Prebiotics & Probiotics

Is everyone you know on the probiotic band wagon? Here’s why… they are the power houses of gut health & even your wellbeing! You may be confused about what probiotics are and what they do. You may have even heard of probiotics and now find yourself even more confused.

What is the difference between prebiotics and probiotics?

Probiotics are live (good) bacteria

Prebiotics are food that support the good bacteria in your gut, this is like fertilizer for a garden. They serve as food for the probiotics (good bacteria). They are indigestible fibers (by humans) that are fermented (by bacteria) along the GI tract.

Do you need both? Yes! They both work together and support the human body’s production and maintenance of healthy bacteria and microorganisms.

Foods rich in prebiotics

  • Asparagus
  • Bananas
  • Apples
  • Oat Groats (whole), and steel-Cut Oats
  • Dandelion Greens
  • Flaxseed
  • Leeks
  • Garlic

Foods rich in probiotics

  • Sauerkraut
  • Pickles
  • Pickled beets
  • Kombucha
  • Yogurt
  • Acidophilus Milk
  • Kimchi
  • Kefir

May your gut be filled with health and proper amounts of both pre and probiotics!

In Wellness,

Dr. Rachel

Foods That Support Gut Health

Nutrition plays a HUGE role in your gut health and overall wellness of your microbiome. The saying ‘food is medicine’ is true AND good food is great preventative medicine!

Here is a little cheat sheet for good foods (and drinks) for your gut –

  • Probiotics & Prebiotics through foods and supplementation
  • Raw Green Fibrous Veggies
  • Fermented Foods
  • Water, Water & More Water
  • Prebiotics Rich Foods; Bananas, Asparagus and Artichoke
  • Polyphenols Rich Foods; Olive Oil, Berries, Nuts & Green Tea
  • Pineapple – For digestive enzyme properties
  • Peppermint – For digestive properties

Since gut health is dependent on your unique microbiome, be sure to listen to your body when it comes to food choices. Using my Wellness Journal Template can be helpful in tracking what works and does not work for YOUR body. You can download that template within the FREE Cleanse & Create 30-Day Whole Person Wellness & Detox Program. Visit cleanseandcreate.com to enroll!

In Wellness,

Dr. Rachel

The Mind-Emotion-Gut Connection

Science is FINALLY catching up to ancient health and wellness knowledge used for thousands of years to both prevent and cure illness and disease. This new paradigm for health has been coined the mind-body movement. Yet, it is only partially beginning to express the deep connection between the mind and the body. We now know that there is a mind-body-emotion connection that impacts our health and wellbeing.

Our mind and our internal thought life create thoughts and thought patterns that then begin to be experienced in the body as emotions. These thoughts and emotions then manifest or materialize within the body impacting health on a cellular level.

Negative thoughts and emotions cause acidity which leads to an imbalance in proper gut function, causes inflammation and a decrease in overall gut health. Since we know that gut health is directly linked to the health of numerous other systems and organ function within the body such as the brain, immune system and entire digestive system function, working towards healing negative thought patterns and processing as well as clearing negative emotions has a powerful impact!

Most of us do not learn effective ways to address our internal landscape, both negative thoughts and negative emotions. This is why taking accountability and seeking to learn new tools and techniques will empower your future health.

When our gut is out of balance it begins to not only negatively effect our physical health but also mental and emotional health. So the cycle of negative thoughts-negative emotions-gut imbalances ends up spinning out of control and feeding the continuation of this cycle which can lead to or trigger symptoms of anxiety and depressions.

If you struggle with mental and emotional health issues, please get the support you need from a professional and also look deeper into your nutrition and gut health as well.

In Wellness,

Dr. Rachel

Meet Your Microbiome – Gut Health – Part 3

Meet Your Microbiome…

By Dr. Rachel Eva Dew, DNM

 

What the heck is the MICROBIOME anyway & why is microbiome health and balance important?

Think of your microbiome as an entire eco system, or community of microorganisms (good and bad) in your body. Your gut microbiome is not the only microbiome systems in the body, your skin is also a microbiome system too! It is estimated that people are ratio to inhabited by even more non- human cells as human cells. According to NIH, ‘The human body contains trillions of microorganisms — outnumbering human cells by 10 to 1. Because of their small size, however, microorganisms make up only about 1 to 3 percent of the body’s mass (in a 200-pound adult, that’s 2 to 6 pounds of bacteria), but play a vital role in human health’. When all of these elements combine, they form your microbiomes unique chemistry.

