Gut Healing
On 15 November 2023 0 Comments
- Wellness
Poor diets are causing many people to suffer needlessly with symptoms such as bloating, constipation, abdominal pain, nausea, heartburn (acid reflux), diarrhoea, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and flatulence which may indicate a gut problem.
Digestive conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Celiac Disease, gluten intolerance, leaky gut, and Crohn’s Disease can be improved or eliminated by making simple changes to diet and lifestyle.
Children who have had antibiotics at birth, or whose mothers had poor quality gut bacteria due to an overgrowth of Candida, and children born by Caesarian Section will be deficient in essential good bacteria. As well as negatively affecting behaviour, bad bacteria in the gut also suppress the immune system.
Healing the guts of ourselves and our children is essential so that our bodies can successfully digest food and absorb the nutrients, contributing to better immune function and the relief of depression and anxiety symptoms.
If you drink alcohol, regularly consume refined white sugar, or have taken antibiotics your gut flora will be damaged and you will likely have an overgrowth of Candida; but you can easily heal your gut in three to six months by making simple dietary and lifestyle changes.
- Include fermented foods in your diet daily, such as raw milk kefir, water kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, etc.
- Drink one cup of bone broth per day.
- Increase good fats: use animal fats such as ghee, lard, goose fat, or coconut oil for frying, baking, and roasting.
- Do not heat Extra Virgin Olive Oil, use it for pouring on salads and other cold foods.
- Take one Oregano Oil capsule three times a day for three to six weeks or until symptoms subside to kill off excess Candida. Over time we can build up a resistance to Oregano Oil, so we can alternate with Olive Leaf Extract and Grapefruit Seed Extract which are also good. After the initial cleanse you can periodically do a short cleanse if you have gone back to eating sugar or alcohol in excess.
- BioKult probiotic capsules are recommended by GAPs practitioners but should be a last resort as they may simply pass through your system without being absorbed; fermented foods are more effective.
Cut Out
Refined white sugar or other processed sugars and sweeteners (sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, erythritol). Use local honey, Stevia, coconut sugar, maple syrup, or Billington’s Molasses sugar.
Margarine because it damages our cells. Use a spread with coconut, linseed, palm oil (sustainably sourced) or flaxseed oils. Or use raw grass-fed butter such as Isigny Sainte-Mere Unpasturised Salted Butter.
Vegetable oil, sunflower oil, and canola oil are also toxic to our system. Replace them with the ‘good fats’ such as goose fat for roasting, and coconut oil for frying (lard and beef dripping are also good).
Bleached White flour products are refined (meaning they contain little fibre) and contain wheat, gluten, and toxic fortification additives, which create havoc in our bodies. Avoid wheat and look for alternative grains such as Rye, Spelt, and Kaumt. Buy sprouted bread and pasta such as Profusion Spelt Fusilli, Rude Health Sprouted Buckwheat or Spelt Flour. I buy Ezekiel sprouted bread from https://www.foodforlife.com and Sprouted Rye and Spelt loaves from https://www.everfreshnaturalfoods.com.
Fortified flour. Flour ‘fortified’ with Calcium Carbonate, Iron, and synthetic B vitamins should be avoided as it is toxic to our bodies.
Refined carbohydrates such as white rice, chips, white wheat pasta, baked goods made from white flour, and supermarket white bread are all high on the glycemic index which means that they convert to sugar quickly in the body, spiking insulin, and take us on a rollercoaster of mood swings. They are also nutritionally deficient.
Oats, unless they are sprouted, or soaked and then the soaking water discarded, are high in phytates which results in mineral deficiencies. “In populations where cereal grains provide a major source of calories, rickets and osteoporosis are common” https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/vegetarianism-and-plant-foods/living-with-phytic-acid Buy sprouted rice and oats. Ocado sell Minvita Sprouted Gabba Rice which I cook in bone broth, and Rude Health Sprouted Porridge Oats.
Skimmed milk – use raw/unpasteurised organic grass-fed full-fat milk. Real Milk–full-fat, unprocessed milk from pasture-fed cows–contains vital nutrients like fat-soluble vitamins A and D, calcium, vitamin B6, B12, and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid, a fatty acid naturally occurring in grass-fed beef and milk that reduces body fat and protects against cancer). Real milk is a source of complete protein and is loaded with enzymes. Raw milk contains beneficial bacteria that protect against pathogens and contribute to healthy flora in the intestines. Culturing milk greatly enhances its probiotic and enzyme content, making it a therapeutic food for our digestive system and overall health. I use Gazegil Organics for a monthly delivery of raw milk which I freeze and use to make kefir. https://www.gazegillorganics.co.uk
Refined salt. Substitute with Himalayan pink salt or Celtic sea salt or other whole mineral salt is a food full of health-boosting trace minerals.
