The Gut-Brain Connection – How it Affects Your Life

Your brain is the commander-in-chief of your body. It constantly receives information from your internal and external environment and decides the best course of action to take for your survival. The brain carries out this action by sending messages through the nerves of the nervous system to the appropriate parts of the body.

For example, when the sympathetic nervous system is activated, it will help simultaneously change the behavior of the heart, lungs, eyes, brain, digestive system, adrenal glands, bladder, and skeletal muscles. All of this is done to achieve one goal – survival. On the other hand, the parasympathetic branch of the nervous system stimulates digestion, recovery, and rest throughout the organs of the body when we are not faced with a threat.

These two branches of the autonomic nervous system help us explain how our brain controls our body, but can our body control our brain?

You are the Sum of Your Neurobiology

In his book, Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain, Neuroscientist David Eagleman explains:

…who you are depends on the sum total of your neurobiology.”

Neurobiology is dictated by more than just the brain. Just like any government, even a dictatorship, the leader is influenced by other members of the governing body. Even though the brain can affect every organ in the body through the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the nervous system, the brain cannot veto the power of the gut.

Other common diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s may actually start in the gut.

Our Second Brain

The gut is sometimes known as our second brain. In fact, it has its own branch of the nervous system called the enteric nervous system that can function on its own, even if it is disconnected from the brain.

The enteric nervous system also resembles a brain because it:

  • has glial cells to support the neurons in the gut
  • contains 500 million neurons
  • uses 40 (and possibly many more) neurotransmitters
  • produces 50% of the body’s dopamine (important for motility)
  • produces 95% of the body’s serotonin (important for the enteric nervous system’s growth & cell protection)
  • has a barrier that resembles the blood brain barrier
  • may even have its own memory

How the Gut Influences the Brain

The brain and gut are intimately connected by the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve connects with most of the organs and plays a prominent role in activating the parasympathetic nervous system.

Around 90% of the signals passing along the vagus nerve come not from the brain, but from the enteric nervous system to the brain. This is because one of the brains most effective ways of learning about its environment is through the gut, and this relationship starts before we are even exposed to the outside environment.

The Development of the Brain & Gut Connection

When we were in the womb, we were constantly picking up signals about the outside environment.

Is there enough food?

Is it safe out there?

What adaptions will I need now to ensure survival?

All of these questions were answered by the chemical signals that we received from our mothers through the umbilical cord, and the development of our brain and gut depended heavily on these signals. For example, if there was a lack of nutrition in our mother’s diet, we may be predisposed to obesity due to altered metabolic function.

What we are feed in our youth also greatly impacts the development of our gut and its enteric nervous system. Breastmilk is essential because it promotes oxytocin and serotonin release, which promotes gut growth and the development of a healthy gut microbiome. When the gut is able to develop with a healthy gut microbiome, the risk of food allergies and gut issues later on in life is greatly reduced. A damaged gut, on the other hand, increases the risk of obesity, depression, anxiety, autism, multiple sclerosis, and cardiovascular disease.

Other common diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s may actually start in the gut. For example, in people that died from Parkinson’s disease, scientists found the same protein clumps that damage dopamine-producing neurons in the gut as they did in the brain. The same phenomenon exists in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Plaques and tangles that form in the brain of people with Alzheimer’s disease also form in their gut. This means that we may be able to use gut biopsies to diagnose and treat these conditions before they take hold of the brain.

Stress and the Gut

When we are stressed our sympathetic nervous system is activated to prepare our body for survival. At the same time, the hormone Ghrelin is released from our stomach. Ghrelin is known as our hunger hormone because it stimulates appetite and promotes fat storage. This explains why when we are stressed we may feel the compulsive need to eat.

Ghrelin also inhibits serotonin activity, which leads to digestive issues and increased anxiety and depression over time. Anxiety leads to more ghrelin production, and this starts a vicious cycle of stress that may have been triggered by a stressful fetal or neonatal environment.

Recommended Reading: How Candida Leads to Depression, Anxiety, ADHD, and Other Mental Disorders

Irritable Bowel Syndrome – When Gut & Brain Disharmony Becomes Chronic

Stress also increases the risk of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a digestive disorder that affects 10-15% of the world population. IBS  is what happens when the enteric nervous system, gut, gut microbiome, and brain are in disharmony.

It usually begins with a stressful childhood. Traumatic events, like maternal separation, can lead to a dysfunctional connection between the brain and gut. If these children are also feed the wrong food, their gut microbiome will not develop correctly. This establishes a dysfunctional gut microbiome that does not produce the substances needed for a healthy gut and a healthy enteric nervous system.

If the child continues to be deprived of nutrient dense food and human connection, their immune system will become hyperactive, leading to food allergies and a chronic state of stress. This vicious cycle of brain, gut, and gut microbiome disharmony continues into adulthood until it is defined as IBS.

Recommended Reading: Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases

The Gut, Brain, and Behavioral Disorders

The enteric nervous system, gut, gut microbiome, and brain disharmony play an essential role in the development of neurological/behavioral disorders like autism, ADHD, and various mood disorders. Antibiotics, environmental, infectious agents like vaccines, and other forms of neonatal stress create gut dysbiosis (imbalance in gut bacteria) and vagus nerve dysfunction. These two factors set the stage for neurological/behavioral disorders by stimulating an already hyperactive immune system and sympathetic nervous system that causes children to be extremely impulsive and in a state of persistent hyper-arousal. If these children are then fed a highly refined diet that keeps their blood sugar levels high, their symptoms will continue to get worse.

