Warning: 5 High Cholesterol Myths That Will Blow Your Mind

High Cholesterol (Dislypidemia) is one of the most prevalent chronic disease conditions of modern day.  It is also one of the most misdiagnosed, misunderstood and mistreated health conditions in healthcare—with many claims that “high cholesterol causes heart disease.” Please read on to learn about the 5 High Cholesterol Myths.

The fact: It does not.

5 High Cholesterol Myths

As you will soon learn, the conventional diagnosis and treatment of high cholesterol may not be 100% accurate—especially when you understand these 5 High Cholesterol Myths.

• Myth #1: High Cholesterol is a Risk Factor for a Heart Attack

• Myth #2: LDL Cholesterol is Bad & HDL Cholesterol is Good

• Myth #3: High Cholesterol is Genetic (If Your Parents Had It, You’ll Probably Get It

• Myth #4: Statins Save Lives

• Myth #5: Avoid Dietary Cholesterol & Saturated Fat to Lower Cholesterol

Before we dive into these myths, let’s first define what “high cholesterol” means in the first place and what conventional treatment looks like in mainstream medicine. 

CHOLESTEROL 101

WHAT IS CHOLESTEROL 

Cholesterol is a fat-like sterol (steroid fat and alcohol combo) that is produced by the liver.

Cholesterol helps your body make other essential molecules such as hormones, human tissues, cell membranes, Vitamin D, and bile acids to help you digest your food. Cholesterol is also crucial for neurological (brain) function and helps you think clearly (i.e. no brain fog).

Without cholesterol, you would not exist. Your body needs cholesterol to function properly, think clearly and balance out your metabolic processes.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN IF I HAVE “HIGH CHOLESTEROL?”

Nearly 1 in 3 Americans has “high cholesterol” (1).

Many have no idea they have it since symptoms are typically silent or intertwined with other correlating conditions, such as metabolic dysfunction, thyroid imbalances, weight resistance, high blood pressure, skin problems and other signs of inflammation.

In short, “high cholesterol” typically means: “inflammation.”

The body desires balance.

Just like too much of anything can send your body out of balance (i.e. too much estrogen=PMS, too much Vitamin D=Vitamin D toxicity; too much thyroid hormone=hypothyroidism), too much cholesterol should be your “warning sign” that there is inflammation in your body somewhere.

Since your liver is your body’s natural detoxifier and “anti-inflammatory” organ, if your liver is unable to control and regulate the amount of cholesterol it produces, this often results in “out of whack” high cholesterol markers on blood work.

The main takeaway: Your body is inflamed…somewhere.

HIGH CHOLESTEROL DIAGNOSIS

Blood testing is the best way to test for high cholesterol, since many of the symptoms of high cholesterol typically go under the radar or are “masked” by other correlated inflammatory conditions (such as metabolic dysfunction, thyroid problems, insulin resistance, low energy, etc.).

According to standard lab testing, “High Cholesterol” markers meet the following criteria:

• • Total Cholesterol
    • Ideal: Below 200 mg/dL
    • Borderline High: Above 200 mg/dL
    • High: Above 240 mg/dL

• • LDL (low density lipoprotein): 
    • Ideal: Below 100 mg/dL (for high risk patients), Below 130 mg/dL (for non-risk patients)
    • Borderline High: 130-160 mg/dL
    • High: Above 160-190 mg/dL

• • HDL (high density lipoprotein): 
    • Ideal: Above 50-60 mg/dL
    • High Risk: Below 40 mg/dL (men); Below 50 mg/dL (women)
    • High: Above 240 mg/dL

• • Triglycerides:
    • Ideal: Below 150 mg/dL
    • Borderline High: Above 150 mg/dL
    • High: Above mg/dL

In medicine, a diagnosis of  true or “pure” hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) equals:

• High total cholesterol
• High LDL levels
• Normal triglycerides
• Normal HDL levels

Pure high cholesterol is typically related to genetics and/or long term inflammation.

Dyslipidemia, on the other hand, (i.e. “pseudo high cholesterol”) typically presents as:

• High triglycerides
• Low HDL
• Normal or high total cholesterol
• Normal or high LDL cholesterol

It is even possible to have normal and even low total cholesterol and high LDL particle number

Dyslipidemia (“pseudo high cholesterol”) is most commonly caused by metabolic dysfunction and inflammation in the body (i.e. other underlying conditions, like gut infection and hormone imbalances).

The bottom line: Pure high cholesterol is most often caused by genetics and family history. Dyslipidemia is caused by inflammation and lifestyle (especially metabolic dysfunction).

CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL

If it is determined you have high cholesterol the first line of defense for treatment is “lifestyle changes,” such as a “healthy diet” and exercise. Patients are typically told to:

Conventional Medicine: High Cholesterol Lifestyle Modifications

• Avoid red meat and high cholesterol foods (like eggs, bacon and butter)
• Avoid saturated fat
• Take it easy on the salt
• Move more
• Eat heart healthy whole grains, fruits and vegetables—potentially even consider a vegan or vegetarian diet
• Eat less overall

However, if you’ve made these important lifestyle changes and your cholesterol levels STILL remain high (as they often do because several of these advice tips, like “avoiding fat,” are actually myths), your doctor may also recommend medication—namely statin drugs, like Pravachol®, Zocor® and Lipitor.®

Approximately 1 in 4 Americans over age 40 are on a statin drug to “lower” total cholesterol (2).

Common Medications Prescribed for High Cholesterol

Other common medications sometimes prescribed for “high cholesterol” include: Bile-acid-binding resins, Cholesterol absorption inhibitors, Injectable medications, Fibrates, and Niacin (for “high triglycerides”).

Unfortunately, while there are many exaggerated claims and a lot of hype about the benefits of statins and these other drugs, there are also many studies showing little to no benefits at all—particularly for preventing heart disease (3, 4, 5).

Even worse, recent studies actually reveal people have increased risk for heart attacks and cardiovascular disease when they quit statins altogether (6). The Mayo Clinic also highlights several known risks and side effects including: liver damage, muscle pains, gastrointestinal problems, insulin resistance (blood sugar imbalances), memory loss and neurological impairment (7).

While statins can be beneficial for some people in certain circumstances, they may not be beneficial for all—especially when you better understand the myths and truths about high cholesterol and treatment in the first place.

So what should YOU do about “high cholesterol?”

Check out these 5 Myths About High Cholesterol You’ve Believed to understand what really matters, what does not, and how to naturally support your high cholesterol markers to be the healthiest version of yourself.

5 High Cholesterol Myths That Will Blow Your Mind

Myth #1:  High Cholesterol is a Risk Factor for a Heart Attack

We have all been led to believe that cholesterol is bad and that lowering it is good—especially for preventing heart disease.

But what does that evidence really show?

75% of people who have heart attacks have normal cholesterol (8, 9). 

Plain and simple: the cholesterol-heart disease link is weak.

When considering the real “side effects” of “high cholesterol” it’s important to look at what is driving the “high cholesterol” in the first place (inflammation).

High cholesterol markers are a sign of inflammation somewhere in the body. 

Certainly, heart disease may be a result of inflammation in the body, but more common side effects of high cholesterol (inflammation) include: metabolic dysfunction, insulin resistance, blood sugar problems, thyroid problems, fatigue, gut problems, hormone imbalances and an inflammatory lifestyle (smoking, high alcohol consumption, toxic burden, etc.). Often times when we address those other sources of inflammation first, cholesterol markers naturally resolve.

Myth #2: LDL Cholesterol is Bad & HDL Cholesterol is Good

When people talk about cholesterol, they often use the terms LDL and HDL.

Both are lipoproteins (compounds made of fat and protein) that are responsible for carrying cholesterol throughout the body in the blood.

• LDL is low-density lipoprotein, often called “bad” cholesterol. 

• HDL is high-density lipoprotein, or “good” cholesterol.

LDL is called the “bad” cholesterol because it’s believed that too much of it can lead to hardening of the arteries.  The American Heart Association states that LDL leads to plaque accumulation on the walls of your arteries, narrowing blood vessels and leading to blood clots.

HDL, on the other hand, is called the “good cholesterol” because it is thought to keep your cardiovascular system healthy. The American Heart Association states it aids in the removal of LDL from the arteries and carries the bad cholesterol back to the liver, where LDL is then broken down and eliminated from the body.

However, while the LDL-HDL theory SOUNDS good, NEITHER of these markers are as important as two cholesterol markers that are NOT tested on average cholesterol panels: lipoprotein (a) or “Lp(a)”  and LDL-P.

Your Lp(a) or lipoprotein numbers shows the measure of the TOTAL AMOUNT of lipoprotein particles (i.e. LDL and HDL) in your body. 

Current Research for High Cholesterol

Current research overwhelmingly reveals that your Total lipoprotein levels—specifically the LDL particle number (LDL-P)—are more strongly associated with heart disease, “clogged arteries” and whether or not you’re genetically at risk for such conditions instead of the standard HDL and LDL levels. (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15).

In short: If you have MORE total lipoprotein particles (HDL and LDL) in your body, the HIGHER risk you are for unhealthy cholesterol levels actually being a “big deal.”

Higher lipoprotein particles (particularly LDL-p) in conjunction with abnormal LDL or HDL levels   means you ACTUALLY DO have higher amount of cholesterol in your body, or a medical diagnosis of “high cholesterol.”

However, if you have a LOW AMOUNT or NORMAL AMOUNT of total lipoprotein particles in your body and your standard cholesterol markers come back “high” on bloodwork, they ACTUALLY may NOT be as clinically significant or “high” as doctors may lead you to believe. 

UNDERSTANDING HOW LIPOPROTEINS, LDL & HDL WORK

Consider this analogy: Your bloodstream is a highway.

The lipoproteins are the cars that carry the cholesterol and fats around the body.

The cholesterol and fats are the passengers in the car.

For decades, we’ve been hyperfocused on the number of passengers in the cars (i.e. especially LDL cholesterol), without paying attention to how many lipoproteins you actually have in your body in the first place.

If you have ALOT of cars on the road, during rush hour traffic (LOTS of lipoproteins), then you are at a higher risk for crashes, break-downs and stalled vehicles (i.e. “problems” associated with high cholesterol and inflammation).

