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ANTIBIOTICS AND THE GUT MICROBIOME

Didem Miraloglu, MD, MS

Since their discovery, antibiotics have been a godsend in terms of eradicating infections and saving millions of lives. Without antibiotics, common infections and minor injuries used to be life-threatening, and surgeries and chemotherapy were nearly impossible. Today the tables have turned on us, whereas, 50 years ago we were reaping the benefits of antibiotics, in the past 2 decades antibiotic resistance has become one of the leading causes of death in the world for people of all ages.

To comprehend the weight of this problem, we must first understand what the gut microbiome is and the role it plays in human health and disease. The gut microbiome is comprised of almost 40 trillion bacterial cells and has anywhere from 500-1000 bacterial species comprising nearly 2 million genes. The gut microbiome contributes to human body functions such as digestion, metabolism, protection from pathogenic microbes, production of vitamins, as well as the regulation of the immune system and inflammatory reactions.

A healthy gut microbiome has high diversity, and any kind of disruption may lead to dysbiosis, an imbalance between the commensals (those bacteria which normally reside in and on us without harming us) and the pathogenic bacteria. Antibiotic use can reduce the diversity of the species in the gut microbiome, alter their activity and select and breed antibiotic-resistant organisms. Short term effects of antibiotic use include diarrhea, Clostridium Difficile infection, and antibiotic resistance, whereas long terms effects can be the development of allergic conditions, such as asthma, food allergies, and obesity.

The problem of antibiotic overuse and misuse does not only stem from treatment of human infections but mainly from their use within the animal industry. The amount of antibiotics used for human infections is four times less than the quantities used for breeding livestock. Antibiotics in the animal industry are added to the feed of animals to improve their growth. They accomplish this by inhibiting the growth of microbes in the gastrointestinal tract which triggers immune responses in the host. This in turn is cost-effective to the producer since more meat can be produced with the usage of less feed.

Antibiotic misuse in both animals and humans has led to a significant increase in antibiotic-developed resistance.  This is where a particular antibiotic is no longer effective in treating an infection. The consequences are anywhere from increased human illness, suffering and death, increased cost and length of treatments, and increased side effects from the use of more powerful medications.
 
There are many suggested solutions to alleviate this ongoing health crisis. Some things you can consider to prevent further antibiotic resistance are:
 

  • Don’t rush to treat your runny nose or cough. Be sure that the antibiotic is necessary and not just convenient to use for shortening the duration of the infection. In up to 95% of the cases, bronchitis is viral and there is no cure for the common cold, it gets better on its own with over-the-counter remedies.
  • Consume antibiotic-free dairy and meat products, pasture-raised farm animals rather than factory-farmed animals
  • Ask your doctor to use a narrow spectrum antibiotic if possible to treat the most common organism causing that particular infection rather than a “shotgun” approach, using an antibiotic that kills all
  • Shortest effective duration of antibiotics (this does not mean discontinuing the antibiotics once feeling better, there are specific guidelines for a minimum duration of use for certain infections)
  • Adhere to the antibiotic prescription
  • Take a high-quality daily probiotic while on an antibiotic

 
Taking a high-quality probiotic as soon as you start antibiotics is another way to counteract the side effects of antibiotics. If you are able to, start taking probiotics a week before taking the antibiotics. Separate them out by two hours while on the antibiotics and continue for 3-4 weeks from the start of the antibiotics. After a month you can decrease the dose to your minimal effective dose for your optimal health outcomes. The probiotics help to restore some of the healthy gut microbiomes lost through antibiotic therapy. Strains of Lactobacillus and Saccharomyces (a beneficial yeast) can help mitigate antibiotic side effects. This in turn contributes to better adherence to antibiotic prescription thereby reducing the evolution of resistance.

Generating and maintaining diversity in the microbiota is a new clinical target for health promotion and disease prevention.

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation FMT) is a  therapy and is one of the main treatments against antibiotic-resistant infections.  This is whereby stools either from the same individual before the antibiotic use or from a healthy donor are introduced orally or via enema or probiotics. This stems from the premise that the gut microbiota in healthy donors is dominated by a large number of probiotics. Many studies have shown that FMT restored both the gut microbiota composition and function in patients who suffered from recurrent Clostridium Difficile-associated diarrhea. Some studies have shown that the worldwide mean cure rates of FMT for diarrhea are approximately 91%.  To date, this is better than any other treatment we have for antibiotic-associated C.Diff colitis.

