Note : If you are tired of going to Traditional/Conventional Doctors (meaning - Allopathic, Homeopathic etc) and have had no luck in getting the right treatment, I recommend you all to try out - Functional Nutrition or Integrative Medicine approach. This is a Holistic approach to treat your chronic illnesses/diseases. It focuses on treating the cause of the disease than just the symptoms. I have wandered for 18 years from doctor to doctor in vain - not finding the right cure until I reached out to a Functional Nutrition Doctor.

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Disclaimer: This Website may provide information related to exercise, fitness, diet and is intended for your personal use and informational purposes only. You should CONSULT WITH A PHYSICIAN before beginning any exercise, fitness, diet, or nutrition routine, especially if you are pregnant or have pre-existing health conditions. Nothing contained in this site should be considered as medical advice or diagnosis. Your use of the website is solely at your own risk.

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My Personal Integrative Medicine/Functional Nutrition Team:

- All of their support is available online (California, US) 

 1. Parsley Healthcare - Holistic Medicine - https://www.parsleyhealth.com/

 Health Coach - Olivia Hensal, MS, CNS, CDN

 Doctor - Dr. Sharon Ng., MD (Gut Microbiome Specialist)​

 2. Nutritionist - Anahit Hovhannisyan, Ph.D (Based in Los Angeles, CA, US)

 APIS NUTRITION CONSULTATION 👇 

  https://www.wellness.com/dir/3931959/dietitian-nutritionist/anahit-hovhannisyan-ph-d/glendale/ca#referrer

 3. Functional Medicine Nutritionist and Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner - Megan Rouse 

 https://www.rootvitality.com/

 4. Santa Cruz Ayurveda - Dr. Manish Chandra - https://santacruzayurveda.com/

(Comprehensive Ayurvedic Gut Recovery Program)

 5. Panchakarma - Ayurvedic Detox - https://www.ayurvedichealing.net/

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I'M CURRENTLY DEALING WITH SIBO - SMALL INTESTINAL BACTERIAL OVERGROWTH​

 Helpful Resources:

1. Dr. Nirala Jacobi - SIBO treatment course for Patients (Bi-Phasic diet)

     https://www.thesibodoctor.com/

2. My SIBO Specialist - Jen Yundt Coles, AFMC, INHC

     https://heal.me/jen-yundt-coles-integrative-nutrition-health-coach/

3. Feed Me Phoebe - SIBO made simple

     https://feedmephoebe.com/the-best-natural-sibo-treatments/

4. For more information on SIBO - See section 11 of this blog

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IMPORTANT: The truth is adhering to just four simple healthy lifestyle factors can have a strong impact on the prevention of chronic diseases: 

a. Not Smoking

b. Not being obese

c. Half an hour of exercise

d. Eating healthier - more fruits, more veggies, whole grains and less meat

Those 4 factors alone are found to account for 78 percent of chronic disease risk. If you start from scratch and manage to tick off all four, you may be able to wipe out more than 90 percent of your risk of developing diabetes, more than 80 percent of your risk of having a heart attack, cut by half your risk of having a stroke, and reduce your overall cancer risk by more than one-third.

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1. Our body is made of 72% water. Therefore, you must drink 4 to 5 liters of water a day. The math is to drink 1 liter per 20 kgs of weight. For example - if your weight is 80 kgs then you must drink 80 kgs divided by 20 kgs which equals to 4 liters a day.

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2. Our body requires three main components of nutrition:

• Macro-Nutrients - 40% Carbohydrates, 30% Fat, and 30% Protein. 

• Carbohydrates must be in the form of complex carbs (all grains) and simple carbs (all fruits).

       Sources of Carbs - Brown rice, ragi roti, potatoes, salad, all vegetables, lentils, multigrain

• Good Sources of Fat - Ghee, white butter, avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, mustard oil, and Fish oil, dry fruits

• Protein is very essential for our body. Proteins get broken into peptides and peptides are further broken down into amino acids. 

      Sources of Protein - Cottage cheese, soy milk, tofu, soyabean, almond milk, whole milk,                            lentils, eggs, red meat, bone broth, chicken, lentils and protein shake

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3. How much amount of protein can you consume per day?

