20/03/2026
How “Healthy” Foods were Making ME Sick.
When I first started a ketogenic diet, I genuinely believed I was doing everything right.
I cut out all refined sugar (as a sugar addict this was very challenging!), dropped carbs, and filled my plate with what I thought were the healthiest foods possible.
Every day, I was eating a bag of spinach, drinking almond milk, snacking on almonds, baking with almond flour, and eating 85%+ dark chocolate.
On paper, it looked very low carb and it was.
The problem began approximately 1-3 years into my ketogenic diet.
Initially I felt amazing on the new low carb diet.
I had more energy, my mental health improved it felt like a light went on.
But after a few years sticking to my new diet my body told a very different story.
My Bladder Became increasingly irritated.
It started subtly, then escalated fast.
I found myself:
Going to the toilet constantly
Feeling like I still needed to go—even right after cI had been.
Dealing with a bladder that always felt irritated
at night especially, it was unbearable.
I was waking up five to eight times every night to urinate.
My sleep was increasingly disrupted.
I was beginning to feel exhausted
I was confused, and frustrated—because I couldn’t understand how or why my bladder irritation had become such an issue.
I genially assumed it was something to do with getting older, and something I was just going to have to live with.
What I Didn’t Know About then was Anti-Nutrients
What I later discovered is that many of the foods I was eating heavily are not just nutrient-rich—they’re also high in
anti-nutrients.
Anti-nutrients are compounds in plants that can interfere with digestion, mineral absorption, or even irritate tissues.
The main ones I was unknowingly overloading on were:
Oxalates
Lectins
Phytic acid
Oxalates: Tiny Crystals, Real Irritation
Oxalates were the biggest factor for me.
Foods like spinach, almonds, and dark chocolate are extremely high in oxalic acid.
When consumed in large amounts on a daily basis oxalates can bind with minerals and form microscopic crystals.
These crystals aren’t smooth—they can be sharp and jagged.
There’s growing discussion (including from researchers like Sally Norton) suggesting that when these crystals are processed and excreted by the body, they can:
Irritate the lining of tissues embed in sensitive areas like the urinary tract and bladder wall.
Trigger symptoms like urgency, frequency, and discomfort can lead on from this. The symptoms are cumulative and worsen with time. For me the symptoms increased imperceptibly until I was literally getting up every hour to urinate.
Looking back, this lines up exactly with what I experienced.
My bladder didn’t just feel “off”—it felt constantly aggravated, like something was irritating it from the inside.
Lectins: Interfering With Absorption
Lectins are another group of plant compounds found in foods like nuts, seeds, legumes, and some vegetables.
They can:
Bind to the gut lining
Interfere with nutrient absorption
Potentially contribute to digestive irritation in sensitive individuals
In simple terms, you might be eating mineral-rich foods—but not actually absorbing those minerals efficiently.
Phytic Acid and Mineral Deficiencies
Phytic acid (or phytates), common in nuts and seeds (like almonds), can bind to essential minerals such as:
Calcium
Magnesium
Zinc
Iron
This binding can reduce how much your body actually absorbs.
Over time, especially on a diet heavily reliant on these foods, this may contribute to nutrient deficiencies—even when your diet looks “perfect” on paper.
Phytic Acid and Gut Health (“Leaky Gut”)
There’s also discussion around phytic acid and other anti-nutrients contributing to increased gut permeability, often referred to as “leaky gut.”
These plant compounds can:
Irritate the gut lining
Disrupt the integrity of the intestinal barrier which, then
lets unwanted particles to pass into the bloodstream.
This can potentially contribute to inflammation and wider systemic symptoms. Including auto-immune disorders.
The Turning Point for me was when I removed these foods and shifted to a meat heavy carnivore-style diet, eliminating the major sources of oxalates and other anti-nutrients, everything changed.
My bladder irritation disappeared relativey quickly.
The constant urge to urinate stopped
I finally slept through the night again (well I do still get up once but this is such an improvement on how I was)
It wasn’t gradual—it was dramatic.
What This Experience Taught Me
This completely changed how I view “healthy eating.”
I had been:
Eating the same foods every day to excess.
Trusting that “natural” automatically meant “safe”
The reality is more nuanced.
Plants have defense mechanisms.
Compounds like oxalates, lectins, and phytic acid are part of that. And while many people tolerate them just fine at "normal" doses, others—especially at high and frequent intakes—may not.
Final Thought
I’m not saying these foods are bad for everyone.
But I am saying this:
Just because something is labeled “healthy” doesn’t mean it’s harmless in unlimited amounts—or that it’s right for your body.
For me, the foods I trusted the most were the ones quietly causing the biggest problems.
And once I removed them, my body made it very clear—I had finally found what was actually healthy for me.
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www.buddsherbalmedicine.com
