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Dr. Norman F. Childers, Ph.D.
(at 85 years, now almost 95!)
Emeritus, University of Florida
Retired, Rutgers University
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The Nightshades
You are beginning to hear about "The Nightshades" and may wonder what
they are. The author, actually a horticulturist professionally, discovered back
in the 1950's that his diverticulitis was caused by frequent drinking of a cold
glass of a popular "claimed healthful" canned tomato/paprika/other
vegetables drink. Rudolph Matfred, M.D. in New Brunswick, NJ (deceased)
suggested the problem might have been caused by "hot foods" which
means those containing red
pepper. I began avoiding tomato and hot pepper, but I was still eating the other
nightshades, white potato and eggplant. I realized that these are all members of
the Solanaceae family of plants, historically referred to as
"nightshades". It is thought the name originated among the Romans who
ground up a so-called deadly black nightshade and put it in an alcoholic drink
intended for an enemy. The shade came down for a long night: they died. The
botanical name for the black nightshade is Atropa belladonna L. Tobacco
is also a member of this family of drug plants, which includes tomato, potato,
eggplant, and peppers of all kinds (except black pepper). We know what
tobacco can do to our health by comparing smokers to non-smokers.
Around my early 50's I began to experience achy, hurting knee and
ankle joints and wondered if the problem was being caused by potato and
eggplant, so I stopped eating them. The problem disappeared. Secretaries
on the Rutgers campus began avoiding these foods and tobacco. Their pains
also disappeared. Eventually they asked, "why don't you do something
about this to help other sufferers?" So we did, by recruiting many other
people across the country in small ads. In 1977 one of my students,
Gerald M. Russo, and I published a book. This was the first edition of The Nightshades and Health
and 5,000 copies sold in three years, helped by the Rodale Research staff
in Emmaus, Pennsylvania. |
So, this is when the word "nightshades"
began to be discussed again all over the world; mainly in connection with
the foods tomato, potato, eggplant, tobacco, and peppers. Take note that
black pepper is not an arthritic problem. Nor are sweet potato, boniato, or members of the cabbage
family, onion family, bean family, squash family, and many other vegetables.
Also, please be advised that even after your arthritis improves, any
nightshade slip in your diet will cause your arthritis symptoms to
reoccur.We have found, working with our Foundation, The
Arthritis Nightshades Research Foundation (founded 1980), that arthritis is
only a symptom of other health problems developing in the body and caused mainly
by nightshades. In other words, back in the 1950's and 60's we started the
Childers' "No Nightshades" or "Diet." We would estimate
by now there are over 500,000 people around the world avoiding these crops in order to
rid themselves of their aches and pains, particularly the severe problems such
as those described in our 6th edition book Childers' Diet That Stops
Arthritis. There are dozens of other nutritious vegetables and fruits to eat
while permanently avoiding the nightshades. Our books, including a new cookbook
of 250 recipes by two experienced Dieters, Joan Vogel in New Mexico and Patricia
Claudio in Virginia, are sold mainly through mail order from the foundation. If you get your books from us, you will be placed on
the mailing list to receive our free annual Newsletter. This will bring you up-to-date on
recent developments with the Diet and help you to live longer with adjunct
hints.
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