Break the Rules #22 – Healthy Gut, Healthy You with Dr. Ruscio

The gut is the “gateway” to health: including how we think, our skin, our energy, our hormones and more. Leading gut expert Dr. Ruscio breaks it down for us in layman’s terms and talks about his latest findings and insights on the gut’s role in our health (and HEALING).

Dr. Ruscio gives smart, busy people suffering from symptoms like daily bloating…  constant fatigue… and unexplained weight gain… simple steps to start living a healthy, enjoyable life again – no matter how long you’ve been suffering for.

Specializing in autoimmune, thyroid, and digestive disorders, Dr. Ruscio has spoken at The SIBO Symposium Summit, Paleo FX, Ancestral Health Symposium, Sean Croxton’s Digestion Sessions, as well as many other international conferences and top health podcasts.

Find out more about his simple, evidence-based approach to healing chronic illness at www.drruscio.com. Purchase Dr. Ruscio’s latest book, Healthy Gut Healthy You on Amazon today.

The post Break the Rules #22 – Healthy Gut, Healthy You with Dr. Ruscio appeared first on Meet Dr. Lauryn.

Source/Repost=>
https://drlauryn.com/podcast/break-the-rules-23-healthy-gut-healthy-you-with-dr-ruscio/ ** Dr. Lauryn Lax __Nutrition. Therapy. Functional Medicine ** https://drlauryn.com/

Do You Have Healthy Poop?

What is Healthy Poop?

Do you have healthy poop? And what does “healthy poop” look like anyhow?! 

Use the following charts and at-home assessments to determine what healthy poop IS (and what healthy poop is NOT)!

HEALTHY POOP DEFINED

 When our poop is “off,” it indicates something else is “off.”

For most of my childhood, teens and early 20’s, I thought my poop patterns were normal—after all, all I had known for those 20+ years was:

Going #2 every other day

Switching between mushy, loose and watery and hard (as a rock)—constantly

Never having ONE time to “go”

And occasionally popping a Colace stool softener or drinking Miralax

Newsflash: I did NOT have healthy poop, and my poo patterns were NOT normal.

When I first discovered what healthy poop SHOULD look like (the “golden poo” or “golden nugget”) AND that we should actually go 1-2 times per day, my mind was blown! 

How can I get healthy poop—and actually go #2….most days?! I wondered. 

Answer: Understand HOW to get healthy poop through your lifestyle FIRST, such as:

• Getting ENOUGH sleep (7-9 hours)
• Drinking plenty of (clean) water (1/2 your bodyweight in ounces most days)
• Sautee, puree, cook and steam veggies to make them easier to digest
• Avoid constipating foods
• Chew your food (well) and try not to eat too fast or on the go

—Just to name a few.

DO YOU HAVE HEALTHY POOP?

Track your poo for the next 3 days, simply monitoring and logging the time you go and what your poo looks like, as well as any symptoms around your squatty potty time (i.e. bloating, cramping, stress, etc.). Use the following descriptions and the Gut Reset Poo Chart for guidance in assessing and achieving the “golden poo.”

 GUT RESET POO CHART

Ideal: 

The Golden Nugget: Medium brown. Solidly formed in the shape of an S or C. Passing 1-3 times per day.

NOT Ideal

The following poo patterns are not ideal, and while ok on occasion, if these are regularly occuring, something is off with your poo, gut health and/or food. 

•  Leftovers.

Can you see those Brussels sprouts, sweet potato or mushrooms you ate—and still not completely broken down? This is not ideal. Shows it did not pass through the entire process of digestion. Consider your food chewing practices.

•  Slip & Slide.

Watery and loose. Often times, you can see the foods you ate in this one too—semi-broken down. Watery stools usually mean you ate something that your body yells, “May day, May day! I don’t like this.” A hire incidence of increased “bad” bacteria is indicated and/or food intolerances. 

•  Green Quease.

Green poo often with queasy feelings. May indicate your gallbladder is not thoroughly breaking down bile salts to move your poop to that brown color. Green poop is often provoked when we eat fattier foods, since bile helps break down fats too—like vegetable oils (canola, Crisco, processed olive oil) from restaurants, processed; greasy foods (Chinese takeout, a fast food burger or greasy slice of pizza); and even “healthy” fats (like coconut oil, butter, etc.). 

•  Molding Clay.

If your stools are pale or clay-colored, you may have a problem with the drainage of your biliary system, which is comprised of your gallbladder, liver, and pancreas (similar to the Green Quease). Bile salts are released into your stools by your liver, giving the stools brown color.

• Mr. Stanky.

Dark, foul, sometimes greasy and/or stinky. Something’s toxic (i.e. not right). Common toxin triggers include: Processed and refined foods. High amounts of non-organic, non-fresh foods and triggers. General toxicity overload. Additives and chemicals. Poor lifestyle habits (smoking, sedentary, fast food). Use of plastics.

• The Big Dump.

After a day or two (or 3) of not going, you finally go…all at once. You wonder: How was that in there?! You struggle with constipation and moving bowels through, until it finally decides to come and dump, leaving you feeling cleansed. May indicate low stomach acid, sluggish motility and/or bacterial overgrowth. 

• Like a Rock.

Difficult to pass or rock like. You still get it out—but a little straining was included. Drink more water. And make sure you’re eating your veggies—and the kinds your body likes (you may be eating lots of raw veggies for instance—which are harder to break down, or sensitive to FODMAPS—like broccoli and Brussels. Leafy greens—cooked down and sauteed—can be good for hard stools).

In addition, assess the quality of your proteins and other foods (have you been eating processed meats or packaged food items—even “paleo” bars and crackers and breads?), as well as your fat intake—are you eating fats with your meals to help lubricate your digestive tract? Sometimes your body just needs some good ol’ meat, veggies and healthy fats—and plenty of water—along with time to breathe, chew and enjoy your meals (not on the go).

•  Pellets

Like acorns or little rocks, these come out in bits and pieces—in one setting, or throughout the day. Hard to pass and generally darker in color. Stress, low water intake, eating on the go, low fiber intake, low stomach acid and bacteria imbalance (low “good bacteria”) all play leading roles in pellet poop.

If you’ve experienced this, you’re often thankful for whatever the poop gods will give you—but look to lifestyle factors to dig deeper and bring things up to speed with: apple cider vinegar in water before meals, pre-biotic and pro-biotic foods, some starchy veggies and plenty of greens, chewing your food and slowing down to breathe at meals, yoga and meditation—just to name a few.

 How Healthy is Your Poop Part 2: Transit Time

 In addition to tracking to your stool for 3 days, you are ALSO encouraged to track your transit time. 

How efficient is your digestion?

 For this test, measure the “transit time” (i.e. time it takes for food to pass from one end to the other). An optimal transit time is considered to be 12 to 48 hours. Longer than 72 hours indicates constipation and the possibility of other gut pathologies.

 Action Step

Choose one of the following foods:

• Sesame seeds (1 teaspoon to a tablespoon, mixed into a glass of water and swallowed whole)
• Corn kernels (a cup of cooked kernels eaten alone, at least an hour apart from other foods)
• Red beets (a cup of cooked, or raw and shredded, and eaten alone)

Whichever you choose, simply note the time we eat it, and then watch and wait for when it “re-appears” in a bowel movement! Sesame seeds or corn are easy to spot, and beets give your stool a distinct purple-red color.

