Here’s a recent question from Jake about die-off myths:

“I’ve made great progress on the diet. 7 weeks ago I was moody, tired and my bowel movements were all over the map. Almost every area of my life is better, but I’m just not happy yet, I feel like I can’t get over the hump. Every other week I hit a couple day stretch where I feel awful, what is causing this die-off and when is it going to end?”

It could be die-off, but I’ve noticed a recent trend that must be corrected. Just because your symptoms get worse doesn’t mean that you’re having die-off. Most times, your symptoms simply got worse. Some call it a setback or flare, but in general it’s a reaction to something you’ve changed in your treatment plan or a failure to change something.

I’m sure that last statement was confusing for some, so let me break it down for you. You can have reactions from changes like:

• Altering the dosage of drugs
• Altering supplements
• Trying new foods
• Lifestyle events, changes and toxin exposures
• And you can have a reaction from the inflammation in your body getting to the point at which it starts to affect you

But first, let’s talk about die-off.

In this article, we stated that die-off usually lasts 3-7 days…But that doesn’t mean that any worsening of symptoms or reaction that lasts 3-7 days is a die-off event. 

What Is Die-Off Then??

Die-off is shorthand for a Herxheimer reaction (Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction).

This term was coined to describe what Karl Herxheimer saw when he administrated drugs to patients.

The reaction is thought to happen when toxins from dying pathogens (viruses, bacteria, parasites, candida, etc.) overwhelm the body’s abilities to clear them out.

This creates a toxic state in the body, which produces symptoms like:

• Fever
• Muscle Aches
• Chills
• Headaches
• Skin Rashes
• Excess Mucus Production
• Brain Fog
• Increased GI Problems (diarrhea, constipation, etc.)

These symptoms are often reported by many to feel very flu-like or cold-like. Your whole body is generally sluggish and it usually feels as if your body is working harder – almost fighting something.

But just because you’re experiencing one or more of these symptoms doesn’t mean you have die-off.

The term die-off is being thrown around way too loosely these days and it’s important you don’t incorrectly label your symptoms when it could be something else.   

So, before you jump to conclusions, let’s get clear on what die-off is and isn’t. 

What Really Causes Die-off?

There seems to be some confusion as to what might actually cause die-off. It’s led to us receiving several emails each week, like:

“I added broccoli and got an immediate die-off.”

“I upped my fat and now I’m having several days of die-off.”

“I ate some sugar last week and now I’m having some die-off”

Now, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I know your body better than you do.

But I am going to set the record straight on what is likely going on here.

To cause a die-off reaction, you need to actually make a very substantial change to your treatment plan. Because, remember, die-off is a situation in which the toxins in your body overwhelm the natural ability to clear them.

The changes that might cause die-off are usually:

• Switching from processed food to a real food diet (death of pathogens by starving)
• Starting or increasing probiotic dosage (death of pathogens by good soldiers)
• Starting or increasing dosage of antiparasitic, anti-yeast or antibiotic (death of pathogens by bombing)

In each of these scenarios, the change in treatment will cause substantial changes in gut flora and knock out a big portion of the bad guys.

When that happens, they release toxins that need to be excreted by the body.

So, can you see how each of the major changes above actually causes a release of toxins?

Let’s look at another example:

Joanna adds avocado because she knows eating good fats could really help her health.

Upon introduction, she starts getting an immediate increase in bowel movements from 2 to 5 a day. They are also looser than they’ve been in a long time.

After checking around online, she observes that this might just be die-off as a result of introducing more fat and a new food, so she continues eating them thinking that everything will get better soon if she could just push through this setback.

Then weeks later she’s not better off… 

Instead of die-off she was likely having an enzyme, histamine release, or leaky gut issue. 

Yet, the internet is telling her to keep pushing through these symptoms when that’s the wrong interpretation.   

This especially happens in the more extreme diets like Carnivore, Vegan, Vegetarian and even FODMAP diets. 

The person is told by the community that their issues are just die-off and they should suck it up… when the truth is they aren’t usually die-off. 

Instead, they need extra supplemental support to do that diet or should stop the diet altogether. 

That’s why I want to set the record straight with 5 very common comments we get that are not die-off.

5 Die-Off Myths You Need to Know About

MYTH 1: “I started [new supplement] and feel worse, I can’t believe I’m getting more die-off”

TRUTH: This is an unfortunate misinterpretation of what your body is trying to communicate.

Unless you added an anti-parasitic, anti-yeast, or antibacterial agent, I can almost guarantee that what you are experiencing is a reaction to the supplement. This reaction can be caused by any number of reasons, like the fillers in the supplement, the substance itself, or even the dosage.

Your best bet is to stop the supplement for 3-5 days, cut the dosage by ½ and start introducing it again.  And if it happens the 2nd time then reach out for support from the company. 

MYTH 2: “I added this new food and my symptoms got worse, die-off usually happens when I add new foods”

TRUTH:  Not likely. Die-off may have happened when you initially switched to eating SCD, GAPS, or Paleo but it’s not happening now that you’ve been eating this way for a few weeks.

When adding a new food, your symptoms get worse, then this is a sign that your body is saying, “Hey! Hold on…something isn’t right about this.”

The truth is you could have introduced too much of the food too fast and need to slow down a bit or maybe your body isn’t ready to handle it yet and you should try again in a few weeks.

Or most commonly it doesn’t have the enzymes or stomach acid to process it and needs support. 

This happens most commonly with low FODMAP diets. 

MYTH 3: “Out of nowhere, my symptoms got worse. This must be another round of die-off”

TRUTH: Nope, this is what I was referring to at the beginning of the post.

Die-off doesn’t happen spontaneously and out of the blue.

You could have more underlying health problems to fix but if I had to guess it’s actually stress from your life that is overwhelming your body. And it may be signaling to you that you need rest and/or you’re having a reaction to your current lifestyle, treatment, and thought patterns.

Stress can be very harmful to our health if not managed regularly.

MYTH 4: “I started to get better on SCD then got worse, now I’m getting more die-off”

TRUTH: Probably not. What is likely is that you haven’t taken the time to customize your diet and test foods like the four horsemen of setbacks.

If you’re still very new to SCD, GAPS or Paleo, stop eating all four right away and see what happens. You can always add them back in slowly. The other reaction that could be happening here is that your body is in bad need of a specific supplement and you haven’t figured out what it is.

In other words, you don’t have the right enzymes to process this new diet yet.

MYTH 5: “I have X pathogen (Candida, Parasites, Bacteria etc.), therefore I get die-off often”

TRUTH: This one is tough.

You could get die-off more often from one of these conditions if you were constantly varying your antiparasitic, anti-yeast or antibiotic dosages.  But, I’m not aware of any protocols that call for this so I’m guessing you’re not doing it.  

So what does this actually mean? 

It’s a great signal from your body for three things.  

The first is that what you thought you killed or are killing is actually alive and doing fine.  Parasites are the best example, as they have different life cycles and can lay dormant before springing back to life and triggering your symptoms all over again.  

The second is that you’ve killed or suppressed the bad bugs but you haven’t dialed in your diet and supplements and are now reacting to them. 

 The third and most frustrating is that you actually have a secondary infection of some kind.  It’s not unusual that once your immune system is comprised that you could have picked up several kinds of bugs.  

In each of these last 3 cases what you’re experiencing is a reaction and not die-off. 

Understanding the Different Kinds of Clues From Your Body

As you can see, the questions “what is die-off ?” and “what is not die-off?” aren’t always easy to answer.  But hopefully, this article has shown you where you might have been misinterpreting some clues that your body was giving to you.  

Understanding these subtle clues is often the difference between feeling amazing and quickly switching to the next fad treatment before feeling really good.

If you need more help listening to your body and deciphering what the subtle clues are telling you, please reply to this email and we’ll gladly support you.

-Steve

The post 5 Die-Off Myths Everyone Needs to Know About appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

Many people also get gas or bloating from:

• Whole grains (wheat, barley, rye, corn, and more)
• Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and more)
• Legumes (black beans, kidney beans, lentils, peas, and more)

(these are all commonly known as high FODMAP foods as well)

So Why do these foods normally considered healthy cause our tummies so much trouble? 

Yes, these foods are technically considered “healthy.” Many of them are full of nutrients, fiber, and prebiotics that feed our friendly gut bacteria…

But they’re only healthy for YOU if you can fully digest them! 

And the truth is, many people can’t.

See, this group of foods has one thing in common that’s really hard for human digestive systems to break down (I’ll tell you all about it)—and our ability to digest it depends on the presence of a specific enzyme: 

Alpha-galactosidase.

So if you’ve ever wondered what causes “bean toots” (or “broccoli toots”), if it’s normal, and if supplementing with alpha-galactosidase can help, keep reading. In this post, we’ll cover:

• What is alpha-galactosidase
• What is it about beans, grains, and veggies that cause so much trouble
• How you can naturally help your body digest them
• If supplementing with an alpha-galactosidase enzyme can help

What Is Alpha-Galactosidase?

Alpha-galactosidase is a digestive enzyme needed to break down complex carbohydrates like grains, legumes, and cruciferous vegetables.

And as I mentioned, alpha-galactosidase is especially important for digesting one thing all these “gassy” foods have in common: RFOs.

(Not to be confused with the alien aircraft, UFOs.)

RFOs stand for “raffinose family oligosaccharides”, and consist of the sugars raffinose (the most common) as well as melibiose, stachyose, and verbascose.

RFOs are especially high in foods like (study):

• Whole grains
• Legumes (beans, peas, lentils)
• Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, etc.)

Yep, these are the same foods that can cause tummy troubles for a lot of people…

This is because RFOs can be difficult for the human digestive system to break down, and alpha-galactosidase appears to be the missing link.

Alpha-galactosidase helps us break down oligosaccharides (many sugars) into monosaccharides (simple sugars), which our cells can then use for energy.

When we don’t have enough of it (for reasons you’ll learn about), that’s when serious digestive distress can happen.

Do Humans Make Alpha-Galactosidase?

Now, some people think foods high in RFOs make us gassy because humans don’t actually make the alpha-galactosidase enzyme.

But that doesn’t make any sense… Why would these foods be considered “good for us” if we couldn’t actually make the enzyme to digest them in the first place?

Here’s the truth: Your friendly gut bacteria make alpha-galactosidase!

(This is why it’s classified as a “microbiome enzyme”.)

Alpha-galactosidase is produced by the microbiome species Ruminococcus gnavus. (study)

But here’s where things get interesting (and maybe where some of the confusion comes from)…

The alpha-galactosidase-producing bacteria mostly hang out in the large intestines, not in the stomach or small intestine… 

Which is maybe why a lot of people think we don’t make alpha-galactosidase—because it’s not really present in the upper GI tract.

But we DO have it in our large intestines, so long as we have the bacteria there to make it.

Unfortunately, our microbiomes are under constant assault from antibiotics, chemicals, and our stressed lifestyles.  

This could lead to a reduction or elimination of the Ruminococcus gnavus bacteria, leading to not enough alpha-galactosidase to properly break down normal healthy foods.

But first, how are these healthy foods normally digested?

Why Raffinose Family Oligosaccharides Can Make Even Healthy People Gassy

This mostly has to do with how RFOs are broken down.

Because we don’t have alpha-galactosidase in our upper GI tracts, when we eat foods high in raffinose, these complex sugar molecules make it to our large intestines mostly undigested. (study)

Once they get to the large intestines, our friendly gut bugs go to work. They digest—or “ferment”—RFOs and break them down into simple sugars. (study)

In other words, RFOs feed our friendly bacteria, which is why they’re considered to be healthy prebiotics. (study)

BUT, during this fermentation process, these bacteria also release gases like methane, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide. 

These gasses can build up in our bellies like a balloon, making us feel full and bloated, and our body has no choice but to release them…

Yep, that’s when we fart. 

It’s completely natural.

A few odorless farts after a big bowl of broccoli isn’t something you need to worry about. It’s just the result of your gut bacteria doing their jobs.

However, if you get more serious issues like:

• Diarrhea
• Undigested food in your stool
• Uncomfortable cramping or bloating
• Excessive gas (super smelly or goes on for hours)

Or just feel like your digestion is completely wrecked for days after eating these foods…

That might be a sign your gut needs more support in digesting RFOs, possibly because you’re:

• Low in alpha-galactosidase enzyme
• Low in the alpha-galactosidase-producing bacteria
• Potentially low in the other carbohydrate enzymes required to fully break down foods before they get to the microbiome 

So what can you do about it?…

How to Help Your Body Digest RFOs 

First, there are ways you can actually reduce the RFO content of your food that don’t require you to buy or take anything.

In fact, there’s one three-step process that’s been shown to eliminate RFOs in grains and legumes by up to 100% (study):

1. Cooking removes RFOs by ~50%
2. Soaking in water reduces by up to 25%
3. Germination (sprouting) can eliminate up to 100%

So if you wanted to remove as much of the gas-producing properties as possible, you could 1) soak, 2) sprout, and 3) cook all your grains and legumes. 

It takes a lot more time, but this three-step process basically “pre-digests” complex carbohydrates, which means your gut doesn’t have to work as hard and you can absorb more nutrients. That also means less gas and bloating!

This also means that cooking your cruciferous veggies is going to make them way easier to digest than eating them raw (most people don’t soak or sprout these).

Additional Digestion Tips

Even if you don’t use this process, I’d highly recommend following these simple tips to digest ALL of your food a little better:

• Avoid snacking: Snacking throughout the day constantly stimulates your digestive processes, which can tax your enzyme stores and make your digestion less effective when you sit down to eat a full meal.
• Manage your stress: Stress raises cortisol, which can alter digestive motility and enzyme production.
• Chew every bite at least 20 times: There are salivary enzymes in your mouth, and chewing also “pre-digests” your food, making the rest of digestion much easier on your system.
• Avoid too much liquid with meals: Drinking a ton of liquid with your food can “dilute” your stomach acid.
• Try the HCL Challenge: Low hydrochloric acid (HCL) is one of the major causes of digestive distress, bloating, acid reflux, and heartburn.

If you can start using just a few of these strategies, you’ll be well on your way to digesting RFOs better and saying “sayonara” to broccoli farts.

But if that all sounds like too much work or if you try these strategies and are still having problems, you might benefit from supplementing with an alpha-galactosidase enzyme.

Should You Supplement With an Alpha-Galactosidase Enzyme?

If legumes, whole grains, or cruciferous veggies cause you more problems than just a little bit of harmless gas, you can probably benefit from supplementing with an alpha-galactosidase enzyme.

Taking an alpha-galactosidase supplement will help break down oligosaccharides into simple sugars before they reach the colon—helping your body digest them much easier.

In one double-blind placebo-controlled trial (the “gold standard” in Research), alpha-galactosidase supplements significantly reduced bloating, abdominal pain, discomfort, flatulence, and diarrhea after a meal high in oligosaccharides (Study).

Ever Heard of Beano?

That’s alpha-galactosidase!

Beano has been shown to prevent gas and bloating from beans, legumes, high-fodmap vegetables, and certain whole grains (Study).

But before you just go out and buy some Beano, you should know there are two major issues with it…

First: Beano contains over 50% inactive ingredients

What I mean is they pack it full of things like cornstarch, maltodextrin, artificial colors and flavors, and other things you don’t really need or probably want in a supplement. 

In fact, check out the “Other Ingredients” on the label:

I’m not putting all that extra junk in my body and I hope you don’t either. 

Here’s my other problem with Beano — it didn’t help me when I tried it for my gas and bloating issues.  Which seems so odd considering I took more than the recommended dosage and the research studies show such benefits. 

But now I know exactly why Beano didn’t work for me… It has to do with the second reason.

Second: Beano only contains alpha-galactosidase. 

Now, that might be confusing to read…

We just talked about how alpha-galactosidase has been shown in studies to help reduce issues with RFOs!

It’s true that it can definitely help some people that are JUST low in alpha-galactosidase enzyme…

But I rarely see someone low in just ONE enzyme.

Plus, newer research shows that we also need the Sucrase (Invertase) enzyme to fully breakdown RFO’s (study)

And that’s not counting the important pancreatic amylase enzymes that help break down starches and complex carbohydrates into smaller-sized chunks like RFO’s so enzymes like sucrase (Invertase), cellulase, and alpha galactosidase can do their work.  

This is what most experts miss and why Beano only works part of the time.

If You Need Alpha Galactosidase, You Probably Need Even More Support

In other words, if you struggle with high raffinose foods or any of the foods mentioned in this article you’re unlikely to get the relief you want by just taking an alpha-galactosidase-only supplement like Beano…

Because what your body is really asking for is full-spectrum carbohydrate digestion support!

To fully digest, metabolize, and absorb foods high in starches or oligosaccharides and prevent any digestive distress, gas, or bloating — we need adequate amounts of these four enzymes:

• Amylase
• Cellulase
• Surcase (Invertase)
• Alpha-Galactosidase

This is why alpha-galactosidase alone just won’t give your gut the full digestive power it needs to break down the cell walls of cruciferous vegetables and other problematic sugars.

It’s better to take alpha-galactosidase along with a full spectrum of digestive enzymes that addresses all three levels of common enzyme deficiencies (pancreatic, brush border, and microbiome).

In case you’re wondering, HoloZyme is my digestive enzyme of choice. It contains 400 GALU of alpha-galactosidase per serving, all 3 extra carbohydrate enzymes, plus 6 other fully activated enzymes encapsulated using patented AES absorption technology. And unlike Beano there are ZERO unnecessary inactive ingredients.

>>> Click here to learn more about HoloZyme and how many people it’s helped.

Summary

Alpha-galactosidase is a digestive enzyme produced by our friendly gut bugs. 

It helps us break down complex sugars (RFOs) in healthy foods like whole grains, legumes, and vegetables.

It’s common for high amounts of any RFO heavy food to cause some gas..

However, if legumes, grains, or veggies give you excessive gas, bad bloating, or indigestion, there could be other issues…

You might be low in alpha-galactosidase enzyme, the bacteria that make it, or one of the other important carbohydrate-digesting enzymes.

Supplementing with an alpha-galactosidase-only enzyme can help some people in the short-term (but not everyone—it didn’t help me)…

To get even better results, the research studies show that you also need the sucrase (invertase) enzyme to fully break these high raffinose foods down.  

And since you are already getting two enzymes make sure to find one that includes amylase and cellulase (like HoloZyme for example). 

All fart jokes aside, just avoiding foods that make your tummy upset is no way to live. A healthy human digestive system should be able to break down these high raffinose foods. 

If you’re one of those people that has a hard time with beans or brussels sprouts, now you know there’s hope and ways to bring your digestive system back in balance.

Remember: At the end of the day, no matter how clean your diet is, you’re only as healthy as the food you can digest.

The post Alpha-Galactosidase: The Important Enzyme for Digesting Vegatables and Reducing Gas appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

When I think of healthy food, I always picture a bright pink fillet of salmon.

Something that looks like this:

But is fish always a gut healthy food?

The answer isn’t clear cut. There’s a lot to consider when it comes to eating fish…

• Is it farmed fish or wild caught?
• Fresh, frozen, or canned?
• Is it environmentally friendly?
• Should I just take a fish oil pill instead?

Today, I’m going to address all those questions and give you our bottom line recommendations for eating fish – how much, what type, and what to do if you can’t.

Farmed Fish Vs. Wild Caught

If you go to the fish counter, you’ll see that almost all fish is marked as either “wild” or “farmed.”

The second thing you’ll notice? The farmed fish is almost always less expensive than the wild.

So, what’s the difference and why should you care?

Wild fish is – as the name suggests – wild! Some seafood – like crab and tuna – is almost exclusively wild.

Others – like salmon – are more often farm-raised. In fact, 80-90% of all commercially available salmon is farmed. Fish can be farmed in either on-land fish pens – think swimming pools full of fish – or in open pen nets in the ocean, just off the shore.

There are 3 main issues with farmed fish: environmental pollution, contamination, and nutritional value.

Farmed Fish & The Environment

Not thinking about the environment when you’re at the fish counter? You should be.

These are some of the environmental issues fish farming contributes to:

• Transfer of disease between wild and farmed fish
• Ocean pollution under nets (fish food and excrement buildup)
• Destruction of ocean habitat
• Increased sea lice
• Escaped farmed fish become an invasive species

Fish that are farmed in net pens have an increased risk of disease. They can spread that disease to wild fish.

But it gets worse. Farmed fish are given antibiotics to combat disease in the net pens. Sometimes the antibiotics are released into the water and sometimes they are injected directly into the fish.

Those antibiotics can contribute to the rise of more antibiotic-resistant bacteria. They also contaminate our ocean water. And, if the fish you’re eating were given antibiotics, you’re also ingesting those antibiotics – which brings us to the next big problem with farmed fish: contamination.

Antibiotics, PCBs, And Other Fish Contaminants

Antibiotic use in farmed fish isn’t just an environmental issue – it’s a health issue for you.

A 2015 study that compared samples of farmed fish from 11 countries found 5 antibiotics in shrimp, salmon, tilapia, and trout.

They even found antibiotic residue in fish labeled “antibiotic-free” and wild shrimp – probably due to run-off from farmed shrimp nets nearby.

Antibiotics aren’t the only problem, either. Other common contaminants in farmed fish include:

• Fire retardants
• Pesticides
• Dioxins
• Copper sulfite
• Canthaxanthin (dye to make the flesh more pink)
• PCBs

PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are cancer-causing chemicals that get into fish through the processed fishmeal (made from ground up fish) they are fed in fish farms. The Environmental Protection Agency has “found clear evidence that PCBs have significant toxic effects in animals, including non-human primates.” PCBs can have a negative effect on the immune, reproductive, and endocrine systems.

Farmed salmon is one of the biggest dietary sources of PCBs. According to research conducted by the Environmental Working Group, “on average farmed salmon have 16 times the dioxin-like PCBs found in wild salmon, 4 times the levels in beef, and 3.4 times the dioxin-like PCBs found in other seafood.”

So, why isn’t there EPA regulation of PCBs in fish? There actually is. But here’s the catch: the EPA can only regulate PCB levels in wild caught salmon. Farmed salmon is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). EPA regulations for PCB levels in wild caught fish are 500 times more protective than the PCB regulations the FDA places on farmed fish.

High PCB levels in farmed fish are a serious issue – but fish farmers seem to have found a solution: they are replacing the fishmeal used in traditional fish food with fish food made from grains and soy. But grain and soy based foods come with issues of their own.

Omega-3s In Farmed Fish

While wild fish forage for food, farmed fish are fed manufactured fish pellets. Many fish are carnivorous, so fishmeal used to be the main ingredient in fish pellets. However, fishmeal is often contaminated with high levels of cancer-causing PCBs. In an attempt to reduce the level of PCBs in fish, fishmeal was supplemented by fish pellets made from grains and soy.

Much like what happens to cows raised in conventional dairies, the fish quickly get fat on the grain-based pellets. Farmed fish are significantly fattier than wild-caught fish.

At first, this seems like a good thing. After all, fish are a potent source of beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids. And more fat should mean more Omega-3, right?

Wrong. The grain-based diet (an incredibly unnatural diet for fish) leads to an increase in Omega-6 fat. And while you may have heard that wild and farmed fish contain the same amount of Omega-3, that is only because the farmed fish contain so much more fat overall.

A serving of wild salmon has half as much fat as the same size serving of farmed salmon. This means farmed salmon has a higher calorie count and less protein, too.

The Bottom Line On Eating Farmed Fish

While some people might disagree, here is our stance: if you can’t eat wild fish, it’s probably better to not eat fish at all.

Farmed fish have more fat but less Omega-3s, are contaminated with PCBs, antibiotics, and other contaminants, and fish farming has serious environmental consequences. Wild fish are better for you and for our planet.

Whether you’re buying salmon, trout, shrimp – or any other kind of seafood – make sure it is wild.

Avoiding farmed fish doesn’t have to be a burden – keep reading for our tips on buying wild fish affordably.

Fresh, Frozen, Or Canned?

Wild fish is almost always more expensive than farmed fish. One way to save money is to skip fresh fish and opt for frozen or canned instead.

And, unless you have access to a great fishmonger, there’s a good chance that the “fresh” fish you’re looking at is actually “previously frozen.” Fresh fish goes bad very quickly.

Our favorite way to buy fish is individually flash frozen. It preserves the nutrients and individual fillets defrost quickly for a fast dinner.

Canned fish is another good option. We like canned tuna, sardines, and salmon. Look for wild fish in BPA-free packaging.

Check out this guide to common fish types you’ll find in the grocery store.

Is Fish Oil As Good As Eating Fish?

If you’re not a fish fan – or just overwhelmed by all this information – you might think you can skip eating fish and take a fish oil supplement instead.

Not so fast.

While we don’t think taking a high-quality fish oil supplement is a bad idea, there is evidence to suggest that taking fish oil isn’t as effective as eating whole fish.

It comes down to absorption – whole fish contains other important vitamins and minerals, as well as potential co-factors. This means that you may absorb more beneficial EPA and DHA from whole fish than you would from even a larger serving of fish oil.

(If you’re interested in this topic, make sure you read this article from Chris Kresser on fish oil vs. whole fish.)

If you’re supplementing, this fish oil is a good choice.

What You Really Need To Know About Eating Fish

Here’s our bottom line for eating fish:

• Avoid farm-raised fish
• Aim for 2 servings of wild-caught fish each week (if you’re pregnant, make sure you talk with your doctor)
• Supplement with a fish oil, but know it may not provide all the benefits of regularly eating wild fish

Where We’re Buying Fish

If you live near the water, you might be able to buy wild fish from a local fishmonger. You can also usually find high-quality frozen and canned fish at most grocers and big-box stores like Costco, too.

But now there’s another option, too. We’re excited to let you know our friends at Butcher Box are now offering wild-caught salmon as part of their boxes.

If you aren’t part of Butcher Box yet, it is our go-to resource for high-quality meat and chicken. They source and sell free-range and pastured meats that are better quality and more fairly priced than what you can find in grocery stores. It’s all shipped directly to you as often as you want.

And right now, to celebrate the launch of their salmon, Butcher Box is giving away 2 pounds of Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon to all new Butcher Box subscribers. If you want to get some free high-quality wild salmon, go here.

I hope this guide has been helpful to you. If you have more questions, leave us a comment below!

In health,

Jordan

The post Farmed Vs. Wild Fish: Which Is Better For A Healthy Gut? appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

When it comes to healing, people are usually either a “tough case” or a “mild case.”

(Find out which one you are here.)

“Mild cases” usually have big results, fast with changes like eating better, sleeping more, and adding a few supplements.

“Tough cases” on the other hand don’t get better as quickly or as easily. They can still heal (of course) – but it takes more time, more testing and tweaking, and often the help of an expert practitioner.

That’s where today’s guest poster comes in.

Meet Julie Donaldson. Julie is one of our recommended practitioners and specializes in working with tough cases. Today, she’s sharing her expertise in treating chronic infections with us – specifically how and when to use binders to help treat gut infections.

If you’re a tough case, this is a must read.

[Enter Julie]

We are living in a world that is over-burdened with toxins, from car and airplane exhaust to cleaning chemicals and perfumes, heavy metals, and dirty water.

However, one of the most amazing things we can trust about nature is that it is full of solutions.

Curiosity and the inquiry into nature’s offerings are two of our greatest opportunities when dealing with any health challenge. Einstein once said about his genius, “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” If this is true, we all have the opportunity to find genius!

Toxins Are A Problem For All Of Us

No matter what gut condition or illness one struggles with, it is only a matter of time before toxins and heavy metals become part of the equation.

Leaky gut, for instance, may have originally been caused by reactions to foods or glyphosate exposure, but eventually leaky gut is going to lead to susceptibility to numerous gut infections and pathogens. And here is what you might not know: many gut pathogens depend on heavy metals to stay alive!

Pathogens, Heavy Metals, And Biofilms

Pathogens use heavy metals to create biofilm.

You can think of biofilm like a shelter for the pathogen to live inside of. Biofilm provides a strong and resistant “housing” for a pathogen to live and thrive. Biofilm is created from polysaccharides, proteins, DNA, minerals, and heavy metals (which form vertical and horizontal matrices).

If we want to get rid of pathogens, we first have to get rid of the biofilm that is protecting it. If you try to destroy a pathogen with the biofilm still intact, it can cause the release of biotoxins and many unpleasant symptoms.

If you’ve ever experienced this reality, you know how very unpleasant and ineffective this type of “treatment” is.

Detoxing Is A Problem, Too

In addition to being bombarded with toxins and pathogens, many of us are also living with compromises in our detoxification capacities. This leads to a vicious cycle of absorbing and recirculating toxins instead of actually eliminating them.

Whether detoxification is over or under-stimulated, the imbalance results in inadequate stores of important nutrients such as vitamin B6 and zinc. Conditions are then “ripe” for accumulating excess toxins and metals.

Gut Health Is The Foundation Of Detoxing

If you’re reading this, you know that the integrity of your gut is paramount to all healing, whether your healing is strictly gut related or it is complicated with other conditions and symptoms.

Of course, that means eating the right foods for YOU so that your metabolism is running at peak capacity. It also means maintaining the right balance in your microbiome for optimal immune function.

But it also means something else very, very important – and that is having successful binding of toxins created through the liver, gallbladder and gut every time you eat.

What Your Gallbladder Has To Do With It

Your gallbladder is your storage tank for bile. Bile is necessary for proper digestion and functions as a fat emulsifier (like soap).

As food enters your stomach, a peptide known as CCK (cholecystokinin) is triggered in the small intestine by hydrochloric acid, proteins and fats. CCK causes contraction of the gallbladder. This contraction stimulates secretion of bile into the small intestine and of bile salts into the biliary system.

Meanwhile, the liver has stored some of your body’s processed toxins within the bile to be released and (hopefully) removed from the body during digestion and elimination.

Unfortunately, this process often doesn’t work as it should. In many of my clients, the excretion phase has broken down and toxins are not being removed from the body. Instead, they are being reabsorbed in the intestines and are re-circulating through the body.

What Happens When Toxins Aren’t Excreted?

When toxins are not bound for excretion through the bowels, they often go through what is called enterohepatic recirculation. Essentially, that means toxins that have already been processed by the liver will reabsorb in the intestines requiring repeated filtering by the liver.

As you might imagine, this causes a lot of energy drain and use of resources that are required for filtering the blood and detoxifying. It’s like washing the dishes again and again without putting new food waste on them!

What we’re talking about here is an evolutionary problem. Our bodies were not designed to process as many toxins as we are currently faced with and have not evolved at this point to handle the processes effectively. Add to that any other complicating factors in our nervous, immune, and circulatory systems and we are likely to experience deficits in these daily basic functions.

Remember that every cell in your body is competing for energy (ATP) in order to complete its specific task. If inefficient function is happening, important healing and rebuilding is going to be compromised as well. A great analogy is having an oil leak in your car, slow and steady and potentially very damaging over time.

This is where binders come in.

Why Binders Can Help

Binders provide a gentle, initial approach for almost any complicated GI condition.

You can think of a binder as a magnet for toxins. Its magnetic action grabs toxins in the intestines and pulls them out. Different binders have affinity for different substances. Some examples of this are:

• Zeolite: a type of clay that is excellent for mold and mycotoxins as well as mercury
• Chlorella: an ancient algae which binds to heavy metals of all kinds as well as to mycotoxins.
• Modified citrus pectin: binds most efficiently to lead and some other heavy metals. When lead is present in the system, it can prevent the removal/excretion of other metals in spite of properly functioning detox mechanisms.
• Activated charcoal: with possibly the highest binding capacity, charcoal is broad spectrum, but very effective for chemical toxins.
• Humic/fulvic acids: potent binders for glyphosate detoxification.
• Silica: the most effective binder for removing aluminum from the body. Aluminum has an affinity for the brain and nervous system and is now known to be a major contributor in neurodegenerative and cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Fortunately, it is one of the easier metals to detoxify, but typically not without some support.

How To Pick The Right Binder

These are a few binder types, with other pharmaceutical and more recently discovered plant options available. It is important to note that certain health conditions may make binder types more or less desirable. Having a good practitioner help determine those choices for you is always advisable.

There are some circumstances such as in autoimmune disease and infectious conditions that require the use of precaution and targeted choices with binders. Proper sourcing is critical as with all supplements, as each of them can come with unnecessary risks if they are not high-grade/quality.

5 Reasons To Incorporate Binders Into Your Health Program

There are many reasons to find the best binders for your own health condition, but here are the top 5, in my opinion.

1. Your body needs to conserve the energy it may be spending on re-circulating toxins. Most of us have very high demand on our energy systems already. Most of us are also dealing with lower nutrient food supplies like never before, resulting in deficiencies and shortages. If you can prevent the usage of energy from enterohepatic recirculation, your resources for detoxification will be put to better use. It’s like turning off light switches to save on electrical waste and elevated bills!
2. The longer a toxin remains in your body and poses damaging risks to your cells, the higher the likelihood of disease development. If you can get that toxin out today instead of having it re-circulate, consider that you are adding to your health “stock” rather than having it divest or be sold! Toxins and pathogens (which live inside toxins) are the main root causes for disease creation and development, along with stress – a topic for much lengthier discussion another day.
3. Binders come with very few risks. Unlike many natural medicines and supplements, binders may be considered, overall, to be very safe. If side effects are experienced, they are usually quick to pass and fairly simple to correct.
4. Binders are like free hall passes! By using a binder on a regular basis, your body is spared the work required to process a toxin through the liver and gallbladder and is, instead, escorted right out of the body. Just like the fact as a student, you would be accountable for following many procedures without a hall pass, you will indeed be required to process many more toxins that a binder can’t pick up! But at least you’ve contributed to a lighter load. In complex healing situations that involve toxicity, binders not only contribute to a lighter load but their use is often a very necessary step to have success with deeper detoxification processes. Dr. Chris Shade calls this “push and catch.” “Pushing” involves stimulating detoxification while “catching” is the grabbing of the toxin with a binder.
5. Some binders have additional health benefits. In addition to supporting the removal of toxins and reducing burden, some binders can provide additional support. For instance, modified citrus pectin has some immune modulating qualities; chlorella is very high in plant protein and antioxidants; and clays of various sorts improve skin health and circulation.

So, there we have it! 5 good reasons to discover your excretion and detox capacities and get going with the just-right binder types for you.

I am delighted to be an SCD Lifestyle Recommended Practitioner. If this article highlights a need for you and you’d like to explore working together on your health needs, please contact me to set up a complimentary phone call.

[Enter Steve]

How do you feel after reading this article?

While it’s really exciting to get powerful information like this, it can also be overwhelming.

Testing and tweaking things on your own isn’t easy. Jordan and I both wasted years and thousands of dollars trying things on our own before we finally turned to several functional medicine practitioners.

Honestly, if you try to DIY your health, you are setting yourself up for failure. It’s impossible to be an impartial doctor to yourself. You need someone who can be emotionally separate from your pain and struggle.  

Even the top functional medicine doctors in the world (our friends), let other people be their doctors.

If you’re a tough case who needs support in healing, make sure you check out Julie and our other recommended practitioners here.

– Steve

The post What Are Toxin Binders? (And 5 Reasons You May Need Them) appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

If you’re grinding and clenching your teeth, you’re not alone.

It’s something I struggled with for years after my Mom lost her long battle with cancer.

So, what can we do about it?

That’s where this article from Christina comes in.

Christina Tidwell is a Registered Nurse and Autoimmune Health Coach. After an autoimmune diagnosis of her own, Christina dedicated her practice to helping those with autoimmune health problems heal holistically, using a blend of both naturopathic and Western approaches. She is also one of our recommended health practitioners for anyone in our community who needs more guidance and 1-on-1 support.

If you’re already working with a dentist and using a bite splint, but still need more help, this article is here to support you.

And today, Christina has shared a comprehensive guide to stop teeth grinding and clenching naturally – without resorting to bulky mouthguards or potentially dangerous muscle relaxants.

[Enter Christina]

I am a teeth grinder. And if you’ve ever woken up with a sore jaw and headache, are unable to relax your jaw during the day, or have had a sleeping partner wake you up to say “stop making that horrible death sound with your mouth,” then you might be, too.

My clenching and grinding peaked to a whole new level with the stress and anxiety of getting through nursing school. I frequently woke up with raging headaches and tension that spread all the way down my neck.

After a chipped molar and months of unrelenting jaw pain, I finally went to a doctor for guidance. The only solution he offered me was to take a sedative muscle relaxant to relax my jaw and relieve the pain. Muscle relaxants gave me some relief but left me in a sleepy, foggy state (which was not going to work for me when I was trying to pass my nursing finals). So, what was I supposed to do?

If It Doesn’t Work For You, Seek Out Alternatives

Refusing to believe that hardcore muscle relaxants could be my only option, I did what I now know to be crucial to my own health and well being: I went and did my own research.

I don’t mean Googling my collection of symptoms on the internet, diagnosing myself with incurable jaw cancer and looking for the best jaw cancer specialist in Seattle kind of research. Instead, I went looking for reliable alternatives that fit better with my own personal health needs.

In this particular case, I consulted a pharmacist at a local drug store to get more information about alternatives to muscle relaxants. After I explained my symptoms, he immediately handed me an over-the-counter magnesium supplement and instructed me to take the recommended amount daily.

Replenishing my body with magnesium had amazing effects and I noticed my jaw relaxing and the pain and headaches significantly reducing within a week. It was also a whole lot gentler on my body than the muscle relaxants were.

What Does Magnesium Have To Do With Teeth Grinding?

