Hello!
And as always, thank you for reading along, and I hope you are getting some interesting information that you can use to flourish and prosper into the many, many, many more days of your life!
The last blog was starting to run a little bit long, so I thought I would continue it on this blog, and discuss some more about how to cultivate a more diverse gut microbiome.
Unhealthy gut bugs lead to many health problems that we simply do not want: auto-immune diseases, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s, and anxiety and depression to name just a few.
Quite simply, the best way to cultivate a diverse gut microbiome is to eat a diverse diet of nutritious foods- heavy on vegetables and fruits, lots of fibrous root vegetables and as many fermented vegetables as you can stand…, and probably more than that!
Understand that the “bugs” eat what you eat, and should a person only eat a few types of foods, most of which are processed and full of sugar, those are the bugs a person will grow. Many of these types of bugs can make us sick, and cause cravings for more “crap” foods.
In other words, the greater diversity of foods; the greater diversity of bugs; the greater the diversity of bugs, the greater the diversity of health and wellness.
When we eat to support our gut bugs, there are 3 primary compounds we need to eat:
- Tryptophan-
Found in whole milk, canned tuna, turkey and chicken, oats, cheese, nuts, and seeds, tryptophan is converted by our gut bugs into serotonin and then melatonin. These neurotransmitters are necessary for mood, sleep, digestion, nausea, wound healing, bone health, blood clotting, and sexual desire. Ninety percent of our serotonin is produced in our guts from our gut bugs. Not enough serotonin- depression and constipation; too much, anxiety and diarrhea. Tryptophan is necessary for making melatonin- a neurotransmitter we need to fall asleep.
- Tyrosine-
Found in soy products, chicken and turkey, fish, peanuts, almonds, avocados, bananas, milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, lima beans, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds, tyrosine is converted by our gut bugs into-
- Dopamine- Feel good hormone, that gives a sense of pleasure and motivates a person to do something when they feel pleasure. It’s part of our reward system
- Norepinephrine- increases alertness, arousal, and attention. Increases blood pressure and breaks down fat and increases blood sugar levels to provide energy.
- Epinephrine- Is adrenaline and plays a role in metabolism, attention, focus, panic, and excitement. Released in response to stress.
- Indole-3-lactic acid (ILA)-
Found in fermented foods like miso, kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, fermented pickles, kefir, fiber-rich foods, fruit, and vegetables, ILA is one of the strongest antioxidants in the body and works with the immune system to reduce free radicals.
So, what things absolutely ruin our gut microbiomes?
Processed foods lacking nutrients, and antibiotics-they kill bacteria, stress, and living an aseptic life- we just don’t get dirty enough!
How can we cultivate a more diverse gut microbiome?
Change diets, exercise, and reduce stress, and when you can… get a little dirt on you!
In addition to this, and as will be discussed in the next blog… eating a Mediterranean diet. This diet is absolutely amazing, as you will see!
In the meantime, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at Paragon Chiropractic. We can help.
It’s not that difficult to get yourself back in synch with your body and the natural world.
Until the Next Blog,
Dr. Dave
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Please give him at least a day to respond and check back on this blog post to see his response. If you want to schedule an appointment, please contact us today!
Great info! I have enjoyed positive results with Dr Dave using his chiropractic expertise to reduce my pain by 90% without the use of pain medication, and Austin has helped keep me active with physical therapy and targeted exercise suggestions when I need it. They truly do want to FIX whats holding me back- instead of keeping me dependent on meds/braces or opting for invasive surgery. They have done such a great job that I haven’t been to see them in months, LOL!- but they will be the first people I call if I need some physical relief from my demanding and uncomfortable travel schedule and physical aspects of working on my feet all day. I would never hesitate to recommend Paragon for people looking for homeopathic and natural remedies to treat what ails them. When I first started working with Drs. Dave and Dianne, I was on the verge of being prescribed addictive and harmful pain meds, and was 50 pounds overweight. Now- almost 10 years later at the age of 45, I am still more physically active and healthy than I ever was before moving to Phoenix and luckily driving past their office and deciding to give it a try on a whim. I will always be grateful for their professional and compassionate approach to healing.
J. Sullivan
Hey J!
Wow, that is an amazing testimonial! Thank you!
I am so glad that we could help you, and recalling your history, you did an awful lot to help yourself by changing your lifestyle to one that promoted the health you now enjoy!
Again, thank you very much for the kind words, and keep on winning!
Dr. Dave
Educational opportunities like your contribution here is priceless! Thank you my friend, Patriot, and brother! We look forward to additional “food”!
I’m so glad you are enjoying the blogs, and thank you for the kind words!
There are a few more blogs coming concerning gut bugs, and I hope they continue to be of some benefit to you!
Thank you for reading along and being such a great friend all these many years!
Dr. Dave
What is your take on this supplement for gut health? Glutathione appears to be great at removing toxins and carcinogens, drug residue, however my daughter’s NP gave it to her for bowel issues.
Hi Jolee,
Proof is always in the pudding…, is the glutathione helping your daughter? If so, then great. If not…,
One would need to know the nature of your daughter’s GI complaints, and then work back to determine the source. All too often there tends to be a desire to treat symptoms, and with the usual conclusion- that abatement of symptoms means one is now healthy. This usually is not the case. To do otherwise would be like fixing a flat tire over and over without realizing that a person needs to stop running over nails. Stop running over nails…, no more need for tire patches.
That being said, I know of glutathione being used in cases of leaky gut. In fact, deficiencies of glutathione and B12 and folate should be investigated if one has leaky gut or autoimmune troubles.
Glutathione can be helpful with bowel issues.
Deficiencies of glutathione can compromise a person’s ability to fight off old viruses and bacteria, and contribute to weight loss through difficulties with leptin resistance. In addition to this, severe deficiencies of glutathione can lead to worsening of autoimmune issues, autism spectrum disorders, depression and neurodegenerative disorders.
People with low glutathione levels complain of not feeling well, and this can be due to leaky gut complications reaching the brain.
Glutathione can be an amazing supplement, and do many incredible things for people, but one would have to know exactly what they were dealing with.
Hopefully, that answers your question.
Dr. Dave
Can I just say what a comfort to discover someone that actually knows what theyre discussing on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people must check this out and understand this side of the story. I cant believe you arent more popular since you certainly possess the gift.