Leaky Gut

  • Exclusion diet/ Healthy Food/ Leaky Gut/ Nutritional Medicine

    Confused by all the nutritional advice? What should you eat??

    Nutritional advice

    Are you confused by all the nutritional advice out there? It is hardly surprising! Nutritional science is moving at an unprecedented pace and much of what we were told in the past and even advised by our Doctors, has been proved to be wrong.

    Any diet given a name seems to be either praised or condemned by someone. Some are aimed at fast weight loss and others more recently at reversing conditions that we previously thought had no cure.

    Atkins/SouthBeach/Dash/Paleo/AIP/LowFodmap/LCHF/  Flat Belly/Slim-fast/Weight Watchers/Slimmers World/Clean/RealFood ……….

    The list goes on and on…  and these days Doctors and Nutritionist are talking much more about Personalised Healthcare and plans that suit the individual – not just the condition. After all, if you are overweight it might be due to diet, lifestyle, hormones, Digestive Problems, Thyroid function, Insulin Resistance etc. and the important thing is to get to the root cause.

    Functional Medicine

    The Functional Medicine approach is based on finding the root cause of your health problems and supporting normal healing by making individual diet and lifestyle choices. It is a system strongly backed by science, evidence and a belief that we all have an ability to heal ourselves and have less reliance on drugs. It is also a system of medicine that believes that health is not just the absence of disease but a state of vitality and mental and physical energy.

    See this article for more information

    What Nutritional advice would I give?

    Modern technology means we can be more aware of our health, our heart rate, quality of sleep, exercise levels, steps taken, energy burnt and we might be more aware of anything not right about our health. Monitoring people and treating the person, not the symptoms is the future of medicine.

    I believe that no one diet suits everyone. For health and vitality you need the most varied diet you are able to digest and you need to work to improve your digestion for the optimum benefit. To get this right we need to let go of any previous beliefs and become aware of what our individual bodies like and need to thrive. Science is telling us that a lot of processed food contains substances that are damaging our health and therefore the ‘trend’ is towards cooking and much more fresh food than has been common over the past few decades. Your diet should not cause inflammation in your body and stress to your immune system but modern processed food diets are proven to do so in a large percentage of the population.

    Canada has just bought out new Nutritional advice and food guidelines based on fresh food and they have a new food pyramid.

    This is based on eating healthy fats, low carbohydrates, plenty of vegetables and some fruit. Good nutritional advice compared to most Countries guidelines.

    In the UK the NHS promotes “The NHS Diet Plan – Science has a go at Diet Plans” – just the title makes me wince!  Out of date Nutritional advice. They are still promoting cereals, bread and wholewheat pasta as a source of fibre and as the bulk of the diet with the emphasis on low fat foods as in the Eatwell Guide which also stipulates vegetable oils and low fat spreads. Functional Medicine Practitioners have been trying to educate people away from these choices for years!

    I do not promote the Low Fodmap diet (often suggested for IBS) as this is one of the most restrictive diets to stick to and doesn’t address healing the digestive system first. No diet should be so restrictive as to take all joy out of eating. Many people that follow this diet might get some digestive relief but will almost certainly suffer from nutrient deficiencies if not carefully monitored and supplemented. Where possible I always favour real food over supplements.

    So what is out?

    • Calorie Counting
    • Low fat diets
    • Meal replacement drinks and Bars
    • Low salt (better to have sea salt than processed sodium salt)
    • Low Cholesterol diets
    • using only egg whites
    • artificial sweeteners
    • MSG
    • other processed food additives and colours
    • all day snacking (harms the normal digestive process)
    • Long exercise sessions (HIIT training was proved to more beneficial many years ago – research Loughborough Uni 2013)

    Conclusions

    If you are free from any digestive problems, achy joints, autoimmune disease, disrupted thyroid hormones, skin problems, heart or blood sugar problems then I would suggest that you look at incorporating more fresh foods into your diet, more healthy fats (natural saturated fats, meat, fish, butter, cheese, olive oil, olives, coconut oil, nuts and seeds), plenty of fresh vegetable and some fruit. As you increase natural fats into your diet you become hungry less often and you do not crave snacks or sweet foods as much. You may feel you eat more and feel more satisfied than previously. Cut out as much sugar and processed carbohydrates as you can  and drink in moderation (wine and occasional spirits but less mixers).

