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Improve Digestive Health for the Sake of 7 Other Systems

AHA Publisher — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 07:00:51 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – Do you deal with digestive issues? If so, you don’t just deal with digestive issues. Digestive issues actually affect many systems in the body. On the flip-side, there’s great news! When you improve digestive health, you positively affect all those systems and whole body health! In fact, the health of your digestive microbiota (bacteria in your digestive tract) affects literally every other part of your body. Brain health. Metabolism and weight management. Immune health. Heart health. Blood sugars. Skin health. Although it may seem far-reaching, this area of medical research is changing the way we think about foods, bacteria, and human health. Here’s how improving digestive health improves your whole body, and how you can start today. Improve Digestive Health to Improve Whole Body Health – 7 Ways 1. ENERGY METABOLISM AND WEIGHT Amazingingly, the gut microbiota (healthy bacteria) contributes not only to how your body digests nutrients, but how it metabolizes, uses, and burns them. In fact, studies have found that altered gut microbiota has been associated with unhealthy weights and metabolic issues related to them (1). In fact, one study concluded that the use of a probiotic alone or together with a prebiotic influenced body fat mass in healthy adults with high weight (2). Another study followed to see if changes in the gut microbiota due to probiotic supplementation improved gut barrier function, metabolism, and obesity-related markers. The researchers found positive correlation in this study (3). When you improve digestive health, you encourage better metabolism! 2. BLOOD SUGARS The gut microbiota affects tissue physiology, metabolism, and function of both the immune and nervous systems. We found that intrinsic Altered blood sugars have a huge impact on individual health as well as our health as a society. Can a healthy digestive system help? Amazingly, our digestive tracts have their own “nervous system.” It is outside the central nervous system, and affects the health of systems throughout the body (4, 5). In animal studies, scientists investigated how changes in digestive nervous system cells (enteric-associated neurons) in the lower digestive tract affected glucose metabolism. Specifically, they looked at changes in the microbiota associated with the cells. They found that microbiota depletion led to loss of the neuron cells and impaired glucose regulation (6). While more research is needed, this leads us to believe impaired microbiota hurts glucose metabolism and blood sugars. This has implications for the metabolism, weight, and blood sugar issues that plague more than 50% of American adults. Improve digestive health and support glucose metabolism and healthy blood sugars! 3. IMMUNE HEALTH Before the industrial revolution, humans consumed natural, wild, and pre-agricultural foods. Since then, Western societies have relied on semi-processed and ultra-processed foods as the primary source of nutrition. This change has had a huge impact on the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract and gut health. In fact, The industrialized Western diet and changes in gut microbiota has been shown to have negatively impacted human digestive physiology and immune health (7). How? It’s estimated that 80% of your immune system “lives” in your gut. These immune components form the gut mucosal immune system, and consist of lymph nodes, lamina propria, epithelial cells. They make up a protective barrier for the integrity of the intestinal tract. Studies have found that depressed gut microbiota causes a significant immune system deficiency. On the other hand, healthy, viable microbiota play a vital role in the development and maintenance of a health gut immune system (8). How can you bolster your immune system? Focus on your gut. When you improve digestive health, you support your immune system! 4. BRAIN HEALTH The degradation of immune health that has followed poor digestive health doesn’t stop with immunity. Impaired immune responses in turn cause exaggerated neuroinflammation. This means inflammation of neurons in the brain. Neuroinflammation, unfortunately, is linked with brain impairment and dysfunction. In fact, many experts implicate the modern Western diet in the development of many health and brain issues including memory impairments, neurodegenerative issues, and depressed moods. This propagation of these brain and health impairments are amplified with the consumption of ultra-processed foods and excessive energy intake (9). There is growing evidence that this relationship may be more than just coincidental. In fact, researchers have found that the bidirectional signaling between the brain and gut is vital for maintaining homeostasis and regulation of the central nervous system (CNS) and enteric nervous system (ENS). This communication system between the gut-brain and the brain is called the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis (10). This means the health of each nervous system is dependent on the other. When you improve digestive health, you support healthy brain function. 