You may have actually experienced a small taste of what it’s like to have ADHD or autism the last time you ate processed foods filled with toxins. When you eat highly refined, toxin laden foods, your body must fire up its immune system and sympathetic nervous system to protect you from the threat. This will cause blood flow to be directed away from your prefrontal cortex while your blood sugar rises. When your blood sugar is high, it creates plaque build up in the brain and impairs blood vessel function, which reduces  your cognitive abilities. Combine that with the lack of activity in your prefrontal cortex, and you will feel impulsive and anxious and make illogical decisions.

When you add stress and poor food choices together, it creates a cascade of negative effects in the gut microbiome, gut, enteric nervous system, and the brain that lead to poor decision-making, a greater incidence of pain, more allergies, and more disease.

But don’t worry, even if your environment was filled with stress and poor food options from the womb to adulthood, even if you were diagnosed with ADHD, IBS, autism, depression, chronic pain, Parkinson’s disease, and/or Alzheimer’s disease, you can still restore the harmony between your gut, gut microbiome, enteric nervous system, and brain.

Synchronizing the Gut and Brain

One of the most effective ways to improve your health is by starting with what you put in your body. When you feed your body what it needs while eliminating the foods that cause issues, you will establish a healthy gut microbiome, heal your gut lining, and improve the function of your enteric nervous system. This will send the message to the brain that you are not under attack, the immune system will calm down, and your body will be able to rest and reverse disease.

Improving Brain Health with the Gut

Limit Your Consumption of FOD MAPs

FOD MAPs is an acronym that stands for:

  • Fermentable – meaning they are only broken down through fermentation
  • Oligosaccharides – made up of individual sugars joined together in a chain
  • Disaccharides – a double sugar molecule
  • Monosaccharides – a single sugar molecule
  • And Polyols – sugar alcohols

These are short-chain carbohydrates that tend to be poorly digested by those with digestive issues like IBS. This is because when the FOD MAPs make their way through the digestive tract, they draw water into the large intestine from surrounding areas, which leads to bloating. Simultaneously, the bacteria in the large intestine starts digesting the FOD MAPs and producing gas which builds up along with the water. The intestines expand, the message is sent to the brain, and it responds with more pain, discomfort, and stress.

Eating a low FOD MAP diet has showed promising effects in treating people with IBS and may transfer to others with a comprised digestive system. It is commonly suggested to limit the consumption of  FOD MAPs for 3-8 weeks to help balance the gut microbiome, heal the gut, and reduce symptoms. After that time, it is best to slowly re-introduce high FOD MAP foods into your diet to see which ones are safe to eat and which ones cause the most issues for you.

Recommended Reading: Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting - Recipes Included

Eliminate Foods that Cause Problems for You

Food sensitives and allergies are becoming more and more common and the link between stress, the immune system, and the gut is mostly to blame. When the body is in a stressed and inflamed state, your immune system and gut may react to previously harmless foods as if they are a threat to the body.

To reduce your food sensitives and allergic reactions, start by eliminating these common, allergy-causing foods from your diet:

  • Milk
  • Eggs
  • Peanuts
  • Tree Nuts
  • Soy
  • Grains with gluten in them (wheat, barley, rye, and oats)
  • Fish
  • Shellfish

When you eliminate some of these foods from your diet, you may notice that you have more energy and less stress. This is a sign that you may be sensitive or allergic to one or more of the foods that you eliminated. Keep in mind that almost any food can trigger an allergy. If a certain food item always makes you feel worse after eating it then it is safe to say that you should eliminate it from your diet.

Think of this approach as a temporary experiment designed to see what the ideal diet is for you. After a couple weeks of eliminating a specific food from your diet, try periodically reintroducing that food back in. You may find that you can eat eggs or almonds again, and they make you feel energized now!

Recommended Reading: Increase your IQ with the Right Foods, Herbs, Vitamins, and Exercises for Your Brain

Increase Your Fiber Intake

Fiber cannot be broken down by the body, so bacteria in the intestines feast on it. As a result, the bacteria produce butyrate. This short chain fatty acid helps to improve the function of the digestive tract and protect and enhance brain function.

Supplement with Probiotics

Probiotics have been found to reduce anxiety and depression. In studies done on mice, the amount of lactobacillus in their gut effected the amount of a metabolite in the blood called kynurenine, which has been shown to drive depression. Probiotics also help produce serotonin in the gut, which has protective effects against irritable bowel syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis.

Recommended Reading: Probiotics, Bacteria, and Our Health

Make Sure You Consume Enough Folate and Vitamin B12

Folate and Vitamin B12 are essential for brain health, nervous system function, and overall health. They also help to prevent depression and heart disease. On its own Vitamin B12 decreases the loss of brain volume with age, while increasing cognitive function.

Although these vitamins are produced by the gut microbiome, we are not sure how much is actually made and absorbed by the body. It’s best to make sure you are consuming animal products like pasture raised eggs for Vitamin B12 and plenty of organic dark leafy green vegetables for folate.

