{"id":6843,"date":"2012-09-28T16:49:17","date_gmt":"2012-09-28T23:49:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/?p=6843"},"modified":"2016-01-17T14:26:33","modified_gmt":"2016-01-17T22:26:33","slug":"ray-peat-phd-on-the-benefits-of-the-raw-carrot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/2012\/09\/28\/ray-peat-phd-on-the-benefits-of-the-raw-carrot\/","title":{"rendered":"Ray Peat, PhD on the Benefits of the Raw Carrot"},"content":{"rendered":"

Also see:<\/strong>
\nThe effect of raw carrot on serum lipids and colon function
\n<\/a>Protective Bamboo Shoots<\/a>
\nSOS for PMS<\/a>
\nEndotoxin-lipoprotein Hypothesis<\/a>
\nEndotoxin: Poisoning from the Inside Out
\n<\/a>Protection from Endotoxin<\/a>
\nBowel Toxins Accelerate Aging<\/a>
\nProtective Cascara Sagrada and Emodin<\/a>
\nFermentable Carbohydrates, Anxiety, Aggression<\/a>
\nIntestinal Serotonin and Bone Loss<\/a>
\nAutoimmunity and Intestinal Flora<\/a>
\nAre Happy Gut Bacteria Key to Weight Loss?<\/a><\/p>\n

“Endotoxin or other material absorbed from intestinal bacteria contributes to a variety of\u00a0autoimmune problems, including thyroiditis (Penhale and Young, 1988). Combining an\u00a0indigestible fiber, such as raw carrot, with mild germicides, such as vinegar and coconut oil, can improve the hormonal environment, while reducing the immunological burden.”<\/p>\n

“My basic approach is to lower estrogen and the stress hormones by diet including a daily carrot salad, supported by thyroid supplements as needed.”<\/p>\n

“The food industry is promoting the use of various gums and starches, which are convenient thickeners and stabilizers for increasing self-life, with the argument that the butyric acid produced when they are fermented by intestinal bacteria is protective. However, intestinal fermentation increases systemic and brain serotonin, and the short-chain fatty acids can produce a variety of inflammatory and cytotoxic effect. Considering the longevity and stress-resistance of germ-free animals, choosing foods (such as raw carrots or cooked bamboo shoots or cooked mushrooms) which accelerate peristalsis and speed transit through the bowel, which suppressing bacterial growth, seems like a convenient approach to increasing longevity.”<\/p>\n

“It takes a few days for the intestine to adjust to raw carrot, but the indigestible fiber is very protective for the intestine. Boiled bamboo shoots, which are also mostly indigestible, have a similar effect. These fibers prevent the reabsorption of estrogen in the intestine, and can shift the balance away from cortisol and estrogen, toward progesterone and thyroid, in just a few days of regular use. Oatmeal and potatoes do provide fiber, but they are good food for bacteria, and bacterial endotoxin is usually the basic problem causing hormone imbalance, by being a chronic burden for the liver, keeping it from storing enough sugar to process thyroid and the other hormones effectively.”<\/p>\n

“Coconut oil added to the diet can increase the metabolic rate. Small frequent feedings, each combining some carbohydrate and some protein, such as fruit and cheese, often help to keep the metabolic rate higher. Eating raw carrots can prevent the absorption of estrogen from the intestine, allowing the liver to more effectively regulate metabolism.”<\/p>\n

“Things that protect the bowel, such as raw carrots, have far-reaching effects on hormones and immunity.”<\/p>\n

“Besides avoiding foods containing fermentable fibers and starches that resist quick digestion, eating fibrous foods that contain antibacterial chemicals, such as bamboo shoots or raw carrots, helps to reduce endotoxin and serotonin. Activated charcoal can absorb many toxins, including bacterial endotoxin, so it is likely to reduce serotonin absorption from the intestine. Since it can also bind or destroy vitamins, it should be used only intermittently. Frolkis, et al. (1989, 1984) found that it extended median and\u00a0average lifespan of rats, beginning in old age (28 months) by 43% and 34%, respectively, when given in large quantities (equivalent to about a cup per day for humans) for ten days of each month.”<\/p>\n

“Some fibers, such as raw carrots, that are effective for lowering endotoxin absorption also contain natural antibiotics, so regular use of carrots should be balanced by occasional supplementation with vitamin K, or by occasionally eating liver or broccoli.”<\/p>\n