Magnesium is a dietary mineral utilized in the human body to carry out over 300 biochemical reactions required to keep our bodies functioning optimally, so it’s no surprise that it affects so many of our bodily systems. In particular, magnesium is essential for regulating our nervous, muscular and cardiovascular systems. It affects our:

• Heart rhythm
• Vascular tone
• Nerve function
• Muscle contraction and relaxation  

Just think of magnesium as a naturally occurring muscle relaxer in our bodies. It has beneficial effects for regulating the nervous system and contributing to normal muscle function. Deficiencies of magnesium have also been associated with the following conditions:

• Constipation
• Muscle cramps
• Anxiety
• Insomnia

Where Do I Get Magnesium From?

1) Food

Ideally, we get magnesium from our diets by eating foods like dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds, fish, avocados, bananas, whole grains and beans. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) according to the National Institute of Health for magnesium ranges from 360mg – 420mg per day based on gender and age.

Our modern day diets, however, often lack adequate amounts of magnesium due to the type of foods we are eating, as well as mineral depletion of the soil that may be resulting in lowered levels of magnesium in our food. A 2005 study of US adults showed 68% consumed less than the RDA of magnesium, and 19% consumed less than 50% of the RDA.

You can see how many of us might not be getting enough of this vital mineral.

Additionally, some individuals may not absorb magnesium properly due to digestive disorders or a damaged digestive tract. Moving towards a real, whole foods diet, upping your intake of leafy greens and optimizing digestion are the best ways to incorporate more magnesium through food.

2) Supplements

If you are unable to achieve an adequate magnesium intake through food sources, it can be a good idea to supplement your diet (especially if you’re a teeth grinder).

Look specifically for magnesium citrate, chelate, malate, threonate, or glycinate and avoid magnesium oxide as it is poorly absorbed and usually the cheapest form found in supplements.

I personally use Natural Calm powder.

Magnesium is a safe supplement but it’s not for everyone, so consult your doctor before starting to take supplements especially if you have heart disease or kidney problems to make sure it works with your health needs and current medication regime. Magnesium can interact with some medications, so it’s important to first check with a medical practitioner to see if it’s a safe choice for you.

In general, it’s a good idea to start with 200 to 400 mg of magnesium taken at bedtime. For me, it was important to take magnesium religiously to get the muscle relaxant effects.

Too much magnesium from food is not a risk in healthy individuals, because the kidneys eliminate excess amounts in the urine. However, high doses of magnesium from dietary supplements can cause loose stools that can be accompanied by nausea and abdominal cramping. If you experience these symptoms, just dial back the dose.

Getting To The Root Cause Of Teeth Grinding

Teeth grinding is not simply a standalone symptom of magnesium deficiency. As is the case with every health issue, it’s important to get to the root cause of the problem and identify all areas where imbalance is occurring.

Magnesium is just one thing to consider adding in your routine to help relax your muscles and give you relief. But if there are other underlying issues, it may not be the “magic bullet.” Another key component in reducing teeth grinding is addressing stress.

Stress And Teeth Grinding

Do you notice your jaw clenching and your muscles tensing up the more stressed out you are? I do.

Researchers report that stress is the most significant factor in predicting the frequency and severity of teeth grinding.

It’s somewhat of a vicious cycle, too, because teeth grinding behaviors are actually thought to directly impact the levels of stress hormones and responses in the human body.

Researchers found that the natural expression of aggression, through clenching and grinding teeth, regulates stress in the same way that a shout or scream can ease tension or fear.

We grind because we’re stressed, and we’re stressed because we grind. Oof! So how do we break the cycle?

This Is Your Body On Stress

When our bodies are under stress, we activate the sympathetic nervous system or “fight or flight response.” You know, the one where our bodies are primed to run from predators in the jungle who are trying to eat us.

Stress hormones like adrenaline, cortisol, and norepinephrine are pumped through the body and we experience an increase in heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate, as well as a surge of glucose for quick energy. Once the threat is gone, however, these hormones are supposed to turn off and our bodies should return to the parasympathetic or “rest and digest” state.

Our bodies respond to all types of stressors by activating the sympathetic response, regardless of the source. Our nervous system can’t tell the difference between a predator and a stressful day at the office!

The majority of the stress we experience in today’s world does not come from a lion chasing us in the jungle, but rather from chronic stressors like demanding jobs, deadlines, family issues, health problems, lack of sleep and financial struggles. All of these daily stressors have been found to correlate with increased teeth grinding.

Since we are constantly exposed to this type of stress, the threat never “turns off” and we find ourselves in a perpetual, low-level stress response day in and day out.

Where Do You Measure Up?

On a scale of 1 to 10, what is your average stress level on a daily basis?

When I was getting through nursing school, I would have rated my stress level a solid 9/10 every single day. It’s no wonder I was feeling this stress in my body and jaw.

If your stress level is anywhere from a 5 or more, it’s a good indicator that you are walking around with a lot of unmanaged stress that could be contributing to your jaw clenching and teeth grinding.

Stress is not going to magically disappear, and we will always have life events that stress us and test us. This is ok and means that we are human. This does not mean, however, that we must live in a constant state of chronic, unmanaged stress.

Stress Management Techniques

Don’t worry, I’m not going to tell you to take a bubble bath and go to the spa to solve all of your problems (although that does sound really nice). There are real and tangible ways to begin the process of managing stress and reducing it’s impact in our lives.

Step 1: Tune In

The first step is to pay attention to times throughout the day when you react by tensing up your jaw, neck and shoulders. Sometimes we aren’t even aware that our bodies are responding in this way. Research has even shown us that not dealing with daily stressors head-on increases the likelihood of tooth damage and facial pain in those that grind their teeth.

By bringing mindful attention to our bodies, we can identify how we are reacting to stress and understand what people, places, and events trigger us so we can begin to manage it.

I take one minute prior to each meal to scan my body and notice what I’m feeling. Is my jaw tense and sore? Do I have a headache? Am I breathing deeply? How stressed am I on a scale of 1 to 10?

It helps to have these quick check-ins to better connect to my body. By bringing awareness to your body’s response to stress, you can take moments throughout the day to consciously relax and retrain your muscles.

Step 2: Say No

Most of us are really busy balancing families, jobs, social lives and an endless to-do list. The thought of adding in stress management techniques might sound like just one more thing you have to accomplish during the day.

Instead, try simplifying and taking things out. Look at your calendar for the next week. Is there anything that immediately gives you anxiety or stress just thinking about it? Is there anyway you can say no to that event and make some time and space in your life? At work, are there tasks you can delegate to others to free up some time for yourself?

Your first reaction might be, “No way lady! I can’t get out of anything. Who else would do it?” That’s ok. Just continue to consider how you can honor yourself and your boundaries by not stretching yourself too thin. This is a beautiful act of self-care.

Step 3: Activate The Relaxation Response

In order to get out of the sympathetic state and into the parasympathetic state, we have to activate what’s known as our “Relaxation Response.”

The term “Relaxation Response” was coined by Dr. Herbert Benson, the founder of Harvard’s Mind/Body Medical Institute. He describes the Relaxation Response as a physical state of deep relaxation, which engages the other part of our nervous system – the parasympathetic nervous system. This helps us move away from a state of chronic, low-level stress and gives our bodies the opportunity to restore and heal.

3 Ways To Activate The Relaxation Response

1) 4-7-8 Breathing: This is my favorite method and one I use daily. Watch my video here for a guide on how to do this simple breathing technique.

2) Meditation: Sitting in stillness and breathing for 10 minutes a day can help to elicit the relaxation response. I love using an app like Calm or Headspace for guidance.

3) Doing something you love: According to Dr. Benson, “Anything that breaks the train of everyday thought will evoke this physiological state.” Try activities you enjoy like walking, yoga, knitting, or even playing an instrument.

The pressure that grinding and clenching puts on your jaw is akin to having a sprained ankle, meaning it has to gradually heal overtime. In addition to considering magnesium and implementing stress management techniques, you can reduce tension by applying warm compresses to your jaw at night to relax your muscles.

So, give these techniques a try. Your teeth (and sleeping partner) will thank you.

[Enter Jordan]

What I love about this article is that it addresses both the symptoms of teeth grinding (using magnesium to help relax the muscles) and one of the root causes – stress.

There are several other root causes you may want to investigate, but starting here is the easiest and cheapest. You may also want to consider working with a holistic dentist to be fitted for a bite splint, too. For more information on that, check out these podcasts.

This is just one example of how Christina blends her Western and holistic medical training to help her clients!

If you want to learn more about Christina or our other recommended practitioners, go here.

You can also learn more about Christina’s nutrition coaching practice, Live Well with Christina and follow her on Facebook or Instagram.

Make sure you download her free 7-Day Clean Eating Meal Plan, too.

– Jordan

The post Natural Relief For Teeth Grinding appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

I’ll never forget the frustration I felt when I thought I had found the answer to my health struggles – whether it was finding out I had Celiac and starting a gluten-free diet, or being diagnosed with a parasite and starting treatment – only to have my health fall apart again.

It wasn’t because I didn’t want to get better. It wasn’t because I wasn’t trying hard enough.

The real issue is that gut health can be incredibly complicated. And SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth) may be one of THE most complex gut conditions out there.

If you have SIBO, but you’re not getting better, I have something for you today.

Meet Brie Wieselman – she is a dear friend of mine and an absolute expert on SIBO and gut health.

Brie is one of our recommended practitioners and someone I would trust my own health with.

She’s been generous enough to share this powerful blog post answering one of the questions we get all the time: “Why isn’t my SIBO clearing up?”

[Enter Brie]

When Cara came to see me, she had just fired her 6th doctor.

She had struggled with painful bloating, constipation, and hemorrhoids for the last 10 years. Figuring out what to eat felt like trying to find her way out of a maze with her ever-increasing food reactions.

Being 26 years old with chronic acne and yeast infections didn’t make her eager to get out there and date, despite wishing she had a partner. But the worst part was the debilitating depression and panic attacks that got worse each time her digestive symptoms flared.

Her last practitioner had given her a Lactulose breath test to check for Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), and it had come back positive – with very high levels of both hydrogen and methane.

A SIBO diagnosis made sense to Cara – she knew that her symptoms had first appeared after several years of taking antibiotics for teenage acne, and had snowballed after a bad bout of food poisoning.

She was overwhelmed with relief to finally have a diagnosis and a treatment plan.

Cara started the supplement protocol her practitioner recommended right away. At first, she felt better. But by the time the protocol was done, her symptoms were just as bad as before starting.

That’s when Cara came to see me.

She was feeling the way so many of my clients with SIBO do: doubtful that she ever would get better.

Do You Relate To This SIBO Story?

When you learned that you had SIBO, you probably felt a mixed sense of frustration and relief.

Relief, because all of your symptoms finally made sense. Frustration, because you’d heard how difficult treating SIBO could be. Diet changes… herbs… antibiotics… prokinetics… it is a lot to learn about, put into action, and manage!

You started a low FODMAP diet. Maybe you even found a practitioner, and they started you on a protocol of herbs and supplements.

Taking action helped you to feel empowered and you even start to feel better!

Your symptoms were improving, and may even have resolved. This was the best you’ve felt in ages! But then, the symptoms gradually return, and you feel like you’re back to square one, defeated.

You (and Cara) did everything “right.” You took the supplements, followed the diet… so why aren’t you healing from SIBO?

When You’re Doing Everything Right, But Not Healing from SIBO

I’ve spent the last several years working one-on-one with clients who have stubborn SIBO. I’ve learned that if you’re doing things “right” but not getting better, it’s likely one of these reasons:

# 1: You’re Not Treating For Long Enough

There is no one-size-fits-all treatment time for SIBO. The most important factor for deciding how long you should treat is what levels of hydrogen and methane gases were found on your lactulose breath test, prior to the 120-minute mark. (This is why sample collection is timed!) Standard protocols have a treatment length of 2 – 4 weeks. This can be effective in some cases, but more severe SIBO may require 8 – 12 weeks of continuous antimicrobial treatment to fully resolve.

#2: You’re Using The Wrong Herbal Treatment

A quick Google search will produce dozens of natural protocols that have been used to treat SIBO. But, it is important to know the type of SIBO you have (methane or hydrogen dominant, hydrogen sulfide, or mixed type), in order to treat it properly with herbs. This is why testing and proper interpretation is imperative. Using the proper dosage of each supplement is also critical to success, and this information is not always listed online.

#3: You’re Not Looking At All The Options (Rx Meds)

At this point, it is well known that prescription drugs, and especially antibiotics, may contribute to causing or worsening digestive symptoms, and other medical conditions, including SIBO. Understandably, you may be reluctant to use them.

However, it is important to know that everything is a toxin, taken in the right dose. Even water can be toxic if you drink too much of it at once.

Rifaximin is the most common prescription drug used to treat SIBO. It is an antibiotic with several unique properties. It is not absorbed into systemic circulation – it stays inside the intestines. This means that you cannot use Rifaximin to treat an ear infection; it would never get to the inner ear. Rifaximin is largely inactive by the time it makes it through the small intestine and into the colon. (This also means that it doesn’t upset the beneficial flora in the large intestine, leaving our good bacteria intact.)

To put it another way, Rifaximin is not associated with many of the negative side effects a normal antibiotic can cause. Dr Mark Pimentel, associate professor of medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and a leading researcher in the area of IBS and SIBO diagnosis and treatment, says that he sees Rifaximin be effective in at least 70% of patients who have SIBO.

It certainly is not a magic bullet, but it may be worth a second look, especially if you have been leery of antibiotics in general. It could be a valuable treatment option.

#4: You’re Not Using Probiotics

You may have been told NOT to take probiotics while you’re treating for SIBO. If you’ve taken probiotics in the past, you may have even felt that they made your symptoms worse. (Especially true of d-lactate forming strains like acidophilus, which can actually aggravate pre-existing SIBO in certain people.) But some strains of probiotics are shown to be more effective at treating SIBO than prescription antibiotics! Stick to soil based organisms, spore based probiotics, or Bifidus strains to be safe.

#5: You’re Not Testing For Co-Infections

Many people with SIBO either haven’t had their stool tested for parasites and yeast, or have used panels that weren’t good enough to detect them. If you have one or more parasites and are living with yeast in your GI tract, you will generally not get a full response to your SIBO treatments. You will need to have these properly tested and treated to assist in the clearing of your SIBO.

#6: You’re Not Considering SIFO (Small Intestine Fungal Overgrowth)

SIFO (or small intestine fungal overgrowth) is commonly caused by Candida albicans or similar yeast/fungal species. A common scenario is to have a mixed pattern of Candida or other fungal overgrowth alongside of SIBO. It is possible to have identical symptoms while having one or the other, or a mixed overgrowth. While there is some overlap, fungal/yeast overgrowth tends to respond to different herbs, supplements, and prescriptions than are used to treat bacterial conditions. Since yeast feeds on sugars, using a high-glycemic elemental diet to treat SIBO will almost always worsen the yeast/fungal overgrowth aspect. Sometimes a more broad spectrum treatment is called for to treat the bacteria and yeasts that are causing symptoms to persist.

#7: You’re Following The Right Diet At The Wrong Time

In many people with SIBO, a low-FODMAP diet can definitely be a helpful way to manage symptoms. But eating low-FODMAP, or even just too low-carb, while treating the condition with antimicrobial agents can actually be counterproductive!

Studies show that using Rifaximin plus Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum (PHGG) is more effective at clearing SIBO than Rifaximin used alone. PHGG is a prebiotic, which means that it feeds bacteria. You would think that it would worsen SIBO by feeding the bacteria in the small intestine. But, the fact is that if you do not feed the bacteria or yeast while treating it, the organisms will go into “spore form” or dig deep into tissues where they cannot be treated properly. Feeding the bacteria causes them to reproduce. If you “feed the bacteria” while simultaneously using an agent that targets bacteria that are in their replicative phase, you’ll kill the bacteria off in much higher numbers.

In this way, prebiotics often improve the outcome of the treatment. Feeding the bacteria (either with a prebiotic like PHGG, or by including small quantities of better tolerated FODMAP foods) can be a good idea while taking herbs or prescriptions to treat SIBO.

#8: You’re Not Looking For Structural Issues

Why do some people get SIBO and others don’t? There are lots of reasons, but a big (and often ignored one) is anatomical differences in their intestines. Structural concerns are not the most common cause of SIBO, but they do exist. And you can’t tell if you have them by looking at the results of SIBO Breath Testing.

It is important to consider this as a potential contributing factor when a case of SIBO will not resolve after several attempts. Changes in the intestine, like strictures, a blind-loop resulting from a GI tract surgery, or problems with the ileocecal valve provide an ideal environment for bacterial colonization and overgrowth.

#9: You Think Clearing SIBO Is Just “Killing The Bad Guys”

This is the most common reason behind stubborn SIBO that just won’t go away. Many treatments for SIBO treat it like they would a parasite: they just want to kill the bad guys. But treatments that only consist of killing the overgrowth are incomplete and neglect to take in the body as a whole.

To unpack this a bit, we have to recognize that SIBO isn’t an infection that we “pick up” from somewhere out in the world, but rather a situation that arises because the terrain of the gut has changed so that it has become a place where bacteria are now able to thrive.

While our GI tract is designed to house trillions of beneficial bacteria in the large intestine, the small intestine is supposed to be relatively sterile. This balance is kept by several body functions. If one of them is not working properly, it can lead to changes in the terrain that will allow SIBO to develop.

Any of these issues can be either root causes of SIBO or unaddressed factors that are preventing you from long-term healing, even when you kill the bad guys:

Insufficient digestive secretions (bile, stomach acid, and pancreatic enzymes). Pancreatic enzyme insufficiency and inadequate stomach acid or bile production all set the stage for less-digested proteins, carbohydrates, and fats moving from the stomach into the intestinal tract. This means less nutrition for you, but is also more fermentable matter for the bacteria to help them proliferate.

Dysfunction in the Migrating Motor Complex (MMC). The MMC is responsible for cleaning the small intestine, specifically between meals. It functions like a broom or conveyor belt, sweeping bacteria, undigested carbohydrates and fibers that might feed bacteria, out of the small intestine and into the colon where they belong. If the MMC isn’t functioning correctly, undigested particles stay in the small intestine, becoming more food for bacteria.

Re-establishing proper motility and MMC activity is critical to your recovery from SIBO, as well as for preventing it from recurring. There are many ways to encourage the proper pattern of gut motility. Using either an herbal or prescription prokinetic agent during or after SIBO treatment is standard. But many therapies (like abdominal massage, acupuncture, and neurological chiropractic) can enhance the benefits.

Weak vagal tone. The vagus nerve is the main controller of the MMC. When it becomes “weak” (from trauma or stress, commonly) the function of the MMC is compromised. Physiologic approaches (like probiotics, prokinetics, abdominal massage, pelvic floor therapy, biofeedback, acupuncture, gargling, or chanting) are often helpful in restoring vagal tone.

But sometimes it is more important to find ways to gently face into the underlying mind-body issue that may be perpetuating the infection. Therapy, hypnosis, MBSR (mindfulness based stress reduction) and other approaches that address trauma and support the mind-body connection can prove to be indispensable in these situations. Oftentimes, the experience of having SIBO can provide an opportunity for deeper exploration of what is living in our hearts, minds, and spirit that is unresolved.

HPA-Axis Dysregulation (aka Adrenal Fatigue). Dysregulation of the HPA-Axis leads to imbalanced stress-hormone levels (especially cortisol). Having cortisol levels that are chronically either too high or too low can lead to reduced levels of immune secretions in the gut. Dysregulated cortisol can alter digestive secretions, compounding any infection. It can also slow down repair of the tissues that make up our stomach and intestinal lining, leading to leaky gut. It is important not to jump into treating HPA dysregulation without testing, as symptoms can be confusing and overlap.

Compromised immune system. A major cause of SIBO is digestive immunity that is compromised. Almost 90% of your total body immunity is located in the GI tract. Anything that suppresses or alters this immune activity can leave you more vulnerable to fostering bacterial growth where it shouldn’t be — in your small intestine!

Sympathetic dominance (constant state of “fight or flight”). If you are constantly in “fight or flight,” your gut is at a disadvantage. Chronic stress can stimulate the sympathetic branch of the nervous system (like having your foot constantly on the gas pedal), and suppress the parasympathetic branch (which is like the brakes).

We need both sympathetic and parasympathetic activity, in balance. The job of the sympathetic branch is to make sure you have the energy to get to a safe place. It prioritizes immediate survival and puts long-term building projects on hold.

Sympathetic dominance is known to slow motility; digesting the nutrients you’ll need tomorrow simply isn’t a priority if you’re running to save your butt, NOW! It also shuts down digestive secretions, and suppresses immune activity, while up-regulating inflammatory compounds. Not a good look when trying to maintain a well-functioning gut with a healthy microbiome!

Excess sympathetic nervous system activity will also suppress the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system. This side is the “feeding and breeding” side that promotes digestive and absorptive function and allows for repair and maintenance of the cells that form the mucous membrane of the gut lining.

Digestive-focused hypnosis, Heart-rate variability training, acupuncture, and meditation techniques, such as Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, are a great way to give input to the nervous system and retrain it to kick off its shoes and relax a little.

Healing SIBO Is Complicated

Even if you know the experiences you have had that triggered your SIBO, the factors allowing it to persist are really the perfect storm. Optimizing the environment of the intestines, clearing out co-infections, personalizing your diet, enhancing motility, and promoting a healthy microbiome are all critical steps to fully resolving SIBO, for good!

Most of the above issues just require specific testing or some detailed detective work to diagnose. Addressing these underlying issues can make or break the success of your treatment.

If this article resonates with you and you need more help to get rid of SIBO for good, please contact my office to set up a FREE 15-minute consultation.

[Enter Jordan]

Many thanks to Brie for sharing her expertise on SIBO with us.

Healing SIBO is really complex – and it’s much easier with the guidance of a true pro like Brie.

If you’re ready to get the kind of one-on-one, targeted healing only a skilled practitioner can provide, find out how you can work with Brie here.

– Jordan

P.S. Did you enjoy this guest post from one of our recommended practitioners? What else would you like our recommended practitioners to write about?

The post 9 Reasons Your SIBO Isn’t Clearing appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

If you’ve ever been sick, you know the greatest gift you could ever receive would be to get healthy again.

And while we can’t wrap wellness up and put a bow on it, we were inspired this year to give everyone we love the gift of health – so we’re doing it by giving them the things that have helped us get healthy ourselves.

Don’t worry – we’re not suggesting you give out squatty potties or bottles of Betaine HCL – these are legitimately awesome gifts that anyone would be happy to receive. These are the things we love and use every day – and the things we’re giving to our friends and family this holiday.

Annmarie Skin Care
Did you know anti-aging skin care is the least-returned gift for both men and women? If you want to give a gift that no one returns, try Annmarie Gianni Skin Care – this is the line we use and love (and buy for our moms, sisters, and girlfriends). All the products are all natural and toxin-free – plus they really work. They have beautiful gift sets that are just right for anyone you want to pamper.

Colima Sea Salt
This Aztec Sea Salt is unique enough to please even a gourmand who has tried Himalayan pink, sel gris from France, and Hawaiian red salt. We promise Colima salt will become their new favorite. But if you’ve got someone on your list who lives off bland food, try introducing them to this incredible salt this holiday season. It livens up everything, even frozen veggies, like nothing else.

Rocky Mountain Essential Oils + Diffuser
Essential oils have gotten really popular in the last year for good reason – they’re like candles that don’t drip or smoke, plus they clear the air and boost your immune system. But the quality of oils and diffuser you use matter, which is why we love Rocky Mountain Oils. All their oils are quality and purity tested – and they aren’t an MLM company, so you buy directly with no middle man. This year, they’re debuting a new line of certified organic oils, too.

Danielle Walker’s Celebrations
Following a leaky gut diet doesn’t mean you should be excluded from the holidays. Until pretty recently, though, your 2 choices were to abstain or indulge in foods that made you feel bad. Chefs like Danielle Walker have changed all of that. Her holiday recipes are easy to follow, incredibly delicious, and perfect for a healthy gut.

ButcherBox Grass-Fed Meat Subscription
Jordan and I are passionate about eating only the highest quality meat. We firmly believe that meat and animal products are imperative parts of a healthy gut diet – but only when it is humanely-raised, free of added hormones and antibiotics, and fed a natural diet. That’s why we love gifting a subscription to ButcherBox – it’s a subscription service that sends you high-quality meat whenever you need it.

Lavender-Scented Bath Soak
Salt baths are my favorite way to relax. Most bath salts and bombs contain harmful dyes, fragrances, and perfumes that can aggravate sensitive skin and lungs. This all-natural soak smells great and is free of parabens, sulfates, and more. It is the antidote to neon-colored candy-cane-shaped bath bombs you’ll see at every store.

Travel Hammock
A travel hammock is one of Jordan’s must-haves. We know that relaxation and stress management are important for healing and nothing says “relaxing” quite like a nap in a hammock. This hammock is the best way to relax anywhere – it is easy to hang and even easier to take a nap in. This hammock includes straps to suspend the portable hammock from poles or trees, too.

Dry Farm Wines Subscription
Here is a holiday indulgence your friends and family can enjoy without feeling bad the next day – unlike most holiday treats! Most wine sold in the U.S. is high in sugar, alcohol, preservatives and additives that all add up to feeling bad. Dry Farm Wines are different – they are all carefully selected and lab-tested to be low in sugar, alcohol, sulfites, and mold and free of preservatives and additives. The result is wine you can trust to indulge in. Buy your best friend a subscription and let them enjoy a variety of white and red wine over the next month. Or, order a box for yourself and give individual bottles as a thoughtful host gift.

Paleovalley Grass-Fed Beef Sticks
This is our favorite healthy gut snack. Most packaged snacks (even paleo-approved ones) are chock-full of sugar in the form of dried fruit. These Grass-Fed Beef Sticks have ZERO grams of sugar and are gluten, soy, and added nitrate and nitrite free. Most importantly though, these sticks are full of flavor and have a satisfying snap when you bite into them.

Mason Jar Fermentation Lids
We love making our own sauerkraut, kimchi, pickled onions, carrots and more – and the secret is that home fermentation is really fun (plus you get probiotic-packed veggies at the end!). Introduce your friends and family to the world of fermenting with these mason jar fermentation lids – they fit on jars you already own and take the 2 biggest hassles out of fermenting: burping the jars and potential mold growth.

Kettle & Fire Bone Broth
If you know the benefits of bone broth, but still haven’t made it part of your diet, it’s likely for one reason: making broth is time-consuming. Kettle & Fire’s bone broth is rich in nutrients and prepared how you would make it at home. The result? It tastes as good (dare we say better) than homemade broth. This is the right gift for anyone who is strapped for time and energy in the kitchen, but needs all the gut-healing, health-promoting goodness bone broth provides.

Dr. Cowan’s Garden Vegetable Powders
Dr Cowan’s veggie powders make getting in 6-8 servings of vegetables a day easier – especially during the holidays. The vegetables are harvested from hand-dug gardens at peak flavor, dehydrated on low heat, ground into powders and transferred into beautiful, reusable Miron violet-glass jars. One teaspoon is the equivalent of an average portion of freshly cooked vegetables and the jars can be stored for 3-5 months. Unlike other greens powders, these are savory, not sweet, and can be used like spices on rice, veggies, eggs, soup, salad, or anything else.

Four Sigmatic Mushroom Hot Cacao
We thought it couldn’t get better than Four Sigmatic’s mushroom coffee… but then we tried their new Mushroom Hot Cacao. Mushrooms have long been used for their benefits for immunity, energy, and longevity – all especially important during the cold winter months!

They have one hot cacao blend with reishi to help you relax and a pick-me-up version with cordyceps. Try the hot cacao for the holidays or any of their other mushroom coffee or teas as an unexpected but appreciated gift. (And use the code SCDFANS to save 10%.)

Airbiotics Probiotic Cleansers
Airbiotics is just about the only commercial product we trust to get our house and hands just clean enough. It uses beneficial probiotics to penetrate biofilms and banish bad bacteria without wiping out beneficial bacteria that keep you and your family safe. Plus, it’s safe for people, pets, and all surfaces – so you can use it without thinking twice. And if you think cleaning products are a lame gift, imagine if someone gave you the gift of not getting sick this flu season? Pick up an extra hand sanitizer for yourself!

Manduka Pro Yoga Mat
You can get a just-OK yoga mat for $20 anywhere (I guarantee you have at least one of these floating around). But once you’ve tried a premium mat? You can’t go back. Whether they’re a yogi, a meditator, a pilates fanatic, or do just about anything else on the ground, they will swoon over this Manduka Yoga Mat. It’s thicker, wider, and heavier than a normal mat – which means you won’t slip or step off the mat, and it won’t wear out after just a few classes, either.

Countertop Herb Garden
In an ideal world, we’d all have backyard gardens we could harvest fresh herbs from. If you’re buying a gift for someone in the real world? Get them this cute 3-pot countertop herb garden. It includes everything they need to start growing their 3 favorite herbs – 3 pots with a drip tray, seeds, instructions – even the soil is included! Just a few weeks after Christmas they can be harvesting their first herbs.

Pedram Shojai’s The Art of Stopping Time
It’s hard to believe 2017 is already winding down – the older we get, the faster time seems to go by. If you’re experiencing the same thing, pick up this book (and another copy to gift). In The Art of Stopping Time, our friend and mentor Dr. Pedram Shojai explains how we can slow down time and get more energy and focus for the things we truly care about through the practice of Gongs. Learning to practice Gongs can help you build new habits, break old ones, reduce stress, and increase gratitude. This is a must-read book we keep on hand as a go-to gift (much better than another box of store-bought cookies).

We hope this list gives you inspiration for healthy gifts for everyone on your list this year!

Happy Holidays!

– Steve

P.S. What gifts are you giving (or hoping to receive) this year? Leave a comment and let us know.

The post The Ultimate Healthy Gut Holiday Gift Guide appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

10 years ago, when Steve and I were starting on our health journey, we were really fortunate to meet a guy who was on the same journey as us, but a little farther down the path – Chris Kresser.

Over the past decade we’ve had the honor of working with Chris and watching as his passion for health has blossomed into a thriving practice that is helping people around the world get healthy and live happy.

Chris has a special talent for breaking down the difficult-to-understand – from the concept of functional medicine to complex chemical processes in the body – into layman’s terms. And even more importantly into actionable steps you can take right now to feel better.

In honor of his brand new book being released today – Unconventional Medicine: Join the Revolution to Reinvent Healthcare, Reverse Chronic Disease, and Create a Practice You Love, we’re sharing a special guest post from Chris himself.

In this post, Chris shares exactly what functional medicine is and how you can use it to get healthy.

[Enter Chris]

The State Of Conventional Medicine

Imagine a patient, Yolanda, who is struggling with digestive complaints such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, gas, and bloating. She visits her primary care physician, who diagnoses her with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Yolanda receives several medications for her condition: loperamide to stop the diarrhea; dicyclomine for the gas, bloating, and pain; and paroxetine (an antidepressant), which her doctor said can help to manage the symptoms of IBS.

Relieved to have a diagnosis and a plan of action, Yolanda heads home and searches for “IBS” on Google. She learns that IBS is not so much a diagnosis as it is a description of symptoms. Still, she’s glad to at least have some things that she can try to get relief, so she begins taking the medications her doctor prescribed.

The loperamide does stop the diarrhea, but now she has the opposite problem: constipation. She also develops dry mouth and dizziness, which Google tells her are common side effects of this medication. The dicyclomine does seem to help with the gas, bloating, and pain, but it gives her a headache. Yolanda wasn’t able to take paroxetine for long enough to determine whether it would help because she developed severe anxiety and sleep difficulties during the first week of taking it.

At this point, Yolanda feels frustrated because, although two of the drugs helped with her original symptoms, they caused side effects that are as bad (or worse, in the case of the antidepressant).

She returns to her doctor, who tells her that they can try a few other medications, including a different antidepressant, to see if they get a better result.

Intuitively, this doesn’t make sense to Yolanda. She doesn’t want to be stuck taking several medications for the rest of her life. But when she asks her doctor what is causing the IBS, and whether there’s anything else that can be done, her doctor shrugs and says that IBS isn’t well understood, and the best they can do is try to manage the symptoms.

A Different Approach: Functional Medicine

Yolanda decided that she’d do some of her own research on alternative treatment options. In that process, she came across Functional Medicine, an approach based on addressing the underlying cause of disease rather than just suppressing symptoms. That immediately made sense to Yolanda, so she scheduled an appointment with a local Functional Medicine doctor, whom we’ll call Dr. Liu.

Even before she set foot in Dr. Liu’s office, Yolanda could tell it would be a different experience. Dr. Liu asked Yolanda to fill out several forms with detailed questions about her health history, diet, lifestyle, exercise routine, exposure to toxins, relationships, stress levels, and even early childhood experiences.

Dr. Liu also gave Yolanda stool, breath, and urine test kits that she could do at home, as well as a requisition for blood work to take to a local draw station.

Yolanda’s first appointment with Dr. Liu lasted for well over an hour. After reviewing her intake paperwork and doing a physical exam, Dr. Liu explained that Yolanda had several underlying issues that were causing the symptoms of IBS. These included SIBO, or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, which involves inappropriate growth of bacteria in the small intestine; a disrupted gut microbiome; a parasite infection; and gluten intolerance.

At first Yolanda was skeptical. If all of these things could cause IBS, why hadn’t her primary care physician tested for any of them?

Dr. Liu explained that there are many peer-reviewed studies linking SIBO, parasites, a disrupted gut microbiome, and gluten intolerance to IBS, but that most primary care physicians are not aware of these connections.

Conventional medicine is primarily set up to manage disease with drugs, not prevent or reverse it by addressing the underlying causes.

Dr. Liu prescribed a botanical protocol to treat the SIBO and parasites and probiotics and prebiotics to restore a healthy gut microbiome. She also instructed Yolanda to eat a gluten-free, whole-foods diet low in a specific type of carbohydrate called FODMAPs that are poorly absorbed by people with SIBO and IBS.

Yolanda was excited at the end of her visit with Dr. Liu, but also overwhelmed. So much of what Dr. Liu recommended was completely new to her. Fortunately, Dr. Liu had both a nurse practitioner and a health coach on staff to help patients like Yolanda implement their new diet, treatment protocol, and other changes. Yolanda scheduled an appointment with the health coach to get started, as well as a check-up with the nurse practitioner for a month into the protocol in case Yolanda had any questions or concerns.

At the check-up, Yolanda told Dr. Liu’s nurse practitioner that she could hardly believe how much better she was feeling. In just four weeks, her diarrhea had stopped entirely, and her gas and bloating were significantly better. The pain she used to feel after every meal was also much reduced. And she was only halfway through the protocol!

Yes, the diet changes had been hard initially, but the health coach provided the support Yolanda needed to make it happen, including recipes, meal plans, ideas for snacks, and tips for shopping and eating out.

The best part was that Yolanda now felt that she was in charge of her own health; with the guidance of Dr. Liu and her staff, she was learning how to eat and what behavior and lifestyle changes to make in order to heal her gut and restore her health.

She felt so grateful that she had trusted her intuition and sought a different solution than the one her primary care physician had proposed: a lifetime of medication that not only didn’t address the causes of her symptoms, but also caused side effects that were as bad or worse.

The Doctor As A “Health Detective”

Yolanda’s story is not unusual; it’s the norm. The average appointment with a primary care doctor lasts between 10 and 12 minutes. In 10 minutes, there simply isn’t time to thoroughly investigate all the possible causes of a patient’s chronic illness. Instead, doctors consider the symptoms and prescribe the drugs, and that’s the treatment.

If that doesn’t solve the problem, the patient usually gets referred to a specialist, who examines one area of the body in isolation. If the chronic issue persists, the patient is sent to another specialist, who examines another area of the body, and then another specialist, ad nauseum.

Unfortunately, it’s rare for those specialists to communicate with one another; our current medical system isn’t set up to accommodate that kind of collaboration. Primary care doctors are supposed to unify the various discoveries, but their overwhelming caseloads often make it impossible.

What would it be like instead if doctors were empowered to approach illness like a detective approaches a case? After considering the patient’s host of symptoms, this doctor asks, “What might be causing those symptoms? Let’s do some thorough testing to determine what some of the causes might be. Once we identify those causes, we’ll start removing them and see if you still have those problems. We won’t rule out using drugs if necessary, but we’re going to focus our energy on identifying the root causes of your symptoms and addressing them all.”

This Is How Functional Medicine Operates

There are millions of patients just like Yolanda in the US. One in two Americans now has a chronic disease, and one in four are suffering from multiple chronic conditions. Conventional medicine, with its emphasis on using drugs to suppress symptoms, has failed to address this modern epidemic—and the results are catastrophic. Chronic disease is destroying our quality of life, shortening our lifespan, bankrupting our country, and threatening the health of our future generations.

We desperately need a new approach to healthcare, one that prevents and reverses disease by addressing its root causes, rather than just managing disease after it occurs. Functional Medicine is that new approach, and its popularity is growing. Last year the prestigious Cleveland Clinic launched a Center for Functional Medicine, which now has a waitlist of 2,600 patients from nine different countries.

Functional Medicine offers new hope to patients who are suffering with chronic health problems, and new tools for the doctors and other healthcare professionals who treat them.

[Enter Jordan]

Chris has been one of the most important and influential voices in my own healing journey – I hope this article was as impactful for you as it was for me.