If you have FEWER cars on the road (fewer lipoproteins), you have less risk for “crashing” and breaking down.

How do I check my lipoprotein (a)?!

Unfortunately, most doctors and lab tests do NOT check for lipoprotein(a) markers on traditional blood panels.

Ask your doc at your next routine visit if he or she can check both the LDL-P and Lp(a)-P markers. .

True Health Diagnostics https://truehealthdiag.com also offers a panel that many functional medicine doctors will use, which contains both LDL-P and Lp(a)-P, and Direct Labs offers the Lp(a) blood marker that patients can order directly: https://www.directlabs.com/TestDetail.aspx?testid=288

Once you get results back, normal values for Lp(a) are less than 30 mg/dL, and normal values for LDL-P are less than 1000 mg/dL. 

Myth #3:  High Cholesterol is Genetic (If Your Parents Had It, You’ll Probably Get It

Genes load the gun, but environment (always) pulls the trigger.

In fact, genes hold only about 5-10% weight in our health as a whole.

The other 90%?  Lifestyle and inflammation related—including diet, movement, stress, environmental toxicity, sleep, hormone balance, underlying pathologies (gut infection, thyroid, metabolic dysfunction) and all around health behaviors.

Unfortunately, only 6% of Americans engages in all 5  of the “top” health behaviors according to the CDC (16), including:

1. Not smoking
2. Sleeping 7-9 hours each night
3. Moderate or no alcohol consumption
4. Keeping physically active
5. Maintaining a healthy weight

In short: What COULD your health be (and cholesterol markers) if you addressed and focused on your lifestyle first?

Since “high cholesterol” is a sign of inflammation in the body, it is ALSO crucial to address the other “underlying” factors that play a role in inflammation, including metabolic dysfunction, blood sugar imbalances, liver congestion, gut infection and bacterial overgrowth, leaky gut, thyroid imbalances. Often times as these other markers are addressed holistically, standard “high cholesterol” markers improve. 

Lastly, in addition to addressing your lifestyle and underlying pathologies, ask your doctor to consider these two markers to determine if you have genetic high cholesterol or not:

• lipoprotein (a) particle number —specifically LDL-P
• apoB protein

High Cholesterol Interpretation

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) involves a mutation of a gene that codes for the LDL receptor or the apolipoprotein B (apoB protein), and LDL-P (as discussed in Myth #2) are strongly influenced by genetics. If you have higher LDL-P (above 1000 mg/dL), chances are your higher cholesterol IS more associated with your genetics.

Here’s how to interpret your lipoprotein (a) results if the number comes back “high:“

• High LDL-P Results   + Genetic History: If your LDL-P lipoprotein test comes back and says you have HIGH LDL-P and HIGH cholesterol markers and you have a family history of high cholesterol, then your “high cholesterol” is most likely due to genetic factors, and this is when medications may be warranted after addressing lifestyle factors and underlying pathologies first. 

• High LDL-P  Results (BUT No Strong Genetic History): If your LDL-P lipoprotein test comes back “high,” “borderline high” or “normal,” but you don’t have any family history or minimal genetic ties to high cholesterol, then chances are, your “high cholesterol” is due greatly in part to inflammation and lifestyle factors and is more reversible. Work with a functional medicine practitioner, nutritionist or other skilled professional to address the OTHER underlying causes of inflammation first—with an emphasis on metabolic dysfunction (Other body systems to consider: thyroid health, insulin resistance, blood sugar, physical activity, diet, etc.)

Myth #4:  Statins Save Lives

Statins are the “go to” drug of choice with 1 in 4 adults above age 40 on these “cholesterol lowering” medications nationwide.

In fact, it is perhaps not coincidence that, in 2004, when the statin Lipitor went viral in the pharmaceutical market , that same year the FDA changed the “healthy” lab ranges for high total cholesterol markers from 250 mg/dL or below, to 200 mg/dL or below; and “healthy” LDL ranges from 130 to 100 mg/dL or below—making more of a case for more Americans to need these life saving medications. (17) By 2005, Lipitor had generated a total profit of $12 billion alone in sales. For years, we’ve been told by the pharmaceutical industry that lowering cholesterol via statin drugs prevents heart disease, but can statins really cure or reverse coronary heart disease?

The answer is a clear “no.”

Cholesterol Research

The risks of heart attacks and death have been seemingly reduced, but not eliminated, nor statistically “significant” —making researchers question whether or not statins for “high cholesterol” are really worthwhile. For example, in the widely pub-licized Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study, 4,444 participants took the statin drug (Zocor®) or a placebo (18, 19).

Heart attacks and death decreased from 28% in the placebo group to 19% in the statin group. In other words: for every 100 people who took a statin drug (Zocor®), 9 heart attacks were prevented…however 19 heart attacks still occurred. 

The researchers concluded that the statin group had only a 30% less likely chance of getting a heart attack at best. Similar trials (3, 4, 5) have yielded similar unimpressive results for high-cholesterol patients in particular (especially considering that MOST heart attack patients do not have high cholesterol in the first place).

Certainly statins lower cholesterol markers on paper, but the side effects may far outweigh the benefits as well.

The bottom line: We must step back for a moment and recognize that statin therapy for high cholesterol is just one piece of a bigger picture. Heart disease has many other risk factors, and there are many other ways to reduce risk and identify people at risk.

Using statins to “lower cholesterol” may not be beneficial unless the individually is clearly genetically at risk for heart disease and all other lifestyle and inflammatory causes of heart disease and high cholesterol have been addressed first.

Myth #5: Avoid Dietary Cholesterol to Lower Cholesterol & Prevent Heart Disease

For 50 years we’ve been told by our doctors and Cheerio’s commercials that intake of dietary cholesterol is a key contributor to heart disease and high cholesterol. We now know that is NOT the case.

In fact, Ancel Keys, the founder of this diet-heart hypothesis himself rebuked his initial claim in 1991 (20) , stating:

Dietary cholesterol has an important effect on the cholesterol level in the blood of chickens and rabbits, but many controlled experiments have shown that dietary cholesterol has a limited effect in humans. Adding cholesterol to a cholesterol-free diet raises the blood level in humans, but when added to an unrestricted diet, it has a minimal effect.

Studies overwhelmingly show that about 75% of the population’s cholesterol levels are not affected at all by their dietary intake at all (21). And while the other 25% do experience an increase in LDL, but they also experience an increase in HDL. In short: there’s NO net change in their LDL-to-HDL ratio, and because of that, researchers conclude there’s really no clinical significance to any increase the 25 percent experiences when they eat cholesterol-rich foods (like eggs or butter).

The research is so clear now that as of 2016, the USDA dietary guidelines finally removed its restrictions on intake of dietary cholesterol and saturated fat, no longer suggesting to limit the intake of dietary cholesterol.

The bottom line: We’ve now established that eating cholesterol and saturated fat does not increase cholesterol levels in the blood for most people.

Resources

1. CDC. 2015. Cholesterol Fact Sheet. https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_cholesterol.htm
2. CDC.  2014. Prescription Cholesterol-lowering Medication Use in Adults Aged 40 and Over: United States, 2003–2012. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db177.htm; Adedinsewo, D., Taka, N., Agasthi, P., Sachdeva, R., Rust, G., & Onwuanyi, A. (2016). Prevalence and Factors Associated with Statin Use among a Nationally Representative Sample of US Adults – National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011–2012. Clinical Cardiology, 39(9), 491–496. http://doi.org/10.1002/clc.22577

3. Pollack, A. 2015. Eli Lilly Abandons Heart Disease Drug in Final Stage of Trials. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/13/business/eli-lilly-abandons-heart-disease-drug-in-final-stages-of-trials.html

4. Golomb, B. A., & Evans, M. A. (2008). Statin Adverse Effects: A Review of the Literature and Evidence for a Mitochondrial Mechanism. American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs : Drugs, Devices, and Other Interventions, 8(6), 373–418.

5. John Munkhaugen, Elise Sverre, Jan E Otterstad, Kari Peersen, Erik Gjertsen, Joep Perk, Lars Gullestad, Torbjørn Moum, Toril Dammen, Einar Husebye. Medical and psychosocial factors and unfavourable low-density lipoprotein cholesterol control in coronary patients. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 2017; 204748731769313 DOI: 10.1177/2047487317693134

1. Zhang H, Plutzky J, Shubina M, Turchin A. Continued Statin Prescriptions After Adverse Reactions and Patient Outcomes: A Cohort Study. Ann Intern Med. 2017;167:221–227. doi: 10.7326/M16-0838

7. Mayo Clinic. 2016. Statin Side Effects. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/statin-side-effects/art-20046013

1. American Heart Association. 2009. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2009 Update: A Report From the American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/circulationaha/119/3/e21.full.pdf.

9. Champeau, R. 2009. Most heart attack patients’ cholesterol levels did not indicate cardiac risk. UCLA Newsroom. http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/majority-of-hospitalized-heart-75668

10. Sniderman AD. Differential response of cholesterol and particle measures of atherogenic lipoproteins to LDL-lowering therapy: implications for clinical practice. J Clin Lipidol. 2008; 2(1):36-42. https://www.lipidjournal.com/article/S1933-2874(08)00004-4/fulltext

11. Cromwell WC, Otvos JD, Keyes MJ. LDL particle number and risk of future cardiovascular disease in the Framingham Offspring Study—Implications for LDL management. J Clin Lipidol. 2007; 1(6):583–592. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2720529/pdf/nihms36287.pdf

12. Otvos JD, Mora S, Shalaurova I, et al. Clinical implications of discordance between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and particle number. J Clin Lipidol. 2011; 5(2):105–113. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3070150/pdf/nihms-274658.pdf

13. Degoma EM, Davis MD, Dunbar RL, et al. Discordance between non-HDL-cholesterol and LDL-particle measurements: Results from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis. 2013; 229(2):517-523. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4066302/pdf/nihms-462449.pdf

14. Toth PT, Grabner M, Punekar RS, et al. Cardiovascular risk in patients achieving low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and particle (LDL-P) targets. Atherosclerosis. 2014; 235:585-591. https://www.atherosclerosis-journal.com/article/S0021-9150(14)01164-2/pdf

15. Kronenberg F, Utermann G. Lipoprotein(a): resurrected by genetics. J Intern Med. 2013; 273(1);6–30. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1365-2796.2012.02592.x