    If you have any of the health  issues listed above then I always recommend an Elimination Diet for 4 weeks and the addition of supplements to heal the digestive tract. Probiotics, L-Glutamine, omega 3 oils, Licorice extract, and possibly Silicogel or Aloe Vera until your gut doesn’t bloat or feel uncomfortable and your bowel movements are easy and regular. Following on by very careful reintroduction of individual foods to see if your body reacts to them. This is because the root cause of many of these conditions is a damaged digestive system that might have been caused by infection, stress, antibiotics or intolerance to certain foods. If you can find and afford a Nutritional Practitioner then it would be best to work with them. They may be able to do blood, urine and stool tests as well as allergy and sensitivity tests that may speed the process. It is easy to get confused when doing it by trial and error. I tried going gluten free several times over the years and always felt better initially but it wasn’t until I carried out a proper Elimination diet that I discovered I also had intolerance to Dairy, Soy and oranges! I personally favoured using the Paleo AIP diet initially but have since been able to expand my choice of foods to include rice, gluten free oats, nuts and seeds – all in moderation. That is why I use the terms Paleo Approach, Clean and Real food. No one single diet should define what you eat or restrict foods that you do not have a problem with.

    I have many posts on how to do this, which foods most often cause problems and with ideas for healthy foods  so that it is not about deprivation but about making choices that satisfy you and nourish your body, brain and immune system while giving you abundant energy and good sleep.

    My main tip is to learn to listen to your body. Every day your body will require different food depending on the weather, your activity, your emotional state…(that’s where the chocolate usually comes in)

    One day I might fancy a succulent salmon steak, one day lamb and bacon burger with guacamole and occasionally I fancy this…

           Gluten free seeded toast, baked beans and free range eggs with Celtic sea salt and black pepper.

    Variety is the spice of life:-)

     

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  • Aging/ Arthritis/ Autoimmune diseases/ Collagen/ Energy/ Health/ Immune system - healing/ Inflammation/ Leaky Gut/ Nutritional Medicine

    Proven Nutritional Remedies for Ageing

    ageing

    There are certainly many personal and spiritual improvements that can come with age – more confidence, wisdom, understanding and courage to name just a few. Intolerance is not often considered to be a good trait but it can be what drives you to instigate change – it certainly is a strong factor that drives me into action. I do not accept that we have to suffer as we age. We have plenty of evidence that there are nutritional remedies for ageing and that in the ‘Blue Zones’ of the world, people live to be much older without the chronic ill health that is common during the last 20 years of life in the Western World. Most of us don’t want to live longer if it means being ill, immobile, lonely or mentally impaired and we don’t have to! There are natural proven Nutritional remedies for ageing, combating loss of energy, loss muscle strength and mobility, improving sleep etc.

    Our bodies slow down as we age,

    they don’t function quite as well as they used to but with the right knowledge we can minimise the effects. I am not going to tell you to get gym membership or run marathons as I have never been big on exercise myself. I am a nutritionist and so this is about optimum nutrition. Many of you  have probably already noticed changes that you either hate or have just tried to accept thinking that you can’t do anything about;

    • extra weight
    • fat tummy
    • lines, wrinkles
    • Bat-wing arms
    • loss of energy

    ….but here are a few more;

    • muscle loss and wasting
    • joint stiffness and pain
    • loss of flexibility and range of movement
    • poor quality sleep
    • breaking, fragile nails
    • thinning hair
    • inflammation
    • poor digestion
    • blood sugar problems
    • loss of strength and stamina
    • weakened immune system
    • bladder weakness
    • loss of memory and mental performance

    A depressing list and even with a positive mental attitude these are things that can seriously impact our quality of life.

    To illustrate the point I would like to tell you about my Mother. She was only in her 50’s when she started to suffer from the extreme pain and difficulties of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Sjögren’s syndrome (dry eyes, mouth, chronic cough, muscle pain and poor digestion). When I had my three children she was unable to hold them, play with them, bath them and even a cuddle could be painful. Now that I have grandchildren I realise the full extent of what she missed out on and it is because of her Autoimmune problems that I became interested in Nutrition and disease prevention.

    I have several friends of similar age to me (65) who also struggle to cope, have less energy, cannot get down on the floor, cannot lift anything heavy due to poor backs, knees or hips. Some my age have already had hip or knee replacement surgery. Weakness of grip and inability to open jars, inability to squat and get up again and lack of balance are all early warning signs and women tend to suffer this much more than men.

    Now the good news

    I have suffered from ALL of the symptoms above and at age 30 I seriously imagined being just like my Mum by the time I was in my 50’s. I was convinced that diet and lifestyle played a very large part and also that multiple doses of Antibiotics definitely worsened the symptoms. Nutrition became a passion that has grown year on year and while at work as a Nurse the talk was all about ‘evidence based Medicine‘ I was always bashing on about evidence based Nutrition!