“Polysaccharides and oligosaccharides include many kinds of molecules that no human enzyme can break down, so they necessarily aren’t broken down for absorption until they encounter bacterial or fungal enzymes. In a well maintained digestive system, those organisms will live almost exclusively in the large intestine, leaving the length of the small intestine for the absorption of monosaccharides without fermentation. When digestive secretions are inadequate, and peristalsis is sluggish, bacteria and fungi can invade the small intestine, interfering with digestion and causing inflammation and toxic effects. Lactose malabsorption has been corrected just by correcting a deficiency of thyroid or progesterone…Sometimes having a daily carrot salad (grated, with salt, olive oil, and a few drops of vinegar) will stimulate (and disinfect) the small intestine enough to prevent fermentation.”<\/p>\n

“Appetizing foods stimulate the digestive secretions, but it’s important to avoid foods that directly trigger an inflammatory reaction, or that are indigestible and as a result support harmful bacterial growth. Cellulose can accelerate transit through the intestine and lower estrogen systemically(partly by simply preventing the reabsorption\u00a0of estrogen that has been secreted by the bile), but\u00a0the lignans found in many seeds and grains tend to\u00a0promote inflammation. Raw carrots, for example,\u00a0lower estrogen, while flax meal can increase it.\u00a0Constipation or diarrhea, or their alternation,\u00a0usually develops when there is inflammation in\u00a0the bowel. A laxative can sometimes reduce the\u00a0inflammation, but it’s important to identify the\u00a0foods that contribute to the problem. A salad of\u00a0shredded carrot, with oil and vinegar dressing, has\u00a0a germicidal action, and is stimulating to the\u00a0digestive processes. Most salad vegetables,\u00a0though, are likely to produce intestinal irritation,\u00a0directly or as a result of bacterial decomposition.”<\/p>\n

“Estrogenic influences can be significantly reduced by avoiding foods such\u00a0as soy products and unsaturated fats, by eating enough protein to\u00a0optimize the liver\u2019s elimination of estrogen, and by using things such as\u00a0bulk-forming foods (raw carrots, potatoes, and milk, for example) that\u00a0stimulate bowel action and prevent reabsorption of estrogens from the\u00a0intestine. Avoiding hypothyroidism is essential for preventing chronic\u00a0retention or formation of too much estrogen.”<\/p>\n

“Endotoxin formed in the bowel can block respiration and cause hormone\u00a0imbalances contributing to instability of the nerves, so it is helpful to\u00a0optimize bowel flora, for example with a carrot salad; a dressing of\u00a0vinegar, coconut oil and olive oil, carried into the intestine by the carrot\u00a0fiber, suppresses bacterial growth while stimulating healing of the wall of\u00a0the intestine. The carrot salad improves the ratio of progesterone to\u00a0estrogen and cortisol, and so is as appropriate for epilepsy as for\u00a0premenstrual syndrome, insomnia, or arthritis.”<\/p>\n

“I have previously discussed the use of antibiotics (and\/or carrot fiber\u00a0and\/or charcoal) to relieve the premenstrual syndrome, and have\u00a0mentioned the study in which the lifespan was extended by occasionally\u00a0adding charcoal to the diet. A few years ago, I heard about a Mexican\u00a0farmer who collected his neighbors’ runt pigs, and got them to grow\u00a0normally by adding charcoal to their diet. This probably achieves the\u00a0same thing as adding antibiotics to their food, which is practiced by pig\u00a0farmers in the US to promote growth and efficient use of food. Charcoal,\u00a0besides binding and removing toxins, is also a powerful catalyst for the\u00a0oxidative destruction of many toxic chemicals. In a sense, it anticipates\u00a0the action of the protective enzymes of the intestinal wall and the liver.”<\/p>\n

“Since endotoxemia can produce aerobic glycolysis in an otherwise healthy\u00a0person (Bundgaard, et al., 2003), a minimally “Warburgian” approach–i.e,, a merely reasonable approach–would involve minimizing the\u00a0absorption of endotoxin. Inhibiting bacterial growth, while optimizing\u00a0intestinal resistance, would have no harmful side effects. Preventing\u00a0excessive sympathetic nervous activity and maintaining the intestine’s\u00a0energy production can be achieved by optimizing hormones and\u00a0nutrition. Something as simple as a grated carrot with salt and vinegar\u00a0can produce major changes in bowel health, reducing endotoxin\u00a0absorption, and restoring constructive hormonal functions.\u00a0Medical tradition and inertia make it unlikely that the connection\u00a0between cancer and bowel toxins will be recognized by the mainstream of\u00a0medicine and governemt. In another article I will describe some of the\u00a0recent history relating to this issue.”<\/p>\n