16. Yong Liu, MD, MS; Janet B. Croft, PhD; Anne G. Wheaton, PhD; Dafna Kanny, PhD; Timothy J. Cunningham, ScD; Hua Lu, MS; Stephen Onufrak, PhD; Ann M. Malarcher, PhD; Kurt J. Greenlund, PhD; Wayne H. Giles, MD, MS. 2016. Clustering of Five Health-Related Behaviors for Chronic Disease Prevention Among Adults, United States, 2013. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2016/16_0054.htm

17. Kolata, G. 2004. Experts Set Lower Low for Levels of Cholesterol. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/13/us/experts-set-lower-low-for-levels-of-cholesterol.html

18. Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study Group. 1994. Randomised trial of cholesterol lowering in 4444 patients with coronary heart disease: the Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study (4S). The Lancet. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(94)90566-5/abstract

19. Ballantyne, C. 2009. Clinical Lipidology. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/book/9781416054696

1. Kern, F. 1991. Normal Plasma Cholesterol in an 88-Year-Old Man Who Eats 25 Eggs a Day. The New England Journal of Medicine. 324:896-899. DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199103283241306 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199103283241306?query=recirc_curatedRelated_article

21. Gaziano, JM. Djousse, L. 2009. Dietary cholesterol and coronary artery disease: a systematic review. Curr Atheroscler Rep: 11(6):418-22. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19852882

 

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Intuitive Eating 101 – 5 Factors that Influence your Food Choices

Intuitive eating is the practice of eating (and listening) to what foods your body does and does not want, SUCH AS, eating when you’re hungry and stopping when you’re full, or eating a salad one day, and a steak the next because it’s what your body wants—no judgment included.

How are you’re intuitive eating skills?

If you’ve struggled with Intuitive Eating or want to learn how to TRULY listen to your body, more than food rules, then read on to learn about Intuitive Eating 101: 5 Factors That Influence Your Food Choices.

INTUITIVE EATING GONE WRONG

Before we get to the 5 essentials to get started, let’s first establish where you are in your own intuitive eating skills.

Intuitive eating is easier said than done. While we are ALL born knowing how to listen to our bodies, there’s ALOT of confusing messages in this world that leave us disconnected!

Sometimes when we follow a specific dietary protocol or have food restrictions or food rules for health reasons—like healing your gut, intuitive eating gets tricky.Food rules replace intuitive eating, and dietary protocols trump our own ability to listen to our body and feed it foods it wants and needs.

A common (unspoken) phenomenon amongst individuals on a “gut healing” protocol or with specific dietary restrictions is called ARFID—Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder—limiting our food consumption based on fears that our gut OR body will feel worse when we reintroduce certain foods, or feeling guilty if we stray away from our dietary protocol.

Others get their identity wrapped up in what they CAN and CAN’T eat, as opposed to listening to how their body actually feels.

For instance: If you are Vegan, but often feeling bloated, tired and like your metabolism is SUPER SLOW, perhaps it’s because you’re not getting some aminos, B-Vitamins or zinc your body (and metabolism) needs. Or, perhaps you’re Keto, and super active and losing un-wanted weight, perhaps your body CAN handle more carbs—even white rice, or more fruit than you are giving it.

The result? A funky relationship with food!

No matter if you follow Keto, to GAPS, Paleo, Vegan, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, Autoimmune Protocol, Gluten-Free and beyond—it can be EASY to get disconnected with intuitive eating, feel super restricted OR develop unnecessary food fears and food rules when we let our food protocols or identities determine what we SHOULD and SHOULDN’T EAT.

What to do about it?!

First: Raise awareness to these 5 thing that influence your food choices then… “go with your gut” —trusting that you and your body know what you need to eat, more than any food rule or diet.

Intuitive Eating 101: 5 Factors That Influence Your Food Choices

1. Your Experiences. (History, culture and experiences with food)
2. Your Self-Identity & Food Beliefs. (Personal identity and beliefs about food)
3. Emotions & Mindset. How you feel emotionally and mentally about food)
4. Vitamin P (What you enjoy)
5. Health (What your body TRULY needs (nutrients) and what helps you feel best, no rules included)

If you are on a strict dietary protocol, and you neglect any one of these 5 areas, it’s no wonder intuitive eating is hard or you feel even MORE stressed over food and DISCONNECTED from your body!

Understand each of these 5 factors that influence your food choices, and intuitive eating is yours for the taking!

Intuitive Eating 101: 5 Factors that Influence Your Food Choices

Factor #1: Your Experiences

How have your experiences, cultural background or history with food shaped what you do and do not eat?

For example—the foods you ate growing up. There’s something nostalgic about mom’s homemade spaghetti or warming morning oats that, regardless of how “healthy” they are or not, can be comforting.

Was ice cream or chocolate a reward for straight A’s or good behavior? Chances are, they can still feel like a reward today.

Is your family Asian, Mexican or Spanish, Italian, Greek, or a meat-and-potatoes kinda family? How do the foods you ate within your culture influence what you enjoy today?

Perhaps you’ve had negative experiences with foods—severe bloating or constipation, food poisoning. I was force fed things like Pop-Tarts, Twinkies and Egg McMuffins in treatment, and I developed aversions to these foods and gut issues because of it.

Maybe you love travel—and part of the travel experience is eating and trying new foods in your destinations.

The bottom line: LOTS of experiences and contexts can influence what we eat.

Factor #2: Self Identity & Food Beliefs

What is your food philosophy or beliefs about what you SHOULD or SHOULDN’T eat? What shaped this philosophy?

Rules, protocols, nutrition advice and our own identity can shape our food philosophy greatly.

Food is self-expression—a form of identity. Like finding your identity in your punk style as a teen, our food choices and food beliefs are often reflections of who we believe are (our identity), as well as who we want to become.

For instance: In my struggle with healing my own gut issues, I identified myself as “struggling with a horrible gut,” so in turn who do you think I thought I was? And what do you think my food choices looked like?

As I continued to strongly see myself as “sick Lauryn with a bad gut,” I continued to struggle with food. I clung to AIP and GAPS protocols for years, believing those were the only foods I could “eat,” and at times, lost hope that change was possible. My own identity as “a girl with gut issues” caused me to strictly adhere to these protocols as the only way, and I often ate the same foods every day.

In my dieting days, my food beliefs about what was “healthy” came from fitness magazines and mainstream weight loss advice. In turn, I feared fats, obsessively counted calories, and restricted carbs.

Our identities and our food beliefs can change at different seasons throughout our lives.

Maybe you were an athlete growing up or a fitness buff today. As you identify yourself as an athlete, how do you, the athlete, use and view food? With an athlete mindset on, you may view food as your fuel to perform—regardless of what your gut feels like, you drink protein shakes, carb load, or take certain supplements in the name of running faster, jumping higher or lifting heavier.

Maybe you’re a girl who’s “struggled with weight your whole life,” you stay stuck—struggling with weight and food. You’ve “always been this way,” and likewise, you tend to struggle with food—looking for the “best” food rules to follow, obsessing over calories and macros, eating emotionally, or hating on your body.

Maybe you identify yourself as: “Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian, or Keto.” These diets go FAR beyond just eating certain foods. They have an entire culture that can seep into your own beliefs about who you are, what you should care about and even who you hang out with.

Gender is another type of identity—Ever been on a dinner date with a guy you really liked? How did your gender influence your eating choices?

Research shows that when young males are around women, they tend to eat more. And, in the sorority house at lunchtime, when everyone else was picking salads to eat, what did you choose? You’d look like such a guy if you got the chili dog! Or at a sleepover, with your best girl friends, what did you do? Eat popcorn, pizza, and ice cream of course!

One more: Our personality type influences our food identity.  Are you an adrenaline junkie? If so, do you like to live on the edge with your food choices, or prefer stronger, spicier or more ethnic tastes? Or are you cautious and opt for simple, basic food choices, or familiar known foods?

The bottom line: Our identities and beliefs about food shape our food choices.

Factor #3: Emotions & Mindset

Emotions and our thought patterns are HUGE influencers over our food choices.

How does food become a “self-expression” or “identity marker” that reflects the tension and stress you feel inside?

Are you one who tends to eat more when things seem out of control, or the reverse, eat less or lose your appetite?

How is what you eat a reflection of how you feel about yourself or your current circumstances?  Does a breakup make you eat more chocolate, or a promotion at work inspire you to celebrate with a special dinner out on the town?

When you are bored, is food exciting? What do you turn to? A green salad or something like a handful of nuts or snack bar to keep things interesting?

When you are REALLY stressed—do you turn to food…or avoid food entirely, losing your appetite?

The bottom line: How we feel impacts how we eat.

Factor #4: Your Taste Preferences

Vitamin P! What you like to eat obviously influences your food choices or desires.

After all, taste is one of the main attributes we eat. Like good music to the ears, pretty scenery to the eyes, fresh flowers to the nose, good food to the tongue feels good.

When we neglect eating foods we enjoy, we easily fall into the diet mentality—and I am not just talking about weight loss. The diet mentality can also happen when we focus more on what we CAN’T HAVE than what we CAN have, and strictly feel enslaved to food rules or diet guidelines.

And we all know what the diet mentality does! Makes us want certain foods we “can’t have” or think about food more often then we’d like.

One of my favorite studies on the diet mentality os called the “Minnesota Starvation Experiment” and in it, more than 30 healthy men voluntarily ate a severely restricted diet. Ate the end of 6-months findings revealed that the men were more obsessed with food than ever—to the point of hoarding it, day dreaming about it, and experiencing increased interest in nutrition (3 became chefs and many obsessed over cookbooks). Upon re-feeding, the men also reported not being able to “get enough” when they ate, and many emotional, psychological and physical changes continued.

Couple this with stress alone from disliking our food, or hating on our bodies, and we have the perfect storm for gut distress and bacterial imbalances in our gut too.

The bottom line: Eat foods you enjoy with the ABUNDANCE mindset…thinking: what CAN I have? Instead of what CAN’T I have?!

ONE Caveat: Certain “pleasurable” foods—like potato chips, ice cream, Splenda, and greasy takeout pizza MAY be tasty, but they actually TRICK your brain into thinking you’re getting Vitamin P, when you are really getting additives that act like drugs to your body. Of course, 80/20 balance is ideal and it doesn’t mean NEVER EVER, but there IS  a difference in REAL Vitamin P from real foods you enjoy and “fake” Vitamin P from artificial foods. (Even more: Your gut bugs often crave foods you are intolerant to).