We can envision in the not too distant future, antimicrobials and therapies which will be prescribed for their direct anti-pathogen benefit while simultaneously limiting collateral damage to the microbiome. Until then it is essential to keep our bodies healthy by taking good care of our gut microbiome.

 
Contact our office to schedule an appointment  to learn more about optimizing your health.

Your Partner in Health!
Didem Miraloglu, MD, MS

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The Vagus Nerve: Not All Who Wander are Lost

Erica Nelson, MSPH, NBC-HWC

Practical Strategies for Managing Anxiety and Improving Digestion

Who’s the Boss?

They say the mind is a wonderful servant but a terrible master. Are you in charge of your mind and body? Or do you feel like you are at the mercy of your thoughts and feelings (physical and emotional)? This article shares cost-free and drug-free practical strategies to take back control of your physical and emotional feelings and make your mind your servant.

Your nervous system is complicated but you do not need to know all of the details to have a significant impact on its function. In this article you will find a very simple description of how one specific nerve, the Vagus, connects your physical and emotional feelings. You will also learn practical things you can do to reduce anxiety, improve digestion and overall wellbeing.

A (Very) Brief Neuroanatomy Lesson

Starting from the top, the brain branches out from your skull through 12 cranial nerves (and their branches) known as the peripheral nervous system.

Starting from the ‘bottom’ the gastrointestinal ‘mind’ is called the enteric nervous system (ENS.) The ENS has more nerve cells than the rest of the entire nervous system combined (more than 100 million!) and is capable of functioning independently of the rest of the nervous system.

The Vagus nerve is one of the 12 cranial nerves. It connects your brain to your digestive system and vice versa. It sends and receives both motor (movement) and sensory (feeling) signals. Beyond the digestive system, it touches nearly every major organ and plays a role in heart rate, respiration, facial expression, inflammation, sweating, reproduction and more.
Photo courtesy:
www.drarielleschwartz.com

The word ‘Vagus’ comes from the Latin for ‘wander’ but, as Tolkien wisely said, ‘Not all who wander are lost.’ This nerve, and its branches serve as the information super highway in your body and provide the early warning system for threats, internal and external.

Most of these functions are reflexes that happen without you thinking about them to keep you alive. Can you imagine if you had to decide to shunt blood supply from your stomach to your heart and lungs to run from danger? But sometimes the reflexes are not actually helpful in the moment and we are left feeling like our stomachs have minds of their own – because they kind of do. But when we know what the reflexes respond to, we can take steps to trigger a more desirable response.


Toning the Vagus for Stress Resilience

Have you ever felt your mouth go bone dry just as you are about to begin a presentation or performance? Or worse, maybe you feel like you are going to throw up? Or need to go to the bathroom RIGHT NOW. This is your reflexive response to stop bodily secretions and smooth muscle contractions in your GI tract so you can spend your resources elsewhere.

When you perceive a threat, your brain and body make preparations to respond and additional resources – oxygen, fluids, etc. – are diverted from digestion and reproduction until you are physically and psychologically safe again. Your heart rate, blood pressure and breathing increase, your pupils dilate, your mouth may go dry, your muscles may begin to tremble all of these are signs of activation of your sympathetic nervous system.

It is the job of the parasympathetic nervous system, including the Vagus nerve, to restore resources to ‘rest and digest’ once the threat (perceived or real) is passed. Depending on the duration and intensity of the threat, it may take 20 minutes or 20 years to return to a healthy resting state. When left unattended, chronic stress or PTSD can have long-term effects on your physical, cognitive and emotional health.

Techniques to Build ‘Stress Resillience’ and Facilitate the Job of the Vagus Nerve

Daily Habits to Support Stress Resilience:

  • Cat/Cow stretching with a Lion’s Roar

This exercise lengthens and contracts the Vagus nerve to activate it. Get on your hands and knees on the floor. Begin with a neutral spine and then press down through your hands and knees to arch your back upwards like a cat. Inhale while doing this. Then drop your belly down towards the floor and lift your breastbone forward and up. Exhale loudly while you do this, sticking your tongue out and even roaring like a lion.