“There are interesting associations between vegetable \u201cfiber\u201d and\u00a0estrogens. Because of my own experience in finding that eating a raw carrot daily prevented my migraines, I began to suspect that the carrot\u00a0fiber was having both a bowel-protective and an antiestrogen effect.\u00a0Several women who suffered from premenstrual symptoms, including\u00a0migraine, had their serum estrogen measured before and after the \u201ccarrot\u00a0diet,\u201d and they found that the carrot lowered their estrogen within a few\u00a0days, as it relieved their symptoms.”<\/p>\n

“Aging, stress, and heavy consumption\u00a0of alcohol increase the permeability of the\u00a0intestine, causing increased absorption of\u00a0microbial toxins. Laxatives, carrot fiber\u00a0(not carrotjuice), activated charcoal, and a\u00a0small amount of sodium thiosulfate\u00a0decrease the formation and absorption of\u00a0toxins, increasing the organism’s adaptive\u00a0capacity.”<\/p>\n

“Because some estrogen is secreted In the\u00a0bile, adequate fiber in the diet (oats, potato. or\u00a0raw carrots, for example) and regular bowel\u00a0function help to prevent the build-up of\u00a0estrogen, which inhibits the thyroid. (Estrogen\u00a0which has been excreted in the bile can be\u00a0reabsorbed from the intestIne if there is slow\u00a0transit time and too little fiber.) A deficiency of\u00a0B vitamins or protein is also known to prevent\u00a0the liver from excreting estrogen. One of the\u00a0ways in which starvatIon inhibits thyroid\u00a0function is by damaging the liver function.\u00a0Vegetarians are somelimes dangerously\u00a0deficient in protein, and in that state the body\u00a0is very resistant to thyroid hormone. Elevated\u00a0serum calcium is probably one of the factors\u00a0in creating a slate of thyroid-resistance during\u00a0stress.”<\/p>\n

“Adequate protein and B vitamins are essential. Vitamin A\u00a0protects some tissues, such as the breasts, against estrogen’s effects,\u00a0including cancer, and generally offers protection against estrogen by\u00a0increasing progesterone. Several studies found that vitamin E protects\u00a0against estrogen’s harmful effects. A thyroid supplement can reliably\u00a0lower estrogen, by increasing the liver’s ability to excrete it. Unsaturated\u00a0oils have a strongly estrogen- promoting action, and should be avoided.\u00a0Raw carrots can help, by preventing the reabsorption of estrogen which\u00a0has been secreted into the intestine with the bile. Adequate sunlight helps to maintain a healthy balance of the hormones in certain circumstances,\u00a0natural progesterone can help to reestablish a balance of hormones”<\/p>\n

“While an\u00a0excess of carotene can inhibit progesterone synthesis, a carrot salad\u00a0(grated carrots, vinegar, coconut oil, and salt) can often help to normalize\u00a0progesterone, apparently by protecting against intestinal absorption of\u00a0bacterial endotoxin, and by helping to reduce the reabsorption of estrogen\u00a0which has been excreted in the bile.<\/p>\n

The beneficial hormonal effects that have been seen during\u00a0antibiotic therapy (raising progesterone while lowering cortisol and\u00a0estrogen) can be achieved safely with the carrot salad in most cases,\u00a0without the possible toxic effects of the antibiotics.”<\/p>\n

“Fasting has been found to relieve rheumatoid arthritis, and there is\u00a0good evidence that a variety of bowel bacteria are involved in arthritis and other “autoimmune diseases.” Bacterial toxins and antigens interact\u00a0with hormones and the immune systems, and intestinal health should be\u00a0considered as an integral part of hormone therapy. Raw carrots, by\u00a0stimulating the intestine, often help to lower estrogen and increase\u00a0progesterone. One of the thyroid hormone’s important functions is to\u00a0improve digestion and bowel health.”<\/p>\n

