The Seignalet diet

The Seignalet diet, also called the hypotoxic diet, is in a way the ancestor of the paleo diet . Like the latter, he recommends adopting an “ancestral” type diet, close to the supposed diet of hunter-gatherers. Thus   it excludes certain classes of food, which would be unsuitable and therefore potentially harmful to the human body. This is a rather qualitative approach to dietetics, the objective of which is to restore the balance of the body (and particularly intestinal health), in order to guard against many diseases. Among :

• Autoimmune diseases: multiple sclerosis, ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, celiac disease…
• So-called “elimination” diseases: psoriasis, asthma, colitis, acne, Crohn’s disease, GERD, etc.
• So-called “cell clogging” diseases: osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, cancer , depression, etc.

Thus the Seignalet diet is more part of a health approach than weight loss/control.

THE PRINCIPLES OF THE DIET

Principles

The founding principle of the Seignalet diet is as follows: food must preserve the state of the intestinal wall. An altered wall can favor the appearance of diseases or increase the symptoms of an existing disease. Indeed, if the intestinal mucosa becomes too impermeable, it risks allowing macromolecules to pass into the body, via the blood. Moreover, if these macromolecules are harmful (processed foods), inflammation will be inevitable. It is therefore:

• Strengthen the intestine.
• Opt for foods that can be assimilated by the body and consume them in the rawest possible state.

Cooking methods

First of all, the Seignalet diet is characterized by the emphasis it places on food cooking methods. Indeed, the raw is to be preferred (the Seignalet diet is close to raw food ), to take full advantage of the micronutrient intake , but also to avoid a possible denaturation of proteins , carbohydrates and lipids (appearance of chemical compounds not present in the raw state ). natural and potentially not assimilable by the body). Thus, it is strongly advised not to cook food beyond a temperature of 110 ^o . It is therefore:

• Prefer raw.
• Prefer gentle cooking methods, such as bain-marie, stew, steam, Norwegian pot, etc.
• Eliminate cooking in the oven (above 110 ^o ), microwave oven, frying, grilling.

Favorite foods

• Raw or moderately cooked vegetables.
• Fresh and dried fruits .
• Legumes, cooked using a gentle cooking method, or sprouted.
• Certain cereals such as rice, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, sesame. The chestnut, assimilated to a carbohydrate, can also be consumed.
• Certain sweet products, as long as they have not undergone any refining and little processing: whole sugar, honey, maple syrup, organic dark chocolate and made with whole sugar.
• Vegetable oils, as long as they are virgin, cold extracted and consumed raw.
• Animal proteins: raw meat (tartar, carpaccio), cured meats (raw charcuterie such as sausage or raw ham), fish , shellfish and raw or moderately cooked seafood, raw or moderately cooked egg .
• Spices, herbs and condiments.
• Water, coffee and tea in moderation, alcoholic beverages (except beer) in moderation.
• Soy products.

It should be noted that the Seignalet diet recommends favoring foods from organic farming. Their nature will not have been altered by a method of cultivation or breeding using chemicals.

Foods to exclude

• All dairy products and products containing them: milk (cow, goat, sheep) and derivatives such as butter, cream, cheese , yogurt, ice cream, etc.
• Processed foods: industrial products of any kind, including canned vegetables.
• The majority of cereals, such as wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn. More synthetically, cereals containing gluten and/or having been obtained by an “unnatural” process, such as hybridization.
• Products containing cereals: flour, bread, pasta, cakes, rusks, pizza, quiche, but also beer…
• Sweet products that have undergone refining or processing: white sugar, chocolate, jam, compote, sodas , fruit juices, etc.
• Refined oils, margarine, all cooked fats.

ADVANTAGES

• Possible weight loss , although this is not the purpose of the Seignalet diet.
• Diet encouraging the consumption of minimally processed foods and emphasizing fruits and vegetables .
• Diet suitable for people with gluten intolerance.

DISADVANTAGES

The starting assumptions of the paleo diet are scientifically erroneous:

• Repercussions on social life.
• Risk of developing eating disorders .
• Possible intestinal pain and digestive problems (massive consumption of raw foods).
• Possible deficiencies, particularly in calcium, which can lead to bone loss.
• Risks of poisoning and parasitosis following the consumption of raw meat, fish and/or eggs.
• The therapeutic effectiveness of the Seignalet diet has never been confirmed by scientific studies carried out in good and due form. Also, it is not proven that this diet cures any disease. Unfortunately the risk that a sick person abandons his treatment in favor of the Seignalet diet exists.

ORIGINS

The Seignalet diet is named after its inventor, Dr. Jean Seignalet, a French immunologist. In 1985, events in his personal life (including depression, the cure of which was attributed to diet) led him to take an interest in nutrition, which he believed had a direct impact on certain illnesses.   He therefore adapts his diet according to raw food precepts and the Kousmine diet. In the process, he decided to publish a book on nutrition, L’Alimentation or the Third Medicine. The book will be reissued five times, each time revised and expanded, to “stick” to contemporary food constraints. Ironically, Jean Seignalet died in 2003 from pancreatic cancer.