Gastrointestinal

Sleep Week – day 3

Liz James · July 3, 2017 ·

Deficiencies. Sometimes our bodies don’t produce enough, and other times, we just don’t consume enough. The only way (aside from supplementation) we can receive minerals like Magnesium or Potassium is thru the plants we consume, and to a much lesser extent, meat from animals who have eaten plants. Additionally, our bodies give us the ability to synthesize D, but D can come from a non-vegan diet as well.

Current farming practices have overworked the soil and synthetic fertilizers bind minerals. Both practices prevent the transfer of minerals to the plants. Since the 1970’s, the mineral content of plants we eat has diminished greatly (50-70%). Growing your own food with organic (ex: cow poop!) fertilizer will help, but supplementation has become a growing necessity. This is exactly why we’ve chosen to garden and use our own compost….. and choose very specific seeds.

Not all Magnesium is created equal. Some forms are not absorbed well. Highly absorbable forms of magnesium include citrate & glycinate ( Thankfully YL uses both forms).

Not all vitamin D is created equal either …..D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol). Studies indicate that vitamin D2 is much less potent and has a shorter duration of action than D3. Young Living uses D3 in their formulations.

Thank goodness they know this and incorporate the good stuff into their formulations. (Believe me, I see what’s available out there in pharmacy land!)

What are the chances you are deficient in any (or all) of these? Deficiencies abound in the good ol’ US of A. Despite the wealth of our nation, we are sorely lacking in many nutrients.

80% of us are lacking in Magnesium

75% of us are lacking in Vitamin D

98% of us are lacking in Potassium

Give yourself a high five if you thought you might be deficient. Now go do something about it !… and work towards that 7 hours of golden sleep.

Supplementing is so helpful to keep us above that wellness line. All three deficiencies can cause many more body system dysfunctions than just missed sleep. God made a finely tuned machine when He designed us. If someone finds they are significantly deficient, there are prescription strength D, Pot, (and non prescription, but high strength Mag) available…if you need concentrated help with magnesium, make sure you opt for glycinate and/or malate forms (higher doses can cause diarrhea, and these are less apt to do that, while still being highly bioavailable).

Sheep…Er, Sleep 101

Liz James · May 23, 2017 ·

As much as this oily farmgirl loves her animals, counting sheep as I lay in bed is NOT my favorite thing to do. In fact, it’s downright annoying and, over time, it can actually become destructive to the body. Usually, I have no trouble falling asleep, but there are times when I wake up with some thought that is front and center in my brain and refuses to leave. That’s a problem. Thankfully, it isn’t a chronic issue for me, but when it does happen, it sure makes the following day a little more challenging.

If you do suffer from chronic sleep dysfunction, ultimately your health will be affected. Heart disease, cancer, mood disorders, immune system function, the healing process, memory loss, diabetes, and increased speed of aging….. all of these (and more!) become more likely to occur with chronic insufficient sleep.

Sleep issues are incredibly diverse, and this post will certainly not do the topic justice. Some of the most common reasons for not falling asleep, not achieving deep sleep, or nocturnal awakenings (my occasional complaint) can be blamed on everything from health conditions to bad sleep habits.

vitamin (D) or mineral (magnesium or potassium) deficiency
decreased melatonin production
hormone imbalances (especially common in menopause and ‘man’opause)
thyroid or adrenal imbalances
pain
diabetes
cardiovascular disease
heartburn and reflux (GERD)
kidney disease and/or bladder dysfunction
respiratory disorders (including sleep apnea)
poor gut health (our gut bacteria is largely responsible for neurotransmitter production that facilitate sleep)
a bad mattress or pillow (or one that doesn’t suit your body’s needs)
stress, depression, and/or anxiety
the result (a side effect) of many many medication’s side effects
caffeine (especially in the afternoon/evenings)
not enough exercise during the day (preferably early in the day)
money! (this is actually THE #1 reason people lose sleep)
poor sleep hygiene habits:
- not dark enough in the bedroom
- temperature of the bedroom is not cool enough
- light emitting technology (TV’s, ipads, phones) in the bedroom
- heavy meal at dinner time
- not enough ‘downtime’ (including technology) before bed

Recognizing that one or more of these factors may be affecting your sleep quality is the first step to achieving a better night’s sleep. Many of these factors are physiological dysfunctions and the ’cause and effect’ can become cyclical very quickly. For example, pain can prevent sound sleep. Conversely, lack of sleep can magnify pain and lower the pain threshold. It is situations like these that can easily develop into chronic sleep pattern disruptions.