“One vegetable has a special place in a diet to balance the\u00a0hormones, and that is the raw carrot. It is so nearly indigestible that,\u00a0when it is well chewed or grated, it helps to stimulate the intestine and\u00a0reduce the reabsorption of estrogen and the absorption of bacterial toxins.\u00a0In these effects on the bowel, which improve hormonal balance, a carrot\u00a0salad resembles antibiotic therapy, except that the carrot salad can be\u00a0used every day for years without harmful side-effects. Many people find\u00a0that daily use of the raw carrot eliminates their PMS, headaches, or\u00a0allergies. The use of oil and vinegar as dressing intensifies the\u00a0bowel-cleansing effect of the salad. Coconut oil is more germicidal and thyroid promoting than olive oil, but a mixture of coconut and olive oil\u00a0improves the flavor. Lime juice. salt, cheese and meats can be used to\u00a0vary the flavor.”<\/p>\n

“Chronic constipation, and anxiety which decreases blood\u00a0circulation in the intestine, can increase the liver’s exposure to endotoxin.\u00a0Endotoxin (like intense physical activity) causes the estrogen\u00a0concentration of the blood to rise. Diets that speed intestinal peristalsis\u00a0might be expected to postpone menopause. Penicillin treatment, probably\u00a0by lowering endotoxin production, is known to decrease estrogen and\u00a0cortisone, while increasing progesterone. The same effect can be\u00a0achieved by eating raw carrots (especially with coconut oil\/olive oil\u00a0dressing) every day, to reduce the amount of bacterial toxins absorbed,\u00a0and to help in the excretion of estrogen. Finally, long hours of daylight\u00a0are known to increase progesterone production, and long hours of\u00a0darkness are stressful. Annually, our total hours of day and night are the\u00a0same regardless of latitude, but different ways of living, levels of artificial\u00a0illumination, etc., have a strong influence on our hormones. In some\u00a0animal experiments, prolonged exposure to light has delayed some\u00a0aspects of aging.”<\/p>\n

“My first suggestion for someone with PMS is to avoid thyroid\u00a0suppression (darkness and endurance exercise\u00a0should be avoided), and to use my carrot salad recipe: Grated\u00a0carrots, vinegar, coconut oil and salt are the essentials, garlic\u00a0and olive oil are optional. Acetic acid and fatty acids released\u00a0from the coconut oil act at different levels, and the carrot fiber\u00a0is a timed-release system which also binds toxins and stimulates\u00a0the bowel; the salt spares magnesium and tends to inhibit\u00a0excessive prolactin release.”<\/p>\n

“The daily use of a few spoonfuls of bran in the breakfast\u00a0cereal, or of a carrot as a snack (or grated, as a salad), can\u00a0prevent practically all constipation. A high fiber diet also\u00a0lowers the risk of bowel cancer, and is being used increasingly\u00a0for preventing and treating conditions such as colitis\u00a0and diverticulitis. It turns out that the popular old ” bland\u00a0diet” without fiber was just about the worst possible thing for\u00a0colitis. An extra benefit of carrot fiber, besides the bulk and\u00a0moisture-holding properties, is that it captures and holds fat\u00a0molecules, removing them from the body and making weight\u00a0loss easier. The small amount of sugar in carrots is released\u00a0slowly, so thai it doesn\u00b7t disturb blood sugar as much as\u00a0would the same amount in a different form.”<\/p>\n

“Taking “calories” out of context can give bad results – some people avoid\u00a0carrots as being “high in calories,” but carrots can be very\u00a0effective for losing weight, partly because their high fiber\u00a0content binds a large amount of fat and carries it out of the\u00a0body.”<\/p>\n

“Fiber: Carrot fibers are best for intestinal stimulation and\u00a0binding of fats:”<\/p>\n

“I’m not confident of the purity and proper particle size of the charcoal products that are available, so I think bamboo shoot and carrots, along with cascara sagrada as needed, are the safest way to keep endotoxin and estrogen under control.”<\/p>\n

\u201cI think hypothyroidism and bowel inflammation are the important thinks in gout. Raw carrot salad and aspirin, and correcting thyroid function, usually take care of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

“Since the fiber [CARROT] will delay digestion and reduce absorption of other foods, I think it’s best to eat it between meals, usually in the afternoon.”<\/p>\n

“Yes, the plain carrot is good. For people who want more antimicrobial effect, the saturated fats and vinegar are helpful.”<\/p>\n

“The intestine is a potential source of reabsorbed estrogen, and a daily raw carrot (grated or shredded, with a little olive oil, vinegar, salt) helps to lower excess estrogen (and endotoxin produced by bacteria). While lowering estrogen, it is likely to lower cortisol and increase progesterone.”<\/p>\n

