The Forgotten Organ – Your Microbiota
Dr. Mercola recently came out with an awesome video and post regarding one of the most vital influences on physical and mental health; beneficial bacteria. Watch The Forgotten Organ – Your Microbiota Video or read full article here. Here are some of the highlights.
- It helps to view your body as a “super organism” composed of a diverse array of symbiotic microorganisms. Proper balance of these microbes is essential for optimal physical and psychological health
- Recent research suggests that many people are deficient in beneficial gut bacteria, making it a very important consideration if you’re not feeling well, physically or psychologically
- Gut bacteria influence the processing and utilization of dietary nutrients; help protect against food borne disease, and can impact drug efficacy. Recent research claims chemotherapy drugs need certain gut bacteria in order to work
- Certain microbiota and beneficial bacteria have been found to produce beneficial psychotropic signals such as serotonin and dopamine. Such “psychobiotics” may soon be used in lieu of drugs to treat psychiatric illness
- Researchers have identified specific gut bacteria that correlate with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the 80s, Dr. Brown suggested RA was caused by a mycoplasma
How to Optimize Your Gut Flora
As you can see, consistently reseeding your gut with healthy bacteria may be crucial for the prevention of virtually all disease, from colds to autoimmune disorders, to psychiatric disturbances and even cancer. In light of this, here are my recommendations for optimizing your gut bacteria.
- Fermented foods are the best route to optimal digestive health, as long as you eat the traditionally made, unpasteurized versions. Healthy choices include lassi (an Indian yoghurt drink, traditionally enjoyed before dinner), fermented, grass-fed organic milk such as kefir, various pickled fermentations of cabbage, turnips, eggplant, cucumbers, onions, squash, and carrots, and natto (fermented soy). Some of the beneficial bacteria found in fermented foods are also excellent chelators of heavy metals and pesticides, which will also have a beneficial health effect by reducing your toxic load.
- Fermented vegetables, which are one of my new passions, are an excellent way to supply beneficial bacteria back into our gut. And, unlike some other fermented foods, they tend to be palatable, if not downright delicious, to most people. As an added bonus, they can also be a great source of vitamin K2 if you ferment your own using the proper starter culture.
- Probiotic supplement is a staple to a healthy lifestyle.
In addition to knowing what to add to your diet and lifestyle, it’s equally important to know what to avoid, and these include:
- Antibiotics, unless absolutely necessary (and when you do, make sure to reseed your gut with fermented foods and a probiotic supplement)
- Conventionally-raised meats and other animal products, as CAFO animals are routinely fed low-dose antibiotics, plus genetically engineered grains which have also been implicated in the destruction of gut flora
- Processed foods (as the excessive sugars, along with other “dead” nutrients, feed pathogenic bacteria)
- Chlorinated and/or flouridated water
- Antibacterial soap
- Agricultural chemicals, glyphosate (Roundup) in particular
The Healing Center Denver is happy to present our new technology and would like to invite our existing patients in for a FREE ZYTO scan.
Unfortunately it may not be enough to stock up on pre- and pro-biotics because many of us are already deficient in the beneficial bacteria, which has allowed a plethera of unfriendly bacteria to grow. Dr. Starling is continually looking for new tools to gather information to shed light on our patients and their complex problems, especially our autoimmune patients. As a result, she has added a ZYTO scan in the office which is effective in finding hidden pathogens in the body that affect our health. We would like to extend as a courtesy to all of our existing patients a free scan valued at $75. Dr. Starling has found that subclinical infections play a bigger role in our health than previously thought. This is especially true in our more complex patient cases such as those who continually regress, continually become allergic to things, and those who struggle to keep their immune systems stabilized.
Contact our functional medicine specialists today to schedule your 1 hour ZYTO scan free of charge as a Thank You to our existing patients because we care about you and are committed to your ongoing health.
About ZYTO Biocommunication:
To make better decisions about your healthcare you should consider ZYTO biocommunication. Biocommunication is an exchange of information between a computer and your body; it’s like the computer is asking questions and your body is answering them. Here’s how it works: ZYTO technology sends your body an energetic pulse or signature called a Virtual Stimulus Item (VSI). VSIs are representative of physical items including nutritional supplements, drugs, body functions, and organs. As each VSI is sent, your body’s response is measured and recorded. The way your body responds is energetic; it’s called galvanic skin response or GSR. ZYTO measures complex GSR patterns and determines shifts in your energetic posture. These shifts, either negative or positive, identify what are called your biological preferences. This information is used to make better decisions about your health.Biocommunication represents a major breakthrough in gathering information about health. It’s an effective way to obtain insights and details that may otherwise be overlooked. This information can help your healthcare provider develop more effective, individualized clinical strategies for you, saving time and money.
The interface between your body and ZYTO’s biocommunication software is the FDA registered hand cradle. Simply rest your hand on the contacts while the computer sends digital stimulus and gathers your response data. The scan takes a few minutes to complete and is safe for adults and children.