Tag: digestion

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How To Tell If You Have SIBO or IBS?

Irritable bowel syndrome, also known as IBS, is the most common gastrointestinal diagnosis.

How common is IBS?  Scientific tests show that 10%-15% of Americans suffer from IBS. IBS is more common in women with almost twice as many women having it than men.  IBS is characterized by a cluster of symptoms, including recurrent abdominal discomfort, as well as a change in the frequency and/or consistency of bowel movements. Diagnosis is based on these symptoms; there is no official test for IBS. 

Due to this broad definition, at times ‘IBS’ is considered a catch-all term for anyone suffering from digestive symptoms who does not have inflammatory bowel disease. When assigned too broadly, it can provide a diagnosis without adequate investigation into the root cause of symptoms, and treatment may focus solely on providing temporary symptom relief rather than permanent resolution. Additionally, IBS is often falsely determined to be solely psychogenic, denying patients access to further investigation while reducing the cause of their suffering to ‘all in their head’. 

Changing Tides in Digestive Health

 Thankfully, our understanding of gut health – and gut disease – is changing rapidly.  Recent research indicates that the development of IBS is multifactorial, and is largely influenced by the health of the gut microbiome, the complex microbial ecosystem that houses fungi, viruses, and bacteria within the gastrointestinal tract. This is most evident when chronic IBS symptoms begin following acute gastroenteritis due to exposure to a pathogen. The introduction of a pathogenic microbe can create both the acute symptoms associated with acute gastroenteritis, such as vomiting, diarrhea, and fever, while creating a long-term shift in gut motility that sets the stage for chronic IBS.  

Alterations to the microbiome also appear to underlie the two main categories of IBS: diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D) and constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C). IBS-D has been associated with increased levels of hydrogen-producing bacteria, while IBS-C has been associated with increased levels of methane-producing bacteria; both of these microbial imbalances are collectively known as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).

Does IBS = SIBO?

The gold standard for diagnosing SIBO is small intestinal aspirate, though it is rarely used clinically. Instead, lactulose breath tests are utilized to measure both hydrogen and methane levels; these measurements are indicative of bacterial levels within the small intestine. Research values vary but indicate that anywhere from 33-78% of patients diagnosed with IBS actually test positive for hydrogen and/or methane SIBO.  There is now a trio-smart test that also tests for sulfate gas.  An additional study of patients who tested positive for SIBO found a 7-8 fold increase in both Escherichia/Shigella and Klebsiella bacteria compared to non-SIBO patients.  An additional study in patients with IBS-like symptoms showed roughly 25% of them had an excessive number of fungal organisms within the small intestine, known as small intestinal fungal overgrowth or SIFO.   Recently, a large-scale study at Cedars Sinai has identified elevations of a third gas, hydrogen sulfide, in cases of IBS-D, indicating elevation in hydrogen sulfide-producing bacteria as both an additional type of SIBO, and another possible root cause of IBS.  Several therapeutic trials that aimed to treat gut microbes with antibiotics have shown favorable improvements in IBS-symptoms, further supporting the theory that microbial imbalances play a key role in the development of IBS.

All of this research indicates that for a huge percentage of IBS-sufferers, microbial imbalances, either in levels and/or locations of bacteria (as in SIBO) or fungi (SIFO), or a combination of both, are largely to blame for their symptoms. These findings are essential in providing relief for IBS patients, as these complex imbalances in the microbiome will not be corrected simply by following the typical treatment recommendations for IBS, such as stress management, increased fiber intake, laxatives or anti-diarrheals, or pain medications. 

IBS: A Way Forward To Healing

The diagnosis of IBS simply labels the symptoms as a syndrome, without providing any answers as to why a patient may be experiencing those symptoms. Without a root cause, it is difficult to provide the correct treatment methods. But with a correct diagnosis, the correct treatment methods can be applied.