“Bamboo shoots, raw carrot, and flowers of sulfur are other antiseptics that can reduce the white tongue.”<\/p>\n

“They aren’t necessary [FIBER], for example milk supports abundant bacterial growth that creates bulk, but when there are digestive and hormonal problems because of bad intestinal flora, the fibers of carrot and bamboo shoots have a disinfecting action. The carrots must be raw for that effect.”<\/p>\n

“When a person wants to lose excess fat, limiting the diet to low fat milk, eggs, orange juice, and a daily carrot or two, will provide the essential nutrients without excess calories.”<\/p>\n

“Yes, I know people who have lost weight just by eating a raw carrot every day, reducing endotoxin stress.”<\/p>\n

“Yes, that’s why a resistant (antiseptic) fiber such as bamboo shoots or raw carrot helps with weight loss, it reduces endotoxin and the stress hormones, and lets the liver metabolize more effectively.”<\/p>\n

“A daily raw carrot often helps to balance progesterone, cortisol, and estrogen, by improving intestine-liver functions.”<\/p>\n

“It usually takes several days for the digestive system to adjust, with changes in the intestinal rhythm for example, and during that time things like headache and tooth sensitivity can increase. Increased calcium and fiber (raw carrots or boiled bamboo shoots, for example) can help.”<\/p>\n

“It takes a few days for the intestine to change its rhythm of peristalsis, and a couple of weeks for the enzymes to adjust to a change of foods. A daily raw carrot helps it to adjust.”<\/p>\n

“For several decades I have watched as traditionally safe foods have been altered, and have found that many people have developed allergic problems when their favorite foods were changed by new technologies. Since intestinal bacteria affect the allergenicity of foods that are poorly digested, changing the flora can often relieve the symptoms. Raw carrot contains some antibiotics that can be helpful; oil and vinegar can increase the germicidal effects. It’s important to use oil and vinegar that aren’t allergenic themselves.”<\/p>\n

“In women and rats, antibiotics were found to cause blood levels of estrogen and cortisol to decrease, while progesterone increased. This effect apparently resulted from the liver’s increased ability to inactivate estrogen and to maintain blood sugar when the endotoxin stress was decreased.<\/p>\n

Now that hog farmers’ use of antibiotics to stimulate growth has been discouraged, they have sought vegetables that have a natural antibiotic effect, reducing the formation and absorption of the intestinal toxins. The human diet can be similarly adjusted, to minimize the production and absorption of the bacterial toxins.”<\/p>\n

====
\nRaw Carrot Salad recommended by FPS. Eat between meals.<\/strong>
\nC = 8g P = 1g\t F = 9g
\n117 calories per serving
\nServes 1<\/p>\n

Ingredients:
\n\u00bd to 1 medium carrot
\n1 t olive oil
\n1 t refined coconut oil (or additional 1 t olive oil)
\n\u00bd t favorite vinegar
\nPinch of canning and pickling salt<\/p>\n

Instructions:
\n1.\tWash carrot thoroughly.
\n2. Shred carrot vertically and put in bowl.
\n3.\tMix in remaining ingredients. If coconut oil is hard, melt slightly.
\n4.\tPour dressing on carrot salad.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Also see: The effect of raw carrot on serum lipids and colon function Protective Bamboo Shoots SOS for PMS Endotoxin-lipoprotein Hypothesis Endotoxin: Poisoning from the Inside Out Protection from Endotoxin Bowel Toxins Accelerate Aging Protective Cascara Sagrada and Emodin Fermentable Carbohydrates, Anxiety, Aggression Intestinal Serotonin and Bone Loss Autoimmunity and Intestinal Flora Are Happy Gut […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1637,684,744,1580,731,1867,369,468,7,729,1596,1345,682,1638,606,786,6,1075,453,586,460,1636,141],"class_list":["post-6843","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-activated-charcoal","tag-antibiotics","tag-bamboo-shoots","tag-bowel-toxins","tag-carrot","tag-charcoal","tag-constipation","tag-endotoxin","tag-estrogen","tag-flowers-of-sulphur","tag-gout","tag-intestines","tag-lipopolysachharides","tag-penicillin","tag-pms","tag-premenstrual-syndrome","tag-progesterone","tag-prolactin","tag-ray-peat","tag-salt","tag-serotonin","tag-vinegar","tag-weight-loss"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6843","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6843"}],"version-history":[{"count":41,"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6843\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11482,"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6843\/revisions\/11482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6843"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6843"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6843"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}