We have all heard it: “You are what you eat!”, and the ongoing research is backing up what our predecessors have always known, and confirming this adage in surprising ways.

Though it may not be all that surprising anymore, as the wealth of mainstream nutritional information we have access to today, compared with 20 years ago when I started my practice, is vast.  In 2005 when I first set up my practice as a Naturopathic Doctor, I was only the 3rd in the city, the 13th in the province.

Most of my patients would look at me cross-eyed when I suggested a “probiotic” supplement, and their mouths would drop open if I went on to mention the importance of increasing fermented foods in the diet.  At the time, most people knew of “sauerkraut” and that was about it, and its reputation was tarnished, as children many of us of eastern European ancestry would have been force-fed this sour/ bitter & very smelly food by our well-meaning grandmother.

Today, we have ready access to all types of fermented foods and beverages, from the aforementioned “Kraut” – not readily available in delicious flavours from turmeric-pineapple, to dill pickle!  And probiotics are commonly listed on someone’s daily supplement regime, right beside Vitamins C and D.

That being said, there may be some of you reading this that aren’t aware of what a probiotic is, and since gut-brain health is the subject of this article, I had best explain!

A probiotic is a supplement or food that is high in beneficial bacteria.  Our gastrointestinal systems (GITs), right from our mouth to our anus, are lined with specialized bacteria, almost 6 pounds worth in our entire system!, that help us to digest food, they make vitamins for us (like Vitamin K and many of the B vitamins), they help boost our gut-related immune system, and thus help us fight infection, they metabolize fibre and create short chain fatty acids that are great for energy, maintaining a healthy weight, and keeping the lining of the gut healthy.  They also synthesize certain neurotransmitters – those chemicals that are also made in the brain – that are responsible for our mood, motivation, memory and sense of calm.

The key is.. the bacteria in our systems do all of these things, provided they are the right kinds of bacteria, and in the correct ratios.

Due to diets high in sugar, alcohol, processed foods, low in dietary fibre (the kind we get from vegetables, legumes, ground flax/ hemp/ chia and other medicinal seeds), the use of medications (particularly antibiotics, psychotropic medications, steroids, and immunosuppressants), high stress levels, and sedentary lives, our gut microbial population shifts.  And rather than be comprised of the types of bacteria that do all these wonderful things I listed above, these “good guys” are replaced by bacteria, and yeast, that secrete toxins that lead to local inflammation, and disrupt the lining of the gut.  They don’t digest our food, but rather they ferment it.  So like yeast acting on flour and sugar in your bread recipe, when we eat higher starch foods, they ferment in our guts resulting in gas, bloating, and a swollen abdomen.

Over time the gut lining breaks down (and it is important to note that this happens, even in the event we have no digestive symptoms!), allowing undigested food particles, inflammatory molecules, and microbes (bacteria, yeast, viral particles, and their toxins and genetic material) into the bloodstream, creating further inflammation within the body.  This leads to everything from joint pain, muscle aches, memory loss, low energy and fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, to depression.. and many, many more symptoms.

And the thing is, the more imbalance we have in our guts, the more gut imbalance will continue to exist, as they help determine what we crave.  Because they want to stay alive, we have a hard time staying away from sugar, chips, pop, alcohol, etc.  They are putting in their orders for their survival.  Meanwhile, we are producing fewer of the chemicals needed for mood, motivation and focus. And we are producing more stress hormones, as cortisol is used by the body to attempt to fight inflammation.  Because of this, we essentially might WANT to change, somewhere deep down inside, however we have great difficulty changing, because we have no energy or motivation with which to do so.

In other words, we are caught in a vicious cycle.

It doesn’t help that the demands of life don’t often give us the time to stop, and make the changes that are needed to get into a constructive cycle.

Much like being an alcoholic that needs to go through a detoxification process when they quit drinking, and are essentially debilitated for several days as their systems get used to being deprived of alcohol, often this sort of “break” from our lives is what we need to get ourselves out of the negative loop, and into a constructive loop.

The thing is, it is worth it!  And a constructive loop will sustain itself, just as much as a destructive one, as we begin to learn that while initially eating healthfully, taking supplements, moving our bodies, having healthy boundaries, giving up self-sabotaging strategies, disguised as soothing strategies – aka coping mechanisms, and instead turning towards nurturing strategies.  Think choosing a bubble bath over ice cream and you will have the idea.