 TAKE ACTION

Keep a Food & Poo log for at least three days to assess how you currently feel, as well as your current bowel habits. You have the option to keep an ongoing food log throughout your own Gut Reset as your health transforms, but figuring out what current lifestyle patterns and foods may be wreaking havoc on your health is essential prior to getting started. 

Three Day Food Log 101

Your mindful Food Log will include: 

 Before each meal, rate your level of hunger (Scale 1-10, 1=famished, 10=stuffed)

Note what you ate

Note how you felt after meal (physical, mental, emotional)

Rate your level of fullness (Scale 1-10)

Also record your water intake, bowel movements, movement/exercise, and sleep—all factors which play a role in the gut conundrum

No calorie counting or macronutrient counting necessary. Simply note how you feel. 

Three Day Poo Log 101

What does your poo say about you? When our poop is “off,” it indicates something else is “off.” 

Track your poo for three days, simply monitoring and logging the time you go and what your poo looks like, as well as any symptoms around your squatty potty time (i.e. bloating, cramping, stress, etc.). Use the above descriptions and/or the Bristol Stool Chart for guidance in assessing and achieving the “golden poo.”

The post Do You Have Healthy Poop? appeared first on Meet Dr. Lauryn.

Source/Repost=>
https://drlauryn.com/gut-health/do-you-have-healthy-poop/ ** Dr. Lauryn Lax __Nutrition. Therapy. Functional Medicine ** https://drlauryn.com/

14 Signs You Have ARFID (The Silent Eating Disorder No One is Talking About)

14 Signs You Have ARFID (The Silent Eating Disorder No One is Talking About)

ARFID, or “Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder” is defined as “an eating or feeding disturbance that is characterized by a persistent failure to meet appropriate nutritional and/or energy needs….but is not associated with weight, shape or body image as the primary concern.”

• You may be eating—but not eating enough.
• You may WANT to eat—but not be able to eat (or eat certain foods) because you get constipated, bloated or symptoms when you do.
• You may struggle to maintain a healthy weight—because your body struggles to absorb or digest your food.
• And you may fear food—not because the calories in it, but because how it makes you feel. 

The struggle is real. 

While most people think of “eating disorders” like anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia or even orthorexia—the obsession with healthy eating, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is an eating disorder NOT often discussed—particularly within the health and wellness community.

I, for one, hate labels and actually tend to call this “phenomenon” or “conundrum” exactly what it is— Fear of How Food Makes You Feel. 

Especially for those who may have a history of “gut issues” or other health conditions…THE LAST THING YOU NEED IS ANOTHER “DIAGNOSIS.”

Often times you’ve been told you have an “imbalance” that requires you follow a special protocol, and a special diet as part of your healing protocol—and it’s EASY to get sucked in to the labels, rules and regulations. 

Can you relate?

If you’ve ever  been diagnosed with a gut “issue”—like SIBO, IBS, parasites, GERD, chronic bloating and constipation—or other chronic disease, like anxiety, migraines, diabetes, ADHD, Celiac and other autoimmune conditions, then you are probably NO stranger to the “healing power” of food. 

In fact, many holistic or functional medicine doctors and nutritionists turn to diet as the first-line of treatment for modern diseases—

From the AIP (Autoimmune) Protocol, to the GAPS diet, Low-FODMAP diet, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, the Whole 30, Bulletproof, Keto—and everything in between—there are TONS of diets and food protocols out there with promising results for helping you “cure” your underlying issue (while cutting out the “culprits” and foods that hurt you).

However, what happens when your gut-healing or health-boosting protocol goes OVERBOARD?

When, what was intended to be a healthy and “good thing” for healing your body, turns into a detriment to your health?

—You start fearing food? Obsessing over food or how your gut feels? Or you feel like a prisoner in your own skin—like no matter how hard you try to heal your gut or “eat clean,” something is not working?!

This is the “eating disorder” no one is talking about in the health community—and it has nothing to do with trying to be a certain size, counting calories or weight…

Here are 14 Signs You May Have ARFID (and what to do about it if you relate). 

1. Lack of Variety
2. Fear of How Foods May Make You Feel
3. Wrap Your Identity in What You Was
4. Know ALL the Protocols & Diets
5. Hyper Aware of Your Health & How You Feel
6. Get Sick Eating Out
7. Nothing Seems to Change How You Feel
8. Read Everything on Google about Your Condition & Healing
9. Tried Countless Protocols 
10. Low Energy
11. Rarely Feel Hunger or Fullness Cues
12. Easily Weepy or Have Pent Up Emotions that Come Out
13. Sometimes Try to “Forget It”
14. Tend to Be High-Stress or a Perfectionist

14 Signs You May Have ARFID

1. You Lack Variety in Your Diet.

Variety is the bane of your existence. You like the IDEA of variety in your diet, but over time, you’ve found the foods your body can tolerate (and those it can’t). And your diet becomes super narrow to a limited amount of 5 to 10 foods at most that make you feel “ok.” In addition, you tend to eat the same things at the same times most days because you’ve determined that’s the foods that work for you.

2. You THINK About Eating Certain Foods…But Get Scared

You also like the IDEA of eating other healthy foods…and you think about it often. You know healthy eating includes different types of proteins, veggies, fats and some fruits or starches, but based on your previous experiences with trying things outside of your norm, you’ve “learned your lesson.” That time you tried a new version of Collagen protein, bone broth or half an apple instead of your usual banana?You paid for it! Your stomach did not like you. And your negative experiences with NOT FEELING GOOD after you eat has left you wanting to eat different foods…but fearing how you feel if you do.

3. You Are What You Eat: Identity Hijack

You’re “AIP,” or “Paleo,” or “GAPS,” or “keto” and beyond. You begin to identify yourself based on what you eat (or don’t eat) and feel a strong need to stick to a particular protocol for hope in healing.

4. You Could Write a Book (Or Take a Quiz)

You’ve read all the books, or tried all the programs out there to date. You know “clean eating” like the back of your hand, and you know all about Bulletproof, Wahl’s, AIP, GAPS, etc. In fact, you could actually write a book yourself on what foods to eat or not eat (or pass a quiz with 100% on any one of these approaches).

5. You Are in Touch—A Little Too Much

You are constantly checking in with your body, your gut and your health, assessing what caused that headache? Or energy dip? Or constipation episode? Was it what you ate for dinner? Lack of water? Forgetting to take your probiotic? You are always “on guard” and hyper-aware of how you’re feeling—and how food influences how you feel. 

6. Eating Out Makes You Feel Sick

Eating out does this to a lot of people, but especially to you since hydrogenated oils and the food preparedness of other hands messes with your gut more easily. You often dread eating out or social situation because you know you’re in to…not feel great.

7. Your Body is Like Clockwork.

No matter what you do, or no matter what you eat, it seems like nothing makes a big difference in how you feel. Even though you are eating “digestible foods,” constipation still strikes every evening at 4 pm, or you feel bloated at the same time most days (with no rhyme or reason why).

8. You’ve Read All the Articles on Google.

The top 2 to 3 pages of Google have articles highlighted purple, because you’ve already clicked on most boards, posts and message forums about the topics you are constantly thinking about—SIBO, IBS, bloating and constipation cures, Celiac, etc.

9. You’re Constantly Looking for the Next Fix or Best Protocol.

Along with Google searching your answers, you are desperate to find something that just works! You’re willing to try new things, but often doubt if anything will actually help. You Google search resources as well—or practitioners—who may have the cure to help you.

10. You Lack Energy.

Simply put, you’re not eating enough—because you’re unable to eat enough.

