Category Archives: health

Good, Better, Best

by Mirachange, grocery, habits, health, ingredients, nutrients

I recently had the absolute delight of being invited to cook in the fabulous kitchen at Three Goats Farm. Designed and operated by the amazing Primitive Diva, Melissa Humphries, this is a fun place to hang out and you couldn't ask for better company to hang out with.

Getting ready for the launch of Primitive Diva TV, PDTV, she invited me to film an episode while we chatted about the concept of good, better, best, when it comes to food and nourishing your body. I love helping people move up the nutrition ladder so to speak.

It's difficult to go from a highly processed food plan to one that truly nourishes your body. I certainly know, from personal experience and from working with clients, that it's a step-by-step process which takes time and effort to achieve. I don't know anyone who has made a huge jump overnight and managed to stick with it. You start where you are, decide what you're going to focus on, and begin to make changes. Just as in the fable of the tortoise and the hare, slow and steady wins the race.

Small measurable changes, mindfully made over time are most often the ones that are sustainable and lead to long-term, healthier change. Extravagant changes and massive numbers of them, all at the same time, are overwhelming.

One way to manage this change is to focus on shifting food, recipes, ingredients up the ladder from good to better to best.

The Concept of Good, Better, Best in Nutrition

Here's an example that we used in the filming. [In case you're interested we made the polenta and Tuscan Stew recipes from The Pantry Principle on pages 124 and 145 respectively] In the example below I'm going to talk about upgrading your polenta.

Good is when you decide to shift from a heavy processed food and/or restaurant/take-away diet to making more foods at home. There is often less chemicals, less sugar, salt, and fat. The serving sizes are more reasonable. In the case of polenta this may mean purchasing a chub of polenta and heating it up at home as part of your recipe.

Better is realizing that corn is one of the most highly genetically modified crops on the face of the planet. You don't want to eat conventional corn anymore because you want to avoid the GMOs and probable heavy pesticide residue. So you choose organic corn. Possibly still in a chub. Or maybe you decide to make it from scratch and you use organic ground cornmeal plus other clean ingredients.

Best means you've decided to really focus on eating well and are buying organically grown, sprouted cornmeal. The sprouting adds extra nutrition, better digestibility, and reduces phytic acids and enzyme inhibitors which can interfere with nutrition.

One step at a time we work our way up the ladder to better digestion, better nourishment, better food sourcing.

We had a great time chatting in the kitchen. As you can see from the picture above the food was so enticing that the aromas got us and we didn't get a picture until after we'd dug in and started devouring it. Mr. Diva came in at the end and polished off a plate of his own. I promise, this recipe is a winner. And so is Three Goats Farm.

In the meantime, if you have any questions about food, nutrition, holistic health, or how to take your recipes from good to better to best, don't forget to take advantage of my 15-minute discovery call for FREE.

Word Of The Year: Balance

by Mirachange, family, healthword of the year

Last year with the encouragement of my friend Sue Painter I chose a word to focus on for the upcoming year. It was the word inspire. And last year was definitely a year of inspiration, change, and huge personal growth.

I enjoyed the process so much that I decided to do it again. Oddly enough it's not that easy to pick a word. When you stop to consider that this word is a guiding focus for the year ahead, to think about how to condense all of your goals and hopes into one single word, it can be a bit overwhelming.

After much careful consideration I've chosen the word balance. The dictionary defines it as:

bal·ance (ˈbaləns/Submit)

noun

1. an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady.

synonyms: stability, equilibrium, steadiness, footing

stability of one's mind or feelings.

"the way to some kind of peace and personal balance"

SAILING
the ability of a boat to stay on course without adjustment of the rudder

2. a condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions.
synonyms: fairness, justice, impartiality, evenhandedness, egalitarianism, equal opportunity

ART
harmony of design and proportion, the relative volume of various sources of sound.

3. an apparatus for weighing, especially one with a central pivot, beam, and a pair of scales

synonyms: scale(s), weighing machine

the zodiacal sign or constellation Libra

4. a counteracting weight or force

synonyms: counterbalance, counterweight, stabilizer, compensation

the regulating device in a mechanical clock or watch.

5. a predominating weight or amount; the majority.

