Are you experiencing chronic gut issues? Have you tried every probiotic and gut protocol, treated parasites, and still can’t seem to resolve your issues? In this blog, we’ll explore four effective ways to truly heal your gut.
First and foremost, it’s essential to believe in your body’s innate capacity to heal. No supplement or external remedy can fix you entirely; the true power of healing lies within you. Understand that you don’t need to depend on someone or something else because you possess this incredible capacity within yourself.
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4 Ways to Improve Chronic Gut Issues
1. The Nervous System
Living in a constant state of fight or flight, where you’re perpetually worried about food and its effects, keeps your body in survival mode. This state slows digestion, reduces motility, and weakens your immune responses. Healing your nervous system is crucial.
Transitioning from a fight-or-flight state to a state of connection, rest, and digestion is essential. This process varies for each individual. For some, it may involve therapy or counseling; for others, it could be somatic work, breathwork, meditation, or social connection.
When in a fight or flight state, blood flow diverts from the digestive tract, leading to maldigestion. This results in decreased stomach acid, pancreatic enzymes, and bile production, causing poorly digested food and potentially leading to bacterial or fungal overgrowth and leaky gut.
To optimize digestion:
Limit water or fluids around your meals (15 minutes before and after, and during).
Focus on breathing: take three diaphragmatic breaths before eating to enter a parasympathetic state.
Chew your food 20-30 times.
Take a short walk after eating to aid digestion.
3. Testing
Understanding the root cause of your gut issues is imperative. While nervous system dysregulation is often a factor, deeper issues may also be present. Testing can reveal:
Chronic colonization of a pathogen
Presence of H. pylori
Dysbiosis (imbalance of bacteria)
Digestive efficiency (pancreatic elastase, fat in stool)
Gut immune system health (secretory IgA)
Antibodies to gluten or other potential allergens
Leaky gut
Comprehensive stool testing, SIBO testing, and other diagnostic tests can provide definitive answers and guide a systematic treatment approach. Working with the right provider ensures this process is not overwhelming.
4. Nutrient Repletion
Eliminating certain foods and considering a therapeutic food plan for a short period might be necessary, but the goal is always to optimize nutrient intake to support healing and thriving. Eliminating too many foods can signal a core issue, often increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut).
Instead of focusing on what to eliminate, think about adding more good things to your diet:
Gradually incorporate these nutrients to fuel your body and support day-to-day life.
Approach this with a mindset of adding more good things rather than removing everything.
The Bottom Line
These four tips might seem daunting if you’re experiencing chronic gut issues, but take a step back and view this with a beginner’s mind. Recognize that your body is designed to heal and sometimes needs the right input to do so. Start with the nervous system, then move to mental, emotional, and spiritual health, and give your body what it needs to nurture itself.
If this was helpful, please give it a like, share it, and subscribe to our YouTube channel, the Movement Paradigm, for weekly tips on mindset, nutrition, and movement. Our goal is to help you live your best life, heal, transform, and, more importantly, thrive.
You can always join us in our app, the Movement Paradigm. We have lots of challenges every other month—everything from movement to the nervous system, nutrition, and so on. And we have a great community of people.
You can also reach out to us for an individual appointment for functional medicine or holistic physical therapy. If you really want to get to the root cause, please reach out to us.
Are you experiencing right-sided neck pain, right shoulder pain, or sciatica? Are traditional treatments failing to provide relief? Perhaps you’re also dealing with frustration, anger, skin issues, or digestive problems. If so, your liver might be playing a significant role. Today, we’ll explore the connection between liver and neck pain, helping you look deeper into potential root causes.
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The Connection Between Liver and Neck Pain
The liver is an incredible organ, essential for detoxifying blood, metabolizing nutrients, and producing bile. It’s vital for overall health, yet many factors can compromise its function. Genetic variances, toxic exposure, inflammatory diets, and chronic stress can all impact the liver. Additionally, there’s an emotional link to our organs; the liver is often associated with anger and frustration.
If you frequently feel stuck in a fight-or-flight state, constantly frustrated, or angry, it could indicate liver issues. Our main focus today is the liver’s connection to musculoskeletal problems, particularly in the right neck and shoulder. However, the liver can also affect the thoracic spine and cause sciatica on either side. Fascial connections, ligaments, and the liver’s relationship with the diaphragm mean liver issues can manifest as common musculoskeletal pain.
Self-Assessment for Liver-Related Pain
Let’s begin with a simple assessment. Even if you’re not currently in pain, checking for restrictions or mobility issues can be helpful. Turn your head fully to the right, then to the left. Tilt your head to each side and bring your chin down to your collarbone. Notice any tightness or restriction.
If you do experience pain, try this: place your left hand over your liver area, just below the right rib cage. Apply gentle pressure and turn your head to the right again. Notice any changes in range of motion or pain reduction. You can also test your shoulder: raise your arm without pressure on the liver, then with pressure, and compare the differences.
This assessment can reveal whether liver input affects your musculoskeletal system, suggesting fascial or joint restrictions linked to liver function.
Addressing Neck and Shoulder Pain
Here’s how to address neck and shoulder pain potentially linked to liver issues:
Cross-Body Stretch
Cross your arms over your chest, each hand on the opposite shoulder. Inhale as you rotate to one side, hold briefly, then exhale and return to the center. Repeat on the other side to stretch the fascia and create rib cage expansion.