Depending on symptomatology, it may also be helpful to test for Celiac disease, lactose intolerance, and food sensitivities, in addition to completing imaging to evaluate for inflammatory bowel disease such Crohn’s or Ulcerative colitis. While we have yet to gain access to testing methods for SIFO or hydrogen-sulfide SIBO, a comprehensive stool analysis can provide insight into the body’s ability to breakdown and absorb nutrients, as well as the health of the gut microbiome.  It is through these testing methods that specific imbalances in the gut can be identified; once they are identified, targeted treatments can be applied. For patients previously diagnosed with IBS, particularly if they have seen no resolution in their symptoms following the standard IBS treatment methods, identifying the root cause of their symptoms can be life-changing.

At Blum Center for Health, our team of practitioners and health coaches can work with you to heal your digestive distress. Whether you have an existing condition, are experiencing symptoms, or simply want to prevent future complications we are here to support you on the journey. Book an appointment by calling 914.652.7800.  

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Constipation Issues? Here are 4 Tips to Get You Going

Do you struggle with constipation? You’re not alone. Constipation is the most common gastrointestinal complaint, resulting in 2.5 million doctor visits annually.

Constipation is frustrating, painful and can be connected to other health issues either as a cause or as a symptom. It can create bloating, irritability, lack of appetite, incontinence and even vomiting.

People often ask, “How often should I poop a week?” Well, that’s a great question! 

You should be pooping every day – ideally, twice a day. Yes, seriously. I know, I know, it’s not what your internist said. But, here’s the thing: Going to the bathroom daily is a sign of a healthy digestive tract and critical to your overall health. 

Think about it this way: When you poop, your body is eliminating waste. Waste! Do you really want waste sitting in your large intestines for days on end? Absolutely not. 

Plus, it’s important to recognize that your ever-important liver flushes out toxins housed in your body, and disposes of them into your intestines. If you’re not pooping daily, then all those toxins get reabsorbed into your body. Not good. 

You are considered constipated if you experience: 

  • Straining during a bowel movement
  • Hard, dry stools or stools like pellets or balls
  • Incomplete evacuation, meaning you don’t feel like you’ve passed the entire stool
  • Less than one normal formed, soft stool daily

There are many factors that contribute to constipation. Some are lifestyle, some are medical. Let’s take a look …

Lifestyle causes of constipation and what you can do about it: 

Diet! We always start with diet: Eat more fiber. The average person eats less than 15 grams a fiber a day, yet your body requires optimally in the range of 30-40 grams a day, depending on your size. Vegetables, legumes, fruits and whole grains like oats, brown rice and quinoa will help add “bulk” to your stools (with the added benefit of feeding your gut microbiome.) Here’s an easy way to add 5 grams of fiber a day to your diet: Fiber Blend

Drink more fluid – you need fluid to help pass a bowel movement. Aim to drink half your body weight in ounces. If you weigh 150 pounds, for example, you’ll want to drink about 75 ounces of liquid – water, herbal teas, mineral water. Coffee and other caffeinated drinks don’t count. They are dehydrating and may be contributing to your constipation. And remember, as you add more fiber, you must add more liquid!

Move more – Exercise helps constipation by lowering the time it takes food to move through the large intestine. By moving through quickly, water doesn’t get reabsorbed from the stool, thus helping keep it soft and moving easily. 

Reduce stress – Stress hormones affect your gut which can lead to constipation. There are lots of ways to reduce stress, such as yoga, meditation, gentle exercise, journaling, Qi Gong and Tai Chi. Try them all and find the best fit for you. 

Go to the bathroom when you need to go to the bathroom – chronically suppressing the urge to poop can lead to constipation. 

Stop using laxatives – laxatives decrease your colon’s ability to contract and they can actually worsen constipation.

But, sometimes we all need a little help.

Here are 4 simple ways to “get you going”:

Try our constipation recipe – Mix together 1 cup pure applesauce, 1 cup prune juice and 1 cup cooked oat bran – start with 2 tablespoons and add an additional tablespoon until you reach the point of regularity.