• 1 gram per 1 kg of weight. For example - If your ideal weight is 50 kgs then you can consume 50 grams of protein per day. 

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4. Does your body has problems in digesting food or breaking down food?

• These problems come in with age, sedentary lifestyle or due to poor gut microflora and eating processed foods.

• Take Digestive Enzymes (+ Probiotics) that aid in breaking down food faster and replenishing your gut's microbiome.

• Standard Digestive enzymes that body requires are:

       a. Amylase - to break down Carbohydrates

       b. Protease - to break down Proteins

       c. Lipase - to break down Fats

       d. Lactase - to break down Lactose

       e. Cellulase - to break down Cellulose

• Other Common enzymes that are useful are:

• Xylanase, Galactosidase, Maltase, Glucoamylase, Hemicellulase, Invertase, Bromelain, Papain

• My recommendation on marketed digestive enzymes:

       a. Enzymedica - Digestive Spectrum (breaks down gluten as well)

       b. Activated you

       c. Zenwise

       d. Naturello

       e. Garden of Life

       f. Divine Bounty

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5. Probiotics also help a great deal in digestion and absorption of nutrients in the body. 

• Probiotics are live good bacteria found in your body that support optimal digestive health, 

healthy immune function, and a favorable environment for the absorption of nutrients.  

(for me it cured all my respiratory problems, digestion problems, and immunity related problems)

• My recommendation on vegan probiotics:

       a. Native path 

       b. Zenwise

       c. Naturello

       d. Garden of Life

       e. Divine Bounty

       f. Megaspore probiotic

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6. How to cure constipation and have regular bowel movements?

• Constipation could be due to dehydration, lack of dietary fiber, physical inactivity, or medication side effects.

• Causes of constipation are:

       Alcohol, Gluten, Milk and Dairy products, Fried or Fast foods, processed grains, red meat, 

       hypothyroidism.

• Stuff that Relieves constipation (water rich and fiber rich):

       Ghee, Lemon water, Fruits, Salad, Flax seeds, Chia seeds, Artichokes, digestive enzymes, and ​

       probiotics, thyroid medication, high fiber diet like green leafy salads, up your water intake

• Exceptions - consumption of stimulants like caffeine can cause stool to pass but they also dehydrate your organs. Do not rely on coffee or tea or any other stimulant to clear your stool. Stay away from Caffeine or any other stimulant. If you have sensitive gut, stay away from green tea as well.

• My best advice is to try Enema for 21 days with regular water or basti (an ayurvedic herbal formula) to remove toxins from your body. You can also try Triphala powder or capsule to get rid of constipation.

• Chamomile tea with Senna - called as "organic smooth move" very effective in relieving occasional constipation (available on amazon)

Note: Do not depend on Laxatives like Dulcolax or Cremalax (allopathic) or Yellow Tablets (homeopathic).

The overuse of laxatives leads to electrolyte disturbances, severe dehydration and mineral deficiencies. Laxative abuse can also cause long-term and potentially permanent damage to the digestive system, including chronic constipation and damage to the nerves and muscles of the colon.

I'm the living proof of it!!! 😔😞​

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7. Say NO to WHITE and PROCESSED foods!

• White foods are heavily processed and refined through a milling process that strips off the bran layer to give them a finer texture; which is why they are considered unhealthy. They are high in carbs, raise your blood sugar and contain fewer nutrients than their more colorful counterparts. It has no fiber, it congests the system, slows down digestion which creates sluggish metabolism, and can often lead to weight gain, stress, headaches and migraines and constipation.

       White food refers to - white rice, pasta, bread/bagels, cereals, crackers, ice-cream, potato chips              and pretzels, table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup - are all on the list of foods to avoid.

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8. Importance of pH of stomach acid:

       The normal pH of stomach is acidic in the range of 1.5 to 3.5. When the pH of the stomach is made        6 or 7 then protein digestion becomes difficult; because the enzyme pepsin that aids in the                     digestion of protein works best at pH of 2 to 3. This often leads to Acidity, gas, bloating,                          indigestion and issues like heartburn.