6. a figure representing the difference between credits and debits in an account; the amount of money held in an account.

the difference between an amount due and an amount paid

synonyms: remainder, outstanding amount, rest, residue, difference, remaining part, an amount left over

verb

verb: balance; 3rd person present: balances; past tense: balanced; past participle: balanced; gerund or present participle: balancing

1. keep or put (something) in a steady position so that it does not fall

synonyms: steady, stabilize, poise, level

remain in a steady position without falling

2. offset or compare the value of (one thing) with another

synonyms: weigh, weigh up, compare, evaluate, consider, assess, appraise, judge

As a word nerd, I love the fact that it's both a noun and a verb. But even more, I like what it stands for and how my focus in the year ahead, my intention, is to seek balance, find balance, be balanced, and to provide balance for others.

As part of how I practice I assist people with their health goals, that brings them into balance with their bodies. As a holistic health practitioner I support them in looking at all aspects of their current state of being, that brings them into balance in many different areas of their life, a "way to some kind of peace and personal balance." That really resonates with me; I hope to be the rudder that helps others find the balance they need.

On a more personal note is the idea of balancing so that "different elements are equal or in the correct proportions." As I focus on the year ahead I need to be mindful of balancing my own healing journey with my food sensitivities, my personal commitments, my clients, time with friends, spiritual growth, focus on family, and personal development. That balancing act is never easy, but I believe it's worth focusing on.

Wishing you a happy, healthy, peaceful year ahead!

Nordic Diet

by Miradairy, fats and oil, fruit, gluten free, gmo, grains, health, meat, probioticsdiet, meditteranean, nordic

There's a new diet trend that appears set to take the world by storm, the Nordic Diet. It appears to be a Scandinavian take on the concepts of the Mediterranean Diet.

According to a study published in The Journal of Internal Medicine, it lowered cholesterol and inflammation among study participants who followed the plan for 18 weeks. Without a doubt, there will shortly be a book, a cookbook, several websites with recipes, and a new crowd of enthusiasts. That's not necessarily a bad thing but it may not be the right thing for everyone.

The diet does allow for whole grains, primarily rye, barley, and oats, as well as low-fat dairy, fish, poultry, game meats (like moose), fruits, berries, vegetables, and canola oil. While new diet plans always garner a lot of excitement it's important to remember that there is no one size fits all diet. We are bio-individual creatures and what works for one person doesn't always work for another. If someone is gluten intolerant they need to avoid the rye and barley (and source gluten free oats) allowed in this nutritional plan. Just because it's part of the diet doesn't mean it's the right choice if your body can't handle it.

I do have a couple of thoughts about this diet and about food trends in general:

The Nordic Diet calls for canola oil.

In the United States this is not a good choice as the vast majority of it is contaminated by GMO. Some estimates of contamination and cross-contamination are so high that there are those who believe there is no unmodified canola to be found in the U.S.

The diet calls for low-fat dairy.

This is not a healthy option. Starting with the fact that dairy is one of our few food sources of vitamin D. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin (meaning it needs to be consumed with fat in order for the body to properly utilize it). Vitamin D is also important to help the body properly make use of calcium. When it comes to the old notion that high fat diets cause obesity, recent studies have shown that the opposite is true. In measured studies, those who consumed whole-milk dairy products had reduced risk for obesity.

The diet does not, as far as I've been able to find, specifically talk about sourcing of food.

While game meat is unlikely to be adulterated with added hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides, poultry and fish need to be sustainably sourced. It's interesting to note that game meat in general may be gaining some prominence as people seek to avoid meat from animals raised in confined operations.

Vegetables and fruits still need to be sourced without pesticide residue and GMO contamination.

I imagine that there will be more of a call for root vegetables. This is a good thing as root vegetables are high vitamins, beta-carotene, and fiber. [side thought: I'm always surprised when I buy parsnips at the grocery store and the checkout clerk wants to know what the "white carrots" are.]

Expectations

With food trends in general, I expect we'll face a year ahead with more, New, BETTER (read tongue in cheek) superfoods that convey all sorts of health benefits. I'm not a huge fan of seeking those out and quite frankly we have superfoods that are local and easily accessible, there's no need to keep chasing the latest super ones.

