Fermented Foods For Weight Loss
Introduction Fermented foods are projected to be one of the leading weight loss trends throughout 2019, but they’ve actually been around for a long time. The fermentation process is one of the oldest examples of food preservation, and fermented foods have been a foundational staple of the human diet throughout history. Unfortunately our modern ways […]
A new study in Nature Communications confirms that when it comes to weight loss, not all calories are created equal.
It’s all about what you’re feeding your gut microbes! Processed foods that are low in fiber and typical of a Western diet (think packaged chips, cereals, and sugary snacks) are rapidly absorbed in your upper GI tract – providing maximal calories for you, and minimal for your gut bacteria. Less processed high-fiber foods like lentils, […]
The Gut-Sleep Connection
You’ve probably noticed that when you’re sleep-deprived, you’re more susceptible to the flu or a cold. That’s no coincidence. Like an overheated computer, it’s your immune system malfunctioning because it’s not getting the sleep it needs. While you sleep, your immune system is hard at work producing infection-fighting antibodies and cytokines that help protect you […]
You Have to Take Antibiotics – Now What?
our health care provider about whether they’re absolutely necessary, but the verdict is in: you need to take a course of antibiotics. Now what?
Lactose Intolerance
Lactose intolerance is a food intolerance where the small intestine doesn’t make enough of the enzyme lactase necessary for digesting the lactose sugar in milk. More than half the world’s population has some degree of lactose intolerance. Gas and bloating are classic symptoms of lactose intolerance, but it can be tricky to diagnose because the […]
SIBO
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a type of dysbiosis where an overabundance of bacteria develops in the small intestine. The small intestine typically contains much less bacteria than the colon, the main living quarters for gut bacteria and the place where dysbiosis most often occurs. SYMPTOMS Symptoms of SIBO include: Abdominal pain/cramping Bloating Constipation […]
Constipation
Constipation refers to a change in bowel habits resulting in stools that are often hard, difficult to pass or less frequent, and is often accompanied by bloating. Constipation is a common problem affecting all populations from infants to the elderly and affects older adults and women more often (women have a longer, more convoluted colon […]
Leaky Gut
Leaky gut, also known as increased intestinal permeability, refers to a condition where the tiny holes in your intestinal lining grow larger and allow things to pass through that ordinarily couldn’t. The inner lining of the intestines is a porous membrane, like a fishing net constructed of very fine mesh. Under normal circumstances fat, protein, […]
Dysbiosis
Dysbiosis is an alteration of your body’s microbial community that diminishes your essential population of good bacteria and allows pathogenic (bad) bacteria that are normally present in low amounts to flourish. A high-fat, high-sugar/low-fiber diet, excessive alcohol, medications like acid blocking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and many others can all cause […]
Gas
Gas is defined as the upward expulsion of air from the digestive tract through the mouth, in the form of a burp or belch, or the downward expulsion of air through the anus, in the form of flatulence. Burping, belching, and flatulence are normal bodily functions, but when they happen in excess, they can signal […]