What we seek to do as Naturopathic Doctors is to provide you the tools to break the vicious cycle, and create a constructive one – and doing so in a way that doesn’t feel overwhelming. We will often use testing methods, such a stool analysis, salivary or urinary hormone assays, urinary neurotransmitter measurements, heavy metal burden assessment, food sensitivity testing, just to name a few, in order to determine where the best place to start to get you back on track with your health!

We then look to put together a treatment plan specific to each individual, which means working with the person directly in front of us to determine how to break the cycle.  I work with people who aren’t ready to make food changes, but they are willing to do therapy, and energy work to support their nervous systems.  Then, feeling better, they are ready to embark on the nutritional changes also very much required for optimal health.

For others, they might be ready for a cleanse, and dedicated to changing their nutrition, to change their gut flora, to start craving the healthy foods, and as such balance the rest of the internal chemistry like mood and motivation.

And sometimes, supplements is where someone wants to begin in order to create the positive cycle.

It doesn’t matter where we start, just so long as we start, and if we want to make health sustainable, addressing all three aspect of the cycle: 1) coaching/ counseling/ therapy/ energy work; 2) nutrition, and 3) supplementation are fundamental.  Each feeds in to the next and before you know it you are in the groove, feeling energized, inspired, motivated and free to move.

Here are a few things you can do TODAY to get yourself on track for a thriving life:

1. Ditch sugar (including natural sugars from honey, and maple syrup, and highly sweet/ starchy foods like dried fruit, bananas, melons, potatoes, pasta, bread, baked goods of any sort – to make sure the sugar-loving taste buds are reset), processed foods, alcohol, red meat for at least 3 weeks.
2. Drink lots of water every day.  Half your body weight in ounces!  And make about 500 mL of it contain some sort of healthy electrolyte mix.  NOT a commercial preparation that glows in the dark, but rather an unsweetened or naturally sweetened with stevia, powder with the basics: sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
3. Eat at least 4 cups of veggies every day: raw, and lightly steamed.  Add them to soups, stir fries, blend into smoothies, or eat them on their own, dipped in hummus or a bean dip.  Just get ‘em in!
4. Eat at least 1/3 cup of fibre rich legumes each day, in the form of hummus, chickpeas, lentils, or another favourite bean.  They are one of the best sources of prebiotic fibre, and help to mop up toxins.
5. Keep your starches limited to those that come from root vegetables, green leafy vegetables, non-gluten whole grains (quinoa, rice, wild rice, buckwheat).  Again, these are great for feeding the types of bacteria we WANT inhabiting our digestive systems.
6. Eat 2 Tbsp ground flax per day, and another 2 Tbsp of another type of seed, like hemp or chia.
7. Drizzle healthy oils from good fats like olive, avocado, flax and coconut onto your food.  And eat the food sources of those oils too!
8. Heap several forkfuls of fermented foods onto your plate.
9. EXERCISE and BREATHE!!!
10. Book an appointment with an ND!  We will get you the testing, protocol, and accountability you might need to optimize your health and life

Key points:

• Good health starts in the gut;
• You are what you eat AND ABSORB;
• Looking for underlying causes for the rise in chronic health concerns – leads back to gut health, and the system that ultimately runs gut health: the nervous system;
• What we are doing differently now vs. decades to centuries ago/ cross culturally wrt food practices/ lifestyle practices
• Given the growing scientific evidence of the importance of the gut microbiome (the collection of micro-organisms and symbiotic bacteria that support our overall gut health), it becomes even more critical to be aware of the impact of our diet on digestive function and wellness.

