Viscerosomatic Gut Bloating: Everybody has healthy bacteria in the gut, but it can get thrown off balance with unhealthy bacteria that start taking over. Stress, viruses, and antibiotics can disrupt healthy bacteria levels. The bacterial balance known as the microbiome in the intestines is an essential factor in body wellness. The connection between intestinal and overall health is an important one as the gut is responsible for producing serotonin, a primary chemical necessary for emotional wellbeing. A viscerosomatic reflex is an organ/s causing pain to show up in the area where the injured, infected, dysfunctional organ is or, as referred pain in other areas of the body. Stress and unhealthy foods contribute to weight gain, organ stress, and chronic pain.
Viscerosomatic Gut Bloating
Bloating
Bloating is the feeling of pressure or gas in the abdomen. Distention refers to the physical expansion of the abdomen. However, these symptoms can present separately or in combination. Bloating can be a symptom on its own but often presents alongside other gastrointestinal disorders like:
After eating, flatulence, belching, bloating, and distention are a normal part of the digestive process. These issues are not considered problems until they cause pain and/or disrupt everyday life.
Stress
Stress can cause inflammation in the digestive tract, increasing pain receptors and distress-related bloating. Stress can disrupt the normal microbiome, creating intestinal dysbiosisand bacterial overgrowth. This can lead to digestive problems and symptoms that include bloating. This can be partly from excess gas production causing the sensation of bloating and physical distention combined with stress, creating an increased perception of bloating.
Foods Can Cause Inflammation
Animal products can cause inflammation because meat, poultry, and fish contain endotoxins/lipopolysaccharides found in the outer membrane of bacterial cells. These compounds are classified as toxins as they can cause health problems. No matter how these foods are cooked or prepared, the endotoxins are still present, absorbed into the body, and can trigger immune responses like inflammation. Eggs can cause inflammation because they contain high levels of cholesterol and arachidonic acid, which is an acid that is part of the inflammatory response. Excess cholesterol in the blood can trigger inflammation as well.
Dairy products can also trigger the inflammatory response in individuals that don’t produce the lactase enzyme, which breaks down the lactose in dairy products, are intolerant of casein and whey, two proteins in cow milk, or from the hormones and antibiotics given to cows to stimulate milk production and prevent infection. Dairy consumption has been linked to an increased risk of cancer and inflammatory conditions that include:
Acne
Asthma
Type 1 diabetes
Arthritis
Multiple sclerosis
Other Causes of Bloating
Other health conditions can present with visceral gut bloating and distention. This includes disorders and other underlying causes that include:
Musculoskeletal disorders can increase bloating and abdominal distention and can be triggered by stress. Two include:
Abdominal Muscle Dysfunction
These are abnormal contractions of the diaphragm and belly muscles that can occur after eating that can cause the nervous system to create a sense of bloating.
This viscerosomatic reflex leads to unhealthy postures and enlargement of the abdominal muscles that can worsen bloating sensations.
Exercises can be recommended to retrain the muscles to contract, usually after eating, which can help reduce bloating.
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Stressful situations naturally cause muscles to tighten, leading to increased contractions in the pelvic floor muscles.
These muscles control the bladder, bowel, and sexual function.
The opposite can happen when the pelvic floor muscles become too relaxed. This can make it difficult to have regular bowel movements.
Increased tone and/or over-relaxed muscles can lead to various symptoms, including bloating.
Chiropractic and Health Coaching
The nervous system controls the digestive process. Properly aligning the spine releases the stress and strain on the bones, muscles, and nerves to work correctly. Chiropractic body adjustments, diet/lifestyle adjustments, supplemental recommendations, and exercises can reduce the underlying causes of viscerosomatic gut bloating. Digestive problems such as:
Chronic heartburn
Gas
Constipation
Diarrhea
Bloating
Irritable bowel syndrome
Chiropractic offers a medication-free approach to treating digestive issues.
