Have You Heard About Leaky Gut?

I am almost certain that there are two words you have never heard together, and they are… leaky gut. A couple of the first things that people want to know is what it is and how it affects them.

The most basic fact that we all have to understand is that all disease begins in the gut. So back the original question, what IS leaky gut? Aside from being at the root of the majority of health conditions; it is an issue that occurs when you get holes in the tight junctions of your gut. It is also known as intestinal permeability.

When these holes appear things start to leak into your bloodstream from your gut. These are things that should NEVER get into your bloodstream such as toxins, microbes, bad bacteria, or undigested protein. Once this happens it causes an immune reaction.

So how does this begin? It all starts with eating poorly. A poor diet leads to inflammation that over time will cause leaky gut. After this you will end up with problems like nutrient malabsorption, GI issues, food sensitivities, and autoimmune diseases.

Leaky gut is truly the first stage that leads to many other health problems.

Okay, so now we know that a poor diet can cause leaky gut. There are certain foods that should for sure be eliminated or monitored.

• Excessive sugar
• Dairy
• Grains (gluten)
• GMO foods along with those treated with pesticides and herbicides
• Hydrogenated oils
• Chemicals

One of the biggest factors that can cause leaky gut is emotional stress. It is imperative to take care of your emotional and stress.

What are some ways that you can get started on the right track towards prevention? Change your diet; now that we know what things to avoid, it’s easy! Start by removing one thing at a time.  There is no need to make it more difficult than it has to be. It’s never about “dieting”, it’s about changing your lifestyle!

A Little Bit About Coconut Milk

We have talked about the amazing benefits of coconuts in a previous blog. More specifically, today we are going to talk about coconut water and coconut milk.

One of the first things that must be addressed is that there is a difference between coconut milk and coconut water. That liquid that you hear swishing around inside of a coconut when you pick it up is coconut water. A lot of people don’t know that next to pure water, coconut water is the best option to re-hydrate on a hot day or after a workout. If you’re looking for countless nutrients and electrolytes, look no further than coconut water.

There is a whole process to the creation of coconut milk. It is made by grinding the coconut meat and diluting it with water. It is rich in protein and fat. It has a similar consistency to cow’s milk. It is often accompanied by other ingredients, such as spices and vinegar. This is because it does not have the natural sweetness of coconut water.

Coconut milk is full of fat! Yes! It’s full of GOOD fats! You need to have 50-70% of healthful fat in their daily diet. This is a great way to get it. What makes this fat so beneficial? Well it is in the form of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). MCFAs are converted into energy rather than stored as fat.

It is important to find a high quality coconut milk. If it is bright white in color, that does not necessarily translate to high-quality. It may actually contain bleaching agents.  Considering that one of the major benefits of coconut milk is the fat content, try to avoid lower fat or fat free varieties of coconut milk.

I know it seems surprising, but fat can be good for you! There are so many coconut milk recipes out there.  Check them out, give them a try! It’s going to be good!

Probiotics: They Help You… So Don’t Hurt Them

There is a lot of talk about probiotics. These are the natural bacteria in your gut that help keep you healthy. As we have discussed previously, you gut is where most of your immune system lives. So keeping it healthy and maintain the proper balance of good bacteria is essential to staying healthy!

It is important to take a daily probiotic. A lot of yogurt companies claim that their products contain probiotics. They do, however, they often only contain one strain. It is best to find a probiotic that contains a few strains.

Enough about all of that stuff, I was supposed to make this one short and sweet. So I’ll get to the point, there are certain things that are the most notorious probiotic killers… some may come as a surprise… others wont be so surprising.

Here they are:

1. Prescription Antibiotics
2. Sugar
3. Tap Water
4. GMO Foods
5. Grains
6. Emotional Stress
7. Chemicals and medications

…that’s all folks

Check back soon!