I imagine there will still be some sort of push to get bugs onto the menu and into the grocery stores. They're cheap and easy to raise, a quick, convenient source of protein. I'm not a fan but that's a personal preference. I also don't eat things like squid or eels that doesn't mean I think they're dangerous or bad for you. With anything that we eat we have to look at how it's raised. Remember, you are what you eat includes whatever the animal you're eating ate.

I still believe there's not enough focus on fermented foods. These are in a category referred to as functional foods, they have a specific health benefit. In the case of fermented foods such as kefir, kombucha, and lacto-fermented vegetables they add beneficial probiotics to our intestinal tract, helping us to break down our food, boost our immune system and stay healthy. While I see more and more evidence of some fermented foods I believe we would all benefit from eating more of them. Ideally we'd learn how to make them at home.

I'd like to believe we'll continue to see a growing influence of tip-to-tail consumption that will encourage us to eat more fully from the whole animal. Learning to eat organ meats again, consuming more bone broths, getting away from the white-meat-only-chicken-breast diet that so many of us have become accustomed to.

Whatever nutrition plan lies ahead, let's remember that we need to eat according to the needs of our bio-individual bodies. Our dietary needs change over time. We don't eat the same in our 40's as we did when we were a toddler or an adolescent. But however we choose to eat, whatever we're eating, let's focus on clean, healthy, sustainably sourced foods rather than jumping from one popular diet plan to another.

Want to know more about food and what's in what you eat? Join The Ingredient Guru Community!

Vitamin Zzzzzzzz

by Mirachange, health, sleep, testing

I've been making changes to what and how I eat in order to support my health and deal with recently diagnosed food intolerance issues. I began to suspect that I had food intolerances, or allergies, when I noticed several physical symptoms. One of them was that my sleep seemed to be getting worse. This was in spite of taking supplemental support (tryptophan and vitamin B6) as well as the use of essential oils like lavender and serenity.

Don't get me wrong, I was sleeping. But it wasn't as restful as I was used to, I was waking more frequently, and I was noticing that my dreams had changed.

Food intolerances can create a cascading effect on the system due to the increased inflammation. This inflammation can:

increase mucous production causing stuffy noses, full sinus, and post nasal drip
impact cortisol levels which in turn can cause a shift in hormonal levels affecting sleep
cause itching, rashes, and other skin irritations which can make for restless sleep
affect gut health which impacts the whole body and, again, can cause discomfort which can interrupt sleep
inflammation from food intolerances may also impact joint health or cause swollen tissues

Any and all of which can add up to less than optimal sleep. And without sleep, well, many of us don't function well. I know this is especially true for me.

When we are dealing with health and wellness we sometimes forget to pay close attention to our bodies. To listen, if you will, to what they are telling us. The small, creeping clues of “not feeling well” can be indicators of a larger problem. If there's a pattern or consistency to that we need to pay attention. Food journaling can be a great way to stay on top of this. Most of us think that we will remember what we ate and how we felt. But, as I frequently joke with others when I ask them to food journal, ‘I can't remember what I had for breakfast on Tuesday how am I supposed to remember everything I ate and how I felt for an entire week?' I knew I wasn't sleeping well, I knew I was having more mucosal production, but I wasn't paying attention. Until I journaled myself and realized that there was a pattern. That lead to testing which lead to answers. Very simply, very straightforward.

How do I know I'm on the right track? Because it's getting better. I confess, even though I've been doing this for years with other people, even though I've personally seen the benefits of changing what and how I eat to meet the needs of my bio-individual body, I'm always amazed when simple changes can have such a profound effect. Within two weeks of modest changes I've started to sleep so much better. The third night that I woke up realizing that I had “zonked out” I knew I was on the right path.

It's not easy sometimes, but it is simple. Getting better quality sleep is making me feel better. I wake up refreshed and ready to hop out of bed and get started with my day. It's fabulous how much great sleep can help you feel so much better overall. And feeling better is both it's own reward and the motivation.

Want to know more? Contact me for a free Food Journal page and find out if you have food related health patterns.