Above all: Within a scope of health, 80/20 balance (i.e. no perfection) with food is also essential. For instance: eating dark chocolate is totally acceptable, and sometimes, a little dirt never hurt either (such as drinking non-filtered water at a restaurant, or eating a food “off plan” that is served at a gathering, then getting back to your usual foods the majority of the time).

Factor #5: Your Health—What your body needs

Last but not least…finally health—eating for your body type based on deficiencies, sensitivities and basic health needs.

Sometimes we turn into “auto-pilot” mode when we eat to “be healthy,” such as eating chicken and broccoli, additive-filled protein powders, or salads for most meals.

However, IF we do not bring mindfulness for our health into the picture—considering the abundance of vitamins and minerals our body needs, as well as what foods truly make our gut feel well and incorporating variety—then are we really being “healthy?”

For instance, you may be Keto, but if you are experiencing sluggishness in your workouts or constipation…perhaps some soluble fiber like sweet potatoes or squashes could do your gut some good. Or perhaps you are AIP, but you actually can tolerate some egg yolks or the occasional macadamia nuts, even though the protocol says “you can’t,” what would it be like to trust your body instead?

As for balance, do you eat fish every night because it’s what you “should do?” even though your body is craving red meat one night? How about eating fresh herbs and fruits in season with your own body’s cues for these foods at certain types of year, or cooking a variety of different healthy options (not eating the same thing for every meal)?

If you aren’t considering what your body needs and wants for your unique HEALTH reasons, are we really eating healthy?

No wonder 99% of diets—even “healthy diets”— fail in the long run, as they train us to follow rules MORE than listen to our own bodies!

Your body was made to crave REAL FOODS—and a variety of them. Not the same things every day. After all, health is found in an abundance of different vitamins and minerals, not the same ones, and an abundance of different foods your body uniquely can tolerate (not rules about what it can tolerate).

Tune in.

The Bottom Line

Intuitive eating is a skill that you were born knowing how to do. It involves a blend of these 5 factors to truly listen to what your body is telling you, but the more you do, the less rules and dietary protocols are the “end all be all.” Food freedom is yours for the taking!

The post Intuitive Eating 101 – 5 Factors that Influence your Food Choices appeared first on Meet Dr. Lauryn.

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https://drlauryn.com/food-freedom/intuitive-eating-101-5-factors-that-influence-your-food-choices/ ** Dr. Lauryn Lax __Nutrition. Therapy. Functional Medicine ** https://drlauryn.com/

The Best Leaky Gut Diet to Heal Your Gut for Good

What should you eat to heal leaky gut? Is there an optimal leaky gut diet that can help you heal? Yes…and no.

While there is NO “one-size-fits-all” approach to diets and gut healing protocols, here’s how to customize a leaky gut diet to heal your gut for good and choose the best foods for your body.

Leaky Gut 101

Before we jump in, let’s hit refresh for a moment to answer the question, What is leaky gut?

Leaky gut, or “intestinal permeability” is a syndrome characterized by weakening of the gut tissue lining of your intestines and the “leaking” of food and unwanted proteins and particles into your bloodstream, in turn, provoking an inflammatory response and disrupting healthy bacteria and digestion.

Leaky gut happens when your digestive system gets stressed from environmental and lifestyle factors (i.e. overtraining, eating disorders, lack of sleep, poor diet, environmental toxins, etc.) and/or underlying gut conditions (like parasites, SIBO, and dysbiosis—imbalanced healthy and unhealthy bacteria).

While there are no hard statistics around how many people suffer from leaky gut, researchers speculate leaky gut plays a pivotal role in the presentation of other well-known inflammatory conditions and diseases (Bischoff et al, 2014 ), including;

• Anxiety & depression
• Eating disorders
• Metabolic dysfunction
• Autoimmune conditions
• IBS
• Constipation, bloating, SIBO and bacterial i
• ADD/ADHD
• Autoimmune disorders
• Autism
• Heart disease and high cholesterol
• Endocrine dysfunction
• Thyroid dysfunction
• Chronic headaches and migraines
• Blood sugar imbalances
• Skin breakouts and more

Diseases that affect at least 1 in 2 Americans (CDC, 2017).

The solution? Heal your leaky gut.

Where to start? The food you eat!

Food is Medicine for Leaky Gut

Many people have a general idea of what foods are “good” for them and which foods are not so hot for them.

Green things, lean proteins, some fruits and fats like avocado, nuts and seeds, and olive oil are typically what people think of first as “healthy foods.”

Fast food, processed foods and Chinese and pizza takeout are typically what people think of first as “unhealthy foods.”

Although, there is validity to both of these ideas, a leaky gut diet takes food a step further. If you want to use diet to heal leaky gut naturally, there are certain foods that act like true “medicine” for healing leaky gut, and there are certain foods (even healthy foods) that may also make leaky gut symptoms worse—not better—at least in the short term.

Here are the 20 Best Foods to Heal Leaky Gut, plus 10 Foods That May Trigger Symptoms of Leaky Gut.

Leaky Gut Diet: 20 Best Foods to Heal Leaky Gut

1. Bone Broth
2. Collagen & Gelatin Protein
3. Cooked and Steamed Leafy Greens
4. Winter Squash (Butternut, Spaghetti Squash)
5. Cooked & Cooled Sweet Potatoes (Soluble Fiber)
6. Healthy Fats & Oils (Avocados, Olives, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Ghee, Coconut Oil)
7. Coconut (Coconut Butter, Coconut Water, Coconut Flakes)
8. Wild Caught Fatty Fish & Cod Liver Oil
9. Pastured Poultry & Grass-fed Meats
10. Organ Meats or Liver Capsules 
11. Green Tipped Bananas/Plantains
12. Fermented Veggies (sauerkraut, low sugar kombucha, fermented pickles)
13. Grass-fed Full Fat Raw Kefir/Yogurt
14. Kombucha (low-sugar)
15. Apple Cider Vinegar
16. Ginger & Garlic
17. Herbal Tea
18. Turmeric
19. Colostrum or ProSerum Whey
20. Fresh Herbs (parsley, cilantro, oregano, thyme, peppermint, etc.)

Leaky Gut Diet: 10 Foods That May Trigger Symptoms of Leaky Gut

1. Nuts & Seeds (can be gut irritating)
2. Legumes (Beans, Peanuts)
3. Grains & Pseudo-Grains (Quinoa)
4. Pork (slowest digesting meat)
5. Most Dairy (fermented kefir and yogurt often ok)
6. Some FODMAP Foods
7. Nightshade Veggies & Spices (peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, chili powder, paprika)
8. Conventional and Processed Meats & Cheese
9. Artificial Sweeteners
10. Canola Oil and Vegetable Oils

No, not all of these foods are not “bad” (food doesn’t have morals), but for optimal digestive purposes, these foods are correlated with leaky gut as they can be more difficult for the gut to break down. Experiment with what works for you.

Customizing Your Leaky Gut Diet

In the world of gut healing, deciding what to eat can be overwhelming.

From the GAPS protocol to Low FODMAP to AIP  to Keto, which gut healing diet philosophy should you choose?!

Should you cut out eggs and nuts for AIP? Or do GAPS and cut out certain carbs, but keep the eggs and nuts in?

Should you go Keto—eliminating most carbs altogether, or do Low FODMAP and nix the broccoli and Brussels sprouts that make your stomach turn?

While these different dietary approaches CAN be helpful for giving you a baseline structure for removing certain inflammatory foods, you may very well find that you feel best with a blend of philosophies from these different worlds.

Enter: Customization—picking and choosing the foods that work best for you and make you feel your best.

How to do it? Trial and error.

As you put your own ideal diet together, be on the lookout for signs and symptoms of foods that do and do not agree with you. Skin breakouts, bloating, constipation, energy dips, headaches are all signs that certain foods may not be your BFF. However, you may also find that while AIP says “NO nightshade veggies,” you actually feel fine eating sliced tomatoes; or while GAPS says “NO sweet potatoes,” you actually can handle them.

The bottom line: Instead of looking to food rules to determine what you can and can’t eat on a “gut healing” diet, look to your own body’s cues instead.

Leaky Gut Diet Sample Meal Plan

Want a sample of a leaky gut meal plan? Check out this 3-Day Leaky Gut Diet Meal Plan sample.

DAY 1

Breakfast

Coconut Milk

Collagen Protein

1 tbsp. Carob Powder

1/2 Greenish Banana

1/2 Avocado

Lunch

Bone Broth Soup with Shredded Chicken & Veggies

Coconut Flour Cornbread Muffin with Ghee

Dinner

Baked Herb Crusted Salmon

Sauteed Rainbow Chard in Coconut Oil

Summer Squash DAY 1

DAY 2

Breakfast

No Oats Oatmeal

Homemade Turkey Sausage

Lunch

Mixed Greens with Salmon

1/2 Avocado

Primal Kitchen Cesar Dressing 

Dinner

Organic Chicken Thighs

Roasted Carrots with Olive Oil

Steamed Broccoli

DAY 3

Breakfast

Turmeric Golden Tea 

Turkey Sausage with Avocado

Lunch

Leftover Chicken Thighs

Mixed Roasted Veggies

Dinner

Spaghetti Squash

Grass-fed Beef, ground

Basil Pesto 

Sauteed Spinach in Ghee

The post The Best Leaky Gut Diet to Heal Your Gut for Good appeared first on Meet Dr. Lauryn.

Source/Repost=>
https://drlauryn.com/gut-health/the-best-leaky-gut-diet-to-heal-your-gut-for-good/ ** Dr. Lauryn Lax __Nutrition. Therapy. Functional Medicine ** https://drlauryn.com/

The Essential AIP Diet Guide: How to Do It & Heal Yourself

The AIP diet, or autoimmune diet, is a specific way of eating or “way of life” to help individuals heal from autoimmune disease. Here’s all you need to know about an AIP Diet, including the benefits, side effects, food lists, meal ideas and tons of resources to help you get started.