Increase Your Intake of Omega 3s and Decrease Omega 6s

The omega 3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA, are effective at reducing the symptoms of depression, and positive effects may carry over to other neurological disorders as well. This is partly due to the decrease in inflammation that is associated with diets that are lower in omega 6s and higher in omega 3s.

To decrease the amount of omega 6s in your diet, replace vegetable, seed, and soybean oils with highly saturated fats like coconut oil, butter, ghee, and tallow. If you need a liquid oil for salad dressing use avocado oil or olive oil.

Omega 3s are best when consumed as minimally cooked and processed as possible. Wild caught salmon, sardines, mackerel, and oysters are great sources of DHA and EPA.

Before You Eat, Improve Your Gut with Your Mind

Before you take the first bite of food from your brain and gut revitalizing meal, take a deep diaphragmatic breath. This will stimulate your vagus nerve and prepare your body to digest your food. Chew each bite thoroughly, enjoy every flavor, and take at-least one deep breath after every couple of bites.

Use your brain to improve your gut and your gut to improve your brain. If you apply this advice to your life, you will replace the vicious cycle of disease with a nutritious cycle of vitality.

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Vaccine Schedule – Why the FDA Ignored Mercury Issues For So Long

Regulatory agencies like the FDA and CDC agree with the classification on mercury as a neurotoxin. But it took until 1997 for the Food and Drug Administration, at the prompting of Congress, to finally tally up the total amount of mercury a six-month-old would be exposed to if the 1997 vaccine schedule was followed. The results of that calculation found that the average six-month-old had the potential to be injected with a total of 187.5 micrograms of mercury. In contrast, the FDA’s daily acceptable intake of mercury for an adult is 0.4 micrograms per kilogram of bodyweight. The FDA has known about the cumulative levels of mercury in childhood vaccines for over 20 years, and yet they still acknowledge that many childhood vaccines contain trace amounts (less than 1 microgram) of thimerosal, and certain inactivated influenza vaccines can contain up to 50 micrograms of thimerosal.

What You Do When You Realize Something Wrong

By any calculation, the level of mercury in childhood vaccines is too high. So why hasn’t it been removed from vaccines? New documents from FDA officials have discovered that the justification for the continued presence of thimerosal has less to do with safety and more to do with image. In an email from Dr. Peter Patriarca, Director, Division of Viral Products, Food and Drug to an official at the CDC, he discussed the impact of removing thimerosal from vaccines in a timely fashion, saying it would:

…raise questions about FDA being ‘asleep at the switch’ for decades by allowing a potentially hazardous compound to remain in many childhood vaccines, and not forcing manufacturers to exclude it from new products.

It will also raise questions about various advisory bodies regarding aggressive recommendations for use. We must keep in mind that the dose of ethylmercury was not generated by “rocket science.” Conversion of the percentage of thimerosal to actual micrograms of mercury involves ninth grade algebra. What took the FDA so long to do the calculations? Why didn’t the CDC and the advisory bodies do these calculations when they rapidly expanded the childhood immunization schedule?”

Equally as distressing as the FDA’s decision to hide culpability is what they’re sacrificing in pursuit of that decision. A press release in 1999 maintained that there wasn’t evidence that vaccines containing thimerosal caused any harm. It also maintained there was no reason to measure mercury exposure in children who received those vaccines, effectively ensuring that that evidence would not materialize anytime soon. In additional justification, public documents released by the FDA measured mercury exposure as if children were only exposed to a small amount of mercury each day through vaccines.

This is in stark contrast to the reality of the situation, where mercury exposure spikes at four specific times: at birth and at well baby (oh the irony!) check-ups at 2, 4, and 6 months. Since that release in 1999, the FDA has made an effort to lower the levels of thimerosal in childhood vaccines. Many still contain trace amounts, though, and the flu vaccine, recommended annually starting at 6 months, seems to be exempt from these reduction efforts thus far.

When Safeguards Are Not Safe

Vaccines are often sold as the best thing you can do for your baby. Yet the people who regulate these vaccines are not inclined to look at them critically. It took Congress requiring a list of intentionally introduced mercury compounds before the organization that regulates them took stock of exactly how much mercury children receive through childhood vaccines. The FDA then presented the data on a six-month average, instead of the four one-time spikes that actually occur and specifically said that testing mercury exposure is not necessary. Why are the vaccines considered necessary when safety checks and studies are not?

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Gluten-Free Eaters Have Higher Levels of Arsenic and Mercury

The number of people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity is on the rise. When they eliminate wheat and other gluten containing grains from their diet, they usually significantly increase their consumption of rice. Unfortunately, as it is growing, rice soaks up heavy metals like arsenic, mercury, and cadmium from the soil and water. According to a new study,  researchers found those who have been on a long-term, gluten-free diet have double the amount of arsenic in their systems and 70% more mercury than their gluten eating counterparts.

The Metal Sponge

Why does rice suck up arsenic and other heavy metals? Rice is flooded while it’s growing, in part to keep weeds in check and to discourage pests. Water enables the rice’s root system to draw in more nutrients from the soil. As it draws up nutrients, it also sucks up other things in the soil, like mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and tungsten.

Most of the rice in the U.S. is grown in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Texas, and California on farmland that was formerly used to grow cotton. Arsenic-based pesticides were used on much of the land to combat boll weevils. Combine those specific pesticides with rice’s extraction abilities, and high levels of heavy metals are the result.