Alternating Arm Movements
Inhale as you lift one arm up and the other down, then switch sides. Repeat several times to promote mobility.
Liver Motility Exercises
Imagine a 3D motion for the liver: out, up, and back, then down, front, and in. Perform this gentle practice for 45 seconds to a minute, mimicking the liver’s natural movement during breathing.
After these exercises, recheck your range of motion. You might find your neck and shoulder movements feel freer and less restricted.
Supporting Liver Health
To maintain a healthy liver, focus on a nutritious diet and incorporate lymphatic drainage practices. By supporting one of your body’s key detoxification organs, you can enhance overall health and potentially reduce musculoskeletal pain.
If this was helpful, please give it a like, share it, and subscribe to our YouTube channel, the Movement Paradigm, for weekly tips on mindset, nutrition, and movement. Our goal is to help you live your best life, heal, transform, and, more importantly, thrive.
You can always join us in our app, the Movement Paradigm. We have lots of challenges every other month—everything from movement to the nervous system, nutrition, and so on. And we have a great community of people.
You can also reach out to us for an individual appointment for functional medicine or holistic physical therapy. If you really want to get to the root cause, please reach out to us.
Are you struggling with acne, dermatitis, rosacea, or dry, itchy skin? Have you tried countless topical solutions and creams without success? Read on, as we’re about to dive into a different approach that might just be the answer you’re looking for. Here’s how to achieve healthy skin from the inside out.
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Why Focus on Internal Health for Skin Treatment?
Often, we rely on topical solutions without addressing the root causes of our skin issues. Today, we’ll explore the importance of looking inward to improve skin health. The gut-skin connection, detoxification, and hormonal balance are key factors to consider. Many patients, frustrated with ineffective topical treatments, find success by addressing these internal aspects.
Ways to Improve Your Skin from the Inside
Here are some effective strategies to enhance your skin health from within:
Avoid Processed Foods and Refined Sugars
These can promote inflammation and lead to various skin conditions. Limit their intake to see improvements.
Optimize Protein Intake
Aim for 25 to 30 grams of protein per meal, preferably from hormone-free animal sources. If needed, use supplements like hydrochloric acid and pepsin to aid protein digestion.
Emphasize Omega-3s and Omega-9s
Include fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines in your diet for Omega-3s. Add almonds and olive oil for Omega-9s. Maintain a balanced ratio of Omega-3s to Omega-6s.
Eat Plenty of Fruits and Vegetables
Aim for 5 to 9 servings a day to boost your intake of antioxidants and polyphenols, which combat oxidative stress.
Stay Hydrated
Drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water daily. Supplement with electrolytes, or add lemon and sea salt to your water to ensure proper hydration.
Avoid Dehydrating Substances
Reduce consumption of alcohol, coffee, certain teas, and caffeine, as these can dehydrate your skin.
Limit Trans Fatty Acids and Mind Your Cooking Methods
Avoid trans fats and be cautious with high-temperature cooking methods like grilling, which can produce harmful compounds that contribute to skin inflammation.
Techniques like dry brushing can promote natural detoxification. Check out my other blogs for more on this topic.
Use Safe and Clean Products
The Environmental Working Group Skin Deep database is a great resource to check your products for toxins and allergens.
Optimize Your Sleep
Quality sleep is essential for skin restoration and repair. Poor sleep can accelerate aging and inflammation.
Consult with Professionals
It’s crucial to understand the root causes of your skin issues, which can vary from person to person. Conditions like rosacea, gut dysbiosis, and hormonal imbalances can significantly impact skin health. Consulting with an esthetician and other health professionals can help you develop a tailored skincare routine and address underlying issues.
Final Thoughts
The strategies discussed today are easy to implement and can lead to significant improvements in your skin health. Remember, nutrition and lifestyle changes play a crucial role in achieving healthy skin from the inside out.
If this was helpful, please give it a like, share it, and subscribe to our YouTube channel, the Movement Paradigm, for weekly tips on mindset, nutrition, and movement. Our goal is to help you live your best life, heal, transform, and, more importantly, thrive.
You can always join us in our app, the Movement Paradigm. We have lots of challenges every other month—everything from movement to the nervous system, nutrition, and so on. And we have a great community of people.
You can also reach out to us for an individual appointment for functional medicine or holistic physical therapy. If you really want to get to the root cause, please reach out to us.
Are you experiencing digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea, belching, or gas? In this blog, we’re going to dive into six specific ways on how to improve your digestion.
We’ll also explain the importance of a healthy digestive system and how to achieve it through natural practices.
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What You Need to Know About Digestion
Digestion is a complex process with many variables, but there’s a lot we can control. The breakdown of food starts in the mouth with enzymes from saliva. The stomach uses hydrochloric acid and pepsin to break down proteins. The pancreas releases enzymes to break down carbs, proteins, and fats. The liver and gallbladder produce bile to aid fat digestion. The small intestine has enzymes to complete digestion.
When digestion breaks down, it can lead to gut issues like dysbiosis, leaky gut, inflammation, and even pathogens.
So, what are some tips to improve digestion?
6 Tips to Improve Digestion
1. Bringing yourself to a parasympathetic nervous system state
This means ‘rest and digest.’ When in fight-or-flight mode, blood flow moves away from the digestive tract. If we’re multitasking, like reading or looking at our phone, we’re increasing cortisol and diverting blood flow away from the digestive tract, which slows digestion. I recommend a nervous system practice before eating.