Want more powerful information like this? Make sure you grab a copy of Chris’ BRAND NEW book – out today! It’s called Unconventional Medicine: Join the Revolution to Reinvent Healthcare, Reverse Chronic Disease, and Create a Practice You Love.

– Jordan

The post What Is Functional Medicine? appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

A few fast facts about fat:

• Fat is one of the 3 macronutrients in the food we eat (the other two are protein and carbs)
• Fat contains 9 calories per gram (protein and carbs contain 4 calories per gram each)
• Fat is required for the absorption of some vitamins (the fat-soluble vitamins – A, D, E, and K)
• Fat is essential for the production of hormones

From here, it can get a little more complicated.

See, you’ve probably heard that some fats are “good” and some fats are “bad.” Most people agree about that.

But when it actually comes down to what makes a fat good or bad, people start to disagree.

If you dive into the “good fat/bad fat” rabbit hole, be prepared to go deep.

And while the science is fascinating – if your goal is to get a healthy gut AND actually live your life while you do it you might not have the time or interest to go there.

So, today I want to do something a little different – I’m going to share with you the 7 best fats you should be eating for a healthy gut and a healthy body – and the top 5 you should avoid.

The goal of this article is to be easy to read, easy to remember, and actionable – I hope that after you read you’re ready to throw away any of the old “Avoid” oils you’ve got and replace them with some new healthy fats.

Let’s get started!

2 Rules To Help You Decide If An Oil Is Safe To Eat

Before I share the top 5 oils and fats you should avoid, I want to share the two basic rules I use to answer any questions I have about eating a plant fat or oil.

These are the 2 rules for plant oils:

1. If you don’t eat the plant, don’t eat the oil
2. If you can’t squeeze the oil out yourself, don’t eat the oil

Think about one of the most common oils we see in grocery stores or on ingredient lists: canola oil.

Now ask yourself – when was the last time you ate a canola plant?

Yeah, the answer is never – because canola isn’t a food humans eat.

What about another common oil – corn oil! Humans do eat corn.

So now think about standing in a corn field – you pluck an ear of corn off the stalk – how do you get the oil out? Can you squeeze it out? Not really, right? If you squeeze the corn you kind of just get a watery mash. To extract corn oil, manufacturers have to use heat and heavy machinery.

Now think about olive oil. People eat olives. If you stand under an olive tree and pull off an olive, you can smush it in your hand and you’ll have oil all over your hand.

You can see how these 2 rules work together – they aren’t foolproof, but together they’re a great starting point. If a plant oil or fat fails either of these rules, you should reconsider if you want to eat it.

Top 5 Fats To Avoid

These 5 fats are the most common dangerous fats you’ll find on store shelves and in processed and restaurant foods.

1. Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils of any type
2. Canola & Other Vegetable Oils
3. Peanut Oil
4. Conventional lard and tallow
5. Soybean Oil

Top 7 Healthy Fats

Replace these above unhealthy fats with these healthy fats – you’ll find there is a healthy fat for every purpose!

1 – Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Why We Love It: Extra Virgin Olive Oil is one of the only foods just about everyone on earth agrees is healthy – whether you’re Paleo or Vegan, you probably have a bottle of EVOO in your kitchen. It has a blend of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs and PUFAs) that have many health benefits. Studies link EVOO to everything from lowering the risk of cancer and stroke to decreasing inflammation – plus it’s polyphenol content provides food for the good bacteria in your gut.

It has a bright, peppery flavor that goes well with just about everything. This is the oil we use the most. Many people don’t know this – but it also has a high smoke point and is great for high-temp cooking like sauteing and roasting. (The idea that EVOO oxidizes and becomes dangerous if heated is a myth!)

How To Use It: Use it cold, straight from the bottle to make salad dressing or as a topping for roasted veggies. It’s also safe to cook with at higher temperatures – up to 400°F. This study demonstrates that it retains its nutrients even after 36 hours of cooking at 350°F! EVOO should be stored in a dark bottle away from light and heat (don’t keep it in a windowsill or on your stove).

Where To Buy It: Olive oil is one of the most counterfeited foods in the United States – so buyer beware! It sounds crazy, but this healthy fat is in such high demand that unscrupulous sellers will put just about anything in a fancy bottle and sell it to you as EVOO. We don’t recommend buying any olive oil without first researching the seller – a high price tag or beautiful bottle is not enough to ensure a high-quality, genuine EVOO. Because we use this healthy fat more than any other – and because finding a high-quality, reputable source can be hard – all of us at SCD Lifestyle are part of this olive oil club.

2 – Virgin Coconut Oil

Why We Love It: Coconut oil is made up of about 60% of a unique kind of saturated fat called medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). MCTs are unique in that they are more easily digested than other types of fat – your body sends MCTs directly to your liver (bypassing the normal fat digestion process) where they can be consumed efficiently. This makes MCTs a great choice for anyone who has trouble digesting fat – like those with gallbladder disease or IBD. Coconut oil also has anti-fungal, anti-microbial, and antibacterial properties. Virgin coconut oil has a slightly-sweet coconut flavor that adds a tropical flair to dishes.

How To Use It: Coconut oil liquefies at 76°F – so depending on your room temperature, your oil may be a clear liquid, a white solid, or a semi-solid. No matter its state, it works very well for high-temperature cooking and can be used up to 450°F. It makes a great addition to smoothies, too.

Where To Buy It: Coconut oil is easy to find at most health food stores. We only recommend using virgin coconut oil (avoid refined or processed, deodorized oils). Our favorite brand is Kelapo Virgin Coconut Oil. We like Kelapo because it’s organic, fair trade, and ethically sourced – really important for coconut oil, which is harvested in some of the most beautiful and delicate ecosystems in the world.

3 – MCT Oil

Why We Love It: Normally we don’t like refined oils – but MCT oil is an exception. MCT oil is made by refining coconut oil to concentrate it down to purely MCTs – those are the powerful medium chain fatty acids that make up about 60% of coconut oil. MCT Oil is said to help increase feelings of satiety, speed weight loss and help maintain a healthy weight, increase mental clarity, increase energy, balance hormones, and improve gut health.

How To Use It: Unlike some other oils on this list, you shouldn’t cook with MCT oil. We use it in a few ways – to make “Bulletproof Coffee” in the morning, as a mix-in for smoothies, and as a condiment – it works well as a dressing on just about any food.

Where To Buy It: The only MCT oil we use is Bulletproof Brain Octane MCT Oil. We like Brain Octane Oil because it is the MOST powerful MCT oil – it is derived purely from coconut oil (no palm oil is used) and it isn’t emulsified (meaning no water is added during processing). It’s made in the U.S. without any harsh solvent or bleach so it’s 100% pure. It’s also super gentle on your digestive system – just start with a teaspoon and work up slowly.

4 – Avocado Oil

Why We Love It: While olive oil and coconut oil are both incredible, they both have a serious caveat – strong flavors! Even when the flavor is as good as EVOO or coconut, sometimes you just need a neutral background to let other flavors shine through – that’s where avocado oil comes in. Like EVOO and coconut oil, it’s chock-full of good-for-you fats – but unlike those 2, it has a really subtle flavor.

How To Use It: It’s a liquid at room temperature, so it’s perfect for making emulsions (like healthy, homemade mayo!). And it has the highest smoke point – 520°F! Use it to roast, fry, or saute meats and veggies, coat meat before it goes on the BBQ, or any other type of high-heat cooking.

Where To Buy It: High-quality avocado oil is made from ripe avocados that are pressed by hand. If it’s made the right way, it should be bright green and look like olive oil when you pour it out of the bottle. Avocado oil like this is hard to find in stores (most avocado oil manufacturers use reject, over-ripe avocados). The brand we trust is Ava Jane’s.

5 – Tallow & Lard

Why We Love It: You might be shocked to see tallow on this list (isn’t animal fat bad?!?!), but high-quality tallow from grass-fed animals is actually one of the BEST sources of healthy fats. Tallow is rendered animal fat (tallow can come from any animal except pork – pork fat is called lard). We love that consuming tallow allows us to eat more sustainably by using every part of the animal.

How To Use It: Tallow has a very high smoke point, so it’s perfect for high-heat cooking – sweet potato fries cooked in tallow are one of our favorite treats! It’s safe to use up to 420°F.

Where To Buy It: Look for tallow when you’re purchasing grass-fed and pastured meats. Do NOT buy conventional tallow or lard – to be healthy, tallow must be sourced from healthy animals. You can also render your own tallow at home. This is kind of a messy job, so we prefer to buy ours from Fatworks.

6 – Grass-Fed Butter

Why We Love It: This one is obvious – butter is the best tasting food on earth. But butter doesn’t just taste good – it actually has amazing health benefits. If you tolerate dairy, you can incorporate grass-fed butter into your diet. Grass-fed butter is a great source of fat-soluble Vitamin K2, which is otherwise hard to get. It also is a source of the powerful short-chain fatty acid butyrate, which is critical for a healthy gut. Butter also contains the fatty acid conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which studies show may help with weight loss and even prevent cancer.

How To Use It: You probably already know how to use butter. It has a smoke point of 300°F and shouldn’t be used for high-heat cooking – but melted over veggies, it’s divine!

Where To Buy It: Look for grass-fed butter that is yellow – not white. Like tallow, you can technically make butter at home with grass-fed milk and a churn, but we prefer to buy it. Our favorite brand is Kerrygold.

7 – Ghee

Why We Love It: Ghee has all the same benefits as butter, but it is better tolerated by those who are sensitive to dairy (or sensitive in general!) Ghee is made by clarifying butter – this means heating butter over a low temperature so that the dairy solids separate from the fat and can be skimmed off the top. Properly prepared ghee is a bright gold color and keeps for long periods of times. It has a much higher smoke point than butter. If you’re lactose intolerant, you likely can tolerate ghee. If you’re allergic to dairy, please talk with your allergist before consuming ghee or any other dairy product.

How To Use It: Ghee has a more mild flavor than butter, but can be used in any way you’d use butter. It is safe to heat to 485°F, so it can be used for high heat cooking like roasting, sauteing, frying, and grilling, too.

Where To Buy It: You can make ghee at home using grass-fed butter and these instructions. Or buy it online – this is our favorite brand.

Enjoy Healthy Fats

We know that the amount of health and nutrition information available can become overwhelming. We hope this article has de-mystified which fats are good for your gut and health, and which you should avoid.

Remember, too, that diversity is an important part of any healthy diet – so don’t just rely on one type of oil – mix in some olive oil, ghee, and tallow, too!

Want to learn more about which foods to eat and which to avoid for a healthy gut? Join us for a free Tuesday-night webinar to learn about how to eat for a healthy gut.

Sign up here (it’s totally free!): https://solvingleakygut.com/webinar

– Steve

P.S. Got questions about this article? Leave me a comment and I’ll answer ASAP!

The post The 7 Best Fats For A Healthy Gut (And 5 To Avoid) appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

You know that when your skin looks good, facing the world is a little easier.

That’s why having skin issues can be so frustrating and embarrassing.

(I know because I struggled with skin issues for years myself.)

But issues like acne, hyperpigmentation, and rosacea don’t just look bad –  they’re often a sign of something more than skin deep. From nutrient deficiencies to hormones that are out of whack, and even leaky gut syndrome, there are many internal causes for external skin problems.

The health of your skin is one of the biggest indicators of your overall health. A healthy body is reflected in clear, radiant skin – and health issues are often reflected in a sallow complexion.

In this article, I want to share how I’ve approached my own skin issues – from the foods to eat and avoid, to the supplements that can help, and even what products to use and avoid.

Beautiful, radiant skin isn’t simply about what you put IN your body, or what you put ON your body – it’s about balancing both.

The Gut and Skin Microbiomes

You know about your gut microbiome already – it’s the trillions and trillions of bacteria that reside in your digestive system and control everything from how often you poop to your immune system.

But you also have a skin microbiome – like your gut microbiome, your skin microbiome is a colony of trillions of helpful (and sometimes harmful) bacteria that live on your skin’s surface.

Both your gut and skin microbiomes control the health of your skin – if either isn’t healthy, you’ll see negative effects in your skin.

The gut microbiome is clearly linked to issues like:

• Acne
• Rosacea
• Eczema
• Premature aging

But an unhealthy skin microbiome can lead to the same problems – as well as others like dullness, dryness, excess oil production, redness, flaky skin, and more.

This is why approaching skin health both externally and internally is so important. If you clean up your diet and work on improving your gut health, but you continue to use skin products that disrupt your skin microbiome, you won’t have positive results. Likewise, you can have the most perfect skincare regimen – but if your gut microbiome is out of whack, you’ll still have skin issues.

Radiant Skin Starts With Your Gut

If your gut health isn’t thriving, your skin can’t thrive either.

But gut health doesn’t just impact the skin – the health of your gut impacts everything from your digestion, to your immune system, to your mental health. That’s why gut health is the true foundation of all healing.

Healing the gut may seem complicated, but at it’s core, it’s very simple: determine which habits you have that disrupt your gut health, then replace them with new habits that support your gut.

For most people, this looks like:

• Eliminating processed foods and replacing them with nutritionally-dense whole foods
• Learning to manage stress through habits like meditation and yoga instead of overeating or over-exercising
• Avoiding environmental toxins that disrupt the gut (like antibiotics) and using pro-gut supplements like probiotics

(These are big, general guidelines – if you need help figuring out how to customize these ideas for your own life, sign up for more info on gut healing here.)

Diet in particular is very important for healing the gut and getting healthy skin.

Does Junk Food Cause Acne?

The role of diet in skin health is very controversial.

You may have heard that foods like chocolate and pizza can cause acne.

But then you may have heard dermatologists debunk the idea as a myth, saying no one food causes acne or other skin problems.

Here’s the truth: while no one food causes acne for everyone, any one food can cause acne or other skin issues for you.

That’s because skin issues are part of an inflammatory response in the body – inflammation can be caused by stress, acute injury, and of course – by leaky gut. If you have leaky gut, loosening of the tight junctions in the gut wall can allow undigested food particles into the bloodstream. Under these circumstances, almost any food can become inflammatory for your body.

Even healthy foods can be inflammatory for some people – dairy, eggs, nightshades, and nuts are common foods that can trigger some people but not an issue for others.

The best way to find foods that could be triggering inflammation for you is with an elimination and reintroduction diet like SCD or a leaky gut diet.

Foods That Heal

Healing your gut microbiome isn’t just about taking out the wrong foods – it is also about adding in the right foods.

In addition to your normal diet, make sure you’re regularly consuming:

1. Bone broth – Bone broth is rich in collagen, glycine, and other amino acids that make up the foundation of beautiful skin. You can make your own or buy a high-quality version.
2. Fish oil – The Omega-3 fats in fish oil can help balance high Omega-6 intake (common in a Western diet). Omega-3 oils are also anti-inflammatory. If you aren’t regularly eating wild-caught fish, you can supplement with a high-quality fish oil.
3. Probiotic-rich foods – Foods like homemade yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, and kefir all promote an abundance of good gut bacteria. Here’s how to make your own yogurt or sauerkraut.  
4. Zinc-rich foods – Zinc supports healthy skin, but it is much more bioavailable in food than in pill form. Naturally zinc-rich foods include oysters, organ meats (grass-fed!), and pumpkin seeds.

Nurturing Your Skin Microbiome

Aside from caring for your gut microbiome, caring for your skin microbiome is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure you have healthy, beautiful skin.

But shockingly, most people have no idea what helps and what harms their skin microbiome (in fact, most adults I talk to don’t even know that they have a skin microbiome!)

There are 3 key steps to a healthy skin microbiome:

1. Don’t overwash your skin! Taking daily (or more often) long, hot, soapy showers is actually harming your skin. The helpful bacteria that live on our skin work to keep your skin clean and healthy – overwashing diminishes these good guys and can even allow “bad” bacteria living on the skin to spread. If you must shower daily, consider skipping hot water and lots of soap. Use a gentle, natural soap only when and where necessary. Instead of a long, head-to-toe sudsing, I rinse off in lukewarm water daily, and save soap for every 2-3 days.
2. Don’t be afraid to get dirty. Our skin microbiome picks up beneficial bacteria from the environment. But if you spend all your time sitting in a chair or covered with clothes, you might not be getting enough exposure. Don’t be afraid of skin-to-skin contact with other people and animals. Hug your sister and your dog. Lay in the grass in the park (no blanket!). Touch the earth. Dig in the sand and build a castle. It is good for you!
3. Don’t put harsh chemicals on your skin (most important). By harsh chemicals, you might think I mean bleach or lye. While you definitely shouldn’t touch those, either, I’m actually talking about that bottle of lotion in your bathroom. Conventional skincare products are full of downright-scary chemicals, parabens, phtalates. These disrupt your skin microbiome and can disrupt your hormonal and adrenal systems as well. Just like you don’t want to eat highly-processed foods, you don’t want to put highly processed products on your skin either. A good rule? If you wouldn’t put it on your tongue, you shouldn’t put it on your skin. Check your products here: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

Unfortunately, some of these gut-healthy, skin-healthy habits are directly contradicted by Western dermatology practices.

Is Your Dermatologist Making Your Skin Worse?

If you go see a dermatologist about your skin issues, you might get some shocking advice:

1. Harsh prescription medications like antibiotics, hormonal birth control, or Accutane
2. Topicals like benzoyl peroxide, retinol, and hydroquinone
3. Injectable fillers and paralytic agents like Botox

All of these products directly and indirectly impact the health of both your gut AND skin microbiome. While they might provide quick, short-term results, in the long-run they only mask symptoms and cause greater harm.

While only you and your doctor can decide if a medication or prescription is right for you, don’t be fooled into thinking the only solution to skin problems is harsh products. The first approach should always be supporting your gut and skin microbiome.

Use This, Not That

Particularly for the extra-sensitive skin on your face, you want to use the highest quality, gentlest products.

But, just because something says “natural,” “gentle,” or even “organic” does not mean it is safe. Use of these words isn’t regulated – meaning anyone can put these words on their packaging to sell more product.

If you want to take the best care of your skin microbiome, you’ll need to be diligent when shopping for natural products.

Personally, I usually use most of the same products in my bathroom as I do in my kitchen – Dr. Bronner’s Soap, apple cider vinegar, baking soda, raw honey, and coconut oil.

But, lately I’ve also been using a new skincare line I discovered – Annmarie Skin Care. Unlike a lot of other products available from health food stores and online, Annmarie products are actually things I would put on my tongue (not that I’m recommending that!)

And while using an ACV toner or coconut oil is easy, using Annmarie products feels luxurious – like a special treat for myself, one that is actually good for me.

Plus, they’re all-natural, eco-friendly, organic, and safe for your delicate skin microbiome.

I started with the Balance kit (for normal skin) and I liked it so much I ordered the Purify kit for my sister (for oily or acne-prone skin) and the Restore kit for my mom (for dry and more mature skin).

Each kit comes with a gentle cleanser and a treatment oil made from all-natural ingredients. I love it because it’s simple (just 2 steps) but really effective – I noticed an improvement in my skin’s texture and brightness within a couple days.

The right skin products – like Annmarie’s products – can really help improve the appearance of your skin from the outside without disrupting your skin microbiome.

Annmarie’s products are the first I’ve found that meet my own criteria for safety and actually work! I love them and I hope you will too – that’s why we’re teaming up with Annmarie Skin Care to bring you a really great deal: Order a sample kit for $19.99.

This means, if you like the products and buy a full-size item later on, you can use your coupon and it’s like having gotten your sample kit for free!

Plus, you’ll also get a bonus digital copy of Annmarie Skin Care’s newly updated Toxic Free Home Guide.

Check out this sample kits here.

Beautiful Skin, Inside & Out

Remember, there are 2 steps to achieving healthy, beautiful skin:

1. Nourish your gut microbiome with a whole-foods diet customized to your own needs
2. Nourish your skin microbiome by avoiding over washing and damaging products and using beneficial products

Your skin is too important to neglect or harm with dangerous products. It’s not just about what you eat or what you wash your face with – beautiful healthy skin is about both! I hope this article sets you on the path to glowing, healthy skin.

In health,

Steve

P.S. – I only endorse products I love – and Annmarie Skin Care makes the cut! Try a sample kit and let me know what you think. Get one here.

The post The 2-Step Approach To Healthy Skin appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

Buying meat that is healthy, safe and affordable for your family shouldn’t be hard.

But when you’re actually standing at the butcher counter, trying to decide what to buy, it can get pretty overwhelming.

The options seem endless – from grass, grain or vegetarian-fed to organic and hormone-free. Plus, you have to see what’s actually available and then there’s the price to consider.

You may find yourself asking the question: “Is grass-fed meat (or meat in general) really worth the hassle and the price?”

And the answer is YES. Every single time.

In fact, choosing grass-fed and finished meat for your family is one of the most important choices you make on your journey to better health.

Why Is Grass-Fed So Important?

You may have never considered what the animals you eat have eaten themselves (for many years, I didn’t think about it, either).

But the fact is…. it matters.

When you eat an animal, you’re not just eating meat – you’re also consuming the remnants of everything that animal has eaten (food, medications, chemicals, etc).

Generally speaking, we want the animal to be as healthy as possible and this largely depends on what it eats (just as it does for humans). Cows were meant to eat grass, not grain. The minute we begin to stray from that is when problems arise and overall health of the animal declines.

At this point, hopefully you’re more concerned with what the animal is eating (or not eating in some cases) than you were before and that’s a good thing. You should know and care, as it directly affects your health and the choices you make when it comes to buying and consuming meat.

Instead of overloading you with mounds of research that supports grass-fed meat, I’d like to shed some light on what you’re getting if you choose conventional meat – like the stuff you’d buy at your local grocery store.

Grain-Fed Beef: The Basics

The majority of meats found in grocery stores are a product of animals raised in a “concentrated animal feeding operation,” or CAFO. CAFOs are a specific type of large-scale industrial facility that raises animals – commonly referred to as “feedlots.” If you’re driving down the freeway, you usually smell these CAFOs before you see them – hundreds, even thousands, of animals packed into tight pens.

What is the main goal of such an operation? It’s to mass produce meat for the lowest possible cost, which means getting cattle fat and ready for slaughter in the least amount of time and space.

Cattle are ruminant animals – meaning they’re built to eat and digest grass (and have 4 compartments in their stomach to achieve complete nutrient absorption). But, CAFO cattle are expected to grow fast and a natural diet of grass takes too long and requires too much grazing space. Instead, CAFO cattle are fed an unnatural diet of genetically modified soy, corn, and by-product feedstuff (even things like rotten food the grocery stores throw out).

While this type of diet does help cows fatten up more rapidly, it causes other serious problems. Because the cattle are designed to deal with grass, not grain, soy and random by-products, they’re unable to properly digest and absorb these “foods.” As a result, they often develop diseases such as rumenitis and “feedlot Polio.” Sadly, it’s actually considered “normal” for feedlot cattle to be sick.

Not only are CAFO cattle kept from the green pastures they were meant to forage on, but sunlight and exercise are scarce. Just as humans need these two variables to thrive, so do animals. Instead of having room to graze, these cattle are kept in small pens with little space to walk around. On top of that, they’re forced to stand knee-deep in their own excrement.

The unsanitary conditions of CAFOs make it easy for diseases to spread, resulting in a lot of sick cows. And as CAFOs and the number of unhealthy cows increased over the 20th and 21st centuries, antibiotics have stepped up to “save the day.”

Antibiotics: An Avenue for Mass Producing Meat

The use of antibiotics for cattle began in the 1940s. What started as treatment for sick cows quickly became a standard treatment for all cattle when studies revealed antibiotic use led to more efficient weight gain.

Antibiotics not only promote fast growth, they are also a critical tool for fighting diseases that spread rampantly in feedlots. The most common disease affecting CAFO cattle is acidosis – a potentially life-threatening metabolic condition which occurs when too much acid accumulates in the rumen as a result of a high-grain diet.

Acid in the rumen can lead to rumenitis (inflammation of the stomach) and ultimately a liver abscess. Liver abscesses allow bacteria to pass through and enter the bloodstream and it’s estimated that 12 to 32% of all feedlot cattle develop liver abscesses.

The solution? Yep, you guessed it – a round of antibiotics to combat the infection to ensure the animal is well enough to become part of the ultimate end goal (cheap meat, fast).

Unfortunately, antibiotic use is only expected to increase, as a 2015 study predicts antibiotic use in livestock will likely rise 67 percent by 2030. Big corporations would rather you not know this type of information, and that’s one of the reasons it’s so important to stay informed.

What Happens on the Farm Doesn’t Stay on the Farm

Approximately 70% of the antibiotics sold in the United States are used in meat and poultry production, contributing to what is now referred to as the “antibiotic resistance crisis.”

This isn’t just dangerous for feedlot animals – humans use a lot of the same antibiotics. And when the antibiotics stop working, they can no longer be used as a life-saving intervention for anyone.These antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” can be spread to humans via food, contaminated water, insects, air, and direct contact with the animal or manure.

Researchers estimate approximately 75% of antibiotics administered to animals are not actually absorbed but rather excreted in waste where they have a much greater chance of encountering new bacteria, exchanging DNA, and creating resistant strains.

Despite industry claims that 40% of all antibiotics used on farms are drugs unrelated to use in human medicine, this study shows that use of monensin (a bovine antibiotic) led to a 32-fold increase in resistance to bacitracin – which is used in human medicine.

Antibiotic resistant bacteria are a huge issue in the United States – the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 2 million Americans become sick and more than 23,000 die per year due to resistant bacterial strains.

After reading all of this, you may be wondering if meat is just better off left out completely.

The Great Meat Debate: To Eat or Not to Eat

Grain-fed, conventional meat from cattle raised on CAFOs? You may be better off avoiding it.

But, sustainable, grass-fed meat – while not only tasty – is an important food for a healthy gut and feeling your best.

Here are just a few reasons to include meat in your diet:

• Complete Protein – All 9 essential amino acids (these must be obtained from food) are present in meat (unlike plant proteins). It’s imperative to get enough protein to both heal and stay healthy. While plant foods do contain protein, they don’t contain all 9 essential amino acids – meaning no single plant is a source of complete protein.
  
• Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) – This nutrient powerhouse must be obtained through the diet (our bodies can’t make it) and it helps to fight cancer, build muscle, and maintain a healthy weight. Grass-fed beef contains anywhere from 3 – 5 times more CLA than it’s grain-fed counterpart.
  
• Antioxidants – Grass-fed meat is also high in precursors to cancer-fighting antioxidants like glutathione, vitamin A, and vitamin E.
  
• Omega-3s – Grass-fed meat has 3 – 5 times more omega-3s than grain-fed meat and the omega-6 content of grain-fed meat can reach as high as 20:1 (omega-6:omega-3). A diet dominant in omega-6 is one of the largest contributors to numerous chronic diseases today.

When you cut meat out of your diet, you have to rely on other food groups to make up for the missing calories. Typically, this leads to an increased consumption of grain… and we all know where we stand when it comes to grain and healing your gut.

With careful planning, a vegetarian diet can work for some people – but in our own experience and research, the majority of healthy people include a wide array of foods in their diet – including sustainable, grass-fed beef.

How to Eat Meat Mindfully

We believe in the concept of individuality and empower our followers to do what is best based on their own unique needs. These tips are here to help you decide what is best for you.

1. Quality – It matters, big time. It’s no surprise when we hear people say things like “I feel so much better when I don’t eat meat.” It’s almost always because they are consuming poor quality, inflammatory meat rather than grass-fed meat.
   
2. Proper stomach acid levels – We need plenty of stomach acid to break down the peptide bonds in meat. If you don’t have it, you may get that heavy feeling after you eat meat (and then assume it’s the meat that’s making you sick). It’s important to first check your stomach acid and then supplement with Betaine HCL if needed.
   
3. Quantity – How much meat should you consume? The answer is different for everyone, and this is where you get to decide what is right for you. If you’re training vigorously, perhaps you’ll need to consume meat multiple times per day to meet your body’s demands. Or maybe you’re just starting on your health journey and can only handle meat a couple times per week.

We know how important the quality of meat is but, as we’ve established, the cost can be a real challenge. After years of searching and trying different brands, we’ve found just what we were looking for – high-quality meat at an affordable price.

Grass-Fed Meat: The Sustainable, Affordable and Healthy Option

So, let’s go back to where we started – you’re standing at the butcher counter in your grocery store.

Hopefully they carry grass-fed beef…

But what if they don’t?

Or maybe they have a small selection – but it’s double or even triple the price of conventional beef. So what do you do?

You’re not the only one who’s been in this position. The demand for affordable grass-fed beef is growing. But new companies like Butcher Box are meeting that demand and making it easier to eat meat the healthy way.

Butcher Box offers a subscription service that delivers 8-11 pounds of grass-fed beef, organic and pastured chicken, and heritage breed pork right to your door. Each delivery has enough for 20 individual meals, working out to less than $6.00 per meal.

And if you don’t eat much meat? You can have the box delivered at your desired frequency – and pause or change your subscription any time. That means whether you’re a family of six or live alone, Butcher Box can work for you.

Butcher Box works with small farms who treat their animals (and the planet) with respect. It’s meat you can feel good about eating and a company we’re excited to support.

Right now, Butcher Box is offering a special deal just for the SCD Lifestyle community – $15 off your first order PLUS 4 FREE 6 oz. flat iron steaks for a limited time only. And every Butcher Box order ships for FREE.

I’m so excited for you to try Butcher Box – take advantage of the discount and the free flat iron steaks until 9/19 and let us know what you think!

In good health,

Steve

P.S. – This offer expires at midnight PST on 9/19 so don’t miss out!

The post Antibiotics In Grain-Fed Meat: What You Need To Know appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

Antinutrients are sneaky compounds that actively steal nutrients from your body when you eat them.  Antinutrients include things like lectins, phytates, and oxalates (what we’ll be talking about today).

The scariest thing about antinutrients is that unlike something really bad like margarine — which can be easily avoided entirely on a whole foods diet – antinutrients are in the “healthiest” foods…

• Legumes
• Nuts and seeds
• Leafy greens
• Cruciferous veggies
• Blueberries
• Dark chocolate

If it sounds confusing It’s because nature has many wonders.  

I’m going to break down what oxalates are, what are high-oxalate foods, how does a low-oxalate diet work and should you even try to eat one?

What Are Oxalates?

Oxalates (or oxalic acid) are a naturally occurring compound in foods like spinach and chard. They are also produced in small amounts by the liver.

The role of oxalates and other antinutrients is to provide protection for plants against predators – everything from harmful bacteria to insects, animals, and even humans.

They provide protection to plants in a few different ways.

First, antinutrients often cause a bitter taste in foods that deters people and animals from eating them (think the bitter flavor of beet leaves, which are very high in oxalates).

Beyond just a bitter flavor, antinutrients can also prevent the proper digestion and absorption of foods.

Have you ever eaten blueberries or strawberries and noticed little seeds in the toilet bowl? Seeds often contain antinutrients that stop the body from being able to break them down – they are passed through the digestive system unscathed.

Why? To help ensure that seeds needed for the propagation of plants aren’t digested by hungry people and animals. When birds or bears feast on blueberries, the seeds are still viable, even after being pooped back out!

In high enough concentrations, antinutrients can make you sick and can even be poisonous. In fact, it’s a very high concentration of oxalates that make the leaves of rhubarb poisonous. And phytates in undercooked beans make people sick every day.

But the sneakiest trick antinutrients play on us? When you consume antinutrients in plant foods, they prevent you from absorbing any beneficial nutrients that are present in the rest of the food.

Oxalates specifically bind to other minerals (like calcium) and prevent your body from absorbing them.

“For example, although the calcium in spinach is 115 mg per half cup cooked, because of the interference of oxalic acid, you would have to eat more than 16 cups of raw or more than eight cups of cooked spinach to get the amount of calcium available in one cup of yogurt.”

What Happens If You Consume Oxalates?

An “oxalate-free” diet is impossible – oxalates occur in varying amounts in almost all plant foods. If you eat food, you’re almost certainly consuming oxalates in some amount.

In very large quantities, oxalates can be toxic – like in the leaves of the rhubarb plant.

However, this would require as much as 10 pounds of rhubarb leaves (raw!) – containing altogether about 22 grams of oxalates – to reach toxic levels for a 130 pound woman.

Typically, Americans consume oxalates in much smaller amounts – around 200-300 mg per day.

However, oxalates can cause issues even in smaller quantities – the most common condition associated with excessive oxalates in the diet is kidney stones.

Oxalates are directly correlated with the formation of the most common type of kidney stones – calcium oxalate stones. These form when oxalates bind with calcium in the bloodstream.

If you’ve had kidney stones, you know it – they are incredibly painful. The worst thing about kidney stones is that if you’ve had them once, you’re more likely to develop them again.

That’s why, if you do develop stones, your doctor might recommend a low-oxalate diet with the goal of keeping oxalate intake below 50-100 mg per day.

Other conditions linked to excessive oxalates include

• Painful inflammation
• Interference with the function of glutathione (sometimes called our master antioxidant)
• Lipid peroxidation (linked with atherosclerosis)
• Painful joint deposits

You might be thinking that oxalates sound all bad – but, like with most things, there is another side to the story.

Potential Benefits of Oxalates

Here’s something interesting about oxalates… you don’t only acquire them through the food you eat.

Your body also produces oxalates on its own, in the liver.

Why would our body manufacture an antinutrient?

The truth is – scientists and researchers aren’t totally sure yet. One leading theory is that oxalates act as “chelators” – meaning they help carry toxins out of the body.

Too far fetched?

Fiber was once also considered an “antinutrient” and food manufacturers actively worked to reduce the fiber in foods – cereal and flour were touted as “low in fiber.” Today we know that insoluble fiber in plant foods has many benefits.

While oxalates aren’t yet well understood, they, just like any other food or compound, shouldn’t be strictly classified as “good” or “bad.”

Like anything else, when considering oxalates one must also consider:

• Healthfulness of the overall diet
• Proportion of high-oxalate to low-oxalate foods
• Food preparation and quality
• Personal likes and dislikes
• And perhaps most importantly – other factors that impact how a particular individual handles oxalates

Should You Care About Oxalates?

Most healthy people eating a varied diet don’t need to worry about oxalates. They’ll consume, on average, 200-300 mg of oxalates per day with no health issues as a result.

But there are 2 classes of people who DO need to be aware of the potential risks of excessive oxalates:

1. Those who follow a restricted diet and may therefore eat a larger than average amount of oxalates
2. Those who have health conditions that impact their ability to properly handle oxalates that are consumed

Examples of people in group 1 include those strictly following a diet like SCD, AIP, GAPs or Paleo, or a leaky gut diet, or something like raw veganism.

People in group 2 include those with autoimmune conditions like MS, Crohn’s, Celiac, UC, psoriasis, eczema, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and more; leaky gut; IBS; intestinal dysbiosis; SIBO; and kidney stones. (This list is not comprehensive – if you’re dealing with any type of inflammatory or chronic condition, you may want to continue reading).

And if you’re in the middle of the Venn Diagram (meaning you fall into both groups 1 and 2 – which many people do) then you need to be doubly mindful of oxalates.

Oxalates and Leaky Gut

Increased intestinal permeability, or “leaky gut” as it is commonly called, occurs when the tight junctions between the cells that make up the intestinal lining are damaged and become loose. Gaps between the cells allow large particles that should remain in the digestive tract to seep into the bloodstream.

(Not sure if you have leaky gut? Take this free quiz to learn more).

In people with a healthy gut, only a very small amount of the oxalates consumed from food are absorbed into the bloodstream from the gut. However, in people with leaky gut, intestinal dysbiosis (abnormal bacteria in the gut) or inflammation, the rate of absorption of oxalates might rise from the normal level of 1 to 2 percent to as high as 40 to 50 percent.

That means that if 2 people – one with leaky gut and one without – eat the exact same meal, one will absorb more oxalates than the other.

At higher concentrations, the oxalates can cause damage – the same things we discussed earlier like kidney stones, inflammation, and joint pain.

In fact, a 2005 study showed there was a link between IBS and the development of kidney stones. The study found that those with kidney stones had a 2.48 time greater chance of later being diagnosed with IBS.

This study got me thinking – does having kidney stones increase your chance of IBS – or is it really that both IBS and kidney stones are related to a single root cause… leaky gut.

I’m not the only one who has wondered.

According to this study, those with IBD have a 10 to 100 fold greater chance of developing kidney stones than the general population. But – the researchers found that supplementing these patients with a probiotic helped reduce their chance of developing stones.

Why? The “good bugs” in the probiotic helped to block the absorption of oxalate.

It’s just one more example of how important a healthy gut and diverse microbiome are for the health of our entire body.

Hundreds of conditions – from kidney stones to migraines to skin disorders, depression, fatigue, and more are linked to gut health. You can learn more about that here.

Oxalate Overload on a Restricted Diet

Even if your gut is perfectly healthy, however, there is another reason you might be consuming an excessive amount of oxalates – your diet.

Some of the “staple” foods on diets like SCD, GAPs, and Paleo – and even things like veganism – are incredibly high in oxalate.

A few of the highest oxalate foods:

• Dark chocolate
• Nuts
• Berries (like blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries)
• Citrus fruits
• Kale, spinach and other dark leafy greens
• Beets
• Sweet potatoes
• Zucchini and other summer squash

Further complicating the issue is the fact that oxalate values of different foods are not well reported – and the method of preparation changes the oxalate content of food as well.

For example, cooked spinach or soaked beans have far less oxalate than does raw spinach or unsoaked beans.