Take a probiotic – According to research, probiotics have been shown to  increase “gut transit time” by 12.4 hours, increase the number of weekly bowel movements by 1.3, and help soften stools, making them easier to pass. Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus positively affect constipation. Our Probiotics is a blend of 7 strains of Lactobacillus and 4 strains of Bifidobacterium. Score!

Magnesium – One of the first lines of defense I typically recommend is adding magnesium citrate at bedtime. Magnesium citrate not only pulls fluid into the colon making easier to poop, but magnesium helps many sleep better and have less muscle pain.  Start with 200mg and titrate up to 500mg nightly. Here’s my Magnesium Go-To. 

Vitamin C – High dose Vitamin C (4-6 grams/day) can cause diarrhea, therefore, taking Vitamin C in amounts just below bowel tolerance (gas, bloating or diarrhea) can definitely improve bowel movements and regularity. Start slow with 3000 mg spread throughout the day. Then, every 2-3 days add another 1,000 mg. Once stools loosen up, maintain the dose that works for you. Plus, it’s an important antioxidant! Our Vitamin C fits the bill. 

While lifestyle goes a long way in alleviating constipation, the root cause of constipation may be medical. It’s important to address the root cause of constipation. If you make the lifestyle changes but continue to need daily supplement support to poop, it’s time to take a deeper look under the hood. 

Medical causes of constipation and what to do about it …

  • Dybiosis and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth – an imbalance in the gut microbiome or an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine are often implicated in chronic constipation. Besides constipation you might be experiencing gas, bloating, burping and/or reflux. 
  • Food sensitivities – certain foods are known to cause constipation, such as gluten, diary, corn, soy and eggs. 
  • Autoimmune disorders, such as Hashimoto’s and Celiac Disease.
  • Nutrient deficiencies – often associated with the first three medical causes of constipation listed here, nutrient deficiencies, such as Vitamin C, Magnesium and Fiber can contribute to difficult stooling. 
  • Too many antacids, and too much calcium and iron in supplements – are well-known instigators of constipation.
  • Toxins, such as lead and mercury, are an oft-overlooked source of constipation. 
  • Neurological conditions, like Parkinson’s Disease or Multiple Sclerosis.
  • Prescription medications, such as antidepressants or painkillers.

 

The best thing you can do for yourself is work with a functional medicine practitioner. We take a Whole Body approach, working with you to understand how all your symptoms are connected. We use “food as medicine,” assess your gut microbiome and your detox pathways. We can run the appropriate functional medicine tests based on your symptoms, if warranted. As a certified Functional Medicine Coach I can help lead the way. Click here set up an appointment, or learn more.

Meet Melissa: Melissa Rapoport is the Manager of Health Coaching and Lifestyle Programming at Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, NY. She combines her graduate work in Developmental Psychology with her education in nutrition, health and coaching to create highly individualized programs that result in lifetime change. A contributing author to three international bestselling books, Melissa’s greatest joy is her relationship with her two daughters. To learn more about Melissa’s coaching practice at Blum Center for Health, click here.

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9 Telltale Signs Your Gut Needs Attention

“The whole world is suffering from this COVID-19 pandemic,” microbiologist Heenam Stanley Kim said, “but what people do not realize is that the pandemic of damaged gut microbiomes is far more serious now.” 

We are now learning that there is a strong connection between your gut microbiome and your vulnerability to develop the disease known as COVID-19, and the severity of symptoms you experience. And perhaps, most importantly, we are learning that after you have COVID, your prior gut issues can increase your risk for developing autoimmunity, or for having a flare of your existing autoimmune condition. 

