I’m excited to announce the new release of a protein supplement that I’ve been waiting for for a long time. When I first started practicing functional medicine 15 years ago, most patients could easily tolerate whey protein which was the best quality protein powder at that time. As the years went by more and more patients were reporting sensitivity to whey so I had to try and use alternate solutions like rice, hemp, and pea protein.

But after a few years of using these alternate protein sources I started to get more and more reports of sensitivities to these forms of protein just as I had with whey. All of my colleagues practicing functional medicine were confirming the same issues with protein powders leaving us with little to nothing to choose from.

This brings us to today and the excitement around the new AminoMeal Select by Moss Nutrition which isn’t based on any foods for it’s protein content but rather being a purely amino acid based formula. I’ll get into the specifics of this product shortly but first let’s answer a few questions about why a product like this is necessary.

Why are so many people sensitive to whey, pea, rice, hemp protein etc.?

Our immune systems haven’t changed in just 15 years but what has changed is our environment, microbiota, and our stress levels. Stress drives immune intolerance to foods and we couldn’t be more stressed in today’s modern world. I’ll lay out a few of the main causes of this shift in how our body’s are responding to foods.

1. Blue light exposure

Blue light from cell phones, tablets, and computers is zapping our melatonin levels thus diminishing the quality of our sleep. The loss of quality sleep is the quickest way to stress the body and drive immune system intolerance. I have a “no screens after 6pm” policy so I never look at a device after six. If I’m watching TV then I wear blue light filtering glasses to minimize exposure. I’ve also changed all the light bulbs in my house to blue light filtering bulbs.

2. Social Media

Social media has been shown to cause anxiety, depression, and depressed mood after using it. Additionally, many of the conversations are heated debates about various political and religious issues that create stress. Social media also has lead to more social isolation since everyone already knows what their friends are up to. What is there to talk about or catch up on when you put your entire life on the internet?

3. Social Isolation

This ties into the issue with social media as social isolation is a major stress to the body. Feeling isolated or lonely increases inflammation and stress hormones in the body. This is a recipe for gut problems and immune intolerance. Our society is becoming more isolated with a diminishing sense of community.

4. Gut Microbiota

Our gut bacteria are changing as the use of antibiotics, cleaning products, sanitizers, medications, pesticides, herbicides, and stress all negatively affect our microbiota. When your microbiota is out of balance you become more sensitive to foods.

5. Low HCL

Stress really knocks out stomach acid production which means that the food you eat doesn’t enter the small intestine properly digested. This puts more strain on the pancreas, gall bladder, and the upper GI leading to abnormal immune responses to food. Low HCL also leads to dysbiosis and SIBO<...