More info: giving up dairy

photo: PhotogLife

What Mcdonald’s Wants

by Mirachange, health, ingredients, nutri-washing

A recent headline, “McDonalds to eliminate eight menu items”, touted the fact that McDonald's is examining their menu, reducing choices, and possibly changing some of it's ingredients. They're also trying to shake their reputation as the “supersize me” place.*

McDonald's is changing, supposedly in response to consumer demands. But there are still so many things wrong with this. They are nutri-washing. Putting their spin on it to try to misdirect you away from the fact that this is still high caloric, nutritionally poor, chemically laden JUNK food. They want your dollars, that's why they're changing. But they'll do the least amount possible and trumpet the changes as loudly as they can to try to get your attention. Their claim is that this is in response to consumer demand. That's great, it's a good thing to listen to what people want. But let's be honest, it's also because profits are down.

I believe they are failing to take into account the fact that fewer people are going to McDonald's not because they have “too many choices” or because it takes “too long to get through the line.” They are not going because they are choosing to eat whole, more nutritious, real food.

When I was a kid going to McDonald's was a treat. We rarely went and if we did it was special. Somehow over time McDonald's has become a daily meal choice for a lot of people. Not just a simple burger and fries, not just for a treat, this is how we have been encouraged to feed ourselves. And we're paying the price for it in health. Yes, that $1 value meal or that $.79 supersize option may seem like a good deal financially, but when it comes to your health it's a poor investment.

Let's be honest, McDonald's isn't the only company doing this. Burger joints, fast food places, and other junk food options abound in our society. But if we want to be healthy, if we want to really nourish ourselves, we need to learn to make different choices. McDonald's is getting picked on mostly because they're one of the biggest and because they keep trying to spin it their way.

Their food transparency campaign backfired badly because they tried to look like they were responding to consumers demand for information. Well, consumers DO want more information. But they were shocked to discover what was really in their McD's meal. (Of course from a Pantry Principle perspective the transparency campaign didn't go far enough as it didn't address GMOs, antibiotics, pesticides, etc; it simply mentioned ingredients without revealing their impact on health — such as TBHQ which has been linked to cancer and asthma among other things.)

When it comes to this corporate spin it's important to learn how to look at what's really going on. Are changes being made across the board or just to a few items? Is there an underlying reason for the changes? Is the company touting “response to consumer demand” as their pat-themselves-on-the-back reason for change? Sadly they're quick to give themselves props for being responsive but frequently they only do the bare minimum when it comes to this responsiveness. Trying to do just enough to convince consumers to come back and buy their products. And let's not forget, while we're examining the headlines and corporate messages, are we eating the way we really want to? Are we nourishing ourselves and making choices for health? That last question probably should be the first one when you look at what's really in your food.

*If you still haven't seen the documentary film Super Size Me by Morgan Spurlock, or you want to watch it again, it's available for free on Hulu.

photo: Kici

Understanding Food Intolerance Testing

by Miraallergies, health, immune system, testing

Food sensitivities, or food intolerance, can cause a number of different health-related issues. Some people refer to food sensitivities as food allergies. It's important to note that a sensitivity is different than an allergy, sometimes referred to as a True Food Allergy. A true food allergy, such as a life-threatening response to peanuts, can be dangerous and may require the use of medication or, in extreme circumstances, an epi-pen. Food sensitivities can cause significant discomfort but, to the best of my knowledge, are not life-threatening.

Symptoms of food sensitivities

One of the issues when it comes to diagnosing food sensitivities is that there may be a delayed hypersensitivity response, meaning it can take several days for symptoms to appear.

Symptoms are varied and often can be misdiagnosed as being something else. These include:

Bloating
Coughing or continual throat clearing
General Malaise (feeling “under the weather”)
Hives
Headaches/Migraines
Irritable bowel symptoms
Sinus issues
Stomach ache
Repeated sneezing for “no reason”
Runny nose

My story

I noticed several significant changes in my health that lead me to believe I might be developing some food sensitivities. I realized that I was getting frequent rashes or flushes on my neck, my sleep was more interrupted (I kept waking repeatedly for no particular reason), I also noticed occasional low level aches in my small joints, and I realized I had developed a craving for cheese. Sadly when we “crave” foods it often turns out that this is because we have developed a sensitivity and become intolerant of them.