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9. Acid Reflux / Heartburn / Acidity / Gas / Bloating / Gerd:

• Acid reflux happens when the valve on your food pipe doesn't tighten or close properly. This allows digestive juices and other contents from your stomach to rise up into your esophagus. This usually happens when you have low stomach acid. Stomach secretions are made up of hydrochloric acid (HCL), several enzymes, and a mucus coating that protects the lining of your stomach. Hydrochloric acid helps your stomach to break down, digest, and absorb nutrients such as protein. Low levels of HCL does not let your stomach digest food properly, thereby making it travel up your food pipe causing burning sensation called heartburn or pain in the back of your throat, gas, bloating and irritation. Other symptoms of low stomach acid may include - burping, hair loss, weak and brittle nails, indigestion, fatigue, tooth enamel erosion, iron deficiency, deficiencies of other minerals, such as vit B-12, calcium and magnesium, protein deficiency, dry cough and breathing problems. 

• Remedies - Doctors may prescribe antacids such as Prilosec or Tums. Antacids are also available over the counter. Although they may provide immediate relief, but the relief is only temporary. What you need to do is to eat foods that increase the acidity of your stomach such as Beets. Take a medicine that increases the pH of your stomach - my recommendation - Panplex 2-phase (start with only half a tablet) or Betaine HCL, try apple cider vinegar, or aloe vera juice for immediate relief. 

Note: Panplex 2-phase is also good particularly for people whose Gallbladder is removed.

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 10. What is a Leaky Gut and what issues does it lead to?

       Inside our stomach, we have an extensive intestinal lining covering more than 4000 square feet of          the surface area. When working properly, it forms a tight barrier that controls what gets (nutrients)         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. These modifications in the intestinal bacteria and inflammation may              play a  role in the development of several common chronic diseases. Now we all have some degree        of leaky gut, as this barrier is not completely impenetrable (and isn't supposed to be!). Modern life        is actually the main driver of gut inflammation. The diet that is low in fiber, high in sugar and                   processed foods, saturated fats, may initiate this process. Heavy alcohol use and stress also seem          to disrupt this balance. This disruption may lead to certain gastrointestinal conditions such as celiac        disease, crohn's disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. Studies show that leaky gut is associated            with lot of autoimmune diseases (lupus, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis), chronic fatigue                     syndrome, fibromyalgia, arthritis, allergies, asthma, acne, obesity, and even mental illness. 

       Personally I have suffered from chronic fatigue, Mental fog and cloudiness, indigestion, Gas and            acidity, due to having leaky gut. It was really hard for doctors to diagnose it. My symptoms of leaky        gut were - Food leaking into the side pockets of my thighs and in the middle of thighs. Whenever I        ate oats or something smothered in butter - first thing in the morning, it used to straight up go to          my thighs and I was like - wait - shouldn't it sit in stomach for a while, breakdown and then get              absorbed. It clearly looked like something was leaking into my thighs and legs. I went to many              doctors - allopathic, naturopathic and nobody was able to help me. Finally I stumbled upon a -              functional  Nutrition/Integrative Medicine approach which provided me the solution. Within a                 week - my brain fog disappeared, acidity and heartburn gone and I had much more vitality and              clarity. I started losing weight too and could eat with much ease. 

   What repairs or restores your gut lining is the amino acid called L-glutamine. I tried two medications:

      a. Repair-Vit-Se --- Powder form (very very effective)

      b. Gut Repair by 1MD - Capsule form

      c. UltraGI Replenish by Metagenics (This is my personal recommendation to you all) - It's the most             effective gut repairing powder that contains 14 grams of pea/rice protein and essential vitamins              and trace minerals like Zinc and B12 to provide the necessary nourishment. Try this and you will              feel the difference in one week. 

      d. Gut rebuild Nutrients - click the link below 👇

          https://store.drruscio.com/products/gut-rebuild-nutrients?variant=14112516440116

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11. SIBO - Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (I'm currently dealing with this):

      Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a gastrointestinal condition where certain bacteria             which normally grow in the large intestine start inhabiting your small intestine.

      If you have been diagnosed with Leaky gut then there are 85% chances that you have SIBO.

