By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

For men and women, aging brings some degree of hair loss or thinning. While we may not all be sporting a shiny bald head, both men and women can lose a significant amount of hair after the age of 40 or so. For women, this often coincides with menopause and declining hormones and can be especially distressing.

Men typically can inherit male-pattern baldness and it’s normal and well-accepted. Hair loss is quite common in women as well, especially if they are post-menopausal. Let’s tackle some of the reasons for this hair loss.

Genes vs. Hormones

Male-pattern baldness, as well as female-pattern baldness can be attributed to a condition called “androgenetic alopecia”. AA is one of the most common forms of hair loss in both men and women. The hormone at play here is a a substance called dihydrotestosterone, which is a form of testosterone.

About half of men over the age of 50 and half of women over 65 have this form of hair loss, while younger people can be affected as well. It’s thought that people have certain hair follicles that are either susceptible or resistant to dihydrotestosterone.

In a study published in the International Journal of Trichology, it was found that female patients with progressive hair loss had a strong correlation between hypothyroidism (low thyroid) and hypertension (high blood pressure). Many of these people were also low in vitamin D as well. So, while many think that genes are the cause of hair loss, hormonal imbalances and nutrition come into play as well.

In fact, many health professionals are beginning to note that hair loss can be due to diet, nutrition, stress, and other environmental factors as well. This means that some degree of hair loss can be controlled after all.

Hormonal Imbalances

Hormonal imbalances most definitely come into play when it comes to hair—for both men and women. Hormones that affect hair loss include:

• Imbalance in estrogen in relationship to testosterone levels in women. After menopause, women’s levels of both progesterone and estrogen decrease significantly. Estrogen affects hair growth and quality. When levels of testosterone are too high, and estrogen is too low, hair thinning, and excessive hair loss can occur—especially post menopause or perimenopause.
• Low levels of thyroid hormone for both men and women affect hair growth and quality as well. As women approach menopause, their levels of progesterone drop drastically. Low progesterone affects thyroid function and can cause hypothyroid conditions. This in turn, can cause hair loss and slow regrowth.
• Testosterone levels in men or women. While this may occur naturally, it also can happen with testosterone hormone therapy supplementation.
• Insulin resistance can cause a loss of hair in both men and women and can be one of the symptoms of pre-diabetes or diabetes.

Hormones that are either too high or too low can affect hair growth. Both hyper and hypothyroid conditions can cause hair loss and thinning. Additionally, too high levels of testosterone or too low levels can also affect your head of hair.

Diet and Nutrition

Nutritional status can affect hair growth and dietary deficiencies will cause hair thinning, breakage, and slow hair growth. Some of the key nutrients that affect hair growth include:

• Iron deficiency or anemia can be one of the primary causes of hair loss in pre-menopausal women, especially. Iron contributes to hemoglobin which supplies nutrients and oxygen to hair follicles. Vegans and vegetarians often report hair loss.
• Zinc is an essential mineral used by hundreds of enzymes. It is thought zinc shortage affects protein synthesis and cell division, affecting hair growth. For many men, it’s a combination of low zinc and copper that causes hair loss. Not only does zinc deficiency cause hair loss, but the remaining hair can be brittle and break off more easily.
• Selenium is an essential trace element necessary for proper thyroid function which affects hair growth.
• Biotin, Folate, and Niacin are all part of the B complex vitamins. Deficiencies can occur in people with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease and other malabsorption conditions. A B vitamin deficiency can also be caused by alcoholism, and certain medications. Vegans often have B vitamin deficiencies.
• Vitamin D plays a role in hair follicle cycling and affects the hair follicle’s growth and dormant states. Low levels of vitamin D may cause hair to thin or stop growing. Risk factors for vitamin D deficiency include inadequate sun exposure, dark skin, obesity, gastric bypass, and fat malabsorption.
• Vitamin A has been shown to activate hair follicle stem cells, however high levels of vitamin A can cause hair loss. Since vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, too much vitamin A can accumulate in the body, especially when taken as a supplement.
• Protein malnutrition can also result in hair thinning and loss, due to the lack of specific amino acids. Many vegetarians and vegans often notice hair thinning after being on a strict vegetarian diet.

People with vitamin and nutrient-related hair loss may lose more than just the hair on their heads. Damage to hair follicles can also cause the eyebrows and lashes to shed, if bad enough. Eating a diet rich in animal-based protein, healthy fats and fresh vegetables should suffice to help balance nutrient deficiencies. In cases of malabsorption or GI issues, extra supplementation may be necessary if hair loss is a problem.

Health Status

Health status has a lot to do with hair loss and hair growth. There are many contributing factors that can create health conditions that lead to hair loss. Some of those include cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes or pre-diabetes and hypothyroidism. Autoimmune diseases can also be a trigger for hair loss as well, although many autoimmune conditions create more patchy hair loss than just thinning hair. Celiac disease, Crohn’s disease and other GI conditions can also create problems with your hair.

For these, simply getting rid of the sugar, processed grains and gluten can definitely put you back on the path to good health and a shiny, healthy head of hair.

One other health condition that is worth mentioning is having had Covid-19. Having Covid can affect people in different ways. Some can have a more severe version of the disease, while other have had a milder form. However, Covid and other contagious illnesses can have some long-term effects, including hair loss, otherwise known as telogen effluvium.

Many people notice hair loss a few months after recovering from a Covid infection. In fact, for those who were hospitalized, more than 20 % lost a significant amount of hair in the 3-6 months after recover.

Hair loss is a common response to physical stress such as a serious illness, surgery, or other types of physical trauma. Other studies that include people with milder symptoms suggest that hair loss after COVID-19 may be much more common than that.

A healthy, balanced diet that includes naturally raised animal protein, a variety of fruits and vegetables and a healthy intake of fat will help you regrow your tresses. Be sure to supplement if you or your doctor feel you may have nutritional deficiencies. There are other natural methods to help stimulate growth such as rosemary essential oil, omega 3 fish oils, coconut oil and even onion juice. Medical intervention can mean a prescription to Rogaine or Propecia to help promote growth.

Hair is an outward expression of your body’s health in addition to genetics. Take care of your health and your hair and skin will glow.

What’s been your experience with hair loss? Did you notice hair loss if you’ve had Covid? What other health conditions have you experienced that caused hair loss?

References
https://www.webmd.com/connect-to-care/hair-loss/vitamin-deficiencies-that-can-cause-hair-loss
https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/covid-19/covid-hair-loss
https://www.healthline.com/health/regrow-hair-naturally#9
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/hair-loss-looking-beyond-genetics/
https://draxe.com/beauty/hair-loss-remedies/

The post What You Need to Know About Hair Loss and Thinning Hair appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

We seem to be a nation of anxious people. And yes, the events of the past couple years can make us more anxious, but a lot of anxiety is just generalized anxiety. Anxiety can also add to irritability, anger and stress. Anxiety can make it difficult to work, deal with day-to-day decisions, and it affects your relationships. Often it just simmers in the background, leaving you feeling ‘on edge’ all the time.

While many people run to the doctor for an anti-anxiety prescription, which is difficult to stop once you start, and often has unpleasant side effects.

You can realistically manage your anxiety far better by fixing it at the source, avoid prescription medications, and improve your overall health. And—surprise—fixing anxiety doesn’t start with your head; it starts with your gut.

Specific bacteria in the gut are responsible for creating about 90% or more of the serotonin in our bodies. Serotonin is the brain chemical responsible for helping you feel calm and happy. Yes, a brain chemical that is made in the gut. Let’s go into a little anatomy lesson to see how this works.

