
Our digestive health is critically important. Without it we we will suffer from all manner of physical illnesses as well as hormonal and mental health issues.
The gut, or digestive system, is mainly referred to, by most health professionals, as our secondary brain due to the important functions it performs. It is critical in terms of running and regulating our body.
But, the more enlightened amongst the medical community are now saying our gut is our primary brain on the basis it behaves a bit like a monarch. The king communicates with his people, but we don’t communicate with the king. The same is true of our gut. It sends instructions to other parts of the body, but they don’t send instructions to the digestive tract.
The gut is being increasingly recognised as our primary brain on the basis it acts as a gatekeeper, forming c. 80% of our immune system. And, because it makes 90% of our decisions for us. Thus, if it is compromised, it causes systemic failures which adversely affect our ability to function on every level.
Our secondary brain is now considered to be the heart and our third brain is deemed to be located in our head by leading health professionals. I do not disagree with them!
Our Gut Health Is Compromised
Sadly, many of us are suffering from compromised gut function, and we are displaying a complex array of symptoms as a consequence. Inflammation and pain are common, as is bloating, gas and cramping. Brain fog and sensory desensitisation is also common, which clearly negatively impacts the quality of our lives.
Sadly, we have been misinformed. What we eat DOES matter, and what we are exposed to, and not exposed to, all have an enormous bearing on our overall health.
Fat, Tired & Angry
Does this describe you? Or are you a variation on the same theme? Fat, tired and depressed? Or how about; fat, tired and in pain?
You don’t have to overeat to be fat. In fact, there’s a lot of people who eat very little but are overweight. This is because they have compromised gut function, which leads to systemic dysfunctions throughout the body.
If your gut doesn’t work properly then your body doesn’t work properly… and, guess what…?
Toxins bioaccumulate instead of being eliminated, inflammation starts emerging in our joints and muscles, we develop headaches and food allergies, and suffer from impaired brain function… and… as if all of this isn’t bad enough, it’s also what causes unwanted weight gain, as well.
The reality is that, over the last few decades, a plethora of seemingly unrelated serious chronic illnesses have emerged which are causing the quality of our lives to diminish rapidly. These include: diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders.
Most of these conditions, with the exception of cancer, are now recognised as having two fundamental things in common. They have been recognised as autoimmune conditions, and digestive health is a factor anchoring them all.
In fact, autoimmunity is the biggest healthcare crisis of our time, which is placing an unmanageable burden on the healthcare systems of the world… and the taxpayers purse.
Exposure To Stressors Result In Dysbiosis
Everything from how we are born, to whether we were breast fed, what we ate growing up, and what chemicals, and other environmental toxins, we have been exposed to, all directly affect the level to which our gut is healthy. And, what we continue to eat as adults, and how much stress and technological exposure we have in our lives, all contribute to our gut health, also.
Technological exposure in the form of dirty energy, as well as EMF’s, or non-native electromagnetic fields, from routers to smart meters, baby monitors to cordless and mobile phones, all profoundly affect our gut health, usually in deeply detrimental ways.
Preeminent research scientists in the field of electromagnetic radiation, aka EMR, and electromagnetic fields, aka EMF’s, believe that our immune systems are compromised by as much as 40% due to the constant onslaught of radio waves from wireless technologies. This means we are at a much greater risk of developing deadly diseases like cancer, as well as a slew of autoimmune conditions.
Autoimmunity has statistically exploded since the implementation of wide scale wireless technologies for mobile devices, including phones, tablets and laptops etc.
In addition, nearly 100,000 chemicals have been released into our environment in the last 100 years. This also continues to be disastrous for our health.
Go to Optimal Toxicity On Planet Earth to see the brilliant interview with Dr. Zach Bush explaining how chemical farming is killing us, and what to do about it…
Healing Our Gut
It has never been more important to learn about gut health. And, it has never been more important for us to do everything we can to ensure our gut is as healthy as possible.
Recent discoveries have proven our gut plays a central role in our health. When functioning properly it not only produces a lot of important vitamins, like B Vitamins, it also regulates a lot of our neurotransmitters, like serotonin and dopamine, as well as producing and regulating a lot of our hormones.
Neurotransmitters and hormones form our internal communication system, so if the production of these chemical messengers is compromised, because our gut health is compromised, then the systems within our body start to break down very quickly.
This is why, when we have a malfunctioning gut, we can develop all manner of associated conditions.
Do you suffer from…
- Chronic inflammation?
- Neurodegenerative disorders?
- Eczema or Psoriasis?
- Chronic Acne?
- Lower back pain?
- Hormone issues?
- Anxiety & depression?
- Carb cravings?
- Candida overgrowth?
- Mycotoxicity (mould infection)
If you suffer from any of the above you most likely have a compromised gut!
Our Gut Is On The Frontline Of Our Defences
The majority of our health issues emanate from our digestive track. This is either due to a poor start in life biologically, or too much exposure to toxins and pathogens in our environment, food and water, or to gut destroying prescription drugs, such as antibiotics, or an addiction to gut destroying foods, like grains and sugar etc, etc…
Our gut is where we are most likely to get infected with all manner of things… It is our first line of defence against the outside world. Practically everything we consume, knowingly or unknowingly, makes it’s way through our gut in one way or another…
This is why our gut accounts for 80% of our immune system… Or, more specifically, it’s where much of our microbiome resides, which provides 80% of the concentrated protection we need within our gut to defend against chemical, pathogenic and energetic invaders.
The microbiome is comprised of many thousands of different microbiota, including; bacteria, viruses, yeast and fungus etc.
Without them we would be dead!