Because it had been a while since I've had food sensitivity testing I decided it was time to go ahead and retest myself. Here is my thought process after I received my results and read the report:

Strong reaction – honey – “Darn! My favorite sweetener to deal with seasonal allergies. I often take a spoonful of raw, local honey in tea to help me through the winter allergy season. Oh well, I guess I'll have to give that up for now.”
Strong reaction – fusarium vasinfectum (an agricultural fungus) – “Rats! Hard to deal with. I'll really have to be extra vigilant about washing produce and drying it carefully before use. Time to get out the humidity monitor and make sure the house isn't too damp.”
Strong reaction – sodium benzoate (a preservative) – “Say what?!?! I'm guessing my exposure is coming from eating on the road because I KNOW I am not eating it at home.”
Moderate reaction – Blueberry – “Darn! My favorite berry. Luckily there are lots of other berries, I'll just have to switch for a while.”
Moderate reaction – Canteloupe/Honeydew – “Huh? Another fruit? I don't even eat that much fruit to begin with.”
Moderate reaction – Cottonseed oil – “Again probably from eating out, I certainly don't have this at home.”
Moderate reaction – Cheese (cow) – “Dagnabit [and yes, I do say this, it's my favorite “swear” word followed closely by dagnabitall] I was afraid of that. NO CHEESE! Seriously!” [That's when I realized the craving part was worse than I had thought]
Moderate reaction – Raspberry – “Excuse me?? What??? No berries????” [note: a food sensitivity to more than one thing in a food group often means that there is a reaction to the group as a whole. For me the berry sensitivity means no acai, blueberry, blackberry, boysenberry, cranberry, elderberry, goji berry, gooseberry, raspberry, and strawberry for six months.]
Moderate reaction – FD&C Yellow #10 – “Oh man I seriously need to look at how much I am eating out or away from home.”
Moderate – Dibutyl Phthlate – “hmmmm, time to look more closely at my personal care products.”
Moderate – Ethylene Dibromide (a chemical solvent) – “no earthly idea where I could be getting exposed to this but I'll have to be more aware of my surroundings.”

These reactions are very similar to the sort of mental gyrations that many of my clients go through when we review their results. Although a significant reaction requires a six month avoidance of the substance and a moderate one only three months. I often just ask that they avoid everything for six months. We also embark on a healing gut protocol.

In my case I'm already doing most of what the healing gut protocol involves, however there are some gaps, especially when I travel. I'll be working hard to address those.

However, I'm going to confess that none of this will take place until after Thanksgiving. The results came after I had planned my menu, purchased food, and started cooking. I'll admit that I'm human and not able/willing to completely revamp my holiday menu with just a couple of days notice. I'm also not thrilled about mashed potatoes with no butter or cream, no homemade cranberry orange relish (made this year with kumquats picked fresh off the tree instead of oranges), no whipped cream on the pumpkin pie/custard. But believe me, I know how much better I will feel once I start on my new eating plan and clean up my food intolerances. I also know that the more compliant I am the better I will feel and that in six months it is highly likely that most if not all of these food sensitivities will have gone away.

Testing for food sensitivities

If you suspect you have food sensitivities you can talk with your doctor or order a test online. The test I used looks at 212 different potential allergens. You can see them listed below.

One of the reasons I like this particular company is because their test comes with a dietary rotation plan (you can get more information about what a dietary rotation plan is and how it works here). The report also comes with a laminated wallet card. The wallet card is so you can take it with you to the grocery store or when you are on the road to help you remember what exactly you are supposed to avoid.

What’s Vitamin B12 For?

by Mirahealth, nutrientsb12, Vitamins

Recently at a pharmacy I saw a sign "Do you have low energy? Trouble with weight loss? Foggy thinking? Anemia? Get your B12 shots here!"

Many people may be deficient in B12; as a water soluble vitamin we tend to go through it pretty quickly. As we age we tend to lose our ability to process B12 optimally which may lead to deficiency. And deficiency is often found in those who are smokers, pregnant, or breast feeding. Then there are those who have a variety of disorders such as crohn's, celiac disease, SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), or pernicious anemia. In some cases it can take five or more years before you see signs of deficiency.

The largest population with a tendency toward low B12 is vegetarians and vegans. This is due to the fact that animal foods such as sardines, salmon, tuna, cod, lamb, scallops, shrimp, and beef provide the highest levels of B12. It is possible to get it from other food sources, however those are the best ones.