AIP Diet 101

The Autoimmune Protocol, or “AIP Diet,” is a special dietary approach to help people with autoimmune disease, symptoms and/or digestive issues heal their gut—and decrease inflammation.

 

“Autoimmune” essentially means “attacking self”.

In the case of autoimmune disease, the body produces antibodies that attack its own tissues, leading to the deterioration and in some cases to the destruction of such tissue.

And this is most often attributed to a leaky gut—as your intestinal lining becomes more permeable (less tight) with wear and tear, food particles and ingested toxins easily leak into the bloodstream, causing those antibodies (disease destroying particles) to go to work.

As the antibodies attack the foreign invaders, they also attack your body’s own tissues in the process, leading to inflammation, “flare ups”, achy joints, skin conditions, brain fog, depleted energy, cysts, IBS, heart disease, cancer and more.

In other words: No bueno (no good).

Why the AIP Diet?

Certain “higher inflammatory” and histamine foods generally provoke this situation more, including:

• Grains and gluten
• Dairy
• Beans
• Sugar (added) and artificial sugar
• Alcohol
• Eggs
• Nuts and most seeds
• Processed foods
• Vegetable oils (canola, Crisco, margarine)
• Nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes—sweet potatoes ok, peppers, eggplant, paprika, all chili’s including spices)

Enter: The AIP diet—a period of “removing the triggers” and focusing on gut-loving, anti-inflammatory foods to allow the body (and gut) to heal.

How the AIP Diet Works

An Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet works to reduce inflammation in the intestines.

Many “clean eating” or elimination diets are not complete enough to remove immune triggers that promote inflammation in the gut.

AIP works to calm inflammation in the gut and also calm inflammation in the body. Although autoimmune disease can never be cured, it can be put into remission by targeting improved gut health. For some, an initial AIP protocol of 6-8 weeks (paired with digestive support like probiotics and enzymes) is all that’s needed to then begin experimenting with some foods within the “avoid” list again to see how the body responds—even on occasion.

For others, it can be years, or even a lifetime from a history of an unhealthy gut that certain foods do provoke an inflammatory response. Every BODY is different and it’s a matter of finding what works for you.

AIP Diet Foods: What to Eat & What to Avoid

Although AIP may sound like a restrictive diet, there are actually hundreds of foods included and ways to “spice” it up. I encourage my clients to eat with the “abundance” mindset. Think: What CAN I eat, instead of what CAN’T I eat? In fact, the “avoid” list is MUCH shorter than the “eat list”

What to Avoid

• Eggs
• Nuts/Seeds
• Grains
• Dairy (Except for Grass-fed butter; Ghee; Full-fat grass-fed yogurt with Live Active Cultures Only)
• Beans & Legume (Including Peanuts)
• Beans
• Nightshades (potatoes-sweet potatoes are ok, tomatoes/tomato sauce, eggplants, sweet and hot peppers, cayenne, red pepper, tomatillos, goji berries etc. and spices derived from peppers and paprika)
• Alcohol
• Fructose consumption in excess of 20-30g per day (1-2 servings/fruit per day)
• NSAIDS (like aspirin or ibuprofen)
• Artificial sweeteners (yes, all of them, even stevia for right now)
• Sugar & added-sugar (Salad dressings, ketchups, frozen dinners—read labels)
• Conventional Processed/Packaged Foods
• Emulsifiers, thickeners, and other food additives
• Alcohol (limit to 1-2 glasses per week)
• Coffee (limit to 1 cup or less of high-quality, organic coffee per day)

 

What to Eat

• Grass Fed Meats, Poultry and Seafood
• Vegetables (except nightshades)
• Fruits (limit to 20-30 grams fructose/day)
• Coconut, including coconut oil, manna, creamed coconut, coconut aminos, canned coconut milk, shredded coconut
• Fats: olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, lard, bacon fat, ghee (derived from butter, but ok in small doses)
• Fermented Foods (coconut yogurt, kombucha, water and coconut kefir, fermented vegetables)
• Bone Broth
• Herbal Teas
• Green Tea
• Vinegars: Apple Cider Vinegar, Coconut vinegar, red wine vinegar, balsamic
• Natural Sweeteners: occasional and sparse use of honey and maple syrup (1 tsp/day)
• Herbs: all fresh and non-seed herbs are allowed (basil tarragon, thyme, mint, oregano, rosemary, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, savory, edible flowers)
• Herbs and spices (such as: sea salt, curry, dill, cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, vanilla, onion powder, oregano, garlic, cilantro, bay leaf, basil, chives, peppermint)

Benefits of the AIP Diet

Feeling energetic, less inflamed and experiencing remission of your condition!

Win. Win. Win.

 

Side Effects of the AIP Diet

As with anything in life, there are “pros” and “cons,” and some cons to be aware of include:

• Overthinking your food
• Stressing out or fearing how food makes you feel
• Isolation (not feeling like you can go out or be with people)
• Unwanted weight loss (your body is still healing)
• Feeling limited in your food options and choices
• Cravings or thinking about binging due to restrictive mindset trap

 

It’s vital to be aware of your mindset and the psychology of eating   when commencing AIP, and remember: It’s not forever.

Beyond the AIP Diet: Is There Anything Else You Should Do?

The AIP Diet goes far beyond the foods you put into your mouth. In fact the actual latin form of the word “diet” means “a way of life.” For the individual with an autoimmune condition, this means your lifestyle also reflects an “autoimmune diet”—or anti-inflammatory—lifestyle.

In fact, considering that 90-95% of all disease is triggered by stress alone, mitigating and addressing stress head on is an essential component of the “healing” process.

AIP Lifestyle “Medicine”

This includes:

Healing Your Gut

An AIP Diet is great, but it is not the end all, be all to healing from autoimmune disease. Gut healing is an ESSENTIAL component to any AIP Diet protocol, and should not be taken lightly. “Intestinal permeability,” or “leaky gut” go hand in hand with autoimmune conditions, and healing and sealing the gut is not a practice of just managing the disease with an AIP diet.

Addressing underlying issues or causes to intestinal permeability and autoimmune disease is essential, including potential testing for:

• Food Intolerances/Sensitivities
• SIBO
• Fungal & Parasitic Infection
• Dysbiosis
• Organic Acids

Partnering with a functional medicine practitioner or nutritionist skilled in addressing the ROOT CAUSES of disease can be game changing.

Aside from lab testing, supplement protocols, other food avoidances and gut-healing agents may be warranted, including:

• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Herbs like Dandelion and Milk Thistle
• Colostrum
• Algae
• L-Glutamine
• Collagen
• Bone Broth

Sleep

7-9 hours per night does a body good—sleep  and rest is where anti-inflammatory healing occurs.

 

Hydration

Aiming for a minimum of half your body weight in ounces per day, and limiting coffee/caffeine to 1 quality cup of organic brew per day or less.

Exercise

Not too much, but not too little. Many people with autoimmune diseases find they feel weak after a bout of dealing with the disease, making exercise more difficult. Others realize their stressful lifestyle itself has been the #1 contributing factor to their disease—over training included. Movement is essential to healing, but a focus on gentleness and truly listening to your body is encouraged. A variety of movement also is beneficial, including: Yoga, walking, swimming, and strength training. No need to train for a marathon or CrossFit back to back 5-7 days per week either. Simply: Have fun with movement AND listen to your body.

 

AIP Diet 3-Day Meal Plan Ideas

Day 1

Breakfast

Chicken Sausage, Veggies (Greens, Mushrooms & Zucchini Sautéed in Ghee), Avocado

Lunch

Roast Turkey, Collard Green Wrap, Avocado Mayo, Plantain Chips

Dinner

Bison Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries & Coleslaw

Snack

Bone Broth

 

Day 2

Breakfast

“Chocolate” Green Protein Smoothie (with Collagen Protein)

AIP Zucchini Bread Slice

Lunch

Spinach Salad with Leftover Burgers, Avocado, Sweet Potato Fries, & Apple Cider Vinegar or Squeezed Lemon

Dinner

Crispy Chicken Thighs
Mashed Cauliflower
Pan-Fried Greens

Snack

Coconut Butter Packet

Half Banana

 

Day 3

Breakfast

Breakfast “Tacos”: Coconut Flour Tortilla, Ground Turkey, Guacamole, Nutritional Yeast

 

Lunch

Leftover Shredded Chicken with Avocado Mayo
Apple
Cucumber Slices

 

Dinner

Herb Crusted Salmon
Asparagus
Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash

 

Snack

Beef Jerky

 

AIP Diet FAQs

 

1. How long should I do AIP for?
   When first starting the AIP diet, the “strict” AIP diet is recommended for 30-60 days. This is to allow your gut and body time to heal and detox from any inflammatory foods you’ve been eating, followed by a reintroduction phase, where you may begin to experiment with foods.
2. How do I do the reintroduction phase?
   Reintroducing foods after an initial AIP diet is best accomplished by focusing on adding one thing at a time, in 2-7 days chunks. This methodology allows you to see what foods work for you and which ones don’t. For instance, beginning with eggs, you may eat scrambled eggs one day and feel great, but notice your nose is runny or skin is breaking out a few days later. Sometimes foods can have a delayed autoimmune (attack) response time, so by conducting slow reintroductions, you’re able to reintegrate foods appropriately.
3. Will I ever be able to eat sandwich bread, oatmeal, pizza or ice cream?
   Foods during a “reintroduction” phase of the AIP diet may very well include some old beloved staples, however, be warned, most people do respond differently to more real foods (say scrambled eggs or almond butter) than they do Subway sandwiches and takeout pizza. In other words, on the “totem pole” of “inflammatory” foods, most processed and refined foods, sugars, hydrogenated oils and gluten-containing foods tend to be MORE INFLAMMATORY than real foods like nuts and eggs, even though nuts and eggs are also not technically “AIP foods.” When reintroducing foods, experiment with what you will, but be warned that most real foods sit well with individuals than not real foods. Let your body be your guide.
4. I’m going out to eat, what should I order?
   Many people on the AIP diet feel completely isolated because social life often revolves around food—many inflammatory foods at that. Most restaurants are unaware of AIP Diet triggers, like hydrogenated oils, margarines and gluten-cross contaminating foods (like “gluten-free grains”), and even if a restaurant is gluten-free, it doesn’t mean it’s inflammatory free. That said, you do NOT have to live in a bubble. Share with your waiter that you are highly sensitive to gluten and dairy, or have autoimmune dietary needs from the beginning, and (good) restaurants will often go out of their way to accommodate your needs. As far as ordering goes, you typically have one of two options: (1.) View eating out as more of social experience—rather than strictly an eating experiment. Plan to eat a real meal your body enjoys before or after, and at the restaurant nosh on a real-food appetizer, salad, or smaller portion of a meal (such as shrimp cocktail or ceviche—sans sauce; greens with protein, avocado and squeezed lemon juice; or non-oiled veggies and proteins). You may even opt to bring your own packet of coconut oil, coconut butter or ghee to have some healthy fat to compliment an otherwise boring or dry meal.
5. I’m overwhelmed! How can I do this?!
   First things first: Take a deep breath! Just like anything that’s new (and overwhelming at first), it gets easier with time. The best part? The AIP diet is NOT about perfection. As you get more and more familiar with it, you’ll get comfortable with it (and may even learn it becomes more second nature).