      SIBO is a medical condition that occurs when there is an abnormal increase of bacterial population        in the small intestine. The ideal place for the good bacteria to reside in our body is Large intestine         (Colon). SIBO occurs when you have leaky gut and low stomach acid. Attributed to this your body         fails to digest the food, and the partially digested food and the bacteria, then leaks (permeates)             through the gut lining into the small intestine, where your nutrients are absorbed. These bacteria           start fermenting the food you eat producing two types of gases - Methane and Hydrogen leading         to discomfort and pain in the abdominal area. More severe symptoms are constipation or Diarrhea,       cramps in the digestive tract, gas, bloating, acid reflux and brain fog. For me the gas effect has               been so bad that I could feel the burning sensation in my eyes. SIBO leads to malabsorption of               nutrients, promotes gut inflammation and triggers other serious chronic diseases. Methane and             Hydrogen gases are produced as a by product of carbohydrate fermentation. Yes, they feed on               Gluten, Dairy, all the starchy and the sugary food you eat - fruits, vegetables and complex carbs.             Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth can lead to inflammation if you have persistent SIBO because         of an inflammatory response from your immune system.

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  An imbalance of gut bacteria leads to inflammation has the potential to cause the following issues:

• Irritable Bowel disease (IBS)

• Inflammatory bowel disease

• Liver disease

• Autoimmune Disorder

• Pancreatic issues

• Food allergies

• Obesity

• Diabetes

• Asthma problem

• Alzheimer's Diseases

• Autism

• Cancer

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  There are 3 ways to beat SIBO:

      a. Low Carb diet

      b. LOW FODMAP diet/Non-veg

      c. Elemental diet

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  For Vegetarian People:

      You would have to be on a LOW FODMAP diet and do 2 weeks of antibiotics course followed by           probiotics and Triphala as recommended by your Physician. NOTE - by being on a vegetarian diet         there are 80% percent chances that SIBO might come back. Actually it always does come back. To         avoid SIBO from coming back - you can also try elemental DIET (liquid/powder form)

 

  Elemental diet:

      Physicians’ Elemental Diet was created by doctors as a 2–3 week program for the dietary                           management of IBS, IBD, and SIBO. It's a hypoallergenic formula containing no intact proteins,               corn, or soy derived micro and macro-nutrients.

      Read about it more here:

        https://elementaldiets.com/physicians-elemental-diet-dextrose-free

        https://feedmephoebe.com/elemental-diet-for-sibo-candida-micahel-ruscio/

        https://store.drruscio.com/products/elemental-heal?variant=9206166716468

 

  For Non-Vegetarian People:

      You can be on a strict non-veg diet to starve the bacteria along with two weeks of antibiotics course       followed by Probiotics and Triphala as recommended by your Physician. It's comparatively easy for         you guys to fight SIBO vs. vegetarian people.

      Check out the link below:

        https://feedmephoebe.com/the-best-natural-sibo-treatments/

  Atrantil:

      Atrantil is a herbal supplement that can help break the SIBO cycle naturally. This can be taken                 together with the antibiotics with one hour gap time. Atrantil is the only natural, clinically proven           product to treat digestive issues where they start in the small bowel. Developed by a                               Gastroenterologist, Atrantil gets rid of problem gas-producing bacteria that cause bloating and             abdominal discomfort with or without constipation or diarrhea. This patented blend of Polyphenols       also works as a post-biotic to feed good bacteria and support overall digestive health.

      Read about it more here: 

        https://atrantil.com/

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      For more information on SIBO, it's Dietary recipes (Ayurvedic) and the treatment process including         what antibiotics (Herbal or Allopathic) should you take - Check out the link shared below:

        https://feedmephoebe.com/the-best-natural-sibo-treatments/

        https://feedmephoebe.com/best-vegetarian-low-fodmap-recipes/

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12. Effects of Sugar on the body and Brain:

      The most immediate effect sugar has on your body is through your blood sugar. When you eat               things like simple carbohydrates in the form of bread, cookies, soda, candy, or anything containing         table sugar, it enters the bloodstream quickly, causing a spike in the sugar content of your blood.           When this happens, your body experiences a sudden energy hike and your pancreas kicks into gear       and releases insulin to balance out blood sugar. As your body clears the sugar in your blood, this           leads to the infamous sugar crash when your energy dips. Constantly put your body through this             cycle and your pancreas goes into overdrive, leading to diseases like type 2 diabetes.