    We are living through very interesting times when knowledge about nutrition, ageing and chronic disease is expanding daily and that there is plenty we can do to alleviate the symptoms of ageing with good, evidence based Nutrition.

    What we have to do is not only ignore but also undo the damage that decades of poor dietary advice – low-fat, low calories, high carbs have inflicted on our bodies. If you want to know more about this I have an article ‘ Why Low-fat diets damage your Health. ‘

    Weight gain, joint pain, loss of energy are not symptoms of old age anymore than a sudden penchant for pearls could be and simple changes can reverse all of these symptoms – as I have proved. I am now my ideal weight at 10st.7lbs and most of the symptoms I have suffered in the past have significantly improved or even disappeared. I do have a very poor memory for names but my ability to learn has increased, not diminished; I have more strength and energy than a few years ago and my bladder weakness has improved about 90% – no medications just good nutrition and nutritional supplements.

    The Journey to a Healthier Old Age

    Writing for women and men of 40+ I would like to share my knowledge and help you to prevent or reverse all these horrible symptoms that your Doctor will tell you are down to ‘getting old’ and we will start with…..

    Collagen.

    Collagen is an amazing substance made up of 3 main amino acids – Glycine, Proline and Hydroxyproline, that constitutes 30% of the total protein in our bodies. It is what strengthens tissues and holds us all together. When young the body consistently produces collagen but by age 40 collagen synthesis starts to decline, with a dramatic reduction in synthesis after the Menopause. By age 60 there is normally a considerable decline but with early or surgically induced Menopause this could be considerably younger. As it was for myself and my Mother. I had a Hysterectomy age 31 and what followed was poor digestion, multiple food intolerances, arthritis and fatigue. Collagen and especially Glycine helps to heal the gastrointestinal tract, it is needed for the production of Bile salts and digestive enzymes, strengthens the immune system and reduces chronic fatigue.  This is why it is one of the best nutritional remedies for ageing.

    Other lifestyle aspects that affect collagen production are high levels of stress, excessive exposure to UV light, smoking and a poor diet with high processed carbohydrates and sugar.

    Autoimmune disorders can also target Collagen.

    Increasing Collagen

    There are many ways you can increase your intake and production of Collagen and therefore increase the health of your joints, improve sleep and mood, improve skin elasticity, muscle strength and flexibility.

    With food

    Collagen is made up of several amino acids that all come from animal sources.

    1. Organ meat:- liver, kidney, heart, tongue, sweetbreads. Some people, children included, who have not been used to eating organ meat cooked on it’s own or in a casserole might prefer pâté, Haggis or it added to burgers and sausages.
    2. Connective tissue:- oxtail, neck, marrow – all cheap stewing or casserole cuts with plenty of bone. I find a Slow Cooker best.
    3. Bone Broth:- chicken, beef, ham – organic definitely best.
    4. Pork skin, chicken skin, fish skin.
    5. Eggs:- especially the whites but the yolk helps with the production of fibrinogen which is also important.
    6. Gelatin

    ‘Women of a certain age’ may get a lightbulb moment – did we eat far more of these foods growing up than we do now? Do we now spend a fortune on skin creams that claim to include or stimulate Collagen production and reduce wrinkles by including Retinol (Vitamin A) from animal sources?

    For Collagen to be well utilised in the body some other nutrients are required so these are also nutritional remedies for ageing and foods that increase vitality and a strong immune system.

    • Vitamin C – citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwis, tomatoes, leafy green vegetables, peppers and broccoli
    • Anthocyanidins – blackberries, blueberries, cherries and raspberries.
    • Copper – shellfish, nuts, red meat, avocados, liver, kidney.
    • Vitamin D – oily fish like tuna, sardines, herring, mackerel, salmon, egg yolks, mushrooms, small amounts in milk, cheese and yogurt. Sunlight on skin.

    Supplements

    If you are already showing signs of decreased Collagen in your body then as well as increasing all the foods listed I think you need to take a supplement for a minimum of 3-6 months. I was already eating all the right foods and taking a natural Plant Mineral daily but a supplement of powdered Collagen started to make a visible difference after just 1 month. They are not just for bodybuilders – although the adverts do supply a bit of eye candy! A useful site is here.

    Do check out the best supplements because many products with low doses are sold as beauty products.

    You can get Collagen as a powder that dissolves in liquid and is easily absorbed or in capsules or tablets. 3-6 grams a day is recommended. The Collagen usually comes from fish or bovine sources so check this if you have allergies. Some are made from concentrated bone broth. Some have Vitamin C added and some even have Hyaluronic Acid – which helps hydrate tissues and cushion joints.