Descompresion Espinal DRX9000
References
Dragan, Simona, et al. “Dietary Patterns and Interventions to Alleviate Chronic Pain.” Nutrients vol. 12,9 2510. 19 Aug. 2020, doi:10.3390/nu12092510
Fifi, Amanda C, and Kathleen F Holton. “Food in Chronic Pain: Friend or Foe?.” Nutrients vol. 12,8 2473. 17 Aug. 2020, doi:10.3390/nu12082473
Lacy, Brian E et al. “Management of Chronic Abdominal Distension and Bloating.” Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology: the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association vol. 19,2 (2021): 219-231.e1. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2020.03.056
Mari, Amir et al. “Bloating and Abdominal Distension: Clinical Approach and Management.” Advances in therapy vol. 36,5 (2019): 1075-1084. doi:10.1007/s12325-019-00924-7
Rice, Amanda D et al. “Decreasing recurrent bowel obstructions, improving quality of life with physiotherapy: Controlled study.” World journal of gastroenterology vol. 24,19 (2018): 2108-2119. doi:10.3748/wjg.v24.i19.2108
Maintaining a healthy weight is challenging, especially Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and extended weekends, increasing the risk of binge eating and weight gain. This is where healthy cheat meals and snacks come into play to help individuals stick to their diet while enjoying healthy junk food. Plus, finding the proper high-calorie carb-packed meal can help optimize the body’s hormones to prevent adverse effects on metabolism and hunger.
Cheat Meals
One way to look at a diet and still have the flexibility for sweet or savory foods is to set up the flexibility. To maintain health, practice portion control and eat healthy foods 80% of the time, allowing a 20% margin for the junk foods. To improve health, eat healthy foods 90% of the time, and allow a 10% margin until a health goal is reached.
Cheeseburger without the Buns and Sweet Potato Fries
They can be made healthy with lean ground beef, beans, peppers, cheese, avocado, tomatoes, and jalapeños for a meal that incorporates quality protein and healthy fats.
It can be made vegetarian by removing the meat and adding more beans and vegetables.
Dark chocolate contains monounsaturated fats that can help improve cholesterol, blood sugar, and insulin levels.
Dark chocolate also supplies vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for heart and brain health.
Dietician Nutritionist
These are a few examples; the objective is to get individuals to learn to create their healthy cheat meals A diet or adjusting for a more nutritional food plan should always start with a nutritionist, dietician, or health care provider. They can help develop a customized plan that fits an individual’s specific needs. It is about finding the balance and creating a positive relationship with food.
Fibromyalgia Food Choices Nutraceutical Options
References
Coelho de Vale R, et al. (2016). The benefits of behaving badly on occasion: Successful regulation by planned hedonic deviations.
doi.org/10.1016/j.jcps.2015.05.001
Kuijer RG, et al. (2014). Chocolate cake. Guilt or celebration? Associations with healthy eating attitudes, perceived behavioral control, intentions, and weight loss. DOI:
10.1016/j.appet.2013.11.013
Murray SB, et al. (2018). Cheat meals: A benign or ominous variant of binge eating behavior? DOI:
10.1016/j.appet.2018.08.026
Warren JM, et al. (2017). A structured literature review on the role of mindfulness, mindful eating, and intuitive eating in changing eating behaviors: Effectiveness and associated potential mechanisms. DOI:
10.1017/S0954422417000154
Understanding the difference between weight loss and fat loss will help promote a healthy change and improve an individual’s wellbeing. Fat loss can be a part of losing weight. However, individuals lose more than just fat. Fat loss is the goal for most individuals, so taking a deliberate, focused approach will generate the best results. Here we discuss how individuals can optimize for fat loss.
Understanding The Difference
Weight loss is the overall reduction in body weight
Fat loss is a reduction in body fat
When losing weight, the body is not just losing body fat, and changes are being made to each component of body composition. This includes:
Body fat
Lean Body Mass
Body Water
This is also true for weight gain. An individual cannot control how much is lost but can influence what is lost.