If you’re stressed or anxious, you might need to do a somatic practice to get rid of excess energy. This could be shaking, bouncing, or body drumming. Follow this with diaphragmatic breathing: in through the nose, out through the nose, tongue at the roof of the mouth, allowing the abdomen to expand and contract fully. This helps bring blood flow back to the digestive tract. You can also take a moment of gratitude or mindfulness to be present with your food.
2. Limiting your water intake around meals or fluid intake
If you’re having digestive issues, try to limit water intake to 15 minutes before, during, and 15 minutes after meals. Increased fluid around meals can decrease stomach acid and reduce digestion efficiency. From an Eastern medicine perspective, drinking cold water can also negatively affect digestion. Plan your fluid intake to avoid excessive drinking during meals.
3. Chewing your food 20 to 30 times
Chewing is crucial for optimizing digestion because it breaks food into small particles before it reaches the small intestine. Even if the food is soft, try to chew as much as possible. Ensure your diet includes food that requires chewing and isn’t all soft processed foods. Modern society’s shift toward softer foods has affected jaw structure and chewing ability.
4. Walking after your meals
A short walk, even as brief as 2-5 minutes, can significantly aid digestion. This is preferable to eating a large meal and then lying down on the couch. Walking helps support the digestive process, so it’s a great habit to form.
5. Meal spacing
This is important for people with digestive issues. Meal spacing is vital for the migrating motor complex (MMC) in the small intestine, a wave-like action that moves food through the digestive tract and aids in bacterial transport from the small intestine into the large intestine. Eating too frequently, like every two and a half hours, can disrupt the MMC and slow digestion.
To optimize our motility in our gut, we want to space the meals out. Aim for at least three to four hours in between meals and an overnight fast for 12 hours.
Everyone’s day will look different based on activity, interests, and preferences, but try to focus on spacing the meals out instead of frequent grazing and snacking.
6. Nervous system regulation
Regulating the nervous system is crucial for digestion, not just around mealtime but throughout the day. If you’re constantly in fight-or-flight or freeze mode, it affects digestion. Try nervous system-regulating practices like breathing exercises, shaking, body drumming, or swaying. Before bed, you can do abdominal massage techniques to calm your nervous system and enter a state of social engagement, connection, and safety, which can optimize digestion.
If this was helpful, please give it a like, share it, and subscribe to our YouTube channel, the Movement Paradigm, for weekly tips on mindset, nutrition, and movement. Our goal is to help you live your best life, heal, transform, and, more importantly, thrive.
You can always join us in our app, the Movement Paradigm. We have lots of challenges every other month—everything from movement to the nervous system, nutrition, and so on. And we have a great community of people.
You can also reach out to us for an individual appointment for functional medicine or holistic physical therapy. If you really want to get to the root cause, please reach out to us.
Are you having trouble sleeping? Maybe you’ve tried melatonin, sleep medication, other supplementation, or all of the sleep hygiene tips without success. Have you tried optimizing your nutrition for sleep? Here’s what to eat for better sleep.
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The role of nutrition for better sleep
Nutrition is one of the most overlooked aspects of sleep hygiene. We might follow all the sleep hygiene tips—going to bed early at the same time, trying to get morning sunlight, and trying to downregulate before sleep—but so often, no one focuses on nutrition for sleep, and that is what this blog is about today.
We need nutrients for every biochemical reaction in the body. For us to truly thrive, feel energized and motivated, feel great about life, and have a great mood, we need proper nutrition to fuel our brains and our bodies.
As it relates to neurotransmitter production, we need tyrosine, an amino acid that we get from protein sources, to make dopamine. We need glutamine, another amino acid, to make GABA, which helps to decrease feelings of fear and anxiety. And we need tryptophan to make serotonin. So, we’re going to dive into that pathway specifically because serotonin is a precursor for melatonin that is necessary for sleep.
What to eat for better sleep: 8 nutrients you need
Tryptophan
The nutrients you need for sleep to ultimately produce the appropriate amount of melatonin are going to start with tryptophan. We can get tryptophan through protein sources such as fish and poultry. In order for tryptophan to convert to 5-HTP, we need calcium foods. This could be something like dairy, or if you’re dairy-free, it could be something like flax milk.
B3 (Niacin)
We also need B3, which is niacin. This could be beef, chicken, poultry, or fish.
B9
We need B9, folate, which comes from dark leafy vegetables, citrus foods, and even eggs.
Copper
We also need copper, which includes oysters, and if that’s not feasible, then something like shellfish, beans, or nuts.
Vitamin C
Once tryptophan is converted to 5-HTP, which is 5-hydroxytryptophan, we need to convert it to serotonin. Foods high in vitamin C, such as bell peppers, strawberries, or potatoes, will provide the nutrients needed for that.
Magnesium
We also need magnesium, such as pumpkin seeds.
Zinc
We need zinc, such as oysters or pumpkin seeds.
Once 5-HTP is converted to serotonin, then we need to convert serotonin to N-acetyl serotonin. That’s going to require magnesium again. Pumpkin seeds are a great source of this. Zinc, which could be oysters and pumpkin seeds as well.
Vitamin B12
Once it is converted to N-acetyl serotonin, we need to convert it to melatonin. In order to do that, we need Vitamin B12, which could be organ meats, fish, eggs, and beef. B9 is our folate, which can be dark leafy vegetables, citrus foods, and eggs. And there we have melatonin.
