Special Diet
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Toxic Superfoods: How Oxalate Overload Is Making You Sick--and How to Get Better
An acclaimed nutrition educator reveals how the foods you're eating to get healthy might be making you sick.
"Sally Norton's well-researched book makes a truly important contribution to the literature in revealing just how much oxalates can damage the human body."-Nina Teicholz, author of The Big Fat Surprise
If you're eating a healthy diet and you're still dealing with fatigue, inflammation, anxiety, recurrent injuries, or chronic pain, the problem could be your spinach, almonds, sweet potatoes, and other trusted plant foods. And your key to vibrant health may be quitting these so-called superfoods.
After suffering for decades from chronic health problems, nutrition educator Sally K. Norton, MPH, discovered that the culprits were the chemical toxins called oxalates lurking within her "healthy," organic plant-heavy diet. She shines light on how our modern diets are overloaded with oxalates and offers fresh solutions including:
• A complete, research-backed program to safely reverse your oxalate load
• Comprehensive charts and resources on foods to avoid and better alternatives
• Guidance to improve your energy, optimize mood and brain performance, and find true relief from chronic pain
In this groundbreaking guide, Norton reveals that the popular dictum to "eat more plants" can be misleading. Toxic Superfoods gives health-seekers a chance for improved energy, optimum brain performance, graceful aging, and true relief from chronic pain.
"Sally Norton's well-researched book makes a truly important contribution to the literature in revealing just how much oxalates can damage the human body."-Nina Teicholz, author of The Big Fat Surprise
If you're eating a healthy diet and you're still dealing with fatigue, inflammation, anxiety, recurrent injuries, or chronic pain, the problem could be your spinach, almonds, sweet potatoes, and other trusted plant foods. And your key to vibrant health may be quitting these so-called superfoods.
After suffering for decades from chronic health problems, nutrition educator Sally K. Norton, MPH, discovered that the culprits were the chemical toxins called oxalates lurking within her "healthy," organic plant-heavy diet. She shines light on how our modern diets are overloaded with oxalates and offers fresh solutions including:
• A complete, research-backed program to safely reverse your oxalate load
• Comprehensive charts and resources on foods to avoid and better alternatives
• Guidance to improve your energy, optimize mood and brain performance, and find true relief from chronic pain
In this groundbreaking guide, Norton reveals that the popular dictum to "eat more plants" can be misleading. Toxic Superfoods gives health-seekers a chance for improved energy, optimum brain performance, graceful aging, and true relief from chronic pain.
Editorial Reviews
"Who knew that some so-called superfoods could be the opposite of healthy? The conventional advice to eat ‘mostly plants' is seriously challenged by the reality that plants contain known toxins. Norton makes a compelling case that oxalates are the x-factor contributing to many mysterious health conditions."-Nina Teicholz, author of The Big Fat Surprise
"What if your favorite superfood was actually a supervillain? Sally Norton masterfully pinpoints the changes in our food system and eating style that have turned a common natural occurring toxin into a potential public health crisis for people who are trying their best to eat well. Her simple and effective recommendations are grounded both in modern science and the principles of ancestral health."-Aaron Blaisdell, PhD, UCLA Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience
"As a medical profession, we have only recently begun to realize how commonly we are seeing oxalate issues be a part of the presentation of a wide variety of chronic illnesses. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has been wrestling with poor health and not gotten the answers they need."-Neil Nathan, MD, author of Toxic
"One conversation with Sally Norton transformed my health. Thankfully, she has shared her life's work about the dangers of oxalates in this book. Everyone needs to hear her message."-Dr. Bill Schindler, author of Eat Like a Human
"Sally Norton does a super job of revealing the many ways oxalates can promote the health of plants and undermine the health of people. This book is a must-read for people who eat plant-based superfoods."-Fred Provenza, PhD, author of Nourishment
"An invaluable book that tells the story of the deleterious health effects of oxalate in our food."-Miki Ben-Dor, PhD
"This book has the power to change the course of your health, happiness, and longevity for the better."-James L. Oschman, PhD, author of Energy Medicine
"Juicing, raw food, and vegan trends have come and gone over my 30 years in the integrative oncology world and is currently all the rage again. This trend has created an illusion of health, and yet, clinically, I have seen the opposite. Sally has done an excellent job confirming what I have been seeing clinically."