Nutrition
There isn’t much point in spending any money on therapies or supplements until you have made changes to the lifestyle choices that could be contributing to poor nutrition.
- Eat three meals a day with protein at every meal.
- Cut out all sugar, caffeine, gluten, processed foods, refined carbohydrates, alcohol, vegetable oils, and margarine.
Sugar is an anti-nutrient that strips essential minerals from your reserves as your body attempts to break it down. Depleted levels of calcium, chromium, magnesium, and zinc leave your body in chaos.
Coffee inhibits iron absorption, affects the uptake of B-vitamins, and raises cortisol.
Refined carbohydrates, such as baked goods made from white flour, have very little nutritional value and cause your blood sugar to spike. Reduce carbs and eat as advised by Weston A Price http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/be-kind-to-your-grains-and-your-grains-will-be-kind-to-you/.
Alcohol damages the gut lining, causing it to become permeable and ‘leaky’. It also breaks down B-vitamins and antioxidants such as vitamin C.
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is a processed food additive. It is an extremely dangerous neurotoxin (excitotoxin) that shrivels and kills brain cells in the hypothalamus and has been linked to migraines, seizures, ADD/ADHD, heart palpitations, tremors, and MANY other symptoms.
Following a low-carb diet such as Weston A Price Foundation (WAPF) for a nutrient-dense eating plan that doesn’t remove any food groups. Read Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions.
WAPF also promotes the use of good fats such as lard, goose, and coconut for frying and roasting instead of vegetable oils which are too high in omega 6. Omega 6 imbalance causes inflammation in the body so we all need to increase our intake of Omega 3s. Extra Virgin Olive Oil should never be heated, reserve it for pouring on salads etc.
Further Reading
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon more information at https://www.westonaprice.org/.
Gut & Psychology Syndrome by Natasha Campbell-McBride: http://www.doctor-natasha.com or http://www.gaps.me
Shamanic Healing
Often the physical and emotional aspects of an illness cannot heal until the spiritual aspect of the illness has been resolved. Our gut is known as our ‘second brain’ and is a source of intuition called ‘gut feeling’, making it very sensitive to our environments. The gut is linked to our Sacral and Solar Plexus Chakras.
The Sacral chakra is in the lower abdomen and helps us to relate to our emotions and the emotions of others. As such, someone living with an emotionally volatile person may end up being blocked in that chakra.
The Solar Plexus is located in the upper abdomen and it is linked to confidence and control in our lives. When we have butterflies or feel a pit in our stomach it is the Solar Plexus at work. It controls self-worth, self-confidence and self-esteem.
Removing the blocks in these chakras along with the negative agreements that held them in place will make a safe container for new energy and new, supportive agreements enabling you to reach your full potential.
Recipes
Fermented Vegetables
Preparation
· You will need a 2-litre Kilner jar or similar.
· 1 chopped cucumber and 1 chopped white cabbage
· Sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
Step 1: Make the brine solution
Dissolve 2 tablespoons of quality sea salt or Himalayan pink salt in 1 litre of hot water – preferably filtered. I say hot or boiling water to ensure that the salt dissolves in the water before adding it to your chopped vegetables. Leave it to cool. Too much salt kills the bacteria, which slows the fermentation causing it to fail.
Step 2: Make your base
Always use chopped white cabbage and cucumber for the base as they produce the good bacteria needed for a successful ferment.
Step 3: Experiment with flavours
You can add other chopped vegetables such as cauliflower, green beans, and beetroot and layers of fresh chopped herbs such as dill, bay leaf, basil, tarragon or sea vegetables.
Step 4: Add the brine
Put the layers of cabbage, cucumber, and other ingredients in the jar then pour over the cooled brine solution ensuring the vegetables remain at the bottom of the jar and are completely covered with brine at all times.
Ferment the vegetables at room temperature for at least 3 days opening the jar every day so the pressure doesn’t build up. After 3 days put the jar in the fridge and use it for around 6 months.
Chicken Bone Broth
1 organic chicken carcass
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp vinegar (raw apple cider, brown rice, or white distilled)
1 chopped onion
2 chopped carrots
3 chopped celery sticks
2 tbsp frozen parsley / 2 tsp dried
2 bay leaves
½ tsp thyme
Method
Roast an organic chicken, eat the meat, and reserve the carcass and bones.