Our microbiome is responsible for many astonishing facts! Not least, it is partly made up of vitally important viruses, without which we would likely become very unwell, indeed.
In fact, without them we would be dead!
Many viruses protect us from life threatening diseases, as do a lot of the friendly bacteria and fungi within our microbiomes. Without these friendly viruses and bacteria we would have long since died out as a species.
A Washington University paper describes our microbiomes thus:
The microbiome is the genetic material of all the microbes – bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses – that live on and inside the human body. The number of genes in all the microbes in one person’s microbiome is 200 times the number of genes in the human genome. The microbiome may weigh as much as five pounds.
Whilst our microbiome is concentrated in the gut, it is also present throughout our bodies, providing frontline defences on things like our skin.Without our dermal microbiome we would fall victim to many airborne and environmental pathogens.
Some people refer to the body-wide microbiome as the holobiome.
Oral Health
Our microbiomes protect us against things like biofilms.
These biofilms are comprised of pathogenic microorganisms, like bacteria, fungi and protists that grow on our internal and external skin. They also grow in our environment where the right conditions exist, such as the algae biofilm found in ponds and fish tanks etc.
Examples of single-species biofilm, found within the microbiota of our external skin, includes S. aureus, S. epidermis, and P. acnes…
Propionibacterium acnes, aka P. acnes, is linked to the common skin condition Acne.
P. acnes is an aerotolerant anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium, (rod), residing in the sebaceous glands of the skin, living off the fatty acids within our sebum.
Propionibacterium acnes is now referred to as Cutibacterium acnes, which is a relatively slow-growing bacterium also implicated in chronic blepharitis and endophthalmitis. The inflammatory condition endophthalmitis most commonly occurs after intraocular surgery, aka eye surgery.
However, the most common form of human biofilm is dental plaque. This slimy buildup of bad bacteria, which grows on the surface of our teeth, presents us with potential health problems if we don’t practice good oral hygiene.
Not only does plaque threaten the integrity of our teeth, but, if we perpetually swallow it, then plaque can disturb the vitally important good bacteria and other organisms within our gut we rely on for our health.
This is why it’s important to clean our teeth before we eat or drink, especially in the morning.
*Protists are organisms which don’t fall into all the usual categories, like bacteria and fungi etc. Protista include amoebas and slime moulds and are usually unicellular, but can form colonies.
Propionibacterium acnes is now referred to as Cutibacterium acnes, which is a relatively slow-growing bacterium also implicated in chronic blepharitis and endophthalmitis. The inflammatory condition endophthalmitis most commonly occurs after intraocular surgery, aka eye surgery.
However, the most common form of human biofilm is dental plaque. This slimy buildup of bad bacteria, which grows on the surface of our teeth, presents us with potential health problems if we don’t practice good oral hygiene.
Not only does plaque threaten the integrity of our teeth, but, if we perpetually swallow it, then plaque can disturb the vitally important good bacteria and other organisms within our gut we rely on for our health.
This is why it’s important to clean our teeth before we eat or drink, especially in the morning.
*Protists are organisms which don’t fall into all the usual categories, like bacteria and fungi etc. Protista include amoebas and slime moulds and are usually unicellular, but can form colonies.
One of the best things we can do to eradicate biofilm in our gut and digestive system is to eat plenty of raw Ginger, or juices containing Ginger.
Having distinct periods of non-eating in between meals is also vital. This allows the migrating motor complex, a natural function of the body, to do it’s job.
The migrating motor complex is a distinct pattern of electromechanical activity observed in gastrointestinal smooth muscle during the periods between meals. It is thought to serve a “housekeeping” role and sweep residual undigested material through the digestive tube.
VIVO Pathophysiology
Desert Parsley is also thought to have biofilm-busting capability and is also thought to be antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal.
Mental Health & Gut Health
Sometimes the stressors which cause dysbiosis, (a disruption in our gut health, are psychological rather than physical or chemical etc… Mental stress has a catastrophic effect on our gut health.
This is why emotional issues are often the precursor to our gut issues.
But, sadly, gut issues can also lead to emotional health problems… so, digestive problems create a vicious cycle of events.
Additional Reading…
Gut Health Supplements
PQQ & Co Q10 supplementation has been shown to restore homeostasis to the gut and the rest of the body. PQQ and Co Q10 can be bought online from Swiss Bioenergetics.
Muciniphilia, amongst a couple of other probiotics are having an astounding impact on gut health also.
Berberine from Barberry or Golden Seal is also thought to be profoundly important for gut health. (More on that later…) Barberry Tincture is more affordable than Golden Seal, and is the better choice for chronic conditions. Golden Seal Tincture is best used acutely. Barberry Tincture can be purchased online from the Urban Fringe Dispensary.
Nigella Sativa Oil has shown to be capable of reversing debilitating, chronic IBS in three weeks. It has also proven helpful with Diverticulitis, and other gastric conditions. You can buy Nigella Sativa Oil online from the Wild As The Wind Shop.
★★★★★ 5 Star Etsy Review for Food Grade Organic Nigella Sativa Oil, the ‘cure for everything but death’. What can I say about this bottle of life changing magic? I’ve suffered chronic IBS for 30 years, which has been a debilitating struggle, then I met Rachel, she advised 45 drops in warm water a day…WOW, my body is functioning after only 3 weeks, I’ll be honest, I’ve bought 3 more bottles so I don’t run out, and have given a bottle to a very dear 87 year old friend who is suffering chronic illness, I truly believe that this bottle of magic will help him in some positive way. This has been my life line, can’t thank Rachel enough, well worth driving 3 hours to see her…
Nikki, Surrey
Our Microbiome & Decision Making
Are you getting used to the idea that our Microbiome is made up of a diverse collection of micro-organisms which live in our gut? I hope you are. But, if you’re struggling with this idea, then think on this…
Isn’t it good to know the good bacteria, viruses and fungi are defending us against infection?