Weight Loss
Hundreds of diet and exercise programs can help achieve fat loss, some better than others. The ones that tend to work better focus on the same thing: reducing energy intake from food/diet while increasing energy output through exercise and regular physical activity. This forces the body to compensate for the missing energy by breaking down the body’s tissues, including fat and muscle. As an individual loses weight, they will also lose some muscle in the form of Lean Body Mass in addition to body fat.
Fat Loss
Body fat is a combination of essential fat and storage fat. Storage fat is adipose tissue that has accumulated for reserved energy. This type of fat changes with diet modification and regular exercise. Too much storage fat can negatively impact physical and mental wellbeing, so this should be the focus for better health.
Focus on fat loss and not weight loss
There is a clear association between obesity and chronic disease. Focusing on weight loss can lead to unintended consequences like eating disorders. This is why focusing on weight loss, and healthy body composition is critical. This is the recommended approach because it encourages the individual to move more and eat healthily.
Understanding health benefits of losing fat
Body fat percentage works better as a gauge of health than weight.
Weight is composed of lean body mass, body fat, and water, so any changes in these areas can lead to weight gain and not just fat loss. Excess body fat, specifically storage fat, has a close association with chronic diseases like:
Type 2 Diabetes
Hypertension
Heart Disease
Various Cancers
The key is understanding that a healthy body fat percentage will help reduce the risk of these diseases and improve mental health and overall health.
Different ways to measure fat loss
Tracking body fat loss means having body composition tracked and monitored. There are devices and methods for determining body composition, including:
For genuinely accurate results, get tested by a highly skilled professional who uses medical-grade tools for assessment. Cheap plastic calipers and at-home scales don’t tend to be the best options.
Metabolism changes with weight loss
When losing weight, there is more loss than fat. One loss can be Lean Body Mass, which is critical because the amount of Lean Body Mass has directly influenced Basal Metabolic Rate or the body’s metabolism. The Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories the body naturally burns when resting. When focusing on weight loss and not making changes to minimize lean body mass loss, the individual decrease the size of their metabolism. However, if an individual continues with the same eating habits, this could be a setup for weight regain.
Weight loss can slow down metabolism.
Here is an example of a typical set of body composition results of someone who would be clinically diagnosed as obese.
Along with weight and body fat mass measurements, the individual naturally developed muscles by carrying their body weight. This means that individuals that are obese also have relatively large metabolisms. Dramatic changes to Lean Body Mass and metabolism are not ideal, especially when the goal is maintaining a healthy body weight.
The weight and body fat bars on the above chart are significantly over average, and the Skeletal Muscle Mass bar. This is common for individuals that are obese. Individuals that are obese have developed this muscle by carrying a large amount of weight. Large amounts of muscle begin to build to move the heavy body. This is why it is essential to come up with a focused/customized approach for gaining strength, losing fat, and body recomposition, rather than just weight loss.
Stopping weight regain
Focusing on body composition, developing muscle, and Lean Body Mass is crucial. With weight loss, there will be some Lean Body Mass loss. This means a low metabolism and non-regulated eating habits can lead to regaining weight. With no development of Lean Body Mass and skeletal muscle to help grow the metabolism, there is an increased chance of weight retrieval. Along with continued changing eating habits after an individual reaches their target weight.
Building muscle, losing fat for healthy body composition
The main areas to focus on to change body composition, overall health, and wellbeing.
Focus on body composition, not on weight loss
Instead, track changes in body composition. This means optimizing programs for fat loss while minimizing Lean Body Mass loss. Weight loss will occur, but proper nutrition and strength training can reduce Lean Body Mass loss.
Develop new eating habits
An important step is understanding how to improve eating habits by choosing a diet plan that will be enjoyable. When optimizing for fat loss, it will take longer than weight loss. Effective dietary strategies go for half to one pound of fat loss per week. This is a manageable and sustainable goal that will not cause adverse effects on metabolism. Slow and steady is the better option and will lead to long-term changes.