The enteric nervous system in the gut and the central nervous system were formed out of the same tissue in fetal development. So actually, the nervous system in the gut, which is quite extensive, is like a ‘second brain’. These two nervous systems have a direct line of communication via the vagus nerve, which runs from your brain stem to the nervous system in your gut.

This nervous system in the gut is made up of sheaths of neurons embedded in the walls of the entire gut, which is about 9 meters long from the mouth to the anus. This second brain contains somewhere around 100 million neurons—more than in either the spinal cord or the peripheral nervous system!

Certain gut bacteria play a very important role in immunity, synthesizing nutrients from the food you consume, and creating chemicals that help the brain and our emotional and mental health.

What I find very interesting, however, is that about 90% of the fibers in the vagus nerve in the digestive system actually carry information from the gut to the brain, and not the other way around. So, you see, the gut controls the brain to a large extent. These messages from the gut to the brain can have a powerful influence on moods, including anxiety and depression.

Scientists also know that the bacteria in the gut manufactures around 90% of the body’s serotonin, an important brain chemical directly affects moods, like anxiety and depression as well as some mental illnesses, such as bipolar, schizophrenia, and OCD.

Other symptoms of low serotonin besides anxiety and depression include, low energy, anger, craving of carbohydrates and sweets, and reduced interest in sex.

How to support the serotonin factory in your gut

Many of us have diets (whether we realize it or not) that are contributing to inflammation in the gut. Inflammation can come from eating a diet high in processed foods, too much conventional dairy, processed vegetable oils, too much sugar and other food allergies or sensitivities like gluten, corn and even foods that were sprayed with glyphosate.

Note: glyphosate is a very common herbicide used in the United States, and sprayed on most all (except organic) grains and legumes to dry them out before harvest. Glyphosate has been shown to kill off beneficial gut bacteria, upsetting the gut’s ability to create serotonin. In fact, glyphosate has been shown to increase both anxiety and depression in animal studies.

Individuals with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), celiac disease or gluten sensitivity tend to report increased levels of anxiety due to the inflammation that exists in the gut. There is a definite link between gluten issues and anxiety and depression. Our gut bacteria are also highly susceptible to:

• Chlorinated and fluoridated water
• Antibacterial soap
• Herbicide and pesticide residue in food
• Air and water pollution

Taking care of our gut

First of all, if you have any type of IBS, gluten sensitivity, or food allergies, or if you have ever had issues with anxiety, depression, or any other mental or emotional issues it’s time for an elimination diet.

Eliminate:

• Gluten
• Corn
• Dairy

Often this one step will make a huge difference.

The next step is to eliminate all processed foods. Stop eating sugar, especially the kind that is added to food like high fructose corn syrup (usually in processed foods). Processed foods feed harmful bacteria and candida.

Important to totally avoid consuming any vegetable seed oils such as canola oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, soybean oil. These oils have been proven to be cancer-causing, increase your chances of Alzheimer’s, are highly inflammatory, and instrumental in causing anxiety and depression.

Many people find amazing relief from anxiety and depression when they correct their diet and take out offending foods. And, eating a healthy, whole foods diet with lots of fresh organic vegetables, a little bit of fruit, plenty of naturally raised meat, and healthy saturated fats actually feeds the good bacteria in the gut.

Apples, artichokes, blueberries, almonds, and pistachios have also all been shown to increase Bifidobacteria in humans. Bifidobacteria are considered beneficial bacteria, as they can help prevent intestinal inflammation, and prevent anxiety.

Adding in a broad-spectrum probiotic supplement containing Bifidobacterioum longum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus will also spur the growth of this healthier bacteria colony.

Other things that can increase anxiety are alcohol, too much sugar, not enough sleep, not enough exercise, estrogen dominance (a common condition in perimenopausal and menopausal women), too much caffeine and some medications.

A multi-B vitamin containing methylfolate, and methylcobalmin, has also been shown to effectively manage anxiety and depression—which often go hand in hand. Other valuable nutritional supplements include magnesium, zinc, omega 3’s, and choline—a nutrient often very low in menopausal and post-menopausal women.

References
https://www.jeffnobbs.com/posts/death-by-vegetable-oil-what-the-studies-say
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/anxiety-are-nutritional-deficiencies-a-common-cause/
https://draxe.com/health/natural-remedies-anxiety/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-strategies-to-ease-anxiety-201604139441

The post The Diet and Anxiety Connection appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

What is Ghee?

Ghee is actually just a version of clarified butter. It’s been a staple in Indian cuisine for many, many years. Ghee actually was originally created to have a stable shelf life and not spoil in warm weather.

Have you ever noticed if you melt butter, it separates into a clear yellow liquid and then some whitish solids that sink to the bottom? The whitish solids are milk solids. Ghee is actually the clear yellow liquid with all the milk solids and a small amount of water removed.

Ghee is also used in ancient Ayurveda medicine as a yogavahi—a catalytic agent that carries medicinal properties of herbs into the seven areas or tissues of the body.

Once the milk solids and water are removed from the butter, the ghee does not require refrigeration, and can be kept at room temperature for weeks without spoiling. Like coconut oil, another healthy saturated fat, it becomes solid when temperatures are cool.

How is Ghee made?

Butter is heated to separate the liquid and solids. Then the butter is cooked a bit longer to evaporate off the water, while the milk solids settle to the bottom and turn brown. Next, the remaining oil is allowed to cool and is strained to just retain the golden liquid oil.

How does Ghee compare to butter?

Obviously, ghee contains much of the same nutrients as butter, but which is better? Because the water is cooked off, ghee contains slightly more fat grams and a few more calories.

The biggest difference between butter and ghee is that the dairy protein, casein, as well as the lactose are removed from ghee. If you have any dairy allergies, the casein is most likely the offending agent. Many people are also lactose intolerant, making ghee a great choice instead of butter. People can get the health benefits of butter without reacting to the presence of milk.

Both butter and ghee contain the healthy fat called butyric acid, an anti-inflammatory fatty acid that helps keep your gut lining healthy. Both butter and ghee contain conjugated linoleic acid, (CLA), a healthy polyunsaturated fat that helps increase fat loss and lowers inflammation.

Butyric acid is an incredible anti-inflammatory agent that improves the beneficial bacteria in the gut, suppresses the growth of harmful bacteria, and prevents electrolyte loss during periods of diarrhea. Butyric acid is a valuable treatment for people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s disease, celiac disease–and even helps prevent colorectal cancer.

Butyric acid is also effective in fighting obesity and insulin resistance, and may help to promote the release of hormones that suppress appetite.

There seems to be some conflicting information out there on whether or not ghee contains more or less butyrate, but the consensus is that butter may edge ahead with its butyric acid over ghee. But, no worries, if you want to increase your butyrate consumption, simply include more resistant starch in your diet or use both butter and ghee in your diet.

Butter and ghee contain small amounts of important fat-soluble nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, K, and beta-carotene. Grass fed butter and ghee contain the highest amounts of these awesome nutrients.

Butter vs Ghee for Cooking

While saturated fats like butter make great oils for cooking, the lactose and milk solids in butter can often burn and smoke easily. Ghee, however, can handle higher cooking temperatures without burning or becoming damaged.

Ghee has a higher smoke point and is a very stable cooking fat. The smoke point is the temperature at which fats become volatile and begin to smoke. Ghee’s smoke point is 485°F (250°C), which is quite a bit higher than butter’s smoke point of 350°F (175°C), due to ghee’s lack of milk solids and lactose. So, when cooking at very high temperatures, ghee has a distinct advantage over butter. Heating ghee also produces much less of the toxic compound acrylamide that any vegetable oils.

What about Flavor?