But, that’s not all… These micro-organisms are essential for gut health in another fundamentally important way. Without all the good bacteria, viruses and fungi we couldn’t even digest our food!
It has been determined, very recently, our microbiome is making the majority of our decisions for us… So, our gut flora doesn’t just tell us when and what to eat, they are actually informing a whopping 90% of our decisions!
We have more genetic material that is bacterial in nature than we have human genetic material by a considerable amount… it’s actually a ratio of 100:1!
This means that genetically we are more bacterial than we are human!
How Is Our Microbiome Formed?
Well… we actually inherit our microbiomes from our mothers… if we are lucky! (Not everyone is!) But, we can modify our microbiomes based on our food and health choices throughout our lives.
Obviously, if we make choices that negatively impact the health of our microbiota, especially on a pretty consistent basis, then this will cause health issues later on in life.
Microbiome Deficiencies
Sadly, a lot of people these days don’t have a great start in life where their microbiomes are concerned.
Babies born via C Section aren’t exposed to the mother’s vaginal flora which is how most of us gain our first inoculation of good bacteria. And, if we aren’t breast fed, which so many of us aren’t these days, then the secondary inoculation of our mother’s microbiome doesn’t occur either.
However, even if you are lucky enough to have been born naturally and you are breast fed, your microbiome could still have been largely destroyed by the use of antibiotics, or by something as simple as the daily consumption of chlorinated drinking water.
*Even showering for ten minutes in chlorinated water is equivalent to drinking four glasses of chlorinated water.
Yes, our skin really is that absorbent!
Most people believe chlorinated water is safe to drink, but that’s because they aren’t asking themselves why the chlorine is in there in the first place.
Once this question has been posed the answer is rather obvious… It’s in there to kill bacteria! And, as our microbiome is made up of thousands of different types of bacteria the levels of chlorine in water are clearly sufficient to do our friendly gut flora a whole lot of harm!
Pesticides On Food
Eating foods with pesticides on them will also destroy gut bacteria… and even if this weren’t the case, then the recent ruling that Roundup is carcinogenic, which determined compensation must be paid to the cancer sufferer who brought the case to court in the US, should be enough to stop most of us eating GMO and pesticide drenched foods.
Oh… you didn’t hear about this landmark case…? Well, I guess it’s GMO with a tasty side of pesticide for dinner again tonight then!
Glyphosate has been found, by Stephanie Seneff at MIT, to shut off the creation and secretion of Bile, which completely compromises our ability to detox and undermines our entire gut health, which is fundamental to our overall health…
Somewhat unusually, this landmark case did receive some mainstream media coverage, but perhaps not enough for it to have reached the majority of UK homes… The Independent ran a story, as did The Guardian, for the US readership, (link above), and the BBC in Canada also ran a story on the verdict, but as far as I can tell, they decided the UK public weren’t likely to be so interested…
Considering Roundup is in every supermarket, garden centre and DIY superstore in the UK, and is one of the leading pesticides used over here, perhaps there’s more interest in the story in the UK than the BBC have anticipated…?
Here’s the piece in The Independent if you’d like to take a read…?
Roundup weedkiller could be pulled from British shelves after $289m US lawsuit finds link to cancer
*Roundup is the pesticide produced by Monsanto, an American agro-chemical corporation that recently merged with the German drug corporation Bayer. Monsanto are the leading proponents of GMO, or genetically modified organisms. Many crops are grown using the GMO method, which requires genetic modifications of the seeds of the plants as well as the use of chemical pesticides. It is these chemical pesticides that have been proven to be carcinogenic.
*If the chemicals are deathly, then Lord only knows how dangerous the genetic mutation of these plants is…? In some cases they are crossing the genes of fish with the genes of plants!
The thing that is so very worrying about these people is that they think this is a good idea!
Digestive Health Directly Impacts Our Sexual Health
Somewhat unsurprisingly, other forms of chemically manipulated foods are causing digestive dysfunction, which then leads to further problems downstream… One of the unwanted side-effects in the negative cascade of events is sexual dysfunction.
Learn how our gut health directly affects our sexual functioning here :: Sweeteners Ruin Female Sexual Response & Induce Male Sexual Dysfunction
Mould & Gut Health
Some say that mould exposure can cause us as many health problems as having a compromised gut.
Mould is certainly implicated in digestive issues such as Crohn’s Disease, and a lot of autoimmune conditions, which are inflammatory in nature.
Mould is also implicated in CFS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and ME.
Mould is also considered to be very much linked to the development of chemical sensitivity.
If you think your digestive issues are mould related it’s important to follow the links to the short series of articles on Mould, and read this article: How To Heal From Mould.
It is also advisable to read this article if you have chronic inflammation or chronic mould / fungal infection: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
Any condition ending in ‘itis’ is an inflammatory disorder.
If you have chronic skin fungal infections, regularly suffer from Thrush, or you have toenail fungal infections, this usually indicates there’s a yeast overgrowth within your digestive tract. This means that the problem is systemic and not localised to an external part of your body.
Chemical Sensitivity & Gut Health
Chemical sensitivity is all part of the reaction a body goes into during an immune system overdrive. Chemical sensitivity is a result of fundamental systemic failure, and is always a symptom of a system that has been breached in one way or another.
Mould contamination is one cause, but viral infection and parasite infection are also implicated.