I am a plant lover, but sometimes I have a hard time keeping certain plants in my home alive and thriving. All of my plants have slightly different needs and preferences for light, water, soil their environment (the pots they are in) and fertilizer. In fact, it seems that as soon as I learn the magical combination that works for a plant to be its healthiest, the season will change, and I have to learn the new combination for that season. Guess what, our microbiomes and their health are exactly the same!!

Finding the exact right balance for optimizing your microbiome (both gut and skin) is a process and the needs and care will be unique to you. However, there are some things that help ALL microbiomes begin to move towards more balance. These are things like diet, exercise, mindfulness, stress reduction, proper hydration, rebalancing the microbiome and taking herbal supplements, probiotics and prebiotics.

Often you will have to source numerous high-quality supplements in order to address rebalancing the microbiome. Often, I have recommended up to 10 different supplements to patients working on balancing their microbiome. This is one of the reasons I love Nupeutics Microbiome Master… it has all of these ingredients in one high quality supplement.

Nupeutics uses some of the most powerful ingredients to support total gut health and rebalance the microbiome. Nupeutics Microbiome Master’s supportive ingredients for microbiome health are –

  • Black Walnut Hull is a powerful herb that has been used medicinally for thousands of years and is especially useful in digestive and parasitic instances. It is a potent antibacterial and anti-fungal and is capable of killing the adult stage of most parasitic worms. It has been used to treat intestinal issues, snake bites, wound care as an antiseptic, ulcers, wart treatment (herpes virus), cold sores, athlete’s foot and Candida.

 

  • Oregano Leaf contains high amounts of antioxidants that help to fight free radical damage and has antibacterial and anti-parasitic properties. Because of this it is greatly effective at reducing inflammation in conditions like colitis. Studies have found oregano oil to be as effective in germ killing properties as prescription antibiotics.

 

  • Reishi Mushroom is a staple in eastern medicine with several immune boosting capabilities and cancer killing properties. It also has even shown to have adaptogenic properties that can reduce stress, fatigue and improve sleep.

.

  • Pau D’arco Bark is a South American herb used for decades. It has two chemicals – lapchol and beta-lapchone that are shown to kill bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. Also boasting anti-inflammatory properties that may be effective against diseases like osteoarthritis. Pau D’arco is used to help treat Candida, herpes, influenza, parasites, bacteria infections and cancer.

 

  • Uva Ursi is a small shrub and is most commonly known for its effectiveness to fight and prevent Urinary Tract Infections. (caution should be used when considering long term use). Uva Ursi also contains allatoin which provides a soothing effect to the gut and urinary tract.

 

  • Echinacea is a powerful herb that can stimulate the cells of your immune system and assist in eliminating disease-causing parasites. We all know echinacea is amazing to boost our immune systems and help stave off illness when we feel the sniffles coming on.

 

  • Wormwood is one of the most potent parasite killers around. This is how the tree protects itself from fungi by using wormwood in its bark. It is used in various digestive issues such as upset stomach, gallbladder disease, intestinal spasms. It can also be used to help reduce fever, liver disease, depression, muscle pain, and to treat worm (parasite) infections.

 

  • Cinnamon bark is an anti-parasitic and warming spice used to ward off unwanted guests. Cinnamon bark is also loaded with antioxidants and works to combat inflammation.

 

  • Allicin Garlic has been used for centuries for its ability to kill bacteria, viruses and fungus. It is a potent herb in gut cleansing.

Keep your eyes out for more on gut health!

In Wellness,

Dr. Rachel

Gut Health – Part 2

Understanding Leaky Gut

By Dr. Rachel Eva Dew, DNM

 

LEAKY GUT has become a popular term… but what is it really?

Thought the term ‘leaky gut’ has become popular, it is often misunderstood. Leaky gut syndrome as it has become known as is often diagnosed and treated based on symptoms.