  • Laugh

Laughter really is one of the best medicines. Real laughter is best but even fake laughter will engage the Vagus nerve through contraction of the diaphragm.

  • Hugs

A warm embrace, ideally 20 seconds or longer, will stimulate the part of the Vagus nerve that runs down your back and can trigger the release of a hormone called oxytocin, known as the feel-good hormone.

  • Singing, humming, chanting, gargling

The Vagus nerve is connected to your vocal cords and the muscles at the back of your throat. All of these activities activate the muscles around the nerve and can stimulate it. Choose one or more and find time for it each day.

In-the-Moment Strategies to Get Back to Rest and Digest:

  • 4-7-8 breathing

Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there through the entire exercise. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four. Hold your breath for a count of seven. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight. This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.

  • Go outside for a walk

This works for a couple of reasons. First, when you are walking, your eyes naturally move side-to-side and trigger a response in your brain that distracts it from threat. Second, you are using up some of the ‘energy hormones’ that were dumped into your system to respond to the threat and may be making you feel ‘jittery.’

  • Self-massage

Stroke your neck from your ear to your clavicle 10 times on each side. Again, your Vagus nerve is connected to these muscles. Moderately intense massage to the area will stimulate the nerve and help to restore a resting state.
 
You do not have to be at the beck and call of your body’s reflexes. Choose one or two of the strategies above and integrate them into your day to improve your ability to respond the way you want to – instead of simply reacting – the next time you are faced with a stressful situation.
 

Call our office and schedule an appointment with one of our health coaches to learn more healthy strategies to reduce and respond to physical, emotional and cognitive stress. 

Your Partner in Health!
Erica Nelson, MSPH, NBC-HWC 

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Toothpaste: What should I use?

Caroline Wilson, M.Ed., FMHC


Do you ever wonder if the toothpaste you and your kids are using is toxic?  Let’s take a look at some ingredients of concern that are in most conventional toothpaste brands.

Artificial Colorings – Linked to ADHD & hyperactivity in children.


Titanium Dioxide – It’s just there to make toothpaste white.  EWG has a list of safety concerns, including possibly a carcinogen when ingested.


Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) – Causes canker sores for many people.


Triclosan – A pesticide and hormone disruptor.


Glycerin – It isn’t toxic, but ideally has no place in the mouth as it’s a soap that can strip your body’s natural oral mucosa and leaves a film. This could alter the microbiome in the mouth.

Ingredients we love:
Hydroxyapatite (HAp) – is a naturally occurring mineral that makes up 97% of our tooth enamel and has been scientifically-proven to strengthen and protect your teeth without fluoride. While Hydroxyapatite is not as well-known in the US, it’s been the gold standard in Japan for over 40 years.
TIP – Don’t rinse your mouth after brushing with HAp.

Bentonite Clay – A natural polisher that is rich in minerals and not too abrasive.  It’s alkaline and helps reduce acidity in the mouth. 
TIP – Make sure it’s “lead-free” clay.

Xylitol – Reduces cavity causing bacteria in the mouth. 

Approved Hydroxyapatite containing toothpaste: Boka, Risewell, Wellnesse, Karex

Find these approved non-toxic brands in our clinic: Dentalcidin and Hyperbiotics Probiotic Toothpaste. 




Call our office and schedule and appointment with one of our Health Coaches to learn more about non-toxic personal care products. 
 

Your Partner in Health!
Caroline Wilson, M.Ed., FMHC

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   Supplement “TAKEOUT” Option

By: Ashley Beurer, Office Manager
 

In person supplement pick up includes a 10% discount on all supplements ordered. If you prefer shipping, we will continue to provide free direct shipping for online orders.
 
• Place your order for supplements through the “Online Store” on the home page of your patient portal.
• At check out, use the promo code TAKEOUT, Click APPLY and then complete your payment
• If you use the TAKEOUT promo code, we will NOT ship your supplements. We will ready them for office pick up.
• Supplements must be ordered by 5 pm the day BEFORE you would like to pick up. The order will be ready by 9 am the next day and you may pick up anytime Monday -Thursday from 9 am to 5 pm or Friday from 9 am to 12 pm.
• Please do NOT call the practice to place your order on the phone or request via messages.
• When you come to the office to pick up your supplements, they will be ready for you by the front office door on our pick-up shelf.

