Another week of progress

This morning I started my day right with a run with my daughter.  We did intervals to get her started to get ready for her first half marathon in February. 

So food today will be easy enough.  I'm having some die off symptoms so I'm fasting today.  My tongue hurts from some bad bacteria and yeast getting out of my system from clean eating and Plexus products. Lovely, right?!  It happens differently for everyone and can be anything from bloating, to headaches, to yeast infections and more.  Google it to learn more.  It's a good/bad thing.  We want the stuff gone and out and never to return- but it doesn't feel the best.  Some people even stop their Plexus products thinking it's an allergic reaction.  

So just drinking my lovely pink drink and even more water than normal!

Took my X-factor still in the morning and BioCleanse between meals.  I'm going to take extra Probio5 tonight at bedtime too.  

So die off is a tricky beast and there's 2 ways to tackle it when it happens.  You can either back down from the products and take it slower....or you can bump up the pressure and bust through the wall.  I'm breaking down the wall.  Part of it depends on how bad the symptoms are, and the other part is how prepared you are to deal with it.   I know what I'm jumping into and hoping to get through quickly with the right tools.  

So....this week's progress.  I wasn't expecting much, if anything.  And I still hate these pictures :(  But...I'm down another 1/2 inch on the waist.  Weight is exactly the same as last week.  Hips are the same, bust is down.  I'm pleasantly surprised because I haven't done as well for choices this week as you all know.  

Here's the before and after from where I started.  We're getting there!

Until tomorrow-

Blessings in Health and Happiness-

The sky is falling...

So my title is from Grey's Anatomy.  I'm watching it right now.  But it works well for my mood today.

This morning, I didn't want to get out bed.  Didn't feel rested and just dreaded the day.  I figured it was just normal staying up too late and getting up early after vacation.

I took my Vitalbiome and went and ran with Ella.  It was a decent run even thought it was slower than our normal.

Still didn't feel good.  I got in the shower and just wanted to cry, but it wouldn't come.  Why couldn't I just let whatever out?

So I keep going through the motions.  Had my pink drink and Metaburn.  Got dressed.  Left for work.  The drive was unremarkable. Traffic not too bad. 

I get to work and you know what I want- really, really want?  Alcohol.  Wine or margarita.  I've said before I totally understand why people become alcoholics- they probably self medicate from the world.  I wanted to.  Ugh.   Didn't feel like crying anymore though.  Just wish I could disappear. 

I started feeling nauseated.  Sick to my stomach.   Feeling awful.  I put on Facebook asking for prayers.  Then immediately felt bad like I was attention seeking.  It's so hard to ask for help when you want to be strong. 

Had my BioCleanse.

I finally ate something at lunch. I wasn't hungry but the nauseating feeling was worse.  I didn't pack anything, so I ate what I call a grown up lunch able and a cliff bar.

I relaxed for awhile and read my book. It's funny, so that helps.  

I started messaging some friends in my Plexus groups- I'm heartbroken for some of my good friends and frustrated with others.  Being in the mood I've been in today doesn't help.  I want to scream at some of them. I want to cry for others.  I want to slap sense in some people who are looking for a get rich quick and/or looking for magic weight loss through another company.  I want to cry for people who are feeling betrayed, lied to, and conned.  

I just want to say the grass isn't greener, magic weight loss doesn't happen, and I'm not budging.  

Took my second dose of BioCleanse in the afternoon.  Felt like a con the more people who commented support and prayers for me on my post- although Lord knows I need it.  I'm crying now thinking about how much I need it.  

Worked a little late because I got busy.  Texted a friend trying to help her with a very sick son (who by the way is on the way to the hospital- so prayers for him).  On the drive home got some road rage- today was cut Sarah off day on 417.   Talked to a good Plexus friend and vented my concerns and frustration about previous things.  

Walked in the door at home not hungry but mad, sad, upset and stomach churning with nausea again.   I walk in and no cold water in the fridge.  Ugh.   I go to the bathroom and there's no toilet paper on the roll and I want to punch someone.  Gosh I'm in an awesome mood.

I ate some lasagna to stop the stomach problems.  It was okay.  I didn't really taste it.  