      Sugar Overconsumption also feeds the bad bacteria in your gut. Your gut is made up of trillions of         bacteria (a.k.a. bugs) and what you eat influences which bugs are in control. Sadly, bad bugs thrive         on simple carbs, especially sugar. When you eat too much, you’re promoting the growth of candida       and yeast—both of which cause brain fog, rashes, digestive issues, and more.

      Overloading on sugar and refined carbs can also cause inflammation. Short term inflammation is a         good thing when your body is repairing a cut or a broken bone, but chronic inflammation, the kind         that comes from a poor diet, can have serious health implications. It’s associated with depression,           heart disease, and eczema, among other things.

      Luckily, you can improve the state of your body and reverse your symptoms by changing your diet         and cutting out refined foods full of sugar.

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How to get sugar out of your system?

• Shop Smarter:

      A sugar detox implies a total elimination of sugar, but that may not be as simple as it sounds if               you’re used to eating foods containing sugar often. You can start slower by including only one or           two foods in your daily diet that contain added sugar and slowly weaning yourself off of sugar.               When you’re shopping to fill your pantry, try to purchase more whole foods and fewer foods that            have added sugar. There are some hidden ones: Things like store-bought salad dressings, sauces,          condiments, juices, frozen meals, dried fruits, and flavored yogurts all contain sugar. Check the                label if you’re unsure. Cutting these foods will improve your digestion and mental clarity.

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• Eat lots of leafy greens, protein, and healthy fats.

      Kale, collard greens, and spinach are your best friends right now. They will help alkalize the body           (reduce inflammation) and give you a high dose of nutrients like Vitamins K, C, and A, which are           stored in the liver, one of the body’s major detox organs. They’re also chock full of fiber, necessary         to keep you full when you’re cutting carbs and flushing sugar out of your system.

      Of course, those antioxidant-packed greens are important, but you’ll also need to up your protein         and healthy fat consumption (think nuts, legumes, and plant-based oils). Since you’re eating fewer         carbs when you remove sugar from your body, you’ll need those other key macronutrients to fill you       up. Out of all the macros, protein keeps you satiated for the longest, and then healthy fats like               omega-3’s help slow digestion, making sure you feel fuller for longer.

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• Drink more water.

      Hydration is important all the time, but it’s especially important when your body is going through           sugar detox mode. Water helps your vital organs move toxins, waste products and stagnation out         of the body, moving along the detox process. Then, with that extra water intake, you’re going to           want to make sure you sweat enough too.

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• Move your body.

      Getting your heart rate up will not only get you sweating, which helps with detoxification in                     general, but it will help naturally boost your energy and normalize insulin levels. Exercise helps               move sugar into your muscles for storage, immediately increasing your insulin sensitivity. The                   effects can last for up to 48 hours. Don’t go overboard with too intense exercise, as your body                needs time to adjust to a lower carb intake. Demanding too much energy output too quickly while         your body is adjusting to this change can leave you feeling more fatigued during a sugar detox               when the goal is to feel lighter and more energized.

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• Eat mindfully on a sugar cleanse.

      Incorporating mindfulness into your meals is a way to make more attentive choices around your           meals in general. Research on mindful eating has found that it promotes not only more enjoyment         around food but more appropriate portioning of food. Practice eating mindfully during your sugar         cleanse by eating slowly, chewing your food thoroughly, and in an environment free of distractions         like electronic devices. This allows for more heightened awareness around mealtimes, hunger cues,       and more complete satiation. 

 

13. Natural Supplements to relieve Constipation:

a. Smooth Chamomile tea with Senna Leaf

b. Miralax osmotic Laxative

c. Natural Calm powder - magnesium supplement

d. MagO7 - Aerobic Magnesium Oxide by NB Pure

e. Triphala powder or capsules - Ayurvedic laxative and Pro-kinetic

f. Probiotics with strain - for Motility and Constipation

• Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG

• Bifidobacteria Lactis HN019

• Lactobacillus Reuterii 17938

• E.coli Nissle 1917

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14. If you have gut issues: Try switching your normal Bread (loaded with yeast, preservatives and gluten) with Sprouted Grains Bread - This bread is Gluten Free, Flourless, Vegan, Diabetic friendly, Non-GMO and so its healthy in multiple ways. At this company, you will find sprouted grain bread, pasta, cereal, tortillas, waffles, english muffins, pocket breads and buns.

