Breast Milk, “Good Bacteria” and Immune Health

SO interesting. From “In Defense of Food” – by Michael Pollen…

Why is Mothers Milk so healthy for the baby?  Not only does the composition of the milk change from week to week to best suit the needs of the baby, we have known that breastfed babies have better immune function and protection in later life than bottle fed babies.

In this clip, the researchers discovered that 1/3 of the content of the breast milk was oligosaccharides, which the baby itself can’t digest.  Why would breast milk have something in it that the baby could not even digest?  They wondered if the oligosaccharides might be food for bacteria.

At first they could not find any bacteria that the oligosaccharides fed.  Then they found it was the perfect food for the main “good” gut bacteria, Bifidobacterium, found in great amounts in the guts of breastfed babies!  Bifidobacterium attaches to the lining of the intestine (gut),  strengthens the immune system, and protects against other bacteria! 

 

To Elderberry or Not with COVID-19? My Take

Obviously, everyone is working to gain an understanding of the physiologic changes with Covid-19, but what is becoming evident is that what is dangerous about the virus is not necessarily the virus itself, but the affect it has on the immune system.

Ditch the Sugar - Cut the Cravings

Any time of the year is the perfect time to zap your sugar addiction and cravings. Cutting out refined sugars and focusing on whole foods to help reset your insulin function and reduce your cravings begins by becoming aware of how much added sugar is in your diet.

Sugar: The Silent Killer

The addictive nature of sugar and the effects on our physiology create a perfect storm for creating an obesity epidemic. What’s becoming clear, though, is that it just may not be all your fault!

When Your Gut is a Jungle Instead of a Pasture

Hippocrates once said, “All health comes from the gut” and we understand more today than ever just how true that statement is. There are many things that can disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut. One of the most common and powerful disruptors of a healthy microbiome - antibiotics. What many people don't know is that the disruption of the gut microbiome by antibiotics can trigger mood disruption. In a 2015 study looking at multiple types of antibiotics, it was found that even one dose of any of the antibiotic groups was associated with a higher risk of depression, while recurrent antibiotic use increased the participants risk factors even more.

Manage Your Holiday Stress

Most people don't realize that the stress response triggers a cascade of physiological actions in the body that can shut down stomach function and create digestive upset! There are ways to counter the effects of Holiday Stress this season - read on!

Optimizing Body Composition and Weight Loss by Optimizing Gut Health!

In my practice I work with patients to optimize gut health as a means of optimizing their health. Patients come to me with a plethora of symptoms such as brain fog, digestive issues, skin rashes such as eczema, low energy, muscle pain and fatigue, weight gain, cardiovascular issues like increased cholesterol and atherosclerosis, food allergies and sensitivities, immune system issues and autoimmune disease and more. Most everything begins in the gut whether they realize it or not. Gut imbalance creates inflammation and inflammation sets up increase in fat storage; the excess fat then creates more inflammation and a cascade of health issues over time!

The Gut Microbiome and Health

The Human Microbiome Project has shown that the intestinal microbiome has communication networks with other organ systems including the gut-brain, gut-liver, gut-adipose axes, and it plays a critical role in our health, brain function, body weight and fat maintenance. Nature, 2012.

The Mind-Gut Connection

Did you know you have two brains? One in your head, another in your gut, and the health of your gut can result in many "non-gut" symptoms!
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