           

Helpful AIP Diet Resources

There is strength in numbers and, as more and more people become aware of the game-changing effects of an AIP diet and lifestyle, there are tons of amazing books, programs, websites, blogs and companies out there to help you navigate an “AIP” lifestyle and diet. Here are some helpful resources:

Books

• The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook by Mickey Trescott & Angie Alt
• The Autoimmune Solution by Dr. Amy Myers http://amzn.to/2reGGGf
• The Paleo Approach by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne http://amzn.to/2reXk8E
• The Wahls Protocol by Dr. Terry Walls
• Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ by Giulia Enders
• Eat Dirt by Dr. Axe
• It Starts with Food

 

Cookbooks

• The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook
• The Healing Kitchen Cookbook
• Meals Made Simple by Danielle Walker
• The Essential AIP Cookbook 
• The Alternative Autoimmune Cookbook 
• The Autoimmune Solution Cookbook 

 

Recipe Blogs

• Unbound Wellness 
• The Phoenix Helix http://www.phoenixhelix.com
• Grazed & Enthused 
• A Squirrel in the Kitchen 
• AIP Lifestyle 

 

Websites

• Autoimmune Wellness 
• Chris Kresser https://chriskresser.com
• DrLauryn
• Robb Wolf 
• The Paleo Mom 
• Wellness Mama 
• Environmental Working Group 

 

Supplements

Supplements will be unique to every individual, and a functional medicine practitioner or nutritionist can help customize a protocol for you.

In the mean time though, most any human gut can benefit from a daily probiotic, pre-biotic, fermented foods and apple cider vinegar. Fermented cod liver oil is also great for anti-inflammatory properties.

• Primal Probiotics
• Sunfiber Prebiotic 
• Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar
• Rosita Cod Liver Oil

 

Health Solutions

• Dr. Lauryn 
• Institute for Functional Medicine
• Functional Medicine Coaching Academy
• Kresser Institute 
• Paleo Physicians Network 

 

Meal Delivery & Food Services

• Paleo on the Go
• Pete’s Paleo 
• Barefoot Provisions AIP Lifestyle Collection (Snacks)
• Butcher Box (high quality meats)
• Vital Choice (high quality seafood and meats)

Get it? Got it? Good!

Want to make peace with food and your body throughout your healing.

Check out the Thrive Life Project — a 30 day TOTAL health and mindset transformation to support you in being the best (most thriving) version of yourself, and giving you a daily dose of:

30 Daily Insider Bodywise Tips (you won’t find on Google)

30 Day Real Food Nutrition Plan and 30-Day Feel-Good Fitness Program

30 Day Gut & Metabolism Healing Protocol

And TONS of weekly resources—including Meal Plans, Recipes, Thrive Projects & Body Boosting Challenges

—All catered to meeting you where you’re at and helping you thrive where you want to be.

Find out more and you and join the 30-Day Project today.

The post The Essential AIP Diet Guide: How to Do It & Heal Yourself appeared first on Dr. Lauryn Lax.

Source/Repost=>
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Will My Gut Ever Heal? —How to Heal Leaky Gut for Good

How to heal leaky gut? And will my gut EVER heal?

If you’ve been in the “game,” of gut healing and treating leaky gut for any amount of time, you know how frustrating and time consuming it can be.

While approximately 3 in 4 people struggle with some sort of gut dysfunction like leaky gut throughout their lifetime, MANY people don’t realize it—chalking their “bad gut health” up to being normal.

Is poor gut health your normal?

• Pooping every 2 to 3 days is “normal”
• Feeling bloated or passing gas is “normal”
• Never feeling hungry is “normal” or always feeling hungry is “normal”
• Abdominal cramping is “normal”

However, for those of us who DO realize we have leaky gut, or that our “gut is a mess,” what happens when you do ALL THE RIGHT THINGS, but our leaky gut is STILL not healing?!

Do you do “all the right things?”

• We take a probiotic and prebiotic
• We pop digestive enzymes with our meals
• We Google search terms like “low stomach acid” or “coffee enemas”
• We pay close attention to eating a “clean” or anti-inflammatory
• We sip kombucha
• We use toxic-free face wash and non-fluoride toothpaste
• We drink filtered water out of stainless steel water bottles

Yup, despite our efforts to heal leaky gut naturally (and even though we feel better than when we first started)…our gut health is still a mess  Constipation, bloating, gas and all-around GI discomfort are STILL our “norm,” and we cannot figure out HOW to heal leaky gut for good!

“What gives?!” you cry.

Answer? There are 3!

3 Essentials to Heal Leaky Gut for Good

Keep in mind….

1. Gut healing is a marathon (not a sprint).
2. There is a DIFFERENCE in “healing” vs. “managing” your gut health
3. And, often times, the path of LEAST resistance is where the MOST healing will be won.

Let’s talk about each.

1. GUT HEALING IS A MARATHON (NOT A SPRINT)

Pop question: How long have you been struggling with your “gut health?” Moreover, how long did you lead a stressful, or non-gut-supportive lifestyle prior to “healing your gut?”

Chances are the time you spent eating processed foods as a kid, taking antibiotics, burning a candle at both ends, eating artificial sweeteners and OTHER non-gut-friendly lifestyle behaviors far outweigh the time you’ve spent towards healing your gut now.

That said, patience and time, my friend.

Behold the turtle—the slow and steady—that wins the race.

When it comes to “healing your gut” or improving leaky gut syndrome, consistency, time and persistence will be the biggest game changers that pay off.

And, while it takes approximately only 5 days for your gut lining itself to repair itself and form new tissue, IF you continue to have other underlying (unaddressed) stressors—such as SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), parasites, fungal or bacterial infections, or unaddressed food intolerances (even “healthy” foods)—then gut healing will be a longer process.

All things considered, don’t forget where you started, as well as where you’ve come from,.

This day in age, typically, the amount of time spent on gut healing vs. living a stressful lifestyle does not compare, and the slow and steady gut healing will also win the race.

2. HEALING VS. MANAGING YOUR GUT HEALTH

Are you “managing” or “healing” your gut health? There IS a difference.

Often times, people wander down the rabbit hole of “gut healing,” without realizing they are actually simply managing their gut health.

They do things like:

• Take probiotics and prebiotics
• Eat fermented foods
• Drink water
• Eat Paleo, or AIP, or GAPS, or Low-Fodmap
• Sautee their vegetables
• Sip bone broth

—And beyond

However, they have yet to actually address the UNDERLYING gut conditions that brought them to not feel well in the first place. Sort of like cleaning your room versus hiding all your toys in your closet to make your room look clean, gut HEALING vs. gut MANAGING is different too.

Beyond probiotics and prebiotics, clean eating and gut-loving bone broth, if and when you have an UNDERLYING pathogen such as:

• Undiagnosed Food Intolerances
• SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth)
• Parasites/Fungal Overgrowth
• Dysbiosis (Too Much or Too Little of certain bacteria)
• Viral Infection
• Autoimmune Conditions

Then, often times, all the clean eating and probiotic popping in the world will not fully correct or reverse the “problem.”

A customized gut-healing approach involves two essentials:

a.) Assessing and realizing what gut “pathogen” (underlying condition) you have in the first place

b.) Treating it appropriately with a more targeted protocol (such as anti-microbial herbal supplements to “kill off” SIBO, or taking certain strains of bacteria while eliminating the others)

If you’ve been at the whole “gut healing thing” for a little while and your gut is “still not healing,” considering what (if any) underlying forces may be working “against you,” and treating them with a healing—not simply managing—approach.

Where to start? Working with a trained Functional Medicine Practitioner or Nutritionist who can help you “dig deeper,” underneath the hood in order to figure out your body’s imbalances is critical.

3. TAKING THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE

Last but not least…sometimes we are the greatest forces standing in our own way of truly healing leaky gut for good, versus holding on to our gut struggles (and gut identity).

While there is still a highly physical component to the process of healing leaky gut, there is also a great mental component—and sometimes our mentality is the biggest game changer in moving us forward or keeping us stuck.

Are you keeping yourself stuck?

• Are you clinging to the food intolerances you have—and neglecting the abundance of foods you CAN eat?
• Have you been eating an AIP diet for a LONG time, and you’re scared to “step outside” the box and experiment with a food your body actually may be able to handle now?
• Do you constantly ask Google questions about gut health?
• Do you dread feeling constipated or bloated so much—that it actually happens EVERY time?
• Do you continue to lead a stressful lifestyle outside your food factors (like not getting enough sleep or overtraining) that continues to drive your symptoms?
• Do you continue to eat certain foods you know don’t make you feel well, but you cannot wrap your head around WHY your protein powder (with stevia) or sweet potatoes don’t sit well with you?
• Do you stress out over food or how poorly you feel that stress dominates meal times and your daily thoughts?

One of my favorite studies around gut healing involves the integration of hypnotherapy in the treatment of IBS (Lee et al, 2014). Findings reveal that hypnotherapy is just as effective—if not more—than conventional treatments.

Truly a mind over matter.

So as we think, therefore we become.

While there IS a big physical component to healing leaky gut and how we feel as a whole, do NOT discount how our mental approach (and our own resistance to trusting that our body knows what it needs and how to heal) can help us thrive…if we just listen.