Key Takeaway
So, as you can see, it is a complex biochemical process that requires nutrients each and every step of the way. That process starts with protein, which plays a huge role in neurotransmitter production.
One of the best things you can do if you’re not already doing it and you’re not sleeping well is to begin to eat more protein throughout the day. But also, let’s factor in all of those key vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, magnesium, calcium, and B vitamins, because all of those are going to influence each and every step in that biochemical process. So, before just grabbing your melatonin supplement, think about what you can do to produce your own melatonin in addition to darkness, of course.
If this was helpful, please give it a like, share it, and subscribe to our YouTube channel, the Movement Paradigm, for weekly tips on mindset, nutrition, and movement. Our goal is to help you live your best life, heal, transform, and, more importantly, thrive.
You can always join us in our app, the Movement Paradigm. We have lots of challenges every other month—everything from movement to the nervous system, nutrition, and so on. And we have a great community of people.
You can also reach out to us for an individual appointment as it relates to the physical pain that you might be having and any emotional issues that you’re dealing with, such as anxiety or depression. If you really want to get to the root cause, please reach out to us.
Have you experienced trauma? Whether it was a specific childhood event, a recent experience, or an ongoing situation, you might be in therapy and practicing somatic techniques. You’re doing everything you can, but progress feels difficult. Dissociation, feeling stuck, or numbness might be present. You might even procrastinate because it all just feels so hard. You know what you should do, but taking action is incredibly challenging.
Today, we’ll discuss how to nourish your body after experiencing trauma. This topic is particularly important to me for several reasons. In my practice, I see many clients struggling with frustration. They know the right steps to take, but following through feels impossible. Despite therapy and professional support, they find it difficult to maintain progress.
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Understanding Trauma
Trauma can affect us both physically and emotionally. It can leave us feeling stuck, numb, and overwhelmed. This is because trauma can deplete our resources, leaving us with nothing left to give.
This is where I find it to be really important to look at it through this functional medicine lens, but quite frankly, even on a more basic level, is looking at it from a physical perspective.
4 Ways to Nourish Your Body From Trauma
What do we need to do to nourish our body physically so that we can address the emotional component?
Water Intake
Often, when someone has experienced significant trauma and struggles with anxiety and depression, I begin by focusing on something simple: water intake. If they’re not drinking enough fluids throughout the day, getting them to drink adequately becomes our first step.
But there’s more to it than just water. True hydration involves electrolytes as well. Water carries nutrients to our brains, and if we’re constantly foggy or overwhelmed, it might be because we’re not getting enough water or proper hydration to our brains. Electrolytes help water reach the brain and deliver those essential nutrients. Without them, we become depleted.
Adding Protein
Protein plays a critical role in forming neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and GABA. These neurotransmitters help reduce feelings of fear and anxiety. Protein also supports hormone health and production. Therefore, getting enough protein and other nutrients in your diet is crucial for proper neurotransmitter and hormone production/conversion.
Inconsistent protein intake not only impacts brain function (feeding the brain), but can also decrease cravings for sugary carbohydrates. These carbohydrates can further disrupt your blood sugar levels. So, protein helps you feel fuller and maintain consistent energy levels throughout the day.
Meal Timing
Meal timing can vary depending on the individual, but for those recovering from trauma, I generally recommend eating every 3-4 hours. This helps to avoid blood sugar crashes, which can further stress an already overwhelmed system.
People who have experienced trauma often struggle to manage additional stress because their nervous system is compromised. We want to promote a state of resilience, where the nervous system can handle some fluctuations without becoming overly stressed. However, when dealing with the aftermath of trauma, even minor stressors like hunger or dehydration can be tipping points. Therefore, consistent meal timing (every 3-4 hours) and balanced meals are crucial for maintaining a healthy nervous system.
Nutrients
Once our basic needs are met, I like to take a holistic approach to nutrients. This allows for a deeper dive into what will make you truly thrive. The food we eat impacts every aspect of our biochemistry and how we function. It’s not just about survival; it’s about thriving.
By understanding how food affects everything from mood and energy to performance and beyond, you can appreciate the power of food to rebuild your body and support its natural healing ability. When you feed your body what it needs, you can see a real difference.
Key Takeaway
Once these basic needs are addressed and we take a systematic, step-by-step approach, your body will gradually start to feel better. This improvement translates to better input for your brain, as so much of how we function relies on sensory information. With better sensory information from your organs, you’ll experience improved interoception or a heightened awareness of yourself.
This improved state can make it much easier to connect with your therapist and discuss your challenges. You’ll be in a better position to utilize the strategies you’ve tried before, and hopefully, they’ll have a more significant impact now.
While we can eventually delve deeper into topics like inflammation, it’s crucial to start with the fundamentals. This is what I’ve repeatedly seen as most effective in my practice, and it’s why I wanted to emphasize it today.
Hopefully, you’ll have the opportunity to look at many of the vagus nerves and some somatic exercises that are on our website and YouTube channel. You can see how much of an impact they have on giving us a more regulated nervous system state.
If this was helpful, please give it a like, share it, and subscribe to our YouTube channel, the Movement Paradigm, for weekly tips on mindset, nutrition, and movement. Our goal is to help you live your best life, heal, transform, and, more importantly, thrive.