What to Look For in Rice

This does not mean a gluten-free diet dooms you to heavy metal poisoning. With some smart planning and healthy choices, a gluten-free diet can leave you feeling great.

Not all rice is created equal. Though organic rice still has arsenic in it, it’s the best choice to avoid excessive pesticides on top of the metals naturally found in the rice. Brown rice has higher levels of arsenic than white rice. The hull or bran of the rice that gives brown rice its’ higher levels of magnesium, fiber, zinc, and folate also stores arsenic. Of the places where rice is grown, Basmati rice that is grown in California, India, and Pakistan contains less inorganic arsenic.

Variety is the Spice of Life

Another answer to the rice problem? Eat less rice and a greater variety of gluten-free grains. Rotating rice with grains like quinoa or millet will both decrease arsenic exposure and increase your body’s exposure to another nutritional profile. The same rotation can be applied to alternate flours. If you chose processed or pre-made foods, look for ones with alternative flours like chickpea or coconut. Switching up the type of flour you use at home can also limit your arsenic intake.

Get Them Out!

There are also foods that pull heavy metals from the body. Garlic, onions, and cilantro all help detox heavy metals and add extra flavor to food. Other edibles like chlorella, spirulina, and activated charcoal are also great at attracting heavy metals and helping the body process them out. Learn about Diatomaceous Earth, Total Nutrition, and read Top 5 Foods that Detox Heavy Metals and Toxins – With Protocol.

A Healthy Diet is The Best Defense

Someone on a gluten-free diet is more likely to eat rice and foods made with rice flour. The trade-off for this is higher levels of arsenic and mercury. This doesn’t negate the benefits of a gluten-free diet. It can even be seen as a motivation to incorporate new foods and grains into your diet. And check out How To Reduce the Arsenic in Your Rice by 80%.

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How To Reduce the Arsenic in Your Rice By 80%

In the past year, many articles have been published to raise concern about the alarming levels of arsenic found in rice. Although arsenic levels should be a health concern for anyone who consumes rice, it is certainly more of a concern for those who eat rice frequently or on a daily basis.

High levels of arsenic are toxic to humans, and arsenic is associated with cancer, heart problems, developmental problems, and diabetes.

The Telegraph has published an interesting article about the safest way to prepare rice to eliminate most of the arsenic. Andy Meharg, a much-published scientist and a professor at the school of Biological Sciences, Queens University Belfast, conducted an experiment comparing methods to cook rice. The telegraph article outlines the following methods:

  1. Cook with 2 parts water to 1 part rice. Water is “steamed out” during cooking.
  2. Cook with 5 parts water to 1 part rice. Excess water is washed off.
  3. Soak rice overnight, then thoroughly rinse before cooking.

The article, which is sourced below, reported the results incorrectly. The article stated that choice #2 removed close to 50% of the arsenic while soaking (#3) removed 80%.

I was curious as to what percentage would be removed if the rice were soaked and it was cooked with a 5:1 water ratio so I questioned Professor Meharg directly. He stated that soaking and cooking with 5 parts water removed 80% of the arsenic (a combination of #3 and #2) was the action that resulted in the 80% reduction. He said he couldn’t tell me what soaking alone would do to reduce arsenic as that particular test was not conducted. He stated, “We did not check the intermediate stage, primarily as we were concerned with levels in the final product.” 

I’ve asked him to please let us know if he ever does test the arsenic levels after soaking before cooking. In the meantime, if we want to remove 80% of the arsenic, we need to do the following:

  • Soak rice overnight and rinse thoroughly until the water runs clear.
  • Cook with 5 parts water and pour off the excess water after the rice is done.

There you have it: an 80% reduction in arsenic.

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Probiotics, Bacteria, and Our Health

The human body is home to over five hundred different strains of bacteria that serve specific functions. Even bacteria of the same name may function in different ways. For example, if a specific strain of Lactobacillus (a commonly studied probiotic strain) helps prevent an illness, that doesn’t mean that another strain of Lactobacillus would have the same effect. We have yet to discover all the effects that probiotics have on the body, but we do know that the right strains, cultured and processed the right way, offer the following six proven health benefits:

1. Probiotics Provide Energy

According to Gastroenterologist Matthew Ciorba, up to 10% of our daily energy needs are provided through the process of fermentation by our gut flora. By breaking down the components of food that we are unable to digest (like fiber), bacteria in our gut allow us to assimilate fatty acids, sugars, and amino acids that we would not have access to otherwise.

Related: How To Heal Your Gut

2. Probiotics Are Antioxidants and Anti-inflammatory

An excess of oxygen radicals in the gastrointestinal tract is a potential cause of chronic diseases. As these oxygen radicals accumulate in the intestinal tract, they can damage the intestinal lining and create a state of chronic inflammation. Strains of Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus have been found to limit the accumulation of free radicals in the intestinal tracts of rats by acting as antioxidants. The end-products that gut bacteria produce, like the short-chain fatty acid called butyrate, also have antioxidant properties that help to reduce inflammation and heal the intestinal wall.