5. HEART HEALTH Take note, cardiovascular illness is still the leading cause of death and disability in developed countries. In fact, it is responsible for approximately ⅓ of deaths in the United States and ¼ of the deaths in Europe (11). What’s more, we’re experiencing a steady increase in many risk factors for poor heart health, including blood sugar impairments, metabolic issues, and unhealthy weights (12). Does the human gut microbiota affect heart health? Microbial sequencing analysis has a lot of information about gut microbiota and heart health issues (13, 14). What’s more, studies also show that changes in gut microbiota affects metabolism, blood sugars, weight, and more (as described above) (15, 16). When it comes to direct effects on heart health, scientists know that gut microbiota produce numerous metabolites that are absorbed into the circulatory system while biologically active (8, 13). This means that gut bacteria communicates directly with organs through circulatory pathways, enzymes, and more, including the heart (17, 18, 19). Want to support heart health? When you improve digestive health, you support the health of your heart! 6. EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL HEALTH The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis doesn’t just affect physical health or physical brain function, it affects emotional and mental health as well. While the gut-brain and enteric neurons don’t seem capable of thought like the brain in our heads, they do communicate with the “big brain” in ways that affect emotions. According to a Johns Hopkins Medicine report, “The ENS may trigger big emotional shifts experienced by people coping with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional bowel problems such as constipation, diarrhea, bloating, pain and stomach upset. Researchers are finding evidence that irritation in the gastrointestinal system may send signals to the central nervous system (CNS) that trigger mood changes” (20, 21, 22). In fact, doctors are reporting that they may have thought of the relationship between digestive issues and anxious or depressed moods backwards for years. In other words, we’ve thought that anxious and depressed moods may trigger digestive issues. Now, studies and anecdotal reports are finding that many people with serious digestive issues develop emotional and mental impairments at a higher-than-normal rate. Since 30-40% of our adult population deal with impaired digestion from time to time, this is a huge issue for mental health (23). What can be done? First, we can start with healthy digestion. When you improve digestion and gut health, you support your mental health. 7. SKIN HEALTH More and more people seem to be suffering from skin impairments, from eczema to psoriasis. Could our modern, processed diets and the resulting damage to the microbiota and immune system be one cause? Scientists are now studying the effects of probiotics and prebiotics on skin health. These studies include both topical and ingested formulations. Here’s what they are finding: Ingested and topical probiotics improve skin and gut microbiota. The skin ecosystem is a complex environment covered with many strains of bacteria. Some are beneficial, some are essentially neutral, and others are harmful or at least potentially harmful. Scientists have found pre- and probiotics can optimize, maintain and restore the microbiota of the skin in different ways. Topical formulations have a direct effect on the skin by enhancing the natural defenses of skin. Ingested probiotics have a positive effect on skin by supporting the immune system and reducing inflammatory responses systemically (throughout the body) (23). Ready for healthier skin? When you improve digestive health, you support skin health! How Can You Support Digestive Health? Start with a great probiotic supplement. Dr. Colbert formulated his Dr. Colbert Beyond Biotics™ with 12 billion healthy probiotic bacteria units that have been proven to encourage optimal digestive health in just 4 weeks! In fact, Beyond Biotics™ contains 3 clinically studied and tested probiotic strains consisting of 12 billion bacteria, supporting the immune response and natural defenses. If you want to encourage great health in all the systems listed above, this is where to start. Next, begin Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone Plan. It will teach you, step-by-step, how to improve your digestive health, support your entire body, and improve brain function, alertness and health starting today! Join Dr. Colbert in his challenge to prioritize your gut health. It can make all the difference to your whole body. Continue a Healthy Lifestyle with Beyond Keto! Dr. Colbert’s Beyond Keto program combines Keto Zone and Mediterranean foods to support gut health! In fact, studies have found the Mediterranean diet specifically improves gut microbiota and its associated metabolism functions (24). Get started with Dr. Colbert’s Beyond Keto today and supports digestive and whole-body health! Bottom Line It should be obvious. When you improve digestion, you positively affect every other system in your body. It could not be more important. If you need one health aspect to focus on, start here. Make your digestive health a priority today, and support the health of your entire body. To read the original article click here.