You can always join us in our app, the Movement Paradigm. We have lots of challenges every other month—everything from movement to the nervous system, nutrition, and so on. And we have a great community of people.
You can also reach out to us for an individual appointment as it relates to the physical pain that you might be having and any emotional issues that you’re dealing with, such as anxiety or depression. If you really want to get to the root cause, please reach out to us.
Are you constantly searching for the next best diet? Maybe you’ve tried keto, intermittent fasting, paleo, or you’re looking for the right fit this time. If that’s you, read on for four things to consider when planning your personalized nutrition.
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Why nutrition plan should be personalized
I truly believe that nutrition should be personalized for you. We can’t just look at what our friends or relatives are doing because there are many things to consider. Today, we’re going to discuss four key categories.
Key categories of a nutrition plan
1. Current health status and clinical symptoms
For example, are you experiencing cardiometabolic issues like hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol? Are you dealing with inflammatory bowel disease or IBS symptoms? Do you have an autoimmune condition?
First, look closely at your current health conditions because you may need a specific therapeutic plan for you. Additionally, examine clinical symptoms such as fatigue, low energy, mood issues like anxiety or depression, and inflammatory issues in your immune system. With various symptoms in play, all these factors must be considered to determine the best plan for you at this time.
2. Lab work
We aim for objectivity here. It’s not about labeling the carnivore diet as bad or the vegan diet as good; it’s about understanding how your chosen diet affects your body. Consider your gut health and microbiome and check for low vitamin levels like D, B12, and iron. A nutrient panel can reveal what your diet provides or lacks, eliminating the need for guesswork. Making this process more objective is crucial.
If you’re feeling great, with good energy and no health issues, and your labs show positive results, your diet is likely working well for you. Conversely, if subjective feelings conflict with objective information, it’s essential to be open-minded and delve deeper into what’s happening.
3. Environmental factors
Now, let’s consider environmental factors. What are your food preferences, likes, and dislikes? Any food aversions? Explore your genetic predispositions, such as the MTHFR gene, impacting B vitamin metabolism and detoxification, and genetic deficiencies, like the DAO (diamine oxidase) enzyme, which may necessitate a tailored approach. Addressing mold exposure, candida, and other specific issues becomes crucial when considering clinical symptoms and health status.
Environmental exposure is vital to factor in; for instance, if someone is exposed to mold. We also need to consider if there’s a genetic deficiency in breaking down histamines. In such cases, a low histamine diet might be necessary, distinguishing it from perceived sensitivity.
Proactively addressing exposure through nutrition is vital. Consider incorporating more phytonutrients and antioxidants to reduce oxidative stress if your body is under environmental strain. By understanding and addressing these environmental factors, we can proactively mitigate their effects through dietary choices.
4. Adverse food reactions
Lastly, we have adverse food reactions, which fall into three categories. First, there’s food sensitivity—an IgG and IgA-mediated reaction—which can be delayed. This means a reaction might occur on day two, three, or even four after consuming a potentially sensitive food.
On the other hand, a food allergy, an IgE-mediated reaction, results in an immediate response, varying from mild to severe—ranging from itching in the mouth to an anaphylactic reaction.
Additionally, there’s food intolerance, where the body lacks enzymes to break down specific food components.
To create a personalized diet plan, we must consider these reactions. For instance, one person might avoid a certain food due to sensitivity, intolerance, or allergy. However, it doesn’t mean you should avoid it too. Testing methods, elimination diets, and allergy tests can provide objective insights. It’s crucial not to eliminate foods solely based on assumptions, making the process more objective and informed.
Key takeaway
We consider all these categories, acknowledging numerous other variables. My biggest takeaway for you is to avoid blindly following a specific diet merely because it’s popular among influencers, friends, or family.
Evaluate your individual needs: your activity levels, interest in food, cooking preferences, and the feasibility of meal prep based on your schedule. All these factors are crucial in designing a healthy and sustainable meal plan tailored to you. It’s not about pursuing perfection but finding what works for you and allowing it to evolve over time. You may not start with a perfect diet, but gradually develop habits and broaden your perspective on food – not just as fuel but as information, medicine, a means to connect, and a way to heal your body. Nutrition is powerful and influences every reaction in your body. To function optimally, we must eat optimally.
If you found this helpful, please give it a like, share it, and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel, The Movement Paradigm, for weekly tips on mindset, nutrition, and movement. Feel free to reach out if you’re seeking an individualized approach to your nutrition plan – we’d love to hear from you and schedule a discovery session. Also, check out our fantastic community on The Movement Paradigm app, which is available on Apple or Google. Join us for various programs and abundant information. It’s a great community to support you on your journey. Hope to see you soon!
Are you experiencing chronic bloating? Perhaps you are experiencing it 20 to 30 minutes after a meal or 2 to 3 hours after a meal, or even as the day goes on, it just progressively gets worse. You have tried so many different things, but you just don’t seem to be able to put a dent in it.
In this blog, we will talk about some of the common causes of bloating and, more importantly, what you can do about it.
It is important to be able to understand what the root causes of your bloating are and how you can begin to heal your body and hopefully feel your best.
As I mentioned, we want to start by assessing when you have your bloating and how it presents to understand the root causes.
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Causes of bloating
1. Poor digestion
I see this as the most common cause of bloating, which can look slightly different for each person. As I mentioned, we want to know if you feel the bloating about 20 to 30 minutes after a meal. This is oftentimes associated with low stomach acid and, perhaps, even low pancreatic enzymes.
