Importance Of Gut Health
When your gut health isn’t right, bloating, diarrhea, stomach pain for no reason, and many other conditions can occur, seemingly out of nowhere. When a person’s microbiome is thrown out of function, he or she can suffer from physical problems.
Inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohns disease can affect any area of the gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the anus, either in continuity or as isolated areas. If these diseases permeate the intestines, it can impair GI function.
Even anxiety and depression put GI impairment into effect. The functionality of a person’s gut is directly proportional to the diversity of the gut microbiome.
It Cant Be All That Bad Could It
So how bad could it really be you ask? We all have fatigue and headaches. We all have joint pain. Isnt that just called getting older? Well I dont know who came up with that line but I would like to age, but never get older! Remember these could be just little warnings that if not taken care of can lead to bigger issues. Conditions that could be linked with Leaky Gut Syndrome include:
- Colon cancer, Celiac disease, IBS, Food allergies, Acne, Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Multiple Sclerosis, Autism, Liver and Kidney disorders, Crohns, Ulcerative Colitis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Psoriasis and much much more.
How Much Should You Eat
You can overdo it when it comes to nut and seeds consumption. If you eat more than one or two handfuls of nuts per day, youre adding extra calories maybe too many that can take the place of other healthy foods and add weight, McManus warns.
Think in terms of small portions. Have a handful of nuts or seeds for a snack. Or add a few nuts and seeds to meals throughout the day.
Sprinkle nuts or seeds into salads, sauces, vegetables, or whole grains such as brown rice or quinoa. Make a cashew or pine nut pesto, suggests McManus. Add nuts or seeds to hot cereal or yogurt. Put nuts and seeds in a stir-fry. Or include some nut flour in baking recipes.
Without much effort, youll add extra fiber to your diet and contribute to a happier, healthier gut.
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Can Pepper Give You Heartburn
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Black pepper can cause the amounts of acid in your esophagus to increase, leading to common indigestion symptoms. Were sorry in advance if this takes a bit of the spice out of your life. Spicy food is too often mistakenly blamed for heartburn because what some think of as heartburn is actually just an upset stomach.
One may also ask, why do peppers give me heartburn? Heartburn Trigger: Spicy FoodsSpicy foods such as jalapeno peppers sometimes trigger heartburn in individuals. In addition, other foods such as garlic and onions may cause the same problems. Even peppermint may cause heartburn in some individuals because mint relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter.
Keeping this in view, is pepper good for acid reflux?
In addition to medication and dietary changes, natural remedies can help suppress the symptoms of GERD. Black pepper, Indian long pepper and ginger have all been proven effective at alleviating acid reflux and can be added to recipes or prepared meals.
Can cold food cause heartburn?
However, when cold food and beverages enter the esophagus, it comes in contact with the warm vaporized fluid in the lungs. This will cause the excess stomach heat to escape up the esophagus which results in dry mouth, dry skin and constant thirst and more prominently acid reflux.
Well go over some quick tips to get rid of heartburn, including:
What Is Leaky Gut Syndrome
Leaky gut syndrome is a proposed condition caused by increased intestinal permeability.
The digestive system consists of many organs that collectively break down food, absorb nutrients and water, and remove waste products. Your intestinal lining acts as a barrier between your gut and bloodstream to prevent potentially harmful substances from entering your body .
Nutrient and water absorption mostly occurs in your intestines. Your intestines have tight junctions, or small gaps, that allow nutrients and water to pass into your bloodstream.
How easily substances pass across the intestinal walls is known as intestinal permeability.
Certain health conditions cause these tight junctions to loosen, potentially allowing harmful substances like bacteria, toxins, and undigested food particles to enter your bloodstream.
Alternative health practitioners claim that leaky gut triggers widespread inflammation and stimulates an immune reaction, causing various health problems that are collectively known as leaky gut syndrome .
They believe leaky gut leads to various conditions, including autoimmune diseases, migraines, autism, food sensitivities, skin conditions, brain fog, and chronic fatigue.
Yet, there is little evidence to prove that leaky gut syndrome exists. As a result, mainstream physicians do not recognize it as a medical diagnosis.
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Is Peanut Butter A Prebiotic
Firstly, according to research conducted by the University of Georgia, USA, and Peanut Collaborative Research Support Program, peanut butter, as a prebiotic, helps protect the probiotics bacteria. In simple terms, the research concluded that peanut butter protects the good bacteria and boosts gut health.
Following The Leaky Gut Diet
Fortunately, ample support exists on the internet today. There are online tribes for many variations of this diet. They include Paleo, primal, GAPS, SCD, and more. Many, many people have adapted some version of this diet and are happy to help and support others.
I dont like to give hard and fast rules as to what to eat or how many grams of carbs to eat beyond the guidelines in this chapter. Your health and your symptoms are the best feedbackgetting trapped in dogma or group-think can sabotage your ability to monitor your body and how it responds to the foods you eat. I do like people to pay attention to their blood sugar symptoms and markers and keep blood sugar stable, often a good basic guideline with which to start.
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How To Get Clean Filtered Water
All you need to do is buy a $10 BRITA jug or bottle, which usually comes with 2 cartridges. Then keep an eye out for filter cartridge sales. When they pop up snap up a dozen!
And if you want to up your filtered water game, get something super convenient like the big BRITA water tank this is great because you dont need to refill it multiple times a day and wait for the water to filter.
Bonus benefit is that these filters make water taste so much better and by having a jug constantly next to you it will encourage you to down your 2-3 liter a day target.
IDEA #35
Side Effects Of Eating Too Much Peanut Butter Say Dietitians
As creamy indulgences go, you could do a lot worse than peanut butter. For all its velvety thickness and high-calorie density, the nutty spread is surprisingly nutritious. Full of good-for-you monounsaturated fats, plant-based protein, and nutrients like magnesium, folate, and vitamin E, peanut butter definitely deserves a place in a healthy diet. Still, it is possible to get too much of a good thing. You can easily overdo it and could be eating too much peanut butter at once.
ince one serving of peanut butter is just 2 tablespoons, its easy to get carried away when slathering the spread on crackers or assembling a mile-high PBJ. Here are five potential side effects of eating too much peanut butter, and for more healthy eating tips, be sure to read up on our list of The 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now.
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What Snacks Are Good For Acid Reflux
Youre busy these days, and planning snack options can be exhausting to even think about, even if you desperately want to minimize the occurrence of acid reflux. But by taking the time to do this, you can make one aspect of your day go a lot smoother.
According to OConnor, various snacks are known to keep acid reflux symptoms at bay. These include:
- Fruits, such as pears,dates, melons and bananas.
- Nuts, such as pistachiosand walnuts.
- Vegetables, such asavocado, carrots and edamame .
- Low-fat cheese.
Some Cooking Notes For This Recipe
- Make sure to run your fermenting jar through the dishwasher before using it a hot wash will help remove any bacteria that could interfere with the fermentation.
- For starter culture, you can use a vegetable or dairy based one. I tend to personally opt for the former. Each sachet will likely have a couple of grams of culture. And come with instructions on how to prep it, before adding it to the jar.
- Your kraut can be stored for more than the 2 week period mentioned in the graphic. In fact, unopened, you could keep it for 6-9 months easily.
- But once you open your kraut, keep it in the fridge, and for max 2 months.
P.S. If you ever get sick of eating fermented vegetables then consider a probiotic supplement and of course, just be thankful you dont have to resort to a fecal transplant to restore your gut flora!
IDEA #20
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Are Eggs Good For Leaky Gut
Fatty fish like salmon is another choice that can be cooked in ways that work well for a leaky gut diet. Just be sure not to overcook the meat, as this can make the fibers tough to chew . Eggs are another protein source that can be cooked in a variety of ways and pair well with other nutritious foods.
Consider Eating Smaller Meals And Matching Food Groups Better
When trying to repair your leaky gut, attention to detail matters. Thats why even the more trivial ideas are worth trying out.
So with this idea Im basically suggesting
- Eat 4-5 small meals a day, as opposed to 3 big ones. A day of eating would then look something like: green hulk shake , snack , small lunch , afternoon snack and dinner .
- Combine food groups smartly. This is pretty easy when youre eating a leaky gut diet. i.e. the foods that are hard to combine are pretty much out. But just in case you are eating fruits , make sure they are eaten as much as possible by themselves or at least away from heavy protein meals.
Now with all of that said, it is worth noting that I am not completely sold on eating smaller meals and more often.
Thats because I do like the thinking behind 2-3 meals a day only, since this gives the digestive system plenty of time for breaks.
So like with all ideas on this list, it really comes down to personal experimentation and seeing what works best for your digestive system.
IDEA #29
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Are There Nut Butters Dogs Should Avoid
Next to peanut butter, there are a few other nut butters you should never give a dog. These are often going to be far too high in fat and cholesterol that can cause your pooch some serious health damage. This will be especially true for their digestive system.
If you suspect your dog ate any of the following butters , contact the vet right away:
- Macadamia Butter: Macadamia nuts are 100% poison to dogs. Their components and constituents can cause shivering, weak legs, bring on a fever, induce diarrhea or cause vomiting.
- Pecan Butter: The rich oil content of pecans can seriously damage your dogs liver. Avoid giving it to your dog at all costs.
- Pistachio Butter: Pistachios contain a mold called Aspergillus that will harm your dogs liver. Never let your dog eat it.
- Walnut Butter: Walnuts can be very toxic to dogs, causing stomach irritation and inflammation. Moldy walnuts can cause neurological problems like seizures. Theres no way to know, so avoid letting your dog eat it.