Toxic load from things like heavy metals and Xenoestrogens, and a whole slew of other chemicals, will lead to systemic overload. Plus, things like viral infections love to hide behind heavy metal contamination, so the problems just keep on compounding once our immune system is chronically compromised.
That’s when we develop dietary issues, where eating foods can cause issues. We develop intolerances and allergic reactions to foods the more toxic and infected we become, which then further compromises our immune system.
80% of our immune system is in our gut, so when our digestion is compromised, so is our immunity. Thus, the likelihood of multiple infections, including bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infection etc is very high.
If you have multiple infections and chemical sensitivity it’s very important for you to read this: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome
Heavy Metals
Heavy metals wreak havoc within the body. One of the critical ways in which they do this is by short-circuiting our energy production by attacking our mitochondria.
Our mitochondria are in every cell within our bodies, and they are responsible for our energy production.
Sometimes we can have as many as 1,500 mitochondria within our cells, if we are exceptionally healthy. But, if we are not, we can have just a handful.
The fact that heavy metals cause mitochondrial dysfunction and death is really serious. It is one of the key root causes of fatigue, weight gain, co-infections, neurodegeneration, and accelerated ageing.
Because heavy metals do a number on our mitochondria, preventing them from doing their all important job of producing energy, which ultimately helps to hold our gut lining together, we develop malabsorption issues as well as gut permeability.
With insufficient energy to fulfil all bodily maintenance requirements our gut lining gets neglected and begins to lose it’s integrity. This is commonly referred to as Leaky Gut or Gut Permeability.
Our gut lining is only one cell thick, so it is easily compromised. Using linseeds to help restore gut lining is a key way to maintain gut health. Soak a couple of dessert spoons of linseeds in a glass of water over night, and then drink it in the morning, by just necking it back!
If you want to reap hormonal benefits of the linseeds as well, (recommended), then put the linseeds in a smoothie maker and blend them up with a heaped teaspoon of these powdered spices:
Cinnamon – helps regulate blood sugar
Ginger – supports optimal gut health & reduces pain & inflammation & is deeply detoxing and restorative
Turmeric – reduces pain & inflammation & is profoundly antioxidant & restorative, and is even thought to be anti-cancer.
Add 20 grinds of freshly ground pepper and blend until smooth.
Take a big breath, hold your nose, and knock it back in one! Although, for good digestion, it’s important to have a good amount of saliva mixed in with your smoothie.
*Linseeds (3tbsp) are considered to be as effective as HRT in regulating hormones in menopausal women.
Leaky Gut
Leaky Gut, aka Intestinal Permeability, has reached epidemic proportions within Western society.
All of the accumulative damage to our microbiome and mitochondria can lead to the condition we generally refer to as Leaky Gut. It can also be caused by food sensitivities, toxic overload and antibiotic use etc…
Leaky gut is the precursor to many, if not all, autoimmune conditions. Autoimmune conditions cause years of inflammation of pain, and ultimately shorten our life expectancy. All of this suffering is unnecessary. It can be reversed.
Symptoms Of Leaky Gut
- Memory loss
- Brain fog
- Fatigue / exhaustion
- Chronic diarrhoea, constipation, gas or bloating
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Poor immunity
- Headaches
- Skin problems including Acne, Eczema, Psoriasis + Rosacea
- Craving sugar or wheat based products / processed carbs
- Joint pain & inflammation
- Bloating
- Cramps
- If you have several of the above symptoms please read Leaky Gut for more insights.
Hydrochloric Acid & Enzymatic Processes
A lot of people believe that they have too much Hydrochloric Acid when they have indigestion and acid reflux etc. However, in nine times out of ten cases the reverse is true.
When the stomach produces too little Hydrochloric Acid the stomach doesn’t seal itself off properly. This allows some of the Hydrochloric Acid we produce to digest our food escapes back up the Oesophagus. It’s the production of a good amount of Hydrochloric Acid, after we start eating, which triggers a proper closing off of the stomach. Insufficient Hydrochloric Acid will not do that.
The tragedy here is that prescriptions for proton pump inhibitors, (antacids to you and me), are immense, as are the sales for Rennies and Tums. These antacids are just compounding the problem.
Helicobacter Pylori & Other Nasties
Helicobacter pylori, (H. pylori), a bacteria that likes to live in human guts. After a number of years H. pylori can cause stomach ulcers, or ulcers that appear in the upper part of our small intestines. For some people, an H. pylori infection can ultimately lead to stomach cancer.
Our gut can be invaded by many different troublesome critters. Viruses, bacterial infections as well as yeast infections all cause our gut to dysfunction. There’s too many to mention here.
Then there’s parasitic infections, which are estimated to affect as many as 90% of us.
But, not all of these things are bad! (Although, almost always parasite infections are!)
Our Immune System
Our immune system is comprised of good bacteria, viruses and yeasts, such as Candida Albicans. In fact 80% of immune system is comprised of gut bacteria and other components like Candida and viruses.
However, a gut becomes dysbiotic when certain strains of things overpower others and become dominant. When the gut is out of balance, our health will suffer.
Healthy Gut – Unhealthy Gut
Healthy gut bacteria, or Probiotics, produce B Vitamins, which are so crucial for Thyroid and mental health. Probiotics also produce other nutrients required by the body, whereas dysbiotic or bad bacteria just create toxins.
Bad bacteria creates toxins that triggers an inflammatory immune response, which, in turn, really uses up our bodily resources.
Good bacteria does the opposite, allowing us to absorb nutrients better, which then causes an upward spiral.
That upward spiral includes the mitochondria producing more energy as we start producing more good bacteria, which then helps clear more infection… Conversely, it’s the bad bacteria and other infections that produce all the toxins that over-burdens the liver, that then shuts down our Mitochondrial energy production… So, of course, reversing this process has the opposite effect.