Add the carcass, bones, and additional ingredients to the slow cooker.
Cover with filtered water.
Simmer in slow cooker for 6 to 72 hours.
Strain and freeze into smaller batches or keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Add to rice for cooking, casseroles, soups, gravy, or serve as a drink (with added salt to taste).
Only reheat once.
Raw Milk Kefir
Making traditional kefir from grains is a cost-effective way of making your own probiotic drinks rather than taking capsules. Kefir grains can be reused indefinitely and they will continue to multiply so you can pass them on to others. I make my kefir continuously by brewing a small amount each day in raw milk which is much healthier than pasteurised milk because it has all the enzymes to aid digestion. I buy online monthly from Gazegil Organics and freeze it. You can also use Coconut milk but you will periodically need to put them in some milk to help them to thrive.
You can brew it in a Kilner jar covered with a circle of fabric held in place with a rubber band. This will allow the air to circulate so that the grains can breathe whilst keeping debris out.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon kefir grains per 250ml raw milk
2 glass containers
muslin
rubber band
strainer
spoon
Place your kefir grains and milk into a glass jar. An approximate ratio is 1 tablespoon of kefir grains to 250ml of raw milk for a good ferment. Too few grains and too much milk will result in a poor ferment and curdled milk.
Cover the jar with a circle of muslin or fabric secured with a rubber band so they can breathe, and leave it out at room temperature out of direct sunlight for 24-48hrs or until the grains have risen to the top of the milk. At a temperature of 20C or more, it should only take 24 hours.
Place a plastic mesh strainer over a large jug and pour the mixture into the strainer to separate the milk from the grains. This is the only time I would ever recommend using plastic with food; never use stainless steel or other metals with kefir as the grains may die.
You can now drink the liquid immediately or cover it with a lid and place it in the fridge to chill first.
It should taste sour like yoghurt and slightly effervescent or bubbly. If it tastes or smells more like curdled milk, then your kefir grains are not active enough to produce a good fermentation.
The kefir grains in the strainer can then be put back into a clean, empty jar. Always was the jar first. Add more fresh milk and repeat the process.
If you do not want to make another batch right away, place the grains in a jar with enough milk to cover them, screw on the lid, and store them in the fridge. You can store them with the lid on, as they will be asleep and therefore not producing much gas. Replace the milk with fresh milk once a week if you are storing them long-term.
There is no need to rinse the kefir grains in between brews. This will weaken them, especially if the water contains chlorine — this can kill your grains. If you need to rinse your grains because they are dirty or contaminated in some way, then use only filtered or spring water.
Here is the info on the importance of probiotics to support healthy gut bacteria which in turn improves the immune system and mood, particularly important if all of your gut bacteria have been flushed out following antibiotics and other drugs: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/09/24/one-of-the-most-important-steps-you-can-take-to-improve-your-health.aspx
Kombucha Brewing Instructions
1 x Scoby (Kombucha Culture) stored at room temperature in 250ml of the last brew
1.5 litre glass container
Tight weave cotton or muslin cloth and elastic band to cover the jar
3-4 Organic Tea bags (green or black)
80 – 100 g Billingtons Organic Molasses Sugar / Billington’s Organic Unrefined Natural Granulated Cane Sugar (contains all the minerals removed by the refining process of white sugar)
Stage One: Preparation
Boil the kettle (stainless steel or glass is best to avoid toxins leaching from plastic)
Add 3 or 4 tea bags to the glass jar
Add 100 g of sugar
Pour the boiling water into the glass jar
Allow the tea bags to steep for 30 mins
After 30 mins remove the tea bags
Leave the tea to cool
Stage Two: Fermentation
Place the Scoby on top of the mixture (lightest side upwards)
Add the liquid from the last brew
Place the cloth over the top of the container and secure with an elastic band
Brew at a constant 20-23C (in the airing cupboard is ideal)
Brew for 3 to 18 days, the longer the more sour and less sweet it will become. Taste it at regular intervals aiming for a sour/tart taste similar to apple cider vinegar.
When it is ready pour into a glass bottle with a stopper or screw cap and store in the fridge. Open the bottle regularly to let out the fizz to avoid explosions!
Retain 1/4 of the brew (around 125 to 250ml) and pour it into a coverable container. Add the Scoby so it is covered by the liquid. Keep it at room temperature for up to five days until you are ready to make another batch.
Sage Three: Second Fermentation
You can add fruit, fruit juices, herbs, or spices to create a variety of different drinks.
Further Information
https://happykombucha.co.uk/pages/kombucha-help-and-information
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