Our incredible digestive process begins in the mouth during chewing, where enzymes from saliva initiate the mechanical breakdown of food. Stomach acid is then released to break down proteins, and pancreatic enzymes break down on proteins, carbs, and fats. Bile helps with fat breakdown, and brush border enzymes continue the digestive process. Any disruption in this pathway can push bacteria downstream into the intestines, potentially causing bloating.
In a fight-or-flight state or freeze state, our natural GI motility and digestive capability are compromised. For instance, during lunch, while using the computer or phone, reading, or multitasking, cortisol levels increase, diverting blood flow away from the digestive tract. This slows the digestive process and can be easily addressed to make a significant change in bloating.
2. Nervous system regulation
If we are in a fight-or-flight or freeze state, it not only affects our digestion in the moment but also has overall implications. If every time we eat, or if there’s a fear or apprehension of food leading to a persistent fight-or-flight state, it can contribute to ongoing bloating and dysbiosis in the gut—an imbalance in bacteria. Stress is known to alter the bacterial colonization of the gut, thereby contributing to gut dysregulation.
3. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO)
When considering the microbiome, it’s ideal for the majority of bacterial diversity to be in the large intestine. The small intestine, with only about 3 million Colony Forming Units, is meant to have much fewer bacteria, as it primarily serves as the site for nutrient absorption. An overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine, especially when consuming fermentable carbohydrates, can lead to gas production. Bloating and gas occurring 2 to 3 hours after eating, particularly with foods like cruciferous vegetables, apples, blackberries, and avocado, may indicate increased gas production, ultimately expelled through the lungs.
If you experience bloating and gas, especially within 2 to 3 hours after a meal or throughout the day, it’s worth evaluating the possibility of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) as a potential root cause. Additionally, other gut disorders should be considered, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which encompasses functional bowel disorders, with about 80% of IBS cases being SIBO.
Other factors like leaky gut, resulting from prolonged gut issues, poor digestion, stress, nutrient deficiencies, and inflammation, can contribute to intestinal permeability. When tight junctions in the intestine become compromised, substances like undigested food, pathogens, or toxins may leak into the bloodstream, triggering an immune response. This systemic inflammatory process, coupled with poor nutrient absorption, can also lead to bloating.
Fungal overgrowth or parasites are other factors that can contribute to bloating, making it a challenging symptom to pinpoint in various gut disorders.
4. Food sensitivities, intolerances, and allergies
We need to consider adverse food reactions, which can manifest in various ways. Allergies typically result in mild to severe, immediate, and IgE-mediated reactions. On the other hand, food sensitivities involve delayed responses, occurring on days two, three, or four, and are mediated by IgA and IgG. Intolerances, such as lactose intolerance, lead to immediate reactions after consuming the problematic food, in this case, causing bowel issues. The lack of enzymes to break down the ingested substance triggers an immediate response. It’s essential to recognize that all these adverse food reactions have the potential to cause bloating.
How to address bloating
1. Address your digestion
No matter what you do, if you decide to do any testing, you want to ensure that you’re doing the most fundamental thing, which is putting yourself in a parasympathetic state before eating. Take three breaths before you eat and chew your food 20 to 30 times. Also, consider going for a walk immediately afterward for at least a few minutes to help digestion. If you can implement these with every meal, that will make a significant difference.
2. Testing
If testing is within your capability, I highly recommend a comprehensive stool test, such as the GI-MAP. Alternatively, you can conduct individual tests, examining factors like pancreatic elastase or assessing leaky gut through the biomarker zonulin. A stool test, in particular, provides valuable insights into intestinal health, identifying dysbiosis, parasites, and potential SIBO. If SIBO is a concern, a specific test is available, but you still need to understand why you might have SIBO in the first place.
3. Vagus nerve exercises
Numerous resources are available regarding nervous system regulation. I encourage you to explore my channel or blog, where you’ll find various vagus nerve exercises and somatic practices. You can seamlessly integrate these simple activities into your daily life, assisting in transitioning from a fight-or-flight or freeze state to a state of safety and connection within your body.
4. Identify triggers
Identifying triggers is crucial for proper digestion, connection, and safety. Investigating food sensitivities, intolerances, and allergies is vital. If you find yourself sensitive to almost everything, experiencing reactions to every food, it may indicate a core issue, often linked to a leaky gut.
While eliminating certain foods temporarily can be helpful, it’s not a sustainable solution and may contribute to dysfunctional eating behaviors. Recognize that this approach might be necessary for a specific period, but the key is to move towards understanding what your root causes are and how you can begin to heal whatever they are.
You can explore modified elimination diets or full elimination diets if appropriate for your situation and without a history of eating disorders. These approaches can help uncover food sensitivities. There are simple ways to assess these sensitivities and work towards resolving them.
Key takeaway
In essence, there are many different reasons why you may have bloating, and there are also many ways to identify this information, even by just assessing the timing of when things happen. There are specific tests you can do to understand it for sure, have objective measures, and begin to heal your body, transform your life, and thrive.
If it was helpful, please give it a like, give it a share, comment, and, of course, subscribe to our YouTube channel, the Movement Paradigm, for weekly tips on mindset, nutrition, and movement.