3. Probiotics Resist Infection

The fermentation end-product butyrate also supports regulatory T-cell functions in the gut and contributes to the integrity of the intestinal wall. This allows the body to prevent infectious pathogens from getting in while we let our immune system eliminate them from the body. Probiotics also prevent pathogenic bacteria like E. coli from being able to colonize our intestinal tract by out-competing them for food, using acids to change the environment, and creating anti-microbial substances that prevent the bad bacteria from thriving.

Product Recommendation: Syntol AMD – Arthur Andrew Medical

4. Probiotics Prevent Digestive Issues

We need bacteria to digest food. Probiotics help prevent digestive issues in many ways. They keep our intestinal wall from being oxidized by free radicals by acting as antioxidants and triggering the production of protective mucous. Probiotics also produce substances that provide the intestinal wall with what it needs to heal itself. Butyrate, for example, provides the components that the intestinal wall needs to form new cells while providing energy for existing cells. Butyrate has also been found to increase intestinal motility, which helps prevent constipation.

Recommended: How To Reverse Fatty Liver Disease (Diet Plan Included)

5. Probiotics Produce Vitamin K and B Vitamins

In addition to producing butyrate, probiotics have the capacity to synthesize seven different vitamins:

  • Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 is required for proper red blood cell formation, neurological function, and DNA synthesis.
  • Vitamin B6: Vitamin B6 is involved in more than 100 enzyme reactions that are mostly concerned with protein metabolism.
  • Vitamin B5: Vitamin B5 is needed to produce red blood cells, manufacture sex and stress-related hormones, synthesize cholesterol, and maintain a healthy digestive tract.
  • Vitamin B3: Vitamin B3 helps the body make various sex and stress-related hormones, improve circulation, and suppress inflammation.
  • Biotin: Biotin metabolizes carbohydrates, fats, and amino acids and plays a role in preventing insulin resistance.
  • Folate: Folate is essential for proper cell division.
  • Vitamin K: Vitamin K is required for the synthesis of proteins involved in blood clotting and bone formation.

These vitamins are essential for processes that affect every cell in the body, but our needs for these vitamins are not met by our probiotics alone. We must consume adequate amounts of these vitamins to receive their benefits because it is unclear how much of these vitamins is produced by our probiotics.

6. Probiotics Help with Fat Loss

A few studies suggest that specific Lactobacillus strains have an impact on body fat, weight, and metabolic disorders. For example, the ingestion of Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055 for 12 weeks reduced fat mass gain, body weight, and waist to hip ratio in overweight subjects when compared to a placebo. This may be due to the link between leptin and probiotics. Leptin is a hormone secreted by fat cells that lets the brain know when we are full. Probiotics indirectly affect our leptin response by promoting a state of low inflammation and allowing us to get more nutrition out of every calorie we eat. This creates the perfect environment for fat loss.

Attack of the Antibiotics

Antibiotics are designed to kill a broad range of bacteria in an effort to fight off infection. Unfortunately, antibiotics also destroy over one-third of the bacteria in our gut. This causes rapid shifts in our microbiome (intestinal bacteria) that leaves us vulnerable to harmful bacteria like Clostridium difficile and Salmonella typhimurium.

Even if the harmful bacteria do not infect our system, our intestinal tract will still be compromised. Without a proper balance of beneficial flora, our intestinal tract will become inflamed and leaky, letting pathogens through. We will also lack the Vitamin K and B vitamins that are normally produced by probiotics in the large intestine. This can lead to hormonal imbalance, a lack of energy, and an increased risk of disease.

With all of these negative effects, it becomes obvious as to why antibiotic use is associated with a large number of health problems and an increased susceptibility to infectious diseases. The health of our microbiome is essential for our health and well-being. Check out How to Detoxify From Antibiotics and Other Chemical Antimicrobials for more on this.

Related: Signs You Have Too Much Candida

Don’t Worry, Change Is Simple

Even if you have taken antibiotics recently, you can begin to counteract their negative effects immediately. According to David Relman, a microbiologist at Stanford University, the bacteria in our gut adapt quickly to what we eat. In an article in the Frontiers in Microbiology, M.P. Francino explains that our microbiome is “…capable of returning to a composition similar to the original one.”

This means that food can be our medicine if we eat the “right” foods.

What Are the “Right” Foods?

The “right” foods are prebiotic. Probiotics provide your gut with the beneficial bacteria it needs to thrive. Prebiotics provide your beneficial bacteria with what they need to survive and to provide you with all of the benefits mentioned earlier in this article. Think raw produce, herbs, and spices.

Many experts agree that one of the best ways to get probiotics in your diet is by eating fermented vegetables. Kim chi, sauerkraut, and pickles are fermented vegetables that contain different kinds of probiotics. These probiotics are already working to digest your meal before you eat it, which makes nutrients within the food more bioavailable. This is especially beneficial for those with digestive issues.

To ensure that you are eating the best fermented vegetables, check the label on the container. Look for the words “raw”, “unpasteurized”, and “naturally fermented.”  When looking at labels, smaller, local businesses are worth a close look, and anything national will most certainly be pasteurized in some way. Most of the probiotics are killed when the product is heated or pasteurized. Also, make sure there are no preservatives like sodium benzoate or sodium sulfite. The best fermented vegetables are made using organic vegetables and unrefined salt. Herbs, spices, and seeds are added for more flavor and nutrition.

Fermented vegetables also provide you with plenty of prebiotic material. As our bacteria enjoy their meal, they produce many highly beneficial end-products like butyrate.