Ghee has a delicious nutty flavor and holds up well to strong flavors, like turmeric , cayenne, and curry spices, making it great component of spicy Indian and Thai cooking. Ghee also helps to bring out the fat-soluble flavors, antioxidants, and other nutrients that spices contain, when cooking. It’s perfect for curries, sauces, and slow-cooked or simmered dishes. Butter, on the other hand offers a sweeter, smoother flavor due to its dairy content and is great added to vegetables, or other dishes after cooking.

Which is Healthier?

Both are healthy, but there are a few points to consider. Both butter and ghee contain high amounts of saturated fat, which—for the most part—we have determined is GOOD for you. However, for some people, LDL cholesterol levels tend to increase more in response to eating a higher saturated fat intake, although higher LDL levels tend to result from diets that are high in carbohydrates and sugars. If cholesterol is a big concern, limit sugars and starches, and hold the ghee or butter intake to 1-2 tablespoons a day.

One other concern is that because ghee is heated in its processing, the cholesterol it contains may oxidize. Oxidized cholesterol has been linked to some increased risk of heart disease. Ghee contains some oxidized cholesterol, but butter does not.

Bottom Line—Which is Better, Butter or Ghee?

• Ghee contains many of the nutrients that butter does and is considered a ‘natural’ healthy fat.
• Ghee does not contain any dairy solids or lactose, that may make some dairy-sensitive people react.
• Ghee is better for cooking since it has a higher smoke point and can be used at higher temperatures.
• Ghee may not have as much butyric acid in it as butter.
• Ghee may contain some oxidized cholesterol due to the heating process it undergoes.

Both Ghee and Butter are great healthy fats and deserve a place on your table and in your recipes. Keep ghee around as a healthy cooking fat and keep the butter as a flavorful addition to recipes. Enjoy both in good health!

How to make your own ghee:

Add 1 lb of grass fed butter to a medium-sized pan. Melt the butter over medium heat but don’t burn it. Turn the heat down until the butter is just boiling and cook at this heat—DO NOT cover the pan, as you want the water to evaporate off. The butter will foam and sputter a bit as it cooks. You will begin to see whitish curds forming on the bottom of the pan. This is the milk solids sinking to the bottom. The butter will start to smell a bit like popcorn and turn a lovely golden color. Keep an eye on it so it does not burn.

Once you see it turn to a clear golden color, it’s done. When the butter is clear and has stopped sputtering, it’s time to remove it from the heat. That means the water has been cooked off. Let it cool until just warm, but still liquid. Pour melted butter through a sieve or cheesecloth into a clean, dry container with a lid. Discard the curds at the bottom of the pan.

Ghee can be kept on the kitchen shelf and does not need refrigeration. Always be sure to use a dry spoon or utensil to ladle it out, because any water introduced into the ghee may cause it to spoil. Happy Cooking!

References
https://www.bulletproof.com/diet/healthy-eating/ghee-vs-butter-which-is-best/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ghee?slot_pos=article_1&utm_source=Sailthru%20Email&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=authoritynutrition&utm_content=2019-10-21&apid=
https://www.foundationalmedicinereview.com/blog/exploring-potential-health-benefits-butyric-acid/
https://www.ayurveda.com/recipes/ghee

The post Butter vs Ghee appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, BSN,co-author of the best-sellers: The Fat Burning Kitchen,The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging&The Diabetes Fix

You are fatigued—beyond what a good night’s sleep would help, you lack energy, you’ve gained weight, you feel chilly most of the time, you may even be slightly depressed. You don’t even have the energy to follow any kind of fitness program.

You’ve been catching every cold or flu going around, so you go to your physician and he does some blood work. The doctor checks your thyroid, but he tells you, “Your TSH is in the normal range, so your thyroid is fine.” He sends you home with some vitamins, tells you to get a good night’s sleep or even worse, says it’s all in your head, and offers you an anti-depressant.

Back to square one? Why DO you feel tired all the time? Even if your physician is telling you your thyroid is ‘normal’, it may not be. Unfortunately, most physicians will only do a standard test for thyroid dysfunction which is the TSH test. TSH stands for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone.

Around 30 million people suffer from thyroid disorders. More than half of those (60%) have no idea their poor health and low energy is related to thyroid problems. One in eight women will develop a thyroid disorder at some point in their lives, and the number of people suffering from dysfunctional thyroid is increasing every year. Some studies have suggested that up to 10 percent of women over 60 have diagnosed or un-diagnosed hypothyroidism.

Low thyroid, the most common thyroid disorder, is characterized by foggy thinking, depression, weight gain, constipation, dry skin, hair loss, an intolerance to cold, a hoarse voice, menstrual problems, infertility, muscle stiffness and pain, and other symptoms.

If you consider that every cell in your body has receptors for thyroid hormone, then it’s easy to see that the thyroid gland governs all major systems of the body. Thyroid hormone is closely tied to brain function, the G.I. tract, cardiovascular system, bone metabolism, red blood cell production and growth, gall bladder and liver function, hormone production, glucose control, cholesterol metabolism, nutrient metabolism, and body temperature regulation.

The thyroid is basically the accelerator in a sophisticated engine. If that accelerator isn’t working properly the engine is stuck going either too slow or too fast.

How does this happen?

Thyroid physiology is complex. Most conventional doctors use only a standard test for thyroid function which includes only TSH and T4. But this standard test only picks up a small percentage of thyroid disorders, unfortunately.

Normally when the body cannot supply enough usable thyroid hormone for it to function properly, the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) increases in an effort to get the thyroid to make more thyroid hormone. Many thyroid problems, however, exist even if TSH shows as “normal”. This is more common than you may realize.

Just what is considered “normal” on a thyroid test? Ranges for “normal” vary from lab to lab, and from one doctor’s interpretation to another doctor’s. Lab ranges are not based on research that tells us a true optimal range, but on a bell curve of values obtained from people who come to the labs for testing, many of whom may have thyroid problems. So that’s the starting point for thyroid (mis)readings. They just aren’t looked at within an optimal lab range context.

That brings us to another problem with the TSH standard thyroid test.

Many doctors consider the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level to be the gold standard for diagnosing thyroid issues. This test is typically performed each year as part of your routine physical. The problem with just this test is that it often will show up in the normal range, in spite of thyroid problems it’s just not picking up. In truth, looking at TSH levels is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to diagnosing thyroid issues.

Your body creates two primary thyroid hormones—T3 and T4. About 94 percent of the hormone made in the thyroid gland is T4. The remaining 6 % is T3, named for its three molecules of iodine.

Your body converts the T4 hormone into the active form of thyroid hormone, T3. If your body is not good at this conversion, (which happens fairly often) your TSH will still show as normal, even though you are low in T3. Many people are poor converters of T4, meaning they may have enough T4 in their bodies but just don’t convert the T4 into T3 well enough to function properly. When this happens, you can have all the symptoms of a low thyroid and still have a normal TSH test.

It is necessary to get a more thorough thyroid test called a “complete thyroid panel” that will look at T3 and T4 levels and other essential components of thyroid function.

What Causes Thyroid to Malfunction?

Interestingly enough, the liver and gut are primary locations for conversion of T4 to T3 and places where a breakdown in this conversion process can occur. (Are you beginning to see just how important your gut health to your overall health?)

Your liver metabolizes your hormones, filters out toxins, and cleans out the blood system. Many of the waste products from the liver are sent to the gallbladder or digestive system for removal.

Since thyroid function impacts the entire body, when it is low, everything is SLOW—including the liver, gallbladder and digestive system. A liver bogged down with toxic sludge cannot convert T4 into T3 very well, so easy to see how this becomes a vicious cycle.