Then I started typing.  But I'm so exhausted.  I'm not sure why mental and emotional exhaustion is so physically overwhelming, but here we are.  Still want to cry.  Still won't come.  

What a day.  

I want to be strong.  I want to be positive.  I want to feel better.  I want to not feel like crying.  I want to have an exact reason to cry and feel this bad.  And I actually have a list.  But listing them feels like whining.  Feels like complaining.  Feels like weakness.  Feels like not being grateful.  

Things could be worse.  But I feel like I'm failing my son.  I feel like he's regressing.  I feel like he may never be successful.  I feel like when we still have some diagnoses and answers we don't have them all.  That we're not doing enough. That we'd never be able to afford what it would take to be enough.  That I'm not helping others enough.  That I'm not a good enough wife.  That I'm not a good enough NP.  That I'm not a good enough friend.  That I don't take care of my house enough.  That I don't take care of anything enough. 

And I will tell you a HUGE part of this is the junk I ate all weekend.  Sugar and junk cause gut inflammation.  Gut inflammation decreases serotonin.  Serotonin is what makes us feel good.  I don't feel good.  I was feeling bad.  I was doing better with eating and my moods were better.  4 days of junky food that progressively got worse and here I am. Back in the basement.  Lower than the basement. 

So I don't want to.  This is me.  Today.   Grey's is almost over.  Time to take my Probio5, Mega-x and Ease and tuck in. 

Sugar- the love and hate relationship

Sugar.  We love it.  We hate it.  It’s a complicated relationship.  At least for me. 

Sugar in it’s many forms has magical abilities to make us feel good, give us energy, and satisfies our hunger.  On the flip side, however, it can cause fat, insulin resistance, diabetes, and mood swings. 

How can one thing do both things?  It’s complicated also- but a big reason is bacteria. 

Our bacteria in our digestive system all like to munch on different things, and as far as the bacteria is concerned our job is to keep them fed.  They have so much to do with what we choose to eat it’s almost like we don’t have a choice at all.  

But one problem with this system is MOST of the bacteria that prefer sugar are NOT the bacteria that are good for us!  We call these pathogenic bacteria and they cause inflammation, first in our digestive system and then on the rest of our bodies.  When we feed these bacteria the sugar they crave, and they give us a momentary pleasurable result for it, they can cause breaks in our digestive lining people often refer to as leaky gut! 

This leaky gut leads to our immune system being less effective at fighting off illness AND can cause inflammation that leads to many problems including many autoimmune problems.  There are also many studies showing this can lead to mood problems like anxiety and depression- which I have talked about before. 

So, not only are you craving sugar to make yourself feel good and keep the bacteria happy, but you are feeding the bacteria that will make you not feel well!  It’s a horrible loop that feeds itself and we need to work to stop it! 

One way to try to stop it, is to try to not feed it.  Much easier said than done, I know.  And you will NEVER completely rid yourself of the bacteria, so if you go back to eating sugar often, you will crave it again. 

Another way to help is by putting good bacteria in- once again by probiotics.  Trying to rebalance the system of better than bad will help restore your health.

Subscribe to my email for tips to try to cut down sugar in your diet!

Blessings in Health and Happiness!

Serotonin and the bathroom! Weird, I know.

I’ve been reading a book about the mind-gut connection, especially concerning psychological problems, and it has be totally geeked out!  I’m kind of a nerd anyway, but this bacteria and mind gut and digestive system relationship is so interesting to me.  (The book is The Psychobiotic Revolution by Scott C. Anderson if you want to check it out)

So, I’m loving the whole book, but the chapter I just finished made me think of several things and put some connections together that I didn’t realize.

So, if you’ve ever taken a prescription medication for anxiety and depression, the chances are that you were on a SSRI- serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor.  Common medications in this group are Zoloft (sertraline), Paxil (paroxetine), Celexa (citalopram) and many many more.  These work for anxiety and depression by regulating your serotonin balance- one of your “feel good” hormones.   A common side effect of these medications is stomach upset- I know every time I would start someone on these medications I would warn people it frequently happens but should calm down/go away with time. 

