruptors so I think rdas for someone

doing keto or or just meat is going to

be very very different than otherwise

does it have anything in vital essential

nutrients that you have to have that you

cannot get from meat well no it doesn't

and we have endless examples of this

going back through Antiquity but even

current examples today you know the the

Maasai the Inuit the Nanette and all of

our ancestors have lived through uh you

know previous ice ages and things like

that where we didn't have access to all

these different sorts of plants and they

and they really relied on a meat-based

diet they did fine I've been doing I've

been doing this for literally decades

you know and there are other people have

been doing it for longer than I have you

know coming from a Western European

background

and does it cause harm yes I think I

think that it does I hope that I've made

that point clear to you I mean there's

thousands and thousands of different

defense chemicals that these things use

and and have just sort of scratch at the

surface of these

um but they do and now why is this

important to to us as people and

specifically doctors well the fact is

that this these defense chemicals cause

a large burden of harm and illness in

the population and and we're not

treating it as such we're thinking oh

this is a disease we need to treat the

disease we're not recognizing this is a

toxicity we need to remove the toxin

okay and let the body heal naturally you

know and we're pacing over this and and

saying well here's all these treatments

not thinking what the root cause is I'm

pretty sure no one here would argue that

type 2 diabetes is caused by a metformin

deficiency right so we need to look at

what's causing this right and I think

that it's uh these these these toxins

um you know and in animal husbandry we

actually have known about this for a

long time there are a number of

different ailments that are directly

attributed to the animal eating the

wrong thing such as the blind staggers

the slobbers paralytic tongue big head

limp neck Crazy Cow syndrome and we

recognize these as coming from eating

the wrong thing I think now as doctors

we need to recognize that a lot of our

chronic diseases are actually plant

toxicities and what I would argue is

that the so-called chronic diseases that

we treat

are not diseases per se but toxicities

and malnutrition toxic buildup of

species inappropriate diet and a lack of

species-specific nutrition namely too

many plants not enough meat

and so that's what I call just the toxin

toxin theory of modern disease I think

we're looking at this incorrectly and

because we're looking at this

incorrectly we're going to get incorrect

treatments just you get the wrong

diagnosis in the hospital you start

someone on the wrong treatment that's

not going to help them it's going to

hurt them and I think that's what we're

doing and that's why we're not having as

very very good results even though we've

we've spent billions trying to treat

these diseases they're only getting

worse and so I think that that's because

we're looking at them incorrectly so as

every doctor's been saying the last 50

years make sure you eat your vegetables

I would say don't don't eat your veggies

and um and just at least something to

think about anyway thank you very much

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