Available here: 👇

a.   https://www.foodforlife.com/products/vegan

b.   https://www.simplekneads.com/

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15. Shop for Vegan/Dairy free Butter, Dips and Sour Cream here:

a. https://www.kite-hill.com/

b. https://thrivemarket.com/

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16. Find Vegan (gluten/dairy/egg free) Salad dressings here:

a. https://motherraw.com/collections/all

b. https://www.briannas.com/vegan/ 

c. https://www.briannas.com/gluten-free/

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17. Research has shown that following a whole-food, plant-based diet can prevent, halt, or even reverse chronic conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Follow "Plant Based Diet!" If feeling overwhelmed, check out these good places to start:

a. https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/ - This site of the wildly popular documentary and book of the same name offers hundreds of recipes

b. https://www.straightupfood.com/blog/recipe-index/ - Cooking instructor Cathy Fisher shares more than one hundred recipes on this site

c. https://happyhealthylonglife.typepad.com/ - This site offers recipes based on the type of all disease

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18. Did you know stimulating your vagus nerve could help you relieve inflammation, depression, migraines and more:

a. What is Vagus Nerve?

The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body which originates in the

brain as cranial nerve ten, travels down the from go the neck and then passes around the digestive system, liver, spleen, pancreas, heart, and lungs. This nerve is a major player in the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the ‘rest and digest’ part (opposite to the sympathetic nervous system which is ‘fight of flight’)

b. Vagal Tone

The tone of the vagus nerve is key to activating the parasympathetic nervous system. Vagal tone is measured by tracking your heart rate alongside your breathing rate. Your heart rate speeds up a little when you breathe in and slows down a little when you breathe out. The bigger the difference between your inhalation heart rate and your exhalation heart rate, the higher your vagal tone. Higher vagal tone means that your body can relax faster after stress.

c. What is High Vagal Tone associated with?

High vagal tone improves the function of many body systems, causing better blood sugar regulation, reduced risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease, lower blood pressure, improved digestion via better production of stomach basic and digestive enzymes, and reduced migraines. Higher vagal tone is also associated with better mood, less anxiety, and more stress resilience. One of the most interesting roles of the vagus nerve is that it essentially reads the gut microbiome and initiates a response to modulate inflammation based on whether it detects pathogenic versus non-pathogenic organisms. In this way, the gut microbiome can influence your mood, stress levels and overall inflammation.

d. What is Low Vagal Tone associated with?

Low vagal tone is associated with cardiovascular conditions and strokes, depression, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, cognitive impairment, and much higher rates of inflammatory conditions. Inflammatory conditions include all autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, endometriosis, autoimmune thyroid conditions, lupus and more).

e. How do we increase the vagal tone?

The good news is that you have access to this on your own, but it does require regular practice. To some degree, you are genetically predisposed to varying levels of vagal tone, but this still doesn’t mean that you can’t change it.

6 ways to instantly stimulate the vagus nerve:

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1. Slow, rhythmic, diaphragmatic breathing. Breathing from your diaphragm, rather than shallowly from the top of the lungs stimulates and tones the vagus nerve.

2. Humming. Since the vagus nerve is connected to the vocal cords, humming mechanically stimulates it. You can hum a song, or even better repeat the sound ‘OM’.

3. Speaking. Similarly speaking is helpful for vagal tone, due to the connection to the vocal cords.

4. Washing your face with cold water. The mechanism here is not known, but cold water on your face stimulates the vagus nerve.

5. Meditation, especially loving kindness meditation which promotes feelings of goodwill towards yourself and others. A 2010 study by Barbara Fredrickson and Bethany Kik found that increasing positive emotions led to increased social closeness, and an improvement in vagal tone.

6. Balancing the gut microbiome. The presence of healthy bacteria in the gut creates a positive feedback loop through the vagus nerve, increasing its tone.

 

The implications of such simple and basic practices on your overall health, and on inflammation are far-reaching. If you suffer from an inflammatory condition, digestive upset, high blood pressure or depression, a closer look at vagal tone is highly recommended. We’ve known for years that breathing exercises and meditation are helpful for our health, but it is so fascinating to learn the mechanism by which they work. I hope this short article has inspired you to begin a meditation practice, as it has for me, and to look for other means to manage the body’s inflammatory response.