That brings us to the all-important gut bacteria. Our intestines help to convert at least 20% or more of T4 into T3, but that requires healthy gut bacteria. Among many other things including having an effect on proper immune function, creation of serotonin (for a happy mood), and helping with digestion, the gut also helps convert T4.

A poor diet creates an overabundance of bad bacteria and yeast overgrowth. When there is a lack of the appropriate beneficial bacteria, the body cannot process the T4-T3 conversion well.

Other things that hinder thyroid conversion in the gut include antibiotic use, inflammation from gluten and other food allergies, and certain medications—all leading to inadequate T3.

If you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, it is very likely that you will have thyroid problems as the two maladies tend to go hand in hand.

Cortisol, the stress hormone can further decrease the active T3 levels as well. Low serotonin (of which 90% is created in the gut) and low levels of dopamine, two essential brain neurotransmitters can also cause thyroid problems.

Nutrient deficiencies can also lead to thyroid problems. Iodine, selenium and zinc are vital to proper thyroid function, so deficiencies in these minerals can cause thyroid disorders.

So, it’s easy to see that there are several reasons that a poor diet, high in processed starches and sugars and additives, will not only cause gut dysbiosis (overgrowth of bad bacteria), but will also lead to nutrient deficiencies, all opening the door to thyroid dysfunction.

Thyroid problems tend to run in families too, so if you know your grandmother, or mother had thyroid problems, it’s easy to assume you may get them too, at some point in your life.

Thyroid disorders can have a negative impact on almost every body system.

Since they govern your metabolism, thyroid hormones can cause you to lose or gain a lot of weight, affect your sleep, your mood, your energy, your appetite, your digestion, how fast your hair and nails grow, how well your body heals, and how well you fight infection. A high or low thyroid also has a big effect on emotions and mental capacity, causing either anxiety and nervousness, or depression and brain fog.

Thyroid dysfunction falls into two main categories: hypothyroid or low thyroid, and hyperthyroid or high thyroid. Hypothyroidism is the most common type of dysfunction and affects primarily women (but men can be affected, too) of all ages. Often hypothyroidism is related to an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland becomes overactive and makes excessive amounts of thyroid hormone. When the thyroid gland is overactive every function in the body is sped up, causing nervousness, anxiety, rapid heartbeat, hand tremor, sweating, weight loss, and in, among other symptoms.

The most common cause of hyperthyroidism is the autoimmune disorder Graves’ disease. This type of thyroid disorder causes the body to make an antibody that causes the thyroid gland to go haywire. Graves’ disease tends to run in families and is more commonly found in women.

Hyperthyroidism also may be caused by lumps or nodules in the thyroid gland that cause the thyroid to produce excessive amounts of thyroid hormones. In addition, inflammation of the thyroid gland—called thyroiditis—resulting from a virus or a problem with the immune system may temporarily cause symptoms of hyperthyroidism.

You can actually have fluctuating levels of both hyper-and hypoactive thyroid as well.

Signs and Symptoms low thyroid include:

• Fatigue that won’t go away with a good night’s sleep
• Lethargy, no motivation to exercise
• Depression and/or moodiness
• Feeling chilly all the time
• Elevated cholesterol, especially LDL
• Dry hair and skin
• Slow-growing hair and nails
• Brain fog, trouble concentrating and forgetfulness
• Hoarse voice
• Unexplainable weight gain
• Constipation, bloating and other digestive issues
• Muscle weakness
• Weak immune system
• Heavy menstrual periods, premenstrual syndrome and infertility
• Gallstones
• Anemia

Signs and Symptoms high thyroid include:

• Nervousness and anxiety
• Insomnia
• High heart rate, fast breathing
• Eyes that appear bulging
• Unexplained weight loss
• Heavy perspiration
• Muscle weakness
• Multiple bowel movements throughout the day
• Thin, brittle hair
• Light or absent menstrual periods

The two main types of thyroid problems, hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are at opposite ends of the spectrum, and treatment for each is very different. In one case we want more thyroid hormone, and in the other case you need less thyroid hormone.

Treatment options differ depending on each patient’s particular disorder and the specifics of the case. Here’s how thyroid problems are usually treated with conventional medicine.

• For hypothyroidism, the common treatment from a conventional medical doctor is to give you synthetic thyroxine or T4. The problem with this treatment is if your body does not convert T4 into T3 well, it doesn’t matter how much extra T4 or thyroxine you get.

If the doctor has done a thyroid panel and sees that you are low on T3, he may prescribe combination of the synthetic version of T4 and T3. Patients who don’t convert T4 to T3 well do better on naturally-derived hormones like Armour Thyroid because it contains both T4 and T3 in the correct ratio.

• For hyperthyroidism, the most common conventional medical treatment (in the U.S.) is radioactive iodine, anti-thyroid medications or surgery that removes a large portion of actual thyroid gland.

All of these treatments can have lots of side effects and may not be entirely affected. Meanwhile your whole life can be affected by thyroid disorders, so getting to the bottom of it is of key importance.

Natural Thyroid Treatments

1. Supplements to Boost Thyroid Function

Iodine and selenium—These minerals are vital to proper thyroid function, whether you have hyper- or hypo thyroid problems. Most people with a low thyroid are deficient in iodine, and worldwide, this is the number one cause of low thyroid.

While iodine-rich foods are plentiful, they are not in the typical Standard American Diet. Seaweeds like dulse, kelp, and nori are one of the richest sources of iodine, along with wild-caught fish like tuna, cod and shrimp, and raw dairy and eggs.

While you can purchase iodine-enhanced salt, it actually can have an unexpected result. In countries where iodine has been added to table salt, rates of autoimmune thyroid disease have actually gone up. The key to adding iodine to the diet is to balance it with selenium as the combination of nutrients will help thyroid function.

Selenium is one of the most important minerals for a healthy thyroid, and helps balance levels of T4 hormones, while helping convert T4 into T3. To get more selenium, add in foods that are good sources like Brazil nuts, spinach, yellowfin tuna or halibut, canned sardines, grass-fed beef, turkey, and beef liver. People with Celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or other autoimmune disorders are most deficient in selenium, so a supplement might be necessary to get the needed amounts.

Zinc—A catalyst for many different pathways in the body and essential for digestive health, and for converting T4 to T3. It is also valuable for immune function, tissue healing (internally and externally), and the production of TSH.

Zinc is very helpful to heal and tighten the intestinal junctions in the gut that contribute to intestinal permeability, or ‘leaky gut’. For this reason, increasing your zinc levels may help reduce your symptoms and even lead you towards remission!

B vitamins are also very important for thyroid health, especially if you are vegan. While B12 is the primary B vitamin that plays a role in thyroid health, it is important to take B vitamins that exist in a balanced, multi-B vitamin, as the B vitamins work best in the correct balance with each other.

One of the nutrients that people with Hashimoto’s autoimmune thyroid disease are particularly prone to being deficient in is Vitamin B12. In fact, in studies, people with Hashimoto’s reported testing deficient in this all important vitamin, and 76 percent said they felt better after taking a B12 supplement.

The best sources of B12 and zinc are animal proteins like beef, turkey, eggs, etc. Other non-meat options include green peas, asparagus, chickpeas, cocoa, Brussels sprouts, sesame seeds, flaxseeds, nuts, and mushrooms, but these are not as well absorbed as the B12 from animal sources. Note—if you are taking extra B12, take a multi-B supplement as B vitamins work best in the correct balance.

Lastly, other nutritional deficiencies also play a role in thyroid dysfunction. These include deficiencies of vitamin D, omega-3 fats, vitamin A, and vitamin E, so be sure to supplement with high quality forms of these nutrients, as well as getting plenty of wild caught fish, grass fed meat, and colorful veggies in your diet. And don’t forget to get some sun!

