Food can make or break any expedition because proper food is crucial to keeping the body going during rigorous adventures. I figured out how to bring paleo foods on my backpacking trips and experienced phenomenal improvements in health and performance. Here, our body’s are challenged like nothing in our day to day life. Also during strenuous hiking and other outdoor adventures, the exercise itself aggravates the release of toxins from the liver and other tissue. Which is why we feel sore from exercise. This is yet another reason to find a way to bring the body to a place of robust health without the toxicity which undermines it. The ideal I strive for is a hiking experience where I have phenomenal energy to take me to places we’ve never been, without feeling depleted and run down at the end of the day or trip.
I had been practicing these Ancestral principals for about 20 years and then I came onto some research showing there was more to the picture. This research which was uncovered by Grant Genereux and Dr. Garrett Smith was alarming due to strong evidence that this was problematic. New research shows Vitamin A (aka Retinoic Acid) and Vitamin D (aka Calciferol) should not be considered vitamins at all but rather toxins. And furthermore, the effects aren’t noticed early on but they build up and accumulate in the tissue, and especially the liver and kidneys. How could this be, that after all this time of believing and practicing something I thought was beneficial and healthy, it was actually destroying me with a slow death?
According to this research, these toxins and others get stored in our own liver and we can live a good life up to a point. But that ends when the liver becomes overly saturated, at which point we have symptoms which are all the symptoms of degenerative diseases. These can include bone loss, soft tissue calcium deposits, eye problems, aching and stiff joints, skin issues such as sensitivity to the sun, diabetes, arthritis, and many more.
This was flying in the face of what I had been doing and experiencing for two decades, however I had a sinking feeling he was right and I was wrong. Part of the reason for this sinking feeling was because I was having a lot of the symptoms he was describing. Even though the Ancestral diet had brought me to an amazing place of robust health like I had not seen before where I could withstand harsh conditions and was in incredible shape, one thing in particular was still not getting better and that was my eyesight.
Weston Price had been the primary pioneer looking for the root cause of disease and tooth decay (demineralization). One thing was evident: cod liver oil, which was taken to get vitamin A, and Vitamin D, was actually hurting people. At first Dr. Price advocated taking cod liver oil and eating organ meat, but later he retracted that belief after more evidence came in about the problems it causes with accumulation.
The recent health movements such as Ancestral Health, Primal, Carnivore, and Paleo Diets all are moving towards the best approach, yet none of these hits the mark like the recent Low Vitamin A Diet. According to Toxic Bile Theory, the best diet is Omnivore, which means some meat and some soluble fiber. The soluble fiber is needed to soak up the bile. The protein is needed to get the proper minerals and proteins which create a healthy flow of bile. This is not an easy concept for most people to wrap their heads around. It requires some education to grasp the complex systems in action. These systems cause toxic bile to back up in the liver. This toxic bile then enters the bloodstream, wreaking havoc on all biological systems.
The Toxic Bile Paradigm was developed by Dr. Garret Smith and Grant Genereax. It posits that many chronic diseases stem from the liver’s release of toxic bile into the bloodstream. An excess intake of vitamin A can contribute to this toxicity, leading to various health issues. To mitigate these effects, Dr. Smith advocates for a low vitamin A diet, emphasizing the reduction or elimination of foods high in vitamin A, such as liver, dairy products, egg yolks, and brightly colored fruits and vegetables. He also advises against vitamin A supplementation and the consumption of organ meats. By adhering to this dietary approach, he believes individuals can support liver health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases associated with toxic bile.
What Does a Low Vitamin A Diet Look Like?
The low vitamin A diet suggests avoiding foods that are naturally high in vitamin A, including both preformed vitamin A (retinol from animal sources) and provitamin A (carotenoids from plant sources). Below is a categorized list of foods to avoid:
1. Animal-Based Sources (High in Retinol)
- Liver (beef, chicken, pork, cod liver oil – the highest sources)
- Dairy Products (milk, butter, cheese, yogurt)
- Egg Yolks
- Fatty Fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel)
- Fish Oils (cod liver oil, fish roe)
2. Plant-Based Sources (High in Carotenoids)
- Orange and Yellow Vegetables
- Carrots
- Sweet potatoes
- Pumpkin
- Butternut squash
- Leafy Greens
- Spinach
- Kale
- Collard greens
- Swiss chard
- Fruits
- Mangoes
- Papayas
- Cantaloupe
3. Fortified and Processed Foods
- Fortified Dairy & Plant-Based Milk (many contain added vitamin A)
- Fortified Breakfast Cereals
- Certain Margarines and Buttery Spreads
- Processed Foods with Added Vitamin A (e.g., meal replacement shakes, vitamin-fortified snacks)
4. Supplements to Avoid
- Multivitamins containing vitamin A
- Vitamin A & Retinol Supplements
- Fish Liver Oil Supplements (like cod liver oil)
What to Eat on a Low Vitamin A Diet
- Proteins: Lean meat (beef, bison, chicken, turkey, lamb)
- Soluble Fiber: Rice, oats, barley, wheat, spelt, rye, beans
- Vegetables: Cauliflower, zucchini, cucumbers (peeled)
- Fruits: Apples, bananas, white grapes
The Toxic Bile Paradigm suggests that reducing vitamin A intake may help the liver detoxify and prevent excess toxic bile from affecting the body.