    Better to spend your money on nutritional supplements that benefit the entire body than on expensive creams just for your face – most of which don’t work. Collagen is not easily absorbed by the skin. Most other treatments rely on stimulating production by removing the surface layer of skin cells (a konjac sponge is a great natural way to exfoliate) or damaging the deeper layers with needles or laser – definitely not something I would choose.

    ageing

    I would love your feedback and to know how you get on.   

     

     

     

     

     

     

    This article was first written by me  for Sally Canning’s website 2016.

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  • Autoimmune diseases/ Exclusion diet/ Food intolerance/ Glutamine/ Health/ Immune System/ Immune system - healing/ Inflammation/ Ketogenic diet/ Leaky Gut/ Mineral Depletion/ Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity/ Nutrition and Cancer/ Nutritional Medicine/ Paleo Diet/ Probiotics/ Sizzling Minerals/ Sugar Detox/ Wheat and Dairy Intolerance

    The Healing Diet – Special Offer!

    Turn Your Health Around book

    New Year and what we all want is to get and stay healthy in 2018!

    So a Special offer for you of 50% the price of my guide so that you can Turn Your Health Around.

    Years of research and personal experiments have led to this approach to a Healing Diet. Find your ideal weight, gain health, energy and vitality – naturally. Make changes that will change your health and keep you healthy

    for LIFE.

    Whatever your needs, this book will help you. Was £12 …..Now ONLY £6 for a limited time.

    There are so many ‘diets’ out there, so many weight loss supplements and we go through life trying them all. Often starting in our teens or early 20’s we follow the fads, low carb, high protein, low fat – we might try pills to curb our appetite,  block fat absorption, make us poop more but none of this has a lasting effect. I have never been really overweight, probably 14-20 lbs at certain times in my life and I have tried –

    The Mars Bar diet –

    The low fat yogurt and  black coffee diet

    The Cabbage Diet,

    The F Plan Diet – OMG! that was the start to many of my problems!

    The South Beach Diet……..

    It is possible to initially lose weight doing all of these but it is not sustainable and ultimately not healthy. As a Nutritionist I now know how damaging some of these dietary changes are with many of them slowing your metabolism and depriving your body of vital nutrients. The decades long Low Fat eating advice – even for those not over-weight, has been the most damaging and has resulted in an epidemic of chronic disease, insulin resistance and obesity. The move to convenience foods and fast food results in us eating highly processed foods that are actually nutrient deficient and if we are nutritionally deficient we get food cravings, hormone imbalance and lowered immunity. Many of these highly processed foods cause inflammation in the body. This might become evident by pains in joints, eczema, heartburn, IBS, fatigue, high Blood pressure, weight gain, Diabetes.

    Modern Lifestyle also adds to the problem with more stress, exposure to many toxins, drinking more alcohol, more snacking, less quality rest and sleep. Our immune systems suffer and we end up taking more antibiotics and all of these things can damage our digestive tract and cause even more long-term problems.

    If you have a chronic health problem and inflammation then by healing your gut and improving your immune system you will reduce inflammation, improve your digestion, gain energy and vitality and reverse chronic damage.

    All the information you need to get started on the road to healing and health. From the foods to eat and enjoy to the natural supplements that will help your recovery – 30 pages of up to date information and links to more resources that can help – all in one guide.

    We are the midst of an epidemic of Chronic disease. Autoimmune Diseases – of which there are more than a 100 confirmed and many more suspected; Cancer; Heart disease; Diabetes; Asthma, Arthritis; Chronic Fatigue; Anxiety and depression. It is Chronic disease that is crippling our Health Services and ruining our quality of life.

    Especially relevant is the fact that drugs do not cure most Chronic Diseases – therefore we need to address the problems in a different way and not just treat symptoms but core body functions. Consequently Functional Medicine is the only way forward, looking at how chronic disease is caused and addressing diet and lifestyle for a sustained recovery.

    Chronic disease often starts with inflammation and a poor immune system and it is totally possible to reverse this with lifestyle and good nutrition choices. Proven by Doctors and Nutritionists around the World.

    If you want to make changes that improve your health long-term, reduce your chances of getting Dementia, Cancer or Autoimmune diseases this book will help you, step by step, including supplements and recipes to get you on the right track. It is a regime that is easy to stick to and puts you in charge. By finding out which foods cause problems for you and how you can control your appetite and fat burning with natural foods.

    This guide will tell you how. (Different currencies catered for through this link.)

    Buy my product

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  • Energy, Immune system - healing, Leaky Gut, Mineral Depletion

    The importance of plant minerals for health.

    video
    Minerals
    www.thehealthvideo.com

    Take a few minutes to watch this video and find out why plant minerals are so vital for health and energy.