B12 is vital for optimal many body functions. The body uses it to convert carbohydrates into glucose which our body uses for fuel. If we don't have enough, or if we aren't converting properly this can cause fatigue. It also supports a healthy nervous system, helping us to balance stress and contributes to a balanced circulatory system, supporting good cholesterol levels and blood pressure. B12 is also vital for healthy hair, skin, and nails.

But is taking shots the right things to do? There are some claims that the shot can be taken as often as twice a week. However there can be side effects up to and including diarrhea, stomach upset, headache, joint pain, or even flushing, rashes, or hives.

Before simply taking a B12 injection it would be prudent to obtain a comprehensive micronutrient panel to determine if you are actually low. If you are deficient in B12 consider modifying your diet to include more B12 rich foods, supplement orally, and also evaluate if you need appropriate digestive support to ensure you are absorbing what you are putting into your body.

Recovering From Knee Surgery

by Miraenzymes, health

I had knee surgery six weeks ago. Totally unexpected but necessary. It turns out I had a torn ACL and needed a new one. Under the best of circumstances surgery is never fun. My situation is made a little more challenging due to my diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis; anytime you have general anesthetic or antibiotics it can affect your system. This time, however, I was more prepared; I have a daily nutrition plan and know more about supporting the body.

While I'm still in the recovery phase and definitely in the “danger zone” where I'm impatient to do more but realize I need to allow my body to heal fully and well at it's own pace, I'm doing very well. My surgeon, his PA, and my pain and torture physical therapy team are all very happy with my progress.

It goes without saying that in order for the body to heal it helps to start with a good nutritional basis. If you live on fast food and sugars your body doesn't have what it needs to heal efficiently. While I'm certainly not perfect I do work hard at making sure I have a well balanced, clean, whole food diet and good supplementation. However I believe one of the keys to my success was/is enzyme therapy. It is giving my body the materials it needs to rebuild and heal quickly.

The company that makes these enzyme supplements is called Transformation Enzymes. I'm a huge fan, not just now because of my surgery. Actually if anything I'm an even bigger fan now. Transformation Enzymes is a great company with a very clean product that they put through clinical trials before they release it. Long time readers will know that I am passionate about knowing what's really in your food and avoiding the chemical contamination; their label says “absolutely no fillers,” it doesn't get any better than that.

Below is the protocol that I followed. It's important to note that I was already taking the digestive enzyme and the probiotic before this happened. I take these on a daily basis to support my health. I also added in extra nourishing broth, 2 cups per day.

Digest – 1 with each meal – to ensure that you are getting enough nutrition from your food for healing

although if you are someone who needs to eat more gluten free then you would use CarboG instead

Probiotic 42.5 – 1 per day at bedtime – to ensure maximum digestive capacity

Protease IFC – 2 capsules 3 times per day – to calm the inflammation

RepairZyme – 1 capsule 3 times per day to provide nutritional support for healing

In addition to these supplements I took a few more:

Methylsufonylmethane – a sulfur compound that is very important for join health and also is supportive for bones, hair, skin, and for overall energy. It's found naturally in a lot of foods, the highest being in raw milk. For those who don't want to drink raw milk, dark leafy greens are a good way to get it. For high needs, such as post surgery, supplementation is probably the best way to get it.

Arnica – this comes from a plant and is highly supportive for bruising, aching, and inflammation. It comes in both a cream and a homeopathic pill. I used both as needed.

Hypericum – I struggled with a lot of nerve pain down the front of my shin immediately after surgery. Hypericum also comes from a plant, is available in a homeopathic pill, and is supportive for nerve pain.

I'm grateful to my medical team for the excellent work they did. I'm also grateful to all my friends, family, and colleagues who offered support, visits, meals, and good wishes. As I said at the top I truly believe that part of my healing process is due to having a good nutritional plan already underway. Don't wait until you need surgery or medical information to change your eating habits. Small changes now will add up to a large, positive effect down the road. It's like I always say, “Eat well to be well.”

6 Tips To Support Your Gut Naturally

by Mirahealth, weight

Your gut doesn’t lie. It gives you that “gut reaction” when something isn’t quite right; it growls when you’re hungry, and a stomach upset is sometimes the first symptom of something amiss in your body. Indeed, your gut may be the most forthcoming part of your body, unable to mask the symptoms when something is wrong – and that’s a good thing.