But this much is clear – if you’re following a diet that emphasizes these high-oxalate foods, you may quickly find yourself consuming large amounts (just 2 cups of raw spinach contain over 600 mg of oxalate – double the daily intake of an average person).

If you’re following a diet that includes lots of high-oxalate foods, you may want to be more mindful of the quantities you eat and how you prepare them – especially if you have symptoms or risk factors for leaky gut. (Find out if you do here).

Think You’re Eating Too Many Oxalates?

If you’re worried about over consuming oxalates – either because of a leaky gut, your diet, or a combination of both – the most important thing you can do is not panic.

Kale, blueberries, and sweet potatoes are still healthy foods – and they still have a place in your diet. They contain important nutrients, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals.

Remember, oxalates may even have some benefits that science hasn’t caught up to yet.

If you need to limit your oxalates – because you’re following a special diet or because you have leaky gut – here are some action steps you can take right now:

1. MOST IMPORTANT: Get started healing your gut. Gut healing is most effective when you use a multi-faceted approach that combines dietary interventions, lifestyle changes, and smart supplementation. Learn more about our recommendations here.
2. Cook, soak, ferment, and sprout your food. All of these steps help to reduce the content of oxalates and other antinutrients in your food.
3. Consider outside support. A low-oxalate greens powder can provide the important nutrients and phytochemicals that high-oxalate foods provide, without the oxalates. This is a great choice for people who:
   1. Have severe digestive issues like IBD or SIBO
   2. Have had kidney stones in the past
   3. Have multiple food intolerances
   4. Have a hard time digesting high-fiber foods
   5. Have malabsorption or low stomach acid
   6. Need extra nutrients due to illness or sport

Using a greens powder can help meet your nutritional needs without compromising your health otherwise.

The brand we recommend is Dr. Cowan’s Garden Low-Oxalate Greens Powder – it is made from a blend of 3 low-oxalate greens: mustard greens, collard greens and lacinato (dino) kale. The greens are blanched to further reduce the oxalate content before it is pulverized. Just one teaspoon is equivalent to a full serving of fresh vegetables.

The most common way we see people consume greens powders is in a smoothie or protein shake – but consuming large quantities of raw fruits and veggies can send your oxalate intake through the roof.

Instead of in a green smoothie, here are a few ways I incorporate greens powder in my own diet:

• Sprinkled over eggs
• Mixed into a mug of bone broth
• As a rub for meat, or sprinkled over cooked meats
• As a seasoning for roasted or steamed veggies

Give it a try (you can even use our friends and family code SCDLIFESTYLE for 15% off) and let us know what you think.

After reading this, I hope you feel confident in understanding what oxalates are, how you’re consuming them – and if you may need to be more mindful of them.

Are you following a low-oxalate diet? Have more questions about the role of oxalates and other antinutrients? Ask your questions by leaving us a comment.

-Steve

The post What Are Oxalates? (Foods to Eat or Not Eat For Health) appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

Name 3 things you can do to improve your gut health.

How about take a probiotic? Maybe use a supplement like l-glutamine? Drink a cup of bone broth every day?

These are all time-tested and science-backed ways to boost the health of your digestive system…

But there’s something else I use to boost my gut health, my immunity, and overall sense of happiness and well-being.

You might use it too, and not even realize it!

It weighs about 80 pounds. It’s got a long, wet tongue. And it loves nothing more than a belly rub.

Yes, it’s my dog.

Pet ownership has myriad health benefits – not limited to improving the diversity of the microbiome (aka your gut health!). Today, I’m excited to share a few of the health benefits of pet ownership – and what you can do to return the favor and keep your pet happy and healthy, too.

Is Our Modern World “Too Clean?”

Have you ever heard the expression “A little dirt won’t hurt?”

It’s one of those things you might have heard your grandma say, or on the playground as a kid when you dropped your orange slice.

Like the phrase “gut instinct,” its roots are likely in the ancient wisdom humans had about their bodies and the planet.

Today, you’re less likely to hear that a little dirt won’t hurt. Instead, you’ll be encouraged to “disinfect,” “cleanse,” and “sanitize” everything from your laundry to your toilet to your food. Oversized bottles of hand sanitizer are ubiquitous in classrooms. Every grocery store has antibacterial wipes available to use on the carts. But the war on germs has had unintended consequences.

(Wondering what this has to do with your pet? Keep reading!)

Despite the world getting cleaner, incidences of allergies and asthma have only increased. The leading theory for why? It’s called the “hygiene hypothesis.” It suggests that by over-cleaning, we have prevented our immune systems from learning how to respond properly to threats.

Antibiotic-resistant infections like MRSA are another unintended consequence of trying to make the world “clean.”

Even the FDA has caught on to what a problem over-cleaning is – just this year, the antibacterial triclosan was banned from soaps and personal care items.

What we need is not to live in a “clean” or allergen-free world, but rather to be exposed to allergens and dirt so we adapt to fight them off. It turns out, a little dirt might just not hurt – it may help!

What Does The Hygiene Hypothesis Have to Do with Rover?

Aside from offering love, companionship, and free kitchen-floor-cleaning services, pets can improve our lives in one other way. Pets are dirty. My dog loves nothing more than rolling in the grass. My sister’s dog will plunge headfirst into a muddy puddle any chance he gets.

And while my 21st-century-human instinct is “Now he needs a bath!” the truth is that being “dirty” is both natural and healthy for pets and their owners.

As people spend less and less time outdoors and in direct contact with dirt themselves, pets act as liaison between humans and dirt. Your dog rolls in the grass, then you hug your dog. The result? Less allergies and asthma for you.

It’s this “dirt” – or more specifically, the dust and dander created by dogs – that contributes to reduced allergies and asthma in their owners.

A 2013 study conducted by the Tufts School of Medicine showed that early-life exposure to dogs was protective against allergies and asthma. Exposure of mice to dogs led to a distinct gut microbiome composition that was especially high in Lactobacillus johnsonii, which was protective against asthma.

This means that having a dog can impact the gut microbiome – and that change in the microbiome can mean fewer allergies and less asthma.

Dogs are Heart-Healthy, Too

Further studies, like this one conducted by the American Heart Association point to a probable association between dog ownership and decreased cardiovascular disease rates.

While the study can’t prove a causal effect, we can assume that owning a dog can decrease CVD risk because people who own dogs are more likely to engage in regular exercise – all that dog-walking. Another theory is that CVD risk decreases because of the stress-relief and companionship pet ownership provides.

Either way, the link between owning a dog and improved blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and decreased risk of heart attack exists.

Pay It Forward

Your dog provides you with unconditional love AND health benefits. In exchange, he just wants a belly rub.

But, in addition to lots of love, you can also strive to take the best care possible of your pet, so that they can live a long, healthy life.

3 Ways You Can Return the Favor and Help Your Pet Stay Healthy

1 – Feed a High-Quality Food

Most commercial dog foods are full of ingredients you wouldn’t eat yourself. Here’s the ingredient list from Beneful, one of the most common dog food brands in the U.S.:

Chicken, whole grain corn, barley, rice, chicken by-product meal, whole grain wheat, corn gluten meal, beef tallow preserved with mixed-tocopherols, soybean meal, oat meal, poultry by-product meal, glycerin, egg and chicken flavor, mono and dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, salt, potassium chloride, poultry and pork digest, avocado, dried carrots, dried tomatoes, MINERALS [zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite], VITAMINS [Vitamin E supplement, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin D-3 supplement, riboflavin supplement (Vitamin B-2), menadione sodium bisulfite (Vitamin K), folic acid, biotin], choline chloride, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2, garlic oil, Yellow 6.

These ingredients not only don’t support a healthy gut microbiome in your dog, some of the ingredients actively harm a healthy gut. And foods like soybeans, corn, and whole wheat have no place in a dog’s natural, carnivorous diet.

And unfortunately, Beneful isn’t even one of the worst foods you can feed your dogs – it’s just part of the SADD (Standard American Dog Diet).

If you’re feeding your dog a SADD food, you might notice these unpleasant side effects:

• Increased stool volume
• Foul-smelling stool
• Dull coat
• Increased shedding
• Bad breath
• Increased odor from skin and fur
• Decreased energy
• Weight gain
• Tear-staining of fur
• Allergies
• Excessive scratching
• Ear and skin infections
• Runny nose/eyes

Yes, these issues are all related to diet – because diet is the foundation of gut health, and gut health is the foundation of whole-body-health!

(This applies to pets and to people – if you need help with finding the right diet for a leaky gut, click here).

You may want to consider if a raw-food diet would be right for your pet (this article can help you figure that out).

If continuing with prepared dog food is the right choice for you, here are some guidelines:

• Avoid grains and soy. If you want to include a starch in your dog’s food, choose potato
• Meat should be the first ingredient, and crude protein should be 20-30% of the food
• The overall ingredient list should be short, and recognizable

2 – Supplement Wisely with Probiotics

Just as humans benefit from the healthy boost of bacteria, so do pets.

In addition to a high-quality diet, the best thing you can do for your pet is supplement with probiotics (especially important if you’re feeding prepared foods, which contain less beneficial bacteria than do fresh foods). A daily probiotic supplement can help improve the health of the microbiome.

A healthy gut microbiome in a dog can manifest as:

• Shiny fur and clean teeth, no tear staining
• Less shedding
• Lower volume of stool
• Less stinky stool
• More energy
• Decreased joint pain
• Decreased ear and skin infections
• Less itchiness
• Improved mood, less anxiety
• Healthy weight

My vet recommends either a daily spoonful of homemade yogurt, or a special pet probiotic like Full Bucket Daily Dog Powder.

3 – Embrace Their Natural Dirt

Your dog’s skin and coat are home to hundreds of thousands of good bacteria that help keep him clean and healthy. This is the “skin microbiome” – similar to the gut microbiome.

Dogs aren’t meant to have a daily bath, as over-bathing can disrupt the skin microbiome, which controls shedding, oil production, odor, and more. Being “dirty” is part of what makes them dogs – and part of what helps them keep you healthy, too.

Over-washing can actually make your dog stink MORE – as the natural oils are stripped from the skin, your dog’s skin microbiome will respond by producing even more oil. A dog with a healthy gut and skin microbiome (from proper food and probiotics) doesn’t need frequent baths to be clean.

Instead, give your dog a thorough brush at least once a week. This helps distribute oil through the fur (making it shiny and smooth), gives you a chance to check for potential issues, and helps you bond with your pet.

But, occasionally your dog does need a little more than just brushing – especially if they are inside. Because my dog likes to sleep at the foot of my bed, it is important to me that he is clean.

However, I won’t use any “dog shampoo” on my pet – the harsh solvents and cleaners in dog shampoos leave my dog itchy, his fur dull, and he’s stinky again in just a few days. These symptoms are all signs his skin microbiome has been disrupted by soap.

Instead, I use a spray specially designed to clean without disrupting his microbiome. It introduces powerful, “good” probiotics to his skin microbiome that help keep him clean, shiny, and happy. I think of it like a probiotic supplement for his fur!

With regular brushing and use of the Petbiotics spray, I find my dog rarely needs a true bath.

When he does, I use a natural, extra-gentle shampoo like this one.

(Pro tip – I also use this spray on anything he lays on – like my bed, and even his favorite sunny spot of carpet. For anything that can be washed, I use the Petbiotics Clean Home Concentrate. I love it because I know that even if my dog licks or chews whatever I washed, he’s safe – there are no harsh chemicals. I even use this to wash his plush toys).

Healthy Pet, Healthy You

Having a pet is a big commitment. While we would never advocate getting a pet just because they can improve your health, knowing that my dog makes me healthier makes me appreciate his presence in my life even more.

Just like for humans, having a healthy pet depends on keeping their microbiome healthy. That means feeding a healthy diet, using supplements like probiotics, and not over-washing. After all, dogs just want to be dogs

-Steve

P.S. – Right now, you can save 25% on the same products I use to keep my dog Gus clean and healthy! Use this link and the code “PET25” when you purchase any Petbiotics products to access the discount.

The post The Surprising Health Benefits of Pets appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

Bloating… that enormous feeling of pressure like someone just blew up your abdomen with an air pump… and now your pants have shrunk two sizes.

Or maybe it’s that feeling of fullness like you’re dragging around an extra tire everywhere you go.

If you’re like millions of other people, you can relate.

For some people, this is an all-day problem that starts the moment they wake up and gradually gets worse throughout the day.

For others, it comes and goes – maybe related to a food trigger, or maybe with no rhyme or reason.

And along with the bloating comes the “C” word… constipation, meaning three or fewer trips to the restroom in a week..

Yet others have the opposite problem – diarrhea that strikes soon after a meal and leaves them scrambling to find the closest bathroom.

When Nothing Works

If you’re struggling with bloating, constipation, and/or diarrhea, you’ve probably tried all the advice…

Your mom’s advice was to eat plenty of fiber and drink more water. (That just made the bloating worse!)

A friend shared that a daily dose of probiotics has now made her “regular.” (Sure probiotics are great, but they didn’t help with the bloating…)

And when you finally decided to ask your doctor, he replied by asking how well you were handling stress and offered you an antidepressant.

While a healthy gut, a diverse microbiome, and learning to better manage stress are all positive changes, if you’re still struggling with severe bloating, they aren’t enough.

Is Bloating Really a Big Deal?

If you’re debating whether bloating is really such a big deal, consider these statistics:

• Abdominal bloating is reported in up to 76% of those suffering from functional gastrointestinal disorders.
• 75% of those who report bloating are visibly distended and/or report their symptoms as severe or moderate.
• 54% of those with bloating report that the symptoms affect their quality of life.
• 43% of those with bloating report taking medications as an attempt to control the symptoms.
• And finally, 60% of those with functional disorders report that bloating is their most bothersome symptom.

Why You’re Still Bloated

So what’s behind this bloating and why is it so impossible to get rid of? The answer may surprise you…

It’s possible your bloating is caused by methane. Yes, we’re talking CH4, otherwise known by chemists as a colorless, odorless, volatile inert gas.

Methane is the main component of the natural gas you might use to power your stove or furnace.

But, humans can also produce methane in their intestines through a process called methanogenesis. And when this occurs, the result can be really uncomfortable gas and bloating.

Methanogenesis depends on the presence of a special type of bacteria in the colon called methanogens.

What Are Methanogens?

Our gut is home to about 100 trillion bacteria, nearly all of which reside in the colon. These bacteria play an important role in both our digestive and overall health. Methanogens are just one type of bacteria that can live in your gut.

Methanogens are primitive single-celled “bugs” from the domain Archaea. And while they are considered an ancient group of organisms, they still thrive today. In fact, archaea are found in every habitat where anaerobic biodegradation of organic compounds occur (yes, we’re talking about poop), including the human and animal intestinal tracts.

Methanogens in humans are limited to three types:

• Methanobrevibacter smithii, which is the dominant methanogen found in the intestine accounting for 94% of the methanogen population
• Methanospaere stadmagnae, also found in the intestine
• Methanobrevibacter oralis, found in the oral cavity

If you have methanogens living in your gut, you’re potentially a “methane-producer.”

In the human population, individuals can be classified as methane producers or non-producers. While some studies estimate that 35% of the Western population is considered methane producers, other studies report that the range may be somewhere between 30-62%.

What Causes Methanogenesis?

So here’s how it works. When we consume a type of carbohydrates called polysaccharides (such as in starches and grains – even gluten-free), the bacteria in the colon help to break down these molecules through a process called anaerobic metabolism resulting in H2 (hydrogen) and CO2 (carbon dioxide).

Next, one of two processes can take place.

The first involves sulfate-reducing bacteria who use the hydrogen to reduce sulfate to sulfide, which are then eliminated in the stool.

The second involves methanogens, through the process of methanogenesis, who feed on the hydrogen to form CH4 (methane) at a 4:1 conversion rate – meaning that for every 4 atoms of hydrogen consumed, one molecule of methane is formed. The methane can then be eliminated through the stool, or it can be absorbed via the circulatory system and exhaled through the breath.

Methanogenesis is not a new concept. For years, this process has been recognized in the agricultural world. Livestock studies that have found ruminant animals (e.g. animals who have stomachs divided into four sections, such as cattle) produce high amounts of methane due to a diet heavy in polysaccharides.

Does It Matter If You’re a Methane Producer?

While it is normal and healthy to have a diverse bacteria in your colon – including the presence of methanogens – if you’re primarily a methane-producer, it can help to explain why you struggle with bloating.

• Methane producers suffer more frequently from bloating than non-producers
• Methane producers also suffer more frequently with abdominal pain and gas
• Methane acts as a paralytic to slow down gastrointestinal transit time

(Specifically, methane slows down small intestine transit time by 59%!)

And if you’re struggling with constipation or maintaining a healthy weight?

• In those reporting constipation, higher amounts of M. smithii have been found
• The amount of M. smithii inversely correlates to stool frequency
• Research studies have proposed that the presence of M. smithii also increases caloric absorption because of its effect on metabolism
• Other studies have suggested that methane-producers have reduced postprandial serotonin levels, which can also affect intestinal transit

Can’t I Just Change My Diet?

Short answer: yes.

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet eliminates harder-to-digest polysaccharides.

Eliminating polysaccharides – alongside eating nourishing foods like bone broth and 24-hour yogurt – can alleviate symptoms and promote healing.

But that’s not the whole problem – here is the longer answer.

When Diet Isn’t Enough

Although bacteria are present throughout the entire digestive system, the majority of bacteria belongs in the colon. For example, the typical stomach is host to 101 to 103 colony-forming units per aspirate, whereas the colon is host to 1011 to 1012 colony-forming units per stool.

Between the stomach and colon lies the small intestine, which normally should contain only trace amounts of bacteria and therefore has been described as “relatively sterile.”

However, we now realize that it is possible for increased numbers of bacteria to build up in the small intestine, resulting in a condition called Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth, or SIBO.

This is where the issue lies: an overgrowth of methanogens in the small intestine.

The small intestine is where those pesky methane bugs can really wreak havoc on your digestive system.

What Causes SIBO?

But how does this bacteria end up in the small intestine if it’s not meant to be there in the first place?

Researchers believe that any type of “shock” to your digestive system – such as stress, being sick, food poisoning, or taking antibiotics – can result in bacteria growing where it shouldn’t, e.g. the small intestine.

The bacteria overgrowth can cause an excessive amount of both methane and hydrogen production in the small intestine, where it doesn’t belong.

In general, an excess of hydrogen production is associated with diarrhea-dominant SIBO and an excess of methane is associated with constipation-dominant SIBO. And some people have an excess of both gases.

Small intestine bacterial overgrowth has been linked to a growing number of conditions and risk factors. These include just about any condition affecting digestion or the digestive system, along with multiple other systemic conditions including:

• diabetes
• liver disease
• kidney disease
• pancreatitis
• autoimmune disease
• neurological conditions
• traumatic injuries
• catastrophic illnesses, and more.

In fact, it is now recognized that just a single episode of gastroenteritis or food poisoning can trigger small intestine bacterial overgrowth.

How Do I Know If I Have SIBO?

Just as each person’s gut microbiome is entirely unique to them, each case of SIBO is 100% unique to the person who has it. No two cases of SIBO are exactly alike – making it hard to test for accurately, and even harder to treat.

The gold standard for determining the presence of methane in the small intestine – one of two excess gases produced with SIBO – is via an invasive test. A scope is passed via the mouth, through the stomach and into the second half of the small intestine (called the jejunum) where an aspirate is collected and then analyzed.

The threshold for the presence of small intestine bacteria has been considered 105 or greater colony-forming units per gram of jejunal aspirate, although now the consensus is that 103 or higher is clinically significant.

Unfortunately, the reality is that such an invasive test is not widely available and so the more common tool to measure small intestine bacteria is via the breath test.

Breath tests work by measuring the levels of hydrogen and methane produced as carbohydrates are digested, as an indirect reflection of the bacteria present in the small intestine.

However, breath tests are not 100% reliable. While methane producers generally exhale between 20-50% of the methane via breath, the exact threshold for measuring methane has been debated. But, methane producers generally have a concentration of 108 or higher of methane per gram of stool.

This means that an absence of methane in the breath does not necessarily mean an absence of methanogenic flora in the small intestine.

On the contrary, varying amounts of methanogens are present in the vast majority of a healthy adult’s gut, almost universally.

To sum it up: even if you’ve had a negative breath test for SIBO, an overgrowth of methanogens in your small intestines could be causing symptoms.

Traditional SIBO Treatments

So how do you get rid of the excess methane in your small intestine so your life can get back to normal?

Well, that’s a tricky problem.

Traditional SIBO treatments work in 1 of 2 ways:

• Starve the bacterial overgrowth, so symptoms subside
• Try to obliterate the overgrowth with antibiotics

If you have a positive breath test for either methane or hydrogen, your doctor might suggest a couple of antibiotics – Rifaximin and Neomycin – which are poorly absorbed systemically and therefore work primarily in the lumen of the intestine.

But there’s a catch.

Technically, Rifaximin is only approved for those who have diarrhea-predominant symptoms (which means they’re more likely to have an abundance of hydrogen-producing bacteria). And in those individuals, it only works for about 41% of people. (This means it will likely help even less for those whose problem is constipation.)

Since we know that methane overgrowth is associated primarily with constipation-dominant SIBO, a drug that works primarily for those with diarrhea suggests that Rifaximin isn’t as effective at killing an overgrowth of methanogens.

For reasons that are not fully understood, there does seem to be some benefit to using Rifaximin combined with Neomycin, but even then the efficacy is poor.

These methods both work for some people (it goes back to each case of SIBO being unique) – but they don’t work for everyone.

And since Jordan and I were “Tough Cases” ourselves, we really empathize with these people.

They’re following a really restrictive diet (sometimes even an elemental diet with NO solid food for weeks at a time). They’ve taken powerful, expensive, and potentially dangerous drugs.

And they still aren’t getting better (or they get better for a month or two, only to have their symptoms come back worse than before).

Do We Need a New Way to Treat SIBO?

While SIBO is a relatively new diagnosis, understanding of the process of methanogenesis has existed for decades.

In fact, methanogenesis (and how to reduce it) has already been studied exhaustively in the agricultural world. This is because the production of excessive methane gas by cattle can actually impact the atmosphere.

(This is where things get exciting…)

Because it means there is a time-tested and science-backed way to treat excess methane in the gut caused by SIBO – other than just drastically modifying the diet.

This idea was first explored by Dr. Kenneth Brown – a board-certified gastroenterologist and clinical researcher.

Instead of trying to starve the bacteria out or obliterate them with antibiotics – Dr. Brown wanted to interrupt the process of methanogenesis.

Interrupting Methanogenesis

Using research from agricultural and gastroenterological studies, Dr. Brown identified 3 ingredients that disrupt methanogenesis:

1. M. balsamea Wild Extract – Better known as peppermint, this ingredient has long been recognized by natural healers and scientists as a soothing agent to calm down digestive distress. Studies also show that a sustained release in the small intestine can provide rapid relief of abdominal discomfort.
2. Quebracho – This type of flavonoid tannin has two functions.The first is to soak up hydrogen (important as methanogenesis depends on hydrogen availability to produce methane). Secondly, it works on the lipid bilayers of bacteria (meaning it weakens the cell wall of the archaea methanogens responsible for methanogenesis).
3. Conker Tree – This is another type of flavonoid saponin (also known as horse chestnut). This ingredient acts as an antimicrobial and continues the work of the quebracho by binding the reductase enzyme in the weakened archaea to stop the cycle of methane production. In addition, saponins are also known to promote intestinal motility.

Eventually, Dr. Brown found the ideal ratio and forms of each ingredient and combined it into one supplement – called Atrantil.

A double-blind study was conducted to determine the efficacy of Atrantil. In this study, it was found that Atrantil was 88% effective in reducing the symptoms of bloating, constipation, and abdominal discomfort.

Then, in an open-label retrospective study, patients who had failed at least four other treatment options before trying Atrantil were reviewed. This study found that Atrantil offered an 80% efficacy in relieving these same symptoms even for “Tough Cases.”

So Can I Eat Whatever I Want?

I know what you might be thinking right now – does this mean I don’t need to follow a restricted diet any more even though I have SIBO? I can just take a supplement?

Definitely not.

Finding and following your own customized diet is critical to the success of any supplement.

You can’t “out-supplement” the wrong diet.

If you don’t have your diet dialed in to your needs, no supplement will help.

But for those who already know what foods do and don’t work for you, are working with a great practitioner, have your stress well-managed, and are STILL dealing with SIBO symptoms, take note. This supplement might be something to try.

Is This the Solution to SIBO?

For some people, changing your diet is all you need to feel good again.

Others we’ve worked with have had relief from SIBO after a course of antibiotics or herbal treatments.

More often, though, we hear from people who struggle for years with SIBO symptoms – and nothing works long-term.

Jordan and I are passionate about sharing what works with our community – and after hearing from so many of you about your success with Atrantil, we had to learn more.

Our conclusion? If you can’t get a handle on your SIBO symptoms, you need to give Atrantil a try.

For some people, we’ve seen it give relief of major symptoms in just a few hours.

For the “Tough Cases” we work with, it can take longer to see results – up to a few weeks at the higher dose (two pills up to three times a day). You might also experience some die-off symptoms – but this is actually a good sign as it means the methane cycle is being disrupted. Staying well-hydrated and getting plenty of rest can help during this time.

We are dedicated to only sharing the best supplements with you – and we’re excited to add Atrantil to the list of supplements we believe really help people.

You can try it out here. (And if you use the code “SCD” you’ll also receive 15% off).

Leave a comment and tell us – have you tried Atrantil? What were your results?

-Steve

The post Methanogens: The Bloating Root Cause You Haven’t Heard of (and a New Solution for SIBO) appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

Food fads come and go. One year, acai is the must-have superfood, and the next year hemp hearts are in vogue.

These days, different experts promote all sorts of so-called superfoods.

And while each of these foods have merits, there’s one that stands above the rest.

This super-super-food has been eaten by people since ancient times.

I’m talking about organ meat – liver, kidney and heart.

What makes organ meat so special? (And superior to the muscle meat we’re used to eating?)

Well, a lot.

As far as nutrient density goes, organ meats are second to none. Gram for gram, they’re the most concentrated source of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and essential amino acids.

I like to think of organ meats as nature’s multivitamin.

And even though organ meat has fallen out of favor in modern cuisine, this ancient, sacred food is too good for you to be forgotten.

7 Reasons to Add Organ Meats to Your Diet

1 – Organ Meats for Cardiovascular Health – CoQ10 is a super nutrient which plays a vital role in energy production and the prevention of oxidative stress. CoQ10 has been shown to reduce blood pressure, improve arterial health, and dramatically cut the risk of heart failure. Rather than starting a CoQ10 supplement, the most cost-effective and efficient way to add CoQ10 to your diet is by consuming beef heart, as it contains 4 times the amount found in muscle meat.

2 – Organ Meats for Optimal Joint Health – Amino acids are vital for nearly every biological process in the body – and especially for healthy joints. Heart contains twice as much collagen and elastin as does muscle meat (which means it is rich in the amino acids glycine and proline), and is essential for connective tissue and joint health. Just 3.5 ounces of beef heart contains 28.5 grams of amino acid-rich protein, compared to just 19 grams in 3.5 ounces of grass-fed beef.

3 – Organ Meats for a Robust Immune System – Vitamin D plays a key role in supporting our immune function and is extremely hard to get through food. If you’re not supplementing with Vitamin D and spend the majority of your time indoors, it’s likely you’re deficient. However, not all Vitamin D is equally beneficial – The bioavailability of D3 (cholecalciferol), the most biologically active form of Vitamin D, is far superior to that of D2 (ergocalciferol), as research has proven. Organ meats have some of the highest concentrations of naturally occurring vitamin D (D3) with liver and cod liver oil at the forefront.

4 – Organ Meats for Energy – Vitamin B12 not only helps convert food into glucose for energy, but supports memory, nerve function, and mood. Contrary to popular belief, B12 is not bioavailable in plant food source and may be one of the reasons millions of Americans are deficient. Obtaining B12 from whole food sources, such as liver and kidneys, provides the best way for our bodies to utilize this crucial vitamin. Kidney is a particularly high source of Vitamin B12, with just 1oz containing 7.8mcg.

5 – Organ Meats for a Pain-Free Life – Promising research shows the protective qualities of omega-3 fatty acids against on-the-rise conditions like arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Organ meats are loaded with the omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, which must be obtained through diet. One 4oz portion of brain contains about 1 gram of both EPA and DHA.

6 – Organ Meats for Radiant Skin – Vitamin A promotes cell turnover, inhibits the activity of sebaceous glands and prevents comedone formation known to cause acne. Carotenoids, the plant source of Vitamin A, must be converted to the more-usable form, retinol by the gut mucosal barrier – an inefficient process for many as it requires great health of the small intestine. Liver, on the other hand, is the most concentrated source of retinol, with just 2oz containing 22,145 IU. And because Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, it must be consumed with fat in order to be absorbed and utilized – just another reason why organ meat is a better source than plants.

7 – Organ Meats for Healthy Moms and Babies – Folate (not to be confused with the synthetic form – folic acid) is critical to the development of healthy babies in the womb. While your doctor might have recommended a folate supplement, primitive tribes instead fed expectant mothers liver – which has high folate content – after a successful hunt. The Weston A. Price Foundation recommends 3-4 ounces of liver, 1-2 times weekly as ideal for pregnant women, based on the practices of ancient tribes. Consuming folate through liver is especially important if you’re following a Paleo-style diet, which can eliminate most other food-sources of folate.

Have you heard that pregnant moms shouldn’t eat organ meats because of risk of Vitamin A toxicity? While Vitamin A toxicity and deficiency are both very serious, it’s important to understand that the likelihood of hypervitaminosis A is quite low. One must consume an acute one time dose of 500,000 IU or a repetitive intake of 25,000 IU/day for several months. (A large serving of liver may reach the 25,000 threshold, but it must be consumed for several months for toxicity to set in.)

Furthermore, the Weston A. Price Foundation’s extensive work shows that hypervitaminosis A is much more likely in those who are deficient in other fat-soluble vitamins, especially Vitamin D (making the need to consume these two vitamins together even greater).

Isn’t Eating a Paleo Diet Good Enough?

Modern-day Paleo-dieters are more likely to feast on two Paleo-diet-staples – muscle meat and eggs – than the offal their ancestors ate. And while this may seem healthy, it can cause issues. Methionine is an amino acid found abundantly in both muscle meat and eggs. Higher intakes of methionine increase homocysteine production. Homocysteine is an amino acid that has the potential to be harmful when not recycled by the body properly. High levels in the blood have been linked to dementia, preeclampsia, cardiovascular disease, and pulmonary embolism to name a few. For homocysteine to be recycled, there must be adequate amounts of Vitamins B6, B12, folate, betaine, and choline present.

Fortunately, organ meats are a rich source of each of these nutrients, particularly B12. Beef liver contains three times as much B12 as kidney, seven times as much as heart, and about 17 times as much as ground beef.

Folate, a powerful player in the recycling of homocysteine, can be difficult to get enough of on a Paleo diet. Legumes are a great source of folate but find themselves on the do-not-eat list for strict SCD or paleo diets, thus making the need for organ meats even greater.

So, if your aim is to follow the healthful diets of our hunter-gatherer ancestors, it’s important to remember that offal was a consistent part of the ancestral diet. And if you aren’t interested in following ancestral practices? Modern research has helped reiterate the importance of the nutrients organ meats offer, no matter what diet you’re following.

How To Make Organ Meat a Consistent Part of Your Diet

Most people are so put-off by the very idea of eating organ meats, that they can’t even complain about the taste – as they’ve never actually tasted them! However, once you’ve mentally pushed that aside and you actually taste organ meats (and feel better), I promise you’ll find it isn’t as bad as you might have expected.

And if the thought of eating liver, heart, or kidneys is more than you can handle, there are some alternatives to eating organ meats conventionally that can provide the same benefits. Whether your complaint is the flavor, texture, or inconvenience – I’ve got a solution that will put organ meats on your plate (or at least in your stomach).

My 6 Favorite Ways to Consume Offal

1 – Home-Made Liver Pills for the Taste Averse

• Chop liver (or kidney) into small, pill-sized pieces and spread on parchment paper
• Place small pieces onto parchment paper and freeze for 15 minutes (prevents sticking in the jar for next step)
• Transfer to freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 14 days before consuming.
• Swallow 1-2 pieces daily (choose based on specific dietary needs)

2 – Paleovalley’s Grass-Fed Organ Complex

If just the thought of cutting up liver to make homemade pills is too much for you (let alone actually eating organ meats!), you’re in luck. Paleovalley’s Grass-Fed Organ Complex is a nutrient-rich blend of grass-fed and finished beef liver, heart, brain and kidneys. It’s freeze-dried to retain nutrients and packaged in a tiny capsule. The capsules leave no aftertaste, is non-GMO and is free of all major allergens. This is an easy addition to your daily supplement routine.

3 – Fermented Cod Liver Oil (FCLO)

Fermented cod liver oil is a powerful supplement backed by a ton of studies. It’s made from whole cod livers, which are fermented to extract the oil (instead of using heat). It’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids (even more than regular fish oil), Vitamin A and Vitamin D. When combined with grass-fed butter (like in this supplement), it’s also a source of the hard-to-obtain Vitamin K2.

4 – Organ Sausage

If you’re a hands-off person, buying high-quality organ sausage is a great way to get in your weekly offal. Here are some of my favorites:

• Beef Braunschweiger is the best choice for those new to organ sausage. It’s made with a 60/40 mix of ground beef and beef liver – meaning it has a milder organ-meat flavor. It’s fully cooked and ready to eat.
• Liverwurst is a blend of liver, heart, kidneys and beef. It’s the most popular organ sausage and provides a great diversity of nutrients. It has a strong, but not unpleasant flavor. Add this to soups and hot dishes, consume with eggs, or solo for a nutrient-dense snack.
• Headcheese is a beef sausage that contains heart and tongue – no cheese. It is seasoned with onion, pepper, and coriander – so it has a lot of flavor! It is fully cooked (you just need to slice it), making it great for quick breakfast or lunch on the go.

We recommend sausages from U.S. Wellness meats because we love the flavor and quality. If you’re shopping somewhere else, be sure the sausage you choose is free of soy, msg, dairy, sweeteners, binders, preservatives and additives and comes from grass-fed and finished animals only.

5 – Liver and Beef Hamburgers

This is my favorite way to get people started eating organ meats (and how my own family often eats offal). Using a food processor, grind organ meat, one onion, and spices of your choice until they are well-blended. Add in ground beef and pulse until combined. If you use more liver than beef, your burgers will have a distinct organ-meat flavor – so I usually use beef and liver in a 3:1 ratio. Once all the ingredients are combined, you can form them into patties or a meatloaf and cook whatever way you prefer.

One other tip? Getting your hands wet makes forming the patties easier, as liver carries more moisture than ground beef and can be sticky.

6 – Recipes For the Adventurous

Heart or tongue are great organ meats to start with when trying a new recipe, because the texture is similar to steak. Here are my tips for making any offal recipe a success:

• Soaking organ meat in lemon juice will help draw out impurities and improve taste and texture. Simply place your cut up liver in a bowl, barely cover with water and add the juice of one lemon. Soak for a few hours and pat dry prior to cooking
• Resist the urge to overcook. Well-done organ meats have a tough texture that’s hard to swallow (literally).
• Don’t forget to add spices and herbs to enhance the flavor.
• If you’re just starting to cook organ meats, follow recipes exactly. Cooking organ meats can be very different from preparing muscle meats.

2 Simple Organ Meat Recipes to Get You Started

This slow-cooker heart recipe is perfect for those on the go or if you want a more out-of-sight, out-of-mind cooking style. The slow-cooker helps the heart become really tender, while simultaneously infusing it with the flavors of herbs and spices.

Chicken Liver Pate has a texture similar to hummus and goes great with raw veggies for a nutritious appetizer. This recipe is so good, your kids or guests might think it actually is hummus or bean dip!

How Much Organ Meat Should I Eat and Where Do I Get It?

The short answer is a general recommendation of two 4 oz servings per week. The longer answer is that it depends based on the individual’s diet and unique needs.

Over half the U.S. population is failing to meet the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin A, vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium, and zinc – all of which are vital nutrients provided by organ meats. Adding just one ounce of beef liver to your diet more than meets the minimum RDA Vitamin A requirements for both men and women.

As for the source of your organ meats? High-quality, local grass-fed and finished products are first on my list. If you’re not sure of local sources in your area, please go to Eat Wild as they provide a directory for U.S., Canadian, and International farms and ranches. All you have to do is search your area and options will come up for you to choose from.

If you don’t live near a trustworthy source of grass-fed organ meats, US Wellness Meats is my next recommendation. They offer deliveries of really high-quality, grass-fed and finished meats and poultry of all types.

Going Back to the Basics

Even just 100 years ago, offal was a staple food in the diet of most Americans.

They might not be the trendiest superfood of 2017, but when the obsession with bitter melon or dandelion greens has calmed organ meats will remain one of the most nutritionally-dense foods on the planet. Not to mention, organ meat might be the only affordable superfood – it costs less per pound than ground beef!

Modern America has seemingly reduced the power of food to taste, cost, and convenience. And in doing so, we’ve eliminated nutrient powerhouses like organ meats along the way.

If we consider all the mounting research on traditional diets and the non-existence of diseases that now plague our times, we can quickly conclude that organ meats are strongly connected.

But whether you’re going to begin exploring the world of organ meats via hands-on preparation or simply start taking a supplement, whatever you do just don’t ignore this amazing food.