11. You Rarely Feel “Cues”

You lack an appetite often or eat more often because it’s “time,” as opposed to hunger. OR, the opposite, you feel insatiably hungry, but never satisfied. Your “hunger” and “fullness” cues are just off…

12. You’re a Ball of Emotion

Eating is a big part of life and fellowship with others but unfortunately, it’s something you don’t enjoy much of any more because you feel so inflamed  or uncomfortable in your own skin. Often times this leads to unexplained emotions—like weepiness or feeling low as you continue to struggle most days with not feeling on top of your “A-Game.”

13. You Sometimes Say “Screw It”

You try to pretend that you don’t feel symptomatic when you eat certain things. Or you try to forget that you struggle with how you feel…sometimes to the point of trying to just “be normal” and eating things you know don’t make you feel well…with the hope that it won’t affect you. Bring on the pizza slice or almond butter and apple…only to be hit with the harsh reality that your gut “still” can’t handle it. 

14. You Tend to Be a “High Stress” Person or Perfectionist

You are a Type-A go-getter, and typically the hardest…on yourself. You want things to be done right, and you push yourself more than anyone else. Not just when it comes to food, but when it comes to work, your relationships, your goals, what you want to accomplish, etc. You have a high threshold for pressure and stress—so much so that you forget what “being stressed” feels like. 

If 4 or more of these sound familiar, it may be worth checking in—with your own heart, your head, and your gut—and assessing your own relationship with your body and food—right now. 

WHAT TO DO ABOU IT

Labels aside, ARFID or Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder is a silent “eating disorder,” many people are not talking about in the health, wellness or functional medicine community.

Primarily because the main goal of treatment is to help you feel better physically.

However, as with any other dietary change or lifestyle change, your mindset plays an equally important role—if not more—in how you approach food, feel in your own skin and even health treatment outcomes.

One of my favorite studies supporting this so-called “Placebo” or “mindset” effect is a study (Moseley et al, 2002)  of knee-replacement patients—half of who underwent surgery to correct their knee replacement, the other half who did not.

Neither group knew if they had the surgery or not (all were put to sleep). ALL participants participated in traditional physical therapy rehab after the “surgery. AND the non-surgery patients and surgery patients alike EQUALLY recovered in the same amount of time from the surgery.

The clincher? The mindset is powerful!

The same can be said for “healing your gut” or other chronic disease.

While there IS certainly a time, place and necessity for honoring your body with foods that make it feel good, there is ALSO room to explore just how powerful your mindset is currently influencing your health dilemmas, gut issue or ongoing “situation.”

Here’s a simple exercise you can do today to begin challenging the ARFID tendencies you may be experiencing—and start reversing the tide of the struggle.  

Step 1: Power of the Pause: Take a Big Breath.

For starters…just breathe. 

Seriously. Pause and take 10 long seconds to breathe in, in, in, in, in, in…through your nose….and another 10 long seconds out, out, out, out, out…through your mouth. 

This practice alone improves digestion two-fold as digestion MUST OCCUR in “rest and digest” mode.

Step 2: Reflect on When ARFID Started

Reflect for a moment on your diet currently, and your own dietary or food “timeline” over the past 5-10 years. How has it changed? What foods did you eat at one time that you no longer eat—or can eat? Map this out if you need to on a piece of paper. Recognize the key turning points or themes you notice around the time that ARFID like symptoms started happening more. Were you exposed to new diet dogmas or beliefs that transformed your own? Worked with a moody doctor? Had a bad reaction to a food that set you over the edge? Piece together when more fears around foods started happening.

Step 3: Assess Current ARFID: Food Log

Keep a 1 day food log today, and simply note how you feel around meals. What patterns are common day in and day out as you tend to eat the same things? What other factors—outside food—may be contributing to your symptoms? (Such as stressors, lack of sleep or enough water, overexertcise, under-exercise, etc.). In addition, did you know that lack of variety can actually make ARFID symptoms worse—not better. Where are some potential areas you see could benefit from mixing it up—even if that means yellow squash instead of green zucchini summer squash one day, or tuna instead of chicken salad for lunch?

Step 4: Don’t Go it Alone

These first few steps are only scratching a surface to figuring out what may be going on—internally (mentally and emotionally) for you and your relationship with food. While gut symptoms and discomfort are real, sometimes we actually perpetuate our own issues with our continued fixation, hyper-vigilance to rules, or own fears we’ve created.

The good news?

To understand your “why,” and help you dial in a healthy mindset and continued body healing journey, you don’t have to go it alone.

Contact me at Thrive Wellness & Recovery today if you’re interested in booking an initial appointment to understand more about your own relationship with food and your body, and learn more about my 5-step Thrive process for helping you heal—inside and out. 

The post 14 Signs You Have ARFID (The Silent Eating Disorder No One is Talking About) appeared first on Meet Dr. Lauryn.

Source/Repost=>
https://drlauryn.com/food-freedom/14-signs-you-have-arfid/ ** Dr. Lauryn Lax __Nutrition. Therapy. Functional Medicine ** https://drlauryn.com/

How to Get to the Root Cause of Your Gut Problems

Root Cause of Gut Problems

 

In order to know where you are going, you have to know where you are coming from…especially if you want to improve or change your health and body. You have to get to the root cause of your gut problems before you get the best treatment.

Enter: The Gut Timeline—pin-pointing and piecing together your own unique health history, lifestyle factors and experiences that have shaped your health to be where it is today, in order to understand what current underlying health issues, roadblocks or struggles may be standing in your way to getting where you want to be. 

Gut Timeline Example

For example: Take Vicky* (*name has been changed).

[stock photo]

Vicky came to me wanting to shed some body fat, increase her energy, banish her bloating and lose about 10 pounds of unwanted weight gain that she couldn’t seem to lose (no matter what she tried). 

“I don’t get it! I’ve tried Paleo, Keto, Intermittent Fasting…but no matter what I do, my weight won’t budge!”

To say the least, Vicky’s body was stressed—real stressed! It wasn’t until we pieced together her own unique health history and Gut Timeline that she began to understand that there was MORE to the story than the amount of carbs she ate (or didn’t eat).

Vicky’s history of chronic dieting and overtraining (i.e. stressing out her body), coupled with living in a moldy apartment 5 years ago, plus history of birth control use, SSRI drugs, drinking artificially sweetened protein shakes, typical 6-hours of sleep each night and stressful job as an ICU floor nurse ALL were reasons WHY her body was seemingly “working against her.”

Working with me, I was also able to help Vicky LOOK DEEPER beyond her frustration with the scale into the REAL health issues holding her back, which included:

• • HPA-Axis Dysfunction (i.e. “adrenal fatigue”)
  • SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth)
  • Hyperglycemia (blood sugar imbalances)

I created a nutrition, supplement and lifestyle-change plan to help Vicky address the stressors wreaking havoc on her health, and long story short, in a matter of 3 months, Vicky had MORE energy, less bloating, MORE body love and she dropped 8 pounds.

Win. Win. Win. Win!

Moral of the story: When we address the underlying causes of health imbalances and UNDERSTAND the root causes of where our imbalances come from. 

Stress Stinks

Stress is the #1 driver of ALL DISEASE and is the #1 reason WHY any of us feel stuck in a health rut, or stuck in our own skin (myself included).

Use this simple exercise of creating your own Gut Timeline to PINPOINT the exact stressors and experiences in your life that have shaped your current state of health and body where you are today.