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3 Tricks to Improve Digestion Today

AHA Publisher — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 07:00:22 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – Are you in the majority? Believe it or not, the majority of Americans want to improve digestion since they experience digestive issues on a monthly (or more frequent) basis. In fact, according to the National Institutes for Health, 60-70 million Americans are affected by all digestive illnesses (1). Surveys also suggest that over 70% of adults suffer from diarrhea, indigestion, nausea, constipation, and more at least monthly. Is it really that surprising? Our digestive tracts have a really big job, every day. They never get a break. They are one of the only organs bombarded daily with external substances. In fact, they are in the initial filter by which most of our body interacts with outside substances. Like the lungs, they come in direct contact with both healthy and unhealthy substances from our environment. Think about the filters in your home or vehicles. They get dirty, beat up, and torn down. The same can happen to your digestive tract if not properly cared for. The digestive tract is also really large. It includes about 7 digestion organs (the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine (aka colon), rectum, and anus) and 4 digestion accessory organs (the salivary glands, pancreas, gallbladder, and liver) (2). The tract itself covers a surface area of about 400-500 square feet (3). Interestingly, this number has been reduced from an estimate of 2500-3000 square feet to 400-500 in just the last 10 years after new evidence emerged that it is smaller than previously thought. In other words, there’s a lot to this system of organs, it does a lot of work every day, and a lot can go wrong. How can you improve digestion today? Here are 3 tricks to get started. Trick #1 to Improve Digestion: Use Your Brain Amazingly, there is a strong brain-gut connection. In fact, as digestive health falters or becomes inflamed, the brain experiences inflammation. This may look like brain fog, memory loss, fatigue, and even invite neurodegenerative issues. In fact, a recent study published in Scientific Reports showed a link between gut bacteria and dementia (4). On the flip side, as brain health falters, the digestive tract is affected and often impaired. Stress, for example, can ignite a series of digestive issues from ulcers to diarrhea to nausea. Why do we “feel things in our guts?” It’s the brain-gut connection. To improve digestion, then, do everything you can to support brain health. Try to: Reduce stress as much as possible through activity reduction, journaling, praying, etc. Incorporate laughter into your everyday schedule Get 7-10 hours of good-quality sleep every night Eat brain-healthy, anti-inflammatory foods like omega-3s from seafood, spices, and supplementseach day Hydrate well Incorporate fasting into your diet To learn more ways to support brain health, see our 11 Top Tips. Trick #2: Eliminate and Fortify with Nutrition Simply put, some foods and nutrients damage your gut. Some fortify it. The more we damage our guts, the more digestive issues arise, and more and more foods become intolerable to it. In some cases, food simply does not “set well” in our guts. In other cases, the food or nutrient actually hurt. This can lead to inflammation and a cascade of digestive issues. On the other hand, there are many foods that fortify both the healthy bacteria and cells in our guts. Most of these foods contain soluble fibers (prebiotics) and healthy bacteria (probiotics). To improve digestion, eliminate or reduce: Inflammatory carbohydrates such as sugars and white flours (consider the Keto Zone Diet) Sugary drinks Gluten, if not tolerated (in some people, gluten actually harms and flattens the tissues in the digestive tract responsible for nutrient absorption) Processed foods, especially those with inflammatory fats like soybean oil Alcohol Foods and medications with antibiotics (when not indicated) To improve digestion incorporate: Fermented foods such as plain yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, tempeh, fermented vegetable powders like Greens Supremefoods©, and living foods like Living Chia with Probiotics Vegetables and plant foods that provide prebiotics and polyphenols and living vitamins Plant-based protein powders such as Divine Health Vegan Protein Supremefood© Nuts like walnuts, which support healthy gut bacteria, every day (5) A daily probiotic supplement such as Beyond Biotics Ultra Blend Probiotics To learn more, read our post on the health benefits of fiber and tips to improve gut bacteria. Improve Digestion Trick #3: Slow Down and Look Up Are you a victim of the rush, rush, rush mentality? Are you overscheduled and burnt out? Do you have little time to cook at home and focus on foods that improve digestion? If so, your busy lifestyle is likely hurting your digestion. If you can find ways to slow down, you’ll have time to really utilize tricks #1 and #2 to improve digestion and brain health. It’s challenging to slow down in the midst of many demands, but it’s incredibly important. What can you do to simplify your life and leave the hustle and bustle of the modern stressed-out schedule? How can you make more foods at home (even simple foods such as grilled chicken or an easy slow cooker meal)? Can you clear your schedule and allow for more downtime? Non-activity time? Time outside in nature or in a garden? How can you incorporate daily gratitude, optimism, and prayer within your family? Even if you can only think of one thing you can do to slow down and look up within nutrition and pace of life, you can improve digestion and brain health! Take a few moments to jot down ways you can do so today. Get the Best Plan to Improve Digestion If you are ready to really improve digestion and overall health, it’s time to get Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone book or the Healthy Gut Zone Starter Kit (includes the Healthy Gut Zone book, Fiber Zone supplement, and the Beyond Biotics digestive supplement) today. You’ll find a clear plan that supports digestion, improved overall health, and additional protection for your brain. What’s more, Dr. Colbert’s fiber and probiotic supplements utilize the best fibers and bacteria strains that support optimal gut health. Bottom Line The digestive tract is amazing. It takes substances outside our bodies and breaks them down for energy, fuel, and nutrients within our entire bodies. It is strongly linked to our brains, and every other system depends on it. You can support digestion and overall health, starting today, with these 3 tricks. What’s more, a great digestion health plan is only a click away! Get your Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone book or theHealthy Gut Zone Starter Kit. Learn how to support digestive health in every area of your life, from stress to lifestyle to sleep to nutrition. The entirety of your health depends on your gut. Get started today! To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Colbert click here.

