Tag digestion

Leaky Gut

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food-allergy-leaky-gut-inflammation
If you suffer from sudden food sensitivities, aching joints, digestive upset, fatigue or weight gain, you may be suffering from leaky gut, which is also referred to as increased intestinal permeability. Leaky gut is characterized by the opening of pores in the small intestine, resulting in undigested food particles, bacteria, and toxins traveling to the bloodstream. The presence of these substances in the bloodstream triggers an immune response, whereby the body builds antibodies to the foreign substances but also attacks itself, creating food allergies and autoimmune disorders.

You are probably wondering how something like this occurs and if you are at risk. Let’s look at the main causative factors leading to leaky gut syndrome:

1. Chronic constipation – If you are usually constipated, toxins will often build up in stool, irritating the intestinal lining and causing inflammation, which then causes the pores in the small intestine to expand. In severe cases, Crohn’s Disease, irritable bowel syndrome,or colitis can occur.

2. Chronic stress – The immune system really takes a beating when subjected to chronic stress. If the immune response is compromised, pathogenic bacteria can cause widespread inflammation in the intestines, and leaky gut is a common result.

3. Dysbiosis – This is an imbalance between beneficial and harmful bacteria which can result from antibiotics or poor diet. Inflammation develops, causing the pores to widen.

4. Toxins – We are exposed to many thousands of toxins, but the worst offenders are found in our water supply, pesticides, and in certain medications.

leaky-gut
What Is The Solution If You Have A Leaky Gut?

I have several dietary recommendations for treating a leaky gut.

1. Glutamine – I am already a big fan of glutamine in general, but especially for those who suffer from leaky gut. This amino acid has specific activity in the intestine, and restores healthy soft tissue in the region. Over time, regular supplementation with glutamine has a protective effect against intestinal disease. I tend to be fairly aggressive with glutamine and recommend 6 to 8 grams per day, or more if you engage in frequent exercise.

2. Fish oil – Try to find a formula which contains primarily omega-3 fatty acids. You can also increase your consumption of salmon.

3. Digestive enzymes – Digestive enzymes will aid in the breakdown of food substances, especially in older individuals and those suffering from leaky gut. Try taking them with every meal.

4. Betaine hydrochloric acid – Some people produce insufficient amounts of hydrochloric acid, which is needed to break down food in the stomach. If that is the case, betaine hydrochloric acid optimizes the process.

5. probiotics – Most individuals will benefit from adding probiotics into their daily regimen. Make sure to take at least 25 billion units per day for optimal gut health.

Sit Up Straight!

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If you have a tendency to slouch in your seat, you need to pay attention! Poor posture has detrimental effects not only on the body, but also on one’s mood and general attitude.

Poor posture causes muscles in our neck and upper back to become overstretched, while causing other neck muscles and muscles in our torso and between our ribs to become cramped and overstimulated. The muscles in our chest become dominant, and pull our shoulders and upper arms inward and forward when we habitually adopt a stooped posture. This position puts a tremendous load on the diaphragm, and respiration suffers as a result. Even digestion becomes sluggish because the body cannot properly oxygenate and blood cannot circulate as well.

Poor posture can negatively impact your emotional state and confidence, not to mention how others perceive you. If you’re slouching right now, think of how you feel emotionally, mentally. Are you down, depressed? Now sit up straight and take a couple of nice, deep breaths. You should notice an immediate shift in attitude and mood.

Proper spinal alignment also has a positive effect on hormone levels. One Harvard study revealed that an erect posture, with shoulders back and spines nice and straight correlated with a 20 percent increase in testosterone levels and a 25 percent decrease in cortisol levels, while subjects who slouched experienced a 10 percent decrease in circulating testosterone levels and a 15 increase in cortisol.

Lastly, the way you carry yourself has immense bearing on how others perceive you. If you meet someone whose shoulders are pulled forward, your impression may be that the person isn’t the most motivated or energetic you’ve met. Yet if that person had a nice upright stance, with shoulders pulled down and back, your impression would probably be very different.

With some conscious effort, you can correct a hunched posture. Try this stretch at least a couple of times each day, and you will slowly begin to notice a correction in your posture. This is great for resetting the brain and creating more awareness of how you carry your body throughout the day.


AGAINST THE WALL

Stand with your back to a wall, feet together with heels touching wall, and arms hanging at your sides. Relax your shoulders, then pull them back so that they make contact with the wall. Stand in this position for 30 to 60 seconds, taking slow, deep breaths.
When you are ready to step away from the wall, keep your shoulders in the same position. Be aware of how you are breathing, and how your back feels when your shoulders are kept back.

poor-posture

Nuzest

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nuzest1

I was recently introduced to a company called Nuzest, which is committed to developing nutritional products which optimize people’s diets and put them on the right track to feeling their best.