Stress goes FAR beyond mental stress alone too!

Some of the TOP stressors (from your personal Gut Timeline) that may influence your health and current state of not feeling 100% today include:

Physical & Lifestyle Stressors

• Blue light screen exposure (long times on screens)
• Light at night time
• Less than 7 hours of sleep most nights
• Overtraining
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Imbalanced exercise (i.e. doing HIIT or chronic cardio all the time without mixing it up)
• Exposure to chemicals in beauty, cleaning and hygiene products
• Plastic Tupperware/container use and other environmental toxins
• Mold exposure
• Lack of outdoor/nature and fresh air
• Endlessly Google searching answers to your health questions
• NSAID use (headaches, etc.)
• Oral birth-control
• Long term prescription medication use
• Disconnection from community/meaningful relationships
• High coffee/caffeine consumption (more than 1 cup quality coffee/day)
• Disrupted circadian rhythms for sleeping, eating, working and resting patterns

• Artificial sweeteners (most commercial stevia included)
• Eating packaged, refined or processed foods
• Low water intake (less than half your bodyweight in ounces)
• Tap water (not filtered)
• High alcohol consumption or smoking
• Frequent eating out (more than preparing/handling your food)
• Stress over food/diet
• Under-eating
• Low fiber (Fermentable prebiotic fiber foods)
• Lack of quality protein (amino acids for your brain)
• Conventional meat and dairy consumption
• Grains and “gluten free” processed products (with gluten-cross contaminants) 
• Binging/Purging and disordered eating habits
• Jet lag
• Foreign travel
• Shift work
• Pain (joint, musculoskeletal)
• Infectious/bacterial disease
• Gut inflammation & Underlying gut conditions (SIBO, parasites, etc.)

Mental Stressors 

• Type A personality—and difficulty listening to your body over your schedule
• Relationship stress
• Financial stress/pressures
• Lack of control
• Burnout
• Not talking about your stress (bottling it up)
• Lack of play/fun
• Not doing things you love
• Serotonin suppression (“feel good” brain chemicals)
• Social Media comparison/endless scrolling
• Trying to be all things to all people/people pleasing
• FOMO (lack of downtime for yourself)
• Burning a candle at both ends
• News binging 

Any of these sound familiar?!

Although stress is inevitable in life, it is when we have LOTS of stressors accumulate (without managing them) that our gut health and other parts of our health take a hit. Thinking about how you feel TODAY in your own skin, think about what lifestyle and lifetime stressful triggers may have played a role. 

HOW TO CREATE YOUR GUT TIMELINE

When we talk about gut problems, healing the gut and improving your gut health, many people instantly jump to asking about what lab tests to run and what supplements to take. 

However, first and foremost, nothing replaces your own (gut) intuition, and we must FIRST understand what stressors have wreaked havoc on our health in our past and present in order to fully heal. 

Action Step

Create a “Gut Health” Timeline for yourself with the top 10-15 events, memories and/or stressors you have in your own general health journey that may have shaped how you feel today.

Some examples you may find yourself including could be: 

• Being a C-section & formula-fed baby (processed foods early)

• The first time you remember having gut issue (like having to run out of your 1st grade classroom to use the bathroom or letting one “rip” during reading circle and everyone laughing)

• Taking several rounds of antibiotics for strep throat, ear infections, allergies and everything in between

• Growing up on Lunchables, Goldfish crackers and Hamburger Helper

• The chronic acne breakouts you had as a teen or young adult, and the birth control pills you took to “cure” them

• Trying out a specific diet plan that felt good…at first. But then left you constipated or bloated all the time 

• Four years of chronic constipation during college—living off Lean Cuisines, energy drinks and protein bars

• A shoulder surgery or car wreck injury, along with the pain meds you had to take which killed off gut bacteria

• Your trip to Thailand and coming back with a tummy that didn’t feel “right”

• Working the nightshift as an ER nurse for 2 years with poor sleep habits and high coffee intake

• That time you got mono or anemia

List any of the top 10-15 events, lifestyle factors or indicators you can point to as “stressors” and triggering events to your own gut and health dysfunction. 

This log will help you piece together some of the top stressors in your current lifestyle and history which may have contributed to your health, as well as understand any current stressors continuing to drive your symptoms.

SUMMING IT UP

In my own health journey, I know that IF I want to add some healthy weight to my body, improve my gut health and reverse my metabolic dysfunction, I MUST FIRST UNDERSTAND how my health got here in the first place.

The same thing goes for you. In order to know where you’re going, you must know where you’re coming from.  I’ll teach you more about what to do with this information as we go along. I have a solution for your gut problems.

The post How to Get to the Root Cause of Your Gut Problems appeared first on Meet Dr. Lauryn.

Source/Repost=>
https://drlauryn.com/gut-health/how-to-get-to-the-root-cause-of-your-gut-problems/ ** Dr. Lauryn Lax __Nutrition. Therapy. Functional Medicine ** https://drlauryn.com/

10 Reasons Clean Eating Is Not Working for You

Have you Tried Clean Eating?

You’re doing “all the right things”— clean eating, paleo or vegan. Choosing salads over fries. Drinking green smoothies. But no matter how hard you try, something isn’t working. You still…

Feel bloated or constipated

Get skin breakouts or allergy flares

Have low energy

Can’t lose weight or build muscle

Get headaches

Wear the same jeans you did last year

“What gives?!” you cry. “I’m doing all the right things!”

You may be doing LOTS of good things, but there are several common roadblocks that can stand in the way between “clean eating” and feeling good. 

Here are 10 Common Reasons Clean Eating isn’t Working for You (and what to do about then).

1. You’re Not Drinking Enough Water

Your entire body is made up of more than 60-percent water. When the water in a lake or river is “down,” what happens? It dries up. And when your body’s water stores are low, what do you think happens? It dries up. Your digestion gets backed up, blood flow slows, and brain function has to work harder (since more than 70% of your brain alone is comprised of water). The result: Slowed metabolic function, digestive difficulties, brain fog, low energy, headaches, lowered immunity and beyond. In short: No bueno.

What to Do About It: 

• Drink half your bodyweight in ounces of clean, filtered water as a baseline.
  

2. You’re Eating Too Many Nuts

Nuts, like almonds, cashews, walnuts and macadamia nuts are both yummy and good for you—often cited as “healthy fats.” However, “nut gut” is a coined term  for the side effects of one too many nuts in your system, such as: constipation, gas, bloating, skin breakouts, low immunity, brain fog. Nuts contain compounds called Phytic Acid and Lectins on their outer shells. In nature, these substances serve as “steel armor” or protection for the nut itself—they are are meant to protect the nut from destruction by weather or predators. In our bodies, these substances equally serve as steel armor, and consequently our digestive systems often have a difficult time breaking them down, especially in frequent or larger quantities (i.e. more than 1 serving daily).

The result? A “leaky” or irritated gut lining and “nut gut” side effects. Unfortunately, most people also consume nuts in a more processed state—just like other processed foods—as opposed to their raw, more natural state. Consequently, you feel the effects. In fact, nuts are often cited as one of the most “inflammatory foods,” (alongside grains, industrial seed oils, eggs, sugar and dairy). Nuts primarily contain omega-6 fatty acids (polyunsaturated fats), which are associated with higher inflammatory properties in larger quantities. While omega 6 fatty acids are an essential fatty acid that the body needs for normal growth and development, the body needs a healthy balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Excess consumption of omega-6s can trigger the body to produce pro-inflammatory chemicals.