In good health,

Lori Jo

P.S – For being a valued member of our community, you can get a nice 10% discount off PaleoValley’s Grass-Fed Organ Complex here today!

The post 7 Health Benefits of Organ Meats (and Tips to Make Them Tolerable) appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

I can tell you that the Specific Carbohydrate Diet works because I’ve followed it myself. In fact, I’ve seen it work for thousands of people with all sorts of different issues.

But I also recognize that this is all just anecdotal evidence. And while anecdotal evidence (like our pages of success stories) is great, many people want more.

That’s why I’m so excited that new scientific research on the power and effectiveness of the SCD diet is being published all the time.

The research helps reiterate what we already know: the SCD diet is effective in healing the gut.

We’ve seen it help people heal from Celiac disease, put Crohn’s disease into remission and give thousands of people their lives back.

Not into reading the research?

We’ve done that part for you (and then some).

3 Latest Clinical Studies on Effectiveness of SCD Diet

1 – 2015 Case Study Provides Clinical Details on Effectiveness of SCD Diet in Decreasing IBD Symptoms and Achieving Remission

The Details: In this clinical description, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, data was collected on 50 physician-documented IBD patients, all who were following the SCD diet and in remission. The participants followed SCD for a mean (average) time of 35.4 months.

Participants had either Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s or indeterminate colitis. Forty-four subjects (88%) reported eating SCD yogurt, 33 of whom (67%) ate it daily and twenty-six subjects (52%) used a supplementary probiotic. Adherence to the diet was self-reported at a mean of 92.5%.

The Results: Out of 22 patients who weren’t taking medications, 16 had discontinued all steroids, 3 had discontinued TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor) inhibitors, and 5 had discontinued Mercaptopurine and remained in remission while following SCD.

Thirty-three subjects (66%) noted complete symptom resolution, which did not occur until a mean of 9.9 months after starting the SCD diet.

The SCD diet was rated as 91.3% effective in controlling acute flare symptoms and 92.1% effective at maintaining remission (as a mean).

Why This Is Important: This study gives us a detailed look at the clinical characteristics of those who are actively following the SCD diet for a long period of time. This is the largest study of its kind and the results suggest that SCD is effective for managing IBD.

2 – After SCD Was Initiated, 2016 Pediatric Crohn’s Case Study Results in Cessation of Pharmacotherapy and Remission

The Details: In early 2017, Digestive Diseases and Sciences published work by Stanford School of Medicine researchers who reviewed the case of a 15-year-old boy diagnosed with Crohn’s after 4 months of diarrhea and pain.

Inflammatory markers in the blood were still high after oral prednisone and methotrexate treatment, as well as Exclusive Enteral Nutrition (EEN), so doctors tested the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.

The Results: After 2 months on the SCD diet, his inflammation improved and he was even able to stop his methotrexate treatment. Six months after the diet, inflammation remained in control.

Why This Is Important: This study shows the potential for the SCD diet as an alternative to medication. And for children who could face a lifetime of medication, the SCD diet may be an effective dietary intervention with little to no side effects.

3 – Clinical and Fecal Microbial Changes With Diet Therapy in Active Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The Details: This Dec 2016 study, published in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, looked at 12 pediatric patients diagnosed with IBD who were then put on the SCD diet for 12 weeks as the sole intervention to treat Crohn’s or Ulcerative Colitis.

The Results: At the end of the 12 weeks, eight out of the 12 patients showed significant improvement and achieved remission from the dietary treatment alone. 2 participants showed no improvement from dietary intervention and 2 participants failed to complete the study.

Why This Is Important: This study demonstrates that dietary interventions can be effective as both the sole treatment for IBS, or in tandem with other interventions.

The head researcher of this study, Dr. David Suskind, M.D., said it best:

“For decades or longer, medicine has said diet doesn’t matter, that it doesn’t impact disease. Now we know that diet does have an impact, a strong impact. It works, and now there’s evidence.”

I Don’t Have an Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Is the SCD Diet Right for Me?

While there are definitely some differences between IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) and IBS (Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome), they have one important factor in common:

Inflammation…

Chronic inflammation to be more exact.

Those who suffer from IBDs, such as Crohn’s or Ulcerative Colitis, can experience inflammation anywhere along the digestive tract – in the colon, small intestine, or the innermost tissue of the gut wall. IBS sufferers are more likely to have inflammation predominantly in the colon. Both IBD and IBS sufferers alike often experience diarrhea or constipation, gas, bloating, and general fatigue (among others).

Chronic gut inflammation is a key player in developing a leaky gut. And whether you have Crohn’s or general IBS, a leaky gut is involved in some way.

Because of this, the functional approach to treating IBD, IBS, and a leaky gut has one main goal – eradicate gut inflammation at a cellular level. This is typically achieved by changing the diet to remove inflammatory foods and populating the gut with beneficial bacteria. Tougher cases may need the support of a skilled Functional Medicine practitioner who utilizes root cause testing, like advanced blood, hormone and gut infection panels.

Your body doesn’t care what the diagnosis is nor how the inflammation got there. Whether it’s due to diet, chemical exposure, or a toxin overload, all it knows is that there’s inflammation present and it’s affecting the way the gut is supposed to work. At the end of the day, it all comes down to getting rid of inflammation in the gut, something the SCD diet does very well.

Will I Be on This Diet Forever?

I don’t blame you for letting that question creep into your mind. The truth is that no one knows how long you’ll need to follow SCD – but the following 3 variables can help you determine the answer:

1. Your Unique Needs – We classify those with digestive issues as either “Mild” or “Tough” cases. If you’re a Tough case with multiple gut infections and adrenal fatigue, you’ll most likely need to stick closely to your “safe food zone” longer than those who had mild symptoms that cleared up relatively quickly.
2. Stress Management – Stress, whether emotional, physical or psychological, is a silent killer. Cortisol (often referred to as the stress hormone) is directly impacted by stress – causing us to both over– and under-produce this critical hormone. Healthy cortisol levels are critical for keeping inflammation at bay. If you’re under chronic stress and it is impacting your cortisol production, you’ll need to adhere to the diet more strictly. This is why changing your diet is just one step toward healing – learning to manage stress can be equally as important.
3. Your Health Goals – If your goal is to feel your absolute best every single day, you’ll most likely find yourself sticking quite closely to your customized SCD diet. Testing, tweaking, and listening to your body is the name of the game when it comes to expanding your diet. If you’re OK with that minor stomach ache you get from straying too far, that is totally up to you. Keep in mind that completely reverting back to your “old ways” will most likely lead you right back to the place you started from.

The SCD Diet Has Your Back

It’s natural to be leery of a new diet.

(I know I was when I first started.)

But over the years the Specific Carbohydrate Diet has been more and more validated by ever-growing stacks of research and anecdotal evidence… which simply cannot be ignored.

The fact that the SCD diet is supported by over 100 years of research, as well as numerous testimonials from real people gives me a lot of confidence in the diet.

Plus, these 3 new studies only continue to show us just how impactful this diet can be and for a wide range of conditions.

And starting this new journey is much easier than you might think, thanks to our Free Quick Start Guide and the step-by-step instructions of our eBook “Surviving To Thriving.”

If you or someone you know is looking for a safe and effective treatment for digestive issues (big or small), the SCD diet has your back.

In good health,

Lori Jo

The post Powerful New Research that the Specific Carbohydrate Diet Works appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

I love to travel… seeing new sights, learning about a different culture, the joy of a big, white hotel bed.

…or…

Traveling stresses me out… breathing in recycled air on the plane, dust-mite ridden hotel beds, eating wilted salads (or worse!) in the airport.

I used to be firmly in the second camp, and I avoided traveling for years as a result. When I did have to travel, I failed to plan and wound up returning home in a flare that required weeks to recover from.

This holiday season is different, though. I’m actually excited to travel. The difference? It all has to do with what I’m planning and packing. You know that saying “failing to plan is planning to fail?” It’s especially true for your digestive health while traveling.

Here’s what I’m stashing in my suitcase to stay healthy while traveling. Whether you’re going on vacation or to visit family and friends, I hope these resources make your trip enjoyable and memorable for all the right reasons.

1 – PaleoValley Beef Snack Sticks

This is my favorite healthy gut snack. Most packaged snacks (even paleo-approved ones) are chock-full of sugar in the form of dried fruit. These Grass-Fed Beef Sticks have ZERO grams of sugar and are gluten, soy, sugar, and added nitrate and nitrite free. Most importantly though, these sticks are full of flavor and have a satisfying snap when you bite into them. Each meat stick packs 6 grams of protein in just 70 calories – perfect to stash in my bag for busy travel days. In the spirit of the holidays, Paleo Valley is offering 30% off to friends of SCD Lifestyle – just use the above link.

2 – Dr. Cowan’s Garden Vegetable Powders

Traveling means I’m not 100% in control of my food. While I make the best decisions I can, I love knowing I have a backup source for the micronutrients I normally get from lots of fresh fruits and veggies – Dr. Cowan’s Garden Vegetable Powders. Unlike other “greens” powders, Dr. Cowan’s Garden Powders are free of sugar or artificial sweeteners and have an incredible savory flavor that enhances whatever you add it to. The vegetables are harvested at peak freshness, dehydrated on low heat, ground into powders and transferred to Miron violet-glass jars. One teaspoon is the equivalent of an average portion of freshly-cooked vegetables and the jars can be stored for 3-5 months. I mix it into bone broth, soup, and sprinkle on top of restaurant meals, too.

3 – Airbiotics StaBiotic Mist and Hand Sanitizer

Airbiotics is my favorite brand of cleansers for your hands and home. When I travel, I always carry 2 products with me – the StaBiotic Mist and the Hand Sanitizer. They both use beneficial probiotics to penetrate biofilms and banish bad bacteria, without wiping out beneficial bacteria that keep you and your family safe. I spray my pillow and hotel bed with the StaBiotic mist to banish dust mites and other allergens. Throughout the day, I use the hand sanitizer liberally. And since it’s odorless and safe for people, pets, and all surfaces, you can use it anywhere without thinking twice. AirBiotics is currently offering discounts on their holiday sets PLUS a $25 gift card with every purchase – pick up one for yourself and use the other as a great hostess gift (we promise they’ll appreciate it more than another cheap bottle of wine).

4 – Travel-Size Rosewater Facial Mist

A spritz of rosewater on your face, hair, or hands is immediately uplifting and calming. I carry this travel-size rosewater spray with me onto the plane or in the car and spritz frequently. The mild scent won’t be offensive to other travellers, and you’ll feel refreshed and hydrated after you use it. Once I arrive, I use it to clear the air in musty hotel rooms, and as a toner on my skin and hair.

5 – Kettle & Fire Bone Broth

Bone broth’s benefits have been touted to the moon and back – it promotes a healthy gut, healthy skin, hair and nails, and it’s rich in gelatin, protein, and essential amino acids like proline and glycine. Bone broth is an essential part of SCD or a leaky gut diet. During the stress of travel, having bone broth handy is even more important – but quality bone broth isn’t available everywhere. Kettle & Fire bone broth is made exclusively with grass-fed bones and is simmered for 24 hours – just like I would make it at home, but packaged and travel-ready. I’m stashing a couple cartons in my suitcase, and I’ll heat up a mug in my hotel coffee pot to enjoy each day. Use this $10 off offer special for our community to reap the benefits of portable bone broth yourself.

6 – CitriSafe Glutathione

This is the closest thing I’ve found to a “magic pill.” Glutathione is one of the most important antioxidants in the body – it plays a major role in almost every single body system and is quickly depleted when stress is high (like when you’re visiting far-flung relatives!). Glutathione works to detoxify free radicals, calm inflammation, curb the aging process, and provides lasting energy. I supplement with Glutathione for 1 week prior, while I’m traveling, and 1 week after I return.

7 – Travel Diffuser and RMO Oils

At home, I diffuse oil most of the day and every night. I use different oils to relax, energize, and clear the air. I used to miss my diffuser when I travelled as much as I missed my own bed. Now, I travel with the RMO Droplet Diffuser, an incredibly handy (and effective) portable diffuser. It plugs into any USB outlet (like your phone charger or laptop) and is quiet and lightweight. Since there is no heat or flame involved, it is safe to use in other’s homes and hotel rooms – I’ve even used it in my car! For affordable, powerful, and pure oils, I only use Rocky Mountain Essential Oils. For musty hotel rooms, I love a purifying oil like Deep Breathe. In the mornings, I diffuse an energizing oil blend like RMO Joyful Moments to get me ready for a day of exploring.

8 – Grounding Pillowcase

The practice of grounding is based on the idea that our bodies should come into contact with the earth every day – the earth provides a negative charge that helps combat free radicals (positive electrons) that can build up in the body over the day. When you’re traveling, you’re exposed in even greater number to these positive charges – especially from electromagnetic waves from the now-ubiquitous high-speed Wifi and cell phones in airports and hotels. Not to mention the high EMFs your body is bombarded with during air travel. And grounding is the best remedy I’ve found for jet lag. This grounding pillowcase is woven with conductive silver thread that helps combat free radicals while you sleep – allowing you to sleep better AND feel better the next day.

9 – Porta Squatty Potty

The Squatty Potty is a must for me when I’m at home. It elevates your legs to put your body in a more “natural” position for elimination. If you doubt it’s effective, try sitting on the toilet with your feet on a stack of magazines to bring yourself into a squat position and you’ll see what a big difference this little stool can make. Traveling brought a double-whammy of bathroom troubles for me – no Squatty Potty paired with the constipation traveling typically brings on. This trip, I’m packing my collapsible travel Squatty Potty – the Porta Squatty – for the first time! It easily (and discreetly!) folds up to the size of a book, so there is no reason not to pack it.

10 – Patch MD Hangover Patches

These patches are perfect for travel – whether you drink or not. While I don’t drink enough to get a legitimate hangover – jet lag feels exactly like a hangover to me. These patches help you support your body’s detox systems so you better recover from the dirty air and exhaust fumes you’ll breathe in, the less-than-stellar food you might eat – and yes, even a drink or two if you decide to indulge. Plus, they’re small and lightweight – and carry-on approved. I use these patches on travel days to prevent that hungover feeling without needing to tote around plastic baggies full of supplements.

11 – Portable Oven

I pack a lot of food to carry with me while I travel – but sometimes another apple or avocado just won’t do – I crave warm food. Instead of falling prey to expensive restaurant food that usually contains ingredients I don’t want, I pull out my portable oven (it’s like an Easy Bake Oven for adults!). It can warm up leftovers without a microwave and even cook raw meat and veggies. My favorite way to use it is to gently cook fresh wild-caught fish. This portable oven is awesome in hotel rooms… and I’ve even used it with an outlet converter in my car on long road trips.

12 – ECOlunchbox Metal Food Container

Got a long flight or car drive ahead of you? Airports and highway rest stops are some of the most difficult places to find healthy-gut food choices. Instead of hoping for the best and winding up cranky and hungry, plan ahead by packing an entire meal in this stainless steel lunchbox. As long as you don’t pack liquids in the lunchbox, you can carry it straight through security and onto your plane.

13 – Daily Dog Powder

The only downside to traveling? Leaving my dog behind. While I know he’ll be well cared for while I’m gone, leaving is stressful for both of us – especially if he’ll be in a kennel instead of with a dog sitter. Dogs have very sensitive stomachs and are susceptible to digestive upset during stressful periods – and he’s more likely to be exposed to pathogens like E. coli or Salmonella in a kennel than at home. That’s why I give my dog Full Bucket’s Daily Dog Powder – its probiotics, prebiotics, and enzymes bolster his gut health so he’s less likely to get sick in the kennel or suffer from diarrhea while I’m away. Plus, he loves the taste – so it feels like giving him a special treat.

I hope you enjoy these tools to stay healthy while traveling as much as I do – and that your travels (holiday or otherwise!) are enjoyable, relaxing, and rejuvenating.

What are your travel must-haves? Do you rely on any of these products, too? I’d love to chat with you more – just leave a comment for me!

– Jordan

The post 13 Tools to Stay Healthy While Traveling appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

The five-second rule is a lie.

It turns out, if you drop something on the floor, no matter how fast you pick it up, it’s still dirty. This was confirmed by a study recently conducted by two Rutgers University professors called “Is the five-second rule real?”

If you’re like me, I bet you occasionally employ the five-second rule. After all, my house is clean! But after reading this study – and hearing the lead scientist admit he wouldn’t eat food dropped on his own kitchen floor – I had to reconsider how clean my house truly was.

Yes, I clean regularly. But like most people – regularly could probably stand to happen a bit more often. And because of concerns for my health and the health of our planet, I stopped using chemical cleaning products years ago. Without resorting to harsh chemical cleaners or constant vigilance, I wondered – What would I have to do to make my house clean enough to literally eat off the floor?

Biofilms: Are They Making Your House Dirty?

You know that sticky, fuzzy, yucky feeling you get on your teeth if you go too long between brushing? Some people say it’s like their teeth are wearing sweaters. Those sweaters are actually something called biofilm.

Biofilm is made up of tons of different strains of bacteria that have come together to live in one symbiotic colony. The bacteria cells stick together and form a surface of slime. The biofilm acts as a protective home for bacteria, yeast, fungi, and other microorganisms.

Biofilm isn’t just on your teeth – it actually grows just about everywhere – including all over your home. One very common type of biofilm commonly grows in bathrooms and is pink – you may have seen this growing in your shower or toilet bowl and wondered if it was mold. This biofilm is called S. marcescens and despite the pretty color, it isn’t harmless. It can infect open wounds in humans and your urinary tract – not very comforting if you see it in your toilet!

In natural environments, biofilms are a very important part of the ecosystem. In my house, however, they are an unwelcome visitor.

The Dangers of Conventional Cleaning Products

If your reaction to learning what that pink stuff in your toilet is was to dump a cup of bleach in the bowl, I have some more bad news.

Conventional cleaning products not only are dangerous to your health and the health of everyone else in your home (kids, plants, animals) – they also aren’t always effective at removing biofilms.

Think about it this way: what gets your teeth more clean – swishing with mouthwash or getting in a thorough brush? We all know the answer is brushing.

And just as with the biofilm on your teeth, to clean the biofilm in your house you need more than just a spray of chemicals, as chemicals like bleach or ammonia aren’t able to penetrate the biofilm to kill all bacteria.

In fact, there are 4 properties of biofilms that make them tougher than a normal cleaning job to handle :

1. Biofilms can stain and mar the surface of your household items – like your toilet, fridge, and counters. In some instances, these items are ruined and must be replaced.
2. Biofilms grow and spread easily
3. They are almost impossible to remove without physically disrupting the biofilm (by scrubbing)
4. Biofilm protects the bacteria living in it – making it harder to kill and remove

If you want a shot at removing the biofilm, even with something harsh like bleach, you’ll also need to put in some elbow grease and scrub to disrupt the biofilm. But scrubbing with bleach or other harsh chemicals drastically increases your contact with the chemicals – it can get in your eyes, on your skin, and can be inhaled into your lungs.

And trust me – you do not want to prolong your exposure to traditional cleaning products. Some of the most common products – like Lysol Multi-Purpose Cleaner – score an “F” rating from the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit environmental research group. This is due to ingredients like sodium borate, which can cause birth defects and damage to the reproductive system.

Even so-called ‘green” cleaners are often not any better. Green Works All-Purpose cleaner also scores an “F” from the EWG. Its high levels of preservatives are linked to cancer and respiratory effects.

Harsh Cleaners Aren’t Only Under Your Sink

Keeping your house clean isn’t the only place you’re potentially being exposed to really harmful chemicals. After you’re done scrubbing your toilet with Lysol, you need to wash your hands, right?

Cleaners that are designed to come into contact with your skin – like hand sanitizer or antibacterial soap – can be just as dangerous. Just this year, the Food and Drug Administration finally banned the antibacterial triclosan from soap. Not only did the FDA find triclosan to be ineffective (plain soap and water work just as well) – but it is also thought to be contributing to the rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria. It also has been linked in animal studies to immune system stimulation and thyroid problems.

But the catch is – while triclosan must now be removed from hand and body soap for consumers – it is still allowed in hand sanitizers, wipes, and hospital settings. This means you’re likely still being exposed.

If you’re like me, you probably use hand sanitizer more often than you actually wash your hands..

Healthier Cleaning Alternatives – But What About the Biofilm?

For years, instead of chemical cleaners I’ve relied on plain soap, water, and a little help from vinegar and baking soda to keep my house clean.

Generally, this works really well.

But remember that pink biofilm, S. marcescens, I was talking about before? Well, a few months ago I noticed something pink in my shower – and despite my industrious scrubbing and vinegar-spraying, it just kept coming back.

I didn’t want to spend tons of time scrubbing and cleaning my shower – but I also wanted the biofilm gone. Although I knew I wouldn’t go back to bleach, I decided to look for a natural cleaner that was effective for biofilms. So, what was the safe cleaner I found that wiped out biofilms? It’s something you’ve heard of before (and probably use daily): probiotics.

Probiotics for Your House?

It’s kind of hard to remember a time when every grocery and vitamin store didn’t have a huge probiotic section, isn’t it?

But just 10 years ago, probiotics weren’t mainstream. Luckily, a lot has changed since then – and with good reason. Probiotics are friendly strands of bacteria that support the native bacteria in our digestive system – and that is really important because our body is made up of 10x more bacteria than the cells.

I’ve made probiotics a regular part of my life, both those that come in a capsule and from potent fermented foods like homemade yogurt and sauerkraut.

But in doing research, I came across something totally new – the idea that you can use external probiotics to clean and make your indoor environments healthier and safer.

Yes, you read that right; probiotics are now being used to balance indoor air and clean surfaces like kitchens, bathrooms, and even on furniture. Cleaners containing live probiotics are able to work their way through the biofilm and clean deeply.

If this sounds crazy to you, just remember that 10 years ago the idea of taking a daily probiotic capsule was pretty “out there.”

How Do External Probiotics Benefit You?

I think of traditional antibacterial cleaners like antibiotics for my house.

We all know that when you’re sick and take antibiotics, nearly all the bacteria in your gut is wiped out – both the good and the bad. If you take those antibiotics for too long, the bacteria in your gut can become really unbalanced. The result can be gut dysbiosis – where the “bad” bacteria overrun the good bacteria that keep them in check.

When you effectively use chemical cleaners in your house (meaning you scrub to disrupt the biofilm), almost all the bacteria is wiped out too – both the good and the bad. Just like in your body, this makes your house more susceptible to an overgrowth of bad bacteria.

Repeated use of antibacterial soaps and cleaners – which decimate good and bad bacteria – contributes to the evolution of antibiotic-resistant super-bugs like MRSA. Just like in our bodies, we don’t want to wipe out all the bacteria in our house if we can avoid it – we just want to get rid of the bad stuff.

A Biofilm-Busting Alternative

A few months ago, I found out about a new external probiotic cleaner – it’s called Airbiotics. I tried out their 3 main products in my home: Airbiotics All-Purpose Cleaner, StaBiotic Mist, and their hand cleanser.

I was interested in trying them because they’re all non-toxic, fragrance and alcohol free, biodegradable – and food-grade! This means if I spray it on my counter and then set food there – it’s ok! If my dog licks something I’ve used the cleaner on, he won’t get sick. Most cleaners – even green cleaners – are toxic if ingested and loaded with fragrances that irritate my lungs, but Airbiotics products aren’t.

I use the All-Purpose cleaner on just about every surface in my house – woods, granite, glass, mirrors, and porcelain tile. Since I use it for just about everything, I’m really glad that the bottle is refillable – the cleaner comes as a concentrate you mix up yourself. This means you can make as much or as little as you need and cuts down on the cost as well as the impact on the environment.

I loved how easy it was to use (just spray and wipe with a microfiber cloth) and there’s no smell or residue.

And what about that pink biofilm in my bathroom?

The All-Purpose cleaner wiped it out!

The best part is this cleaner continues to clean for 3-5 days after it’s sprayed, thanks to the probiotics it contains. I think of them as my own army of minions, working overtime to keep my house clean so I can relax and enjoy other things.

Airbiotics also makes a really nifty hand cleanser – I keep one in my backpack and one in my car – it’s totally unlike any hand cleanser I’ve ever used. It isn’t sticky, oily, stinky or drying – after you spray it on your hands and rub it in, it’s like nothing was ever there. In reality, what’s left are tons of probiotics that help to keep your hands clean and healthy – even if you wash later with soap and water.

My favorite product, however, is the StaBiotic Mist. I think of it as the healthy alternative to Febreeze. Rather than putting fake odors into the air that give an illusion of “freshness,” you can spray the StaBiotic Mist on anything that is upholstered (read: difficult to clean). The probiotics in the StaBiotic mist consume the bacteria that produce odor. I used it on my bed, my dog’s bed, a musty chair, curtains and throw pillows, and rather than just masking the smell or covering it, it actually got rid of it.

It not only freshens and gets rid of odors – but the StaBiotic Mist’s active probiotics literally eat dust mite proteins. Using the mist has reduced my indoor allergy symptoms like congestion and red eyes. The StaBiotic Mist is a totally one-of-a-kind product that I love.

Clean At What Cost?

Chemical cleaning ingredients are expensive.

Pre-made green products are even more expensive.

My vinegar and baking soda routine was cheap and easy. I knew I wasn’t going to trade it in for an expensive, inconvenient solution.

Airbiotics doesn’t just clean my house more effectively by using probiotics, it is also really affordable. The cost of the All-Purpose Cleaner is cup-for-cup less than bleach.

Buying the All-Purpose Cleaner concentrated means I need to order less often and save on shipping, too.

Why Am I Talking About Airbiotics?

The team here at SCD Lifestyle is committed to pursuing the best health – through diet and through lifestyle. That’s why, when we come across a product as unique and beneficial as Airbiotics, we want to share with the people we love most – our community.

Airbiotics doesn’t just clean your house safely and affordably – it works to keep your house clean and promotes your wellness through one of our favorite things ever – probiotics!

I’ve incorporated Airbiotics into my natural cleaning routine and I couldn’t be happier. If you want to try Airbiotics too, you can use this link to try them out and receive 30% off your first order!

Questions? Cleaning tips for me? Let me know in the comments below.

– Steve

The post How To Clean Your House With Probiotics appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

Chaos, madness, stress, frustration, guilt…

Sound familiar, when trying to cook healthy meals for your whole family?

Before I finally figured out a better way, these words and emotions stuck with me, day in and day out.

And one particular moment sticks out in my mind (of which you might be able to relate to).

What’s for Dinner?

It’s 5:30pm and my kids are hungry. I’m hungry. My husband walks in the door from a 10-hour work day and the first words out of his mouth are, “What’s the plan for dinner?” (All eyes were on me and I just wanted to hide, pretending they were talking to someone else.)

What I really felt like doing was pulling out a box of macaroni and cheese, possibly some frozen chicken nuggets and replying with a sly “Dinner will be ready in 5 minutes.” For a brief moment, it felt really good to think about how easy that would be.

Well, reality soon set in and I knew I couldn’t feed them food devoid of any nutrients – again. The guilt, oh the guilt, of feeding them a 5-minute processed meal for the 3rd night in a row was weighing heavy on my heart and mind.

Don’t get me wrong, there may still be the occasional night where it’s going to be either a quick 5-minute meal or no food at all. Let’s just say I try not to make a habit out of it, because I know better and I want more for my family. I’m sure you do too.

As a thousand thoughts and feelings went through my mind and the cries, pleas and questions continued, I started to rummage through my freezer.

“Surely I have some sort of homemade dish in here.”

Needless to say, they ate one more frozen meal that night. I can now look back and realize that night was a blessing, because it pushed me to dig deeper and figure out a better way.

And as a result I’ve come up with 3 of the best tips I’ve personally built into my meal-planning regimen. I think these will really make a difference in your life, too.

Tip #1: Utilize the Freezer (it is your friend!)

Imagine coming home from a long day’s work and pulling out that prepared meal from your freezer, popping it in the oven and sitting down to rest with your family.

Freezer meals will help you save time, money and eliminate the feeling that you have no other choice but to buy another frozen pizza.

Key #1: One third of the meals you prepare each week must be doubled and frozen. For example, if you prepare 15 meals per week, at least 5 of them should be doubled and frozen.

Prepare the meal just to the point where you would begin cooking, and then freeze it in a casserole dish covered in saran wrap and tin foil or a freezer storage bag (think soups).

Example: How to freeze a meat and vegetable stew (choose the meat and veggies that work best for your family)

1. Label a gallon-sized plastic freezer bag with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and date in which the meal should be used by (typically 3 months)
2. Add all ingredients to freezer bag and place in the freezer
3. Thaw it in the fridge when you’re ready to cook it
4. Set your slow cooker to a “low” setting and cook for 6-8 hours
5. Break apart any larger pieces throughout the cooking process

As you may know, not all foods will hold up to the freezing process. You’re in luck, though, because Paleo/SCD foods, like meats and vegetables, typically do well in the freezer.

Tip #2: Get Ahead on the Weekends

Whether it be 30 minutes or 2 hours, we must dedicate some of the weekend to tasks that allow the week to go much more smoothly.

Key #1: Make a menu plan accompanied by a specific grocery list. If that seems unfeasible for you, consider our done-for-you menu plans that can be adopted to fit any family.

Nothing frustrates me more than heading to the store without a plan in mind and ending up at home with a bunch of random items. It’s important to know exactly what you’re getting and how it will be used. Turns out this really helps save money, too.

Key #2: Chopping vegetables takes time, and a real food diet inherently includes more of them. You may want to invest in a food processor, like this one by Hamilton Beach. You can toss them in the fridge for easy use during the week, cutting meal preparation time down considerably.

In fact, you can even get your kids involved with these awesome tips.

Key #3: If you’re going to freeze the vegetables for later use, I’d suggest blanching them first. Blanching is a process that includes boiling the vegetable and then immediately cooling it to inactivate the enzymes that can cause color changes and loss of nutrients. One study found that blanching was actually able to reduce some anti-nutrient factors (tannic acid and phytic acid) in select vegetables.

Grab this complete guide to blanching vegetables (a 1-5 minute process).

If you’re unsure of what vegetables freeze well and the duration that things can remain in the freezer, read more in this freezing and thawing 101 post.

Tip #3: Cultivate 3 Go-To Recipes (Here are Mine)

Last but not least, I highly recommend building some go-to recipes into your repertoire. These go-to recipes must be quick, contain 5 ingredients or less and you must have the items on hand at all times. These are the kind of recipes you have memorized and can “whip up” in a pinch.

Breakfast: Sweet Potato Pancakes (click here to print)

These are great to have on hand for the kiddos – lots of protein, vitamins and minerals. Not to mention, they taste amazing. I typically make enough on the weekend to last all week, making breakfast time a breeze.

Are you shocked we’re suggesting you eat starch? Learn who this recipe is right for, by reading this article – Starch: Pure Evil or Evolutionary Gold? You can also click here for an SCD compliant version.

Lunch: Zucchini Cakes (click here to print)

Each time I go to the store (or pick them out of my garden when possible), I grab 4 or 5 zucchini. They are soft enough for smaller children to eat and can easily be put in a container for lunch on-the-go.

Dinner: Stuffed Pepper Tacos (click here to print)

I love these because they’re tasty, a little different than regular tacos, and there are only 3-5 ingredients. Kids love these because they can pick and choose what toppings to add. If you need to pretend the pepper is a sailboat or a pirate ship, by all means do so

It’s All About Adopting New Habits…

I can’t say I personally like change or take well to it. In a world full of chaos, I like predictability. However, continuing to manage mealtimes the way I was, simply wasn’t working and I had to give into this notion of change. They say a habit can be made in as little as 21 days and I’d have to say I agree. I know, because I kept a close eye on my new meal time process, just waiting for it to fail so I could go back to the old, familiar way.

But it didn’t fail. Adding in these tips has helped me to create a seamless meal-planning process flow and I want that for you and your family, too.

Try these 3 tips for a minimum of 21 days and see what happens in your family. Feel free to change them up to fit your situation. Whatever you do, don’t settle with anything that isn’t working.

There’s a better way to feed your family without all the stress. Don’t be afraid to dive in and adapt to a new routine.

If you’re a little nervous about starting, our SCD done-for-you meal plans can really help ease the load as you make your way along this journey.

Happy cooking

Lori Jo

The post 3 Hassle-Free Tips to Feed Your Family a Real Food Diet appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

“Fire Cider is like a large bear on a cold winter night – A large bear that mauls what ails you!” – Shire City Herbals

It was right after Christmas… and I started to feel off.

You know how it starts – a slightly sore throat, low energy, achy muscles… I decided it was time to ramp up my preventative care, similar to Steve’s Natural Cold and Flu protocol.

So, that’s what I did.

On top of that, I pulled out other common tools, including herbal teas, raw honey, supplements and essential oils.

However, it didn’t seem to matter what I threw at this thing… none of it was helping this time.

It just got away from me and…

Whatever It Was Hit Me Like a Freight Train

I developed full-blown body aches, started sneezing my head off, and my nose began to run like a faucet.

As Sunday unfolded, I became lightheaded and dizzy, weak and hurting all over, and my brain was beyond fuzzy…

I knew I needed my rest, but there’s only so much laying around on the couch watching Netflix one can take, and I knew I needed to do something different or risk getting worse.

I decided a trip to the local health store was in order…

A Christmas Miracle (9 Days Later)

But with zero energy to drive myself, I got a ride from my mom. I entered the store needing a Christmas health miracle, and as I started to describe my issues a new store clerk butted into my conversation.

“Well, you’ve gotta try out this new product we started carrying,” he called out as he ran to the refrigerator.

“We all take a shot of this stuff every day and we don’t get sick.”

Well, “That’s great and all,” I thought, standing there slightly intrigued but with a healthy dose of skepticism.

He started to explain what was in it, reading off the label, rapidly, “Contains: Apple cider vinegar, honey, oranges, lemons, onions, horseradish, ginger…” and too fast for my foggy brain to comprehend.

But then I heard two words that were music to my ears, “Here, let me give you a FREE shot. It’s even made with ORGANIC vinegar, fruits and vegetables.”

I was beginning to open up to him…

“You’ve got me, I’m hooked… Mr. Slick Salesman,” I thought.

“Hold up, this is gluten-free, right?” I asked.

“Sure is,” as he handed me the old-fashioned bottle to inspect.

“Fire Cider… Hmmm…”

Organic ACV, fruits and veggies… check, check and check.

“Alright, let’s do this. I’ll take a shot,” I told him. (I thought, “What’s there to lose?!”)

So, he served me and my mom a shot, speed-pouring it like we’re in some new-aged, “health booze bar.”

I was excited and nervous, to be honest.

As soon as I downed the shot, I instantly started feeling better. My head began to open up, I could breathe out of my nose and I felt a slow and steady surge of energy coming over me.

I felt alive again! (For the first time in 9 days!)

I was still skeptical, so I walked around a bit until I felt sure it wasn’t just a placebo effect.

My gut feeling was, “I think I found my miracle!”

I paid for my stuff and hopped in the car with a bounce in my step. I could’ve even driven if I wanted to… I felt great!

On the Way Home, I Read the Fire Cider Label

Now, usually this is something I’d do before buying and with extreme scrutiny…. But I actually read the Fire Cider label on the way home:

“For centuries, New Englanders have taken a spoonful of honey and apple cider vinegar as a daily tonic. Amy and Dana boosted this heirloom folk recipe with a potent mix of roots and fruits, carefully chosen to support digestive and immune function. Our friends and family take Fire Cider first thing in the morning, after a large meal, or as a daily eye-opener. Others dilute our tonic in their tea or juice.”

And of course a quick disclaimer:

“This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”

Disclaimers are great and all, but I’m here to tell you that I went from feeling like death to cooking up a storm when I got home… as in full-use-of-the-oven-and-stovetop cooking up a storm.

I had my energy back and almost all the pain was gone in under an hour. I stopped sneezing and the congestion started to break up.

I proceeded to take a tablespoon every couple of hours, as suggested at the store. And I started telling anyone who would listen about it.

I was completely out of the woods after about a week of taking it; it had become part of my routine and the flavor was out-of-this-world!
But don’t take my word for it. Check out some first timers who tried Fire Cider and loved it!

Perhaps you’re still not convinced or that video scared you a bit…

Let’s circle back for a short history lesson.

A Short History Lesson (with a Side of Controversy)

Since then, Fire Cider has become sort of a mini-passion of mine… (I’ve been doing some research to say the least.)

As with many recipes, the Fire Cider we have available today has evolved over time and the precise origins are even rooted in a bit of controversy (more on that in a minute).

Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, developed and used a similar concoction nearly 2500 years ago, called an oxymel.

Speaking of oxymels, as Stephen Harrod Buhner states in his book, Herbal Antibiotics, they “have been used for thousands of years. The basic form is 40 ounces of honey to which is added 5 fluid ounces of water and 5 fluid ounces of vinegar.” Buhner knows a thing or two about herbs and alternative medicine, as he has authored 20 books or more.

You know the 4 Thieves Vinegar story? There are claims this inspired Fire Cider as well.

In the 1950’s, Dr. D.C. Jarvis developed his wildly-successful ACV-honey-cayenne pepper concoction, commonly referred to as switchel or honegar.

Most prominently accepted among the herbalist community, the term ‘Fire Cider’ was coined by Rosemary Gladstar in her “home study course in 1981 and has been copyrighted in her books since 1991,” which is where the controversy really comes into play.

Note: I was originally not going to go there, because I really just wanted you to know about Fire Cider and its benefits. But I decided it’s important and cannot be glossed over to paint a true picture.