Are you experiencing pain that just keeps moving from one body part to another? Maybe you’re feeling some puffiness under your eyes, swollen lymph nodes, or even swollen ankles. Or perhaps you keep getting sick; you keep catching anything that comes your way. Well, today, we’re going to dive into five different potential inflammatory triggers that you could be experiencing.
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What you need to know about inflammation
Did you know that 75 to 90% of all chronic diseases are now associated with excessive or persistent inflammation?
If you get an ankle sprain and roll your ankle, you’re going to have a normal inflammatory response. That’s typically going to be within the first four to five days. You’ll have some swelling, some pain, and white blood cells coming to the area. That is exactly what our immune system is supposed to do.
Now, excessive or persistent inflammation occurs when acute inflammation becomes chronic, or we lose our tolerance. This is when it feels like when one thing resolves, there’s another and another; it almost feels like bad luck. This is typically associated with chronic or systemic inflammation.
Inflammatory triggers
Now, let’s dive into five potential inflammatory triggers. Although it is not an extensive list, it can help to identify sources of inflammation.
1. Food
Food is medicine. When thinking about food from a nutrient repletion standpoint and how nutrients affect every reaction in our body, not having enough nutrients can cause inflammation. We can also have potentially inflammatory foods, anything from a food allergy or food intolerance to food sensitivity. The foods we consume regularly could perpetuate or contribute to inflammation.
2. Bugs
This can include Lyme disease or parasites, for example. If you’re traveling outside the country, have a dog, or live in certain parts of the world can all increase your risk for a parasitic infection. I do stool tests regularly, and while I don’t often see parasites, when they do show up, it’s something that needs addressing.
3. Toxins
We can have internal toxins and external toxins. In our world, we are exposed to toxins all the time—plastics, chemicals in cleaning products, facial products, hair products, and so much more. But, we can also be exposed to things like mold, for example. We can also have an infection related to an internal toxin, which can be a viral or bacterial infection.
4. Trauma
This can be emotional trauma, physical trauma, ongoing current stress, or trauma that we’ve experienced as a child. All of this can perpetuate an inflammatory cycle. Stress changes the colonization of bacteria in our gut. Our gut comprises 70% of our immune system, so over time, that can contribute to an inflammatory response.
5. Hormones
Hormonal imbalances such as thyroid issues, high estrogen (an estrogen-dominant state), low testosterone, low progesterone, and insulin resistance can all attribute to increased inflammation.
When we consider all these potential categories of triggers (though not exhaustive), it helps us get an idea of what could be happening in our bodies. When you have more of these present, there is a greater chance, of course, that you may have a more pronounced inflammatory response.
Key Takeaway
When you’re starting to explore what might be an issue for you, these are some things to consider from an overall lifestyle perspective to see how you can begin to heal your body. Know that no matter what comes up in any of those categories, there are solutions for it. You can change your diet and influence your hormones through what you’re eating, how you’re sleeping, and how you’re managing your stress levels. You can address past traumas, treat infections, and address parasites. So, no matter what, you have the ability to identify, address, and heal your body.
If you found this information helpful, please be sure to give it a like, share it with others, leave a comment below, and, of course, subscribe to our YouTube channel, The Movement Paradigm®, for weekly tips on mindset, nutrition, and movement.
If you’re looking for personalized guidance on your journey and feel that you need an individualized approach, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would welcome the opportunity to assist you.
If you’re interested in accessing a wide range of programs, including those on nutrition, somatics, and vagus nerve exercises, as well as movement programs to help you optimize your overall wellness, consider checking out our app, The Movement Paradigm, available on both Apple and Google platforms.
Reference:
Liu YZ, Wang YX, Jiang CL. Inflammation: the common pathway of stress-related diseases. Front Hum Neurosci. 2017;11:316. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2017.00316
Are you experiencing chronic pain? Perhaps you’ve been to pain management doctors or health professionals, and you can’t seem to resolve this chronic pain that is deeply affecting the quality of your life.
We have seen so many people come into our clinic with chronic pain, and I think that it’s important for you to understand if you are experiencing this — how your gut plays such an important role in not only why pain is happening but how to improve it. So today, we’re going to take a deep dive into talking about chronic pain and gut health and pain-free strategies for your life.
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Understanding chronic pain
Chronic pain is technically defined as pain lasting over 3 to 6 months. Now, if we have acute pain, let’s say, for example, an ankle sprain. You step off a curb and roll your ankle, and you experience an acute response, which is your natural defense and repair mechanism. White blood cells rush to the area, and there is increased blood flow. This results in swelling, pain, and possibly redness.
This is a normal response, precisely what our system is supposed to do. However, in the case of chronic pain, there is no obvious tissue damage at this point. For instance, with an ankle sprain, you would typically have damaged the ligament in the ankle. In that case, there was actual tissue damage that occurred. When we experience chronic pain, there is no actual tissue damage. Nevertheless, our brain continues to perceive this pain. It keeps telling us that there’s still pain and that something needs to be resolved.
We can experience a variety of chronic pain conditions. For instance, arthritis, including osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, can lead to ongoing inflammation, resulting in chronic pain. The keyword here is inflammation. Whether it’s autoimmune in nature or osteoarthritis, it involves inflammation. It’s essential to recognize the role of inflammation in chronic pain.
Another example is fibromyalgia, which can cause widespread musculoskeletal pain, along with issues like sleep disorders, memory problems, and mood disorders.