What to Do About It: 

• Limit nut consumption to 1 small serving (1/4 cup or less) per day; 
• Wash and soak raw nuts, then dry them, prior to consumption.
  

3. Whole Grains are Irritating Your Gut

Similar to nuts, grains—even whole grains—contain phytates and lectins, associated with decreased digestion, “leaky gut,” constipation and bloating. While grains in their natural state can be considered a “real food” (i.e. they are grown in nature), the way we eat, prepare and process our grains today are night-and-day different from the way humans used to consume grains for hundreds of thousands of years (prior to Whole Food’s Market’s sushi bar and grab-and-go breakfast bars).

If there is ONE thing to take away from this article, it is that your gut is the gateway to health, and if your gut is “irritated” or you have a “leaky gut,” then you can bet your bottom dollar that other aspects of your health may suffer—metabolism, digestion, immune system and skin health included. 

What to Do About It: 

• For optimal gut health, limit grain consumption and aim to get the majority of your starchy carbohydrates from whole, real foods like sweet potatoes, potatoes, butternut squash, acorn squash, plantains, spaghetti squash, carrots, beets, cassava and coconut flour, arrowroot starch, etc.; 
• Wash, soak and dry grains prior to preparation; 
• Best choices include: Long-grain white rice, steel cut gluten free oats, quinoa, sourdough bread (from local bakery), legumes (not technically a grain, but grain-like in how they impact your gut health)
  

4. You’re Eating Lots of Brown & White Foods

At most meals, how many colors are on your plate? If you’re like most Americans, there is more brown, tan, white and color-less foods, considering only 1 in 10 Americans eats their daily veggies. Color-rich foods are where the nutrients, fiber and nourishment for every cell in your body is at. When our diet is based on limited, colorless foods (ie. grains/beans, packaged paleo/vegan foods, nuts, proteins, cheese/dairy, potatoes, the same limited veggies like spinach salads and broccoli, and maybe some fruit), our body can be eating but starving (at a cellular level) at the same time—especially from lack of fiber (note: fiber helps you poo).

What to Do About It: 

• Aim for 2-3 colors at each meal
• Veggies and fruits come in greens, blues, purples, reds, yellows, whites, beige/tan…taste the rainbow!

5. You’re Drinking Green Juice

Speaking of veggies, green things are especially helpful for feeling (really) good on a “clean” diet. However, sometimes too many green smoothies or veggie/fruit juices can make people feel bloated, gassy or get stomach cramps. Since juice digests uber fast, if you eat other foods along with it, it can confuse your digestive process.  “May Day! May Day!…What do I digest first?!”

The result is a body (and gut) that is overwhelmed. Likewise, if your smoothie or juice is loaded with tons of ingredients at once, this can equally be alot of information or poor food combining for your digestive system to handle at once.

 What to Do About It: 

• Drink green juice alone
• Chew your food more than drinking it 
• Keep smoothies and juices simple. Not too many ingredients at once.

6. Your Food Combining is Off

Food combining affects digestion and absorption. Each macronutrient (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) digests at a different speed, and also requires the release of different enzymes in order to be broken down. If you eat foods at the same meal that have opposite digestive requirements, then your digestion runs into issues. This can be a challenge when you try clean eating.

What to Do About It

Keep these food combining principles in mind for optimal digestion:

• • Eat Fruit Alone or Light Meals.
    Fruit is best consumed separate from other foods, or with light snacks/meals, such as in a smoothie, an apple with a spoonful of seed butter, or light salad with berries tossed on top.
  • Minimize Starches with Proteins.
    Focus on combining proteins with non-starchy veggies and healthy fats. Starches stick to proteins, stalling digestion and keeping sugars in your bloodstream lingering for longer than they should (hello yeast feeding frenzy). When consuming starches, such as prebiotic starchy veggies like squash or sweet potatoes, with meals, keep serving to a small serving (about 1/3 cup or less) if protein is present. For even better digestion, add 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar to 2-4 oz. of water with meals.
  • Starches Digest Best with Healthy Fats & Veggies.
    Starches (such as sweet potatoes and squash), need an alkaline (basic) environment for optimal digestion. If you plan to eat more starch at a meal, eat a light protein, such as fish, turkey or chicken, while emphasizing the colorful veggies and healthy fats like coconut, olives and olive oil, avocado, butter and ghee, 

• • Leafy Greens, Non-Starchy Veggies & Herbs/Spices Go with Everything.
    You can’t go wrong with eating veggies—especially softened, cooked, and sautéed for those with “gut issues.” Make these the cornerstone of your meals. Steer clear of “hot” nightshade spices (chili powder, cayenne, paprika, etc.) while you heal; opt for fresh herbs, like cilantro, basil, oregano and thyme, as well as spices like cinnamon, turmeric, ginger and garlic.
  • Drink Water Away from Meals.
    Water is best consumed apart from foods as not to inhibit digestion.
  • Minimalist Meals Digest Best.
    Less is more. Eat until about 80% full—not stuffed—and keep foods and meals simple, such as herb crusted wild salmon with broccoli and coconut flakes; pastured chicken thighs with cauliflower mash, grass-fed butter and green beans; or a grass-fed ground beef burger patty with avocado, sauerkraut and yellow squash.
    
    

7. You’re Eating Lots of Raw Veggies

Cooked, softened, steamed and sautéed veggies digest much faster (and better) than raw veggies due to less cellulose and fiber roughage necessary to break down. Good digestion is essential to every body system—metabolism, skin health, immune function and gut health included.

What to Do About It:

• Cook, steam, soften, boil, and sauté veggies in coconut oil, ghee, avocado oil or other healthy fat (fat further enhances digestion)
• Also consider peeling, mincing and pureeing veggies if digestion is difficult
• Eat more soluble fiber (winter squash, squash, beets, roasted carrots, boiled sweet potatoes)

8. You’re on Fruit Overload

Fruit is great for you, but like anything, too much of a good thing is not a good thing. Fruit is packed with vitamins and minerals, but also contains lots of natural sugars. Sugar in fruit is not “bad,” but when we opt for fruit in lieu of plenty of veggies too, as well as healthy fats and proteins, our lack of balance throws our body out of balance. High fruit consumption can affect blood sugar and insulin levels when consumed in larger quantities throughout the day, as well as energy (sugar high, then a crash), mental clarity, skin health and digestion.  

What to Do About It:

• Aim for 1-2 fruits per day
• Berries, cherries, apples, and citrus fruits are especially nutrient dense
• Eat fruit alone, as part of a simple meal (like a smoothie or light breakfast) or with a little bit of healthy fat for optimal digestion
• Avoid eating fruit with complex meals—or eat at least 30-60 minutes before or after a meal

9. You’re Eating the Same Foods Every Day

Variety is the spice of life. When you eat the same things every day, not only does your body miss out on a whole host of nutrients, but you can even make your body intolerant to the foods you eat every day due to overexposure. Eating the same things daily also decreases your body’s natural enzyme or stomach acid production, as it is challenged less to digest a variety of foods. 

What to Do About It:

• If you are a creature of habit, pick 2-3 rotating breakfasts, lunches and dinners to eat throughout the week to mix it up
• Eat in season—shop the seasonal fruits and veggies to get the biggest bang for your nutrient buck
• Mix up your proteins—fish, beef, chicken, ground turkey, lamb, etc. 