Overview of digestion

• Gut: mouth, throat, stomach, intestines: small and large (colon), rectum, anus
• Accessory organs: liver, gallbladder, pancreas, appendix, omentum
• Nervous system: brain, vagus nerve, enteric plexus, migrating motor complex
• Microbiome: micro – tiny; biome – living… the tiny living creatures in our gut (bacteria, yeast/ fungi, viruses)
  • Nutrient absorption
  • Make enzymes, vitamins and amino acids
  • Produce short chain fatty acids (butyrate, propionate, acetate) that keep gut lining healthy and enhance gut immunity
  • Activate flavonoids
• Depleted by stress, diet high in processed foods/ refined carbs/ flour/ sugar/ low in fiber-rich plants, non-organic foods (pesticides, antibiotics), birth method (c-section), infant feeding, pharmaceuticals (namely antibiotics and antacids, but also others like meds for anxiety and depression), over-eating, lack of exercise, alcohol use and abuse (antiseptic)
• Domino effect: low enzyme levels/ low acids à no killing of pathogens; set up residence, good guys killed off, putrefaction of foods vs/ healthy fermentation, toxins produced, “leakiness” of gut, irritation of gut lining, activation of immune system, overload of liver, toxic bile, recirculation of toxins, hormones, cholesterol; constipation, diarrhea

Strategies:

• 4 Rs: remove (get rid of the “bad guys”: problematic foods, bacteria, viruses, yeast, parasites, etc.), replace (put back in: enzymes), re-inoculate (get the good bacteria and beneficial yeast back in), repair (the gut lining using bone broth, amino acid powders, especially l-glutamine, fish oils)
• Remove: Take natural anti-microbials if suspected “dysbiosis” (oil of oregano, garlic, pau d’arco, etc.)
• Remove: Avoid flours (all flours, not just gluten) and sugar, reduce/ eliminate dairy and all other problem foods for you;
• Remove: Ensure regular bowel movements – for constipation look at magnesium, hydration, probiotics/ for diarrhea look at psyllium, charcoal, bentonite;
• Replace: Chew food well;
• Replace: Take enzymes/ apple cider vinegar;
• Replace: Activate vagus nerve: stress reduction/ gargle/ sing/ relax/ pray/ move/ meditate
• Replace & Re-inoculate: Eat fermented foods
• Re-inoculate: Take probiotics
• Repair: Practice fasting (12 hours minimum)
• Repair: Leave 4-5 hours between meals
• Repair: Castor oil packs

Functional Foods for a Healthy Gut

Over the last few years there has been an increased interest in foods that do more than just provide basic nutrition. These foods are often referred to as functional foods; a term, first introduced in Japan in the 1980’s. Functional foods have sometimes been defined as “any food or food ingredient that may provide a health benefit beyond the traditional nutrients it contains.”

Many, although not all, functional foods are whole foods which provide a rich source of fiber to the diet. As well as providing other health benefits, these foods can in turn support good gut health.

A few of many examples of Functional Foods

• Fiber-rich foods (psyllium, chia, ground flax) – 1-2 Tbsp 2xd;
• “Bitters” (artichoke, arugula, dandelion (tea), lemons, grapefruit) as these get things squirting;
• O Shown to reduce cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular disease, oats are also a good source of manganese;
• Rich in lycopene, betacarotene, and vitamin C, studies indicate that tomatoes may reduce the risk of prostate cancer.  They have also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and to support bone health (note: some people may be sensitive to tomatoes if they need to avoid nightshades);
• These may help reduce the risk of urinary tract infections while providing a rich source of antioxidants;
• Studies show that a diet high in cruciferous vegetables is linked to a reduced risk for cancer;
• Lacto-fermented foods. Those foods which have been made by allowing natural bacteria and yeast to feed on the sugars and starches in foods. This process creates enzymes, increases nutritional content, and adds beneficial probiotics to the foods.

Types of Fermented Foods

Found in many cultures around the world, fermented foods are a healthy way to support overall gut health.  Examples of different types of lacto-fermented foods include:

• Traditionally fermented sauerkraut
• A spicy fermented cabbage dish from Korea.
• Soybeans that have been naturally fermented, found in a number of Asian cultures.
• A fermented tea, origins unknown but it appears in many cultures.
• Made from fermented milk, this is similar to yogurt but thinner and with more probiotic activity originating in the Caucasus mountains.

Adding these probiotic organisms to the digestive tract can improve digestive capacity. This is because they can improve the production of hydrochloric acid. Conversely when there is an excess of stomach acid, adding fermented foods can support and protect the intestinal lining.

Adding lacto-fermented foods also supports the release of digestive enzymes throughout the digestive system (stomach, pancreas, and gallbladder), these enzymes help to improve digestion, digestibility, and nutrient absorption from food.

Although lacto-ferments, are easy to make at home, they do require monitoring, temperature control, and an understanding of the fermentation process. Purchasing these, either at a grocery store or online, may be a simpler option, especially for those just getting starting with adding these types of foods to their diet.