This video asks some great forward thinking questions about gut health, and how the gut interplays with the Liver…
Healing the Gut
A lot of people swear by taking the following supplements for healing gut dysbiosis: Collagen, L-Glutamine & Quercetin
I prefer to keep my approach as natural as possible, relying on things like bone broth and then maintaining gut health with intermittent probiotic consumption as well as fermented food.
However, fermented food is a no-no if you have a mould or yeast infection.
*It is very important to keep away from fermented foods if you have a mould or yeast infection.
Bone broth is brilliant for the healing of leaky gut. You can find the recipe for bone broth on the Wild As The Wind website.
One of the best ways of restoring gut health is through intermittent fasting. Causing stress, aka hormesis, or the hormetic stress response, helps the gut to repopulate the micrbiome.
Exercise & Sufficient Sleep
If we don’t get enough sleep the body can’t heal… because it’s whilst we’re asleep the body runs vital maintenance.
Plus, unless we exercise the body starts to seize up and not work so well, even at a cellular level.
Then, be a well-ROUNDED body. Take specific, DEFINITE exercises morning and evening. Make the body PHYSICALLY, as well as mentally, tired and those things that have been producing those conditions where sleep, inertia, poisons in system from non-eliminations, will disappear – and so will the body respond to the diets.
Edgar Cayce reading 341-31
Probiotic Supplements
Taking a really diverse probiotic, which ideally contain soil bacteria, when taken in short bursts, is very helpful for reinstating gut health. But, they are only useful after you have healed your leaky gut.
Once the gut is no longer permeable it is time to repopulate it with good bacteria. Doing this whilst your gut is leaky would mean the bacteria from supplemental probiotics, and probiotic rich foods, could enter your bloodstream and cause all kinds of problems… inflammation and autoimmune responses etc…
***I use the Garden Of Life Defence Ultra probiotics.
The amount of good bacteria within each serving of your probiotic should number at least several billion, ideally 50 billion, according to Dr. Axe. This is because the hydrochloric acid in your stomach will kill a lot of the good bacteria on it’s way to your gut.
*It is possible to use probiotics in an enema, or within a suppository to avoid the problem of getting through the stomach.
Probiotics repopulate our gut with friendly flora. However, our microbiome is made up of thousands of different microbiota, and probiotic supplements only ever contain a handful of different strains.
Believe it or not, these many different forms of friendly bacteria form 80% of our immune system, without which we cannot digest our food properly or defend against bacterial and viral invasions.
The more diverse our microbiome, the more effective it’s going to be at digesting our food and defending us from infection. This means that relying on probiotics, for anything other than an acute burst of support, would simply result in us populating our gut in a very imbalanced way.
All we would be doing, over an extended period of use, is creating a bacterial dominance of a different kind than the one we are likely trying to remedy.
Using Probiotic Supplements Properly
We have tens of thousands of different strains of bacteria in our gut, and the more diverse the bacteria, the healthier we are.
Unfortunately, taking a probiotic supplement, with only a few bacterial strains in them, is only going to cause a dominance of the bacteria in the probiotic supplement you are taking. This is why I only recommend short burst usage of probiotic supplements.
Probiotics should be taken upon rising with water at least half an hour before consuming any food or drink other than water.
The Best Way Of Repopulating Your Gut
It’s really important to walk in the woods, and to eat salad leaves and herbs from your garden that haven’t been washed. Plus, eat plenty of prebiotic and probiotic foods… on a daily basis!
*Prebiotic foods feed good bacteria in our gut.
Isn’t it amazing that we collect natural probiotics from simply walking through woodlands and getting a bit of dirt under our nails!? The same is true of sunbathing on a beach, or even on the ground in your back garden!
These are the best ways of restoring balance within your microbiome.
Intermittent Fasting
*Intermittent fasting, rather than taking probiotic supplements, is a better long-term approach to repopulating our digestive tract with good bacteria, viruses and fungus… and it’s free, whereas probiotics are expensive.
Nevertheless, probiotic supplements can really come into their own to help treat an acute bacterial infection.
This is an incredibly important and cutting edge article by Dr Murray on the importance of certain strains of probiotics, particularly Muciniphilia, and the use of prebiotics.
He advocates for the use of Berberine as a gut tonic also! (This is covered in more detail a little later on in this article.)
SBO’s Or Soil Based Probiotics
We need to replenish our good intestinal flora every day.
A great way of getting a free and natural source of probiotics is to grow your own herbs and salads and eat them without washing them.
Probiotics like lactic acid and bifidobacteria have a really hard time surviving the digestive process. The hydroclauric acid in our stomachs is designed to kill bacteria of the pathogenic variety, but it also kills these beneficial strains of bacteria by default.
But, soil-based organisms, or SBO’s, can naturally survive stomach acid, and the results are amazing.
SBO’s have been shown to prompt an 80% to 100% remission rate in IBS patients within a two week period when taken daily.
There are more bacteria in a teaspoon of productive soil than there are people on the planet! And, most beneficial bacterial strains found in healthy soil are extraordinarily robust. SBO’s can survive heat, shock, and the hydroclauric acid found in our stomachs.
Perhaps, the best thing about SBO’s is that they thrive in an intestinal environment. This means that they augment our immunity, help digest our food, maintain a healthy gut and even produce neurotransmitters like Serotonin to ensure brain and hormonal health.
SBO’s have also been shown to reduce inflammation, aid our detoxification, and have even been shown to influence our genetic expression for the better.