10. You Have Underlying Food Intolerances

Unlike food allergies, food intolerances can go “under the radar” for years since they are often intertwined with common every day symptoms people believe are normal, such as allergies, acne, low energy, dark circles under your eyes, joints that click, energy dips, metabolic dysfunction, IBS, bloating and constipation. Guess what? You don’t have to “suffer.” The top most allergenic or inflammatory foods include: nuts, grains, dairy, soy, eggs, sugar/sweeteners, beans/legumes, nightshade spices and veggies, and FODMAP foods.

What to Do About It:

• Do some self-investigating. Keep a daily food log for 3-7 days. Note how you feel before and after meals. Look for patterns in your symptoms and foods you commonly eat. 
• Consider cutting out any culprit foods you suspect for 21-30 days. Then reintroduce these foods, one by one, for 3 days in a row. Note how you feel and if you recognize any differences.

Bonus: You’re Not Loving Your Gut

At the epicenter of “feeling good” is a healthy gut. A healthy gut equals a healthier YOU. If you’re gut is unhealthy (such as SIBO, bacterial infection, leaky gut, parasites, etc.), no matter how clean you eat, you will feel the side effects. Where to start? Love your gut daily with these 5 daily gut love habits:

• 1. Water. Drink half your bodyweight in ounces of water
  2. Apple Cider Vinegar. Add 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar to 2-4 oz. of water with meals
  3. Probiotic & Prebiotic. Take a daily soil-based probiotic and prebiotic fiber
  4. Variety. Eat variety and lots of color (even on a limited diet, don’t eat the same things every day)
  5. Soothe. Sip a daily cup of herbal tea and/or bone broth. Bonus: Add in a gut-lining and repair support, such as L-Glutamine, colostrum or collagen. 

The post 10 Reasons Clean Eating Is Not Working for You appeared first on Meet Dr. Lauryn.

Source/Repost=>
https://drlauryn.com/food-freedom/10-reasons-clean-eating-is-not-working-for-you/ ** Dr. Lauryn Lax __Nutrition. Therapy. Functional Medicine ** https://drlauryn.com/

Natural Skincare Makeover-Revolutionizing the Beauty Industry with Cassy Burnside of Fat Co

Our skin eats…just like our body eats. And what we “feed it” matters, not only for the outside, but the inside as well (including our gut health). Founder of Fat Co, Cassy Burnside, joins us on the show to break the rules in the beauty industry, and let us know what many mainstream products DON’T want you to know about many of the products we use.

Cassy’s passion for clean eating inspired her business — making clean skincare products.

For years, Cassy practiced the philosophy that a health-conscious diet can improve your life, one meal at a time. This connection between food and well-being led her on a quest to find skincare products developed for the same benefits. To her, feeding your skin is just as important as feeding your appetite — it’s all about healthy, nutritious choices.

When she couldn’t find exactly what she was searching for, Cassy decided to take matters into her own hands by crafting good-for-you products from her own home; and FATCO was born!

Through the company, Cassy brings awareness and education about how small changes in your life can improve your skin as well as your overall health. Tallow and other naturally occurring ingredients are the basis for FATCO’s products — upholding the idea that just like clean dieting, clean hygiene is a sound approach to living well.

An East Coast native, Cassy attended Northeastern University in Boston where she earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering. She then worked and lived in San Diego for ten years as a Manufacturing Engineer at Autosplice, an automotive manufacturing company. A new opportunity brought her to South Lake Tahoe where she lives and operates FATCO.

The post Natural Skincare Makeover-Revolutionizing the Beauty Industry with Cassy Burnside of Fat Co appeared first on Meet Dr. Lauryn.

Source/Repost=>
https://drlauryn.com/podcast/natural-skincare-makeover-revolutionizing-the-beauty-industry-with-cassy-burnside-of-fat-co/ ** Dr. Lauryn Lax __Nutrition. Therapy. Functional Medicine ** https://drlauryn.com/

9 Signs You Have Adrenal Fatigue Signs & How to Heal It

The Adrenal Fatigue Signs

Adrenal fatigue is a silent condition that can linger for years before going diagnosed. Check out these 9 common (but often misdiagnosed)  adrenal fatigue signs and find out how to heal adrenal fatigue naturally.

Adrenal Fatigue (also known as: “HPA Axis Dysfunction” or “chronic stress”) is a health condition that affects approximately 80% (8 in 10) people at some point in their lifetime (Gallup, 2017).

It is defined as a “collection of unspecified signs and symptoms,” onset by stress, itself that significantly impacts one’s health and/or quality of life.

Physically, adrenal fatigue or HPA Axis Dysfunction, presents as an imbalance in your body’s natural cortisol levels—either too much or too little—to help your body naturally deal with the stress response. This articles will present to you different adrenal fatigue signs.

Hold Up!…What is Cortisol Exactly?!

Cortisol is your “stress hormone”—the hormone that kicks into gear when your body is under stress to help you fight or fly.

Not all stress is a bad thing, and you certainly want that cortisol to “work” for you when you are running from a bear in the wild or dodging a thunderstorm without shelter.

As humans, our stress response has served us well for many years to help us survive, and then ideally, eventually, recover, come down and go back to “normal” when we escape the bear or storm blows over.

Unfortunately however, given our modern day lifestyles, our stressors have become a little more blurried. We no longer live in the wild, running from bears or dodging thunderstorms.

The stressors we face are more long lasting and “hidden”—so much so that they can perpetuate, continuing to drive cortisol up in our autonomic nervous system, long after we THINK stress has passed.(Note: It’s important to note that “adrenal fatigue signs” does not necessarily mean you are fatigued or your cortisol is LOW. In fact, your cortisol hormone levels can actually be very high. More on this later).

In short: Cortisol (or cortisol imbalances) drives all adrenal fatigue signs. 

How do you know if you have adrenal fatigue?!

Adrenal fatigue, or HPA Axis Dysfunction, is diagnosed by assessment—both by evaluating whether you have some of the most common adrenal fatigue signs, as well as a DUTCH hormone test, revealing the exact patterns of your cortisol (stress hormones) and sex hormones in your body.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

Do You Have Adrenal Fatigue Signs & Symptoms?: Self-Assessment

Self assessment is the first step to start for determining if you have adrenal fatigue—evaluating your own adrenal fatigue signs.

Common Adrenal Fatigue Signs & Symptoms

• Unwanted weight gain or weight loss
• Low immune system (easily catch colds, flu)
• Lack of energy or usual gusto (particularly mornings and afternoons), lethargy
• Mild depression and/or increased anxiety/nervousness
• Feeling wired and tired at night
• Low Libido
• Insomnia
• Dry skin
• Decreased ability to handle stress
• Food allergies and intolerances
• Low body temperature
• Anxiety, depression and nervousness
• Palpitation
• Hair loss
• Shortness of breath
• Feel better (temporarily) after eating
• Blood sugar imbalances
• Skin breakouts and acne
• Need coffee or stimulants to get going

• Cravings for sugar or caffeine
• Cravings for salt or crunchy things
• Increased symptoms of PMS for women. Periods are heavy and then stop, or are almost stopped on the 4th day, only to start flow again on the 5th or 6th day.
• Difficulties getting up in the morning
• Unable to remember things
• Feel tired from 9-10 pm
• Lightheaded when rising from lying down
• Pain between shoulder blades
• Unable to hold corrective adjustment or need for mobility/massage often without improvements
• Tremble under pressure
• Autoimmune conditions
• Constipation, bloating, alternating constipation/diarrhea, IBS and gut conditions
• Dry or thin skin
• Heart palpitations
• Exercise intolerance
• Feel better generally when there is less stress (like vacation)
• One leg longer than the other

 

Phew! That is quite the list!