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  • Hypothyroidism/ Immune system - healing/ Inflammation/ Leaky Gut/ Nutritional Medicine/ Paleo Diet/ Wheat and Dairy Intolerance

    Paleo Diet Help

    Paleo Diet Help

    Thinking about trying to eat more healthily or changing your diet due to health problems? Then you will find some Paleo Diet help here – focusing on switching foods rather than just eliminating foods.

    A Paleo type diet, The Caveman Diet or Clean eating where you concentrate on natural, unprocessed  foods has been proven to help thousands of people with conditions like these – Joint pain, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, fatigue, Eczema, Psoriasis, Thyroid imbalance, Diabetes, Sinusitis, Constipation, Diarrhoea, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Anxiety, Depression, ADHD and multiple food intolerance. All of these conditions have been linked to inflammation in the gut and production of a substance called Zonulin, leading to a condition called Leaky Gut, systemic inflammation and Autoimmune Disease. You may not even notice any gut symptoms but removing inflammatory foods and chemical sensitivities can substantially improve your health and prevent the development of Autoimmune disease which is epidemic. This type of dietary change is being used with great success by Functional Medicine Practitioners and Nutritionists and with the addition of supplements, like  L-Glutamine and good Probiotics, it is possible to reverse the condition.

    I will not go into the Paleo diet or the problems with Gluten in detail here as I have covered this in previous Posts and I just want to simplify the idea of switching to more natural foods that will help your digestive system recover and reduce inflammation in your body. Read More →

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  • Aspartate/ Brain - Gut Connection/ Butyrate/ Cancer Prevention/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ Exclusion diet/ Fibromyalgia/ Glutamate/ Glutamine/ Health/ Leaky Gut/ Nutrition and Cancer/ Wheat and Dairy Intolerance

    Weight, Gut and Sleep Problems?

    Weight, Gut and sleep problems

    Do you have a combination of weight, gut and sleep problems? If you have, you might not know how they are connected and how a new approach to eating could help.

    Your gut and brain are intimately connected as I have discussed  in ‘The Brain -Gut Connection‘. Many neurotransmitters are manufactured in the gut with Probiotic bacteria playing a crucial role. If the balance of bacteria in your gut is not right then levels of neurotransmitters like Tryptophan, Serotonin, and GABA that are produced can cause everything from brain fog and insomnia to ADHD and Epilepsy.

    These good gut bacteria thrive on fibre in the diet, especially non-soluble fibre which is often lacking in today’s highly processed diets. Having the right balance of high fibre, good bacteria and balanced blood sugar go hand in hand and therefore can be very important factors in controlling weight. Eating a diet with plenty of fibre and good fats also slows the digestive system and making you feel full for longer, happier and mentally sharper.

    Another very important substance in the gut that is produced by good probiotic bacteria and fibre is called Butyrate. Read More →

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  • Exclusion diet/ Food intolerance/ Immune system - healing/ Inflammation/ Leaky Gut/ Mineral Depletion/ Nutritional Medicine/ Wheat and Dairy Intolerance

    Turn Your Health Around

    Paleo Diet Help

    If you want to remain healthy or turn your health around you have to look after your gut health and your microbiome.  The microbiome is the collection of over 500 species of gut bacteria that support your immune system, contribute to weight, disease and health.

    So much research and information has been shared in the last 5 years on the importance of the microbiome and correcting chronic health problems from IBS to Cancer, Anxiety to Autoimmune Diseases. This is the one strong message that dominates – lifestyle diseases require lifestyle changes to heal – and your gut health is the most important to take action on to improve your health. Drugs just disguise the symptoms and cause more problems in the long run – they are not the cure.

    The gut wall is just one cell thick and these are some of the fastest healing cells in the body. If given the right nutrients and conditions they can heal in 3-7 days. Then strengthen your microbiome with good diet and supplements.

    What damages these cells and causes problems such as inflammation and leaky gut? Read More →

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  • Brain - Gut Connection/ Health/ Inflammation/ Leaky Gut/ Mineral Depletion/ Nutritional Medicine

    The Brain – Gut Connection

    The Brain -Gut Connection

    Brain Fog – ADHD – Autism – Dementia – Alzheimer’s – Anxiety – Depression – Multiple Sclerosis – Eating Disorders

    Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – IBS – Tourettes – Schizophrenia

    The Brain – Gut Connection is being talked about throughout the Medical and Nutritional world. What goes on in the gut directly affects our mood, cognitive ability and brain function. We have known about this connection for years but mistakenly thought the communication was only one way – as when anxiety can cause nausea and diarrhoea and depression can cause changes in appetite but not the other way round. Now we know that the communications between the trillions of bacteria living in our gut and the enormous amount of neurons surrounding it are in constant two-way contact with the Brain and many are now calling the gut our second Brain. It also goes some way to explaining why we say we have ‘gut feelings’ and ‘trust your gut’! A multitude of conditions as listed above are now thought to have a connection to problems of inflammation and gut dysfunction due to the wrong mix of good bacteria or infection with toxic ones.