All of these benefits have a direct beneficial influence on the condition of our skin. SBO’s remedy all of the root causes of our skin conditions, and as long as we eat a balanced, healthy diet, our skin should remain healthy indefinitely.
If we continue to feed these beneficial strains of probiotics in our gut with prebiotic foods then they will continue to flourish. New bacteria will replace the bacteria we excrete, as long as we maintain a suitable environment for them.
The bacteria in our gut not only forms 80% of our immune system, and is vital for the proper digestion of our food, it also produces crucial vitamins and nutrients, without which we would suffer a slow and painful systemic collapse.
Also, without our microbiome, we wouldn’t be able to digest our food!
Fermented Foods
*Please note: Not eveyone is tolerant of fermented foods. If you feel that your gut is fermenting the food that you eat, then eating more fermented food is a bad idea.
Live, fermented food is also very important for our gut. However, this is not an option if you are mycotoxic.
Mycotoxins are produced by yeast and mould.
Fermented foods include yogurts, fermented veggies, and things like Kombucha.
And please note, you will only find ‘live’ fermented veggies in fridges, and not on the normal shelves. Only the truly live versions are helpful.
Most fermented food is sadly pasteurised, which means there’s no live bacteria within the product.
Berberine
Berberine has been shown to lower blood sugar and cause weight loss… which are the outward symptoms of gut issues.
It also improves heart health…
There are a few things that have been shown to be effective in promoting the growth of A. muciniphila, most notably a FODMAP diet, prebiotics, fish oils, and berberine:
Berberine is an alkaloid found in many plants, but most notably in goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) and barberry (Berberis vulgaris). Berberine exerts significant beneficial effects on digestive health and the microbiome including increasing the levels of A. muciniphila. This effects partially explains its positive results in clinical trials in improving blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes, lowering blood lipid levels better than statins, and improving liver function. Take 500 mg two to three times daily if you are dealing with any of these metabolic disorders.
***Golden Seal should not be taken for more than ten days at a time with a good rest in between!
Shilajit & Carbon!
It is understood that Carbon helps gut function in several ways. Carbon allows the flora in our gut to communicate. This includes the good bacteria and fungal elements of our gut.
Carbon also helps to restore tight junction function.
A prehistoric, natural product called Shilajit contains a good amount of Fulvic Acid and Humic Acid owing to the fact it is comprised of heavily decomposed plants, insects and other creatures. It also has good amounts of important minerals, iron and carbon content.
Shilajit is very mineral rich, helping to restore the vitally important mineral balance within our bodies.
*It is important to take binders when using Shilajit. Binders are necessary to neutralise the heavy metals and toxins that are mobilised when you start supplenting with minerals. To learn more about this process please read Heavy Metal Detoxification.
What Are The Best Binders?
I advocate for fruit pectin binders and Zeolite clay.
Shilajit can be sourced from Detox Trading.
A good quality Zeloite Clay can be sourced from The Clay Cure.
Shungite
***Shungite is a carbon rock with a unique crystalline formation. These crystalline formations are also referred to as fullerenes, in honour of Buckminster Fuller.
Wild As the Wind stocks Noble Shungite Pendants, made from the form of Shungite which contains optimal levels of fullerenes.
The very wonderful Zach Bush has developed a carbon based product called ION Gut
ION Gut is a new generation, earth-derived supplement. It is not a probiotic. It is not a prebiotic. Rather, it is a carbon rich, alkaline liquid, with lignite derived trace organics and essential trace amino acids, that promotes an optimal environment in the gut. Research has shown ION Gut support[s] the tight junction cells of the gut lining.
ION Gut used to be called Restore. Here’s Zach Bush talking about the health benefits…
Food Intolerances
Cutting out grains and dairy really helps most people. I cut out all legumes also.
Wheat: 200 Clinically Confirmed Reasons Not To Eat It
Here’s another GrenMedInfo article on how Toxic Wheat is.
60 Years of Research Links Gluten Grains to Schizophrenia
Two of the Western world’s most popular foods have been implicated in immune mediated brain damage.
GreenMedInfo
‘Gluten Brain’: Wheat Cuts Off Blood Flow To Frontal Cortex
Gluten shuts down the Pancreas so it doesn’t release digestive enzymes, so we start failing to digest our food. This means it starts fermenting, which is tremendously calorific. So, that’s when we start developing a beer belly!
Plus, we we become mycotoxic from all of the mould that grows in the grains whilst be stored.
Learn all about these things from one of the most important video interviews on this website. Go to the article on Toxic Mould, and watch Dr. Peter Osborne explain just how horrific grains / gluten / wheat etc are for our health.
*This video is also a critical part of the seminal article on inflammation, because grains are one of the chief causes of auto-immune and chronic pain.
Plus, because it is so disruptive to our hormone health, I also include Dr. Osborne’s gluten video pops up again in an important article entitled Eating For Hormone Balance.
External Stressors
There’s also external stressors like dust and washing powders / laundry fluids that can all start a chain reaction which negatively impact our digestive health. Sadly, the reactions we have to environmental toxins and allergens are because we have compromised gut function the the first place.. . It’s all a vicious cycle which just keeps on compounding the problem!
It’s important to reduce all of these stressors as much as possible in order to heal our gut and return to optimal health.
Emotional stress is also very corrosive to our health and can seriously compromise out gut health.
Follow all of the links in this and other sections to reverse-engineer the root causes of your tummy troubles, inflammation and tiredness. If you have a feeling any of the links are relevant to you, then following them will help to reveal what you need to do to reverse the downward spiral.
These toxins are some of the worst, especially for women.
And, heavy metals, are really bad for everybody!
Enteric Nervous System
There is a lot of nervous tissue in our gut, which we call the Enteric Nervous System.