Want to heal leaky gut for good? Dr. Lauryn Lax takes a whole-body approach to your gut healing—mental, physical and emotional support to help you:

1. Figure out what—if any—underlying conditions are driving your symptoms
2. Customize a nutrition and lifestyle plan the works for your body
3. Support your mental and emotional healing—including improving your relationship with food and your body
4. And ultimately, help you feel good, inside and out

Schedule a 10-minute complimentary phone consult with Dr. Lauryn today to find out how Dr. Lauryn can help you thrive—not just get by—in your gut healing journey today.

The post Will My Gut Ever Heal? —How to Heal Leaky Gut for Good appeared first on Dr. Lauryn Lax.

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How to Lose Body Fat Naturally: 8 Strategies Your Trainer Won’t Tell You

Body Fat is the “enemy” of every gimmicky beach body program, Plexus or Shakeology advertisement, or personal trainer.

As America’s obesity and diabetes epidemics continue to climb (with obesity hitting a record high in October 2017 at 40-percent of all adults and 20-percent of all kids), it’s no wonder the diet and health industry is aimed at selling us the secrets to: “Lean out,” “Tone up,” and “Get shredded.”

And who doesn’t love seeing Before and After pictures of formerly frumpy, unhealthy bodies with, seemingly, overnight, washboard abs, thigh gaps, and cut shoulders?

So in our efforts to “lose body fat,” we Google search answers until the wee hours of the night, swear off carbs and run at Level 10 on the treadmill at Orange Theory Fitness, hoping that our hard work and diligence will pay off.

However, despite the rules, our workouts, super clean eating and “secrets to body fat loss” sold by clever health marketers, something is not working.

After all…if it was, why would the diet and health industry continue to be a multi-billion dollar industry? And why would America’s chronic health epidemics continue to worsen—not “get better.”

Answer: The secret(s) to losing body fat naturally may not be in the dogma rules many trainers, ads and shake companies claim we “should” follow.

Beyond eliminating carbs, fasting and counting macros…there are a handful of other secrets to losing body fat naturally that most trainers won’t tell you.

Here are 8 (Essential) Strategies for Natural Body Fat Loss (that your trainer won’t tell you).

1. Eat Fat

   “Fat burns fat.” It’s true. Fat is the most nutrient-dense and energy-rich substance we consume, and it is necessary for making every cell in our body strong and less permeable. Think of your cells like a raisin or a smooth bean. If your cells are like a raisin (shriveled up, and permeable), they allow more toxins and sugars inside. They are unable to be strong and withstand the exposure and consumption of non-essential nutrients, and consequently, are more apt to “store” things like sugar and toxins inside the cells, and become less healthy overall. If your cells look like a bean, however—they are supple and smooth. They are less immune to storing toxins and sugars inside, and consequently, they are stronger and more resilient. When we eat healthy fat, we build up the outer layer of our cells to be LESS PERMEABLE, and less apt to “store” fat. You (and your body) are fueled and have energy to “go strong” throughout the day.

   In addition to composing the outer layer of your cells, eating healthy fats ALSO protect our hormones and metabolism from riding the blood sugar roller coaster that we ride when we eat a low-fat diet, or higher carbohydrate diet (even “healthy carbs”). Fat helps keep your blood sugar from dipping too low or skyrocketing too high, which can, in turn, impact your cortisol (stress hormones). When the body is stressed, the LAST thing it wants to do is shed body fat. In addition, when the body is stressed—and not used to eating fats because you don’t eat enough of them—it cries out for the only thing it knows it will get from you—sugar or low-fat foods (that you keep eating to fill the food void you’re having). The cycle goes on…and body fat loss is not on your body’s agenda.

   Reach for 1 to 2 healthy fats with each meal, and in place of sugary snacks or carbohydrate-based snacks, reach for a healthy fat or protein as the base.

   Some healthy fat ideas?

   Raw nuts and seeds, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, coconut butter, avocado, olives, ghee, grass-fed butter, full-fat fermented yogurt, coconut yogurt, fatty cuts of organic meats, pastured eggs, avocado oil.

   Fat does a body good.

2. Don’t Fear Carbs

   Carbs are NOT the enemy. Contrary to the claims that completely eliminating carbs is “the secret” to fat loss success, when we go too low of carbs, particularly veggies here, we risk eliminating fiber—which is essential to elimination (ie. poop patterns), healthy gut bacteria and metabolic balance.Extreme diets of any sort can set your “metabolism off” negatively, since cortisol (your stress hormone) may be impacted—especially if your body is already in a stressed out (ie. “HPA-Axis Dysfunction”) state.

Research continues to ask: “Low Fat vs. Low Carb Diets: Which One is Better?” But the kicker here is…everybody is different.

For example, studies of women who go on a ketogenic (high fat, extremely low carb diet), show that, for women who have experienced “blood sugar issues” and “insulin resistance,” ketogenic diets CAN BE beneficial as a short-term dietary approach.

However, for women who may have their blood sugar more under control, BUT who have some HPA-Axis Dysfunction (ie. adrenal fatigue or hormone imbalances), a ketogenic diet MAY NOT be helpful—and actually may be more harmful in the long run.

In addition, carbohydrates supply much-needed pre-biotics (fiber) that are necessary for helping build and create a healthy gut “microbiome.” Without these carbs, any efforts to establish a healthy gut (Strategy #3) will be more of a struggle, since probiotics (HEALTHY gut bacteria) need pre-biotics to thrive.

Why gut health matters? We’ll get into it in a minute, but essentially: If your gut is not healthy, then the rest of your body (metabolism included) will not be healthy, nourished and able to…thrive either.

The kicker? There has YET to be a study that shows that a balanced diet over all ever did any harm at all.

Therefore, instead of thinking in terms of extremes for body fat loss, aim for the simplest, realest foods and balance as possible, building your carbohydrate sources on dietary sources the human body thrives upon. Generally this may look like:

Body Fat Loss Carb Picks:

• Leafy Greens (cooked and raw). Aim for at least 1 to 3 servings/day.
• Pre-biotic Carbs. Aim for 1 to 2 servings, especially of green-tipped bananas or plantains, cooked and cooled potatoes, winter squash and sweet potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, onions, garlic, asparagus.
• Fiber-rich Veggies. Broccoli, zucchini, yellow squash, asparagus, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, celery, cucumbers, etc.
• Starchy Tubers. Minimal to Moderate. Keep for 1 to 2 servings/day (maybe a pre-biotic) Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Squashes, Carrots, Beets, Yucca, Jicama.
• Fruits. Minimal. 1 to 2 servings/day. For the short-term, some people find tweaking or lessening fruit consumption helps for the short-term.
• Grains. Not ideal (for absorption issues, and higher-connection to bacterial overgrowth)

By aiming to include more healthy fats into our diet, alongside moderate protein, and moderate carbohydrates (primarily in the form of real foods), we turn on our metabolism revving engine and help keep our blood sugar stable (for longer)

3. Count Energy Not Macros or Calories

Our body doesn’t see food in terms of macros or calories. It sees nutrients. That said, it needs LOTS of energy-revving, nutrient-dense foods to thrive.

The problem many macro or calorie based plans run into is that they fixate on numbers, scales and measures, without acknowledging the nutrient density in foods—and how your metabolism benefits from foods that supply LOTS of energy (and color).

For instance, 1/2 a cup of gummy bears with high-fructose corn syrup may supply your body with a punch of “quick digesting carbs” after a workout, but the nutrient composition and health it provides for a healthy metabolism and blood sugar balance is completely DIFFERENT than 1/2 a cup of berries or a small sweet potato.

And although chicken, broccoli, oats, asparagus, egg whites, peanut butter, olive oil, rice and rice cakes, give your body some protein, fat, and carbs, how color-rich are your meals?

Less color (or variety)=Less nutrients=Less metabolism revving power.

When we consume LOTS OF COLORFUL veggies, body-boosting healthy fats and essential sustainable proteins (for the muscle shaping and supportive amino acids), our metabolism comes alive—extracting various vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to keep your body revving.

Some energy boosting foods?

My top picks:

• Dark Leafy Greens
• Colors of the Rainbow) Veggies (Aim for 2-3 different veggie colors at each meal)
• Berries
• Citrus (Lemon, Orange, Lime, Grapefruit)
• Organic Herbs (Parsley, Cilantro, Rosemary, Thyme, Sage)
• Organ Meats,
• Fermented Foods (Sauerkraut)
• Pastured Eggs & Poultry, Grass-fed Beef & Wild Caught Fatty Fish
• Coconut Oil, Cold-Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Ghee or Grass-fed Butter
• Avocado
• Raw Brazil Nuts, Walnuts & Macadamia Nuts

—Just to name a few.

While you’re at it, make sure you are EATING ENOUGH. Under-eating is just as “detrimental” as overeating. Remember: “More (energy)” is NOT a bad thing.

4. Stress Less

Stress is the #1 driver of all disease—including “stubborn body fat.” Unfortunately stress is inevitable in our rat-race society, however, it IS an often overlooked factor in areas beyond mental forms of stress.

Even if you don’t think you’re stressed out, stress goes far beyond mental stress. Daily stressors—like blue light exposure, screens (at night), lack of time spent in nature, burning a candle at both ends, sedentary or over-active lifestyle, etc.—threaten metabolic balance.

Biologically, your cortisol (ie. stress hormone) needs to be in a state of balance in order to shed body fat or let go of “unwanted” pudge. If your body feels threatened, cortisol levels get out of sorts in order to cope with the stress, and consequently, the LAST thing your body wants to do when it’s running from a bear inside (ie. stress) is comply with your body fat loss protocol.

This is called “HPA-Axis Dysfunction”—dysfunction of the hypothalmus-pituitary-adrenal gland axis that governors of their stress hormones and metabolism.

Some simple (but effective) game changers for balancing cortisol?

• Shut off screens in the evening hours, or power down to “Night Shift” (like f.lux) and use Blue-Blocking glasses
• Get fresh air—at least 30-60 minutes each day
• Move your body with a “Goldilock’s” approach. (Too much exercise will shoot your cortisol in the foot). De-stress naturally with regular exercise without over-exerting or pushing your body beyond limit.
• Get off the treadmill. Build a foundation of lean muscle with strength trainIng (ie. weights 2 to 5 days per week), and less focus on cardio, cardio, cardio! For balance, sprinkle in a little bit of HIIT  (ie. sprints, Cross-Fit style workouts, 1 to 3 times per week) and endurance training (1 to 3 days)—such as 2 days of HIIT, and 1 to 2 days of spinning, swimming or running, all supported by daily lifestyle movement (walking, playing with your kids, standing at work, etc.), and plenty of walking and simple movement
• Just say “no” to things draining your schedule, energy or time.
• Get your beauty sleep.