Challenge: Add at least one new functional food to your daily diet

https://www.backtoyouroots.com/ – locally made fermented foods available for purchase.

http://www.kristenscultures.com/ – locally made foods; also classes available to teach you how to ferment your own foods.

www.culturesforhealth.com – Great website that has for purchase items to get started on your own fermenting journey, as well as fantastic “how-to” guides, recipes and more (sourdough, yogurt, kombucha, kefir, vegetables, cheese and tempeh).

Early this February I started another nutrition class.  I love offering classes as a way of delivering information to multiple individuals at once, creating a container of accountability, support and inspiration, and providing an opportunity to actually put into practice what we might be learning, regardless of what area of life we might be learning about.

I am famous for saying “information is not transformation” and what I mean by that is that there reaches a point at which we cannot continue to simply gather information, we must put it into action in order to create transformation.  Group work is really helpful in this regard.  As it is with human nature, we are much more likely to remain accountable and to succeed in our goals if we have others to check in with and lean on.

When I lead cleanse classes, like this “Delicious Detox” course I am currently engaged in, I start off with differentiating between Intentions, Goals and Action Steps.  All are incredibly important parts in the world of creating successful change, no matter what area of our life we are looking to overhaul.  We often focus mainly on goals, and believe that if we have our goals clear then we should be able to follow through and make them manifest.  While well-intentioned, this is rarely what leads to successful outcomes, which is why I spend time focussed on two other essential elements of the change creation process:  Intentions and Action Steps.

Intentions create the blueprint for how you want to feel.  Intentions are an energetic creation that are essential for ensuring we move, at a deep cellular and internal biochemical level, towards what we want to achieve.  You should be able to FEEL intentions in your body, as you Imagine and Visualize what it is you want.

Goals are the tangible measurable ways in which we commit to making manifest our intentions.  If our intention is to be more energized and feel lighter and healthier, some of the goals we might have could be to eat cleaner, sleep more, lose weight, etc.

To ensure our goals are being met we require action steps.  For example if our goal is to eat cleaner, we might commit to the action steps of:

• eliminating sugar;
• drinking 2 L. of water per day;
• ensuring we have at least 3 cups of veggies each day, etc.

Action steps are the building blocks that ensure our goals can be met.  They are measurable and can be used for tracking our commitment.

Contemplate what your intentions/ goals and action steps might be for your own health.  Then every morning and every evening when you wake, and as many times during the day as you think to, close your eyes and feel what it would feel like to have your intention be your reality.  Go into as much sensory details as possible (feeling, seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling) as you do this somatic visualization.

Read your goals after setting your intentions, ensuring they still feel aligned.

Create a daily checklist of the action steps you have committed to.  I like to use a chart whereby the vertical first column lists the various action steps that you desire to take, and the rest of the vertical columns serve as check boxes for the action steps, each column representing a new day.  You can see a sample of one here and download it for your use.

If implementing such a plan is of interest to you, we do sell the Delicious Detox resource book at the clinic and it includes a 2-week meal plan, shopping lists and recipes to make your journey smooth-sailing.

And if you are interested in a future similar offering, stay tuned to my website for event postings.

In the meantime, best of luck in manifesting your deepest desires for health and healing!

Spring is a fantastic time to take a pause and evaluate what old, unhelpful habits you might have slowly developed over the winter, and get clear on what new, life-giving habits you might want to develop.

Our brains are designed so that we cannot just stop doing something.  If we have been in the habit of doing something: drinking wine every night with supper, getting lost in Netflix after a long day, having dessert each evening, then we cannot just decide one day to stop doing it, and expect to be successful.  Maybe some people can, those with iron-will and incredible discipline, but I am not one of those people.  Plus, anytime I have been successful through these means, I am maybe successful for a few months, if I am lucky, but in those months, I am miserable, and every ounce of my effort is consumed trying not to walk down that habitual path.  So eventually, I get tired and worn down and give up, falling back into the comfort of the familiar habit.

What works best is for us to be able to turn to a new habit that directly replaces our old habit.  If we have something to distract our brains, and we do this repetitively in the place of doing the “old thing”, eventually we form a new neurological pathway, which becomes our brain’s version of the new habit.