The enteric nervous system (ENS) or intrinsic nervous system is one of the main divisions of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and consists of a mesh-like system of neurons that governs the function of the gastrointestinal tract.
Wikipedia
So, it’s a quasi-autonomous part of the nervous system that includes several neural circuits that control our local blood flow, motor functions, mucosal transport and secretions, as well as modulating our immune and endocrine functions, and works separately to the central nervous system, or CNS.
The enteric nervous system is what’s been coined as a second brain because it has it’s own reflexes that are entirely independent to the primary brain and spinal cord. However, as already mentioned, some people are now referring to the second brain as the primary brain.
Whatever the case the enteric nervous system is connected to the cerebral brain via the vagus nerve and spinal pathways.
But why is all of this important?
Well… ENS dysfunction is often linked to digestive disorders… And, as our ENS is connected to the primary brain via the vagus nerve and spinal pathways this also means that there are neurological consequences to a dtysfunctioning ENS.
There are connections between gut health and Autism, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer disease, as well as to some of the more exotically named conditions like; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.
*All of these conditions are autoimmune conditions which cause inflammation.
Learn more about managing inflammation.
Also learn about the chemical, environmental and emotional stressors which contribute towards autoimmune dysfunction.
The Root of Autoimmune Disease can be Found in the Gut
As already mentioned, gut dysbiosis also leads to troublesome skin conditions like Eczema and Psoriasis as well as Acne, all of which are autoimmune and inflammatory.. However, parasitic infections also display similar symptoms, especially when accompanied by bloating and headaches.
Learn more about managing parasitic infections with Nigella Sativa & Oregano Essential Oil.
The Root Cause Of All Illness
Truth be known, the majority of our health issues emanate from our gut. This is hardly surprising as it’s where we deposit all manner of external material in the hope it will do us some good instead of doing harm. It is where we are most likely to get infected with all manner of things…
- Bacteria
- Mould
- Viruses
- Parasites
This is why 80% of our immune system is concentrated in our guts!
A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) in Switzerland, together with Italian colleagues from the National Research and Care Center for Alzheimer’s and Psychiatric Diseases Fatebenefratelli in Brescia, University of Naples and the IRCCS SDN Research Center in Naples, confirm the correlation, in humans, between an imbalance in the gut microbiota and the development of amyloid plaques in the brain, which are at the origin of the neurodegenerative disorders characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease.
Science Daily
However, it is surprising how many issues, which are directly caused by a dysfunctional gut, have the same symptoms as many of the big diseases afflicting so many of us today. Read :: Key Symptoms Of Neurotransmitter Deficiency, below, to see how Neurotransmitter deficiency could easily be diagnosed as Alzheimer’s or Early Onset Dementia.
This medical paper published on the US Medical Health website, PubMed, makes the case for Alzheimer’s being an autoimmune disorder :: Add Alzheimer’s disease to the list of autoimmune diseases
Neurotransmitters & The Gut
Neurotransmitters are one of two key ways in which the body communicates with itself. It does this via the Gut/Brain Axis.
For example, both serotonin and dopamine are produced in the gut. In fact, approximately 90% of our body’s serotonin and 50% of our dopamine are made in our gut. These neurotransmitters are what allows the brain to communicate messages.
They are essential molecules that send signals throughout the body that control impulses and cravings, as well as mood swings
Key Symptoms Of Neurotransmitter Deficiency
Insufficient neurotransmitters will result in many types of dysfunction, including:
- Mood disorders
- Anxiety & depression
- Memory loss
- Addictions – and yes, there are many food addictions!
Just check out the video below. Joan Ifland is one of the leading food addiction specialists.
Healing Neurotransmitter Deficiencies
The gut is where we absorb key co-factors that make neurotransmitters, so if the gut is compromised by something like Leaky Gut, then this will restrict our capacity to make these essential neurotransmitters, which will lead to some, or all, of the dysfunctions listed above.
These co-factors are amino acids which are found in protein rich foods.
We need Tyrosine to make Dopamine.
We need Tryptophan to make Serotonin.
Serine and Tyrosine are also vital amino acids.
The B Complex vitamins are also critical, especially B6, B1 as well as B12
Methylcobalamin
*The methylcobalamin form of B12 is the better one if you are considering supplementing with B12.
Methylation
*Methylating nutrients, like methylcobalamin, are key elements within our diets… but that’s one for another blog post or else this one will go on forever…
Suffice to say, for the time being, these methylation nutrients include choline, inositol, betaine, methionine, folate, vitamins B12 and B6, as well as minerals like magnesium, zinc and sulphur. The reason why it’s so important to ensure proper methylation within our bodies is because is critical for a multitude of metabolic processes like; cell division, and the maintenance of our DNA and RNA synthesis.
Methylation is fundamental to our health, and affects how our DNA behaves, and then determine our behavioural and dietary inclinations.
If you’re interested learning more about these processes, here’s a great video all about it…
Magnesium Supplements
Supplementing with Magnesium is vital. I like Magnesium Malate because it’s the better one for supporting heart health, but another good one is Magnesium Glycinate, which permits the highest level of absorbancy.
Magnesium is the most common nutrient deficiency we all suffer from, so we should all supplement with it!
It’s why I’ve introduced Mineral Spritz into the Wild As The Wind product range. It delivers a good amount of Magnesium Chloride into the body via the skin.
Magnesium actually prefers to enter the body trans-dermally rather than via the digestive tract. For those who are morbidly deficient in Magnesium I recommend Swanson Magnesium Oil. Both Mineral Spritz and Swanson Magnesium Oil can simply be sprayed on the skin and rubbed in so the Magnesium can be absorbed via the skin.