While, not one of these signs alone means you have “adrenal fatigue,” several of these signs accumulated at once (5+) over the course of several weeks may indicate your body is in “stress mode.”

Unfortunately, given that there is such a wide array of adrenal fatigue signs, adrenal fatigue easily slides under the radar.In fact, many of these signs and symptoms are easily confused or mis-diagnosed as other ailments—completely missing the “root cause” at all (stress).

Here’s a highlight of a few of the most common adrenal fatigue signs that go undiagnosed by many doctors:

9 Adrenal Fatigue Signs (Your Doctor Won’t Tell You About)

Click on each sign to learn a little bit more about common adrenal fatigue signs that go under the radar:

Chronic Constipation, Loose Stools or a Mix of Both (IBS)

Chronic gut issues got you down—no matter how many probiotics you take or healthy food you eat? Similar to the little kid who is constipated or has a poopy diaper—making a face and a fuss over the issue—gut issues arise from the stress we hold inside. Stress is uncomfortable (for the gut) and the stress response (i.e. elevated cortisol) short circuits the normal process of digestion. In addition, the stress from lack of sleep (less than 7 hours per night) also further affects digestion, since full detoxification, digestion and elimination happens while we rest and sleep.

Needing Coffee/Caffeine to Function

Coffee is not innately a bad thing, but when we “need it” for energy, chances are our natural energy system is off. Coffee is a natural stimulant (even decaf) that elevates cortisol. When we make caffeine and coffee consumption a regular habit, we train our cortisol levels to rely on caffeine and stimulants to function. When we don’t have it? May day! If you aren’t human without coffee, this may indicate something else is going on underneath the hood.

Unwanted Weight Gain or Weight Loss

Weight won’t come off—no matter how clean you eat or how much you workout?! Or find the weight “falls off” without even trying—maybe even to an unhealthy level? Since your hormone balance helps keep your weight in check, when your cortisol is off, along with your other hormones, then weight issues may arise.

Decreased Exercise Performance

Find yourself struggling to keep up with your routine you’ve always had? Or have the mental strength and energy to get through the workout, but your performance is declining or not improving? Exercise is a natural (healthy) stressor. However, the “Goldilocks” approach is a must. Without enough recovery, rest or variety between workouts, eventually the body may let you know, resulting in decreased performance or “gains.” Similar to running from a bear, our body can only run from a bear for so long before it poops out, or workouts that you once considered “easy,” become challenging or almost intolerable for some as other symptoms arise when you do workout (such as: shortness of breath, muscle fatigue or soreness, low energy, decreased blood pressure, increased or decreased heart rate, decline in strength or power output, looking at the clock for when the workout is over).

Anxiety

1 in 5 people struggle with anxiety—many of these cases seemingly unexplainable. “I’m just an anxious person,” “My mom had anxiety too—it runs in my family,” “I’ve always had it.” However, when we look to the cause or trigger behind anxiety, 9 times out of 10, HPA Axis Dysfunction or adrenal fatigue is at play. How does this happen? From gut dysfunction and bacterial or fungal overgrowth, to lack of sleep, dehydration, environmental toxins, nutrient imbalances, light exposure (at the wrong times), lack of human connection, lack of nature, all work no play, burning a candle at both ends, etc. —there are tons of “stressors” that lead the body to physiologically struggle with anxiety.

In fact, gut issues in particular are one of the top driving stressors for many psychological imbalances. Given that 31 hormones alone are produced in the gut—including serotonin (your “feel good” brain chemicals) AND your healthy bacteria in the gut work to help lower cortisol )the notorious “stress” hormone), when your gut is imbalanced, you can bet your bottom dollar other parts of your health get imbalanced too (hello anxiety!)

Hypoglycemia & Hyperglycemia

Riding the “blood sugar” roller coaster throughout the day goes hand in hand with cortisol imbalances. Like caffeine, cortisol loves glucose (i.e. sugar) and needs glucose and sugar to function at it’s peak. Hence, when your body experiences a dip in blood sugar (hypoglycemia), it also sends your cortisol into a low dip (adrenal fatigue).

As Dr. Wilson explains in his book “Adrenal Fatigue in the 21st Century,” “Hypoglycemia commonly occurs during adrenal fatigue when low epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol are combined with the high insulin levels of stress. The low levels of adrenal hormones that can occur during adrenal fatigue may fail to raise blood glucose enough to meet the increased demand.

Hypoglycemia is characterized by:

• Headaches
• Shakiness
• Muscle twitches and tremors
• Reactive hypoglycemia (blood sugar lowers after you eat a meal, rather than rises)
• Sleepiness or feeling low on energy
• Can’t go long without food between meals
• Electrolyte imbalances

Naturally, you then crave fuel—especially carbs, sugar or a snack to spike it. The result? A cortisol and blood sugar spike that may take your blood sugar over the top (i.e. hyperglycemia) until the next lull when the sugar wears off. Up and down, up and down.

Unfortunately, the hypoglycemia symptoms experienced in HPA Axis Dysfunction are often than not sub-clinical—meaning that the person experiences ALL the symptoms of clinical hypoglycemia symptoms even though the blood sugar reading is “normal” (60-70 mg/dl). On blood work, their fasting serum blood sugar and glucose tolerance tests are usually normal. Conventional doctors not aware of the adrenal signs will often miss this.

Lack of Appetite

Simply put: Cortisol blunts hunger cues. In fact, under eating is common in adrenal fatigue—not because you’re dieting or trying to, but because you are simply not hungry. This often happens for chronic dieters who, at one time, ate a very restrictive diet, only to find that when they go back to eating more food or being off the diet, they are no longer very hungry. Chronic undereating also is a common phenomenon that occurs for those who switch to a “clean diet,” vegan or paleo diet—cutting out entire food groups, accidentally failing to replace lost calories with other sources of fuel. The result? A stress response in the body—slowing the body’s metabolism down and suppressing your appetite included.

Electrolyte Imbalances

Sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride and calcium are key body “regulators” in healthy persons that help maintain fluid balance. When the body is imbalanced in adrenal fatigue, hydration status and cellular balance also gets off due to cortisol’s influence on our key water regulators (antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and aldosterone))! Individuals with adrenal fatigue are more likely to experience dehydration, shortness of breath, heart palpitations and general weakness—directly influenced by electrolyte imbalances. Dr. Lam explains this phenomenon well in his article on Electrolyte Imbalance here.

Suppressed Immunity 

The hormones produced by your adrenal glands, particularly cortisol, play an important role in regulating your immune system. If your cortisol levels go too low or too high, this can lead to infections, chronic inflammation, autoimmune diseases or allergies. In short spurts, cortisol can boost your immunity by limiting inflammation.

After assessing your current presentation of signs and symptoms, formal hormone assessment and testing is the next recommended step for understanding your cortisol and hormone patterns (high, low, disrupted, etc.).

Do You Have Adrenal Fatigue Signs & Symptoms?: DUTCH Cortisol Test

The other measure of adrenal fatigue is a urine-saliva hormone test known as the “DUTCH Plus Test.”

To date, the DUTCH Plus Test is the gold standard for measuring your cortisol levels and patterns over the course of an entire day (or 28 days), as opposed to a blood test (one-stick in time) or saliva samples alone.