Take a moment to determine what old habits you might want to do away with, and then perhaps peruse the list below to determine if one of these Habits of Health appeals to you and seems it could be a doable new habit for you.

What follows are 10 things that if we all did these things every day, we would feel amazing.  Trust me, I know!  I am living proof.  I want to emphasize that, yes, being healthy takes work.  It takes discipline, some sacrifice and effort.  That being said, when these practices come from a place of self-love and worthiness, that is to say, when we see these practices as gifts we are offering ourselves as means to achieve good energy, a balanced mood, a healthy body, then they feel much less onerous and much more joyful.

A powerful reframe for me, around terms such as “discipline” and “sacrifice”, as these can often also conjure up feelings of onerousness, is to think of the roots of these words: “discipline” from the Latin for disciple.  And to become a disciple unto one’s Self.  When we are dedicated to our own health and well-being, we can become our best selves and serve others: our family, friends, workplace and community from a place of fullness.  Serving ourselves, serves others.  And “sacrifice”, to make sacred.  We make our lives sacred as we gift ourselves healthy food, healthy rest, healthy movement, to name a few.

In any case, please read on for these 10 Habits and see what you can commit to incorporating today and every day.

1. Optimize your digestive enzymes: sit down when you are eating, chew your food 10-20 bites per mouthful, set down your fork in between. You can also include 1 Tbsp. of apple cider vinegar in a little water before you eat and be sure to heap 2-4 Tbsp. of fermented foods onto your plate.
2. Practice deep breathing. 10-15 mindful breaths 3x/d, a great breath practice is the “box” breath: inhaling for a count of 4, holding for 4, exhaling for 4 and holding for 4 and repeating. This is incredibly effective for balancing the nervous system, optimizing brain chemistry, and downregulating stress hormones.
3. Promote regular healthy elimination: add at a minimum of 2 Tbsp of fiber on top of your regular dietary intake daily and add 1-2 capsules of probiotics. I love ground flax seeds, aiming for 2-4 Tbsp. per day, along with 25-50 billion CFUs of good bacteria.
4. Dry brush your skin before showers and baths. At the end of your shower or bath do 3 cycles of hot/ cold (warm/ cool) water to end, finishing with cold water.
5. Focus on daily detoxification: Start your day with a mug of warm lemon water and drink 2-3 L of water and herbal teas daily.
6. Emphasize rhythm in your life: Ensure you are going to bed at the same time every night (ideally between 9:30 and 10 PM) and waking around the same time every morning (ideally between 6 and 7:30 AM); and that your meals and snacks are consumed at roughly the same time each day, on a schedule of every 3.5 to 4 hours, with a minimum 12-hour overnight fast. The body loves rhythm!
7. Make a commitment to eliminate sugar, processed foods, caffeine, alcohol, non-organic meat, and non-organic dairy products from your diet. Work to clean out the chemical-based cleaning, cosmetic and lawn care products from your home (dispose of safely – never down the drain, and call poison control if uncertain).
8. Take your recommended supplements daily, including your 1 Tbsp (heaping) of greens powder daily (to give you the nutrients found in 8-10 servings of vegetables.) Or commit to 4-6 cups leafy greens, or best yet, do both! Put either into a smoothie for a quick, easy, and nutritious morning meal. Protect and balance the nervous system and adrenal glands – 1 Tbsp of liquid Calcium: Magnesium or straight magnesium and 1 tsp of high-quality liquid fish oil daily.
9. Exercise – At least 30 minutes per day – walking, stretching, weight training, swimming…anything goes! Find something you enjoy doing and stick with it.
10. Work on your self-worth – surround yourself with positive energy, seek support, read books that enhance your self-belief, let go of beliefs that no longer serve you. #1) practice self compassion and GRATITUDE.

Please don’t get too overwhelmed by this list.  Pull one or two things from it to start with and incorporate them, the ones that feel doable and that you feel you could be successful at.  Once they become part of your daily habits and you can do them without much extra effort, pick another one or two.  This is truly the way we become proficient at living a healthy life.

If you would like to learn more about these habits, please listen to the interview I had with Sherry Lee earlier this winter.  My full series can be found at http://www.drzepp.com/in-the-media.html, and you will find the interview to the 10 Habits in the 7^th Segment that aired January 25^th, on physical health.