10/11/2018 1 Comment GUT HEALTH Did you know that science now knows that we make 90% of our serotonin in our gut? Hippocrates, the father of medicine, said, "disease begins in the gut" Personally I never knew just how important the gut connection was until I started getting into biohacking, learning more about how much environment and food influence the gut microbiome. As someone who has always dealt with digestion problems, food reactions, anxiety, random rashes, skin problems, and more recently an onset auto immune condition, eczema, I knew I had to find natural ways besides steroidal creams. My auto immune has flared up so severely the last few months I investigated, researched, and started trying all sorts of natural things. Many of my clients also complained to me about digestive issues Microbes that make up our gut microbiome are like communities that react to changes in their environment (mitochondria). Scientists now associate unhealthy gut microbiomes to diseases including allergies, atherosclerosis, autism, autoimmune diseases, cancer, dental cavities, depression and anxiety, diabetes, IBS (inflammatory bowel disease), obesity, as well as skin diseases like acne and psoriasis Here are things that are seemingly helping me that I wanted to pass along to you in hopes that you can upregulate your gut health to improve your overall health. Lets talk about sunlight first as it is free and feels so good! With our skin’s ability to generate vitamin D from sunlight, most of our vitamin D should be obtained from sunlight and not supplements. Vitamin D is a hormone that maintains bone health, supports immune and endocrine function, is essential to the nervous and cardiovascular systems and more – every organ and system needs vitamin D. None of our organs or systems can function optimally without vitamin D and pretty much every tissue and cell in the body has vitamin D receptors--you need them full like solar panels. Vitamin D interacts with its receptor to unlock genetic information that controls numerous metabolic processes including DNA repair, antioxidant activity, regulation of cellular proliferation and differentiation. Vitamin D controls many genes. As many as 2,000 genes may be directly or indirectly regulated by vitamin D. The exposure of our skin to UVB radiation is the main way we produce vitamin D, not through food or supplements. UVB generates 90% of the body’s vitamin D. Getting sun through a window doesn't provide the UVB spectrum. We should not ignore our body’s natural capacity to produce vitamin D through adequate sun exposure. Even as I type this I am sitting at my desk, with the window open and the sun shining on me wearing a tank top (although many bio-hacker's are into nude sunbathing--don't get arrested! I know in the city its harder to pull off). Have you ever noticed how your cat or dog knows all the sunny places in or outside of the house? They instinctively know to get sunlight, in which they end up naturally living longer and getting sick less. Try to aim for least 20-30 minutes of sun exposure a day. Some people suggest a few minutes every hour to help with sleep problems, productivity, and mood disorders. The second suggestion I have for gut health is incorporating coconut probiotic yogurt in your diet. Disclaimer: you can totally and easily make your own which I have a goal of doing this week, but these glass containers plus CocoYo is dairy-free (and vegan), soy-free, gluten-free, and low in sugar, yet it tastes delightfully tangy. They use a bit of stevia to help with the taste while keeping the sugars low. I’m what you might call a stevia super-taster, and could definitely tell there was stevia in CocoYo … it had a definite flavor, yet, it still worked. Since it is made with coconut, the yogurt has a rich and creamy consistency. I like to add things like bees pollen and sprouted pumpkin seeds. DIY yogurt update: YES! You can make it yourself but I have failed twice since I started this blog. Guess I will be buying cocoyo until I figure it out. I buy mine from Whole Foods. I keep the glass jar and re-purpose it . Spore probiotics are different than other probiotics as they are soil based and are more bioavailable as they go in to your intestines. Most probioitcs don't survive the hydrocloric acid (HLC) and are a waste of money. Check out this article about spore probiotics are superior to other probiotics Something else I learned the other day that was helpful to me was the proper timing to take the probiotic. I was taking a few hours after my last meal, but studies show it is more efficacious to take them on an empty stomach. I have since then switched to the AM instead of the PM With over 5,000 published articles of various pathways this herb can be used for, I wanted to share this gem that not many people know about. Berberine's main uses are for detoxification, heart/gut health, blood sugar regulation, AMP-K (which is the same pathway exercise activates),cell-cycle arrest, and apoptosis. Dr. Sara Gottfried has a great article about berebrine on her website that pertains more for women. Berberine helps upregulate the master antioxidant we make, glutithione . I only recently started to take this but defintley see an improvement in my skin. Fermented foods are something I'm trying to get into more as well. You can go to the store and purchase things like kimchi, sourkraught, and others. Just having a little with one meal a day can promote better gut health. More and more science is finding out any dysfunction in the brain is usually connected to the digestive system. Hence the phrases, "Whats your gut feeling?", "have you got guts", and "Trust your gut instincts." Fermented foods are some of the most potent detoxifiers, capable of drawing out a wide range of heavy metals (make sure you sweat and use binders to catch them though!). Beneficial bacteria grabs a hold of mercury, lead, aluminum, and others holding on to them and removing them through stool. If you get bloated like I do when eating plant based food fermented foods is an efficacious way to get essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, and vitamins. As veggies ferment, the cellulose (which cause bloating in many) breaks down, and they become more nourishing and mineral dense. The proteins structure of foods is unraveled through fermentation, thus becoming easier to digest. Fermented food are also said to promote weight loss. They stabilize blood sugar, which means two things: 1. They will balance appetite, leaving you feeling more satiated and less hungry 2. They create a more even and steady release of insulin so the body doesn't store fat. Another amazing fact about our body is that our intestines are as long a football field. With sitting being dubbed "the new smoking" in our sedentary lifestyles, office jobs, and commutes we have more back pain and gut stagnation. The last but not least tip I have for gut health that has helped my clients and I is consistency doing Pilates. In Pilates the quality of movement is valued over quantity of repetitions. Proper breathing is essential, and helps you execute movements with maximum power and efficiency. Also conventional or traditional workouts are weight bearing and tend to build short, bulky muscles - the type most prone to injury. Pilates elongates and strengthens, improving muscle elasticity and joint mobility. A body with balanced strength and flexibility is less likely to be injured. Pilates involves low-impact flexibility and muscular strength and endurance movements that emphasize the abdominals, the lower back, the hips, and thighs. A typical Pilates routine involves 25 to 50 repetitive strength training exercises. Pilates exercises train several muscle groups at once in smooth, continuous movements. By developing proper technique, you can actually re-train your body to move in safer, more efficient patterns of motion - invaluable for injury recovery, sports performance, good posture and optimal health. I teach Pilates Mondays and Wednesdays at 6 pm, as well as Saturdays at 9 am in my downtown Hayward bio-hacked boutique studio.
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Lisa PattersonA credentialed fitness trainer, has been helping people of all ages to achieve their fitness goals. Archives
December 2018
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