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Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie Recipe

AHA Publisher — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 07:00:06 +0000

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DMN, CNS – Smoothies are delightfully healthy foods when done right. When you purchase them at an overpriced smoothie shop, they’re often full of low-quality ingredients and a lot of added sugar, but why bother buying these drinks when you can make your own? Take my homemade strawberry kiwi smoothie recipe, for example. Trust me — this recipe is quick and easy to whip up, and it’s loaded with beneficial ingredients sure to up your nutrient intake while satisfying that sweet tooth. Key Ingredients This delicious and refreshing strawberry kiwi smoothie is one of my favorites. Thanks to the kiwi, it’s chock-full of vitamin C. If you thought oranges were good, wait until you try kiwis: These fuzzy little fruits have 275 percent of your daily recommended allowance of the nutrient. That’s not all. Kiwi nutrition provides vitamins K and E, along with potassium, copper and folate. As such, this fruit can help counteract signs of aging and support skin, eye, digestive, cardiovascular, bone, immune and respiratory health. When you combine kiwis with nutrition-rich strawberries, which are packed with antioxidants, along with some banana and raw yogurt, you get an easy-to-make, fruity smoothie you can enjoy as a yummy breakfast, post-workout snack or just an after-dinner treat. Strawberry nutrition is high vitamins C, K and B6. It also provides a good amount of minerals, including manganese, folate, potassium, magnesium and more. Strawberries have been shown to help protect against cancer, heart disease, skin damage, cognitive decline and digestive issues. The final fruit star in this strawberry banana kiwi smoothie is, of course, banana. Banana nutrition is, of course, loaded in potassium, along with several other essential nutrients. That’s why bananas can help boost energy, improve digestion, enhance mood, and support heart and kidney health. How to Make a Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie Add all the ingredients to the blender. You can use fresh ingredients if you can find them, but the good thing about this strawberry kiwi smoothie is that it works equally well with frozen ingredients for those cooler months. Blend it all up until you reach a smooth texture and serve. You can garnish with some fresh basil or mint leaves to jazz this smoothie up. To give your smoothie an extra nutritional boost, add a scoop of green vegetable powder. Enjoy! Similar Recipes Looking for a couple more strawberry smoothie recipes? You can try my Hydrating Watermelon Smoothie Recipe with Strawberries and Banana or Strawberry Banana Smoothie Recipe. Here are a few other smoothie recipes to experiment with if you enjoy this kiwi strawberry smoothie: Pineapple Smoothie with Cilantro Recipe Raspberry Smoothie Recipe Piña Colada Smoothie Recipe Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie Recipe DESCRIPTION This strawberry kiwi smoothie is absolutely delicious. It is a great way to satisfy your sweet craving while doubling as a healthy snack. INGREDIENTS ½ cup strawberries ½ banana 1 kiwi ¼ cup goat’s milk yogurt ¼ cup water INSTRUCTIONS Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth texture is reached. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Axe click here.

