Here’s a sobering statistic: In 2012, Americans ate over 1 BILLION pounds of shrimp, and only 10 percent was US farmed and wild caught. Most came from shrimp farms in South America and Asia. The problem? Unregulated shrimp farming practices that result in shrimp contaminated with waste, and treated with FDA banned chemicals and antibiotics. As an evidence based clinical nutritionist, I advocate a vegan low fat diet as the most direct route to health. But surprisingly, many people I speak to consider themselves “vegetarian” or “plant based”, while eating fish and shrimp.

It has been said by many health researchers that supporting intestinal health and restoring the integrity of the gut barrier will be one of the most important things we can do for health in the 21st century. Our gut is home to approximately 100 trillion microorganisms — a number our human mind can hardly comprehend. Our gut flora serves so many vital functions including: promoting normal digestive function, providing protection from infection, regulating our metabolism and comprising more than 75% of our immune system!

Sometimes it’s not all about the fruit. At certain times and for a variety of reasons you may want a fruit-free juice or smoothie. I have many clients who are on my Candida Recovery Program, and for them fruit is temporarily off limits. It can be hard at first, especially for people who have an addiction to sugar. I’ve had clients who have sailed through 60 day or longer juice cleanses without a hitch, yet the first three or four days of drinking juices without fruit becomes a true challenge. This is often a key sign that there is an overgrowth of candida fungus.