2. Manage Your Stress

Physical and emotional stress can elevate the hormone cortisol and put your body into a chronic state of ‘fight or flight’. Cortisol has negative effects on your body long term like increased blood pressure and pulse rate, and creating high levels of inflammatory proteins that suppress immune function and damage the thyroid gland and adrenals. The hormonal changes in the body also affect libido, fertility problems, mood swings and more.

Managing stress is tricky if you cannot take away the cause. You can however, do plenty of things that help ease the effects of stress, including getting a good eight hours of restful sleep, meditation, vigorous exercise, and making time to relax with friends and family.

3. Reduce Toxins and Inflammation

Chemical toxins including medications, birth control pills, commercial beauty products, cigarette smoke and household cleaning products can all contribute to inflammation—especially in the gut, affecting the T3-T4 conversion.

Many household cleaning products and beauty products can contain very toxic, unregulated chemicals which can wreak havoc on the body. These toxins exit out through the digestive system and contribute to the inflammatory processes in the body, affecting thyroid function.

Other inflammatory toxins include air pollution, unfiltered tap water, plastic bottles, pesticides on fruit and vegetables, conventionally raised meat, and conventionally grown wheat, corn, oats and soybeans (sprayed with the herbicide glyphosate, that harms gut bacteria). These toxins act as hormone or endocrine disruptors and interfere with thyroid hormone metabolism and function.

Chronic inflammation in the gut is very common and most common is inflammation related to gluten in wheat, barley, rye and spelt. Gluten is a very common allergen that affects at least 10 to 20 percent of the population. Even if you have no sign of a gluten intolerance, it is so tightly associated with thyroid problems, it is wise to remove gluten entirely from your diet.

Key Points to Solving Your Thyroid Problems

While it isn’t an overnight remedy, you can take these steps if you have experienced any of the above symptoms for hypo or hyperthyroid problems and fix the problem not the symptoms.

• The thyroid gland is the body’s thermostat, regulating every function in the body. Thyroid problems will affect weight, appetite, moods, fertility, digestion, energy levels, and libido.
• Hypothyroid conditions are fairly common, especially in women, and often undiagnosed.
• Request a Full Thyroid Panel if you have any symptoms of hyper or hypothyroid.
• If you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, you can be pretty certain that you may also have a thyroid problem. Celiac disease can go undetected, get a full celiac panel test. And be sure to ask your doctor for a full thyroid panel test.
• Other co-existing health issues for thyroid problems include anemia, high cholesterol, depression, heavy menstrual periods and infertility. If your doctor diagnoses any of these, you should also request the full thyroid panel.
• Optimize Your Nutrition by making changes in your diet and supplementing with essential nutrients. Cut out processed, sweetened, starchy foods and conventionally raised foods.
• Minimize stress by exercising and meditation.
• If you need a thyroid supplement, request a bio-identical, natural hormone replacement that contains both T3 and T4, like Armour thyroid.

Once you get back on track with your thyroid in the optimal ranges, you will absolutely feel like a new person!

References
https://draxe.com/thyroid-problems/
https://drhyman.com/blog/2010/05/20/a-7-step-plan-to-boost-your-low-thyroid-and-metabolis/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/pesticide-use-thyroid-disease/
https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/hashimotos-and-zinc-deficiency/
https://drknews.com/conversion-t4-t3-important-consideration-low-thyroid-function/
https://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20723100,00.html?slide=103830#103830
https://floridahwi.com/why-your-thyroid-disorder-diagnosis-may-have-been-missed/

The post Why a Standard Thyroid Test May be Wrong appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, BSN,co-author of the best-sellers: The Fat Burning Kitchen,The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging&The Diabetes Fix

Headaches, skin rashes, skin breakouts, brain fog, depression, anxiety, ADHD and even anemia may be sly symptoms of gluten intolerance–even if you have tested negative for celiac disease. And even if you’ve never had any of the digestive discomfort that most people recognize as the primary symptom of gluten intolerance.

You see, conventional tests done by your doctor may only be showing you a small part of the picture. While the standard gluten lab test may turn up negative, you can still be having a serious physical and mental reaction to gluten and other components in wheat, rye and barley.

Here’s the reason–

Wheat contains more than just the ‘gluten’ that you react to. Wheat contains several proteins including gliadin, alpha gliadin, glutenins, agglutinins, and prodynorphins that can cause reactions.

When wheat is eaten, the body begins to break down these proteins in the digestive tract. Enzymes called tissue transglutaminases (tTGs) are produced. During this process, additional proteins are formed called deamidated gliadins and gliadorphins. Yes, I know that is a lot to ‘digest’, but stay with me on this–

Celiac disease does major damage to the small intestine and destroys its sensitive lining that absorbs nutrients from food. When you are tested for celiac disease, you are tested for only ONE specific gliadin, alpha gliadin and tissue transgluaminase, tTG-2.

But here’s some VERY important points to consider:

• People can and do react negatively to other components in wheat and gluten that are not included in the standard celiac/gluten intolerance test.
• Even if you test negative for celiac disease you can have serious negative reactions to other wheat proteins or transglutaminases.
• For every ONE case of celiac disease diagnosed, 6.4 cases of gluten intolerance remain undiagnosed — many with NO gastrointestinal symptoms at all. That means that only about 15 percent of people with gluten issues are actually diagnosed.
• Gluten intolerance can be a real health problem. This is called Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or NCGS.

Silent Celiac Disease

The common symptoms that most physicians recognize as being associated with celiac disease are bloating, gas, indigestion and diarrhea. What is less common are some of the other physical symptoms—some of the serious—of gluten intolerance, that may not even include any digestive symptoms at all.

Gluten intolerance can manifest itself in a variety of ways in different body systems, making it a tricky masquerader. This insidious condition can affect nearly every system in the body including brain, nervous system, bones, teeth, skin, endocrine system, liver, blood vessels, and of course the digestive system.

Brain Fog

Brain fog can happen as a result of inflammation, and inflammation is one of the hallmarks of this health issue. Brain fog can occur in the morning when you first wake up, hours after you’ve ingested gluten, or can happen right after eating foods containing gluten. Brain fog makes you feel excessively tired and fatigued, with a feeling of fogginess, making it hard to focus or think clearly.

Depression and Anxiety

At least a quarter of those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance report anxiety or depression frequently. Studies show that those with celiac disease or NCGS have reported that they are much more likely to feel anxious, have panic disorder, social phobias, ADHD or depression.

Another way to look at this is if you have any issues with anxiety, depression, or ADHD, you should strongly consider eliminating ALL gluten from your diet for at least 2-3 weeks to see if you have an improvement in symptoms. It is very possible that these symptoms are a manifestation of either silent celiac disease or NCGS.

Headaches and Migraine

Headaches and migraines have a strong connection to gluten reactions as well. In fact, people with celiac disease and NCGS report having headaches and migraines at a much higher rate than the rest of the population. If you have frequent headaches or migraines, it’s time to consider removing gluten from your diet.

A 2018 review of multiple studies published in Nutrients found that the prevalence of headaches reported in those who had diagnosed celiac disease was 26 percent, significantly higher than control groups without celiac sensitivity. The review also noted that headaches and migraines, were often reported as the first symptom of celiac disease—a far cry from the usual digestive issues.

To back up this up, another study in the medical journal Headache found that 56% of people with reported gluten sensitivity, and 30% of those with diagnosed celiac disease, suffered from chronic headaches compared to only 14% of people in the non-celiac control group.

Skin Rashes and Eczema

People with silent celiac disease (no digestive symptoms) or NCGS can also develop painful burning rashes, psoriasis, or other undefined dermatitis. This occurs after consuming foods with gluten in them, although it may be very difficult to discover the connection if there are no corresponding digestive symptoms to go with this.