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19.  7 Main Reasons why you shouldn't eat Meat, Dairy or Eggs?

Research studies show who once ate vegetarian diets but then started to eat meat at-least once a week experienced the following:

a. 146 percent increase in odds of heart disease

b. 152 percent increase in stroke

c. 166 percent  increase in diabetes

d. 231 percent increase in odds for weight gain

e. 3.6 year decrease in life expectancy

f. Increased levels of LDL (bad) Cholesterol

To drastically reduce LDL cholesterol levels, you need to drastically reduce your intake of three things:

• Trans Fat - which comes from processed foods and naturally from meat and dairy

• Saturated Fat - found mainly in animal products and junk foods

• Dietary Cholesterol - found exclusively in animal-derived foods, especially egg

• Did you know - eating just 4 Brazil Nuts a day can bring down your cholesterol levels faster than statin drugs and keep them down even a month after that single meal and bump your selenium levels - Dr. Michael Greger, MD

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g. Another reason animal protein is so detrimental to kidney function is that it is generally more Acid forming. This is because animal protein tends to have higher levels of sulphur containing amino acids, such as methionine, which produce sulphuric acid when metabolized in the body. Fruits and vegetables, on the other hand are generally base forming, which helps neutralize acids in our kidneys. Dietary acid load is determined by the balance of acid-inducing foods (such as meats, eggs, and cheese) and base-inducing foods (such as fruits and vegetables). Acid-inducing diets are believed to impact the kidney through "tubular toxicity," damage to the tiny, delicate, urine-making tubes in the kidneys. To buffer the excess acid formed by your diet, kidneys produce ammonia, which is base and can neutralize some of that acid. Now this may be beneficial for short term but over the long run, all the extra ammonia in the kidneys may have a toxic effect. The decline in kidney function over time may be a consequence of a lifetime of ammonia overproduction. Kidneys may start to deteriorate in your twenties, and by the time you  reach your eighties, you may be down to half capacity. Under normal circumstances, a vegetarian diet alkalinizes the kidneys, whereas a non-vegetarian diet carries an acid load. This proved to be true even among vegetarians who consumed processed meat substitutes, such as veggie burgers.

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20. What impact does "Cigarette smoking" have on your health?

It leads to Aging and Chronic lung diseases! HOW?

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In each of your cells, you have 46 strands of DNA coiled into chromosomes. At the tip of each chromosome, there is a tiny cap called a telomere, which keeps your DNA from unraveling and fraying. Think of it as the plastic tips on the end of your shoelaces. Every time your cells divide, however, a bit of that cap is lost. And when the telomere is completely gone, your cells can die. Telomeres have been thought of as your life "fuse": They can start shortening as soon as you are born, and when they are gone, you are gone. The thought is that if you can slow down this ticking cellular clock, you may be able to slow down the aging process and live longer.

 

So what would you have to do if you wanted to prevent this telomere cap from burning away? Well, smoking cigarettes is associated with triple the rate of telomere loss, so the first step is simple: stop smoking.

But the food you eat everyday may also have an impact on how fast you lose your telomeres. The consumption of fruits, vegetables, and other antioxidant-rich foods has been associated with longer protective telomeres. In contrast, the consumption of refined grains, fizzy drinks, meat (including fish), and dairy has been linked to shortened telomeres. 

Consider Smoking and Lung Cancer risk: According to Dr. Michael Greger, one of the most amazing things he learnt in Medical School was that within about fifteen years of stopping smoking, your lung cancer risk approaches that of a lifelong nonsmoker. Your lungs can clear out all that tar buildup and, eventually, it's almost as if you never smoked at all. Your body wants to regain its health if you let it. But if you keep re-injuring yourself three times a day, you interrupt the healing process.

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21. The Thyroid Problem is Usually Secondary

• In regard to the thyroid gland, if the ovaries overproduce estrogen, the thyroid will decrease in function as a secondary problem. 

• This is why women notice weight gain and even a sluggish thyroid after pregnancy, or taking birth control pills or being on hormone replacement therapy. 