BUT- I never learned WHY these medications caused this problem!  In school we are often told side effects, and sometimes the why, but not always.    Now I know why!  It’s the Serotonin!    

90% of your serotonin is made in your gut- which I knew from other research into anxiety, depression, mood and probiotics.  That’s why gut health is important for anyone suffering from these problems and why people with gut problems are more likely to have mood problems.  It’s a balanced relationship.   

What I didn’t know is that serotonin causes peristalsis- the muscle movement along the digestive tract that moves our food through the system.   This is why prescription medication can cause a little extra gas and bowel movements and the same can be true with any probiotics that can lead to serotonin production like Lactobacillus species. 

I’ll eventually do a post on bacteria die off symptoms that can happen with healing your gut which can lead to diarrhea, but another reason someone may get diarrhea for the short term after starting probiotics is because of Serotinin being released.  At that point, it doesn’t seem like the “feel good” hormone it’s supposed to be, but it’s actually working and doing it’s job! 

Whether you’re needing prescription mood medications, you’re starting a probiotic, or a combination of both (and I FULLY believe if you need a prescription you should have a probiotic also)- do NOT be surprised if you have a few extra trips to the restroom at first! 

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Until next time....

Blessings in Health and Happiness

Gut Health- prebiotics

Gut health series continues!  Today is PRE-BIOTICs.  Not to be confused with PRO-biotics.  
Pre-biotics are not baby probiotics, but the things that probiotics eat to grow and flourish!

Our bacteria in our bodies will eat almost anything, but our health bacteria will grow exponentially with the right food!  Kind of like people- we can live off McDonalds, Burger King or other bad choices, but we will do amazing if we have fresh fruits and vegetables and clean foods.   Different bacteria also tend to prefer certain prebiotics according to science!  Getting the fibers that will improve the growth of beneficial bacteria will help people reach their health goals and get the most out of both their probiotics and prebiotics. 

Good news for all- most of these prebiotics foods are also healthy for us!  They are usually fiber filled foods that help with roughage and keep our digestive tract moving through the fiber and by feeding the good bacteria.   Some examples of prebiotic foods are bananas, asparagus, onions, and garlic.  Sometimes supplements will add specific fibers to get some of these prebiotic health benefits in their products.  Just like picking the right foods, picking the right prebiotic supplements will help you reach your health goals. 

Some of the potential health benefits include reduction of illness, reduce colon cancer risk, can help with healthy weight, and can help absorption of our minerals that we’re eating.   A happy, healthy digestive system can change our whole lives and make such a difference in disease and our ability to fight off illness. 

There are some people who need to approach prebiotics with caution.  Some people with irritable bowel syndrome must be careful to not start high doses of prebiotics all at once- their gut may not adjust well, and they could have some serious bathroom time coming!   This doesn’t mean they can not take prebiotics, they just need to be selective and start with small amounts and adjust to their body’s needs.  People with irritable bowel syndrome or other stomach problems need healing and could benefit from supplementation, but also need to listen to what their body tells them. 

In overview- if you take a probiotic, you want to make sure you feed it with prebiotics to get the best results!  Look for the right prebiotics for your stomach and what will feed the bacteria that you want to help.   Systems with scientifically studied ingredients can help this process be less complicated, but feeding it with extra, healthy food will also help.  There are some major health benefits to be reaped by probiotics and prebiotic use- just do some homework on making sure you get the best for your body. 

Blessings in Health and Happiness

Finding the Right Probiotic

To continue our gut health series- we will discuss shopping!  One of my favorite things!

Today- shopping for probiotics!  Even happier because it’s good for gut health and shopping all together!  

But the problem is…you get the pharmacy or health food store and it looks like this…

Or you google and get over 76 million results!  Oh my!  How to choose?