The most common skin disorder connected to gluten causes is a painful rash called dermatitis herpetiformis. DH is actually a skin condition closely linked to celiac disease or NCGS.

One of the hallmarks of this skin condition is that the reaction to gluten occurs primarily in the skin, but no obvious intestinal discomfort is apparent. While people with DH are at the same risk for the complications suffered by people with celiac disease, as many as 20% of people with DH may have a normal intestinal biopsy.

DH can be diagnosed definitively with a skin biopsy. If you have odd itchy rashes or scaly skin, eliminate all gluten from your diet and see what happens. You may notice a positive result immediately.

[Personally, I suddenly started having horrible, burning, extremely itchy rashes all over my face and neck in my mid 40’s. I had no digestive symptoms to speak of. Although I went to several doctors no one could find a cause. It took me two full years of eliminating possible irritating foods, lotions, and soaps to figure out a connection. Once I removed all gluten from my diet, no more rashes!]

Anemia

Iron deficiency anemia is a very common trait linked to both celiac disease and NCGS. Some research notes that it may often be the FIRST noticeable connection to celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, and up to 75 percent of those who have been diagnosed with anemia may also be gluten intolerant. Studies show that anemia is reported as the most frequent symptom of adult celiac disease or NCGS.

Gluten disorders interfere with absorption of iron, vitamins and other minerals in the gut and anemia tends to be one of the first signs of malabsorption. Even worse, anemia makes one feel tired and weak, further exacerbating the fatigue that gluten can cause.

Long Term Damage Caused by Celiac Disease or NCGS

If the above health symptoms don’t get your attention about the possibility of eliminating gluten from your diet, take a look at the list below. These diseases often result from long-term exposure to gluten—whether it is celiac disease, silent celiac disease or NCGS. These include:

• Epilepsy
• ADHD
• Schizophrenia
• Diabetes
• Osteoporosis
• Multiple Sclerosis and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
• Thyroid Disorders
• Fibromyalgia
• Peripheral Neuropathy
• Dementia
• Gluten Ataxia

One study actually found a very strong link to gluten sensitivity and neurological conditions of unknown origin. And for some people with gluten sensitivity, the primary symptom they experienced was neurological dysfunction. The data suggests that nearly 60 percent of people with neurological dysfunction of unknown origin test positive for anti-gliadin antibodies.

What about you? Are you or anyone you know experiencing any of the above health issues? Even if you have tested negative for gluten or don’t have any of the usual digestive reactions to gluten, gluten may still be the root cause for some of your nagging health problems.

There is no ‘for-sure’ test for non-celiac gluten sensitivity, but as many as 1 out of 20 Americans may have this malady. And unfortunately, many doctors still do not believe that NCGS even exists in spite of it being validated as a real clinical condition.

Since conventional medical doctors may still be hesitant to connect gluten to various health issues. I still believe the very best test for gluten reactions is to do an elimination diet for 30 days, and then reintroduce it for 48 hours, eating it at every meal. Record all physical, mental and emotional symptoms ranging from 1 hour after gluten ingestion to 48 hours after the last gluten consumed.

The majority of studies here have investigated whether or not certain health issues are signs of gluten intolerance, and whether or not they can be addressed by going gluten free. And it turns out, these health problems—including the serious health problems—improved or totally resolved when following a gluten-free diet.

According to Dr. Chris Kresser, this test by Cyrex Laboratories offers a comprehensive blood panel that will screen for all wheat and gluten proteins. Even then, it should not totally replace a gluten challenge. Note: this blood test will need to be ordered by your physician or another healthcare provider.

Whether you may have silent or atypical celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, it is important to eliminate gluten from your diet to avoid long term damage to your bones, brain, nerves, digestive system, and more.

If you suffer from celiac disease, NCGS, or just want to AVOID gluten completely and you love bread, I have some NEWS for you!!!

My friend Kelly came up with the most delicious, healthy and most important gluten free bread! Click here to enjoy the world’s healthiest bread!

References
https://celiac.org/about-celiac-disease/related-conditions/dermatitis-herpetiformis/
https://www.verywellhealth.com/gluten-sensitivity-vs-celiac-disease-562964
https://www.verywellhealth.com/surprising-signs-you-may-have-a-gluten-allergy-4147574
https://www.verywellhealth.com/celiac-disease-and-migraine-563110

The post ‘Silent’ Celiac Disease May be Destroying Your Health appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

Today’s blog is republished from my friends at TheAlternativeDaily, a leading publisher of daily alternative health tips that I personally read every day…The original article can be found here:

While the subject of our bathroom habits is usually either brushed under the rug or discussed in the form of embarrassing jokes, it is actually a complex and important area of health that should not be ignored.

We’ve talked about healthy bathroom habits and ways to resolve constipation, and today we will discuss the buoyancy of poop in particular. Whether your poops bob at the surface or dive to the bottom can be a sign of many things to do with your health and nutritional status.

Here are some of the hidden wellness messages that can be deciphered from the contents of your toilet.

Poor digestion of fats

A common conclusion in the health community is that floating poops are a sign of poor digestion. When the floating stool sticks to the side of the toilet bowl and is difficult to flush, or an oily sheen appears on the surface of the water, fats in the diet are likely left undigested.

So what can be done about floating poop? Talk to a trusted health practitioner about the health of your liver, gallbladder and pancreas, all of which are involved in producing the bile that is used to digest fats.

Too little fiber

While many sources seem to indicate that sinking poops are preferred, others suggest that floaters are a sign that the diet contains a good amount of fiber. This is because those who eat more fiber, also known as prebiotics, have greater colonies of bacteria in the lower gut. This leads to poop that contains more gases produced by the bacteria. The gases make waste less dense and cause poop to float.

Regardless of whether you are seeing floaters or sinkers in the toilet, make sure that your diet contains lots of vegetables, fruit, nuts and legumes to ensure that an adequate amount of fiber is being consumed. The goal is to get at least 35 grams each day.

If fiber is a new thing in your diet, start slowly! Otherwise the number of bacteria feasting on all that fiber may increase too quickly and cause digestive discomfort.

Celiac disease

Some experts believe that floating poops could be a sign of celiac disease. Gluten leaves the gut inflamed and unable to digest food properly. Stools may float and be grey or tan in color, and have a foul odor. A particular concern is if you see floating, soft, diarrhea-like stool frequently or for an extended period. If this is you, consider getting tested for celiac disease, or better yet, simply decide to eliminate gluten from your diet!

Constipation

On the other hand, sinking poops can be a sign of chronic constipation. Constipation can occur when a person doesn’t have enough digestive motility (i.e., the intestines are not working to push the waste along). There are many causes of constipation, such as poor diet, anxiety, lack of exercise and not drinking enough water.

Common solutions are to drink more water to help hydrate the bowel and the stool, take magnesium supplements to relax the intestine, and use herbal remedies such as aloe vera juice and cayenne pepper, which are known to improve elimination.

Does the floater vs. sinker debate really matter?

In the end, many health experts do not emphasize the buoyancy of poop (or lack thereof). More important is the frequency, shape, color and smell. Use the following checklist to determine if you are a healthy pooper:

• Eliminate at least once per day (but not more than three times).
• Have poops that are smooth and about the shape of a banana, not too hard and not too soft.
• Color should be an even medium brown with no visible bits of food, fat, blood or mucus.
• Smell should be fairly neutral, not overly unpleasant.

The more points you answer “yes” to above, the better your poop health is! Ideally you will experience a mix of floaters or sinkers on different days, along with some that just hover in the water and don’t go to either extreme.