Start strength training to increase metabolism.
Strength training/weight lifting is a great way to increase metabolism. Increased muscle benefits range from:
High ability to recover from disease/s
Reducing insulin resistance
Keeps the body mobile
Helps combat obesity by increasing BMR and metabolism
Body composition in the long-term
Fat loss is more important than weight loss and will lead to long-term changes. Understanding that working out smarter and finding out body composition numbers will promote getting fit while keeping the fat off. It will take longer than expected, but dropping 30 pounds in less than a year and then regaining it all back is counterproductive.Take the time to make minor, impactful adjustments that will lead to a lifetime of optimal health.
InBody
Dr. Alex Jimenez’s Blog Post Disclaimer
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, and sensitive health issues and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use public health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support directly or indirectly our clinical scope of practice.*
Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation as to how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900. The provider(s) Licensed in Texas& New Mexico*
References
Hall, Kevin D et al. Calorie for Calorie, Dietary Fat Restriction Results in More Body Fat Loss than Carbohydrate Restriction in People with Obesity. Cell metabolism vol. 22,3 (2015): 427-36. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2015.07.021
Merlotti, C et al. Subcutaneous fat loss is more significant than visceral fat loss with diet and exercise, weight-loss promoting drugs and bariatric surgery: a critical review and meta-analysis. International journal of obesity (2005) vol. 41,5 (2017): 672-682. doi:10.1038/ijo.2017.31
Tobias, Deirdre K et al. Effect of low-fat diet interventions versus other diet interventions on long-term weight change in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology vol. 3,12 (2015): 968-79. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(15)00367-8
Individuals dealing with back pain or spinal condition that negatively impacts their general health want to know about what they can do to make the pain go away. Back pain and spinal issues that individuals experience can be reduced and alleviated with proper nourishment, exercise, and if necessary chiropractic or physical therapy to keep the body aligned. Fortunately, the majority of these individuals will not need surgery.
In addition to the back pain, they want to know what they can do to prevent the pain from radiating to other areas and becoming chronic. This is where proper nourishment for bone health comes into play. It is now becoming a part of the mainstream media as science and technology are finding the links surrounding body/bone health and how nutrition fits into it all.
We’ve seen and heard about Omega-3 fatty acids for heart health or the importance of fruits and vegetables to help prevent cancer. There is also the nutritional health of the bones and the spine is the largest, not to mention the spinal cord housing all the nerves that establish communication with the body.
Vitamins
Continual optimal health is based on the body’s vitamin and mineral composition. Many of the beneficial vitamins that keep the bones strong can be found in supplements. However, it is recommended to get into the habit of getting nourishment from real food in combination with supplements. This is because a person can follow a vitamin supplement regimen with no benefits. This is because their diet consists of heavily processed, unhealthy foods. Therefore eating highly nourishing foods is the best way to begin. Here are a few to consider:
Dairy
Dairy can be difficult for individuals with intestinal issues and other autoimmune conditions. It can seem daunting trying to figure out what to get and what to avoid. For those with lactose intolerance avoid dairy products altogether and look to calcium and vitamin D supplements. The quality of the dairy product/s also makes a difference. Therefore make sure it doesn’t have artificial ingredients or sugars. This is essential to keeping dairy as part of a healthy diet.
Offal
Offal is the term for internal organs of animals that are used as food. It offers a massive dose of bone-healthy vitamins. Before saying absolutely not, there are plenty of recipes to consider, remember this is about spinal bone health. Beef, calf, and chicken liver, are examples of high sources of:
Vitamin A, which repairs tissue and contributes to the formation of bone
Vitamin B12 which is important for healthy bone marrow
Vitamin K is necessary for proper absorption of calcium into the bones
Iron is a necessity for healthy cells and muscles that support the spine
Greens
Spinach packs vitamin A and B12. Kale and broccoli are great sources of Vitamin K and Iron. Nutritionists have a saying that goes “the greener the vegetable, the better.” Eating these vegetables in raw form is not for everybody, so find recipes that incorporate them into favorite dishes while adjusting to the flavors.