Please contact our office for an appointment to further support and personalize your path to wellness.
 

Your Partner In Health!

Ashley Beurer, Office Manager

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Covid 19 Recommendations

COVID19 Recommendations
Updated March 23, 2020

Your best defense against a viral infection is a healthy immune system which you can support with clean air, clean water and clean food. Focus on eating foods that are organic and rich in antioxidants (fruits and vegetables). Make sure that the water you drink is adequately filtered and do not drink out of plastic bottles. Use good quality HEPA filters in your home, especially your bedroom. Practice good hygiene with frequent hand washing with warm water and soap. Keep stress levels as low as possible and make adequate sleep a priority.
In addition to social distancing, frequent/adequate handwashing and sanitizing guidelines from CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html), here are Cov19 recommendations. Please keep in mind, information is changing daily. Covid-19, also known as SARS-CoV-2, is too new for us to have a body of literature on how specific nutrients or herbal remedies affect clinical outcomes. We therefore predict the risk/benefit based on understanding mechanisms involved and similarities between this virus and its most closely related viruses. Based on new concerns regarding this specific virus, we have amended our prior recommendations on high dose vitamin A and D.

These supplement regimens are not intended to cure Covid-19 but to help boost your body’s own immune response to the virus. If you suspect symptoms of Covid-19, we recommend that you call your primary care physician’s office or seek evaluation and testing through an Urgent Care center. A list of resources is available at the end of this document.

Adult Prevention Options: (supplements available through your online patient portal)
1. Vitamin C: 500-1000mg daily (CTW Complete Vitamin C)
2. Vitamin D: 2000IU -5000IU per day (CTW Liquid D3 or CTW Vitamin D3)
3. Omega 3 (EPA/DHA): 2500mg daily (CTW Omega 3 or Arctic Cod Liver oil) or (Metagenics SPM) 2 caps twice daily
4. Zinc glycinate: 15-30mg daily (Reacted Zinc or Zinc Drink)
5. N-acetylcysteine: 600mg daily (CTW Liver Support) or (Trizomal glutathione) 5mL once daily
6. (Biocidin LSF) mix 10 pumps with a bottle of over the counter nasal saline spray or Xlear and then spray twice into each nostril upon returning home from outside exposure like your office or the grocery store.
7. PEA: 2 caps daily. Recommend Vitalitus PEA or Metagenics Hemp Advantage Plus {PEA with CBD}.
8. Real Mushrooms 5 Defenders, providing >20% beta-D-glucans: 1 cap daily**
9. Real Mushrooms Reishi 415**: 1 cap daily**
**Mushrooms are highly complex. Certain compounds are immunostimulating. Is this a problem in COVID19, or a benefit? We don’t know the answer. There is also concern using immune stimulants in autoimmune patients**
Herbs such as elderberry, echinacea, astragalus, andrographis and beta glucans can help to boost immune function. However, we do not recommend taking these supplements if you have an existing autoimmune condition as these may flare your condition.

Pediatric Prevention Options: (supplements available on your online patient portal)
1. Vitamin C: 250mg daily (1/2 capsule of CTW Complete Vitamin C)
2. Vitamin D: 600IU-1000IU per day (CTW Liquid D3)
3. Omega 3: 500-1000mg daily (DHA Junior Liquid or Arctic Cod Liver oil) or (Metagenics SPM) 1 cap twice daily
4. Zinc glycinate: 15mg daily (Zinc Drink)
5. N-acetylcysteine: 300mg daily (CTW Liver Support) or (Trizomal glutathione) 2.5mL once daily
6. (Biocidin LSF) mix 10 pumps with a bottle of over the counter nasal saline spray or Xlear and then spray once into each nostril upon returning home from outside exposure that couldn’t be avoided….stay strong parents! No friend visits!
7. PEA: ages 5-14: 1 cap daily. Recommend Vitalitus PEA or Metagenics Hemp Advantage Plus {PEA with CBD}.
8. Real Mushrooms 5 Defenders, providing >20% beta-D-glucans: 1 cap daily**
9. Real Mushrooms Reishi 415**: 1 cap daily**
**Mushrooms are highly complex. Certain compounds are immunostimulating. Is this a problem in COVID19, or a benefit? We don’t know the answer. There is also concern using immune stimulants in autoimmune patients**
Herbs such as elderberry, echinacea, astragalus, andrographis and beta glucans can help to boost immune function. However, we do not recommend taking these supplements if you have an existing autoimmune condition as these may flare your condition.