Gut or digestive issues can be temporary (you went overboard on Mexican food last night), but for many people, they’re chronic, disruptive, and painful. And if you and your doctor have already ruled out other potential conditions that may be causing the problem, you’re probably wondering why the bloating, constipation, flatulence, and other irritating issues won’t let up. Collectively, this set of symptoms is usually diagnosed as IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, and about 60 million Americans suffer from it.

Why Your Gut Needs Love

When we talk about your “gut,” we’re referring to your entire digestive tract. Along the path, through the stomach and small and large intestines, anything you ingest can either nourish or degrade the digestive organs. Your gut must assimilate nutrients, prevent toxins from permeating cells and move everything along in a timely fashion.

So if you think of the gut as being the “custodian” of an organism – sweeping out the debris to make sure things don’t rot, fester or cause disease – you can see why the rest of your body will suffer if your gut can’t do that quickly and efficiently.

Many experts in the medical community believe that true health starts in the gut. Digestive issues can affect the body as a whole, contributing to everything from allergies and acne to IBS, liver disease and even cancer. Your gut also shields your immune system, so when it’s compromised, you’re more vulnerable to becoming sick.

Dietary imbalances (too much sugar, processed foods, overeating), medication use, mineral deficiencies and even stress can also change the balance of bacteria in your digestive tract, leaving you susceptible to a host of different health conditions.

How to Support Your Gut

So how do you keep your gut healthy and efficient? It starts with some basic dietary changes. Additionally, a few high-quality supplements can complement this process:

1. Give GMOs the Heave-Ho.

You know that GMOs (genetically modified organisms) are a no-no, but what you may not have heard is that they have the ability to wreak havoc on your gut. Up to two-thirds of the processed foods on grocery shelves in the United States have genetically modified ingredients. And the GMO Project Organization [or is it Non-GMO Project] estimates that might be as high as 80 percent. There is evidence that exposure to GMOs can increase risk for gluten intolerance (which can manifest as various gut-disturbing symptoms). Opt for whole and organic products and you’ll avoid GMO exposure.

2. Pass on Dairy.

If you’re one of those people who make a beeline for the cheese plate, it will be no surprise that dairy can be addictive. Caseomorphins – a cousin of morphine or heroin – are protein fragments that come from the digestion of the milk protein, casein. In addition to making you want more, casein can be highly disruptive to your body. It raises cortisol and contributes to leaky gut syndrome – a condition that includes vague symptoms like bloating, cramps, gas, and food sensitivities.

3. Probiotics, Please.

While antibiotics are designed to kill off harmful bacteria, probiotics do just the opposite – they keep your insides flourishing with a healthy colony of good germs. Since stress, diet and some medications can upset this balance, it’s important to refuel with probiotic-rich foods like sauerkraut, miso, pickles, tempeh and kombucha (avoid those sparkling probiotic drinks unless they’re naturally low in sugar). You can also take probiotic supplements, which help chronic digestive issues and conditions like IBS.

4. Water, Water, Everywhere.

If you think of your entire digestive tract as like one big Slip ‘N Slide, you can see why lack of water is a problem. Water is the life-giving force that makes up about 60 percent of our bodies. It moves things along in your gut and helps sweep away toxins through your urine and feces. Need I say more? Drink up.

5. Get Tested for Food Allergies.

Food allergies can lead to inflammation in all areas of the body, but especially in your gut. You can try the elimination method with certain foods to see if your digestive issues clear up, but it may also be worth getting an allergy panel test done by your doctor. Knowing you’re allergic to casein, for example, could offer invaluable insight about how to change your diet for the better.

6. Fill Up With Fiber.

Fiber isn’t just the magic solution for constipation. It helps to remove toxins, it keeps things moving and it protects your digestive tract from inflammation, injury and disease. An added bonus of fiber? It can curb your appetite by keeping you full.

If you’re thinking, “I’ve done all of these things, and my gut is still giving me grief,” you’re not alone. In that case, it may be helpful to try a detox or supplement program specifically aimed at cleansing your digestive organs. I offer two kits, My Gut Needs Love or My Gut Needs Advanced Love, that are designed to calm inflammation, remove toxins and give your gut the TLC it needs to become shiny and clean again.