Soluble Fiber plays a crucial role in binding and eliminating toxic bile from the body. Here’s how it works:
1. Binding Toxic Bile
- According to Dr. Smith, when the liver releases bile to aid digestion, it may contain toxins, excess vitamin A, and other harmful substances.
- Soluble fiber binds to bile in the intestines, preventing its reabsorption and ensuring it gets excreted instead of being recycled back into the liver.
2. Preventing Bile Reabsorption (Enterohepatic Circulation)
- Normally, the body reabsorbs up to 95% of bile salts to be reused.
- Soluble fiber traps bile, forcing the body to eliminate it and produce fresh, less toxic bile.
- This can help reduce the body’s overall vitamin A burden and prevent its buildup in the liver.
3. Supporting Gut Health and Detoxification
- Soluble fiber promotes a healthy gut microbiome, which helps detoxify harmful compounds in bile.
- It also helps with regular bowel movements, ensuring that toxins and excess vitamin A leave the body quickly.
4. Reducing Bile-Induced Inflammation
- Some proponents of the Toxic Bile Theory believe toxic bile contributes to gut inflammation, leaky gut, and food sensitivities.
- Soluble fiber can help soothe and protect the gut lining, reducing irritation caused by bile acids.
Best Sources of Soluble Fiber (Low in Vitamin A)
If following a low vitamin A diet, good soluble fiber sources include:
- Psyllium husk (Metamucil, organic psyllium fiber)
- Grains: oats, barley, wheat, spelt, white rice
- Apples (peeled)
- Bananas (ripe without brown spots)
- Legumes (small amounts, if tolerated): (white navy, chickpeas, black beans, pinto beans, etc.)
How to Incorporate Soluble Fiber in a Low Vitamin A Diet
- Take 1 tsp psyllium husk with water before meals to bind bile.
- Eat oatmeal for breakfast, white rice for supper.
- Consume peeled apples and bananas for snacks.
- Include small amounts of cooked legumes in meals.
Final Thoughts
In the context of Dr. Smith’s Toxic Bile Theory, soluble fiber acts as a natural bile detoxifier. It helps the body eliminate excess vitamin A, toxins, and bile acids, reducing their potential harmful effects on the liver and gut.
Because of these new findings I have changed my personal diet and my backpacking diet. Once I adjusted to the changes the menu has actually become much simpler and more satisfying. It is generally similar to the previous laid out plan, except now I omit the dairy products like cheese, the high vitamin A fruits (mangos), coffee, and dried organ meats. I have added soluble fiber grains low in Vit. A (oatmeal, white rice), and some bread when possible. Over the few months since I’ve made these adjustments I have noticed the improvements I was hoping for, such as better hiking performance, less soreness, better sleep, and improved vision. This has been my journey, and I share it here so each of you can decide what you want to try.
I realize this paradigm is so new, many people will not want to consider it because it will contradict many previously known principles, and viewpoints. Most people are still in the phase of trying out the paleo and carnivore approaches. It can be difficult to let go of the immediate noticeable improvements for the idea that immediate relief of symptoms can be caused by stopping the detox pathways. Eventually when things build up enough, the liver can no longer store the toxins and bile gets released into the blood from a process called cholestasis. This toxic bile leaking into the blood can be traced to probably all chronic and even acute diseases and symptoms. There are so many theories, diets, and explanations for disease and root cause, one can get lost and confused easily. It is hard to know which paradigm or practice to follow or try. I am only putting this information here as educational material in case the reader may want to pursue this further via the low Vitamin A communities found online.
For more info read this free book: https://ggenereux.blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/extinguishing-the-fires-of-hell2.pdf
And visit this website: