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Tag: gut health

Gut Healing

In my post Is Leaky Gut Real I defined leaky gut and explained how it happens with common signs & symptoms. ⁣⁣⁣Now let’s tackle the mother-load you’ve all been waiting for: how to fix leaky gut!⁣⁣⁣Just to clarify – leaky gut is not a disease; it’s a symptom and one that I address using the ‘3 R’ strategy; Remove, Replenish & Repair.⁣⁣⁣⁣We need to ‘remove’ the insults; ‘replenish’ the body with what it needs, and finally ‘repair’ the damage. There’s work to be done! ⁣⁣⁣If you jump straight to the ‘repair’ phase without removing the causes and supporting digestion… well,...

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Start with Baby Steps, Not Giant Leaps

This isn’t my typical post but it’s an important conversation to have.I recently met someone who eats McDonald’s Every. Single. Day!I also know other people addicted to soda who drink 5 to 6 cans per day.One thing I’ve learned over the years working with private clients is to always meet people where they’re at.It’s unreasonable to recommend to someone who eats fast food every day to start cooking homemade meals like wild-caught salmon and broccoli.It IS possible however to order salad with that fast food burger and choose water over soda as their next health swap.If you’re feeling...

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Your Probiotics Guide 101

First things first. When a new client tells me they take probiotics, it’s the same thing as telling me they eat food. Not very helpful or specific is it? So let’s first learn some basic facts. In nutrition, we broadly categorize food into macro-nutrients: protein, carbs and fats.With probiotics, scientists have also classified them into three categories: genus, species and strains.???????? Genus refers to the family of probiotic – for example, canine.???????? Species refers to the group – i.e. dogs.???????? And strains are the subtypes – i.e. dog breeds.The genus can be...

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How to Relieve Constipation

If you’re not pooping at least once per day or if it’s a real struggle – you’re constipated.⁣⁣⁣Pooping is like taking the trash out every day. If you’re not, bacteria builds-up and toxins can get re-absorbed into circulation.⁣⁣⁣⁣Before reaching for a laxative which can dehydrate & worsen the problem, try these 6 basics instead:⁣⁣⁣⁣✔️ Hydrate: If you drink a lot of coffee & black teas, cut back or drink even more water to rehydrate. ⁣⁣⁣⁣✔️ Insoluble fiber: Unlike soluble fiber which adds bulk to your stool (and may worsen the problem), insoluble fiber helps get stool moving...

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Low Iron: 13 Root Causes & Solutions

⁣⁣⁣Iron deficiency anemia is quite common unfortunately.⁣⁣⁣⁣It occurs when iron intake and stores are insufficient to support production of the body’s red blood cells, which carry iron-rich proteins known as hemoglobin.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣Hemoglobin is responsible for tissue oxygenation–the delivery of oxygen to tissue.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣Insufficient iron, then, spells disaster, often leading to immense fatigue.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣In general, excluding hemorrhage, iron deficiency anemia is slow to develop, with a myriad root causes:⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣☑️ Internal bleeding, for example due to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)...

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Is Leaky Gut Real?

A client sent me this message: I just came back from a talk about allergies… the doctor said “there’s no such thing as leaky gut. It’s just a term used by naturopaths to try and sell you something.”⁣⁣⁣Leaky gut or “intestinal hyper-permeability” is very real and there are numerous studies connecting leaky gut with multiple chronic diseases like celiac, Crohn’s, Type 1 diabetes, and IBS to name a few.⁣⁣⁣⁣So what is leaky gut exactly?⁣⁣⁣Imagine a wooden picket fence.⁣⁣⁣⁣A fence normally has small gaps in between each plank of wood, right? In the GI tract, these are called “tight...

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The Importance of Stomach Acid

For anyone suffering from heartburn, indigestion, reflux or GERD, there’s a great book called “Why Stomach Acid is Good For You”.In fact, acid reflux is not usually caused by having too much stomach acid, but rather not having enough!!Yes, you read that correctly. It’s usually acid in the wrong place – and is most often triggered by insufficient stomach acid!Without a good amount of stomach acid, your meal just sits there in the stomach; proteins putrefy, fats rancidify, and carbs ferment, which can cause a lot of gas and bubbling.And whatever little stomach acid you...

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