Oranges
Orange fruits are all great sources of vitamin A essential for repairing damaged tissue and in the formation of strong healthy bones and include:
Nectarines
Cantaloupe
Apricots
Carrots
Sweet potatoes
It does not matter if it is the brain, heart, digestive system, or the spine the body is as healthy as what it consumes. Small dietary changes can generate intense bone protection, especially when it comes to a healthy weight. Obesity and back pain are becoming too common. The condition has been studied extensively and the proof is overwhelming. The body was not designed to carry around this extra weight. Remember the spine is the central support structure and needs to be maintained with proper posture, exercise, and nourishment.
Improve Whole Body Wellness with Functional Foot Orthotics
Dr. Alex Jimenez�s Blog Post Disclaimer
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, and sensitive health issues and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate and support directly or indirectly our clinical scope of practice.*
Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation as to how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900. The provider(s) Licensed in Texas& New Mexico*
If there is one thing we are learning more and more about, it is that everything can be related back to inflammation and what we put inside our bodies. Point blank. The food you consume affects your genetics and your inflammatory response in the body. Headaches, achy joints, and overall fatigue have been directly linked to inflammation.
Inflammation
Inflammation was once thought to just be something that occurs when the body has an infection or we hurt ourselves as the body’s natural response. That fact is still true to this day. However, we now know more. Now, we are able to recognize inflammation occurring inside our organs and down to the cellular level.
Just as you roll your ankle and it becomes inflamed, if you eat the wrong foods your gut becomes inflamed. This can then be traced back to leaky gut and in some cases, autoimmune diseases.
So what can we do about it? What is actually happening in our bodies?
The human body is an amazing machine that we are still finding more about each and every day. Let’s first take a look at where this inflammation is coming from. Inflammation can enter the gut barrier as a toxin, protein, pathogen, LPS, or alcohol.
If our body is continuously exposed to these triggers, it can result in our immune system becoming dysregulated. Now that our body has these triggers, things like allergies, asthma, autoimmunity, and poor immune tolerance and regulation become our bodies new regular.
Amplifying Loop
These triggers then signal something called cytokines. Cytokines are tiny and dance around inside of the cell. These cytokines increase NF-kB activity.
NF-kB is then used to transcribe DNA and express an inflammatory state!
Now, our bodies are promoting inflammation, all because we let the toxins in. What we put into our mouth and our bodies matter. The foods we eat have the ability to provide nutrients to our cells, rather than facilitating in this ongoing inflammatory response chain.
How Do I Regain Control?
Nrf2 is a key protein in the body that has the function of regulating the genome. This helps the body balance gene expressions and the regulation of our genes. Another thing Nrf2 does is upregulate genes that encode antioxidant enzymes and antiinflammatory genes.
Essentially, Nrf2 helps to fight off inflammation and reduce oxidative stress. Nrf2 activity is part of the detoxification system our bodies naturally have. It helps us to not get sick from every single bacteria we come into contact with. However, Nrf2 is a pathway, not a supplement. So now the question becomes, How do we active Nrf2?
From The Kitchen to The Genes
As mentioned earlier, everything can be traced back to the kitchen and what we put into our mouth to nourish our body. A great way to ensure you are feeding your body what it needs is to make a smoothie in the morning. Smoothies can contain so many nutrient-dense foods to aid in Nfr2 activation.
First, start off with flaxseed in the blender. Blend it up so the flax seeds get broken up and open. Next, add in blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, acai berry powder, broccoli sprouts, and almond milk!
By providing your body and your cells with the nourishment they need, they will flourish. In addition to a smoothie, there are supplements that can aid in Nrf2 activation as well. These supplements include curcumin, fish oil, wormwood, and CoQ10.