Basically, there’s a “trademark battle” going on between the “underground herbal community” and Shire City Herbals (the company that makes and cells Fire Cider.) There’s even an entire website dedicated to forcing Shire City Herbals to remove it and change the name of the product completely.

“Why even bring this up?” you ask.

Frankly, I wouldn’t have known about Fire Cider if it hadn’t been for Shire City Herbals.

Period.

I’m not here to go too deep into my personal opinions and what’s right and wrong when it comes to trademarking supposed “herbal community” products. This is not even close to my forte.

But what I can see is that Shire City Herbals, Inc., based in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is a relatively small, family-owned and operated company started by three hard-working people. They’re passionate about providing the masses with their world-class product, which started with an explosion of demand following an invitation to sell their Fire Cider at a local festival. And this passion really shows when you check out the rest of their website. Plus, they have a strong focus on sustainability, which is evidenced by the 100% solar-powered warehouse they use.

Alright, enough stories and history lessons… let’s get to the real good stuff, right?

12 Reasons Why I Love Fire Cider So Much

Fire Cider:

1. Is made from 10 raw, organic real food ingredients (aside from the honey – which is still raw). All organic ingredients have been certified by Baystate Organic Certifiers.
2. Is preservative and chemical-free.
3. Is gluten-free.
4. Naturally contains probiotics. If you’ve followed us in the past, you’ll know that it’s important to get as many good bugs from food as you can to support gut and immune health.
5. Has a long shelf-life, due to the presence of probiotics. Shire City states an expiration of 18 months beyond the “born on date.”
6. Is bottled in old-fashioned, cool looking amber glass, which protects the integrity of the contents. Plus, the entire thing is recyclable.
7. Is available in multiple sizes and types of containers (mostly glass). You can get it in 8oz, 16oz, and half or full gallons.
8. Doesn’t have to be refrigerated, even though the FDA highly recommends it (and Shire City can’t legally tell you not to.)
9. Is easy to take.
10. Is versatile – it’s awesome when you can use something in a variety of ways.
11. Actually tastes amazing! It might have to grow on some of you, especially if you’re new to ACV. In fact, here’s a video of the Q Brothers trying it out for the first time. Their reactions are priceless (2:31):
12. Again, every ingredient is real, you know what they are and you can pronounce the words when you read the label…

Really, I could’ve made this list much longer, but I was eager to jump into the ingredients after number 12.

Fire Cider’s 10 Simple, Real Food Ingredients

How cool is it to look at a label of a pre-packaged product and see a bunch of organic, real food ingredients?

I know I was impressed when I first turned the bottle around and saw that…

Standard Fire Cider simply contains:

1. Organic ACV
2. *Honey
3. Organic Oranges
4. Organic Lemons
5. Organic Onions
6. Organic Horseradish
7. Organic Ginger
8. Organic Habanero pepper
9. Organic Garlic
10. Organic Turmeric

*So, what’s the deal with the honey? Why isn’t it organic too? Well, according to Shire City Herbals, it is next to impossible for them to sustainably source organic honey. They also make one with African bronze honey. If you’re just not comfortable about the honey, they actually offer an unsweetened version that’s labeled as USDA Organic as a result. (You could even add your own local honey if you wanted to maximize its benefits.)

Anyway, back to the rest of the ingredients…

And in light of these powerful ingredients, I’d like to bring in our old friend Hippocrates again for a moment. He once said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

You’ve probably heard, at one time or another, the benefits of most or even all of these foods… but I’m going to bring it all in one place with lots of research to back it up.

The Science of Fire Cider’s 10 Ingredients

“Each tree, each shrub, and herb, down even to the grasses and mosses, agreed to furnish a remedy for some one of the diseases [of humankind] and each said: ‘I shall appear to help man whenever he calls upon me in his need.’” ~The oral teachings of the Cherokee Nation

Stephen Harrod Buhner states in his book, Herbal Antibiotics, very plainly:

“Plants possess very different medicinal actions depending on: when they are harvested, how they are harvested, if they are dried or fresh, how they are prepared as medicines, how often they are taken, how much is taken, and if they are taken in isolation or combination.”

As previously stated, all ingredients used in Fire Cider are raw – no heating is involved at any time whatsoever.

And while scientists have revealed a lot about what plants consist of calorie, macronutrient and micronutrient-wise, they’ve only begun to scratch the surface when it comes to phytochemicals (beneficial plant compounds).

With all of that said, entire blog sites could be dedicated to each one of these ingredients, and I’ve simply attempted to provide highlights I found to be useful (with some science to back each one).

1.) Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)

For thousands of years, millions of people have been using vinegar for a variety of purposes.

Here are just a few studies that back up some of its medicinal uses:

• This study showed an increased insulin sensitivity in those with diabetes
• A study in 2015 found that vinegar consumption in patients with Type 2 diabetes improved blood sugar control, insulin levels, and high triglyceride levels

Also, if you’re interested in how to use ACV as a quick heartburn remedy, Steve wrote about it and our favorite brand this post on 4 Quick and Natural Home Heartburn Remedies. One thing to especially note is that the ACV used in Fire Cider contains the mother, which naturally occurs and contains beneficial enzymes and probiotics – and that’s reason alone, in my mind, to incorporate it into your diet.

2.) Honey

Honey is much more than just the only SCD-legal sweetener.

Honey has strong antibacterial properties against “all known forms of resistant bacteria that infect the skin and wounds,” as Stephen Harrod Buhner stated in Herbal Antibiotics.

Also, he goes on to say that honey has the following properties:

• Heals burns and is “the premier wound healer on this planet” (especially infected ones)
• Antifungal, Antiviral, Anti-inflammatory
• Illness prevention and treatment (especially during cold and flu season)
• And a potent immune booster

Many people find the use of honey alone as effective (or more) than antibiotics, especially in the case of resistance. A study on honey and its medicinal property and antimicrobial activity, from the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine in 2011, goes on to say:

“Microbial resistance to honey has never been reported, which makes it a very promising topical antimicrobial agent against the infection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (e.g., MDR S. maltophilia) and in the treatment of chronic wound infections that do not respond to antibiotic therapy.”

Note: For those with allergic reactions to bee stings, mild to severe anaphylaxis may occur.

3.) Organic Oranges

Oranges are naturally a high source of:

• Antioxidants, like Vitamin C and Flavonoids
• B vitamins
• Vitamin A
• Potassium

But vitamin C is where I want to direct your attention.

While there are hundreds of studies available that support the intake of fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C, in my opinion this one says it best:

“Vitamin C in humans must be ingested for survival.”

4.) Organic Lemons

Lemons have the amazing ability to support digestion, and more specifically hydrochloric acid production (adequate levels of HCl in the stomach are critical for the proper absorption and digestion of nutrients).

Plus, lemons contain large amounts of:

• Antioxidants
• Vitamin C, much like oranges
• Essential oils in the zest (peel)
• Citric acid, which really supports your body’s ability to detox.

As you can see, lemons are more than just something to squeeze in your water.

5.) Organic Onions

They not only make anything you cook taste better…

Onions contain several healing properties:

• Antioxidant compounds, like flavonoids
• Anti-inflammatory
• And contain ‘heart disease, cancer and diabetes protecting’ sulfur-rich compounds (necessary for the production of glutathione)

Speaking of antioxidants, onions have a high concentration of the beneficial polyphenol flavonoid quercetin (studied for its ability to prevent histamine release).

Researchers, in a 2012 study, published in the Journal of Medical Sciences, concluded that:

“Eight-week supplementation with quercetin-vitamin C was effective in reducing oxidative stress and reducing inflammatory biomarkers including CRP and IL-6.”

6.) Organic Horseradish

Horseradish, a member of the Brassicaceae family (think cruciferous vegetables like broccoli), has a pungent flavor.

You’ve probably used it as a condiment, however traditional cultures have used it for its inherent medicinal value, since (unbeknownst to them) it is such a big source of glucosinolates.

In fact, in this 2015 study, researchers showed that horseradish holds many anti-inflammatory properties and furthermore, this study looked at a high intake of cruciferous vegetables being…

“…associated with a reduced risk of cancer, particularly lung and those of the gastrointestinal tract. This protective effect has been linked to the presence of glucosinolates in these vegetables.”

7.) Organic Ginger

First and foremost, as Buhner explains, ginger is a synergist…

Which increases the actions of other herbs and boosts “their effectiveness by relaxing blood vessels and increasing circulation, thus carrying the active constituents of the other herbs more efficiently throughout the body.”

Stephen goes on to say that ginger has the following properties and uses, among others:

• Antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral
• Anti-inflammatory
• Antiarthritic
• Stimulation of the immune system

Some other great uses for ginger:

• Reduce nausea and diarrhea
• Pain relief
• Reduce fever and chills
• Thin mucus and help move it out of the sinus cavities

Gingerol, a cousin of capsaicin and piperine and the active constituent of fresh ginger, has long been researched. In a study in 2011, researchers looked specifically at gingerol for its possible effectiveness against colon cancer. As with most plant-based trials, results point to further research, but they did provide much hope. They concluded that…

“…gingerol might be a new therapeutic agent i.e. anti-angiogenic agent for the better treatment of human colon cancer, for that further research on gingerol is essential.”

Another peer-reviewed study from Sept 2015, published in PLOS, shows the effectiveness of another ginger component, 6-Shagaol, in inhibiting breast cancer cells, including the ever-elusive cancer stem-cells that most chemo can’t even touch. In fact, the researchers cited 6-Shagaol as being 1,000% more effective than chemotherapy.

The fact that these compounds are even being studied in this way says a lot about ginger’s potential healing benefits in the body.

8.) Organic Habanero Pepper

Habanero peppers, which belong to the chili pepper family (jalepenos, poblanos and bell peppers), are rated in the 3rd highest range on the Scoville scale for heat units. And it’s the active ingredient capsaicin that accounts for the fire you feel on your tongue when you eat them.

If you’ve ever tried a hot pepper, you know that a little goes a long way and that’s probably why it’s 8th on the ingredient list.

But the inclusion of hot peppers is a must. Because without them, we’d just have Mild Cider… and that just doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.

Anyway, I’d like to highlight here that capsaicin is included in many over-the-counter pain relief medications and has been researched quite extensively in the pain arena.

And one of the biggest reasons in my mind, if not the biggest reason, for including habanero peppers, though, is to increase internal body temperature and metabolism. That way you can work up a sweat and help detox the bad stuff faster.

9.) Organic Garlic

Garlic is another one of those foods that makes just about everything taste better. But its benefits don’t stop there…

A 2006 study, published in The Journal of Nutrition, states that:

“Garlic exhibits…

• Hypolipidemic, Antiplatelet, and Pro-circulatory effects
• Prevents cold and flu symptoms (through immune enhancement)

• And demonstrates anticancer and chemopreventive activities.”

Also, a 2006 Venezuelan study provides evidence of garlic’s healing properties, as..

“…ajoene is the garlic compound related to more biological activities, as showed in in vitro and in vivo systems. Those studies found that ajoene has antithrombotic, anti-tumoral,antifungal, and antiparasitic effects.”

As you can see, garlic’s claim to fame goes beyond its ability to ward off vampires and werewolves (more on these beasts later).

10.) Organic Turmeric

Turmeric contains approximately 3% curcumin by weight (the main active ingredient and polyphenol responsible for the yellow color) and curcumin has been gaining more and more attention in the world of research.

In fact, this article on turmeric and curcumin provides a thorough listing and description of several research-backed properties:

• Anti-inflammatory, Anti-cancer, Antioxidant
• Boosts Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor
• Helps reverse and prevent heart disease, arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
• Fights Alzheimer’s, Depression, and other age-related diseases

While turmeric is last on the list, it is definitely not least. In fact, it’s arguably one of the most important ingredients in Fire Cider.

Fire Cider’s Synergy: Preventative and Healing Potential

While each of these 10 ingredients has incredible healing powers on their own, the synergistic effect of combining them all together in one delicious daily shot is what makes Fire Cider such a phenomenal product, in my opinion.

In case you’re not sure, synergy is defined as…

“…the interaction or cooperation of two or more organizations, substances, or other agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.”

While further study of the power of Fire Cider’s ingredients would only be to our benefit, the information we do have – both scientific and anecdotal – supports the use of it for healing and promoting good health.

I’ll put myself out there, Fire Cider is synergy in a bottle.

Note: Not all ingredients may be tolerated at this point of your healing journey. If this applies to you, but you really want to give Fire Cider a try, I recommend creating your own variation at home using only ingredients you can have at this time.

10 Potential Health Benefits of Fire Cider (Synergy Speak Aside)

As you can see, Fire Cider can help you in a number of ways when it comes to your health. And as I’ve shared in my experience above, I’ve personally felt many of these effects.

Of course I’m not claiming it’s a cure-all, but what I am saying is that there’s a load of research, I’ve experienced its amazing benefits and it’s affordable.

There are likely more, but here are the 10 recurring health benefits I found as I analyzed the 10 ingredients above:

1. Supports immune function
2. Supports digestion due to:
   • natural enzymes contained in raw fruits, vegetables and ACV
   • probiotics
3. Supports detoxification
4. Anti-inflammatory
5. Anti-fungal
6. Anti-bacterial
7. Anti-parasitic
8. Anti-cancer and chemo-protective
9. Supports and boosts brain health
10. Supplies key essential vitamins

All of these potential health benefits are really exciting by themselves, but I’ve got a few more uses you might be interested in.

Fire Cider Is Extremely Versatile…

You could just drink Fire Cider straight out of the bottle if you wanted to, for the above preventive and curative properties, but Shire City Herbals has created a nifty graduated shot glass with doses for different goals and warns “Beware the Underdose.” These useful and time-saving shot glasses makes taking Fire Cider even easier:

You can even get an attachment for speed-pouring, like the health store that gave me my first shot had.

But speaking of shots, if you’re at a level of health where you can tolerate alcohol, you can even add a splash of Fire Cider to your cocktails. Here are just a few of the cleverly-named adult beverages I came across:

• The Fire Cider Hot Toddy
• Scorched Earth
• Fire on the Mountain
• And Volunteer Fire Department

If you’re of the DIY variety, and you have the time and resources to make your own Fire Cider, there are tons of recipe posts all over the web, including Katie the Wellness Mama’s “Spicy Cider.”

As a result of reading through several recipe posts myself, I discovered that you can use Fire Cider as a salad dressing (with or without olive oil) and use its unique flavor to zest up other foods. I imagine it would also make an awesome marinade for meat.

In Conclusion

This might sound a little biased, but Fire Cider is one of my favorite health promoting products I’ve ever come across. It’s on a whole different level at this point.

For the month following my nasty cold, I used Fire Cider at the ‘winter daily dose,”I loved the way it made me feel, and it will always be a go to in my “health toolbox.”

Anyway, if you’ve made it this far and you’re still a bit undecided about trying Fire Cider, I hope you follow the links throughout the article – I think they will help you make your choice.

If you don’t want to re-read the whole article, or you’ve skimmed along and just want some of the main take-home points, here’s a brief summary:

1. Herbal antibiotics, like Fire Cider, have been used for centuries. In fact, the origination of Fire Cider has been credited to Hippocrates’ vinegar-honey oxymel nearly 2500 years ago.
2. Fire Cider is a gluten-free, certified organic (aside from the local honey) and shelf-stable synergy of 10 powerhouse ingredients. (Not to mention, it tastes great.)
3. Science strongly suggests each of these 10 ingredients has multiple preventive and curative properties in the human body – some of these include:
   • Support for immune function, digestion, and detoxification.
   • Provides anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, antibacterial and antifungal qualities.
   • And may even help protect against cancers.
4. Fire Cider is versatile – you can take shots straight out of the bottle, spice up your salads or beverages, or use in many other fun ways.
5. When I was really sick, I took a tablespoon of Fire Cider every couple hours and instantly started getting better (when nothing else was working). This will for sure be a tool I keep in my arsenal for years to come.

While I’ve had a great experience with Fire Cider so far, I realize, like with anything, it won’t work for everyone.

But if you know you’re ready to give it a go, then here’s a link to get your first bottle of Fire Cider.

Have you ever tried Fire Cider? Have a unique story or alternative use to share? Or perhaps you’ve made it yourself and want to share your recipe. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the comments.

Let’s raise up our shot glasses and give cheers to health (with the added bonus of drinking something truly health promoting).

Enjoy!

-Brent

Disclaimers: We earn a small commission, if you use the product links on this page to purchase the products we mention. We only recommend products we would use or have used in the past. Your purchase helps support our site and ongoing research.

This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Pregnant or nursing women, we suggest speaking to your health professional about the safety of Fire Cider for your individual case. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of SCD Lifestyle or its staff.

The post The Science of Fire Cider and Oxymels for Health Improvement appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

I’m still always on a crusade to find one.

I think it’s a natural urge for all of us who really want amazing health, energy, and vitality to be on this quest for what I call ‘The Holy Grail of Health Products.’

For me, ‘The Holy Grail’ is a natural product that can solve many problems and does so equal to or better than the leading stand-alone product for that issue.

I’ve been constantly disappointed over the years.

That is until Frankincense Essential Oil recently saved me from the worst upper respiratory infection I’ve ever experienced!

I never get sick. My immune system is extremely balanced due to following the Solving Leaky Gut protocol. It’s like I’m surrounded by a protective force field. I never catch what’s “going around.”

Until I did.

And because I’m not used to being sick, my world crashed around me when it happened.

I Thought I Was Dying

I tried every natural cold remedy out there. Nothing was working.

After 7 days of no sleep and seemingly getting worse, I started to consider taking antibiotics… something that I really didn’t want to do.

My fever got so high that I think I was hallucinating…

And all of a sudden it came to me… Frankincense.

Although I have been using essential oils for years, I had never used Frankincense or even known anything about it other than it was a gift for the Baby Jesus.

I’d tried everything else, so even though I didn’t know if it would do anything… I decided to give it a try.

It took all the energy I had but I knew I had a bottle and found it. I rubbed the oil on my chest and started diffusing it right next to me on the couch where I was lying.

And then it happened… relief!!!!

It cleared my nasal passages and opened up my bronchial tubes so I could breath. That was truly amazing. But what really gave me the most relief was the calm peacefulness it brought over me.

I finally slept… it was blissful!

Over the next few days, I kept diffusing Frankincense oil in close proximity to where I was and rubbing it on my chest and under my nose. Quickly, I was better and started researching this divine oil. I wanted to know everything about it because I had never experienced anything like it.

I didn’t know it at the time but I had stumbled on the ‘Holy Grail of Health Products.’

What Is Frankincense Essential Oil?

Frankincense Essential Oil is made by distilling the resin of the Boswellia tree.

The history of this divine oil is fascinating. It has been referenced in ancient texts, dating back more than 5000 years. And it’s the most referenced oil in the bible. It shows up repeatedly in the works of important ancient healers, like Pliny, Dioscorides and Avicenna. It’s been touted to be beneficial for everything from skin conditions to dental disease, to respiratory issues and digestive troubles.

We all know it was given to the Baby Jesus by the three wise men. And Cleopatra used it to make her trademark eyeliner. This sacred and therapeutic oil has been worth more than gold for much of human history.

Properties of Frankincense Essential Oil

• Analgesic
• Antibacterial
• Anti-inflammatory
• Antiseptic
• Antidepressant
• Anticarcinogenic
• Astringent
• Stimulates the regeneration of cells
• Digestive aid
• Expectorant
• Immune balancer

6 Reasons Frankincense Is ‘The Holy Grail of Health Products’

1) Frankincense Essential Oil for Better Health

Frankincense has been used in health care throughout the ages, due to it’s powerful phytochemicals.

One in particular is Boswellic Acid. Many studies have shown its ability to act like a Cox 2 inhibitor to reduce inflammation in the body without the unwanted side effect of damaging the gut lining. Boswellic Acid reduces inflammation by blocking the lethal enzyme 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) and decreases the activity of human leukocyte elastase (HLE).

This makes Frankincense essential oil a great candidate to add to any autoimmune protocol for conditions such as:

• Crohn’s Disease
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Celiac Disease
• Hashimoto’s
• Rheumatoid Arthritis

And this goes beyond Autoimmune conditions. Basically any disease ending in -itis – a suffix used to denote inflammation – can be helped with the use of Frankincense.

Frankincense also contains compounds called sesquiterpenes, which have the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and deliver these powerful anti-inflammatory compounds to the brain. Thus, potentially protecting from diseases like Alzheimer’s and Multiple Sclerosis and reducing inflammation after brain trauma.

2) Frankincense Essential Oil for Beauty

Frankincense protects skin at the cellular level and therefore makes it an excellent candidate for all your beauty needs. It can improve skin tone, reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and large pores, and fade scars and stretch marks.

And it’s astringent and antibacterial properties make it great at busting blemishes and stabilizing sebum.

For clear and radiant looking skin, add a few drops of Frankincense to your favorite facial moisturizer. Or make your own beauty elixir by adding a few drops straight to sweet almond oil if you have normal to dry skin, or jojoba oil if you have oily skin.

Emperor Nero used it to hide the tell-tale signs of nights of debauchery, by dabbing Frankincense around his eyes. The oil firms the skin and reduces puffiness making it an excellent addition to any eye cream.

3) Frankincense Essential Oil for Anxiety and Depression

One of the active compounds in Frankincense is Incensole Acetate, a neuro-active chemical that has a profound effect on emotions. It’s believed to be able to communicate with the limbic system to influence the nervous system and has been shown in animal studies to relieve anxiety and depression.

Many report that Frankincense has the ability to stabilize mood – grounding and relaxing yet invigorating and elevating at the same time.

If you find yourself moving into a fearful or negative space, or dealing with a bout of anxiety or depression, try placing 2 drops under your tongue upon waking. You can rub the oil on the bottoms of your feet to reduce nervous energy.

Frankincense can also be very sedating, if used right before bed. To drift effortlessly into a restful sleep, diffuse Frankincense in your bedroom at bedtime. It’s also great at nap time for young children (who would rather be playing then napping).

4) Frankincense Essential Oil for Spiritual Connection

Frankincense has been used throughout history in religious ceremonies and rituals because of it’s ability to increase intuition and spiritual connection. This is largely due to the psychoactive properties of Incensole Acetate found in Frankincense.

This compound has been shown to have anxiolytic, anti-depressive, and sedative effects, which calms and lifts the mood – putting one in a perfect state for meditation.

Frankincense has also been recognized as a powerful mindfulness trigger. It’s warm, sweet smell can remind you to break out of an autopilot state and come back into awareness. If you use this consistently during times of meditation, prayer, journaling, or yoga, the pathways in your brain will start to remember and associate the smell with a time to be introspective and open the doors to spiritual awareness.

To add a boost to any spiritual or meditative practice, place a drop of Frankincense essential oil on your Third Eye Chakra, located in the middle of the forehead, just above the eyebrows or at the base of your neck. You can also diffuse the oil in the area of your practice.

5) Frankincense Essential Oil for Aches and Pains

The anti-inflammatory properties of Frankincense have been shown to decrease joint pain, muscle soreness, and arthritis.

A study was done showing that an extract of this natural painkiller reduced the pain of osteoarthritis patients, after just 7 days of treatment.

To soothe sore muscles or body pains, if you have a chronic condition, or after strenuous workouts, athletic events, or just a long day, massage the essential oil directly into sore muscles and joints. Just add a few drops of Frankincense to a carrier oil, like fractionated coconut oil or shea butter, and rub where needed.

Or go for my favorite pain-busting ritual… an Epsom Salt Bath with Frankincense Essential Oil. Epsom salt baths alone are amazing to soothe sore muscles and relax the body, but adding Frankincense oil takes it up a whole ‘nother notch!

6) Frankincense Essential Oil for Cancer

Frankincense is creating quite a buzz in the area of cancer research. And we might just find out it’s truly ‘The Holy Grail of Health Products.’

Scientist and healers have turned the world upside down looking for a cure for cancer. And while breaking down cancer research is outside the scope of this post, if this is a crusade you are on, I highly encourage you to check out the research being done on Acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid (AKBA) – a compound found only in Frankincense.

Major funding is being pumped into this research and the results are downright impressive – showing high efficacy in treating breast, bladder, colon, skin, stomach, and pancreatic cancers.

Not All Essential Oils Are Created Equal

Are you ready to join me in the Frankincense fan club? Run out to your local health store? Buy them out?

Well, hold your horses… we need to talk about quality first.

Not all essential oils are created equal and some can be downright dangerous for you!

In the United States, we don’t do a great job of regulating essential oils…

So the responsibility is yours to know what you’re buying and who you’re buying from.

You want to look for third-party tested, therapeutic grade, 100% pure essential oils, not synthetic or diluted. Synthetic oils might smell good but they contain no phytochemicals and are not natural or beneficial to the body.

I’ve looked long and hard to find what I think is the BEST essential oil company on the planet and I’ve granted that distinction to Rocky Mountain Oils (RMO).

Rocky Mountain Oils (RMO) was created by a bunch of health nerds… just like me!!! They are formulating expertly crafted blends and the purest single essential oils available on the market.

They’re on a mission to develop essential oils that are pure and safe for the entire family to use. And they’re doing a darn good job!

I also chose them as my go to essential oil source because their commitment to quality is unmatched by any other essential oil company in the market with their S.A.A.F.E. Promise and 100% Guaranteed Satisfaction of Quality.

They also do third-party GC/MS testing. This is to ensure their oils don’t contain any diluents, contaminants or adulterants, so you can be confident in the quality of your purchase.

Varieties of Frankincense Essential Oil

There are several different varieties of Frankincense essential oil and I’ve tried them all. What makes them different is the levels of active phytochemicals they contain. They all smell great, but if you’re looking to use Frankincense therapeutically, you’ll want to make sure you’re choosing a variety high in the phytochemicals we’ve spoken about.

My choice is Sacred Frankincense.

Sacred Frankincense (Boswellia Sacra) can only be sourced from Oman, a country by Saudi Arabia. The boswellia trees in this area yield a higher quality of resin, and when extracted produces a better oil.

Boswellia serrata and Boswellia carterii are the other varieties I like, but only for skin care. I don’t see the same immune and emotional balancing qualities I’ve experienced with Sacred Frankincense.

Since Sacred Frankincense is the highest quality variety of Frankincense on the market, you will notice that it is slightly more expensive than other varieties. But remember, you get what you pay for and you’ll need a whole bottle of other varieties to get the same powerful punch you get from a few drops of Sacred Frankincense.

Conclusion

This Wise Man’s cure-all has been touted through history for it’s medicinal, spiritual, and cosmetic properties. And 100s of scientific studies validate what so many ancient healers knew as reality – that Frankincense is truly ‘The Holy Grail of Health Products.’

Today, we use Frankincense for more than just our first aid, beautifying, and religious needs. We are seeing it used quite successfully for more complex issues, like chronic inflammatory conditions, autoimmune diseases, major stress and anxiety reduction, and it’s even becoming a rising star in cancer research.

In ancient times, stories were told to the masses that Frankincense trees only grew in the most dangerous deserts and were guarded by dragons who would annihilate them if they sought to collect the precious resins on their own.

Fortunately, today we don’t have to go out and slay any dragons for this sacred oil. There are amazing companies, like Rocky Mountain Oils, crossing the deserts and crafting some of the most therapeutic varieties of Frankincense essential oils for us.

So… if all else fails, rub some Frankincense on it!

Do you have experience using it? Tell me in the comments below.

-Christine

The post 6 Reasons Frankincense Is ‘The Holy Grail of Health Products’ appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

Her eyes were swelling up in tears, and there I was looking at a tiny arm with a large, swollen red area. Sure enough, my daughter had been stung by a bee, and needless to say she wasn’t too happy about it.

I proceeded to do what I always do when something goes wrong – I applied ice, followed by some cortisone cream and hoped it would at least become manageable before bedtime.

Wrong. And I felt horrible.

We unfortunately struggled with the redness and swelling for several days until a friend suggested tea tree oil.

I’ll admit I was skeptical. I thought to myself, “What could THIS do for a bee sting?” as I held it in my hand and stared at the label…

I applied it just as she suggested, and within a few hours that tiny little arm was of normal color and we got some much needed rest that night.

I don’t like to use the words “miracle” or “cure,” but if there was ever a time when it might be applicable, it was that day.

Tea tree oil is one of the most powerful and well-studied essential oils on the market today, with over 300 scientific studies referring to its antimicrobial capabilities alone. Scientific research backs what we have known for a long time: tea tree oil is a powerful, natural tool for health.

A Rediscovered Ancient Wisdom

While pharmaceuticals have been around for about a 100 years, our ancestors relied on essential oils for first aid problems before that.

Aboriginal tribes in Australia have known of the tea tree’s healing qualities for thousands of years, primarily using it for it’s antiseptic properties and prized healing ability.

During World War II, Australian soldiers were issued this natural oil as one of the prime components in their first aid kits.

The commercial tea tree oil industry originated in the 1920s when Arthur Penfold, an Australian, reported that tea tree oil had promise as it exhibited powerful antiseptic properties. Upon disclosing his discovery, scientists began testing and conducting research on the oil’s properties.

The profound results made their way into medical and scientific journals of the day, concluding that tea tree oil was a near perfect antiseptic. Mechanization, established in the 1970’s, allowed for the large scale production of tea tree oil that we’ve come to know today.

What Is Tea Tree Oil?

Tea tree oil, also known as melaleuca oil, is a yellowish colored essential oil that is made from the leaves of the plant Melaleuca alternifolia (native to Australia). The oil is steam-distilled, which uses low pressure and temperature that ultimately results in an oil that is pure. This is how ancient cultures distilled oils for thousands of years, which proved to be important for potency and efficiency.

And the potent nature of tea tree oil makes for an extremely cost efficient product.

One bottle this tea tree oil, when applied with a carrier oil, provides 50 oz of solution, compared to popular topical creams which typically provide 1 oz of solution for the same price.

Tea Tree Oil Is Safe and Easy to Use

Applying tea tree oil with a carrier oil provides a safe and effective way to use the product. Fractionated coconut oil is an all-natural carrier oil that readily absorbs into the skin, making it ideal for topical therapies. It is completely soluble with all essential oils and is colorless, odorless, and will not stain or go rancid.

While regular coconut oil can also be used, it is not quite as convenient. Regular coconut oil is solid at room temperature, making it hard for mixing and leaves a greasy feeling on the skin.

Fractionated coconut oil serves 3 purposes:

1. Provides a medium that helps increase absorption of the tea tree oil into the skin.
2. Helps spread the oil over a larger surface of the skin
3. Lowers the chance of skin irritation

Basic Tea Tree Solution Recipe: A 1% dilution is recommended for children 6 years and older.

To prepare this dilution, add 1 drop of tea tree oil per teaspoon of carrier oil. You can do it at home or you can buy pre-made solutions.

Variations of this basic solution enable treatment of several of today’s common skin issues. As a mom with small children, I’ve found tea tree oil solutions to be one of my best friends.

Any Mom’s 7 Favorite Uses for Tea Tree Oil

Personally, I don’t want to expose my kids to pharmaceuticals and toxins if possible, so I’ve tested tea tree oil in many ways. The following are my favorite seven…

1.) Disinfectant/Hand Sanitizer

This recipe is perfect for those times when washing with soap and water isn’t an option. I like to carry a bottle in my diaper bag, purse, and gym bag. I even shared it with my child’s teacher to utilize at school.

Ingredients:

• 25-30 drops of tea tree oil
• 9 drops of lavender oil
• 9 drops of clove oil
• 1 tablespoon of witch hazel (optional)
• 16 tablespoons (8 ounces) aloe vera gel

Directions:

Combine 9 drops of both lavender and clove oil, along with 25-30 drops of tea tree oil. Stir together and add 16 tablespoons (8 ounces) of aloe vera gel along with 1 tablespoon of witch hazel (if you’re going to use it).

Blend together, add to container (old hand sanitizer bottles work well) and store out of direct sunlight in a cool place for up to 1 month.

Tip: Does not have indefinite shelf life due to the lack of concentrated alcohol content store-bought hand sanitizers have.

2.) Cuts/Scrapes

A cut can be painful, but not compared to that of an infected one. Tea tree oil has been used for centuries to heal cuts and scrapes.

Directions:

Prepare a 1% dilution by adding 1 drop of tea tree oil per teaspoon of carrier oil.

Clean the area first with water and apply solution every 2-3 hours. Be sure to cover the perimeter of the wound to help combat a possible infection. A bandage should also be applied if your child is headed outside to play or going to be coming into contact with soil.

Tip: For deeper cuts and scrapes, please use your judgement and consult medical attention if necessary.

3.) Insect Bites

Have you ever been on a hike with your kids and forgot bug spray? It’s happened to me and I was left with 2 cranky, itchy children. Thankfully, tea tree helps to relieve the redness, swelling, and irritation bug bites leave behind.

Directions:

Prepare a 1% dilution, by adding 1 drop of tea tree oil per teaspoon of carrier oil and apply to cleansed, affected area every 2-3 hours as needed.

Tip: Insects hate tea tree oil, so I love to use this as a natural bug repellant as well.

4.) Sunburn

Kids and sunburns don’t mix, yet it can be easy to forget that one little spot on your child’s arm. Here’s how to relieve the burning, itching, redness and peeling that can accompany sunburn:

Ingredients:

• One part tea tree oil
• 8 parts coconut oil
• 8 parts aloe vera- (juice from the plant is best)

Tip: Aloe Vera acts at the epithelial level of the skin to help protect and replenish its moisture. If you have access to an aloe vera plant, here’s a quick one minute video on how to extract the juice.

Directions:

Mix all ingredients and apply solution to affected area at least 2 times per day and after each shower/pool session.

5.) Acne (teenage children)

Choosing a product to treat acne can be extremely overwhelming, but tea tree oil is proven to be effective.

“Because tea tree is a natural antibacterial and antiseptic, I have had great success using it topically for skin conditions like acne and dermatitis.” –Dr. Tanda Cook, ND

Directions:

Add 1-2 drops of tea tree oil to a damp cotton ball and apply to the affected area once per night before bed. Leave for a few minutes and rinse with water.

Tip: Skin may be sensitive to direct sunlight after use. Use caution as necessary. Use with Manuka honey for an amazing skin care regimen.

6.) Eczema

The prevalence of childhood eczema in the U. S. and across other countries is on the rise. While tea tree oil is not a cure, its antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antiseptic qualities are scientifically proven to be outstanding in relieving the symptoms.

Directions:

Prepare a 1% dilution by adding 1 drop of tea tree oil per teaspoon of carrier oil and apply to cleansed, affected area 2-3 times per day. (Triple the recipe for larger areas.)

Increase the amount of carrier oil used if your child has sensitive skin or typically reacts to new substances.

Tip: Learn more about the root cause of eczema and why it may be occurring in your child.

7.) Diaper Rash

“I use tea tree oil on a regular basis for my patients. It is the most common oil I use and the first recommendation I make for parents to use on their children, especially for diaper and skin rashes.” ~ Ali Schweitzer, D.C.

The combination of tea tree oil and coconut oil works particularly well for yeast diaper rashes. This type of rash is characterized by well-defined borders, extreme redness, and lesions a slight distance from the main rash. It can be hard to get rid of and regular ointments didn’t cut it for me.

Directions:

Mix 5 drops of tea tree oil with 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and apply to affected area after each diaper change.

Tip: Increase the amount of coconut oil (carrier oil), if your child has sensitive skin.

The Drawbacks…

Undiluted tea tree oil may cause skin irritation (redness, itching, rash) in a small fraction of people. Using a carrier oil to dilute the solution can help minimize these reactions, by reducing the amount that penetrates the epidermis (outer layer of the skin).

This PDF report, produced by the Australian government, does a great job explaining the details around skin irritation, sensitization, and penetration when using tea tree oil.

Like most products, there are several cautions and warnings to be aware of:

• Children should NOT ingest
• Test on a small part of the body, prior to application
• Consult your healthcare provider for babies younger than 6 months (or if you have any questions or concerns)
• Keep away from open access to kids and babies
• Do not apply near the eyes or nasal passages and use caution when applying to deep/more serious wounds that need medical attention

Why I Choose Rocky Mountain Oils

If you’ve ever conducted any type of Google search on essential oils, you’ll find an overwhelming amount of information. There are a tons of options available, from inexpensive ones at your local grocery story to expensive ones sold exclusively through private distributors.

I chose Rocky Mountain Oils based upon 3 variables, including quality, affordability, and the company’s customer service.

1.) The fact that this direct-to-consumer company details the entire process of sourcing, sampling, testing, and analyzing the oils speaks volumes.

The oils are 100% Guaranteed Satisfaction of Quality (100GSOQ), and upon request the company will provide customers with GC/MS (Gas Chromotography – mass spectrometry) test results from a verified third-party, independent lab.

(To view the actual GC/MS test for your oil, simply enter the unique batch number found on the bottom of your bottle on this page, and click submit.)

2.) A 15mL bottle of Rocky Mountain Tea Tree Oil costs less than other major brands. Not to mention, all domestic orders ship for free.

3.) I have high standards for customer service (it’s what I do for my day job), so the option to chat with a live person in addition to the 90-day money back guarantee refund policy makes me a happy customer.

The customer reviews for tea tree oil speak for themselves…over 80 reviews with a 5-star rating.

If you’re skeptical, like I was, I can see why. When it comes to the health of our children, we’re often overwhelmed with information that can lead to frustration and uncertainty.

After a bit of frustration myself, I’ve put this oil to the test… and there is one thing I’m sure of: it works!