    What are the causes of gut dysfunction and inflammation?

    • Gut wall integrity is vital to good health. The gut wall is only one cell thick and has the surface area of a tennis court. Many problems can cause this area to become inflamed and leaky – meaning that the product of our digestion and bacteria which should be contained within our digestive tract can enter the bloodstream.
    • Chronic constipation.
    • Stress
    • Environmental Toxins
    • High blood sugar – when the blood sugar is kept high due to a poor diet of sugar and carbohydrates, sugar binds to protein in a process called ‘glycation‘ and high glycation leads to actual shrinkage of the brain as well as release of high levels of inflammatory chemicals called ‘cytokines‘ and increased leakiness of the gut lining.
    • Antibiotics -either given to us or to animals that we eat can damage our good bacteria in what is referred to as our Microbiome.
    • Lack of B Vitamins -that frequently follows antibiotic use.
    • Gastroenteritis and chronic infections with overgrowth of toxic bacteria like Clostridium Dificile and similar, difficult to treat infections.
    • High levels of Omega 6 fats in the body that fuel inflammation.
    • Exposure to gliadin, a protein in gluten containing foods, increases permeability to the blood/brain barrier and gluten increases leaky gut.
    • The gut is lined with gram negative bacteria (LPS) and if these enter the systemic circulation it triggers widespread inflammation including in the brain.
    • When we get inflammation and pain the anti-inflammatory drugs given may relieve some of the symptoms but the condition will actually worsen because the drugs also irritate the digestive tract. Frequently these anti-inflammatories are given with stomach acid lowering drugs which upsets our digestion and assimilation of nutrients from our food and also the balance of bacteria in the digestive tract.
    • Histamine Intolerance – caused by too little of the enzyme DAO (diamine oxidase) that breaks down Histamine in foods. Too much Histamine causes leaky gut and a damaged gut can’t then make more of the enzyme. Magnesium is also necessary to make DAO therefore low levels of this mineral also affect the gut. For more information click Allergy

    When the Brain gets inflammatory Cytokines it responds by sending messages to the Adrenal glands to produce Cortisol which can lead to more gut leakiness, further changes in gut bacteria  and more inflammation that affects the brain. The only way to stop the cycle is to heal the gut. See the Posts on Leaky Gut and Healing Your Digestive tract.

    Beneficial bacteria in the gut have another purpose – they manufacture neurotransmitters that affect our sleep cycles, and activities in the brain and Central nervous System. Inflammation in the gut disrupts the Tryptophan – 5HTP – Serotonin – Melatonin pathways which can lead to sleep problems, anxiety, depression and other mental problems as too much Tryptophan that is not converted to 5HTP will be converted into a brain irritant called quinolinate. If there is any balance or movement disorder then it can be GABA that is affected.

    TREATMENT OPTIONS Read More →

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  • Autoimmune diseases/ Cancer./ Leaky Gut/ Nutritional Medicine/ Wheat and Dairy Intolerance

    Healing your Digestive Tract

    Healing your Digestive Tract and Leaky Gut is the key to your Health

    You can definitely do this!

    Terry Wahls MD has Multiple Sclerosis and had been in a wheelchair for 5 years and by changing her diet and nutrition she made an amazing recovery. You can find  information on “The Wahls Protocol” on this 4 min video here. After just a Year she was able to do an 18 mile bike ride. Now I wouldn’t promise that you could do this (as I certainly can’t cycle that far!) but get the right mind set. As she says “The Magic is in the food. If you don’t change your diet and you just take supplements – you are wasting your money“.

    What I am suggesting here is going to be the basic guidelines and if you want to know more I will point you in the direction of quality, easy to follow information.

    So let’s get started!

    First of all you need to prepare so that you can start in a methodical way and not get overwhelmed by the changes.

    Shop for the foods and supplements you need.You will need to eat more vegetables than you are probably used to so buy plenty of these but only as much as you can keep fresh at any one time. These are the things you will choose from to make meals in the first 14+ days and then we will add in some more.