It’s clear that the “American Diet” has been causing problems for us. The world is so busy and fast-paced that we are not taking the time or giving our bodies the consideration to shop and make nutritious home-cooked meals. We need to increase our vegetables, fruits, fibers, whole grains and decrease the carbs. Everyone has some degree of inflammation in their body, and many of us do not even realize it! I challenge us to give up fast food for an entire month, cut the soda, increase the lemon water and eat at least one salad a day during this month. By increasing our vegetables and creating plates that are more colorful, our bodies will thank us! – Kenna Vaughn, Senior Health Coach�
References:
Gordon, Jacob. �Recipes for NRF2 – MyBioHack: Unlock Your Maximum Potential.� MyBioHack, MyBioHack | Unlock Your Maximum Potential, 7 Nov. 2017, mybiohack.com/blog/recipes-for-nrf2.
Gordon, Jacob. �Why NRF2 Activation Can Make You More Sick – MyBioHack: Unlock Your Maximum Potential.� MyBioHack, MyBioHack | Unlock Your Maximum Potential, 2 Feb. 2020, mybiohack.com/blog/nrf2-cirs-sensitivities.
Lawrence, T. �The Nuclear Factor NF-�B Pathway in Inflammation.� Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, vol. 1, no. 6, 2009, doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a001651.
Ma, Qiang. �Role of Nrf2 in Oxidative Stress and Toxicity.� Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology, vol. 53, no. 1, 2013, pp. 401�426., doi:10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-011112-140320.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal,and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at915-850-0900.
Metabolic syndrome is caused by having more than one condition. Metabolic syndrome often leaves individuals with headaches, joint pain, fatigue, and more! Metabolic syndrome is an epidemic all over the world, but in the US, we are seeing this condition all too often.
Metabolic Syndrome can be defined as having two or more of the conditions listed below:
Women with abdominal fat or a waistline greater than 35
Men with abdominal fat or a waistline greater than 40
Individuals with high blood pressure ( 130/85 or higher)
Patients with triglycerides higher than 150
A fasting glucose of 100 or greater
Low HDL ( good cholesterol ) less than 40 in men and 50 for women
These symptoms are often associated with inflammation. Many people believe inflammation is just something that occurs in the joints and on the skin, but inflammation can occur to the organs inside the body and create havoc.
Metabolic syndrome does not target a specific population but can affect anyone who has an overlap of the factors listed above. Those who have an “apple” or “pear” body shape, are likely to have higher abdominal fat, and therefore are more at risk.
As individuals age, their chances of developing metabolic syndrome increases. On top of age, previously having or having a history of diabetes in one’s family also increases their risk of developing metabolic syndrome.
Speaking from personal experience, and having Type 1 Diabetes myself, I can say that metabolic syndrome really takes a toll on one’s body. With experiencing these symptoms first hand, it can leave your body feeling exhausted. When the blood glucose level in the body rises, it causes the blood to become thick due to the excess sugar in the blood. This then causes the heart to work harder and raise the body’s blood pressure due to the effort needed to pump. From here, the body responds with a hard and heavy headache, nausea, occasional vomiting, increased thirst, increased urination, and blurred vision. Recovering from a day of high blood sugars can leave you feeling defeated and similar to feeling like you are recovering from the flu.
One of the things that occur within the body when an individual has metabolic syndrome is their insulin sensitivity decreases. Insulin is the hormone produced that helps to turn the food you eat into fuel for the body or store it as fat. When the insulin sensitivity becomes decreased, it means not enough glucose in the body is being absorbed.� Leading to high blood glucose levels and increases the risk for Type 2 Diabetes.
For those who are suffering from metabolic syndrome, or have one or more of the above risk factors there are ways to take charge. The benefits of taking charge and preventing metabolic syndrome from getting worse or returning means getting back the energy you thought was lost. By decreasing your symptoms and increasing your energy, you could be feeling better than you remembered.