Magnesium is vital for thousands of biochemical reactions every second in every cell of our bodies.
It plays a vital role in processing sugar, which is one of the major reasons we are deficient as there’s so much hidden sugar and tangible sugar consumption going on in our diets.
Another reason is the amount of stress, which includes physical and electromagnetic stress, that we are all under in the modern world.
If you suffer from things like anxiety and restless leg syndrome then it’s time to get yourself some magnesium mineral supplements!
*A good way of topping up our mineral intake is by re-mineralising filtered drinking water with something like Sea Salt, as mentioned in Morning Detox Protocols.
The Gut & Neurotransmitters
As already mentioned 90% of Serotonin is created in the gut! And, 55% of Dopamine is made there too!
So, if the gut is dysfunctional this will very dramatical affect our mental health!
Anxiety and depression are almost guaranteed with a compromised gut. As are brain fog and struggling to remember what we are talking about, as well as finding the words to fluently communicate what we want to.
Hormones & The Gut
There are so many amazing bio-chemical actions being performed in the gut that influence things like Neuro-Endocrine behaviour.
As mentioned in Hormone Health Part Two, the gut is responsible for producing and regulating a lot of our hormones. So, gut health is vital for hormone health.
Hormone health, or lack of it is often reflected in skin health, but also affects emotional health.
Eating For Hormone Balance is an important article for those who have gut related endocrine issues.
Read the full series of Hormone Health articles.
The Gut & Addictive Tendencies
Life is all about balance…
Staying well is all about eating well, sleeping properly, and keeping stress levels low.
Movement is also critical to our health!
Stress is easier to manage than we think… Simply doing a little deep breathing every hour, just ten deep breaths or so will do, we would feel more relaxed. Deep breathing sends signals to reduce the output of cortisol, our flight or fight hormone made in the adrenals, which also produces adrenalin.
You can find several other de-stressing methods in Morning Detox Protocols, as mentioned above.
A lot of stress that young people have to contend with is derived from too much screen time. Not only is the use of blue screens predicted to cause a pandemic of blindness, their daily use is also really stressing us all out.
EMF, electro magnetic fields, created by technical devices, is implicated in all kinds of illnesses, including cancer
The incidence of teen anxiety and depression, as well as high levels of stress, is being correlated to excessive screen time. This is thought to be dramatically disrupting something called the HPA Axis…
HPA Axis
The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA axis or HTPA axis) is a complex set of direct influences and feedback interactions among three components: the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland (a pea-shaped structure located below the thalamus), and the adrenal (also called “suprarenal”) glands (small, conical organs on top of the kidneys).
These organs and their interactions constitute the HPA axis, a major neuroendocrine system that controls reactions to stress and regulates many body processes, including digestion, the immune system, mood and emotions, sexuality, and energy storage and expenditure. It is the common mechanism for interactions among glands, hormones, and parts of the midbrain that mediate the general adaptation syndrome (GAS).
The HPA axis, HPG axis, HPT axis, and the hypothalamic–neurohypophyseal system are the four major neuroendocrine systems through which the hypothalamus and pituitary direct neuroendocrine function.
Any dysfunctioning within the HPA Axis will lead to leaky gut among many other health issues.
Two Different Types Of Stress
Not all types of stress are bad for us. In fact, we need some stress to be healthy! It just has to be the right kind of stress…
EUstress – the healthy form of stress obtained from working out and walking etc, or from interesting psychological challenges, or biochemical/radiological (hormesis) functions.
Distress – or ‘danger stress’, where we face threats to our safety, position in life, identity, well being and our livelihood etc…
The Adrenal Glands govern the stress response, and so there are ways of supporting the Adrenals to keep stress levels normalised.
Things like adaptogenic herbs, including Ashwaganda, Siberian Ginseng, Rhodiola Rosea, Holy Basil or Tulsi as it is also known, and Astragalus Root, are brilliant for supporting adrenal function.
*Astragalus is an excellent immune boosting herb also, and Ashwaganda is the herb of choice within the South Indian medical system known as Ayurveda, for treating female hormonal problems.
Disclaimer
The information provided is not intended to replace the medical directives of your healthcare provider. This information is not meant for the diagnosis of health issues. If you are pregnant, have serious or multiple health concerns, consult with your healthcare provider before using essential oils or associated products. If you experience any complications or adverse reactions contact your healthcare provider.
Deepen your knowledge by using the Wild As The Wind Recommended Resources
Another resource you may find useful can be found by Healthcare Resources.
*Please note, I use sources from the Recommended Resources list as well as sources from the Healthcare and Skincare Information Sources list when researching articles for the Wild As The Wind Blog.
Wild As The Wind use a number of resources when deciding which essential oil formulas to put together for optimal healing and efficacy, as well as to support any health claims we may make.
We use the industry ‘bible’ on essential oil safety: Essential Oil Safety: A Guide for Health Care Professionals [2nd Edition] by Robert Tisserand and Rodney Young, to establish the safety of the Wild As The Wind formulations.
I’ve just been asked by Karen, from Surrey, whether I think Cider Vinegar is good for gut health. My answer comes with a Caveat. All fermented foods are great if we don’t have leaky gut. It’s important to heal our guts before using any probiotic foods and supplements. Apple Cider Vinegar is particularly important if people are suffering from acid reflux. Instead of using disastrous gut pacifiers like chalk tablets and other proton pump inhibitors, we actually need to increase our Hydrochloric Acid instead of reducing it. Drinking a tablespoon of Cider Vinegar in a glass of warm water 20 minutes before each meal will sort out the acid reflux issues.