How does your poop stack up? Make sure you take a moment to check it out next time you go! If your toilet habits need a little upgrading, try these smoothie recipes that help promote good poops.

Constipation? Eat this Vegetable to Flush Out Trapped Poop:

Could eating one vegetable fix stuck poop for good?

According to a breakthrough study from researchers in India…

The answer is YES.

See, most people don’t realize that a single vegetable, eaten daily by villagers in one remote region, is the reason they have the lowest rates of constipation in the entire country.

Out of 1.4 billion people.

Scientists discovered this vegetable contains a rare compound that gently “wakes up” the bowels…

So poop slides out effortlessly instead of getting stuck.

The crazy part?

This vegetable has been used for over 3,000 years in ancient medicine.

But most Americans have never heard of it.

=> Constipated? Eat THIS vegetable

To smooth satisfying poops!

Sources:
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM197205042861804
http://www.livescience.com/36689-poop-health-signs-disease-infection.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9299672
http://www.nature.com/ajg/journal/v98/n4/abs/ajg2003199a.html
http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/8995945

The post Does Your Poop Sink or Float? (And Why It Matters) appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

Ever heard someone say, “trust your gut”?

If your gut microbiome is off, it can cause you to feel anxious and depressed. What’s more, an unhealthy gut microbiome can actually be the cause of more serious psychiatric disorders like bipolar disorder and even schizophrenia. We used to think these mental disorders were all in our head, but really, they stem from our guts.

Even Hippocrates knew this vital fact: disease begins in the gut, and as we have been discovering, he is exactly right. A gut that is disrupted by antibiotics, a poor diet, or stress can cause anxiety disorders as well as depression. Yes, your gut bacteria have a strong effect on your mood and mental state.

Almost 20 percent of the U.S. population suffers from some type of anxiety disorder, and that only counts the ones who are officially diagnosed. The number of people who suffer from anxiety, depression and other mood disorders is probably much higher.

Anxiety can be paralyzing, causing fear, apprehension, and panic attacks. It affects all parts of life too. Many people turn to pharmacological medications to help, but these often have negative side effects, like being addictive or making you sleepy. And these meds don’t get to the heart of the problem—fixing your gut.

Serotonin and other brain neurotransmitters are thought to originate in the brain, but many of these important brain chemicals are manufactured in your gut. Yes, your gut. And if your gut does not have the right balance of healthy bacteria, it will have a definite effect on your moods.

In fact, the field of psychiatry is actually beginning to understand that a wide variety of mood and mental disorders are related to the gut-brain pathway. Even things like:
ADHD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Your gut and your brain communicate directly through the vagus nerve, as well as your spinal cord. The vagus nerve connects the central nervous system to your heart, lungs, and digestive tract. In addition, many different types of bacteria in the gut help to synthesize 90 percent of necessary neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and GABA.

These neurotransmitters are responsible for those happy, ‘feel-good’ and calm feelings. The gut microbiome is also directly or indirectly responsible for other important brain chemicals including brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF.

It’s interesting to note that there have been notable differences in the gut microbiome with mood disorders in human studies. In other words, depressed or anxious people have a very different gut profile than a healthy person.

Now, compound the issues of the delicate balance of the microbiome with gluten intolerance or celiac disease. There is a very strong link between celiac disease and psychological state. Anxiety, depression and fatigue are even more common in those with some degree of gluten sensitivity.

Along with an imbalance of appropriate gut bacteria, the inflammation and malabsorption in the small intestine can create problems that result in malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies.

Vitamins and minerals such as B6, B12, folate, vitamin D, vitamin K, iron and calcium are synthesized and absorbed in the gut. Many of these vitamins are also associated with mood, especially the B vitamins, which have much to do with nerve and brain function. A deficiency in these can most definitely cause depression, anxiety and even schizophrenia and dementia.

These vitamin deficiencies and malabsorption severely affect the body’s ability to produce the necessary ingredients for serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, making someone who has gluten sensitivity even more prone to mood disorders.

In 1967, a doctor discovered that a large portion of the patients in an inpatient psychiatric unit happened to also have had a major history of gluten intolerance. Many physicians have also noticed that their celiac patients were about 10 times more likely to have schizophrenia or other serious psychological disorders, as compared to their non-celiac patients.

In addition, epidemiological studies of Pacific Islanders and other populations have shown a strong, dose-dependent relationship between wheat consumption and schizophrenia. While gluten-free populations studied have extremely rare occurrences of schizophrenia, there are about 1 in 100 cases of schizophrenia here in the wheat eating U.S. And when populations have Westernized their diets to add more wheat products, sugar and beer (which contains gluten) schizophrenia becomes much more common.

Coincidence? I think not.

Gluten also causes tiny micro-holes in the gut, creating a syndrome called leaky gut syndrome. This causes tiny protein molecules from food to leak out into the body, creating an inflammatory immune response and causing food allergies.

The body reacts to these foreign molecules as it would pathogens, attacking them and mounting an immune defense. This not only weakens our defenses against REAL pathogens, but it also creates a whole cascade of reactions in the body like abdominal swelling, joint aches, brain fog, headaches, rashes and more.

Gluten intolerance also can be related to mood swings, depression, anxiety, irritability, anger management problems and social phobias.

A healthy gut microbiome is important to our health and well-being even as babies. It has been found that babies who have been born vaginally have a healthier, more well-balanced gut microbiome than babies who were born via C-section. This is because a vaginal birth helps to populate an infant’s gut with the appropriate bacteria to start life.

Fix Your Gut and Change Your Moods for the Better!

A healthy gut should have a diverse, robust microbiome that protects and nourishes the body.  Unfortunately, many factors present in our daily lives contribute to gut damage:

• Antibiotics
• Refined sugar
• Refined carbohydrates and grains, especially wheat
• Industrially processed vegetable oils like canola oil, soy oil, corn oil, etc.
• Inadequate intake of healthy fiber-especially vegetable fiber
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Chronic stress
• Foods containing grain and gluten

So how do we get back to a healthy microbiome in our guts and back to a happy, healthy, relaxed state of mind? First, realize there is no ONE perfect diet or a perfect microbiome, but we do know the elements that go into creating a healthy microbiome in our guts.

Most importantly, we have to remove the junk food that feeds the unhealthy bacteria and allows it to over populate our guts. Remove foods that contain sugar, refined carbohydrates, and especially foods containing gluten. While there is a lot of controversy out there about who is gluten intolerant and who isn’t, its better to just avoid gluten all together. It’s not so hard to be gluten-free these days, and your body and your mind will be far better off if you just remove the inflammatory substance.

Removing sugar and starchy foods will also help to starve out the overgrowth of candida, and other harmful pathogens, that are most certainly flourishing in your gut if you eat a high-carb diet.

Eat more healthy fiber—from vegetables, primarily. Healthy fiber from vegetables and fruit helps to feed the healthy bacteria in your gut, while ‘sweeping’ away the harmful gunk that may have built up.

Keep your diet to mostly healthy naturally-raised proteins, and organic vegetables. Avoid grains and other high carbohydrate foods. Drink bone broth. Bone broth contains healing ingredients, including collagen and glycerin that help to repair leaky guts and to soothe and nourish your insides, all the while encouraging the growth of healthy bacteria.

Consume lots of naturally fermented foods like (low sugar) yogurt, kefirs, kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi, and tempeh.

Consider taking a probiotic—especially if you have recently taken antibiotics. Certain probiotic strains of bacteria are especially helpful to encourage growth of healthy bacteria in your gut. And when you have lots of healthy bacteria, that bad stuff cannot grow. There are a few specific kinds that have been known to be especially helpful to improve anxiety or depression in clinical trials.

Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Bifidobacterium longum have all been shown to decrease feelings of anxiety and/or depression in human clinical trials. There are a huge variety of probiotic supplements are on the market, but they can be broken down into five main varieties:

• Lactobacillus
• Bifidobacterium
• Saccharomyces boulardii (healthy fungus)
• Soil-based or spore-forming probiotics
• E. coli Nissle 1917 (healthy form of E. coli)

Everyone’s microbiome is individual and everyone has a different mix of healthy bacteria. It’s best to try a few different kinds of probiotics or try a probiotic supplement that contains 3-5 of the above strains. And give it about 6-8 weeks. While you may feel some relief right away, clearing out those toxic and inflammatory pathogens that are anchored in your gut may take a while—as does re-establishing all those happy, healthy critters.

A healthy happy state of mind starts in your gut. Take care of it, and feed only those healthy bacteria. You may change your entire life for the better!

If you are looking to keep your gut health in check, along with addressing your weight, digestive issues, carvings, and even fatigue, check this out.

Discover the “health” foods you need to remove from your diet NOW.

References:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201103/wheat-and-schizophrenia
https://chriskresser.com/your-gut-microbiome-and-anxiety-whats-the-connection/
https://www.beyondceliac.org/living-with-celiac-disease/psychological-impacts/

The post The Bacteria in Your Gut Determine Your Moods appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling & Mike Geary
Co-authors of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

3 Reasons THIS Kind of Bread is Healthier to Eat

Bread gets a lot of bashing these days, especially in light of ‘low-carb’ or Paleo diets. And there is good reason for it—bread (even whole grain bread) contains gluten, and can contribute to inflammation in the body–especially the gut, and even the healthier ‘whole grain’ versions of bread can increase the blood sugar levels dramatically… In fact, some blood sugar tests have shown that 2 slices of “whole wheat” bread can spike blood sugar as high as an equivalent amount of calories of pure table sugar.

Gluten free bread can often be just as bad or worse, with its highly refined grains and starches. However, one particular type of bread is far healthier and easier to digest and it’s been around for centuries…

Sourdough bread is made in an entirely different way than commercially prepared breads and gluten free breads. Sourdough is a fermented bread, and the fermentation process makes it easier to digest and less likely to spike blood sugar levels, while also making the gluten in sourdough bread easier to digest than standard white, wheat, or multigrain breads.

Sourdough bread is actually one of the oldest ways of baking bread, and is thought to to have been prepared and baked in ancient Egypt around 1500 BC.  Sourdough bread is still hugely popular in the Mediterranean and Middle East, as well as the San Francisco area of the United States.  (Mike’s note:  While on a trip in France last year, we noticed that almost every restaurant served sourdough bread instead of regular non-fermented bread, and with grass-fed butter… once again, the French do it right in terms of quality of food and nutrition)

Most breads use baker’s yeast to help the dough rise, but traditional sourdough recipes use ‘wild yeast’ and lactic acid bacteria. Lactic acid bacteria are the same type of beneficial bacteria found in fermented foods such as yogurt, pickles, kombucha, sauerkraut and kimchi.

Sourdough uses a ‘starter’ made of fermented wild yeast, lactic acid bacteria, flour and water. The sourdough starter begins to ferment the sugars in the dough, changing the molecular structure, and breaking down its components, creating lactic acid and lactobacilli.

More Nutrition in Every Slice

Phytic acid is a substance in nuts, seeds and grains. Phytic acid or phytates are considered ‘anti-nutrients’ because they bind with minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc, making them unusable in the body, creating mineral deficiencies in those who eat large quantities of nuts, seeds and grains. This is especially true for vegetarians and vegans. It also binds with niacin, creating a B-vitamin deficiency called pellagra, which is especially noticeable in developing countries.

Probiotic lactobacilli contains the enzyme phytase, which breaks down phytic acid, making the sourdough bread easier to digest, and rendering the nutrients and minerals easier to utilize in the body.  This study shows sourdough bread fermentation reduces the phytate content by 24-50% over conventional yeast bread.  Studies show that the lactic acid in sourdough can actually release more antioxidants during fermentation. Sourdough fermentation also tends to increase the folate levels in the bread as well.

Because of its natural fermentation, sourdough also possesses a variety of bioavailable nutrients. It is rich in B vitamins, B1, B6, B12, folate, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, vitamin E, selenium, iron, manganese, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and potassium, along with its well balanced proteins and fatty acids. By contrast, many commercially prepared breads are so low in nutrients, that less-than-desirable synthetic vitamins are added back in, and those are more poorly absorbed by us.

Easier to Digest Even if Gluten-Intolerant

Many people are gluten sensitive or gluten intolerant. This means they are sensitive to the gluten molecule or protein in most breads. When sourdough bread is fermented, the fermentation process helps to dissolve the proteins and peptide bonds in the gluten. The enzymes in the bread help dissolve albumin, globulin, prolamin, and glutalin. These enzymes also produce a type of alcohol that will dissolve water-insoluble protein bonds. This breaking down of these proteins means that gluten sensitive people are often able to eat sourdough bread without a reaction. While gluten tolerance varies from person to person, those with true celiac disease should still avoid sourdough bread if it’s made from wheat or rye. Gluten-free sourdough is an option however, for those who are extremely sensitive to gluten.

Keep in mind though, that not all sourdough bread is made the same way, and depending on how long it ferments, and how long it is kneaded, can make the difference between a tummy ache from gluten and no tummy ache.

[Cat’s note:  I have genuine celiac disease and am pretty sensitive, but when traveling overseas, I have found I have been able to eat bread from Peru, some parts of Europe and Nepal, so I may have to try this out and see what happens].

Better Blood Sugar Control

One of the big negatives about eating regular bread, even the ‘whole wheat’ or ‘whole grain’ variety, is the blood sugar effects. People are often shocked to hear that whole wheat bread often increases blood sugar to as high of a level, or even higher level than pure sugar does. In fact, eating two slices of whole wheat bread is not too different than eating a candy bar in terms of blood sugar impact!

The good news is that sourdough bread may have a better effect on blood sugar and insulin levels than whole wheat bread, though the reason for this is not yet fully understood. Researchers theorize that the fermentation process must alter the carbohydrate molecules, which in turn slows down the speed at which the sugars enter the bloodstream. Several studies compared the glucose response of participants with sourdough bread and regular bread with baker’s yeast. Participants showed lower blood sugar and insulin response overall with the sourdough bread.

Make Your Own Sourdough

Much of the sourdough you buy in grocery stores in the US is not genuine sourdough and therefore will not contain the nutrient benefits that real sourdough contains.  However, high quality restaurants and bakeries will often have legitimate genuine sourdough.  You can also easily make your own sourdough at home, but remember it takes time to produce a high quality sourdough starter.

Once you have your starter, you ‘feed’ it daily and let it grow for 5-7 days. Do not rush this process.  Here are a few sourdough bread recipes from various websites:

• Basic Sourdough Bread
• Artisan Whole Grain Sourdough
• 12-Grain Raisin Sourdough
• Multigrain Sourdough Sandwich Bread

Enjoy your sourdough bread with a generous hunk of grass fed butter and raw honey! Now, that’s good eatin’!

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References:

Petre, Alina MS, RD. (nd) Authority Nutrition. Retrieved from
https://authoritynutrition.com/sourdough-bread/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=standard

Cookus Interruptus, 2013. Top Ten Reasons to Eat Sourdough Bread. Retrieved from
http://cookusinterruptus.com/blog/?p=4245

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11368651

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00217-009-1204-z

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17263468

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3273010/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17697425

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00217-009-1085-1

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8942413

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0733521002904698

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0733521009000307

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18317680

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7782904

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