"What if your favorite superfood was actually a supervillain? Sally Norton masterfully pinpoints the changes in our food system and eating style that have turned a common natural occurring toxin into a potential public health crisis for people who are trying their best to eat well. Her simple and effective recommendations are grounded both in modern science and the principles of ancestral health."-Aaron Blaisdell, PhD, UCLA Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience
"As a medical profession, we have only recently begun to realize how commonly we are seeing oxalate issues be a part of the presentation of a wide variety of chronic illnesses. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has been wrestling with poor health and not gotten the answers they need."-Neil Nathan, MD, author of Toxic
"One conversation with Sally Norton transformed my health. Thankfully, she has shared her life's work about the dangers of oxalates in this book. Everyone needs to hear her message."-Dr. Bill Schindler, author of Eat Like a Human
"Sally Norton does a super job of revealing the many ways oxalates can promote the health of plants and undermine the health of people. This book is a must-read for people who eat plant-based superfoods."-Fred Provenza, PhD, author of Nourishment
"An invaluable book that tells the story of the deleterious health effects of oxalate in our food."-Miki Ben-Dor, PhD
"This book has the power to change the course of your health, happiness, and longevity for the better."-James L. Oschman, PhD, author of Energy Medicine
"Juicing, raw food, and vegan trends have come and gone over my 30 years in the integrative oncology world and is currently all the rage again. This trend has created an illusion of health, and yet, clinically, I have seen the opposite. Sally has done an excellent job confirming what I have been seeing clinically."
Readers Top Reviews
Pimlico readerJan
This book in part of a groundswell of reaction to the current ideologies of nutritional science and campaign groups who are trying to direct us toward eating foods (spinach, almonds, potatoes) that are harming our health. Following a low oxalate diet for the past 8 months has transformed my own health, after a long history of being what doctors call a "rounder" (not to the patient's face) and not finding answers. Suddenly, for the first time ever, I have moments of feeling profoundly really, really well. It is a wonderful thing to finally resolve so many of my "vague symptoms" that I was supposed to just live with. Reading the Kindle version of Sally Norton's book this morning, I have found all of the information (and more) that I had until now had to search out in countless online sources.
RosaPimlico reade
This book is a very well researched book on a subject that most people either know nothing about or prefer to ignore. After suffering a great deal of pain, especially to the neck, shoulders and arms, so much so that I had begun to have real problems just getting dressed in the morning I took to the internet to find out what could be causing it. Thankfully, I came across various websites that dealt with the high oxalates found in many plant foods, grains and spices and realised that I was consuming many of them: spinach, almonds, other nuts, buckwheat and wholemeal grains etc. etc. After further searching, I came across Sally K Norton’s and the VP foundation’s websites where I found really well researched information regarding oxalate toxicity and how it affects us. In this book these issues are dealt with in depth and backed up with a great deal of research. What is also really commendable is the guidance given on how to tackle a low oxalate diet - how to do this gradually so as to allow the body to cope with stored oxalate release which can cause inflammation and a flare up of symptoms if not handled properly. I cannot recommend this book highly enough, if the option were there I would give it more stars!
Becky LawrenceRos
This book is a must read for anyone suffering from chronic health issues, however big or small! After 12 years of suffering with a huge range of debilitating symptoms, from severe chronic fatigue, muscle and joint pain and dysautonomia to an ever growing list of food allergies, I am finally starting to heal using the information inside this book. Having spent a decade trying every diet and supplement out there, spending tens of thousands on doctors visits, tests and treatment protocols, the answer was hidden in the “healthy” plant foods I was eating - oxalate. This book is well-researched, thought-provoking and delivers clear, easy-to-follow steps to help you take control of your health. Even if you feel like you've tried everything, buy this book and give the low-oxalate diet a try – you won't regret it!
ElizabethBecky La
I have struggled for decades with many health issues, I have been eating healthy most of this time yet still not found relief for my problems. The information in this book has opened my eyes to the dangers of high oxalates especially in almonds, dark chocolate, potatoes and hemp seed which I ate liberally for many years! I have followed the advice in this book for about 2 weeks and have noticed a difference in my pain levels and clarity of mind. I went to an event today and had cottage pie which was delicious but the potato on it set me back health wise as I felt bad about 3 hours after it was eaten, so no potatoes for me from now on! I hope this review is helpful?