Non-starchy vegetables like broccoli and artichokes, greens like kale and collards, and salad greens like spinach and arugula come with plenty of fiber to feed your probiotics and plenty of nutrients to feed your body.

After Dr. Mercola had his homemade sauerkraut tested in a lab, he reported that “…a 4-6 ounce serving of the fermented vegetables had ten trillion bacteria.” This means that 2 ounces of sauerkraut had more probiotics than a full bottle of 100-count probiotic capsules.

Michael Edwards, OLM’s Editor-in-Chief has an unusual opinion of fermented foods.

I love sauerkraut and I hope everyone reading this learns to make it. Fermented vegetables have many benefits (for instance, see the vitamins up at #5), but the bacteria itself doesn’t make my list. Our stomach acid kills most of it. That’s what stomach acid is designed to do.  I know some who swear they make such a potent product that much more of the bacteria makes it into the gut. After trying some of these products, I agree.

But, for anyone who is sick, and especially anyone who has an abundance of Candida, fermented vegetables cannot provide enough, or cannot provide a strong enough strain of bacteria to counteract a sick gut’s biofilm. I recommend a high qaulity, trusted probiotic supplement along with a prebiotic diet.”

What about Yogurt?

Dairy products, like milk, are commonly known as an essential part of our diet, so probiotic-rich yogurt should be called a “superfood”, right?

Unfortunately, some of the widely accepted beliefs about the benefits of dairy products, like the belief that dairy builds strong bones, have been disproven. Dairy has also been linked to various cancers, especially prostate and breast cancer. Combine these findings with the fact that conventional yogurt lacks beneficial prebiotics and contains high amounts of sugar, and it becomes clear why it may be best to limit the consumption of dairy. Due to the state of the dairy industry and how yogurt is processed, even plain, unsweetened conventional yogurt is more likely to feed pathogens than to be a source of probiotics.

The Dirty Truth about Supplements

Scientific literature is riddled with uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of probiotic supplements. For example, a Canadian study in 2004 measured the viable organisms in 10 brands of probiotic preparations and none matched the amount on their labels. Eight brands had only 10% of the stated number of probiotics and two of the brands had no viable probiotics at all.

Even if these probiotic supplements contained all of the viable probiotics that they promised, there would still be no guarantee that the probiotics would survive the journey to the intestinal tract.

Most probiotic supplements are also ineffectual for a multitude of reasons. It’s not just the probiotic count that matters; strain quality varies widely and are more often ineffectual. Of the ones I’ve tried (about 45) Bio-K, Abzorb, and FloraMend are three I know of that work. Most probiotic supplements are a waste of money, and many actually feed Candida and other non-benefical microflora.” – Michael Edwards

The Treacherous Journey of Probiotics

First, probiotics must survive the environment they are exposed to when they are outside of the body. Once the probiotics are ingested, they must survive the extreme acidity of stomach acid and bile acids. One study states that, “…survival rates have been estimated at 20–40% for selected [probiotic] strains.” According to the American Nutrition Association, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Streptococcus probiotic strains can survive the journey through the stomach. However, L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus, as well as Leuconostoc and Lactococcus species, cannot survive.

Even when the probiotics make it to the intestinal tract, they still have to attach to and colonize the intestinal wall. This is another uncertain aspect in consuming probiotics that is difficult to measure. Unfortunately, there is no way to guarantee that the probiotics in your sauerkraut, kim chi, or probiotic supplement will actually colonize your intestinal tract.

How to Make Probiotics Work for You

Even the best probiotic will do little to combat a poor diet. In fact, the best probiotic supplement is the “right” food. To improve your digestive health and receive all the benefits of probiotics, all you have to do is eat prebiotics and probiotics in the form of raw, unpasteurized fermented organic vegetables and organic non-starchy vegetables every day. With enough time on this kind of diet without processed and refined foods, almost anyone can improve their digestive system.

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Vaccines Linked to the Diagnosis of Neurological Disorders

As natural health advocates, we are not anti-science. In fact, we want more vaccine science, not less. A new study from Yale School of Medicine and Penn State College of Medicine is just that. Researchers have discovered an association between the timing of vaccines and the onset of certain brain disorders in a subset of children.

Data from more than 95,000 insured children age 6-15 was analyzed. The study compared data from three groups: comparing children with certain neurological conditions, children who had received treatment for broken bones, and children who received treatment for open wounds. Dates of treatment for the 3 groups was analyzed comparing the onset of illness or injury to each child’s vaccinations.

The neurological conditions in the first group included obsessive-compulsive disorder, anorexia nervosa, anxiety disorder, chronic tic disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder.

Researchers looked at each child’s medical records for the year prior to treatment to establish whether or not the child had received vaccines during that period.

This was a well-designed, tightly controlled study. Control subjects without brain disorders were matched with the subjects by age, geographic location and gender.

As expected, broken bones and open wounds showed no significant association with vaccinations.

New cases of major depression, bipolar disorder or ADHD also showed no significant association with vaccinations.

However, children who had been vaccinated were 80 percent more likely to be diagnosed with anorexia and 25 percent more likely to be diagnosed with OCD than their non-vaccinated counterparts. Vaccinated children were also more likely to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and with tics compared to the controls.” – Robert Kennedy

Different Vaccines, Different Disorders

Certain vaccines resulted in higher diagnoses of certain disorders. The flu shot (recommended yearly by the CDC), was associated with a higher level of OCD, anorexia, and anxiety disorder. Children vaccinated for meningitis, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B saw higher rates of anorexia, chronic tic disorder, and OCD.

