Microbiome Mindset: The Gut-Brain Axis & How to Restore Your Innergarden

Your body is full of trillions (with a T) bacteria, viruses & fungi. These teeny-tiny critters control your mood, digestion, energy, ambition, focus, memory, skin health, libido, & everything else you can imagine holistically. Even though they control these critical aspects in life, we have the upper hand with what types flourish. Tend your innergarden by following today’s cvcwellness blog!

The knowledge of the gut-brain connection hasn’t been around forever, however. Within the past 20 years research has exploded in this field, and for very good reason. Most of the microbes in your lovely tennis-court-sized intestines are found in a “pocket” of your large intestine called the cecum. This is your gut microbiome.

YOU ARE MORE BACTERIAL THAN HUMAN

Yes, you read that right. Your beautiful body with all that stretchy skin, dense muscle, fatty fat, and moist parts (weird) is made from roughly 40 trillion bacteria cells and 30 million human cells.

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Oh and I forgot to mention there are over 1,000 different types of these bacterial homies residing in your gut, adding up to a solid 2-5lbs of your current bodyweight! Some are good, some are not so good. The key is to have a healthy balance so you don’t end up compromising your immune system (many autoimmune diseases like Multiple Sclerosis occur due to a compromised microbiome), gaining excess fat, dealing with chronic bloating, IBS, leaky gut or any other gut disturbance, or hindering your cognitive performance

And while it's on my mind (pun intended), the gut microbiome greatly impacts brain health in a number of ways.

Certain types of gut bacteria can help produce certain chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters such as serotonin which is an antidepressant neurotransmitter that’s mostly made in the gut.

Over 90% of Serotonin is made in the GUT

If your gut is feeling off, your brain will feel off too.

Also, the gut is physically connected to the brain through millions of nerves such as the Vagus nerve, which is one of the most important nerves in your body that controls your parasympathetic nervous system or rest-and-digest mode. It directly connects your gut to your brain.

With whole foods nutrition and healthy supplementation, you will be able to better “tone” this nerve so stress levels remain low and you’ll be better assimilating your nutrients.

A number of studies have shown that people with various psychological disorders have different species of bacteria in their guts, compared to healthy people. Sick or unhealthy people contain more firmicutes bacteria versus bacteroidetes. Due to their negative influence on glucose and fat metabolism, they are commonly referred to as bad gut microbes, and increased ratios of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes species has been correlated with obesity and Type II diabetes (T2D).

Firmicutes: The bad guys

Bacteroidetes: The good guys

We bipedal creatures have evolved to live in symbiosis with microbes like bacteria. The more diverse your gut microbiome, the healthier you are.

So, in that regard, if you want to diversify your gut to live an abundant life free from stress, fat, acne and rashes, weak digestion and brain fog, then I invite you to focus on these 3 Pillars to Restore Your Digestive Fire:

1. Take Probiotics, Prebiotics and Enzymes

Probiotics are live bacteria that can help restore the gut to a healthy state after dysbiosis. They do this by “reseeding” it with healthy microbes. However, these probiotics and good bacteria can’t do anything without prebiotics, or the food fibers for the bacteria to thrive off of! Hence, why I take Biome Medic everyday to reassure and restore my gut with the foundations it needs to better digestion, decrease inflammation and remove glyphosate from my system. A 6-week double-blind clinical trial shows Biome Medic removes cancer-causing glyphosate (aka Roundup weed killer) found in our food supply, water and in the grass we walk upon in parks etc AND reduces C-reactive protein by about 75%! It contains probiotics (Bacillus coagulans), prebiotics from chicory root fiber, digestive wheat germ extract and fulvic and humic acids to LEVEL UP YOUR LIFE! Get yours in my 30-DAY GUT RESET or separately here. Use code cvcwellness to save $50 / 25% off!

Another product (or plant medicine) I take everyday with my Biome Medic is Masszymes which is chock full of enzymes clinically proven to improve assimilation and absorption of key nutrients (protein especially) and support prime digestion! Increase your absorption of key amino acids and certain vitamins, experience better digestion and gut health, increase your energy levels, enhance your mental clarity and focus, and experience faster muscle recovery all with this 100,000+ units of protein-digesting enzymes per capsule supplement! Get yours here with 10% off using code cvcwellness.

2. Eat More Fiber, Antioxidants and a Diverse Range of Plant Foods

Eat prebiotic aka FIBER-RICH foods. Prebiotics are a type of fiber that stimulates the growth of healthy bacteria. Prebiotic-rich foods include artichokes, bananas, asparagus, oats and apples and many other organic plants. Fiber creates bulk in your gut as well to keep the peristalsis moving and grooving (don't get backed up yall)!

Antioxidants such as polyphenols found in plants are also key to improve your digestive fire. Eat foods rich in polyphenols like red wine, green tea, cacao, ceylon cinnamon, turmeric, and extra-virgin olive oil. They are broken down by the microbiome to stimulate healthy bacterial growth. My all-time favorite antioxidant sources are found in the best-tasting Apple Berry Liquid Sunshine daily greens powder (which is like 15 salads and plants in one scoop) and the yummy Apothecherry tart cherry juice. Both of these can be found in my 30-DAY GUT RESET or you can search them separately at ishoppurium.com using code cvcwellness to save $50 and 25% off!

3. Avoid Conventional Wheat, Milk, Artificial Sugars and Franken-Foods

Wheat, especially grown in the US, causes micro tears in your gut wall eventually leading to leaky gut and dysbiosis. It also is heavily sprayed in glyphosate which is that cancer-causing toxic spray I alluded to earlier (read Grain Brain if you’re interested in learning more about wheat). Conventional milk is also very inflammatory and I am not a fan of what the factory farming industry is doing to not only the precious animals in the system, but the horrible effects on humans when we consume this milk afterwards. Conventional milk (not grass-fed, organic, or raw) can cause gastric distress due to the antibiotics found in it (from the cows being pumped with it) is devoid in nutrients, and contains copious amounts of lactose sugar which doesn’t click well with most individuals digestive systems. Limit to goat’s milk on occasion, or if you do enjoy milk, pop Masszymes or Biome Medic prior to improve digestion, blood sugar and inflammation.

Lastly, limit your intake of artificial sweeteners because artificial sweeteners like aspartame increase blood sugar by stimulating the growth of unhealthy bacteria like Enterobacteriaceae in the gut microbiome. Also, the cheapest and most common artificial sweetener Sucralose KILLS gut bacteria (found in the energy drinks Bang, sugar-free snacks, and many other “foods”) which is not good if you’re trying to restore your digestive fire and boost cognition. Franken foods, like all the colorful packages you see on the shelves at Walmart and pretty much any grocery store, are not going to support you and your health. Do your best to limit those bad guys you cannot pronounce! Eat 1-ingredient organic from nature!

I’ve come across fascinating companies taking big strides on giving people a clear cut idea of what’s going on in their innards. DNAFit and Viome are the two that I look up to the most when it comes to legitimacy and accuracy with your gut at a somewhat affordable cost. But before you go spending money on these things, I recommend you BE YOUR OWN DOCTOR or have someone help you out that knows a great deal about healing the gut.

I’m here to help!

If you are looking to take your digestion, skin, energy, mood, and overall holistic vitality to the next level at an affordable cost with the cvcwellness 12/16 week Wholeself Transformation… CLICK HERE!

YO ALSO! If you want my FREE ‘Macro Mania Menu’ Holistic Nutrition Checklist CLICK HERE!

Holistic Lifestyle Coach Christian is here to guide and support you through thick and thin!

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