    Shopping list

    • Meat and fish – buy the best quality you can afford and nothing that has been processed. If you can get organic and free range then all the better. If you buy a quality whole chicken then you will be able to get more than one meal out of it and boil the bones up to make a good broth/soup that is beneficial to the immune system. Lambs liver is cheap and nutritious if you like it.
    • Vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower, salads, fresh herbs, all leafy greens, squash, tomatoes, cucumber, fennel, mushrooms, asparagus, bean-sprouts, bell peppers, onions, garlic, avocado.
    • Fruit – all fresh and frozen berries, lemons and limes.
    • Nuts and seeds – all kinds except peanuts as they are technically legumes (starchy vegetables). They can be toasted and sprinkled on salad.
    • Fats and oils – Olive oil cold pressed if possible,  walnut, almond, flax. Coconut oil and coconut butter are especially important as they have the ability to help you get rid of any unwanted yeast levels in the body and are a healthy form of saturated fat that is important in healing.
    • Dairy Substitutes -Almond milk, coconut milk, other nut milks. Coconut or nut milk Kefir,  Eggs.
    • Drinks – filtered water, mineral water, green and herbal teas (peppermint, ginger and fennel teas are especially good to help soothe the digestion.) Miso soup and coconut water. Apparently Yerba mate tea is very good if you are giving up coffee.
    • Kitchen staples – Apple cider vinegar, all spices, herbs, carob, sugar free raw chocolate (it is possible to make this yourself with cacao butter and cacao powder and I will do a post on this as it is brilliant), mustard and Celtic sea salt or Sel de Guerande from France as these salts are full of natural minerals and therefore not white. Sweeteners Stevia or xylitol if required but I prefer to leave sugar out completely for the elimination diet and I don’t like sweeteners.

    This is wonderful, real food and you will quickly start to feel better and have more energy than usual.

    You may get some ‘odd’ symptoms within the first week. These could include aches and pains where you haven’t previously had them, headache, strange dreams and better dream recall, changes in bowel habit and sleepiness. Most of this can be put down to your body detoxing and should not be severe. Drink more, especially water and this should help. If you have been a coffee addict and you give it up suddenly you may get quite a severe, migraine like headache. I would suggest giving it up by cutting down slowly.

    SUPPLEMENTS.

    In the first couple of weeks you should start with

    • L-Glutamine 500mg -1000mgs per day -an amino acid that can help the gut heal
    • Vitamin B complex 50 or Chlorella tablets (start with 2 twice a day and gradually work up to 15 a day)
    • Vitamin D3 1000iu a day
    • Omega 3 fish oils or Krill oil. If you have problems with fish then try Flax seed oil
    • A good Probiotic with over 5 billion live cultures twice a day.
    • Saccharomyces Boulardii probiotic which is actually a tropical yeast culture made from lychee and mangosteen that can kill certain gut infections like Clostridium difficle, E Coli and Salmonella but if you have blood in your stool, as in Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative Colitis do not take this supplement without medical advice. If you have blood in your stool and you don’t know the reason, see your doctor!
    • Magnesium which can be taken by spraying on the skin or preferably have a Sizzling Mineral drink that you sip throughout the day. This is a natural plant based mineral supplement that contains 75 minerals that are bio-available even to a damaged gut. They are available to buy in Europe and the USA and are expanding worldwide.  See video and shop here.

    N.B. If you have been ill with cancer or have any other illnesses  or treatment that mean you have a low white blood count or are immuno-compromised you should speak with you Doctor before starting this regime. For children follow the intake recommended on the supplement.
    Click here to visit bodykind

    Next step is to get a large shopping bag or box and clear out all your kitchen cupboards and fridge of the things you should not eat while on this detox. Out of sight – out of mind! We hope.

    Wheat and other grains, oats, Barley, Rice, Corn and their flours. Even gluten free varieties.

    Dairy, milk, butter, cream and ice cream, cheese and yogurt and for the first 3 weeks at least sheep and goat products as well.

    Sugar and all sweeteners except the ones on your shopping list

    Alcohol

    caffeine

    Potatoes or sweet potatoes

    soy and soya products

    all other fruit and fruit juices

    Finally gather more information and recipes and make a menu plan for a few days. If you want a cookbook Clean Eats by Alejandro Junger MD is full of great ideas and you can also find lots on the internet – try searching for wheat and dairy free or Paleo but check ingredients list against what is allowed at least in the first 2-3 weeks. if you have Autoimmune disease there are even recipes for Paleo autoimmune protocol which leaves out the nightshade vegetables. If you sign up to Pinterest you can save your favourite recipes and ideas easily. There are loads of websites and Blogs where you can get free information and recipes.