Study Conclusions

In the world we live in, science goes where the money goes. Researchers know that conducting a study that questions the safety or efficacy of vaccines is not likely to be a profitable endeavor. In fact, anyone working in science today knows how dangerous it is to disrupt the status quo. For one of many examples, check out Vaccines, Retroviruses, DNA, and the Discovery That Destroyed  Judy Mikovits’ Career. Regardless of these risks, these researchers have concluded:

This pilot epidemiologic analysis implies that the onset of some neuropsychiatric disorders may be temporally related to prior vaccinations in a subset of individuals.”

Perhaps the first half of the study’s opening sentence and the final closing sentence were chosen in an attempt to align themselves with the conventional vaccine stance and to mitigate blowback from the damning conclusions reached by their study.

The opening sentence was,

Although the association of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine with autism spectrum disorder has been convincingly disproven, the onset of certain brain-related autoimmune and inflammatory disorders has been found to be temporally associated with the antecedent administration of various vaccines.”

The first half of this sentence is simply not true. The CDC whistleblower, Dr. William Thompson, revealed the CDC coverup of evidence that the MMR is linked to autism in African American male children under a certain age. The second half is warning us about other problems: brain related autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders.

The final sentence was downright ridiculous. After revealing the association between these neurological disorders and vaccines, they had the guile to end their article with this sentence.

Finally, given the modest magnitude of these findings and the clear public health benefits of the timely administration of vaccines in preventing mortality and morbidity in childhood, we encourage families to maintain the currently recommended vaccination schedules while taking all necessary precautions as documented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

This sentence speaks for itself. Draw your own conclusions.

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Textile Industry’s Health and Environmental Impacts – What Are You Wearing?

Amid today’s discussion of the renewable energy crisis and the impacts of fossil fuel harvest and consumption, many people are forgetting one major industry that is fed by the oil rigs – the textile industry.

This sleeping giant is responsible for greater environmental contamination and more waste than any other industry, and due to the unawareness of the general population, its demand is ever-increasing.

The discussion surrounding carbon emissions and fuel consumption is a worthwhile one to be had, for sure, but the silence surrounding the flagrant disregard for environmental safety in the textile industry is one that has gone on long enough.

It’s time to bust this can of worms wide open and acknowledge what many of us have wondered the extent of for some time – the vast and unconscionable lapse in ethics and environmental concern in the textile industry.

The Rise of Man-Made Fibers

Once upon a time, things were made with pretty simple materials, but the process was very time and labor intensive, and as the industry grew, one of the first areas it took hold in was in textiles. We went from small farmers hand-spinning wool to gigantic factories mass-producing fabrics by the ton.

As the manufacturing process expanded and was refined, modern “improvements” were made. Chemicals were added to the fabrics to help prevent wrinkles and shrinkage. The fabrics were soaked in great vats of artificial dyes and flame retardants, and soon the factory workers had to wear masks to compensate for the health hazards associated with working with these chemicals.

Then came the advent of a petroleum-based textile that many forget is a product of the big oil industry – polyester. This cheap fiber was much more cost-effective to produce than natural fibers like wool and cotton and could be made in any color or elasticity. Its versatility quickly contributed to its rise with every major clothing and textile retailer in the world. Polyester began its reign.

The Effects on Your Health

First, let’s scale things down a bit and focus on how the modern textile industry’s functionality is directly affecting you. After all, there’s no greater way to tug on the heartstrings of a populace and compel them to give a damn than to show them how it directly affects them, so let’s engage in a little shameless emotional manipulation here.

With their convenience and cost-savings, these artificial fibers and manufacturing methods brought a host of problems that, for the most part, still remain quietly under the rug. We’re surrounded by fabrics all the time, and most of us never give a second thought as to how those textiles came about or the consequences of their production.

Polyester is essentially a plastic – a petroleum-based product that’s the result of a long, toxic manufacturing process. Plastics themselves have been found to cause hormonal disruption and are strongly linked to the formation of breast cancer cells1.

The connections between health concerns and polyester and plastic are still being studied. Though polyester and plastic are derived from the same chemical compound, the finishing process creates a much different product. However, it has been discovered that polyester emits phytoestrogens3, which are known endocrine system disruptors and, are again, strongly linked with breast cancer.

The bottom line is, we’re still studying and understanding the long-term health effects of artificial fibers like polyester and the finishing processes that go into them. The textiles themselves are only the tip of the iceberg, and many printed clothes use PVC for screen printing – a compound that is considered so dangerous to human health, it’s been banned from use in water supply pipes and is on its way to being regulated out of the children’s toy industry4.

Flame retardant chemicals pose another threat entirely. Since synthetic fibers burn much more quickly than natural ones, manufacturers have taken to using a host of flame retardants decrease the flammability of these textiles. The result has certainly been effective at making products more fire safe, but the effects and health concerns linked to flame retardant chemicals are well known2, and many government regulation bodies are taking a stand against their use.

…levels of the chemicals in the blood of North Americans appear to have been doubling every two to five years for the past several decades.”

