So many foods are good for us, but too much even of a good thing could cause a problem. Here are some examples:
Echinacea tea
I drink Echinacea tea every morning and feel like it helped keep me from getting colds for the past year.
We were babysitting our grandson, Quentin, for a couple of days. He had a cold and runny nose. At 22 months old, he was telling me that he is “digging his nose” and kept telling me about his “boogers.” Knowing I definitely was exposed to the cold virus, I thought, “Well, if the Echinacea tea helps me from catching a cold, then I shall make more tea.”
So, besides the usual morning cup, I also made tea at noon and another cup at night. Needless to say, I ended up with a little stomach distress and diarrhea. Other side effects, according to WebMD, though I did not have them, are headaches and dizziness.
Checking further into what I thought was a very healthy herbal tea, I found that Echinacea tea might help with the duration of a cold and decrease the severity of the symptoms. However, because Echinacea is in the daisy family, people with asthma or allergies might develop mild skin rashes to life-threatening anaphylaxis. Because it stimulates the immune systems, it might interfere with the effects of certain medication, such as blood pressure medication. People with tuberculosis, connective tissue disorders and lupus shouldn’t drink this tea.
Dairy
Infants and children need milk for healthy growth; however, as we get older, we do not need more milk and in fact there are effects that are not too healthy. If I drank as much milk as our grandson, who drinks a half-gallon in a couple of days, these are the side effects I might experience according to onegreenplanet.org:
• Dairy could cause
chronic digestive problems because of the lactose, and lead to irritable bowl syndrome, bloating, gas, constipation and diarrhea.
• Dairy is acidic and can cause calcium deposits to build up that could potentially cause arthritis and long-term inflammation.
• Dairy is difficult to digest, especially in the liver and digestive system, and affects our skin with acne, redness and splotchy or lackluster skin.
Water
If too much Echinacea tea and milk is not good for us, what about water?
Excessive water consumption can lower the blood sodium, or in other words throw off our the balance of electrolytes.
There actually is water intoxication, overhydration or water poisoning.
According to Healthline, “drinking more water than the kidneys can get rid of in the urine can cause too much water to collect in the body.”
With the low blood sodium, it could lead to impaired brain function.
Escolar
We know escolar as waloo or walu, and at sushi bars it might be called “super white tuna” or “king tuna.” It actually is a type of snake mackerel than cannot metabolize the wax esters naturally found in it’s diet. That makes their flesh so creamy and buttery. But a little too much and you will have explosive, oily and I hate to be so discriptive, but orange diarrhea. In Canada, Sweden and Denmark, all escolar comes with warning labels.
Beans
Beans are healthy and high in dietary fiber, but too much of this wonderful food can cause stomach cramping and flatulence, diarrhea, weight gain and constipation.
Acai berries
Acai berries are considered a “superfood,” but too much of them can cause diarrhea and an acid stomach.
Chocolate
Chocolate is such a wonderful indulgence, but too much can cause you to gain weight, get diabetes, cavities and, if you’re sensitive to caffeine, sleeplessness.
Sugar
We are hooked on sugar and according to The Washington Post, the average American “consumes more than 126 grams of sugar per day, which is slightly more than three 12-ounce cans of Coca-Cola.
That is more than twice the average intake of all 54 countries observed by Euromonitor. It is also more than twice what the World Health Organization recommends for daily intake, which is roughly 50 grams of sugar for someone of normal weight.”
We now are battling with classic metabolic syndrome, with weight gain, obesity, decreased HDL, increased LDL, elevated blood sugar, elevated triglycerides and high blood pressure.
Oh yes, let’s not forget diabetes.
Salt
The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend Americans consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day as a healthy eating plan.
However, a Time Magazine article from July 2015 reported that 90 percent of American eat too much salt, and from 2011-13 found that the average American adult consumes 3,592 milligrams of sodium daily.
We know too much sodium contributes to high blood pressure, which can lead to heart attacks and stroke. Further evidence, according to the Harvard School of Public Health, “High blood pressure is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease. It accounts to two-thirds of all strokes and half of heart disease.”
Vitamin C
We all know oranges and other fruits are loaded with vitamin C, but in excess could cause nausea, diarrhea and stomach cramps.
Selenium
Selenium is one of the important dietary minerals we need and
there is some research that it might help fight cancer.
Foods such as Brazil nuts, sardines, tuna, shrimp, salmon, cod, halibut, cremini mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, asparagus, turkey, chicken, scallops and eggs contain selenium.
However, too much selenium can cause hair loss, gastrointestinal upset, fatigue and mild nerve damage.
So, remember: Many foods are good for us, but in excess can cause problems.
Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808@gmail.com.