You see, your gut microbiome — which includes all the bacteria and yeast that normally live in your digestive tract — keeps your immune system healthy and your intestinal lining strong.  But if you develop a condition called dysbiosis — an overgrowth of bad bacteria, yeast, parasites or other microbes like viruses — you then have an increased risk of damage to your intestinal lining, something called Leaky Gut Syndrome. If the integrity of your gut lining is “leaky,” pathogens, such as COVID-19, can cross over from the gut and gain access to your body and your immune system. Because your gut health is so important, and to support you especially right now, we are running a 10-Day HealMyGut Group Coaching Program beginning October 22nd –> More Info

Remember, your gut (which includes your stomach, and your small and large intestines) is your first line of defense, and research shows us more and more every day that your gut microbiome communicates with every system and organ in your body — your cardiovascular, endocrine, respiratory, nervous, urinary and reproductive systems. Your gut is connected to your brain and mood. It’s even connected to your skin, hair and nails. 

I hope by now you can see why all of us at Blum Center for Health, and in the world of Functional Medicine, believe that The Number One thing you can do this spring for your health….is….take care of your gut microbiome!

Here are 9 Telltale Signs Your Gut Needs Attention

  • You have had COVID-19, or you are afraid to get very sick from COVID-19 
  • Have heartburn, reflux, IBS, diarrhea or constipation
  • Are frequently getting sick
  • Have fatigue or brain fog
  • Are feeling puffy or inflamed
  • Have inflammatory conditions like arthritis, autoimmune, heart disease, obesity or diabetes
  • Have food sensitivities or reactions to food
  • Have mood issues, such as depression and anxiety
  • Have difficulty losing weight

Let’s talk about the many different types of gut issues.  If you have gas or bloating after you eat, or if you experience constipation and/or loose stools, or any type of intestinal discomfort, this means that you have a problem with how your gut is functioning. If you go to a conventional doctor they will commonly diagnose you with irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. But, this diagnosis doesn’t tell you why you’re having this problem, and they’ll likely prescribe medication to control the symptoms, which by the way only makes the imbalance worse in the long run. 

Here are three tips to heal your gut, which will not only treat your symptoms, but address the underlying problem.  And keep your immune system happy, too.

  • For your digestive symptoms, find out whether or not you’ve got food sensitivities, which could be causing the problem. Problematic foods are typically gluten, dairy and corn. The food you eat is the number one influencer on your gut bacteria.  One way to figure it out is to follow a functional medicine elimination food plan. In fact, this will be the basis of our 10-Day HealMyGut Group Coaching Program beginning October 22nd –> More Info
  • Help balance your gut microbiome with supplements: 1) We use herbal antimicrobials to help remove or “prune” the undesirables living in your gut 2) l-glutamine to help shore up the lining of your small and large intestines and treat leaky gut and 3) probiotics (good gut bacteria as a supplement) to help influence the gut ecosystem and immune system.  Depending on the severity of your gut symptoms, you may also need digestive enzymes.
  • Reduce stress by learning resiliency techniques. Stress is the 2nd biggest influencer on the microbiome – in a bad way.  We suggest learning strategies for relaxation that work for you, as this will help heal and protect you from developing dysbiosis and leaky gut. 

If this sounds like just the plan you need, consider joining me for our 10-Day HealMyGut Group Coaching Program. We’ll do this together, as a group, and I will be with you every step of the way! >>> Check it out<<<

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Common Probiotic Myths Debunked

The amount of information found online about probiotics can be mind boggling. Search “should I take probiotics,” for instance, and you’ll likely close your browser none the wiser. There’s a lot of credible information, and there’s equally loads of erroneous information, including “experts” who have extrapolated data from research studies and made umbrella statements that are just plain … wrong.

For instance, many people believe that probiotics are like seeds that plant themselves in the gut and that they are supposed to grow and flourish. In fact, studies show that most probiotics pass through our digestive tract in about 6 weeks. Bloggers, experts and the media picked up this information and, suddenly, a buzz was created that probiotics were useless. This is not true!

Here’s what we know: 

Over 100 trillion microbes live in your digestive tract. Most of them are “good” bacteria, but there’s always some “bad” bacteria that live in your gut ecosystem (like weeds in your inner garden), always looking for an opportunity to overgrow and cause an imbalance. 