See next page for graphic to review signs of illness and therapeutic options:

*** New data, obtained after this chart was generated, indicates that diarrhea occurs in up to half of all patients presenting the Covid-19***

At first sign of illness, adult therapeutic options:
1. Vitamin C: increase to 1 gram per hour x 6 hours per day. Reduce dose slightly if you develop loose bowel movements
2. Zinc liquid or lozenges: Swish liquid or allow lozenge to dissolve slowly, bathing the throat in zinc. Total zinc should be 60mg per day x 1 week. Recommended to divide this up with 1 teaspoon Zinc Drink 4 x day only to avoid copper depletion.
3. Biocidin LSF mix 10 pumps with a bottle of over the counter nasal saline spray or Xlear and then spray twice into each nostril two times a day.
4. Metagenics SPMs: Increase to 2 caps 3 times per day with first symptoms, continue x 6 weeks.
5. N-acetylcysteine: Increase to 600mg twice a day or Trizomal glutathione 5mL twice a day
6. PEA: increase to 2 caps three times per day with first symptoms. Continue for six weeks
7. Real Mushrooms 5 Defenders**: increase to 2 caps twice a day with symptoms
8. Real Mushrooms Reishi 415**: increase to 2 caps once to twice per day with symptoms.
**Mushrooms are highly complex. Certain compounds are immunostimulating. Is this a problem in COVID19, or a benefit? We don’t know the answer. There is also concern using immune stimulants in autoimmune patients**
Herbs such as elderberry, echinacea, astragalus, andrographis and beta glucans can help to boost immune function. However, we do not recommend taking these supplements if you have an existing autoimmune condition as these may flare your condition.

At first sign of illness, pediatric therapeutic options:
1. Vitamin C: increase to 500mg per hour x 6 hours per day. Reduce dose slightly if you develop loose bowel movements
2. Zinc liquid or lozenges: Swish liquid or allow lozenge to dissolve slowly, bathing the throat in zinc. Total zinc should be 60mg per day x 1 week. Recommended to divide this up with 1 teaspoon Zinc Drink 4 x day only to avoid copper depletion.
3. Biocidin LSF mix 10 pumps with a bottle of over the counter nasal saline spray or Xlear and then spray twice into each nostril two times a day.
4. Metagenics SPMs: Increase to 1 cap 3 times per day with first symptoms, continue x 6 weeks.
5. N-acetylcysteine: Increase to 300mg twice a day or Trizomal glutathione 2.5mL twice a day
6. PEA: increase to 1 cap three times per day with first symptoms. Continue for six weeks
7. Real Mushrooms 5 Defenders**: increase to 1 cap twice a day with symptoms
8. Real Mushrooms Reishi 415**: increase to 1 cap once to twice per day with symptoms.
**Mushrooms are highly complex. Certain compounds are immunostimulating. Is this a problem in COVID19, or a benefit? We don’t know the answer. There is also concern using immune stimulants in autoimmune patients**
Herbs such as elderberry, echinacea, astragalus, andrographis and beta glucans can help to boost immune function. However, we do not recommend taking these supplements if you have an existing autoimmune condition as these may flare your condition.

References:
https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/2020/03/16/covid19-traditional-chinese-medicine-and-western-options-for-the-non-tcm-trained-clinician/?mc_cid=1cd528a9bd&mc_eid=fb7826b1c3

Coronavirus (COVID-19): What a Pediatrician Wants You to Know


https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/2020/03/12/covid-19-preserving-your-familys-health-and-sanity-in-the-face-of-a-pandemic/?mc_cid=1cd528a9bd&mc_eid=fb7826b1c3

From the NC Health Department:
If you have questions about COVID-19 (coronavirus), dial 2-1-1 or 888-892-1162. Sign up for updates by texting COVIDNC to 898211.
For all other questions, the DHHS Customer Service Center can assist in finding programs and people to help you. Call 1-800-662-7030.