The Clean Lean Protein is pea protein-based, allergen free, and a complete protein. It mixes beautifully, tastes great, and is highly digestible and absorbable, which sets it apart from the majority of proteins out there. Another outstanding feature of the Clean Lean Protein is the fact that it is one of the few alkaline proteins on the market, with a pH of 7.8. It’s paleo friendly too.

If you are looking for a top-notch plant-based protein, look no further than Clean Lean Protein!

Nuzest also has a greens product called Good Green Stuff which features over 75 ingredients for comprehensive nutritional support.

Go to nuzest.com to order these great products, and be on the lookout for my video review of Clean Lean Protein on YouTube later this month!

Glutagest

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495668065_640

This supplement is truly amazing! It contains a probiotic which breaks down gluten, thus allowing you to consume gluten-containing foods. I decided to give this supplement the ultimate test with a pepperoni pizza and wine cheat meal, and for the first time ever, I had no digestive issues whatsoever. I got none of the abdominal pain or bloating I always get after a meal like that, nor was I tortured by excessive bathroom sessions the next day. This supplement is excellent and enables me to eat some of my favorite foods which I had been avoiding for the last six months since discovering that I had a severe gluten intolerance.

You can order directly from the website too: http://glutagest.com/products/glutagest

Question On My Fan Page About Food Additives

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Some guy wrote in on my Facebook Fan Page on June 14 at 1:13am with the following question:

“Why is their Xanthan Gum and Sucralose in Whey 100 Ultra Clean when that will make it harmfull to the body how can you loose weight and build lean muscle with those types of harmfull ingredients put in whey?”

I hadn’t seen the question until now, so I wanted to make sure I posted a response. Here it is:

Xanthan gum is a plant based thickening agent which may cause some digestive issues in those who already suffer from digestive maladies, in which case they probably wouldn’t be ingesting whey in the first place. As for the sucralose, there is a huge controversy regarding potential harm from consuming it, yet nothing conclusive. I am personally not a huge fan of sucralose, but truth be told, it is in many food items. In addition, it can be very difficult to make a palatable whey protein formula without sucralose, since stevia can be very bitter. Please be aware that I am not in any way involved with the manufacture of Royal Sport Ltd. products but I definitely consider them to be some of the best in the industry. Bear in mind that the vast majority of sports supplement products are full of additives, so in this case I think we are talking about choosing products which are on the less offensive end of the spectrum when it comes to flavorings and additives.

Leaky Gut

drstaceynaito Leave a comment

food-allergy-leaky-gut-inflammation
If you suffer from sudden food sensitivities, aching joints, digestive upset, fatigue or weight gain, you may be suffering from leaky gut, which is also referred to as increased intestinal permeability. Leaky gut is characterized by the opening of pores in the small intestine, resulting in undigested food particles, bacteria, and toxins traveling to the bloodstream. The presence of these substances in the bloodstream triggers an immune response, whereby the body builds antibodies to the foreign substances but also attacks itself, creating food allergies and autoimmune disorders.

You are probably wondering how something like this occurs and if you are at risk. Let’s look at the main causative factors leading to leaky gut syndrome:

1. Chronic constipation – If you are usually constipated, toxins will often build up in stool, irritating the intestinal lining and causing inflammation, which then causes the pores in the small intestine to expand. In severe cases, Crohn’s Disease, irritable bowel syndrome,or colitis can occur.

2. Chronic stress – The immune system really takes a beating when subjected to chronic stress. If the immune response is compromised, pathogenic bacteria can cause widespread inflammation in the intestines, and leaky gut is a common result.

3. Dysbiosis – This is an imbalance between beneficial and harmful bacteria which can result from antibiotics or poor diet. Inflammation develops, causing the pores to widen.

4. Toxins – We are exposed to many thousands of toxins, but the worst offenders are found in our water supply, pesticides, and in certain medications.

leaky-gut
What Is The Solution If You Have A Leaky Gut?

I have several dietary recommendations for treating a leaky gut.

1. Glutamine – I am already a big fan of glutamine in general, but especially for those who suffer from leaky gut. This amino acid has specific activity in the intestine, and restores healthy soft tissue in the region. Over time, regular supplementation with glutamine has a protective effect against intestinal disease. I tend to be fairly aggressive with glutamine and recommend 6 to 8 grams per day, or more if you engage in frequent exercise.

2. Fish oil – Try to find a formula which contains primarily omega-3 fatty acids. You can also increase your consumption of salmon.

3. Digestive enzymes – Digestive enzymes will aid in the breakdown of food substances, especially in older individuals and those suffering from leaky gut. Try taking them with every meal.

4. Betaine hydrochloric acid – Some people produce insufficient amounts of hydrochloric acid, which is needed to break down food in the stomach. If that is the case, betaine hydrochloric acid optimizes the process.

5. probiotics – Most individuals will benefit from adding probiotics into their daily regimen. Make sure to take at least 25 billion units per day for optimal gut health.