The best diet to quickly gain control of blood sugars and raise HDL is the ketogenic diet. This diet works by eating low carb, high-fat foods. In turn, this makes the body burn fat as fuel rather than carbohydrates. It starts by burning the fat around the pancreas and liver and then starts to burn the intramuscular fat ( excess abdominal weight ). By eliminating most carbs and increasing water intake, individuals can see a decrease in depression, brain fog, their risk of stroke, and blood pressure. All while seeing an increase in sleep and energy.
One of the best ways to reach your goals and stay healthy is to work with a team who understands them and is willing to educate you. We provide 1:1 coaching, scales to track weight that also reports the water weight and BMI of the individual, wrist bands to track caloric activity, and education. The education will help you understand why you are following a specific diet or food guidelines, how that food is breaking down to help you, and what foods to avoid. We will never leave a patient confused or with unanswered questions.
Speaking from personal experience, it is best to get a handle on these symptoms before they cause permanent damage. There are ways and things to do to help reduce your risk. I highly recommend seeing us, or a local doctor to start to build your plan. We can create personalized plans that will help you reach your goals, lower your risk, and work with your lifestyle. Take it from me, you do not want to be stuck feeling the side effects metabolic syndrome comes with.� -Kenna Vaughn, Senior Health Coach
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
Gut health is more important than most realize. The gut has been connected to multiple symptoms including but not limited to; joint pain, inflammation, headaches, digestive problems, and even brain fog.
Due to the American Diet, gut health has been lacking. We are seeing an increase in starches consumed rather than fermented foods and dark leafy greens. There are certain foods that many people refer to as “Super Foods”. Within this group, there are Super Foods for your gut! These foods will help to optimize gut health and can even help in gut repair.
Fermented Foods
Fermented foods are great as they support a healthy microbiome. The microbiome is made up of trillions of microorganisms. The microbiome consists of good and bad bacteria, including the organisms that make up probiotics.
Some of the best fermented foods that help support these bacterias are Kefir, yogurt, and sauerkraut. Kefir has about 27.7 billion colony forming units per one cup. These foods help to collect bacteria, yeast, and viruses that not only live in your gut but also on your skin!
Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are important to have in the diet. They ensure the body is getting Omega-3s which are polyunsaturated fats. These fats help the brain and nervous system function properly. They also reduce inflammation in the body caused by a leaky gut and can help lower cholesterol.� Two great examples of healthy fats that fall into the superfood category are avocados and salmon.
Dark Leafy Greens
Dark leafy greens provide an immense amount of nutrients to the body and the gut. Not only are these low in calories and carbohydrates, but they contain essential minerals and vitamins. These foods contain fiber, folate, vitamins K and C, and minerals like iron and calcium. These foods will help to heal and seal the gut. Some great superfoods that fall under this category are kale and seaweed.
It can be hard to get enough dark leafy greens into your diet. A great way to do this is to mix them into a smoothie in the morning! It can add a refreshing taste as well as provide your body with another serving of nutrients!
There are so many foods one can eat to help boost their gut health. The Gut is often overlooked as many people are not fully aware of how much control it has over the body. By increasing or adding some of these foods into your diet daily, the healthy bacteria in your gut will become more nourished.
Increasing fiber, healthy fats, dark leafy greens, and fermented foods will not only provide your gut with healthy bacteria, but it will also keep the bacteria in the gut “full” and not die off from lack of nutrition. Another word for this is prebiotics. Essentially, the food that feeds the probiotics. In addition to these foods, a probiotic supplement will also aid in optimal gut health. Gut health is so important and should never be overlooked. It’s never too late to start paying attention to your gut! – Kenna Vaughn, Senior Health Coach
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.�
References:
Hill, Ansley. �16 Superfoods That Are Worthy of the Title.� Healthline, 9 July 2018, www.healthline.com/nutrition/true-superfoods.
Lee, Linda. �5 Foods to Improve Your Digestion.� Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2019, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/5-foods-to-improve-your-digestion.
Link, Rachael. �8 Fermented Foods to Boost Digestion and Health.� Healthline, 18 Oct. 2017, www.healthline.com/nutrition/8-fermented-foods.
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