• Another important point relates to conversion. Your thyroid hormone in the form called T4 is an inactive hormone. It is changed to T3, the active form, through the liver and gallbladder. Without a healthy liver and gallbladder, it doesn't matter if you have additional T4 because your body will not allow it to work. Since 80% of thyroid function occurs through the liver, unless the liver is working well a good portion of thyroid function will be missing. 

• There are actually 3 reasons why people may be taking thyroid hormones yet never see any changes with energy or weight loss: 

1. The estrogen is so dominant that the thyroid function is being impaired. 

2. The gallbladder or liver is damaged; thus very little conversion of thyroid hormone is taking place

3. If your adrenals become dysfunctional, an autoimmune condition with your thyroid can develop; this is called Hashimoto's or Graves' disease. This is why there is always a stress event just before these conditions start.

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Some medical journals say that the fundamental cause of sluggish thyroid is a deficiency of thyroid hormones, which control metabolism. The question arises is - why is there a deficiency of these hormones in the first place? There is an accumulating information today that toxic environmental factors, such as estrogen mimics, can be linked to thyroid deficiencies. 

Dr. John Lee states - that estrogen inhibits thyroid action in the cells, probably interfering with the binding of thyroid to its receptor. 

Mary Shomon writes - Hypothyroidism is sometimes considered a symptom of estrogen dominance.

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Note A: If estrogen inhibits thyroid function, then how are we being exposed to increased amounts of estrogen? And how much estrogen exposure does an average person get on daily basis?

Estrogen is the number one hormone added to the feed of animals we consume. It is fed to cattle, turkeys, chickens and farm-raised fish. This hormone makes these animals grow faster and plumper. It is more costly, for example, to grow hormone free chickens for 22 weeks than to grow hormone-fed chickens for only 6 weeks. I believe out of all the things that go into your body, commercial milk contains the highest amount of estrogen. 

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Note B: Your own ovaries could be causing your thyroid problem (unless you are a man ofcourse). A cyst or fibroid on the ovary can produce excessive estrogen in the body. This includes polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) - a condition where multiple small cysts form in the ovaries, related to the ovary's failure to release an egg. PCOS can create facial hair, weight gain, insulin resistance and a disruption in the menstrual cycle. So, there could be primary ovarian problems causing a secondary thyroid problem. This could trigger thyroid symptoms, yet the true problem would be the ovaries.

FYI - If you have PCOS, I would recommend avoiding all estrogen triggers - hormones in our food supply, soy products, and foods that have been sprayed with pesticides; consume organic produce as much as possible. There is always a possibility of having a flare-up of cysts on eating commercial ice cream, which contains extra hormones and chemicals.

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Note C: Another activity that inhibits thyroid hormones is low-calorie diets. When you cut calories, your thyroid compensates by lowering the metabolic rate. However, people confuse cutting calories with intermittent fasting. Low-calorie diets create nutritional deficiencies, which result in cravings and hunger; whereas with intermittent fasting you are decreasing only the frequency of eating without restricting calories, and making sure that your meals are nutrient dense and satisfying.

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22. Nutritional deficiencies and Hair, Nails & Skin problems

 

SYMPTOMS                                                Causes/Deficiencies

Cracked Heels                                                     B3

Chapped Lips                                                      B2, B3

Dark Circles                                                        B1, D, Potassium

Hair, Nails and Skin                                            Trace Minerals/Enzymes/Hormone component/Collagen Peptides

Wrinkles on Face                                                Take Vit A in retinyl palmitate form not as carotene/Collagen/Bile

Reverse Wrinkles                                                Fat soluble vitamins - A, D, E and K/ Collagen /Skin and Joints

Bloating/Indigestion/Constipation                     Organs involved - Liver, Stomach, Gall Bladder, Pancreas, Bile ---                                                                              Not enough stomach acid - anti-acids make it worse

Bloating                                                              Bread, pasta, refined grains, sugar, carbs

Horizontal ridges on nails                                   Vit B1

Brittle Nails/dry cuticles                                     Biotin and Vit H

Skin problems - redness                                      Vit B6

Vertical ridges on nails                                        Thyroid/loss of collagen in the back of the arm/hair loss

ulcers in mouth, skin rashes                                 Vit B2, riboflavin

skin, acne, dark circles/ night vision issues         Vit A, kale and spinach, butter, clean up the gallbladder & liver

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