Additionally, we can have conditions like allodynia, where there is an increased sensitivity to pain. Think of this as hypersensitivity; for example, when something lightly touches your skin, it shouldn’t theoretically cause pain, but it can trigger an exaggerated response from the nervous system.
In essence, when considering pain, we should focus on how our nervous system processes it. As I mentioned, we have acute pain and chronic pain. Chronic pain is unique because it involves sensitization of the nervous system, which continues to perceive pain even after the tissues have healed.
Gut’s role in pain
Now, let’s discuss the role of the gut in pain. As I mentioned earlier, inflammation is closely tied to our natural defense and repair mechanism, which is crucial for maintaining our overall well-being. Our immune system is performing the necessary functions.
Consider the gut and the microbiome, where we have over 400 million different bacteria residing. These bacteria play protective roles in our immune health and immune modulation. They also contribute to the synthesis of neurotransmitters and play a vital role in digestion and nutrient metabolism. Moreover, they affect the effectiveness of therapeutics, medications, supplements, and various other bodily functions.
It’s worth noting that the gut comprises 70% of our immune system, thanks to the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). This specific lymphoid tissue has a profound impact on our entire immune system, making it incredibly powerful.
If we have any type of gut dysregulation, such as dysbiosis (an imbalance of bacteria), SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), leaky gut, i.e., intestinal permeability, parasites, or poor digestion, this can lead to a whole host of problems, pain being one of them! If we have poor intestinal health, for example, we may not be absorbing our nutrients properly. This can lead to micronutrient deficiencies and even macronutrient deficiencies, and so on. Therefore, the gut plays a massive role in chronic pain. In every patient I’ve ever worked with who has chronic pain and inflammation, we consistently see, time and time again, with stool tests, that the gut plays a huge role in their pain.
When you’re really trying to uncover some of the underlying causes of your chronic pain, you do want to look at specific testing. This could include stool testing and examining specific inflammatory markers, such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, homocysteine, and sedimentation rate. There are really specific things that we can look at to get a better picture of this chronic pain and inflammatory cycle. Once you’ve done that and have more information, you can also explore things like a micronutrient panel to understand where you or someone you love might be deficient.
Pain management strategies you can use
Here are some pain relief strategies you can use by addressing your gut.
1. Address your nutrient intake
This seems the most obvious, but addressing your nutrient intake is just the beginning. Are you eating a diet that is whole foods and high in fiber to enhance the diversity of your microbiome? Having a diverse and fiber-rich diet can be one of the most helpful things for your microbiome. You can also focus on consuming different colors and nutrients. We often say, “Eat a rainbow,” and that’s not just art; it’s also science. Eating a variety of colors provides you with nutrients, phytonutrients, and antioxidants that can help mitigate oxidative stress, which, in turn, helps reduce ongoing inflammation that might be contributing to your chronic pain.
Herbs and spices can be powerful additions to your diet. Consider incorporating items like turmeric, ginger, cloves, and rosemary. You can either add them to your meals or take them in supplement form. Depending on what you discover from potential stool tests or a more in-depth examination, you may want to consider a specific gut protocol to address any underlying infections, dysbiosis, or inflammation that may be occurring in the gut.
2. Consuming essential rich fatty acids
Omega-3s, mainly found in fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, play a significant role in healing, not only in reducing inflammation but also in supporting membrane health and mitochondrial function.
3. Movement
You should approach movement from a graded perspective, meaning that doing too much too soon can set you back. Movement can positively impact our digestive system, nervous system, and mitochondria, making it one of the most powerful ways to influence chronic pain. However, it must be purposeful and gradual. For example, if you’re starting to walk, don’t jump into walking for an hour. Begin with 5 to 10 minutes and gradually increase the duration as you gain confidence, feel good, and allow your tissues to adapt to the new stressor.
4. Nervous system
Lastly, let’s not forget about your nervous system. There are various ways to address your nervous system, such as through walking, hugging a friend, participating in yoga classes, or engaging in movement. Understanding chronic pain and how to address it definitely involves addressing the nervous system. If you have a history of trauma, you can check out my recent blog on that, as it’s also an important factor to consider. When dealing with ongoing stressors, it’s not necessarily about eliminating stress but rather learning how to navigate through stress. Addressing your nervous system is a top priority when it comes to healing your pain.
Key takeaway
I hope you can appreciate the significant role of your gut health in your chronic pain. It’s important to understand that you can take actionable steps to alleviate your pain. Yes, it might be challenging, and yes, it’s a journey, but there are things you can do to initiate the process.
Even if you can’t perform stool testing or any testing, start with some of the steps I mentioned about optimizing your nutrition and movement, nurturing your nervous system, and improving your sleep. These actions can truly begin to transform your gut microbiome, restore your body’s balance (homeostasis), and kickstart your journey toward healing from your pain.
If you found this information helpful, please be sure to give it a like, share it with others, leave a comment below, and, of course, subscribe to our YouTube channel, The Movement Paradigm®, for weekly tips on mindset, nutrition, and movement. If you’re looking for personalized guidance on your journey and feel that you need an individualized approach, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would welcome the opportunity to assist you.
If you’re interested in accessing a wide range of programs, including those on nutrition, somatics, and vagus nerve exercises, as well as movement programs to help you optimize your overall wellness, consider checking out our app, The Movement Paradigm, available on both Apple and Google platforms.