There are about 500 different strains of these microbes (estimates range from 300-1000) and when you take probiotics, you are ingesting just a few of the strains that have been well studied and found to be beneficial to your health.  You can eat probiotic foods, such as cultured (yogurt) food or fermented vegetables (kimchi, sauerkraut), or you can take a probiotic supplement, with many different types that vary by the dose and the number of strains that they contain. 

What’s most important is that you think about probiotics as influencers on your gut ecosystem.  While you take them, they are exerting a tremendous influence without needing them to “plant and grow”.  Here’s what we know.

How Probiotics Help You

GUT

Many studies have shown that taking probiotics can alleviate myriad gastrointestinal symptoms, including reducing bloat, gas, diarrhea, and constipation.  While the exact mechanism for how they do this has still to be completely worked out, we do know that probiotics help improve the overall balance of the good:bad bacteria, and help heal the intestinal lining.  This really matters because a damaged microbiome can give rise to many chronic health conditions, including inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, mental health issues, obesity, increased infections and lowered resistance to viruses. 

Here’s the good news:  If you have a “leaky”gut (increased permeability of the digestive tract lining), or dysbiosis (too many bad bacteria), probiotic supplements can help restore your gut barrier as they are passing through.  They can also help improve the number and function of your own good gut bacteria, and inhibit the growth of the “bad” bacteria. This ability to influence the overall health and functioning of your gut highlights why taking probiotics helps so many people, and why probiotic foods have been around for hundreds of years in many different cultures around the world.  Pretty important stuff, right?

INFLAMMATION

Probiotics also play a huge role in helping treat inflammatory conditions like arthritis, and immune system imbalances like autoimmune disease. Think of any condition with -itis at the end — gastritis, colitis, bursitis, diverticulitis, rhinitis, dermatitis — these are all inflammatory conditions. Many of these conditions are related to a damaged microbiome, and leaky gut, where microbes and toxins are leaking through the digestive tract lining into the bloodstream. Yeah, not good, as this triggers a system-wide immune response … inflammation. 

Susan Blum, MD, reports in her latest book, Healing Arthritis, that researchers have studied the use of probiotic supplements to treat the dysbiosis (overgrowth of “bad” bacteria) of inflammatory arthritis and found that probiotics improve symptoms in arthritis sufferers. Generally speaking, when it comes to arthritis, probiotics are thought to improve all the functions of your own good flora, including helping T regulator immune cells work better and live longer, turning off inflammation and repairing the gut lining and tight junctions. Because probiotics help treat a leaky gut, and because of the gut-arthritis connection, it follows that they would also treat systemic inflammation and arthritis, and they do!  

Probiotics help reduce inflammation by helping the immune system block pro-inflammatory responses that trigger inflammation over time. In other words, probiotics are a must for any one who has an inflammatory condition, and are beneficial for anyone trying to keep inflammation at bay. 

IMMUNITY

Did you know that the majority of your immune system resides in your gut? In fact, about 80% of your immune system lives in your digestive tract. With your gut playing such an important role in your body’s ability to defend itself against infection, it’s imperative that your gut microbiome be in tip-top shape. 

Your immune system has an innate response and an adaptive response. Innate immunity is an immediate inflammatory response — a signal that your body needs to defend itself from an invader, such as an allergen. Adaptive immunity takes longer to come to fruition. It is the body’s way of developing antibodies to pathogens — for example this is the way a vaccination works. When you consume probiotics, you are directly tuning up your gut-immune system, because the probiotics “talk” to your immune cells as they are passing through.  This is like arming your gut to protect you from foreign invaders!

CHOLESTEROL

Studies show that certain probiotics, particularly Lactobacilli, can help reduce cholesterol. They do this by preventing cholesterol from being absorbed, as well by helping to break it down. Evidently, probiotics can bind with cholesterol in the intestines to block it from being absorbed, and they also influence the metabolism of bile acids, which then affects the way that your body metabolizes fat and cholesterol.