    Breakfast can be the one meal that people have the most trouble with but try to have some protein like eggs(with spinach maybe). Home-made smoothies can be a very nutritious start to the day, especially if you are in a hurry or not used to eating breakfast add a spoon of almond butter or a handful of nuts and seeds to add protein and stop you from feeling hungry by mid morning.

    You should not be hungry on this diet. It will stabilise your blood sugar. Have a few nuts and seeds (like sunflower or pumpkin) with you for if you get hungry or are late with a meal. Your lunch and dinner should be mainly vegetables or salad with maybe olive oil and lemon juice as a dressing and a medium portion of protein. If you want to stir fry it is best to use coconut oil as this stays stable at higher temperatures.

    I found that because of putting more thought into meals and food combinations I started to enjoy my meals more. Try not to concentrate on what you are not able to eat and remember that as your health starts to improve you will feel better than any “treat” made you feel!

     

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  • Adrenal Fatigue/ Arthritis/ Autoimmune diseases/ Exclusion diet/ Inflammation/ Integrated Medicine/ Leaky Gut/ Nutritional Medicine/ Wheat and Dairy Intolerance

    Autoimmune disease epidemic

    The Truth About Cancer

    We are in the midst of an Autoimmune disease epidemic. Multiple Sclerosis, Type 1 Diabetes, Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Thyroid disease, Lupus, Gout, Autism, ADHD, some forms of cancer and hundreds of others either confirmed as Autoimmune or highly suspected to be. The numbers of people affected now exceeds the number of people with both heart disease and Cancer combined, which is more than 50 million in the USA alone! If you are worried about your health and want to start helping yourself or your family right now then start discovering proven ways you can change your diet, feel better and end the pain and life limiting effects of chronic disease.

    It was because my Mother had Rheumatoid arthritis that I became interested in and started studying Nutrition, about 35 years ago. We always felt that there was a strong relationship with the food she ate and the progression of her disease but try as I might I was unable to get her to change her diet. I felt that milk and wheat were the possible foods causing her trouble but she would not give up milk because she felt she needed it for her bones and nothing would change her mind – she would drink at least a pint a day. She did try to go wheat free but only lasted 3 days and said that she felt ill, weak, had a constant headache and low mood – all things I now know to be withdrawal symptoms from the narcotic effects of wheat itself. The progression of her disease was relentless and in addition to the painful and disabling joint changes she developed Sjogren’s Syndrome(an auto-immune condition where the body’s immune system attacks glands that secrete fluid, such as the tears and salivary glands), heart failure and adrenal failure.

    Over the last few years my focus has been more on the cancer epidemic but then my son became ill and it took me a while but eventually we managed to come up with a diagnosis of Reiter’s Syndrome – another autoimmune disease that causes a reactive arthritis plus other symptoms of inflammation. As with my mother, Autoimmunity often involves more than one reaction in the body and he also has Celiac, Eczema, Sjogren’s syndrome(dry eyes) and Lichen Planus a non infectious skin condition.

    So I have come full circle and am back investigating autoimmune diseases again and everything else that now appears to be connected to inflammation that starts in the gut.

    Over the last few years an amazing amount of progress has been made in this field – almost all of it in America. The Americans have had Naturopathic Doctors or Medical Doctors who have taken up Functional Medicine, where Doctors look for the cause and don’t just treat the symptoms and so it has been possible for those with a more Holistic view of health to discover the total body connections more easily than those who have a more ‘body systems’ approach and an early entry into specialisation.

    I have recently completed The Detox Summit on-line and have learnt so much. My son had been dairy free for awhile but was still not as well as we would like and following the Summit we both went on a months detox diet.

    The results were quick and dramatic.

    Within the month my son lost 3lbs, had more energy, no painful joints, no more stomach pains or bowel problems and his eczema cleared up completely.

    I lost 5lbs, became free of aches and pains, more flexible and could touch my toes or the floor with ease,  no more pains in back or ankles or swelling of hands and ankles, sinus problems and mucous in throat at night disappeared, anxiety and palpitations ended, stomach bloating and pains vanished and bowel movements became normal.

    There was also an effect of mental clarity and better dream recall that I think we both felt. We then continued with a natural, fresh diet leaving out processed foods and gradually reintroduced some foods and watched for reactions. We took supplements to help heal the gut and to rebuild a good Microbiome of beneficial bacteria in the gut. More Posts will follow to help you do the same.

    • Remove foods that are causing inflammation and activating your immune system
    • Remove any hidden infection or parasites
    • Restore gut integrity and healthy microbiome
    • Re-introduce foods and improve diet and nutritional intake

    Sign up to receive free help and advice directly to your inbox and ask me questions on any specific problems.

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