I suggest you try it – you won’t be disappointed.

The smile I get when applying this chemical-free oil on my children’s skin (and knowing it’s going to work) is priceless. You no longer have to feel guilty for using products with ingredients you can’t pronounce.

From one mom to another, I want you to smile too:)

-Lori Jo

The post 7 Uses of Tea Tree Oil for Kids’ Skin Problems appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

Recently, we talked about how important polyphenols are for health.  

We forgot to talk about one of the biggest sources almost everyone with a gut issue can eat and should eat — Olive oil.

Olive oil seems to have been forgotten.  

Why use it when there are all these other fats: coconut oil, avocado oil, animal fats? (Experts on the internet coo.)  

There are lots of reasons, including that it tastes way better on certain dishes and many of the blue zones (areas where people live over 100 regularly) consume a ton of it.

There’s people who don’t use olive oil anymore because they don’t think it’s heat stable to cook with, or because they think it contains the wrong kind of fat. Both of those are just theories and there’s plenty of ideas on how both are FALSE.  

I think olive oil is delicious, healthy and a great addition to anyone’s diet. I enjoy it regularly, cook with it 20% of the time and honestly think it tastes WAY better than coconut oil.  

Of course, that assumes you’re buying high-quality, non-rancid oil, which I’ve found to be extremely confusing and hard. In fact, if you think olive oil tastes kind of like canola oil or other manmade toxic oils (rapeseed, vegetable oil, soy, etc) — then it’s highly likely you’ve never actually tasted real olive oil.

How to Get Real Olive Oil

Visit any supermarket, gourmet store, or corner grocery and you’re likely to find an intimidatingly large selection of olive oils. Go online and the options multiply a hundredfold. Talk about a paradox of choice! I’ve spent what feels like hours in those aisles trying to figure out what bottle of olive oil to buy.

One of the reasons I would spend so much time on this decision is because the olive oil industry has taken a ton of flack since the UC-Davis study from a few years ago discovered that up to 69% of olive oil labeled “extra virgin” on supermarket shelves was fraudulent.

If the oil is fake, then it will likely not only taste like junk but also be harmful to my health, so it’s worth taking some extra care to figuring this out.  

It’s kind of like figuring out who has the best eggs or sauerkraut or beef near you. It takes some time but once you figure it out the work is so worth it.

How can you choose the most nutritious olive oil for yourself and your family and avoid being duped?

8 Olive Oil Buying Cheat Sheet Tips

Use the tips below to help you buy authentic extra virgin olive oil with confidence:

1. The Olive Oil Secret: freshness is key to flavor and nutritional value. Forget about “use by” or “best by” dates. Look specifically for a harvest date on the label. Be suspicious of bottles that don’t include this information, as many don’t. Unlike wine, olive oil does not improve with age. Anything over a year old is past its prime.
2. Purchase olive oil from a retailer that has a fast turnover. This increases the likelihood that the oils are fresh. (There is even a special club that ensures the delivery of fresh-pressed olive oil once a quarter, whose oils are guaranteed to be extra virgin from the latest harvest.)
3. Always buy olive oil certified to be “extra virgin.” The terms “pure” or “light” indicate that the oil did not meet international standards for “extra virgin” and has been chemically refined to mask defects. Also, ignore terms like “cold-pressed” or “first-pressed.” They are meaningless in today’s olive oil industry.
4. Buy olive oil in dark glass bottles, tins, or other opaque containers. Clear glass bottles might be aesthetically pleasing, but they do not protect the oils from natural or artificial light. (Prolonged exposure to light hastens deterioration of the oil.) At home, store olive oil in a cool, dark place – not next to the stovetop.
5. Look for the country of origin on the label. Spain, Italy, and Greece may be the world’s largest producers, but high-quality olive oils are also being produced in Chile, Australia, the US, Argentina, South Africa, New Zealand, and even Croatia. You can maximize the freshness of olive oils in your kitchen by seasonally alternating your purchases between countries in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. (In September, for example, oils from the Southern Hemisphere are the freshest in the world. In January, the freshest oils will be from the Northern Hemisphere. Here is a source – the only one we know of that procures olive oils according to the global harvest schedule.)  
6. Find the olive oils that create a peppery tickle in the back of your throat or even induce a cough or two. This reaction is common when the oils are fresh and their polyphenol levels (natural antioxidants) are high. If you are not experiencing a certain pepperiness and bitterness with the oils you use, they are likely old, rancid, or fake.
7. Look past the packaging – fancy bottles mean nothing, and price is not always an indicator of quality. However, high-quality olive oil with character and personality will not be cheap: a lot of labor and expertise go into creating an excellent product. Winners of international olive oil competitions will almost always feature these honors prominently on their labels. Gold and silver medals are especially prestigious, as they mean the oils’ producers have been recognized for their excellence by trained palates.
8. When you try an oil, know that color is not a predictor of flavor. A golden-hued oil will not necessarily be buttery tasting. An intensely green oil would seem to suggest pepperiness and pungency, but might be very mild on the palate. Even judges fall prey to color prejudices, which is why professional tasters use color-obscuring tasting glasses, usually blue or brown.

Above all, remember lesson #1, the biggest thing that matters for olive oil is FRESHNESS! And a peppery or bitter tasting oil is one of the biggest indicators of freshness.

If you’d rather sit back and put olive oil buying on autopilot (which is what I did), then I’d love for you to get a complimentary bottle of some of the best in the world (while supplies last).  

Click here to grab a complimentary bottle of the Olive Oil that I use – for just $1 to help cover shipping and handling.

Do you have brands you trust? Please tell me what they are and why you trust them in the comments below.

-Steve

The post How to Avoid Buying Fake and Rancid Olive Oil appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

It’s rare for me to meet practitioners who “Get it” – who have gone as deep as I have in the rabbit holes of food, gut health and overall body health.

It’s even more rare for these people to be educators…

Which is why I’m really excited to introduce you to a friend of mine, Andrea Nakayama. We’ve grown closer over the last year and it’s time for you to learn from her wisdom.

This post is for patients and practitioners alike and speaks to a problem that I’m seeing very frequently these days.

[Enter Andrea]

If, as you likely know by now, you are 90% bacteria and 10% human, just who (or what) are you feeding when you sit down to your morning meal?

Honestly, it’s not a trick question.

And if you think about it with that data in mind (shall I say it again? 90% bacteria and 10% human), I believe you know the answer. Your breakfast is mostly feeding your bacteria. And that goes for your lunch, dinner and snacks too.

Yet bacteria aren’t just good or bad. As Michael Pollan stated in a 2013 NY Times Magazine article called ‘Some of My Best Friends are Germs’:

These bacteria, which number around 100 trillion, are living (and dying) right now on the surface of my skin, on my tongue and deep in the coils of my intestines, where the largest contingent of them will be found, a pound or two of microbes together forming a vast, largely uncharted interior wilderness that scientists are just beginning to map.

And while, yes, we are still learning more each day (mapping what’s going on with those microbes and how they influence our states of health and illness, from gut to brain and immunity to pain), it’s not too early to chart new territory on the dietary front, to look at what we can do in the face of so many unknowns.

It’s critical that you keep your bacteria happy

Without healthy bacteria, your body is 90% unhappy. This can look like irritable bowel symptoms, joint pain, mood and memory issues, immune challenges, or all of the above!

I learned this first hand, as both a clinician and a patient. We are after all patients at one time or another in our lives, and my personal health journey started in earnest when I realized I had autoimmune hypothyroidism, or Hashimoto’s, and where there was a deep connection between my unhappy gut, my sluggish thyroid, and my hyperactive immune system.

Foods I thought were healthy were creating downstream symptoms for me. And not just the classic offenders, like quinoa or millet, but foods like eggs and pecans, cranberries and honey. The trouble was, my system wasn’t healthy enough to process certain foods that were nourishing to others — even when they fell into the realm of a healing protocol. I was reacting at a deep level to seemingly disparate foods — foods that defied any therapeutic categorization — and I didn’t even know it!

I see this all the time

As a functional nutritionist and educator, our clients show up with adverse reactions to healthy foods, so much so that they’ve limited their dietary diversity to the point where they’re triggering additional nutrient deficiencies. They understand quite clearly that food is medicine, and are baffled as to why so much of what they eat feels anything but medicinal!

Part of the problem is that we all need to shift our focus from food or diet as magic-bullet medicine to food as one of the many interrelated components that work together to create wellness. In my trainings to thousands of practitioners, I call this the “key and lock” approach — where food is a key, but what specifically are we trying to unlock in the body?

Another part of the problem is that we’re missing many foods that can heal the most pivotal system in the body, the system that is literally at the root of all our health woes — the digestive system. As you well know, without digestive health, your body simply cannot reap the benefits of all the good food you eat and it becomes a challenge to do some of the deeper explorations that we all want to do to feel our best (hormone and neurohormone balancing; immune management, and addressing genetic variants, to name just a few!).

The most important thing we can do…

You guessed it, it’s time to start eating for gut health — your unique gut health! — by feeding your microbiome with polyphenol-rich foods.

As a clinician, one of the biggest areas of focus for me falls into the realm of repairing a damaged ecosystem from its many potential insults (antibiotic use, C-section births, bottle feeding, stress or other environmental factors that serve to disrupt or cause alterations to our ecosystem). If you’re a practitioner, you likely encounter this in your practice as well, and if you’re not, you may be nodding your head with awareness of these offenses anyway.

Eliminating potentially troubling foods and repairing the barrier systems of gut integrity are often the first steps. The tricky part is when that’s not enough. And the truth is, it’s often not enough. Complex health challenges are now the norm.

In order to rebuild a healthier ecosystem, we need to consider the role, the make-up and the diversity of the microbiota. And we need to expand our protocols and take our work back to the table, using good old-fashioned foods to encourage the proliferation of beneficial bugs.

Many of these provocative foods are ones that are classically considered healthful anyway (like apples!). Yet it’s easy for us to overlook or dismiss their importance in our daily regime, and focus instead on the next pill (pharmaceutical or nutraceutical), dietary protocol or recommended practitioner that will help to shift the terrain.

Truth be told, for many of us with chronic conditions and leaky gut, it often takes an army of helpers. We need to support the practitioners and the pills with what we put on the table each day. This is where you become the hero of your own health journey. And to support your heroic and gutsy endeavors in functional self-care, there’s one class of microbiome-fueling foods that I don’t want you to forget:

What Are Polyphenols?

Polyphenol may be a crazy sounding word, but don’t neglect its sobering significance. Some of your good bugs’ best friends may be polyphenols!

This class of micronutrients acts as both an antioxidant and selectively encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria. Polyphenols are naturally occurring chemical compounds found in many of your favorite foods (like blueberries and red wine) and they act like a fertilizer for your microbiome.

Recent studies have documented that dietary polyphenols contribute to the upkeep of intestinal health, by maintaining the gut microbial balance through the stimulation of the production of beneficial bacteria and the inhibition of pathogenic bacteria. With a healthy microbiome, your body can actually better break down the nutrients you’re eating, which is your first step on the road to wellness. These polyphenols really do pack quite a punch!

Where Can I Find Polyphenols?

Polyphenol-rich foods are easy to include in your diet, and your belly (and your immune system) will love them.

SCD-friendly Polyphenol-rich foods include:
• apples (whole, including skins)
• blueberries
• plums
• cherries
• black elderberry
• hazelnuts
• chestnuts (but not chestnut flour)
• red wine (if you can tolerate it)
• resveratrol
• pomegranate
• weak black tea
• peppermint tea
• curcumin and other spices
• and my favorite, green tea!

Of course there are more, but this is a great start.

How do these polyphenols feed my bacteria (and help me feel better)?

The portion of these foods that is beneficial to your inner ecology is the part that your body doesn’t digest at all. Remember, we’re feeding the germs to help feed you.

The undigested parts of the polyphenol-rich foods that make it to the colon are broken down by your gut bacteria into metabolites that increase the good guys and decrease the bad guys, helping create a healthy microbiome.

The beneficial effects of dietary polyphenols are due to metabolites formed in the gastrointestinal tract. This is where it really is about where the food meets the physiology — where the list of polyphenol rich foods interacts with your existing inner ecology and helps to fortify it.

And with a healthy inner ecology comes less pain, more energy, better moods, a happier belly and more balanced immunity. Ultimately, it allows for more dietary variation and tolerance as well! Sweet relief.

Several of these polyphenol-rich foods, including green tea (admittedly my favorite), also have anti-microbial and anti-biofilm activity, supporting the inhibition of yeast overgrowth like Candida albicans and the formation of bacteria like E. coli, from disrupting the balanced microbiota population. In addition, phenolic compounds can act as metal chelators during times of heavy metal stress.

Now I’m not about killing any birds with any stones, but I am in favor of allowing food to multi-task for me and these polyphenol-rich foods do just that

So let’s get cooking! Here’s an easy, gut-friendly snack recipe for feeding your bacteria:

_____________________________________________________

Gut Feeding Recipe

lemon-infused green tea gummies
ingredients
2 cups water
4 bags green tea
3 Tbsp. grass-fed gelatin
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. raw honey
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. minced fresh ginger (depending on how much you like ginger!)

Preparation:
In a small saucepan, heat water until boiling. Add green tea bags and steep tea for at least 5 minutes. Once the tea is ready, slowly sprinkle gelatin over the tea and allow it to “bloom” or dissolve. (The key is to add it slowly so it doesn’t get clumpy. Stir out any clumps with a whisk or fork or whirl the mixture for a few seconds in the blender. It will get frothy but it will work.) Add remaining ingredients to gelatin mixture in pan and stir until well combined. Pour mixture into a glass dish or individual ramekins. Chill for at least 45 minutes or until gelatin is set.

8-10 servings
_____________________________________________________

Putting it to practice

Over the years, I’ve built my functional nutrition practice around eight core pillars that create what I call The Art of Counseling. I’ve learned that my clients get better faster when I employ all eight because the how and the what of our eating is only one piece of the equation that delivers therapeutic results.

We don’t have the space here to dive deeply into all eight of the components that I attribute to my success as a clinician or that I teach in my school for practitioners, but let’s highlight the one pillar that’s most important for our discussion about polyphenols — instead of “food,” “diet,” or “nutrition,” it’s what I call “Where Food Meets Physiology.” It’s the intersection between the two; what’s consumed, and the biochemical response that actually matters. So many clinicians bypass this important understanding and intersection — focusing on either one or the other.

It’s a big mistake I see all the time

The question I always ask is what’s going on in there?

We have the textbooks that tell us what’s supposed to be going on in there, and the studies that tell us what’s likely going on in there based on a set of symptoms or diagnoses. But what I’ve come to know in my years of working with clients and teaching practitioners is this: in order to truly help the clients that need us, we must find out what’s actually going on in there. And it’s going to be different for every one of us, and for every person you see.

What’s going on in the person who’s sitting in front of me? What’s going on deep inside their physiology? What’s happening in the all-important synaptic cleft, where the food meets the physiology?

It’s not a single answer. There’s no “magic-bullet’ or quick-fix. This is where The Art of Counseling comes into play. It’s where you begin to practice functional nutrition, where you can begin to peel back the layers and start identifying the roots. It’s where the rubber meets the road — where it’s not just about what you eat, but how your body responds to what you eat.

Food is absolutely part of the stimulus, but how that stimulus responds inside each person’s body is something we need to learn and understand if we’re going to make the real differences in that person’s health. This is where the precept of bio-individuality is critical. For instance, the relationship we’ve been exploring between the polyphenol-rich foods and the gut microbiota isn’t a given; it’s a two-way street. The bio-availability of those dietary polyphenols is highly dependent upon and largely influenced by their degree of polymerization, a chemical reaction which itself is dependent upon the microbial population and composition.

There’s a real beauty to this reciprocity

Each sign, symptom or response to what we put into our mouths tells us more about that inner terrain. For us, specifically, or for our clients.

Ultimately, as a health practitioner, understanding the inner ecology and what’s going on in there allows you to be more effective in your ability to help people. It allows you to be a more transformative leader in the field. It enables you to provide the best guidance and support for the person, not the precept (of a diet or a diagnosis) alone. It allows you to be the ‘last best stop’ for people who have tried everything, just as I have been.

Does that bio-individuality end with the digestive tract and the make-up of the microbiome? Of course not! We need to take all of this a step further; there’s an art to how we work with the biome and with the host. (That host is you!)

If you’re a healthcare practitioner and you want to take that step into The Art of Counseling with me, come join me for a free Client 911 Power Jam. I’m going to be reviewing cases from my students’ most difficult patients. We’ll explore the intersection between food, physiology, and the critical skill set that will enable you to see the biggest results in your most challenging cases, just as I have.

Join me and we’ll start the conversation together:

Client 911 Power Jam: The Art of a Successful Nutrition Counseling Practice (for practitioners only)

I’m doing this at 3 separate times, because, as a practitioner, I know you are busy… so I’m trying my best to help you when you are free.

I look forward to seeing you there!

-Andrea Nakayama

Functional nutritionist and educator Andrea Nakayama is leading thousands of clients, students, and practitioners around the world in a health revolution focused on reclaiming ownership over one’s own health. Through Replenish PDX, she helps chronically ill people chart their path to recovery, and in her school for practitioners, Holistic Nutrition Lab, she teaches clinicians the science and art of a functional nutrition practice.

Andrea’s a co-producer of the Hashimoto’s Institute, has been featured in O Magazine and Martha Stewart’s Whole Living, and is the recipient of the 2015 Impact Award from the National Association of Nutrition Professionals.

Her passion for food as personalized medicine was born from the loss of her young husband to a brain tumor in 2002, and Andrea is now regularly consulted as the nutrition expert on medical teams for the toughest clinical cases in the practices of world-renowned doctors.

Citations:

Up-regulating the Human Intestinal Microbiome Using Whole Plant Foods, Polyphenols, and/or Fiber Kieran M. Tuohy, Lorenza Conterno, Mattia Gasperotti, and Roberto Viola Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2012 60 (36), 8776-8782

Metabolomics View on Gut Microbiome Modulation by Polyphenol-rich Foods Sofia Moco, François-Pierre J. Martin, and Serge Rezzi. Journal of Proteome Research 2012 11 (10), 4781-4790

Antifungal Activity of Black Tea Polyphenols (Catechins and Theaflavins) against Candida Species. Sitheeque M.A.M, Panagoda G.J, Yau J, Amarakoon A.M.T., Udagama U.R.N, Samaranayake L.P. Chemotherapy 2009;55:189–196

The effects of tea polyphenols on Candida albicans: inhibition of biofilm formation and proteasome inactivation. Nikki A. Evensen, Phyllis C. Braun. Canadian Journal of Microbiology, 2009, 55:1033-1039

Effect of apple intake on fecal microbiota and metabolites in humans. Kenji Shinohara, Yuji Ohashi, Koh Kawasumi, Atsushi Terada, Tomohiko Fujisawa. Anaerobe. Volume 16, Issue 5, October 2010, Pages 510–515

The post Why Polyphenols Are Important and How They Feed Your Gut Bugs appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

Is it possible to never get glutened when eating out?

Anything is possible and I’ll show you the 100% way near the end of this article, but you may not like it.  

Let’s get clear on one thing first: 99% success is possible… you better believe it. But I have to warn you. If you want this kind of certainty, clarity, and success rate, you have to be willing to dive deep down the rabbit hole with me.

Are you willing?

Okay, great! Let’s go.

Why Do You Even Want to Eat Out?

Let’s be honest with ourselves. The reason to eat out is convenience and novelty. We want to save time, relax, and have someone else do the work. And other times it’s because we want an experience of new foods, new flavors, new people, and new environments.

And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Keeping this in mind will help you avoid your expectations not being meet.

For instance, if you are really craving new flavors and foods and you head out to the restaurant only to find out the only thing on the menu you can eat is salmon with sea salt and black pepper, you’re going to be let down every time.

But that same meal, if you really are just sick and tired of cooking and being in the house, can be a godsend reprieve.

So, get clear on why… are you going out to enjoy the company of the people you are meeting? Are you going out so you don’t have to cook? Are you going out because you are sick and tired of eating the same thing?  

This is the first key in having a great restaurant experience…

And a huge step in overcoming the fear of getting sick from restaurant foods.

Before you head out… let’s go deeper.

Step Into the Restaurant’s Shoes

I believe the first step to giving you the confidence to eat out is to step into a restaurant’s shoes and get clear what you are up against.  

For the best game plan, we must first understand the game.

So, here’s what to think about…

First, the restaurant industry has notoriously low margins… some of the lowest in all of the world. This means that they MUST use protocols, schedules, and systems to produce good tasting food without costing too much – so they can stay in business.

Any deviations from the norm costs them money and are against the training the staff gets…

Which means the industry in general traditionally has not wanted to cater to us gluten-free people. It’s not personal, it’s just how it’s always been done to stay in business.

Second, the cook, the person creating your food, will never meet you. At a chain restaurant or any lower tier restaurant, the cook isn’t typically even a truly trained pro. They are taught the systems and methods of that restaurant and that’s it. Many times, the only way they know how to make chicken is to marinate it in that gluten-filled sauce.  

They aren’t educated on foods, they aren’t experienced in making other meals outside of this restaurant’s staples. And so when you ask for a “special order,” it’s a genuine issue for many of them.  

Now, at a higher tier restaurant, where you have a professionally trained chef, things change. These men and women know what they are doing. They know in an instant how to change dishes by removing ingredients and still make them taste good. But you’re still messing with their money making system.  

Third, the waitress or waiter is typically either completely educated on gluten or actually has no idea. They are incentivized to care, which is good, but only to a point… since wages are very low in most restaurants and tips are how they pay their rent.

So… again, at restaurants that pay their staff more, use higher quality of standards and provide more of an experience,  you can expect to find the staff who are more educated, care more and understand special needs more.  

These are just the facts.  

And they are empowering, let me show you how…

Fail to Plan… Plan to Get Sick!

“I just want to forget about it and go out and relax and not think about food.”  

…Said by everyone who’s been gluten-free at some point. And guess what, that’s not going to work anymore – unless you like getting glutened and being sick.  

So, pull yourself out of any self-pity and sadness and be grateful that you even have the option and aren’t forced to eat rationed gluten bread and the bugs crawling on it. Because much of the world still does that.

If you don’t plan ahead… you’ll get sick.  

So, what does it mean to plan?

It means figuring out what restaurants in your area you would feel comfortable eating at. You need to do the research to understand how many options you really have, before you get there, before you say yes to any gatherings.

Here’s how to do that.  

Planning to Eat at Chain Restaurants

First, eliminate any chain restaurants that don’t advertise a gluten-free menu online. In many cities, this might cut out 80% of your options. The places like Applebee’s, Chili’s, and fast food restaurants are likely not what you are looking for.

Why?

Because you are not the customer they want. They have rigid food systems, they have the lowest wages and many times they don’t even cook the food on site, they just re-heat it.  

It’s super hard to do “special orders” when the food is already spiced, marinated and cooked someplace else.

If these restaurants do have a gluten-free menu, then the next step is to call the local manager and ask them the following series of questions.  

1. I noticed you have a gluten-free menu, I have severe Celiac, can you tell me how your cooks would prepare my meal in order to avoid any gluten contamination? Ask about pans, knives, different cutting areas but honestly you are really trying to feel their energy.  Does this restaurant actually care? Or are they interested in pleasing you to make money? Despite their corporate push for gluten-free, does the staff even know what it is?
2. Which of your meats are marinated or brined before cooking? Can you tell the ingredients of these marinades and brines? Go meat-by-meat, suddenly those mexican fajitas can sound awful when all the steak is marinated in gluten-filled Italian dressing.
3. If you have other food allergies, like dairy, soy, MSG, or whatever, now is the time to figure out which dishes are gluten + other things free.
4. Before you get off the phone, you better have a good understanding of which meats and which dishes you’d be willing to eat.  

Only a few years ago, this process would pretty much eliminate all restaurants in a medium-sized town. But corporations are waking up. It’s getting better.

So, there is hope, but you still need to do this for the 3-10 chain restaurants in town. Not sure if it’s a chain restaurant? Well, if an entree meal costs under $20 a plate and there’s a slick looking website… it’s likely a chain….

Which brings us to cost and upper scale places.

Money Matters (Eating at Upscale Places)

Here’s the truth, price matters. When the meal costs more, it’s typically a function of several things that play to your gluten-free needs.

Typically, higher prices mean:

• Higher quality food ingredients
• More diverse foods for the chef to work with
• More trained chefs
• Higher paid staff who care more

Now that doesn’t mean you’ll just be able to waltz into your local upscale steak joint and be just fine. It just means the odds are more in your favor.  

You actually still need to call them, talk to a manager and ask the same series of questions that you asked the chain restaurants.  

But if my experiences have taught me anything… the more I pay for the food, the higher the chance that I’m going to have a good experience. 

But don’t skip the investigating call.

Ordering in the Restaurant

Alright you’ve called ahead, you understand why you’re heading out tonight, now you’re at the table and the pressure is on. What do you do?

Start by ordering last. You want all your special requests fresh in the server’s mind.  

When it’s your turn to order, say something like this.

“Hi, I have severe Celiac disease and need my food strictly gluten-free. I called early and talked to your manager Jenny and we discussed that you guys could cater to my needs if I ordered the salmon cooked in it’s own pan with a side of broccoli and baked potato. She assured me that the cook could prepare this and cook it in it’s own pan. Can you do that? Can you verify that?”

Be courteous, be kind. Remember that the waitress/waiter has a desire to make you happy, so help them do their job with a smile.  

And lastly, leave a big tip. Remember, you are a special case and require everyone to cater to your needs so reward them. If not for them, but for the rest of us gluten-free eaters.  

Wouldn’t it be amazing if we all tipped so well that the restaurant staff got turned on by hearing I’m gluten-free because they knew they would be getting a 30% tip, instead of getting turned off because they had to work harder?

With all this said… sometimes the cook won’t care, the server will forget and they’ll bring you a plate with bread on it.  

The honest truth is because they don’t care as much about your special needs as you do. If you eat out enough, you’ll likely run into a problem sooner or later…  

Which is okay for most people once they get comfortable eating like this.  

But if not then there’s one other technique I can share with you.

The 100% No Gluten Method

Now, let’s say that you called the 10+ local restaurants and you don’t feel very confident in any of them. (Or the ones you do like are a bit to high priced for you.)

Does that mean you’re stuck eating at home, not going on dates, not meeting up with friends?

Actually, the answer is no.  

There’s a way to make sure you’re 100% safe but it’s just not what most people are willing to do. Here’s how to pull it off…

Option 1:  You cook your food ahead of time, bring it into the restaurant in a cooler, talk to the hostess and ask to speak to a manager. Tell them that you are extremely food-sensitive but you have a very important dinner to attend. Ask them to please heat your food up in their microwave and put it on a plate. Tell them you’ll be very generous in tipping your waitress/waiter.  

Option 2:  Eat ahead of time, go to the restaurant and meet up with your friends. Tell them you’re sorry you got way too hungry ahead of time and ate then. Then, order water, tea or coffee from the waitress/waiter and enjoy the environment and connection with your friends. Make sure you tip the staff well as you took up a spot in their restaurant and didn’t allow them to make the money they normally would.

I’ve watched Jordan do these 2 options over and over again in small town restaurants that just don’t even understand what gluten or Celiac disease is. Is it awkward? Sure, if you make it. But if you remember why you are going out… it all melts away.

All it takes is for you to believe that this kind of behavior is normal and what you expect. And quickly the restaurant manager and your friends will adopt your point of view.  

Now, if you say sorry all the time, or if you keep bringing it up – worrying if people are weirded out – guess what? They will be. To whatever degree you make it a problem, the rest of the world will too.

So, get clear on what your plan is, set your reason for going out and then bend the world to your point of view.  

The Cheat Sheet Summary

Alright, so let’s summarize this into a memorable package for your brain.  

1. Get clear on why you are going out to a restaurant
2. Call them ahead of time and ask the tough questions about their food and cooking methods
3. Order last, repeat the plan from the manager to the server, and tip very well regardless of taste of food
4. When in doubt, bring your own food and act like it’s normal (because in your world it is)

This system has served me and Jordan very well over the last 7 years. And it’s been used by 1000s of others we’ve taught it to.  

If you want the full details about eating out, getting rid of social anxiety and isolation, then I want you to purchase our Social Butterfly Program.

The science is clear, as humans we need connection with other humans. Pets are nice, TV doesn’t work and social networks are fake connection.  

We must hug, laugh, cry and spend time with real live people. And food is very woven into the fabric of our western social scene, which means you need to get the skills to protect your health and get out of the house.

It’s actually remarkably simple, freeing and fun, when you realize that your diet is NOT holding you back.

Get your social life back with the Social Butterfly Program.

Do you have any tips for eating out that I missed? I would love to hear them in the comments below.  

-Steve

The post How to Eat Out Gluten-Free and Never Get Glutened Again appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

“He who fails to plan is planning to fail.” ~Winston Churchill

Ahhh… that moment when you’re standing in the kitchen, staring blankly into the fridge. I often wonder what would happen if an arm suddenly reached out from inside and gave me something to eat. Usually, I end up eating something I shouldn’t.

Oh yes, the struggle with meal planning is real.  

One of the biggest issues I had in the beginning of SCD was figuring out what the heck to eat. I spent so much time in the first year figuring out what to buy, how to cook it, when to cook it, and how to save money… it was exhausting in and of itself.

You might be familiar with this…

Which is why I want to talk about meal planning today – who it’s right for, who it’s not for, and why I currently don’t do it.

How They’re Selling You Meal Planning

Save time! Save money! Don’t get bored with your food!

This is the conversation I see repeated over and over around the Internet: “If you have these meal plans, you’ll have delicious foods on the table, save hours of time, and stop wasting money.”

And this is usually true.  

A lot of chefs make meal plans that are filled with way more delicious recipes than I could ever dream of. No doubt if you plan your meals ahead of time and only buy what’s needed, you’ll save money in the long run.  

Get the plan out, buy what’s needed, cook what’s needed and get on with life. But I’ve got some big beefs with most meal plans.

Two Big Problems With Most Meal Plans

The first is I’m not a chef! I’m a dang good cook though. When I go for it, I make food that is typically as good or better than most restaurants in Boulder, which is saying something. In most cases, if you use high-quality ingredients and learn a few simple techniques, it’s not hard to make mouth watering food…

Which is why I get so annoyed when I see meal plan recipes that require 21 ingredients and 3 hours of cooking. Puuulllease!!!  

This is overcomplicating it and not saving me any money. In fact, it’s actually setting me up to fail because I’m probably not going to make that after I’ve been working hard all day and walk into the kitchen with my hungry pants on.

Secondly, and maybe this is too demanding, but I want meal plans that do something for me, like show me how to lose 10lbs in 4 weeks, how to save $50 a week, or stop my IBS issues.

I want to buy products that will get me closer to the results I want. Most meal plans are just not specific enough.

As you can see, I take issue with many meal plans I’ve tested, but here’s why they’re worth their weight in gold.

Have A Food System (So You Can Relax)

Let’s be honest, until you’re an experienced real food eater, picking your meals is a demanding, anxiety-filled struggle every single day.

Why? I believe it’s because there are so many skills that go into feeding ourselves – we underappreciate how complex it is to perform this daily adventure.

Beyond choosing what to make, there’s buying it, cooking it, eating it, cleaning it up, and monitoring how your body liked it.  

That’s 6 different skills!

So for starters, if you get upset just thinking about feeding yourself a real food diet, please give your body and mind some compassion that it’s not as “easy” as you might have assumed.

Next, begin to create a system so you can relax around these skills. For example, only go shopping two days a week (Sundays and Wednesdays are my usual). Create a rule that you always clean up the kitchen as soon as you’re done eating. Always say grace, pray, or use gratitude before eating.  

If you build in some systems in each area, life will become easier. And that’s where done-for-you meal plans like ours really shine.

Our meal plans are phased for 6 weeks so that you can just relax and build your custom diet (step-by-step based on your symptoms). They also include calorie amounts so that you know you’re getting enough (instead of guessing – which is how most people accidentally lose weight.

Other meal plans give you a system for beginning the diet.

Do you see the difference? These meal plans are a system that allow you to relax into them. Having a system that you know works and easily steps you towards your goals is really powerful.  

But having a system is just the beginning of why certain meal plans work and others don’t.

The Meal Plans Address A Specific Goal

I remember back in high school, I followed a “gaining mass” meal plan where I ate 4500 calories a day! And by the end of the summer I had gained 20 pounds of muscle and was ready for sports.  

In college, I tried something called the Velocity Diet (not an endorsement – this was way before I started trying to holistically get healthy). It’s basically nothing but protein shakes for 28 days to lose weight. Using that system and it’s progression, I lost 2.5 inches on my waist in 28 days.  

Now, I’m not encouraging anyone to do that – talk about some of the worst gas of my life! Not to mention it’s just plain unhealthy, because it lacks many of the nutrients the body and gut flora need.

But the point is meal plans that have a specific goal and step you towards it are priceless.  

Our done-for-you meal plans are designed to eliminate gas, bloating, cramping, and IBS issues as fast as possible. They let you relax into a food selection process so that you can rebuild your diet and figure out all your food allergies.

So the take home point is this: Meal plans can be the difference between achieving your goal and failing. They allow you to see the progression from one step to the next.

Meal Plans Stop Overwhelm

Each day, there’s only so much focus and decision-making power you have. In fact, even Obama knows this.  

We use a TON of decision-making energy on the food we eat every single day. One of the most common complaints we see in our community is, “I just don’t know what to eat!”

Meal plans can save your focus and decisions… that is, if they’re simple enough for you to follow them.  

Remember, there are 6 steps in feeding ourselves each meal. When Meal Planning is built around a system and oriented towards a goal, it frees up focus and mental fatigue.  

You know what you’re going to eat, day-by-day, meal-by-meal. Some may say this saves you time (maybe), but I think it really saves us focus and decision power.  

It allows us to direct our attention to other areas of our health.

For instance, let’s say you’re concentrating hard on a new supplement program or a meditation/gratitude practice. Adding these new healthy habits can be very draining… but offloading some of your decision-making power for a month can help ensure you actually get what you want achieved.

Why I Don’t Meal Plan Right Now

I don’t meal plan right now because I have 7 years experience eating real food. I’m feeling really good right now. But more importantly I have my own system that currently works for me.

In Boulder, I’m happy to have several amazing restaurants who cook great real food in less than a 5-minute walk (Blooming Beets, Salt, and Oak – just a few examples). I also have last-minute, safe meals that I have ready in my house. In short, my cooking skills, shopping, cleaning, health, and body are in a place where I don’t need strict meal plans.  

But I will in the future.

When my goals change… I’ll get another meal plan in place. Whether I want to test eating more carbohydrate, increase muscle mass, or do a new athletic event, I will likely adopt another goal-oriented meal plan again. Or maybe I’ll just get tired of making choices about food every day.  

In fact, when we got so busy building Solving Leaky Gut, I hired an amazing chef to just choose my meals for me and deliver them for 3 months. Otherwise, I’d end up eating junk and it hurt my health and productivity.  

So, right now I’m not using meal plans. But I will again soon, because I like systems with action steps towards my goals that free up my decision-making ability.  

If the meal plan actually saves me time, money, and tastes good… well that’s a bonus. But I can tell you I do not use the complicated meal plans. They just set me up to fail.

Should You Use A Meal Plan?

If you resonated with any of the 6 areas that meal planning can help your life in, then you should try one…

Especially if you’re looking to solve a problem (like cramping, gas, or bloating).  

I believe meal plans that are designed to help specific issues are a wise investment. It’s like having a coach with you every step of the way, day by day…  

Which is why we created our Mild Case and Tough Case meal plans.

They are specific meal plans, for specific people who want great results in their health – who want to lower decision fatigue and improve confidence by following a system.   

They aren’t complicated. In fact, if you want beautiful color photos and 5-star dishes then these are absolutely not for you.  

The food tastes great, but the goal is to get your digestion better not impress food critics.

In the end, meal planning is a big deal and if you’ve never tried it, you might not even know what you’re missing out on. I would really encourage you to try one in your life this month.  

Are there other benefits from meal planning you’ve noticed? Tell me in the comments below.

– Steve

The post 3 Underrated Reasons To Meal Plan (and why I’m avoiding it) appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

The real secret sauce of how I got healthy has a story behind it. It’s the honest truth about a magic pill that helped me heal my gut…

Don’t worry, it’s not a supplement or a special berry found in the rain forest.

And it’s probably not what you think.

It was 2008, and I was crying in a bathroom stall at work again. My boss was calling me on the Walkie Talkie, angry that I wasn’t helping troubleshoot a critical machine breakdown in the plant. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I was stuck on the toilet with Diarrhea again. He was tired of hearing it.

My job was in jeopardy because of my digestive problems.

The next morning I called Steve…  it was one of my lowest moments. He picked me up off the floor and dusted me off. We were going to beat this thing. We were going to Google until we found a way. I believed him… for some reason I knew he was right. Eventually, a stool test confirmed I had a parasite causing my cyclical diarrhea. Another breakthrough in my health. Without Steve there to support me, I probably would have given up.

There’s been so many times I’ve wanted to give up and just BE SICK… but in some way, shape, or form, my community always saved me. I’m humbled more and more with this simple truth:

I wouldn’t be healthy, and for that matter, I might not be alive today, if it wasn’t for the community that got me through it all.

Now we’re here together as part of this amazing community… going through this crazy healing journey with others who know what it’s like.