MENTAL HEALTH

You’ve likely heard of the Gut-Brain Axis — meaning that neurotransmitters not only reside in your brain, but also live in your gut, and they communicate with one another. Take care of your gut, and you take care of your brain.

In fact, researchers recently found that probiotics improved psychiatric disorder-related behaviors including anxiety, depression, autism spectrum disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and memory abilities, including spatial and non-spatial memory.

Probiotics help your mood and your functioning? Pardon the pun, but this is a no-brainer.

ANTIBIOTICS

Probiotics can also help offset the bacterial imbalance caused by taking antibiotics. Antibiotics kill good bacteria along with the harmful ones, often leading to gas, cramping or diarrhea. These side effects often drive patients to the pharmacy in search of an appropriate probiotic.

What’s perhaps more important, and lesser known, is that frequent or extended use of antibiotics can lead to leaky gut and is implicated as an underlying root cause of autoimmune disease. 

Research demonstrates that probiotics strains can act as adjuncts to antibiotic therapy by reducing side effects, protecting the digestive tract lining from leaky gut and they can actually improve antibiotic function.

ORAL HEALTH

Flossing and brushing aren’t the only ways to care for your mouth. Emerging research is demonstrating that the microbiome of the mouth benefits from probiotics. From preventing plaque to fighting bad breath and reducing gingivitis, and even to preventing oral cancer, probiotics are proving to be good for the mouth, too! Pucker up with confidence!

SKIN

Who doesn’t want clear skin? People predisposed to skin conditions, such as acne, eczema or rosacea, tend to flare when their gut microbiome is out of balance. It is well documented that probiotics help prevent and treat skin diseases including eczema, atopic dermatitis, acne, allergic inflammation, skin hypersensitivity, wound protection and even UV-induced skin damage.

Which Probiotic Strains to Take

Look at probiotics and you might be wondering, “How the heck do I know which one to choose?” Great question. 

General recommendations call for ingesting 1 to 25 billion colony-forming units (CFUs) daily. To put these guidelines into perspective, most store-bought probiotic yogurts only contain about 1 billion CFUs per serving. 

We are now learning that perhaps different strains are effective for different health issues, but research has a long way to go until we can choose a specific strain for a specific condition.  Case in point: Studies performed in inflammatory bowel disease suggest that high doses of combinations of different probiotic strains are more effective in decreasing inflammation and maintaining patients in remission than a single probiotic strain. This is one of the reasons that we always recommend multi strain formulas.  

For this reason at Blum Center for Health we recommend 25 billion CFUs to best support your gut microbiome. Ours is a hypoallergenic blend of 12 certified probiotic species — a complete spectrum of microorganisms. And, it’s on sale right now!  Learn More Here

Ready to improve your gut and improve your health? A probiotic is a great place to start.

 

Meet Melissa: Melissa Rapoport is the Manager of Health Coaching and Lifestyle Programming at Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, NY. She combines her graduate work in Developmental Psychology with her education in nutrition, health and coaching to create highly individualized programs that result in lifetime change. A contributing author to three international bestselling books, Melissa’s greatest joy is her relationship with her two daughters.

 

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An Apple A Day? Better Make It Two!

An Apple A Day

Apples have long been associated with a healthful diet. After all, the adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” which originated in the 1860s, is a common refrain around the world. (1)

Yet for some people, like those Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), apples can trigger digestive symptoms like bloating and gas. If you find apples give you these symptoms it is a sure sign that our 30-Day HealMyGut program is for you. Once you heal your gut apples will once again become a staple to your diet.

The fact is we need apples!

Researchers are finding that the humble apple is not only nutritious but also has healing powers that begin in the gut.

One study (2) in Japan demonstrated that the population of friendly bacteria, bifidus and lactobacillus, increased significantly by eating two apples a day for two weeks. The pectin in apples seems to play a significant role so drinking a glass of apple juice does not have the same benefit.