Pamela R. Merritt
There is no "one best diet" because what is best for us to eat depends on our inherited enzymes. I learned this from the book, "Death by Food Pyramid," which explains we can only eat what our enzymes can digest. I had a genetic analysis done in case I had a rogue gene causing my autoimmune issues. I didn't find anything like that, but the geographical analysis gave me a clue about what my enzymes wanted. Turned out I was from cold climates with short growing seasons. They were herders, not farmers. When I eat like them, my body is happy with me. When I had a stress crisis and a horrible flare of my condition, I tried carnivore as a last ditch attempt to avoid drug therapy. It worked fantastically. Until it got erratic on me. For the first time I couldn't find an easy fix. I was still controlling for all my triggers: carbs, gluten, fiber, soy, and lectins. I eliminated all artificial food additives. I cooked from scratch. I thought my issues had clear categories. What was touching off my fatigue and small flares continued to be a mystery... until this book. Because I didn't know about oxalate overload. And how it can make a person react to food unpredictably. I've been trying this low oxalate approach for only two weeks. Already everything written in this amazing book has been true for me. I'm following the program and feel confident -- again -- that I can heal myself. It explains everything that was baffling me about my diet. Now I know that the essentially zero oxalate of carnivore triggered a cascade of oxalate dumping. This provided immediate symptom relief, but then trouble as the uncontrolled dumping continued. That was stressing my immune system. Unknowingly, I was healing with one hand and punching myself with the other. I was impressed with the tons of research Ms. Norton did to solve her own health problems. She explains it's a confusing subject, and contradicts current medical advice. (But after all I've been through, I'm skeptical of that! They had me all wrong.) But her instructions are clear and she urges people to start slow. Or you will run into the same problems I had. No matter what kind of diet is best for you, this is vital information for lasting success. Me? I'm thinking this is a real game changer.
Short Excerpt Teaser
1
Health Food or Health Disaster?
The greatest obstacle to discovering the shape of the earth, the continents, and the ocean was not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge. -Daniel J. Boorstin, The Discoverers, 1985
Actor Liam Hemsworth publicly blamed spinach smoothies for a 2019 kidney stone episode that required surgery. At age 29 he had to miss a movie premiere and an awards banquet because of it. In 2020, Men's Health magazine quoted Mr. Hemsworth as saying: "February last year, I was feeling really low and lethargic and wasn't feeling good generally. And then I got a kidney stone." He added: "Every morning I was having five handfuls of spinach and then almond milk, almond butter, and also some vegan protein in a smoothie. And that was what I considered super healthy. So, I had to completely rethink what I was putting into my body."
This book invites you to do just that: Rethink your "health" food.
Even moderate, relatively common levels of oxalate in a habitual diet can fuel the customary aches and pains of life: digestive distress, inflamed joints, chronic skin issues, brain fog or mood problems, as well as health declines associated with "normal" aging. And then there are those painful kidney stones. Eighty percent of them are formed from oxalate, much of which comes from the foods we eat.
Mr. Hemsworth was one of the lucky ones. Three weeks after completing a 10-day "green smoothie cleanse" for weight loss, a New York City woman with a history of gastric bypass surgery went to the Nassau University Medical Center on Long Island, complaining of persistent nausea, weakness, and poor appetite. She was immediately put on a low-oxalate diet, but it was too late, her kidneys did not recover, and she remained dialysis-dependent.
Similar examples of kidney failure due to consumption of "health foods" include a man, also attempting to lose weight, who juiced celery, carrots, parsley, beets with their greens, and spinach. The man's kidneys were seriously damaged. His doctors at the Mayo Clinic prescribed dialysis and a low-oxalate diet. He stopped juicing. It took more than four months for his kidney function to improve.
And it's not just kidney failure. Damage from dietary oxalate can hit any-or every-bodily system and cause serious chronic health problems. It's no accident that Mr. Hemsworth's kidney stones were preceded by malaise, depression, and lethargy. However, most medical journals reporting health crises from overzealous oxalate consumption fail to mention the non-kidney problems that likely also occurred.
Because it is so easy to overeat oxalates, chances are you may already be experiencing occasional oxalate-related aches and pains somewhere in your body. Do you tend to get a stiff neck? In those of us with dietary oxalate overload, pain, knots, or stiffness in the top of the shoulders or in the upper or lower back are typical. Some people experience chronic or intermittent joint inflammation, gout, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, or a more generalized stiffness, often accompanied by a lack of pep.
Or perhaps you have long-standing injuries or chronic itching, tingling, or pain that never fully resolves. Your doctors can't help you figure out what is going on; they seem to think you're "just fine" and should just live with life's little miseries. If any of this rings true for you-if you don't feel "just fine"-this book may be your golden opportunity to turn things around.
Other seemingly small things can be indicators of oxalate overload, including itchy or dry eyes, eye floaters, excessive tartar on the teeth, tooth sensitivity, sensitive or frail skin, and odd things like pressure or pain in the loins, irritable bladder, urinary tract infections, frequent urination, or cloudy urine. Liver stress from oxalate overload can aggravate chemical sensitivity. Digestive problems like indigestion, reflux, bloating, excessive belching, constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome are especially common. Additional symptoms can include shortness of breath, sinus problems, yeast infections, and even cold hands and feet.