So today, I have some inspiration from members of this community to share with you… inspiration meant to motivate you to keep going another day – to keep working hard on your health… and more importantly, I have stories to give you hope – stories to show you that if you don’t give up, you CAN beat this sickness that’s got you down.

A Dose of HOPE – These Two Women are ROCKSTARS

If you’re reading this and feeling a bit lost, I’ve totally been there. I’ve lost hope approximately 4,350 times in the last 8 years. What always pulled me out and kept me going was HOPE – the hope I got from hearing from someone else who’s getting through the same stuff.

Here are stories from two radiant women in the Community who are literally changing their lives one day at a time. They are brave. They are beautiful. They are taking control of their health. I just can’t express with words how much I LOVE what they had to share with us:

Maria A. – The Mom who’s taking baby steps to solve leaky gut

“I wanted an easy to follow program that gave me the understanding to why sticking with it was worth the time, money and effort.  

Over the past couple of months I have taken many baby steps towards following the full program, that is just my style. But having come off gluten and dairy, reducing sugars significantly and trying the recipes as well as including many of the super foods (e.g. liver) and increased my intake of good fats, I have noticed clearer skin and I no longer get the afternoon energy crash I used to experience every day. My bowel movements are consistently at number 4 on the Bristol stool chart, whereas previously I had experienced regular constipation. I have also less cravings for sugary foods whereas I used to eat chocolate every day and I used to be snacking all the time. My children are also enjoying the benefits with regular bowel movements, less gas and fewer stomach aches which used to be a regular occurrence in our house.

I used to be more anxious and prone to low moods. I have not experienced these symptoms since changing my diet to be more in line with the leaky gut diet. I have always had some low level acne on my forehead which is significantly reduced and my skin is mostly clear. I have more energy in the afternoons now whereas I would often feel so tired I would want an afternoon nap or a sugary treat.  I snacked regularly whereas now I usually don’t feel hungry between meals.” – Maria A.

Andrea C. – The rockstar who’s customizing her diet

“I didn’t have much energy and I was getting sick all the time, but now I’m getting sick less often (I still got sick a couple of times) and I have more energy to get chores done around the house that I had trouble doing before. Before I had to be on prescription medication for acid reflux, and now I don’t need the meds and I hardly get any reflux.

The first noticeable improvement was my weight loss, I lost about 10 pounds soon after I started the diet. I wasn’t looking to lose weight, but it was a nice bonus and it increased my confidence that the program was working for me. All my pants and my watch band are loose now on me, and I’m maintaining the new weight so far. My family noticed that I lost weight, and I told them about the tough case diet I was on, and that it was working for me so far.

I followed the 30-day rebuild diet (I was picking and choosing the recipes that I wanted to make, from the tough case meal plan). I used the supplements for GI infection, adrenal support and tough case supplements. I’m still taking the supplements, and I’m starting to expand my tough case diet and slowly reintroduce borderline foods.

I lost 10 pounds in the first two weeks, my acid reflux reduced 95% in the first month and I didn’t need my prescription medication anymore for the reflux.  Energy levels are improving slowly, although I’m not yet where I’d like to be for energy.  I have alopecia (total hair loss), and after six weeks I’ve noticed some beginnings of hair regrowing in spots.” – Andrea C.

What I LOVE about these two women is they found their own way to follow the material we share inside our Solving Leaky Gut program. If there was something that didn’t work for them, like the meal plans or how fast they started the rebuild diet, they just did what they could…

And STILL got amazing results!

It’s people like Andrea and Maria that motivate me to get up in the morning. This community is something special and you are a HUGE reason it’s become what it is today. But it doesn’t stop there… we’ve been publishing inspiring success stories for years.

In fact, we have an entire system inside our company to gather success stories and encourage our community to share their stories with others just like them. Each week, we meet as a team and talk about what success stories are currently being worked on and when we can publish them.

It’s one of the most important things we do.

Not because it “toots our own horn.”

Or because we think it’ll get us traffic from Google.

It’s because if I didn’t read numerous online success stories and have Steve’s support back in 2008 I never would’ve tried the SCD Diet. I may not have healed my gut. I may not have ever started SCD Lifestyle with Steve. We may not have helped the over 4 Million people that’ve visited our site since then…

And you might not be reading this right now.

Success Stories Were the Spark that Changed My Life Forever

And we relentlessly share as many as we can in hopes that it does the same for thousands of other people going through the same struggle I did.

Without success stories, this would be just another blog. Instead, we have a thriving community of incredible people taking control of their health. Here are a few more of my favorites.

Carly Finally Healed Her Gut After Struggling with Celiac Disease for 8 Years

“I had been diagnosed with Coeliac disease at 19 (I am now 27), advised to eat gluten-free, and sent on my way. There was no mention of gut healing, or gut flora, or anything restorative by my doctor. Initially, all my doctor did for me was a blood test. I then went to see a naturopath who sent away for comprehensive stool tests, hair mineral analyses, and blood tests. She found I had systemic Candida, a compromised gut, and that both detoxification channels of my liver were blocked. She put me on a healing protocol for about 1 year.

Like my medical doctor had originally suggested and after an initial relief period of about one year, my health began to progressively degrade over the next six years. During these several years after my Coeliac diagnosis, I ate as much organic and chemical-free produce as possible and I did consume a lot of grains like quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat and millet. I also stopped drinking alcohol at about age 24 and never really liked anything too sweet, so I avoided conventional sweets. In an attempt to feel better, I also transitioned away from dairy, soy, and caffeine but still no results.

I realize now that although many of the alternative therapies and medicines may have helped, they did not address the root cause…

I could not eat anything…

It reached a point two years ago where I could not eat anything without it coming straight out the other end of me. My memory, focus, and emotions were in a constant downward spiral. I was losing a lot of weight due to constant diarrhoea, had incredible lethargy, and seemingly constant abdominal pain.

I used the free eBook and eating guidelines; I stuck them up on my wall. I listened to the SCD Lifestyle Solution Podcast every day and during making my broth to help get me through. Hearing the information on that podcast really inspired me and gave me a sense of community for my healing journey. I maintained a grain-free diet for about 1.5 years and drank broth almost daily.

I skyrocketed past normal into amazing. My memory, focus, and energy came back, and my emotional roller coaster was now just coasting. The SCD diet was the beginning of my health rebirth, and for that I am eternally grateful. I am a massive broth maker still, and intend to always be.

While I stuck to the 5 phases exactly as laid out for about 6 months, I continue to refrain from Nightshades, Grains, Caffeine, Cacao, Sugar, Alcohol, Dairy, and Soy. My diet will always consist of meat, fish, eggs, a large variety of vegetables, a little fruit (mainly green apples, limes, berries), chicken/beef broth, and lots of greens (both cooked and raw).

Over the years, I saw many practitioners, from acupuncturists, to naturopaths, osteopaths, chiropractors, medical/alternative practitioner blends. Each one had important input into my health learning and evolving.

And of course, I have always tried to remain optimistic. I remind myself that the gut is the seat of health and I like to keep a pristine seat.”

You can read her full story here.

From “Sick to My Stomach Every Single Day” to “Perfect Poops” (How Kara Healed with Food)

“Worrying about my health, spending countless hours surfing the Internet for solutions, obsessing over everything I ate, constantly agonizing over whether I would go to the bathroom the next day…

Sound familiar?

Just a month ago, this was me. I had been dealing with digestive problems for over six months, and I knew that I needed to make a drastic change. I knew that I could no longer rely on ANYONE else – that includes nutritionists, naturopaths, psychologists, doctors, friends, or family – to help me feel better. It was time to do the real work. It was time I finally took matters into my own hands.

I had been a subscriber to SCD Lifestyle for a few months before I finally decided to try the diet. After reading numerous success stories and feeling a newfound hope and determination to take action, I knew what I had to do. I had to find a diet that worked for me, and SCD has allowed me to do just that. But more importantly, I needed to feel alive again. I couldn’t stand living in a state of anxiety and depression anymore.

Even though I was not diagnosed with a serious illness, (Crohns, Ulcerative Colitis, or IBS) that doesn’t mean I wasn’t sick. I felt sick to my stomach every single day. Bloating had taken over my life. I was experiencing both diarrhea and constipation, fatigue, and I didn’t enjoy life in the way I used to. I could hardly think about anything else but my digestion. I’m in my last year of college, and I felt unable to focus or care about my schoolwork. I started to wonder if I would feel this way forever – if bloating and fatigue and constipation were something I just had to “live with.” Well, I realized very quickly that is not the case!

And once I started to feel better, I realized that there is no going back. SCD isn’t just a fad or a diet, it’s a lifestyle. What I love most about this diet is that it is tailored to me. No test or doctor can tell me what I need; my body tells me every day. I’m becoming more and more aware of my reactions to food and how important the relationship is between food and our emotions. For the longest time, I felt like food and I hated each other. I couldn’t figure out what agreed with me and what didn’t. SCD Lifestyle teaches you how to discover your sensitivities and it is way easier than I originally thought.

can also say, proudly, that I have already started experiencing “The Perfect Poop!” I didn’t know what an ideal poop was until I looked at the Bristol Stool Chart. I realized that for most of my life, my poops were not ideal. After only a month of being on SCD, my bowel movements are already in the “4” range. That’s pretty incredible, if you ask me!”

You can read Kara’s full story here

Phil’s Inspiring Story: Surviving Ulcerative Colitis

“I’m 31 and work as a personal trainer and therapist in the UK. I first started getting symptoms 3 years ago. At first it was just a small stomach ache and a few extra visits to the loo, but this quickly escalated into severe diarrhea, cramps and blood loss. I’ll never forget when I first knew something was wrong, because it happened during my Body Combat class. Of all the times it could start it had to be in front of 30 women! I suddenly got that dreaded feeling of needing the toilet but knowing I couldn’t hold it. I had to literally jump off of the stage (mid-song) and run to the toilet. When I got back, I was so embarrassed I told them I had been sick from food poisoning.

This was the first of many anxious experiences I had while trying to continue doing my job while I was ill. Even though the majority of my class participants knew and accepted I was ill, and probably thought no less of me needing to run out of class now and again, it was something I struggled to accept. Eventually I learned to make a joke of it and teaching the classes became less worrying. Unfortunately, some of the gym managers were less understanding and I had some classes removed from my schedule.

After the usual trips back and forth from the doctors, I was diagnosed with severe Ulcerative Colitis. Another thing that I’ll never forget was asking the specialist if I needed to “change my diet” to which he replied, “No, diet doesn’t matter” (feel free to take a moment to laugh or shake your head haha). I was prescribed prednisolone which started working relatively quickly. But when tapering off it only took 4 weeks to flare.

To make a long story short, this cycle went on 2 more times except every time I was put back on them they worked less until the point where 8 pills a day weren’t doing a thing! The last flare was the worst experience of my life. I was going to the toilet 30-40 times a day and mostly through the night, which made trying to go to work impossible. I also had flu-like symptoms, fever and the worst stomach cramps I’d ever experienced. One time, I was so ill I spent the entire night on the toilet; I thought I was going to die.

As someone who trains and makes a living working in a gym, the most heart-breaking thing was the weight loss I endured. In just 2 weeks, I lost over 2 stone (28 lbs)! All the effort I’d put in over the past few years had vanished (along with it my confidence and identity).

Another difficult thing I found was that people around us seem to have no problem telling you how awful you look. This really annoyed me!

Anyway, through all of this, I still maintained a positive outlook. I was determined to get better and wanted to see if I could help myself, so I started doing my own research. I came across the book Breaking the Vicious Cycle. After reading it a few times, and coming to grips with what I needed to do, I got started with the diet.

As I became better, I began to question how much I really needed the medication. So, I decided to find out by dropping one pill from my dose. I decided that sticking to this new dose for 3 months would give me enough time to see if symptoms would return but they didn’t. So, I lowered the dose again by a pill. Another 3 months passed by and still I was fine. This made me happy because I wanted to stay on the lowest dose possible yet remain in remission.

My annual hospital appointment came up just as I was due to drop to 1/2 of a pill, so I thought it was a perfect time to inform my specialist of my plans. I assumed he would be happy for me, but I’m not so sure that he was haha. He sternly told me I could flare at any time, but I decided to see it through. We agreed that I’d do 1/2 a pill for 8 weeks and watch carefully for symptoms.

The 8 weeks is over now, so all I can do is get on with my life, keep control of my health and hope to stay in remission.”

You can read Phil’s full story here

Crohn’s Disease Changed Cristin’s Life… But So Did SCD

“And that’s when I heard those words, “You have Crohn’s Disease.”

Of course, I was in denial. ‘I had no symptoms. I had just had two “kinda” major surgeries. This was just pain from the healing.  There were reasons for the pain, and Crohn’s Disease was not one of them.’

I was given a prescription and told to start taking it so I would feel better in a week or two. I had a million questions, but I’ll just say it, the doctor was a cocky jerk. My favorite was when I asked him how he knew it was Crohn’s and he responded with, “I’ve done this for thirty years. If I say it’s Crohn’s, it’s Crohn’s.” Sure. Ok, but can you please be a little more specific and discuss this disease with me???

He did not have time for my questions about the disease

Nor did he have time for questions about the medications, or the long term plan, and he made sure I realized that his time was more valuable than my concerns. This was the last time I would be seeing this doctor. I did not start the medications and I found a new doctor, this time at the Cleveland Clinic.

The new doctor wanted another colonoscopy because, “the one he did was lazy and sloppy.” While waiting for that appointment, I started reading anything and everything I could about Crohn’s Disease and slowly started to eat again because the pain was gone after the colonoscopy. Just as quickly as the pain arrived, it darted away completely. I was still in denial, especially since I did not have any pain, but I was going to be ready this time to ask questions and find a way to treat this disease without these rotten medications.

I must have atrocious doctor luck

Because when I went back to discuss the results of my colonoscopy and the plan for treatment she told me, “There is no doubt you have severe Crohn’s Disease. You will need to pick one of these four medications.” When I asked her about treating the disease naturally she responded with a firm, “You will take one of these medicaitons or you will be back here within a month on the operating table so I can remove your colon.” How about that for bedside manner? As I continued to ask questions, she finally stopped me, informing me I was only scheduled for a thirty minute appointment, and she had other patients waiting. I looked at my husband as we walked out of her office and stated, “I’m finding a new doctor and I am not taking her drugs.” “I know,” he said.

And our journey with SCD began…

That August I started cold-turkey. Well, I had a friend bring a large strawberry malt over as a parting gift to myself, and the next day I started. It. Was. Hard. There was so much to think about, to plan for, to organize, to prepare, but I was in and, in my competitive mind, I was going to win. The most difficult part for me was that I never had any “trigger” foods. Literally one day, one bite, I had pain and couldn’t eat, but I never had the classic “Crohn’s” symptoms. How would I ever know if this SCD diet was working? It didn’t matter to me, I wasn’t going to slip up, I wasn’t going to sneak a bite here or there, I was going to beat this disease naturally.

In September, I saw my newest doctor for the first time. He reviewed all my medical records starting with the appendectomy and was convinced from the colonoscopies that it was Crohn’s Disease with “significant damage.”

He recommended TNF blocking medications…

But felt comfortable waiting to start them since I was clinically in remission. I liked this doctor! Not because I was told what I wanted to hear, but because he was patient. He listened. He understood my concerns even if he didn’t agree with them. He respected my feelings. He was very clear on what he felt should be the proper protocol for someone with my level of disease; he wasn’t going to tell me what I wanted to hear, but he was willing to work with me and see where things would go, as long as I understood the risks.

I had no pain, I was eating, I was maintaining weight, I was running, other than adhering to this diet, my life was pretty normal. He gave me four months until a follow-up appointment. More than once he told me he wouldn’t say that what I was doing was the reason I was in remission, but he wouldn’t say it wasn’t the reason either.”

You can read Cristin’s full story here

Let’s Keep This Inspiration Going!

We’ve made it our mission to ensure we have a REAL community that will support one another. That’s why I wanted to share more inspirational stories with you today.

Like I said, there’s been so many times I’ve wanted to give up and just BE SICK… but my community is what saved me. Now, together we’re part of this amazing community and saving lives… going through the same journey with others who know what it’s like.

For me… that’s priceless. Truthfully, THAT IS the magic pill to getting healthy.

So with that, we’re looking for people who have felt this same impact, who couldn’t have done it without community. We’re looking for people that want to inspire others the same way we’ve all been inspired in the past.

TO DO NOW:

1 – Share any inspiration or success you’ve had in the comments below. Even if it’s just a small improvement you noticed… or a positive test result you got back. Tell us about your success so we can all celebrate together.

2 – If you’d like to be a success story on the blog and inspire millions of people going through the same journey you are, shoot us an email at support@scdlifestyle.com with the subject line “Hey guys, I want to share my success story too!”

No Matter What… don’t finish this article without taking action. Use this little boost of motivation to leave a comment and keep working hard on your health, if only for one more day.

Thank you so much for being part of this. Without you, it wouldn’t be what it is today with so many people changing their lives.

I look forward to continuing to support you for many more years.

In good health,

– Jordan

The post How These Health Heroes Beat Their Digestive Problems appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

You and I both know, medicine is changing… for the better, if you ask me.

The future is bright!

Marc David and Emily Rosen are some of the most talented and caring people I’m friends with in the health industry. And when they put their focus on something, they absolutely nail it.

On June 22nd, they kick off their No-Cost Future of Healing Virtual Conference, where you can listen to me and 70+ other experts speaking on a host of topics that pertain to creating amazing health and great lives.

WAIT! This Isn’t Just ANOTHER Summit!

I know what you’re thinking, another summit, dude stop it already.

I feel the same way. It seems like there’s a summit on a different topic coming out every single week.

Which is why you haven’t seen us in many this year. We’ve become very picky in who we do interviews with and what we tell you about. We don’t want you suffering from information overload.

What Marc and Emily have put together is WORLD-CLASS, which is why I participated in it and I’m actually excited to tell you about it.

What This Is All About…

For a medical revolution, we need progress in so many areas.

• Nutrition
• The Psychology of Eating
• Functional Medicine
• Cultural Transformation
• Spiritual Awakening
• Sexuality, Supplements Herbs & Medicinals
• Planetary Health
• Our Global Future
• And much more…

This free summit has multiple speakers in all these areas. And I believe it really has several talks that will expand your reality of what is possible.

And that’s the goal, can we increase what’s possible in medicine and on this planet?

If you’re at all interested in thought-provoking material, some of it you’ll love, some you’ll hate, and some of it might make you cry.

I hope you get signed up. Do it here.

Who I’m Going To Be Watching

In case you’re wondering, I’m planning to check out a few of the presenters. There’s some really really smart people speaking – people who are on the cutting edge of what’s working and what’s not to get better.

• Dr. Kelly Brogan
• Dr. Izabella Wentz
• Nick Polizzi
• John Gray
• Dr. Jeffrey Bland

And of course there’s so many others like our friends, Dr. Pedram Shojai, Dr. Sara Gottfried and Dr. Tom O’ Bryan. To be honest with you (no disrespect to my friends — love you guys), but I’m looking forward to the 5 talks above the most.

Some of you might wonder, how is it possible for you to consume so much info?

I do it while I live my life. It’s actually really easy with all our technology today to always be consuming new mind-expanding information. For instance, I listen to educational info like this anytime I’m driving, when I do dishes, when I go for walks, when I’m stuck in waiting rooms, and many times while I’m shopping at the grocery store.

Oh – and in my talk, Marc and I talked about food, cravings and how men often suffer with eating problems. You probably haven’t heard me talk about my food relationship much, but I got pretty vulnerable in this one.

Sign up for free here, starts TODAY.

Have a great day!

– Steve

The post Medicine Is Changing… This Is the Future of Health appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

One of my favorite questions we get (and have been getting for years) basically comes down to this: “When am I going to get better?”

I love this question. Mostly because when I was sick 7 years ago I spent endless hours trolling Google trying to find the answer myself. So I’m going to share some of the writing I’ve done about this before… because I could reply back with any number of cliché inspirational sayings we have, like:

• “It took a long time to get sick and it takes a long time to get better”
• “This healing process is a marathon, not a sprint – you’re doing great!”
• “Everyone has a custom diet that works for them… you just have to keep testing until you find yours”

Each of these reassuring clichés is completely true, but what I love about it is: it means you’ve already taken action and started changing your diet/supplements/etc. You’ve already accomplished the most difficult part of taking control of your health by overcoming thoughts in your head like “What if it doesn’t work for me?” or “I don’t have time to cook all this food.”

Starting the diet is not only the first step, but it’s the most important one. And it usually means you’re finally on the way to unlocking your body’s natural ability to heal.

So, When Will You Get Better?

One more cliché response for you: “it depends…”

Have you ever heard that no two snowflakes are exactly alike?

It’s fascinating. My 6-year old has a book about it that we read together. No two snowflakes have ever been found to be the same. They do all have commonalities. For example, most have six sides and there are three common shape categories that 99% fall into (if you were wondering it’s needle-like shapes, columnar shapes, or irregular shapes).

But in the end, they are all unique, just like your diet.

Here’s the bottom line: This diet works … we’ve seen it work over and over again with thousands of people over the last three years.

But no two versions are exactly the same, just like the snowflakes. And the analogy continues: there are common types (like the tough case or mild case versions)… but each will be subtly different in the end.

Your past lifestyle choices, genetics, and current lifestyle choices are all unique to you, and each has an impact on how you’re going to heal.

It doesn’t stop with food either. Typically, the diet only goes so far – supplement and lifestyle changes help solve the complete puzzle. So, there’s a lot of factors that play a role in this process.

For Example, Let Me Show You These 3 Case Studies:

Case Study 1: Crohn’s Colitis and Diarrhea

Nick* has been on Prednisone ever since he was diagnosed with Crohn’s Colitis 2 years ago. He averaged at least 10 BMs a day. He was exhausted and the blood was getting worse. 

A few years before, he tried following full SCD for a few weeks and didn’t see any improvement, so he gave up. His doctor was pushing for Humira, which motivated him to give SCD one last try.

He started SCD by properly doing the intro diet for 3 days and then tried adding in new foods. Everything he tried made his diarrhea worse and it seemed like this diet was making him sicker! After two weeks of horrible D, he knew a flare was coming fast. The first tweak he made was to start taking digestive enzymes and within two days his stools started to take better form and the urgency was less. 

Next, he was frustrated because his stools were still mushy and 4-5 times a day. He decided to test dairy-free because he saw an article that it was one of our “four horsemen.” Four days after eating dairy-free, his BMs were down to 2-3 soft stools a day… HUGE improvement for him. Not only that, but during his 2^nd month of SCD his energy doubled and he finally slept through the night without waking up to go to the bathroom. The next six months were gradual improvement…

*Name changed to protect identity

Case Study 2: Constipation and Bloating

Joanna* has been sick many times during her lifetime, she’s taken many antibiotics and always seemed to have irregular bowel habits. Most days she used laxatives/enemas to get by, especially when the bloating got unbearable. 

She’s tried several other natural diets and supplements without any improvement. She finally decided to try SCD for 30 days.

She did the intro diet for 4 days and didn’t have a BM the whole time. As she introduced new foods on the 5^th day, she was feeling really discouraged that the diet wasn’t going to work like all the others. She read a post we did on Constipation and decided to start eating more coconut oil and made a batch of sauerkraut. When the sauerkraut was ready, her BMs started to be more regular every other day and things stayed that way through her 30-day anniversary.

It was nice, but she was still frustrated. Her acid reflux, frequent burping, and stomach gurgling made her think more about trying Betaine HCL and she did the HCL Challenge. The challenge made her feel so much better she knew it was the right tweak to test next. Over the next 7 days, HCL improved her BMs to one solid movement every day for the first time in her life… and she never looked back, but stayed on SCD for the next year.

*Name changed to protect identity

Case Study 3: Celiac Disease and Malnutrition

Sue* struggled with undiagnosed Celiac disease for many years, she alternated between horrible diarrhea and mild constipation. It was very frustrating for her and she’d been to many doctors over the years. They could never figure out why she was malnourished and had elevated liver enzymes.

She tried their recommendations to take more fiber and it didn’t help her stomach pain and even made her diarrhea worse most days. She followed a strict, gluten-free diet for 3 years without an improvement in her symptoms.

7 days after she started SCD, her diarrhea stopped completely. But after that it seemed like once a week she would have diarrhea really bad and it never seemed like it was triggered by a food. Her blood tests still showed many nutrient deficiencies. After hearing my story, she tried digestive enzymes and within 2 days her stools seemed more well-formed and her energy levels improved. But she still had diarrhea randomly once or twice a week. It seemed like she was stuck and afraid to introduce new foods. 

As it turned out, she was an overworked, stressed-out mom with a history of depression. She also just moved to a new city and the stress from the move was pushing her to the edge. She decided to try our 7-day stress challenge and take stress management seriously, just like taking a pill or making a diet tweak. After two weeks of doing a few minutes a day of deep breathing and yoga – she started to notice she felt “more alive.” And after 30 days of taking her stress seriously, she finally realized the random diarrhea was gone and she was starting to try new foods. She finally felt like her life was turning around, but had her ups and downs over the next nine months.

*Name changed to protect identity

Each of them had to make different tweaks. Some couldn’t tolerate foods that others could. And in the end, each solution was unique, but the formula to get there was the same:

They properly started the diet, discovered their “food safe zone,” made the right supplement tweaks, and used lifestyle changes to help them heal. But each one had different results over different time periods.

So, Here’s What to Expect as You Heal:

Starting this diet isn’t the easiest choice, but reclaiming your life is, so it’s worth it in the end. Expect that this journey isn’t going to be the same as anyone else and understand that it doesn’t mean it’s not working for you or that you can’t follow our guidelines.

Use these case studies as a reminder to ask questions and always listen to your body. It’s giving you subtle clues all the time about what to do next. It’s also giving you signs about how well you’re healing.

Here’s what you can expect as you re-engineer your health:

Expect to customize…

Expect to tweak…

Expect to have ups and downs…

Expect to feel better over time…

And most importantly: you can expect to save a lot of frustration by finding out whether you’re a “Tough Case” or a “Mild Case.”

So, Are You a “Tough Case” or a “Mild Case”?

If you don’t know whether you’re a “Tough Case” or a “Mild Case” – it’s really important for you to take this quiz right now.

The process of creating our own custom diets and then helping tens of thousands of others do the same thing taught us a very important lesson…

While we are all snowflakes, most people typically fall into two distinct groups for customizing their diet: “Tough Case” or “Mild Case.”

You’re either one or the other and it will dictate exactly how you should create your custom diet and get better. That’s good and bad…

It’s good because we’ve had the fortune to figure this out and test it with many other people like you. It’s bad because you’ll likely be faced with several hard decisions once you know more about what it takes to get your health back.

So, we’ve created a quiz to help you figure out which group you belong to.

DISCLAIMER: This quiz isn’t intended to diagnose your problems nor does it provide a comprehensive health analysis. Only your Doctor can do that.

But these questions were born out of working with thousands of digestive cases and helping people troubleshoot their custom diets. It’s a compilation of the signs and symptoms we’ve found tending to indicate which path you should take to heal your gut…

The “Tough Case”/”Mild Case” Quiz

Here’s how it works: Read each of the following questions and simply answer Yes or No

1. In the past 7 days, have you observed any blood in the toilet? (yes/no)
2. Did you have more than 6 bowel movements yesterday? (yes/no)
3. Have you ever been prescribed any of the following drugs (Imuran, Humira, Remicade, or any other TNF-alpha inhibitors) (yes/no)
4. Are you considered a “non-responder” to any drug treatments for digestive disease (for example: Bentyl, Prednisone, Sulfasalazine, Mesalamine, etc.)? (yes/no)
5. Have you had surgery to remove any portion of your upper or lower intestines? (yes/no)
6. Do you experience any food allergies or food intolerances? (yes/no)
7. Has it been more than 3 days since your last bowel movement? (yes/no)
8. Do you regularly use enemas to initiate a bowel movement (yes/no)
9. Do you use any kind of over-the-counter laxatives on a weekly or daily basis in order to go to the bathroom? (yes/no)
10. Do you suffer from high levels of anxiety or depression? (yes/no)
11. Do you consider yourself to have moderate to bad acne or other skin issues (i.e. eczema, rashes)? (yes/no)
12. Are you or have you attempted SCD, Paleo, GAPS, GFCF or another alternative healing diet and been disappointed with the results? (yes/no)
13. Does this statement describe you…“Despite trying several treatment options (natural or drug), nothing seems to change my symptoms”? (yes/no)
14. Have you experienced unexplainable weight loss and can’t put it back on, or have you struggled to lose weight no matter what you’ve tried? (yes/no)

Okay, now it’s time to be honest… how many yes’s did you have? If it was 2 or more than that indicates you’re a “Tough Case.” It’s that simple… no exceptions.

What to Do Once You Have Your Results…

“Tough Cases” are unlikely to respond to a generic real food diet, even full SCD. While the “Tough Case” group might sound dark and gloomy, it’s actually not. What it really means is we know many of the trigger foods that “Tough Cases” can’t tolerate and they need to follow a different protocol with more customization than a “Mild Case” does.

“Mild Cases” can typically tolerate more food… but that can be a dangerous pitfall.

So, what do you do with these results?

In both instances, we’ve created specific meal plans based on what worked and didn’t work for both groups of people.

And you can test them out for the next 30 days here: https://healthygut.com/meal-plans/

If they don’t work for you or if you’re not happy for any reason, just send us an email and we’ll be happy to refund your money

In good health,

– Jordan

The post 3 Healing Case Studies: Are You a Tough Case or a Mild Case? appeared first on Healthy Gut Company.

“Watch out! The stove is hot!” my Mom said. I touched it anyways. Burnt my fingers…

Actually it happened a few times.

Why?!?

Am I insane? Am I dumb? Am I a rule-breaking mischief maker?

No. It turns out I just don’t learn well from other people’s mistakes. I don’t know why, but I have to try it for myself. I need to understand it experientially.

I REALLY want to believe you. I REALLY want to take your advice and save myself pain. But it’s not likely to happen. I know I’m not alone either. I have this deep desire to figure it out for myself.

Do We Really Learn From Other People’s Mistakes?

Pause, for a minute, and think about your past. Are you the type of person who can really learn from other people’s mistakes and advice? Or do you end up touching the stove and proving their ideas for yourself?

If you’re like me, you might realize that all those times you’ve hurt yourself, experimented on yourself, and went against the best advice, because deep down you had to… was just natural.

In other words, you being you!

Not wrong, but definitely different. This matters, because I’m about to tell you about a bunch of common mistakes I see people making. Heck, I made most of them.

Some of you will instantly make some changes. And others will resist, thinking you know better. I get it.

What I’d like you to do is just think of these as tests to do in the next few months. Prove me wrong. Prove me right. Either way, if you are experiencing any digestive problems or pains, just don’t NOT try them.

Mistake #1 – Not Thinking Like a Baby

What do babies think? Who knows, but I bet you won’t forget this idea. Many people start the SCD, Paleo or FODMAPs diets without first remembering that their gut is really a lot like a baby’s.

And babies need simple, nutritious, cooked and pureed foods. But over time, they easily begin to handle more and more foods. Babies don’t drink coffee or eat cayenne pepper and if you feed a baby an egg and it has gas and cries a lot, you don’t feed it eggs again for awhile.

Do you see what I’m getting at?

Following the SCD intro diet, avoiding the 4 horsemen and even nightshades for the first month are really good ideas. In fact, it’s a best practice. A best practice means if you want the fastest — best results, you’ll do it.

When a baby’s gut is developing, the bacteria species are not very diverse yet and it’s immune system is on high alert. And when we are in a state of digestive pains, our guts are working the same way. Typically in IBD, IBS and Celiac Disease, the gut microbiome diversity is less than in normal people, the immune system is either turned on too much (overactive) or it’s turned completely off and underactive.

The small intestine is likely partially damaged and the large intestine is likely to be inflamed, meaning breaking down and absorbing foods is not going to be easy or ideal.

This is why thoroughly cooking and chewing foods is so important, especially in the beginning. You are giving your gut a chance to heal up and your immune system a chance to regulate.

In closing, treat your gut like a baby’s. Do the intro SCD diet for at least 3 days, then switch to well-cooked, well-chewed simple foods. After 30 days, try adding in the four horseman, coffee, alcohol and nightshades you cut out. That’s how to get results and really heal your gut fast.

Mistake #2 – Diet Doesn’t Fix Everything (not even close)

If you follow the plan above… sadly you’re not likely to fix all your digestive issues.

So, why do it? Well, if you don’t switch your diet you will stay in pain and sick. It is the prerequisite to getting healthy. But after switching your diet… you need to be aware that there’s lots of damage and dysregulation in your body that needs to be healed.

It’s like college, a real food diet is your freshman 101 level classes. You still have 3 more years of college, and in healing you have several advanced levels to ascend.

Your 201 classes are in supplements. Things like Betaine HCL, digestive enzymes and hormone support are almost a universal must do for those with gut problems.

Typically, after that your life will get better and better, but now it’s time to remember that lifestyle matters. Focus on things like sleeping for 7-9 hours, reducing and removing stressors, moving daily and getting lots of social support – this is your 301 work.

To really graduate with your degree in gut healing, the final classes for most of us are the functional medicine kind. In this 401 area, you’ll be getting specific, powerful interventions, tests and protocols to repair the deep roots of your health problems.

Look, food is incredibly powerful but it’s by no means the only answer. Most people need a cocktail of help. Don’t give up until you’ve graduated and integrated all the methods of healing.

Mistake #3 – Focusing on the Minutia

I remember when Jordan and I were first starting our journeys. We were about a year into them, still struggling with weekly intermittent digestive pain, low energy, bad skin and brain fog.

I would browse and read every day for hours about what else I could do to heal myself.

I got lost in rabbit holes of thinking for weeks at a time, where  I would be convinced I had figured it out. It was obviously high oxalates… then GMOs… then juicing was the answer and then… and then…

I was lost in the minutia. I forgot about the big picture because these specific things were easier to understand and concentrate on, when the reality was some of them helped maybe 1-5%, if I was lucky.Who knows other than it was always way smaller than I thought it would be.

The core, unsexy, sometimes confusing and kind of boring thing to do is…

Focus on a custom diet, proper supplements, lifestyle changes, mental help and functional medicine. And forget about expensive juicing, being 100% GMO-free and all the other minutia till you get these core issues handled.

Mistake #4 – Forgetting to Get Clear

Lack of clarity is a major issue in the health world. That’s why we spend several chapters talking about getting clear in our ebook.

Getting clear about your WHY and your GOALS can and will change how you see your healing journey.

• Why are you doing this?
• Who is impacted by your health?
• How will you act differently as you get more energy and less pain?
• Who will benefit from this?
• What do your health dreams look and feel like?

When you realize it’s not just about you, but it’s also about everyone in your life, dramatic things begin to change. The truth is they want you healthy, they need you healthy and you are an inspiration for them to do the hard things.

Your why matters. And so do your goals.

• Do you just want the pain to go away?
• Do you want to really solve the story problem on why you got sick?
• Do you want to be stuck on pharmaceuticals?
• Do you want to live to be 100?
• Do you want to use your hero’s journey to inspire the world?

These goals matter. Unfortunately, without goals and a well-defined plan, it’s easy to get lazy, lose focus, fall into self-defeating patterns and self-pity.

It’s easy to just give up. I know. I’ve been there. I’ve had to face the naysayer voice in my mind who said it wasn’t worth it… it wasn’t possible… that it’s not fair… that I might as well just do what feels good.

The why and the goals are what helped me shut that voice up forever. Turn to them when it gets dark and rough.

Mistake #5 – Thinking This Isn’t Also Psychological

There’s a lot of presumptuous and ignorant doctors who may have told you that your issues are all in your head. Sadly, they obviously aren’t keeping up on their profession and doing a lot of harm to many people.

But they’re also not completely wrong.

Isn’t it fascinating that you can find testimonials for every type of treatment out there.  Even the seemingly wackiest, not-based-on-any-kind-of-science ideas have devotees whose lives have been touched, changed and improved.

For a long time, I struggled to understand how this could be true. What is the lesson here I used to ask?

I believe the answer is our psychology and our mindset matters just as much as the physical ideas I shared above. Upgrading the body, the hormones, and the gut bacteria will make us better until we hit a mental roadblock… like thoughts that we aren’t good enough, or don’t deserve it, or that the world is a scary place.

There are 1000s of belief systems, mental patterns and mindset issues that can and will destroy your health again, even if you do all the physical things right.

I want you to know that one of the reasons I’m healthier than I’ve ever been in my whole life is because I’ve invested serious effort and time in upgrading my mind, beliefs and thoughts.

Getting psychological help should be on everyone’s list who’s ever been chronically ill. It will help, it’s a lot like before you started a new diet. It didn’t seem like it made much sense, but then again it didn’t seem like it could hurt and with all these testimonials why not try. I invite you to realize that psychological help is the same thing.

Not sure where to start? I’d suggest two books if you don’t have a professional to work with: Man’s Search For Meaning and The Untethered Soul.

These Mistakes Are Normal and to Be Expected

Seriously, if you’ve made any of them, or all of them, join me and the rest of the group. It’s to be expected. We are born into a society, into a world that doesn’t teach us any of this.

Mistakes are a way we learn. They aren’t bad. Sure they hurt, but that’s just a signal to do it differently next time.

Maybe you’re not like me, and you can read this list, you can take action on these ideas and heal in half or a quarter of the time it took me. Learn from my mistakes and those I’ve watched 1000s of people repeat.