The finding is significant because apple pectin is a prebiotic — a non-digestible dietary nutrient, which beneficially influences the intestinal bacteria by stimulating their growth. These “friendly” bacteria fight inflammation and prevent a host of digestive problems. In essence, apples provide your gut bacteria the food they need to do their job.

Further, in another study a research team at Washington State University (3) compared several different types of apples to measure the amounts of non-digestible compounds they contain, and they found that Granny Smith apples, (yes those tart, green apples!), contained the highest levels of prebiotics, including dietary fibers and polyphenols.

Clearly, food is indeed medicine. Adhering to the old adage, “An apple a day” is good for you. There are thousand of varieties to try. Don’t wait …treat your gut to the healing powers of apples today!

As Dr. Blum says, “A healthy gut equals a healthy immune system, and using food as medicine is always the path towards getting there!

Meet Melissa: Melissa Rapoport is the Manager of Health Coaching and Lifestyle Programming at Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, NY. She combines her graduate work in Developmental Psychology with her education in nutrition, health and coaching to create highly individualized programs that result in lifetime change. A contributing author to three international bestselling books, Melissa’s greatest joy is her relationship with her two daughters.

References
1. Story behind an apple a day. Ely, M. Washington Post Online. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/history-behind-an-apple-a-day/2013/09/24/aac3e79c-1f0e-11e3-94a2-6c66b668ea55_story.html

2. Effect of apple intake on fecal microbiota and metabolites in humans.
Shinohara K, Ohashi Y, Kawasumi K et al. Anaerobe 2010; 16(5): 510-515

3. Condezo-Hoyos L, Mohanty IP, and Noratto GD. Assessing non-digestible compounds in apple cultivars and their potential as modulators of obese faecal microbiota in vitro. Food Chemistry. 2014.

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Blueberry and Spinach Smoothie

Blueberry Spinach Smoothie

When most people think of smoothies, they think of all-fruit drinks. But smoothies are a great way to pack in the vegetables and the antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals your liver needs to eliminate harmful substances.

Serves 1-2

Ingredients
1 cup almond, coconut, or rice milk
¾ cup frozen blueberries
1 banana
1 T. ground flax seeds (optional)
1 scoop protein powder
1-2 handfuls of spinach or kale

Directions
Blend all ingredients until desired consistency is reached, adding water to thin if necessary.

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3 Simple Steps To Great Gut Health

By Susan Blum, MD

If you have gas or bloating after you eat, or if you experience constipation and/or loose stools, or any type of intestinal discomfort, you have a problem with how your gut is functioning. While this is commonly labeled irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, the diagnosis doesn’t tell you why you’re having this problem.

Usually, the issue is something called dysbiosis, which means your gut flora isn’t healthy. You might have an overgrowth of harmful bacteria, yeast or parasites, or you might not have enough of the good stuff: those probiotics you find in yogurt and cultured foods.

But who cares about a little gas or bloating?

You should! Your gut flora needs to be fixed, because the symptoms you’re having could just be the tip of the iceberg. A whopping 70% of your immune system is located in your gut and if the flora are out of balance, you have an increased risk of something called Leaky Gut Syndrome, and this can lead to autoimmune disease.

Here are my tips to heal your gut, which will treat your symptoms and keep your immune system happy, too.

  1. For your digestive symptoms, find out whether or not you’ve got food sensitivities, which could be causing the problem. Check yourself for gluten and dairy by removing them both from your diet at the same time for three weeks, and then reintroduce each one at a time, four days apart and monitor how you feel.
  2. For your flora, eat cultured food every day, like coconut or almond milk yogurt and kefir, sauerkraut or kimchee, and consider taking a probiotic supplement.
  3. If the above doesn’t do the trick, consider a gut-cleansing program using herbs like berberine or oregano to remove the harmful microbes. Our new HealMyGut program will help you do just that!