Are Your Nuts Fresh
That leads to the second reason to avoid all commercially made almond butter, almond meal, almond flour, and blanched almond flour. All nuts have a short shelf life. They are prone toward rancidity. This is especially true of walnuts. But all nuts must be stored briefly or properly. Do we think that big factories are mindful of this truth?
Rather they are looking at mass production, mass profit, and the effectiveness of a good label to make their product look healthy and desirable, not to mention a competitive selling price.
A competitive selling price, however, is not complimentary with having a knowledgeable health advocate on the company team to make sure that all almonds are made into butter quickly after harvest and then frozen to prevent further aging of the nuts components.
Nor are most nut companies these days soaking and sprouting their nuts before creating their meals and butters, although we are beginning to see a few companies do this who sell from health food store shelves.
Whats wrong with a good rancid nut? Until youve eaten lots of GOOD soaked, sprouted and dehydrated nuts you wont necessary taste the difference.
But rancidity in food is not something to ignore.
Paul Pitchford of Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition writes that possible complications from eating rancid nuts include,
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In Terms Of Taking Digestive Enzymes Heres What I Recommend
- Take 1-2 with each meal. I do this just before my meal.
- If you are still having digestion issues, consider upping the dose to 2-3. You most likely will be fine with 1-2.
- During the early stages of leaky gut recovery make sure you take them before any meal or snack, even a simple protein shake for example. The idea is to really give the digestive system a helping hand at every turn.
Most importantly, look for a digestive enzyme supplement that contains the best enzymes for supporting digestion of all food groups. Heres the list:
Since there are 100s of different digestive enzymes on the market I often get asked, which one is worth taking.
Well, as you might have read in my article on digestive enzymes it is really important to choose a digestive enzyme complex that ticks 3 boxes.
Foods To Eat When You Have A Leaky Gut
Now that you know what not to eat, you might be thinking, “What’s left?” “Focus on clean ingredients with easy-to-digest foods that are low in fructose and sugar and devoid of any substances, including sugar alcohols and pesticides, that are hard on the gut,” Pedre told mbg. Want more specifics? Below are the basic components of a gut-friendly diet:
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Eat My Clean Leaky Gut Diet Consisting Of Fish Meats Nuts Good Fats & Vegetables
Ive never understood why people say the leaky gut diet is complicated. Out of the top 10 leading diets out there its probably the simplest.
To make it really clear for you, Ill run through my favorite foods to eat. Importantly, Ill distinguish the healthiest foods from the rest, so you also get an idea of what to prioritize.
So Back To Peanut Butter Why Is It A Problem
Lets say you eat two tablespoons of peanut butter for a snack. Thats a whopping 4.5g of omega-6. Its pretty hard to get that ideal omega 6:3 ratio of 1:1, or even 4:1, when youre packing down that much omega-6 from peanut butter.
Most of that omega-6 is LA , which the body can convert to AA , which is what triggers inflammation. .
Even worse, besides the systemic inflammation problem, omega-6 fats are highly unstable .
They react with heat and oxygen extremely easily in the body. They form zombie fats that then zombify other PUFAs, triggering a chain-reaction zombie outbreak of peroxidized fatty acids, which eventually break down into toxins like malondialdehyde that can damage the fundamental structures of basically any cell in your body.
Your immune system already has a really big job keeping you free of invaders and its not going to be able to do that as well if it also has to deal with a constant supply of damaging zombie fats.
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Heartburn Triggers: Heartburn And Exercise
Need an excuse to skip the sit-ups? Crunches and ab work can trigger heartburn. Body positions that involve bending over increase pressure on the abdomen, thrusting stomach acids back up into the esophagus. So you feel the burn but not the type youd expect from going to the gym. Keep in mind that leg lifts also work the abdominal muscles and may aggravate heartburn symptoms too.
Activities such as headstands and yoga moves like downward dog can reverse the natural flow of stomach contents and may trigger heartburn. Jarring exercises, such as jogging or aerobics, can slosh stomach contents around and upward if you have a weak LES.
Heartburn is no reason not to exercise. In fact, weight loss from exercise can actually help heartburn. But never exercise on a full stomach. Doing so increases abdominal pressure, which makes heartburn more likely. Food takes several hours to digest so it really is a matter of what works for you. Most experts recommend waiting about two hours after eating before working out.
Foods That Cause Bloating And Gas
Some foods and drinks are more likely to cause gas and bloating.
The following are some examples of foods that may cause gas, as reported by the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders:
- Sugars, such as raffinose found ni beans and asparagus, lactose found naturally in milk and milk products, fructose present naturally in fruits, artichokes, and wheat, and sorbitol found in fruit and some artificial sweetener
- Starchy foods, such as corn, potatoes, wheat, and noodles
- High-fiber foods, such as oat bran and soy fiber
Also, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases stated that drinking carbonated or fizzy beverages, chewing gum, and sucking on hard candy may cause gas since youll be swallowing more air.
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