Lest you think “My doctor can give me a pill for that, right?”, let me lay out some facts. I see far too many people at the pharmacy assume that taking a pill is an easy fix for a sleep disorder, and this group of medications is a classic example of cause and effect.

Prescription sleeping pills are designed for short term use only. None of the narcotic sleeping aids are approved by the FDA for daily longterm use (Ambien, Lunesta, etc).
Narcotic sleeping pills increase the risk of:
- developing a rapid tolerance to the prescribed strength and bear the risk of addiction (if you have been using them regularly, tapered discontinuation is generally recommended because of this)
- falls
- drowsy driving
- erratic behavior/ memory issues
- DEPRESSION (can cause and actually make existing depression worse)
- increasing the risk of infection

I am all about sustainable living in all aspects of life. Long term nightly use of prescription sleep aids is not sustainable, safe, or approved by the FDA….. and yet nearly 9 million Americans take prescription sleep aids on any given night.

By far, the majority of sleep dysfunction can be corrected by simply improving sleep hygiene habits, improving diet ( and adding a probiotic like Young Living’s Life 9), adding activity and exercise to a life schedule, and most importantly managing stress in a holistic manner. The limbic system within our brain is a powerful tool we can utilize to help us fall and stay asleep. If you have been around oils for any length of time, you understand the important role that the limbic system also plays in memory and in our body’s physiologic response to odors…… odors including those of our beloved Young Living oils. There has been a tremendous amount of research on this topic, especially regarding fragrances with very specific constituents that have therapeutic properties. Fascinating stuff. So, in addition to modifying your sleep habits, it may behoove you to experiment with a few of the Young Living oils or oil blends known for their sleep support:

Any or all of the above may support your sleep in ways you never imagined possible. Tranquil and Rutavala are designed to be used topically, and come in a roller bottle ready for use. I use Tranquil nightly at the bottom base of my big toes (vitaflex points) to help me sleep at night. All of the other oils can either be applied topically (same location) or on the wrist or neck, diluted and spritzed on a pillow, or diffused.

Two other products, Sleep Essence and Immupro are Young Living sleep support supplements that may also keep you from having to count sheep. Both are oil infused and contain melatonin, a key hormone needed for healthy sleep patterns. Additionally, 1-3 drops of Lavender Vitality oil under the tongue may also prove to be your best nighttime friend.

As mentioned previously, there is a tremendous amount of information on sleep, and I always feel like understanding a body process (or dysfunction) is key to finding a solution that affects the root of the problem…. not a band-aid to simply address the superficial symptoms. Moving forward, I will be offering an online class on Sleep at least every 6 weeks if you’d like to learn more. You can watch for class dates (as well as other classes) here on my blog, where upcoming classes are posted regularly.

I hope that this post has encouraged and inspired you to give your sleep a little support. So put that flock of sheep away, and work towards getting at least 7 hours of quality ZZZZZZ a night!

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Asparagus! It’s What’s For Dinner

Liz James · March 25, 2017 ·

First fruits (okay, vegetables) of gardening this year!

I’m not sure why so many people think asparagus is hard to grow. It isn’t. Maybe it’s because it can be so dang expensive in the grocery store that people just assume it must be hard. Or maybe it’s the patience factor….. because planting it means you MUST wait for several years (at least 3) before getting good bounty if you want a sustainable crop.

Oh, you can plant it, and get a few stalks the first year you plant it…. but if you harvest all that grows, you deny the root system the energy it needs. That part we snap off and eat? That’s what supplies the roots (technically called rhizomes) with energy. Remember in elementary school all you learned about chlorophyll? The green upper part is what helps turn sunlight into energy for the plant. If you always harvested 100%, eventually the root system would die off and you’d have to start over again. For this reason, we let about 50% of our crop reach full maturity so that we feed the root system in anticipation of next year’s harvest.

In some areas of our garden it actually has the weed quality about it…. (ie: a plant growing in an undesirable location) now. And in some parts of the country, it actually grows wild in bar ditches. It is a great foraging food if it’s in your area (provided foraging doesn’t include raiding your neighbor’s garden at midnight ;)!