• ·     Company.  There are a few guidelines I recommend for supplements in general.  Supplement companies can (within limits) put what they want on the bottles and the FDA disclaimer and are not responsible if it’s not effective.   This doesn’t make every supplement bad- it keeps our costs down (to be FDA approved it would need significant tests like drug companies do- and we know how expensive new prescription medication is). But it is definitely a buyer beware system.   So look into the company you are thinking of buying from and see if they have any quality control system- it’s best if they send their products out for testing by a company not associated with their product.  If the company offers a guarantee that’s nice too, but it should be 30 days or more for any supplement as it would take at least that long, if not longer to really see differences. 
• ·       Strands of bacteria.  This is VERY important.  We want strands of bacteria that have proven to be effective in helping our issues.  For example- Bifidobacterium Longum has shown to help with mood problems.  If you have mood problems and pick a product that only has acidophilus you are unlike to reap a full probiotic benefit.  In general, you want a nice mix of a few bacteria that have good clinical studies.   Here’s a picture of the label of my probiotic that has 8 strains of good bacteria, all that have clinical evidence for help of gut health and moods. 

• ·       Number of bacteria.  You need to make sure your probiotic is potent enough to give you effects, but you don’t necessarily need 100 billion CFU (colony forming units).  Bigger isn’t always better because if they have large amounts of non-studied bacteria, you aren’t helping yourself at all.  Mine is 20 billion CFU.
• ·       Storage.  Getting live bacteria into our digestive system is imperative for probiotics to be helpful!  This includes storage bottles, where to store and the capsule.   Storage bottles should protect the probiotics from heat and moisture, which can kill your good bacteria.  Refrigeration does not make a probiotic better- this means the manufacturer couldn’t find a way to keep them stabilized at room temp or decided not to- and could lead to increased risk of you not getting what you paid for if anytime during transport from them to you it got warm.  The capsules should also be able to survive your stomach acid so more active bacteria make it into your intestines! 

Some people say they don’t need probiotic supplements because they eat probiotic foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, or other fermented foods.  While they have probiotics, there is no evidence to say that LIVE bacteria get into the digestive system.  Remember- if you don’t get the right live strains where they need to be, you are literally wasting money.

Some probiotics will have some extra helpers in them- for example I take a probiotic that has digestive enzymes in it.  My children take a chew-able multivitamin that has probiotics.  If it’s done correctly, this can help by saving extra supplements to take daily!

I personally recommend Plexus products- they have a 60 day money back guarantee, scientifically studied bacterial strains, a special capsule and bottle for storage, and do outside independent testing for quality control! I and my patients have tried multiple probiotics and never noticed as great results as we have with Plexus.  Send me an email if you’re interested!  Subscribe to my email for more information and to stay updated on sales!

Blessings in Health and Happiness!

The Down-Low on Probiotics

You may hear often that good gut health is important, but what does that really mean?

I’m going to start a series of several posts that explain all the different pieces of gut health, how they work together, and how you can fix yours!  It really is a more complex topic then one post can contain!  There are hundreds and hundreds of books written about the subject and more and more new we are learning every day!

First we’ll discuss- What is a Probiotic?

Simply put- a probiotic is a bacteria that scientists have found to be helpful in the human digestive system. 

To step back a few steps, you must know that we are constantly covered in bacteria and bacteria lines our entire digestive system all of the time- and that’s okay!  Most of the bacteria on our skin and in our bodies is working with us to protect us!  These good organisms help us stay healthy and well, and in return we feed them.  But our bacteria balance can be damaged by many things including medications (especially antibiotics), foods, drinks and stress.  This leads to dysbiosis and can lead to disease, inflammation and weight gain. 

The general idea behind probiotics is to put more good bacteria into our system to help regain balance of the system with more “good” than “bad” bacteria.  Unfortunately- just taking a probiotic is only scratching the surface- you need to do much more to notice any effects of taking these supplements which I will discuss in other gut health posts 😊

So good bacteria- makes sense, but are there studies about it?  Most studies have been done on mice when it comes to bacteria and probiotics, as they are the easiest host types to control in the scientific community.   These studies, however, can focus on specific bacteria species and give us ideas of which bacteria are truly beneficial.   Subscribe to my email if you want extra info on the bacteria studies 😊

How do you find a good probiotic?  Stay tuned for next week where I’ll walk through all the do’s and don’ts on buying a probiotic!

Blessings in Health and Happiness!