And, all things considered, the mind is still a powerful tool. Countless studies demonstrate the effectiveness of stress reduction (in the mind) to help suppress and alleviate an otherwise stressed out metabolism (ie. cortisol levels). Incorporating a practice of deep breathing, meditation or prayer, meditative movement (ie. stretching, yoga, dance), and reading and listening to positive truth (ie. positive podcasts, books, speakers, etc.) are all tactics for mindfully reducing stress. Check out the book the “Placebo Diet: Use Your Mind to Transform Your Body” for an interesting read on the placebo phenomenon 

5. Eat Mindfully

Speaking of stressing less, MINDFULNESS (particularly with meals) can help “reduce cortisol and even abdominal fat, with research to back this up. In a study of 47 participants, half of the group incorporated mindful eating into their daily eating practice, the other half did not. Results revealed that the mindful eaters lost a significant amount of body fat compared to those who did not. The take home? Incorporate these techniques into your own meal times:

• Chew your food (fully)
• De-screen (turn off the TV, computer and even books)
• Assess and check in with your own level of hunger and fullness. You don’t have to always finish your plate; and sometimes, you may want seconds. Check in to your gut on a scale of 1-10 (1=starving, 10=stuffed)
• Be aware of how food makes you feel (Are you bloated, constipated, breaking out, anxious, have allergies, etc.? Something may be in your food, protein powders or bars that is not sitting well with you).
• Don’t eat the same things every day. Incorporate a variety of nutrients from real foods.

6. Get Your Beauty Sleep

Sleep is a natural anti-stressor that is also like a magical “pill for body fat loss.
It’s no secret LACK of sleep doesn’t do a body good. If anything, leaving you feeling groggy, tired and out of sorts. However, when it comes to fat loss specifically, lack of sleep also works against your body. One study of participants on a moderate-calorie diet showed that those who slept 8.5 hours, as opposed to 5.5 hours, lost 50-percent more body fat than the less-sleep group  Individuals

Sometimes the “secret to success” involves LESS doing (ie. dieting, working out, trying so hard), and MORE BEING.

7. Lose From the Inside Out: Heal Your Gut

Speaking of the gut….Stubborn metabolism? Unwanted body fat? Underarm jiggle or love handles you just can’t shake?

Beyond stress, one essential factor most people don’t consider when it comes to body fat loss is what’s going on in their gut—the gateway to health (including a healthy, lean body).

If you have an underlying gut issue (ie. bacterial overgrowth, fungal overgrowth, imbalanced gut bacteria, chronic bloating and constipation, low stomach acid, a sluggish liver/gallbladder), this will lead to an underlying “stress” (ie. ie. cortisol levels that are too high or too low) or nutrient deficiency and malabsorption issue.

The result? Your body is going to fight against you, no matter how clean you eat OR how much you workout.

A study (Hjorth et al, 2017) on the effectiveness of a gut-healing protocol in people on a “fat loss” program found those who focused on healing their gut, versus those who did not, lost an average of about 11 pounds of body fat (with only 3 of those pounds related to diet alone).

Other research (Haas et al, 2017) on the “effectiveness” of intermittent fasting (IF) has shown that, in individuals with a “healthier gut” (less bacterial overgrowth) and better digestion show benefits from the IF technique, versus those who have an unhealthy gut microbiome.

A study (Ott et al, 2017)  on the effectiveness of a “body fat loss” diet in obese women found that, beyond the scale, it appears the healthier diet for these women actually resulted in a more balanced gut microbiome. In other words, the reason why a “clean eating” diet may work is because it is supporting a healthier gut overall. If this is the case, consider the possibilities when you focus more intently on healing and restoring your gut health  (as opposed to restrictive eating)? Oh the possibilities!

And an interesting report, published in the International Journal of Obesity (Sharkey, 2016), from a bariatric surgery doctor highlights this finding as well—asserting that, for healthy body fat loss and energy balance, gut health is essential.

In short: You are ONLY as healthy as the trillions of gut bacteria that outnumber your cells at least 10 times.

Your gut health acts like a domino effect for ALL other systems in your body. When your gut is UNABLE to absorb and digest your nutrients appropriately, or it is rotting and fermenting bacteria inside, then your other body systems (including your brain, your hormones, your liver—detoxifying organ, and more) are UNABLE to be fed.

What happens when you are not “well fed”—or nourished? Health declines. Your hormones (and cortisol) get out of whack. You experience increased anxiety, the “need to binge” or mood imbalances (ie. “dieting sucks”). And nutrient deficiencies are more common. Unfortunately, gut issues impact upwards of 75-percent of all Americans—even if they don’t have gut symptoms” (like bloating, constipation, IBS, or loose stools). Other signs of “gut dysfunction”  may be a slowed metabolism, unexplained weight loss or weight gain, allergies, low immunity, anxiety, skin breakouts or general fatigue and lack of energy.

On the contrary, what happens when you rid of any unwanted bacteria or undigested food hiding out in your gut? Inflammation lessens, your metabolism, cortisol levels and thyroid are supported…and your body is “free” to stop holding on to unwanted body fat.

The best way to find out if you have a gut issue?

Test, don’t guess. Consult with a practitioner   skilled in digging deeper into gut health for a personalized approach. Some testing may include: SIBO testing, stool testing, hormone and food intolerance testing. In addition, metabolic, thyroid and hormone testing (such as the DUTCH test and functional blood work) may also be beneficial for addressing hormone or metabolic imbalances as well.

In my own practice with clients, I find that most of my clients who cannot “lose body fat” (no matter what) often have a gut or metabolic imbalance that is driving their “inability.”

Look to your gut (and your hormones)—inside.

8. Supplement Smart

The diet industry is saturated with formulas and magical pills to shed the body fat (ie. “fat burners”). However, most of these are ultimately clever marketing and ways to steal your dollars. (And many of these may also jack with your cortisol levels—ie. stress hormones—making your stress and body fat loss worse in the long run, not better).

The key supplements I recommend to almost anyone on a body fat loss plan are simple—

• A quality probiotic + fermented foods
• Apple Cider Vinegar—1 tbsp. in 2-4 ounces of water around meal times
• Digestive Enzymes (optional) or helping break down food

That’s it for “essentials.”

After all, if you are NOT digesting your foods in the first place (through healthy gut support) then you’re going to continue missing the mark on nutrient balance for your health and hormones.

P.S.

Not all supplements are created equal. In fact, 95-percent of probiotics on shelves do not contain the probiotics they claim, or the quality of probiotics needed to compose a healthy gut microbiome.

A few faves include:

• Megaspore Probiotic  (order through a practitioner)
• Floramyces by Designs for Health  (Use code: LAURYNLAX to be able to order)
• Primal Flora Probiotic  
• Garden of Life Primal Defense Ultra (if you don’t have SIBO—small intestinal bacterial overgrowth)

Fermented Foods (1-2 condiment sized servings daily)

• Sauerkraut
• Low-Sugar Kombucha
• Kefir
• Grass-fed Plain Yogurt
• Beet Kvass
• Fermented & Pickled Veggies

GET REAL

These 8 essential strategies could be the “game-changers” you’ve been running circles around—trying to figure out the “answers” to body fat loss success.

The BIGGEST GAMECHANGER of them all though?

One that comes from a heart—and gut—check…with yourself: Not making your goal SOLELY about fat loss.

Fat loss is a byproduct of something else you REALLY want. You want that FEELING of fat loss—feeling good in your own skin, feeling good when you fit into your favorite jeans, feeling confident in your work, social interactions or relationships.

Identify that FEELING that you think your body-fat loss will bring you, and begin feeding into goals and pursuits outside body fat loss measures or the scale itself in order to attain what it is your truly want.

In my own health journey, and the journey of HUNDREDS of clients I’ve worked with over the years, the BIGGEST GAMECHANGER for “getting the body you want” will come when you stop focusing so much on the scale or size, and instead make goals and set intentions around other “bigger” things in your life.

It’s not bad to want to lose body fat or “tone up,” but when our sole drive and focus is aimed at body fat loss alone, we will hit a roadblock because that “dangling carrot” will never be fully attained (there will always be someone better, fitter, prettier, leaner than us, or a standard of dieting or body type that we want to achieve).

Set goals for your personal development, your peace with yourself and food, healing your gut or hormones, stressing less, your relationships, your dreams, your spiritual walk, your passion and purpose you bring to this world, and the body fat loss (or other body and health goals)  WILL follow (promise, promise).

Above all, it’s vital to remember that, contrary to popular belief…We actually need some body fat for health and function.

In other words: Body fat alone is not necessarily the big bad scary enemy we’ve made it out to be.

Body fat tissue (“essential fat”)…

• Keeps our organs, brain, and heart working
• Provides insulation for body temperature regulation
• Protects our organs
• Gives us extra energy to expand in our active lifestyle
• Supports healthy hormone balance.

Most women need about 20 to 28 percent body fat and men somewhere between 10 to 18 percent for general health (particularly hormone health).

That said, there is no one-size-fits-all body type for men and women and within the context of other health markers (ie. your menstruation cycle, your gut health, presentation of other diseases), your body will thrive when you make peace with the process of self-care.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Body fat loss is not rocket science.

1. Address the roots of underlying imbalances.
2. Eat and nourish yourself consistently with energy-giving, nutrient-dense whole foods.
3. Aim to stress less.
4. And pick a bigger goal outside your body size itself (the body will follow your heart and your gut intuition).

Want a custom body fat loss blueprint, including nutrition, fitness, and supplement and testing recommendations (if any)? Connect with Dr. Lauryn today to schedule an Initial Intake Consult today.

Got questions? We offer a complimentary 15-minute consult to answer any questions you may have as well if desired.

The post How to Lose Body Fat Naturally: 8 Strategies Your Trainer Won’t Tell You appeared first on Dr. Lauryn Lax.

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