The thing that makes the DUTCH Plus Test unique is that it captures the cortisol awakening response (CAR) that sets the tone for your personal unique pattern of cortisol for the rest of the day.

Since cortisol (stress hormones) are highest in the morning, identifying what your personal cortisol baseline is in the first 30-minutes of waking with the DUTCH Plus allows the other collection samples throughout the rest of the day to be reported accurately in reference to your baseline.

But Stress is Normal Right?

“But isn’t stress inevitable…a normal part of life?!”

Yes, stress IS inevitable, but when the amount of stressors in your life SURPASSES your body’s own ability to recover from that stress is when adrenal fatigue arises.

Essentially, adrenal fatigue happens when your body is UNABLE to “be human” in its fullest capacity—healthy, balanced, able to fight off stress then recover, and in harmony with the world around it.

What Causes Adrenal Fatigue?: Stress 101

It’s crucial to understand that “adrenal fatigue” (or HPA Axis Dysfunction) can be caused by several aspects of our modern lifestyles.

Although most people typically think of stress as psychosocial and emotional stress, (and those definitely are big contributors), stress is most broadly defined as “any event in which environmental demands, internal demands, or both tax or exceed the adaptive resources of an individual.”

Any trigger or event that causes “wear and tear” on the body is a stressor.

It does NOT have to be psychological or emotional. 

For example, you can seemingly have “everything going for you”—not a care in the world (successful, wealthy, busy social life, big social media following), and on vacation on a beach in Costa Rica, but still be under a crazy amount stress if you have an undiagnosed parasitic infection in your gut, an autoimmune condition, iron overload, and hormone imbalances (a missing period, PCOS, pre-mature menopause, etc.).

So, if stress is normal, how does your body get “overloaded” or “over stressed” in the first place?

There are 5 primary types of stressors of adrenal fatigue including:

5 Most Common Stressors of Adrenal Fatigue

Lack of Basic Health Needs

• Poor quality diet
• Hydration & quality water
• Lack of sleep
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Overtraining (lack of recovery)

• Blood sugar imbalances (lack of protein, lack of fat)
• Nutrient deficiencies
• Packaged and processed foods

 

Gut & Hormone Imbalances

• Underlying gut dysfunction (Parasites, bacterial overgrowth, yeast overgrowth)
• Food intolerances
• Leaky gut
• Hormone imbalances (birth control, steroids, etc.)

Circadian Rhythm Dysfunction

• Light exposure at the wrong times
• Jet lag
• Caffeine consumption
• Blue light/LED light (screens)
• Shift work
• Burning a candle at both ends

Inflammation

• Traumatic event (car wreck, etc.)
• Surgery
• Infection
• Long term medication use (NSAID, antibiotic, steroids, SSRIS)

Environmental Exposures

• Food additives
• Poor quality air
• Plastic tupperware
• Tap water

Psychosocial/Emotional Stress

• Type A personality—and difficulty listening to your body over your schedule
• Relationship stress
• Financial stress/pressures
• Lack of control
• Burnout
• Not talking about your stress (bottling it up)
• Lack of play/fun

• Not doing things you love
• Serotonin suppression (“feel good” brain chemicals)
• Social Media comparison/endless scrolling
• Trying to be all things to all people/people pleasing
• FOMO (lack of downtime for yourself)
• News binging

 

WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

Adrenal fatigue recovery is no one-size-fits-all approach. Treatment usually consists of a combination of nutrition, lifestyle, and supplement/herb recommendations.

Treatment ALSO depends on how long you have struggled with adrenal fatigue, as well as what type of adrenal fatigue you have (is your cortisol high or low?). This is why salivary-urine hormone testing is highly recommended (not blood testing, as it will not catch the presentation of your cortisol patterns).

A common roadblock many people run into with adrenal fatigue is self-diagnosis and then self-hacked protocols with various supplements to try to “fix it.”

Unfortunately, you CANNOT supplement your way out of a poor diet or stressful lifestyle. in addition, if you take the wrong supplement for you (such as a formula with licorice, if your cortisol is already high), you may be doing more harm than good for your body.

That said, here are a few universal adrenal fatigue recovery must-haves for any adrenal fatigue treatment plan.

4 Adrenal Fatigue Treatment Must Haves

Eat a Nutrient-Dense Diet

• Eat a real food, nutrient-dense diet, composed of a serving of sustainable protein, veggies and healthy fats with each meal. A Paleo or Autoimmune Protocol template are good places to start.

• Steer clear of sugar, artificial sweeteners, soy, dairy, gluten and packaged/processe food
• Cut the coffee (4-8 weeks)

• For those in the initial stages of healing (4-8 weeks), mini meals may be better (3 small meals and 2-3 snacks, with an emphasis on protein, healthy fats, and moderate carbs)

• No extreme cleanses or diets; some people may do best off of a moderate-lower carb and moderate-higher fat for blood sugar reasons, but carbs are still your friend

Movement

• For those who have been overdoing it in the gym, take a break (30-60 days) from intense exercise (CrossFit, HIIT, heavy weight lifting, intense spin classes, yoga with weights), and replace with moderate weight lifting and light aerobic activity (walking, swimming, spinning)

• Incorporate at least 1-2 complete rest days from the gym in favor of recovery; Sometimes a complete break (1-4 weeks) from movement may be beneficial and necessary.

• Focus more on walking, yoga, pilates, moderate weight lifting, and low-intensity aerobic activities (Biking, swimming, Tai Chi) that allow your body to recover and regain strength

Rest & Recovery 

• Sleep 7-9 hours, if you can go to bed by 10 pm and wakeup around 7 am
• Incorporate “recovery” into your healing (mobility work, sun light therapy, float tank therapy, acupuncture, massage, as you get stronger: sauna)
• Consider counseling, working with a coach or mindfulness based stress reduction
• Biofeedback, like HeartMath’s Inner Balance, is also effective for gaining control of your stress patterns

Supplements & Herbs

• Probiotic & Prebiotic. Your gut is the gateway to health! (Hormones included). Support a healthy gut eco-system with a soil based probiotic and easily digested prebiotic (1 tsp) daily.

• Basic Nutrients for strengthening your adrenal glands include:
  • Vitamin C (citrus fruits, greens, berries and liposomal supplements)
  • Magnesium (Magneisum Glycinate supplements, dark leafy greens, raw nuts, dark chocolate)

• Ashwaganda and Rhodiola are 2 herbs that promote general cortisol balance. I like the blend by HPA Balance for both high and low cortisol presentations.

• Phosphatidylserine (PS). A naturally occurring phospholipid essential for the membranes of all cells, especially in the central nervous system that works to reduce periods of “high” stress. I love APEX Adrena Calm lotion —it works instantly to combat the stress response.

• Lavender Essential Oil tends to have a calming affect for those who are “wound up” and Peppermint Essential Oil has a “boosting” effect for those who need a pick me up.

• Anti-Inflammatory Supplements. Calm internal stress with CBD Oil and Liposomal Curcumin for body balance.

• Melatonin. Your sleep hormone—supports better sleep if you are wound up at night. It also  helps regulate other hormones and maintains the body’s circadian rhythm. Try Sleep Remedy before bed.

• Customize. Test your cortisol with the DUTCH Test to determine your cortisol presentation before supplementing specifically for cortisol imbalances. Connect with Dr. Lauryn for your own test and personal healing plan today.

The post 9 Signs You Have Adrenal Fatigue Signs & How to Heal It appeared first on Meet Dr. Lauryn.

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