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The 5 Best Probiotic Foods for Good Gut Health

AHA Publisher — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 08:00:38 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – A simple way to improve your digestion is by eating more fermented foods. That’s because they contain probiotics that: Encourage the right balance of good bacteria in your digestive tract so it can filter out harmful toxins, chemicals, and waste Offset bad bacteria caused by poor diet, lack of sleep, stress, and environmental toxins to maintain a healthy gut barrier Research also shows probiotics can support a healthy immune system and may have protective effects against everything from IBS, constipation, and bloating to autoimmune disorders like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis [1,2,3]. CHOOSE THESE BEST PROBIOTIC FOODS FOR A HEALTHY GUT You can reap the benefits of probiotics every day by eating the following best probiotic foods. They’re rich in that good bacteria needed for a healthy gut! FERMENTED VEGETABLES The best way to get probiotics and fiber is from whole, fermented vegetables. Sauerkraut and kimchi are the best low-carb choices. SAUERKRAUT Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage high in organic acids and enzymes. It contains probiotics, fiber, vitamins B, C, and K, iron, manganese, folate, copper, and potassium, all important for gut health and overall wellness. KIMCHI Kimchi is a reddish cabbage fermented with salt, garlic, vinegar, chili peppers, and other spices. A very popular condiment in Korea, kimchi is rich in probiotics and has lots of benefits. Besides supporting your gut with healthy bacteria, a number of studies have shown eating fermented kimchi may significantly decrease blood pressure, BMI, weight, total cholesterol, fasting, and more [4,5,6]. Note: Eat sauerkraut and kimchi in small, condiment-sized portions, as large amounts may cause bacterial imbalance. MILK OR WATER KEFIR Kefir is fermented and cultured drink made from a combination of yeast, bacteria, and either milk or water. Kefir is great for healing gut and digestion function. Although kefir initially contains sugar, its bacteria actually eat up that sugar, making it a keto-friendly food. It also contains calcium and protein (if made with milk), B vitamins, and potassium. UNSWEETENED YOGURT Yogurt can be a great probiotic keto snack. But make sure it has no added carbs from sugar or fruits, as these will take you out of the Keto Zone! Look for full-fat, organic and/or grass-fed yogurt from cows, sheep, or goats as much as possible. These options are more nutritious and less likely to contain pesticides, antibiotics, or hormones along with that beneficial bacteria. LOW-SUGAR KOMBUCHA Kombucha is a fermented black or green tea full of probiotics, enzymes, and beneficial vitamins and minerals for gut health. Kombucha has a range of health benefits for your digestion, immunity, joint health, and detoxification. Make sure the kombucha is: A low-sugar brand, as many kombucha varieties have a lot of sugar that will kick you out of the Keto Zone (check the sugar and net carb grams to be sure) Packaged in a dark glass bottle, as too much UV light can kill the good bacteria inside Organic, raw, and unpasteurized (pasteurization kills the friendly probiotics!) If you can’t find low-sugar kombucha, probiotic vinegar is a good alternative that’s still highly beneficial. DIVINE HEALTH PROBIOTIC FOODS AND SUPPLEMENTS Dr. Colbert offers several products offering the benefits of probiotics plus more: Beyond Biotics Ultra Blend Probiotics: a new product containing three clinically studied and tested strains consisting of 12 billion bacteria. Boosts immune response and natural defenses. Helps to support the natural balance of good bacteria in your gut where 70% of the immune system is found. Living Chia: ground chia seeds plus added probiotics. Fermented Green Supremefood and Red Supremefood for daily probiotics from 10 fermented veggies and four fermented grasses! Boost your gut health daily by consuming these best probiotic foods along with a healthy diet and lifestyle. More and more, science is proving that a healthy digestive system is the key to a healthy brain and body—and the power to keep your gut healthy lies directly with you! Get Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone book today to help you understand the connection between your gut and your health. You will learn that whatever inflames your gut will eventually inflame your brain and the rest of your body. Making the right food choices will become the medicine in which you will walk and live in divine health. SOURCES 1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3448089/ 2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25099542 3. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11894-015-0439-z 4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21745625 5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23444963 6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24456367 To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Colbert click here.

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