While gut problems are indeed common, don’t just assume you have IBS if you’ve had long-lasting symptoms like cramping, pain or diarrhea. Sometimes digestive disturbances can indicate gallbladder, liver or kidney problems. If dietary changes or cleansing doesn’t alleviate your symptoms, it’s best to see your doctor to determine if there might be an underlying issue.

Sara Gottfried, M.D. teaches women how to balance their hormones naturally so they can rock their mission. She is a Harvard-educated physician, speaker and New York Times bestselling author of The Hormone Cure (Simon & Schuster, 2013). She is board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology, and is regularly featured in magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Redbook, O Magazine, and Yoga Journal, and TV including The Ricki Lake Show and 20/20. Known for effortlessly blending the seriousness of women’s health with playfulness and humor, Dr. Sara’s mission is to help women lose weight, feel great and vital from their cells to their soul.

She is co-hosting a free live video event on September 3, 7 Power Habits to Double Your Detox and Weight Loss

Antioxidants: Hype Or Healthy?

by Mirahealthantioxidant

With so many articles and labels out there promoting antioxidants, it makes you wonder if it's all hype or if there is value gained from consuming ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) rich foods.

Role of Antioxidants

We need to start with an understanding that antioxidants are your body's first defense against free radicals, stopping the degenerative chain reaction that leads to free radical damage. It's important to understand that free radicals don't destroy cells. Rather they injure cells and damage their DNA, mutating them and thereby creating a seed for disease.

Oxidation Process Example

A simple example of this is an apple. What happens to an apple when it's sliced and left out for 30 minutes? It turns brown, or oxidizes. The interaction between oxygen and the cells causes oxidation. This process occurs in our bodies daily and is multiplied depending on the choice of foods we eat, the environment we live in, stress levels we endure, etc. Ok, but is the damage really that severe and if so, how can we protect ourselves?

Effects of Free Radical Damage

Many of the physical effects we call "aging" result from free radical damage. Skin damage caused by unprotected exposure to excessive sunlight, for example. Disease and illness caused by cigarette smoke, fried or processed foods, coupled with low consumption of foods (fruits & vegetables) having high antioxidant values are other effects. Over time choices that seem to have little impact, in fact, have been shown to speed up the aging process inside and outside the body and are a large factor in the deterioration of health over time.

Defense Against Oxidation

Defense is the best offense OR prevention is the best medicine. Let's look at our apple again, its skin protects it from the elements, but once sliced it begins to oxidize. However, pouring lemon juice over it prolongs its inevitable process of rotting. Our bodies generate highly potent antioxidants, however with the increasing amounts of free radical exposure, we cannot produce enough to fight against the constant attacks and oxidative stress we undergo daily.

Supporting the Body

We need to support our body and give it a fighting chance by eating antioxidant-rich foods partnered with antioxidant supplementation. According to the European Journal of Nutrition, an 11-year study of 24,000 people that was published in July 2011, found that users of antioxidant supplements are 48% less likely to die of cancer and 42% less likely to die of any other disease.

Antioxidant-Rich Foods

What are some antioxidant-rich foods? Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cranberries, red beans, kidney beans, artichoke hearts, kale, asparagus, tomatoes, red cabbage, sweet potatoes, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds to name a few. And, yes, cocoa, red wine, and spices are also good sources.

Considering Size and Consumption

Size does matter in the case for cocoa, coffee, wine, or spices. Although these do offer high levels of antioxidants, we should look at the amount that must be consumed in order to gain the most from these yummy options. To be classified as "rich in antioxidants", food must have an ORAC rating of 1000 per 100 g. Unless we're planning on consuming 100g of curry powder or several glasses of wine in one sitting, we'll need to consider other options such as supplementation.

About the Author

Viviana Vargas is the owner of Vivifit Enterprises and is partnered with a company which developed a biophotonic scanner (a low energy blue-light laser) to painlessly and non-invasively measure antioxidant levels. She works with individuals, healthcare practitioners, fitness professionals, and nutritionists to help improve individuals' health and vitality through prevention and awareness. She can be reached at vivifitenterprises@gmail.com.