Kidney stones are a commonly known side effect of oxalate toxicity, but many people are unaware of the other serious symptoms oxalates can create.
Over-consumption of oxalates can lead to joint pain, gastrointestinal issues, genital and rectal pain, and other health issues.
Oxalate toxicity was uncovered over 100 years ago, yet few doctors are aware of the impact oxalates can have on human health, which is why I’m talking with Sally K. Norton, author of Toxic Superfoods, How Oxalate Overload is Making You Sick and How to Get Better.
Sally K. Norton holds a nutrition degree from Cornell University and a Master’s degree in Public Health. She uses a research-based approach to teaching about a simple way to reverse even serious health complaints with diet, by avoiding large quantities of natural toxic chemicals and crystals called oxalates. Oxalates are found in many of the foods we think are good for us. Much of her work involves re-educating people who have suffered from illnesses as a result from eating foods that are packed with oxalates.
Listen to the full episode to hear:
- What oxalates are and how they create deposits in your body over time
- How oxalates impact the body across multiple organ systems and are even neurotoxic
- How oxalates both exacerbate and cause gut issues
- The “superfoods” that could actually be making you sick
- Why you may have periods of being symptomatic long after limiting oxalates in your diet
Learn more about Sally K. Norton, MPH:
- SallyKNorton.com
- Instagram: @toxicsuperfoods
- Preorder: Toxic Superfoods, How Oxalate Overload is Making You Sick and How to Get Better
Resources:
- Vulvar Pain Foundation
- Peanut-induced acute oxalate nephropathy with acute kidney injury
- Effect of cinnamon and turmeric on urinary oxalate excretion, plasma lipids, and plasma glucose in healthy subjects
- Transient Hyperoxaluria after Ingestion of Chocolate as a High Risk Factor for Calcium Oxalate Calculi
- Hyperoxaluria leads to dysbiosis and drives selective enrichment of oxalate metabolizing bacterial species in recurrent kidney stone endures
- Oxalate, inflammasome, and progression of kidney disease
10 Responses
Thank you so much! Excellent timing for someone so sick in so many ways and ready to give up. This is all new to me and makes so much sense from my own experiences over decades. Thank you so so much. You may have just saved a life…
With love
Maria
Thank you, Maria. I’m so glad this episode is helpful.
I agree with your opening, banner statement that not eating animals is not saving the planet. However, “saving the planet” is not the motivation of all persons who stop eating meat. I think that people who eat meat have the right to eat it if they wish, and those who think they are “saving the planet” should rethink their vegetarianism if that is their sole concern.
My own reasons for not eating animals are emotional and psychological; laugh if you wish and tell me I have a mental disturbance which needs curing, I’ve heard it all before. But right or wrong, we all have a story to tell. I have seen in real life, over and over, the panic of the animals and the all-round ugliness of animal killing and processing. I could not ignore these forever and felt relieved when I finally acknowledged them, though it took a few years. Your opening statement, while correct, won’t change anything for me.
On to oxalates: I’ve been reading up on nutrition, every imaginable angle, for decades, and knew about oxalates ages ago and their negative effects. They do serve a positive purpose, however – therapeutic demineralization of over-mineralized meat eaters. They have to know when to cut back, though.
Hi Samia – thank you, I really appreciate your insights. I plan on exploring this topic in greater depth in future episodes.
You’re welcome. I look forward to anything you might have to contribute to this topic. Re oxalates – the reality is that not everyone is equally affected by these. As usual, it’s the combination of one’s genes + diet + overall way of life, I guess.
I am grateful to the Weston Price Foundation for their info on proper preparation of foods to reduce all anti-nutrients. It is too bad they consider a heavy intake of animal products as the cure for everything, though. Such a diet is likely good for persons who are grossly undernourished – but even they need to know when to cut back on rich foods. JMO. There’s a sting in the tail to everything, isn’t there.
So true and great points! This is why I practice biochemical individuality. We are all SO unique, each requiring different nutrients and inputs to thrive. Thank you again for your contributions.
That you emotionaly are blocked and cannot eat them by seeing the pain of the animals on the death row is due to a lack of thiamine and zinc. Thiamine is the most umportent. When this vitamin is to low you have more issues to eat meat.
@NV. Re zinc and thiamine. Perhaps you are correct. I would have to be tested, I guess, to confirm if those deficiencies apply to me. However, at the time I witnessed (over and over) animal killing, there is no way that I was deficient in nutrients, yet I came to be deeply affected even while continuing to consume plenty of meat.
I had been eating plenty of red meat and other animal products all my life. If I am suffering from deficiencies and emotional blockages, I admit that these are problems I don’t want to be cured of. I feel thoroughly comfortable at present with where I am. I will await my creator’s message in this matter. Open-ness is everything.
@NV. Re zinc and thiamine. Perhaps you are correct. I would have to be tested, I guess, to confirm if those deficiencies apply to me. However, at the time I witnessed (over and over) animal killing, there is no way that I was deficient in nutrients, yet I came to be deeply affected even while continuing to consume plenty of meat.
I had been eating plenty of red meat and other animal products all my life. If I am suffering from deficiencies and emotional blockages, I admit that these are problems I don’t want to be cured of. I feel thoroughly comfortable at present with where I am. I will await my creator’s message in this matter. Open-ness is everything.
Oops. It looks as if my comment was entered twice. I apologize for that. Maybe the moderator could delete one of the above. Thanks.