Asparagus is interesting and rather amazing. It literally grows inches every day during growing season. To make sure you are able to get to it before it gets woody, you really have to check your plants twice a day, or you might as well let them leaf out because it may be stringy and tougher than you like.

Asparagus is loaded with health benefits…

it’s a natural diuretic
it’s loaded with antioxidants (antioxidants are what combat free radicals… free radicals are largely what cause dysfunction and disease within our bodies)
it’s loaded with Vitamin E, B6, K, and Folic Acid (4 stalks of asparagus/day will provide 22% of your daily requirement!)
due to specific minerals and amino acids there is merit to adding it to your breakfast meal if you had too much to drink the night before. (who knew??)
it combats bloating thanks to its work as a prebiotic (prebiotics feed probiotics… the good gut bacteria)
as an aphrodisiac (there is science behind this folks!)
Because of its vitamin and tryptophan content, adding asparagus to the diet regularly may help with depression or simply to improve mood. (I’m telling you, true food is a healing agent!)

Store bought asparagus is no substitute for fresh picked in terms of flavor. Fresh picked is sweeter and more tender. Many stalks never make it beyond the garden as I eat it straight-away… picked as a snack! People who say they don’t like asparagus (kids in particular) typically find that they like the fresh stuff. I find this to be true with most foods when comparing farm fresh vs most store options. So, go find your local farmer’s market and hunt down some of this fresh goodness while the season is upon us.

Fresh asparagus…. it’s what’s for dinner! (and for breakfast…. omelette’s anyone?)

Have a blessed day,
Liz

“Feed Me Seymore!” Candida Exposed

Liz James · February 5, 2017 ·

“Feed me Seymore!” if you remember, this is a famous line out of the movie, Little Shop of Horrors. When I teach gut health classes, I use this analogy in reference to another monster within us who has an insatiable appetite….. Candida.

Candida is a sugar fermenting yeast that naturally lives within our digestive tract, and is helpful and necessary in our gut ecosystem when colonized in appropriate amounts. Unfortunately, 70-80% of all Americans have fallen below the wellness line and now suffer with chronic Candida overgrowth. How in the world did this happen to so many of us? The possible list of culprits is long:

Immune dysfunction in the form of:

exposure to toxic metals
poor digestion leading to buildup of toxins within us
stress

Reduction of good bacteria (who act as the national guard and keep Candida in check). This happens by:

heavy consumption of refined carbs, alcohol, and caffeine
heavy consumption of refined sugar
antibiotics
mercury fillings (double whammy! they also affect our immune system)

An adjustment in intestinal pH (allowing Candida to flourish). This commonly occurs when:

acid blocking medications (like Prilosec, Nexium, etc) are used regularly and in excess
we have a decrease in production of digestive enzyme
we age. In the normal aging process, our stomach acid actually becomes less acidic, allowing Candida to grow out of control.

One of the hallmark signs of a Candida overgrowth is an insatiable craving for sugar and carbs. It feels almost like something is living inside you telling you that you MUST eat sugar and carbs…..ie: Feed me Seymour! If you have those feelings (and can’t stop after just one cookie), chances are, you have a heavy Candida load. Candida is ASKING for this “nourishment” to survive, and you are feeding it each times it asks….. just like the plant with the voracious appetite in Little Shop of Horrors.

Symptoms of Candida overgrowth are varied… they include anxiety, depression, panic attacks, hyperactivity, sinus problems, bad breath, constipation, bloating, diarrhea, hypoglycemia, eczema, psoriasis, skin fungus, yeast infections, chronic fatigue, swollen joints, and gout. The list is much longer…. but you get the idea…. Candida overgrowth is very problematic in all aspects of wellness.

Young Living has many products that will help keep you above the wellness line (ie: Healthy!) when it comes to Candida. One such product is called Detoxzyme. This powerhouse capsule combines digestion enhancing essential oils with several fast acting enzymes that assist in the complete digestive process. They help detoxify and promote intestinal cleansing (a critical component for maintaining overall body health). The enzymes within the capsules are designed to help us digest starches, sugars, proteins, and fats. Efficient digestion helps the body detoxify. Importantly, Detoxzyme also helps in opening the gallbladder duct and cleansing the liver, preventing Candida and other yeast overgrowth…. also important in the detoxification process. Remember, your liver is the main “garbage processing center” organ of our bodies…. and if it has a backlog of work, then toxins simply sit in our body and wreak havoc as they wait to be excreted.