‘Inside our bellies, we have an extensive intestinal lining covering more than 4,000 square feet of surface area. When working properly, it forms a tight barrier that controls what gets absorbed into the bloodstream. An unhealthy gut lining may have large cracks or holes, allowing partially digested food, toxins, and bugs to penetrate the tissues beneath it. This may trigger inflammation and changes in the gut flora (normal bacteria) that could lead to problems within the digestive tract and beyond. The research world is booming today with studies showing that modifications in the intestinal bacteria and inflammation may play a role in the development of several common chronic diseases’. – Harvard Health

Leaky gut is not the same as food allergies and sensitivities, yet they can often be interconnected… one leading to the other. When there are food sensitivities and allergies this causes internal inflammation, which can contribute to leaky gut. When someone has leaky gut, this effects the body’s ability to properly digest and absorb nutrients which can then trigger food sensitivities and allergies.

Leaky gut can cause the following symptoms:

  • Chronic diarrhea, constipation, gas or bloating.
  • Nutritional deficiencies.
  • Poor immune system.
  • Headaches, brain fog, memory loss.
  • Excessive fatigue.
  • Skin rashes and problems such as acne, eczema or rosacea.
  • Cravings for sugar or carbs.
  • Arthritis or joint pain.

The best way to think of ‘leaky gut’ is not to focus on the name or label but on moving your entire gut health towards optimal balance and wellbeing. This can be done through diet, exercise, mindfulness, stress reduction, proper hydration, rebalancing the microbiome and detoxing to name a few.

Healing Leaky Gut –

Here are 5 Simple Steps to Healing Leaky Gut, Rebalancing Your Microbiome & Overall Gut Health… 

  1. Nutritional Shifts
  2. Proper Hydration
  3. Pre-biotics & Probiotics
  4. Reducing Stress
  5. Processing & Releasing Negative Thoughts & Emotions

Remember that you want to strive towards more balance and health in your gut versus become obsessive and hugely restrictive. That will only increase your stress levels which will be counterproductive to all of the other steps you are taking to balance and heal your gut. ALL THINGS IN BALANCE!

Stay tuned for Part 3 in this gut health series!

In Wellness,

Dr. Rachel

 

Gut Health – Part 1

Understanding Gut Health

by Dr. Rachel Eva Dew, DNM

We have all heard the phrase ‘Trust your gut’. But is following that actually a health practice that is also backed by science? Yes, it sure is!! You may think that your brain has the most nerve endings and receptors, but it doesn’t… your gut does! This means that your gut is responsible for receiving more signals then your brain and is deeply interconnected to the healthy functioning of the entire body, including the brain.

‘According to Dr. Ganjhu, the gut serves as a communication center for the brain, not only to ensure optimal digestion but also other important health functions. “I often refer to the brain as a part of the gastrointestinal system, because the brain and gut are in constant communication,” she said.’ – NYU Division of Gastroenterology Department of Medicine

What does this mean for you and your health? It means that taking intentional steps towards creating the optimal healthy gut is a health and wellbeing game changer!

Let’s dive into WHAT IS YOUR GUT?

Your gut is not just the stomach and intestines as many believe. According to The National Institute of Health ‘The digestive system is made up of the gastrointestinal tract—also called the GI tract or digestive tract—and the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. The GI tract is a series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus. The hollow organs that make up the GI tract are the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus. The liver, pancreas, and gallbladder are the solid organs of the digestive system’. The entire ‘gut’ is a complex and interconnected system.

Your whole gut is actually made up of the following:

  • Mouth & Salivary Glands
  • Esophagus
  • Digestive System – Stomach, Small intestine, Pancreas, liver, gallbladder
  • Colon & Rectum

The Importance of Gut Health –

The health and proper balance of your gut contributes to both health and illness in significant ways. No matter what health issues someone is facing, adding intentionality and effective actions towards increasing gut health will make a positive impact.

Your gut health effects every organ and system in your body, especially the following:

  • Your immune system
  • The balance of neurotransmitters in your brain
  • Your digestion & absorption of nutrients
  • Your Ph levels
  • Your microbiome (more on this below)
  • Brain function
  • Internal inflammation (inflammation is associated and present with all illness & disease)
  • Mental and emotional health
  • Hormones

Begin making healthier choices when it comes to your gut health and stay tuned for Part 2 of this blog series!

In Wellness,

Dr. Rachel

Copyright Rachel Eva 2019. All Rights Reserved