Hello,

Thanks for following along!

I’m hoping I can finish up this series of blogs concerning gut bugs, our gut microbiomes, circadian rhythms, getting enough sleep, eating in a time-restricted window, and getting plenty of sunlight and outdoor exercise.

I think this will make either the 15^th or 16^th blog covering the subjects, and I’m sure I’ve left many things out! Sooooooo…, you’ll have to study!

Hence the importance of studying for yourself, and seeing if any of this “stuff” works for you.

I have been a chiropractor for nearly 37 years, and in that time I have seen more people trying to do what was best for them, and doing the best they could. For this, everyone should be commended, for as I said earlier we are all driven by a single command… SURVIVE!

Good, bad or otherwise, survive… that is all each of us is trying to do, and with these blogs, it is my hope to help simplify all of the “noise” that is out there being preached as gospel truth by those who have an agenda that doesn’t exactly have each of us doing well, or perhaps only doing well enough to shovel our hopes, dreams, and cash in their direction!

Please let me know. I would love to talk with anyone who simply would like to talk about life, living, and making the best run at it that they can. We can all help each other!

Okay, before this becomes a 90-page blog, what I would like to talk to you about is the Mediterranean Diet and how at the end of the day, if the only thing you get out of any of this is that the Mediterranean Diet is the answer to what ails you.

Look at it this way.

If one were to eat the Mediterranean Diet and do so in a time-restricted 10-hour window, make sure he or she ate their last bite 2-4 hours before going to bed, and before going to bed, eliminated screens and unnatural light at least a half hour before bed, and went to bed at such a time to ensure they had at least an 8-hour sleep opportunity and made sure they got 7-9 hours of sleep each night, and upon rising got at least a half hour to one hour of sunlight, and made sure he or she exercised moderately for at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, and took sun breaks and walking breaks throughout the day, and continued to do so as part of a scheduled daily routine…, that person, in my opinion, would be doing everything they could to prevent poor health, and be their own health care provider.

How’s that for a summary?!? You know, this just might be the Owner’s Manual we all should have been born with!

Now, one last thing before we close out this series, and that is another Ted Talk given by John Cryan entitled Feed Your Microbes- Nurture Your Mind.

This is an amazing lecture, and will really explain how important our gut microbiomes are in aging healthfully, and our mental health.

In terms of aging, as one’s gut bugs go into decline, so do they- and this is due to eating processed foods that lack nutrients and vegetable diversity.

Many elderly people live alone, and have no interest in cooking or preparing healthy meals. If they do eat, it’s something processed, bland, and lacking in vegetable matter.

The resultant diminishing gut diversity is one explanation for cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer’s seen in the elderly, not to mention neurologic disorders and poor physical health.

If one could keep their gut bugs healthy they would in turn keep themselves healthy.

As was seen in the past several blogs, gut bugs are very important in converting the food we eat into the various biochemicals and neurotransmitters our bodies need to function. This includes the production of omega-3 fatty acids and the utilization of the various polyphenols found in plant matter.

These compounds are vital in neurological health and function.

What I find kind of interesting is the idea that much of our personality can be influenced by the types of bugs we have in our guts.

We know they can make us crave certain foods- mostly sugar and refined flour foods, they can help us be happy, sad, depressed, or anxious. They can also be responsible for good mental and physical health, and help reduce the destructive and debilitating effects of aging.

You know, so much study is being done on our genes and how they influence our health and wellness. But I wonder if this isn’t misdirected to some degree. Perhaps we should look more at these gut bugs!

As one really can’t do much to alter or change his genes, one might be able to change and improve his or her gut microbiome and emerge a healthier, happier version of themselves!

It’s always interesting to me how we as a species are so hell-bent on killing things before we ever understand them. This is the case with bacteria.

We’ve all been told how bad “germs” are for us, and how we must do all we can to eradicate them.

Anyone who has spent any time reading my blogs knows that I am a huge proponent of communication, understanding, and helping others do better in life, for this is the only way any of us survive.

Perhaps a little more understanding about our gut bugs, and how they help us before we wipe them out might be in order.

I am going to end this blog with the recommendation of watching yet another Ted Talk about bacteria, and will leave you with this thought,

Are bacteria more human than we are? 

Again, any questions, or comments, or if you would just like to talk about all of this as it is pretty heavy, please let us at Paragon Chiropractic know.

Paragon Chiropractic exists for only one reason and that is to help!

Take Care,

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!