Acting on growing evidence that these flame retardants can accumulate in people and cause adverse health effects — interfering with hormones, reproductive systems, thyroid and metabolic function, and neurological development in infants and children — the federal government and various states have limited or banned the use of some of these chemicals, as have other countries.” ~Elizabeth Grossman, Yale Environment 360

Despite this knowledge, there is no blanket ban in the U.S. for flame retardant chemicals, and a staggering number of companies and manufacturers are still using chemical cocktails that run the gamut, from electronics to baby bedding. The result?

“Many infants are in physical contact with products treated with these chemicals 24 hours a day.”

It’s a scary thought that some of our most fragile, precious lives are the ones most frequently and consistently in contact with these items, but it’s the humbling truth, and it doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon.

Though legislation has been passed by a few state governments, the bottom line is that manufacturing of products drenched in these chemicals is still widespread, and the process isn’t likely to change until new formulations that are safer, but still effective at slowing fires, are developed.

How Do You Avoid Flame Retardant Chemicals?

The issue with flame retardant chemicals is a challenging one. We don’t want to expose ourselves and our children to chemicals that have been proven to be detrimental to our health, but in a world full of petroleum-based products that burn quickly and easily, it’s essential to protect ourselves from these highly flammable materials.

Companies have done some experimenting, but ultimately, what comes back is almost always another version of the same product with many of the same health concerns. The industries argue that these chemicals are saving lives, and who can debate that when the products they are treating are so highly flammable?

The solution is simple. We need to stop using highly flammable textiles in the first place. It all comes full circle back to petroleum-based products, and that’s where the majority of the issues lie. By sourcing products made from natural fibers, which burn much more slowly, we avoid the need for flame retardant chemicals.

We’re Poisoning Our Planet for Fabrics

It sounds sensationalist, but that’s as simple and cut and dried as it gets. The textile industry is responsible for a whopping 20% of industrial water pollution7, with many of the compounds being permanent fixtures in our world’s water supply. Cancer-causing endocrine disruptors and synthetic chemical compounds that won’t ever break down are now a part of our water supply, and there’s little hope of changing that.

Aside from the chemical cocktails that frequently pollute our water supply, there is a massive energy input needed for modern man-made textiles and a tremendous amount of waste in those industries. Most synthetic fibers are direct products of the petroleum industry, where a tremendous amount of energy is needed just to harvest the raw materials, let alone convert it to fabric.

The process of turning petroleum into polyester is a nasty one. Factory workers, many of them children, often experience horrible work conditions and face a host of health issues. The superheating of the materials needed to create polyester is horribly energy-intensive, and the by-products are known to cause lasting, long-term, and often debilitating health effects.

Textile Safety and Sustainability – Even Natural Fibers Aren’t Exempt

Despite the stunning array of health and environmental concerns associated with man-made fibers and their chemical processes, it’s only fair to shed light on another issue that’s similarly troubling – the impacts of conventional agriculture on the natural fiber industry.

It’s an unfortunate fact that the cotton industry accounts for 6.8% of worldwide pesticide use and 16% of insecticide use, despite being grown on only 2.5% of the world’s agricultural lands5. Conventional cotton farming methods are far from sustainable. And the worst part? Those chemicals are in your clothes.

The health risks associated with the use of pesticides for humans is well-known and documented with the primary concerns being for neurological issues, endocrine system disruption, respiratory problems, and even cancer6.

Healthy Alternatives to Toxic Textiles

In a market so rampantly saturated with the use of pesticides, the best thing you can do for your health and safety is to source organic cotton and wool products whenever possible. Organic cotton is grown without the use of synthetic pesticides and is typically grown in areas with greater regulation for worker safety – not factories and child-labor powered institutions.

Wool is a fantastic material as well that is often produced by small farmers, so purchasing it is a great way to support them. Organic mattresses often use a combination of organic wool and organic cotton. Natural latex options are a great way to avoid polyesters in furniture and mattresses, and there are even some manufactured foam products that are made without the use of nasty chemicals like formaldehyde and parabens. Of course, organic cotton and wool are also a great choice for mattresses, pillows, and furniture cushions.

Take a good hard look around your home, and you’ll see that petroleum-based products dominate our lives. From plastics to polyesters, these products seem unavoidable, but the health effects and environmental concerns are too far-reaching to overlook.

It’s time to start making better product selections. Get started with the area of your home where your skin makes the most contact with synthetic fibers every day – your bed. Natural mattresses are a crucial stepping stone to putting your foot down and saying no to the toxic, unsustainable practices of the textile industry.

OEKO-TEX: The Easy Way to Spot Safe Materials

If you’re buying lots of manufactured items like baby toys, bedding, and equipment, OEKO-TEX maintains a fabulous standard for vetting products and materials for safety compliance. This third-party testing system consists of an international group of scientists and laboratories who offer their certifications to products meeting their stringent standards and objective test criteria.

There is no data manipulation, no conflict of interest – just the information you need to make an informed purchase decision. If a product has met their standards for testing, they won’t be quiet about it. Look for the label or a mention of this certification in product descriptions.

It gets pretty technical, but if you’d like to take a look for yourself, dive into the OEKO-TEX guidelines here. Now we recommend you clean out your closet and check out Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System, and make sure you’re sleeping on a nontoxic mattress like the ones below.

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