Do you ever feel especially clumsy or occasionally have poor coordination? Do you get muscle spasms or eye twitches, or have memory or word-finding difficulties, headaches, or anxiety and panic disorder? Being neurotoxic, oxalates can get in-and on-your nerves. Oxalic acid chemically bonds to calcium and other minerals and interferes with cell energy production. Relentless oxalate consumption can cause oxalate to build up inside the body without obvious symptoms and may culminate years later as "old-age problems" su...
Health Food or Health Disaster?
The greatest obstacle to discovering the shape of the earth, the continents, and the ocean was not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge. -Daniel J. Boorstin, The Discoverers, 1985
Actor Liam Hemsworth publicly blamed spinach smoothies for a 2019 kidney stone episode that required surgery. At age 29 he had to miss a movie premiere and an awards banquet because of it. In 2020, Men's Health magazine quoted Mr. Hemsworth as saying: "February last year, I was feeling really low and lethargic and wasn't feeling good generally. And then I got a kidney stone." He added: "Every morning I was having five handfuls of spinach and then almond milk, almond butter, and also some vegan protein in a smoothie. And that was what I considered super healthy. So, I had to completely rethink what I was putting into my body."
This book invites you to do just that: Rethink your "health" food.
Even moderate, relatively common levels of oxalate in a habitual diet can fuel the customary aches and pains of life: digestive distress, inflamed joints, chronic skin issues, brain fog or mood problems, as well as health declines associated with "normal" aging. And then there are those painful kidney stones. Eighty percent of them are formed from oxalate, much of which comes from the foods we eat.
Mr. Hemsworth was one of the lucky ones. Three weeks after completing a 10-day "green smoothie cleanse" for weight loss, a New York City woman with a history of gastric bypass surgery went to the Nassau University Medical Center on Long Island, complaining of persistent nausea, weakness, and poor appetite. She was immediately put on a low-oxalate diet, but it was too late, her kidneys did not recover, and she remained dialysis-dependent.
Similar examples of kidney failure due to consumption of "health foods" include a man, also attempting to lose weight, who juiced celery, carrots, parsley, beets with their greens, and spinach. The man's kidneys were seriously damaged. His doctors at the Mayo Clinic prescribed dialysis and a low-oxalate diet. He stopped juicing. It took more than four months for his kidney function to improve.
And it's not just kidney failure. Damage from dietary oxalate can hit any-or every-bodily system and cause serious chronic health problems. It's no accident that Mr. Hemsworth's kidney stones were preceded by malaise, depression, and lethargy. However, most medical journals reporting health crises from overzealous oxalate consumption fail to mention the non-kidney problems that likely also occurred.
Because it is so easy to overeat oxalates, chances are you may already be experiencing occasional oxalate-related aches and pains somewhere in your body. Do you tend to get a stiff neck? In those of us with dietary oxalate overload, pain, knots, or stiffness in the top of the shoulders or in the upper or lower back are typical. Some people experience chronic or intermittent joint inflammation, gout, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, or a more generalized stiffness, often accompanied by a lack of pep.
Or perhaps you have long-standing injuries or chronic itching, tingling, or pain that never fully resolves. Your doctors can't help you figure out what is going on; they seem to think you're "just fine" and should just live with life's little miseries. If any of this rings true for you-if you don't feel "just fine"-this book may be your golden opportunity to turn things around.
Other seemingly small things can be indicators of oxalate overload, including itchy or dry eyes, eye floaters, excessive tartar on the teeth, tooth sensitivity, sensitive or frail skin, and odd things like pressure or pain in the loins, irritable bladder, urinary tract infections, frequent urination, or cloudy urine. Liver stress from oxalate overload can aggravate chemical sensitivity. Digestive problems like indigestion, reflux, bloating, excessive belching, constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome are especially common. Additional symptoms can include shortness of breath, sinus problems, yeast infections, and even cold hands and feet.
Do you ever feel especially clumsy or occasionally have poor coordination? Do you get muscle spasms or eye twitches, or have memory or word-finding difficulties, headaches, or anxiety and panic disorder? Being neurotoxic, oxalates can get in-and on-your nerves. Oxalic acid chemically bonds to calcium and other minerals and interferes with cell energy production. Relentless oxalate consumption can cause oxalate to build up inside the body without obvious symptoms and may culminate years later as "old-age problems" su...