So, if you are looking for ways to lose that sluggish feeling and regain your energy, quit feeding that monster no matter how much it asks to be fed, and grab yourself a bottle of this dragonslayer!

Have a great day, and contact me if you have any questions!

Some Of My Best Friends Are Bacteria!

Liz James · January 12, 2017 ·

How do you feel about your gut? Did you know that you have roughly 100 trillion bacteria (3-4 lbs worth!) sharing your personal space with you?…. more to the point…. inside you? Our “friends” within us are terribly important to our health. They keep the bad bacteria (aka: the bullies) in check. When our gut is healthy, approximately 80-85% of our bacteria is good, and 15-20% are bad. At this ratio, the good bacteria are able to keep the bad bacteria “in check”. The good bacteria are team players. When they are healthy, and there are enough of them, they are able to keep the bad bacteria from overpopulating and causing damage, dysfunction, and disease.

In addition, good bacteria in the gut play a major role in many body functions…. including digestion and pooping, preventing inflammation of the intestinal wall, AND helping prevent leaky gut syndrome. Surprisingly, our little bacteria friends also play a large role in our mental health. Poor gut health has been found to be directly correlated with OCD, ADHD, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, learning disabilities, memory, and mood…. not to mention general poor gut health. Our gut population is also responsible for approximately 80% of our immunity, AND not having enough good bacteria can lead to autoimmune disorders, allergies and infection. Good gut bacteria is also important to our weight!

Gut health plays a huge part in overall body inflammation. When your intestinal lining is compromised, total body inflammation or inflammation in certain parts of the body… including the brain is virtually guaranteed. Inflammation within the brain is painless, and yet it is a factor in Parkinsons, Alzheimer’s, MS, and Autism.

Finally, as we age, our good bacteria tend to naturally die off… and this is not good…not good at all. (Everyone “of a certain age” should be on a probiotic for optimal health). Go back and re-read the paragraphs above…. is it any coincidence that the elderly have regular issues “being regular”, having brain fog/memory lapses, sleep disorders etc?

There are many ways we unintentionally damage and abuse our gut bacteria on a regular basis:

Overuse of antibiotics. If you must use them…. Always, always always use a heavy round of probiotics both during and following antibiotic use (making sure to separate the antibiotic and probiotic dose by at least 2 hours).
Alcohol, processed foods, refined sugar, and refined carbohydrates. All of these products feed bad bacteria and promote inflammation
NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). They cause gut inflammation, damage the gut lining, and recent research indicates that their use induces gluten sensitivity.
Antacids and Acid Reducers. (Did you know that most of these are not FDA approved for use longer than 8 weeks). Long term use promotes Candida (yeast) overgrowth.
Minimize and control your stress levels. High levels of stress can cause major GI damage over the long term.

And finally…. when we reach ‘a certain age’, our good gut bacteria begins to naturally die off. When this happens, our overall body health is compromised unless we supplement!
Young Living offers one of the finest probiotics on the market: Life 9. And no, not all probiotics are created equally. Case Adams PhD, wrote a book: Probiotics-Protection Against Infection. In his book, he outlines what to look for in a good probiotic….. The type of capsule (HPMC), the diverse strains of bacteria (YL has 9 strains: 4bifido, 4lacto, and 1 strepto), the quantity of bacteria per capsule (10-15 BILLION Colony Forming Units is recommended for maintenance dosing), the container itself (glass with a metal lid…not plastic), and a moisture control (calcium carbonate). All of these requirements are so important… and they cumulatively make Life 9 the powerhouse for our health that it is. I know that there are tons of probiotics on the market, but MOST do not follow this advised criteria. Do your homework and then pick up a bottle of Life 9!

So, in a nutshell… we truly ARE what we ingest! But the zoo within us needs regular TLC and protection. Without that, you may end up with a gut gone rogue…. and that, my friends, is one of the worst things that could happen to your overall body health.

Feel free to contact me with any questions~

In health,
Liz

YL member#1602257