3708 Forestview Rd., #202 office@carolinatotalwellness.com T: 919-999-0831
Raleigh, NC 27612 www.carolinatotalwellness.com F: 888-394-6442

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How To Avoid Autoimmune Flares During Holiday Travels

920 staying healthy while traveling

As if managing an autoimmune condition isn’t hard enough, traveling and holiday schedules can make it downright daunting. Staying with relatives, life on the road and in airports, trying to prepare a good meal in a hotel room, and constantly being offered foods that will throw your autoimmune symptoms into a tailspin all present constant challenges. However, sticking to your autoimmune protocol and diet as much as possible will help prevent flares and relapses so you don’t spend the holidays crashed in bed.

So how do you manage? First, check in with your stress levels. Stress is one of the most potent triggers for flare ups, so commit to a no-stress, can-do attitude. You simply need to invest in a little advance planning and strategic thinking.

Following are tips to stick to your autoimmune protocol and diet while traveling.

Don’t let yourself get too hungry! Letting yourself get overly hungry is the biggest saboteur of the best laid plans. It’s only natural to want to eat when your energy is flagging and you’re starving. This will make you more likely to eat trigger foods, such as gluten or dairy.

Map out your options at your destination before you arrive. Is there a Whole Foods or other health food market in the area? Will your hotel room have a fridge?

You can also travel with frozen food you have insulated to heat up at your destination. Some people even bring their own hot plate and cookware.

Also, make sure you have plenty to eat on long flights, such as beef jerky, celery, sardines, olives, coconut meat, and other filling snacks.

Pack plenty of anti-inflammatory support. Traveling during the holidays is stressful. As much as we love them, sometimes our family members can be stressful. Make sure to save space in your check-in luggage for your go-to anti-inflammatory supplements, such as liposomal glutathione, resveratrol, and turmeric. Glutathione is the body’s most powerful antioxidant and essential for preventing and taming autoimmune flares. Liposomal resveratrol and turmeric in high doses are also great.

Early morning flights, long travel days, overstuffed flights, Aunt June’s air freshener, uncomfortable guest beds, and so on — these stressors can deplete glutathione and raise inflammation, so have your arsenal handy.

Effective anti-inflammatory supplements include glutathione precursors such as N-acetyl-cysteine, alpha-lipoic acid, cordyceps, and milk thistle. You can also take s-acetyl-glutathione, or an oral liposomal glutathione. Note that taking straight glutathione is not effective. You also may want to bring a bottle each of a powerful liquid liposomal resveratrol and turmeric — ask my office for more info.

Search ahead for unscented hotel rooms. Sadly, some hotel rooms can knock you over with the sickly perfume stench as soon as you walk through the door. Or the rooms are dusty and stale. Look for hotels that offer scent-free, allergy-friendly rooms with hypoallergenic bedding, air purifiers, and windows that open. Or at least ask them to air out the room for you before you arrive.

Carry a mask to avoid inhaling triggers. Sometimes you’re simply trapped in an environment that is overly scented, smoky, or potentially triggering in some other way. Just in case the woman next to you on the plane reeks of perfume, keep a face mask with you so you can breathe safely. Invest in a quality face mask that allows you to breathe comfortably. If you wear glasses look for one that won’t fog them up. Some companies also make face masks for children.

Schedule in alone time, time away, and time to rest. It’s too easy for a vacation to feel like an overbearing job. Make sure you take naps, read, meditate, or go for peaceful walks. Stress is one of the most powerful inflammatory toxins, so create and enforce boundaries to keep yours as low as you can.

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How You Were Born Could Shape the Rest of Your Life

916 microbiome and birth

Whether you’re fat or thin, anxious or relaxed, sickly or resilient — this could all stem from the way you were born thanks to the effects of bacteria in our first few seconds of life. Babies born via c-section are shown to have less desirable gut bacteria, or a gut microbiome, compared to babies born vaginally, who have healthier microbiome “signatures.”

Results from the largest study of the newborn microbiome were recently published. The study found that newborns delivered via c-section lack the healthy gut bacteria found in vaginally delivered babies. Their guts also contain strains of harmful microbes — Enterococcus and Klebsiella — commonly found in hospitals.

In fact, the lead researcher said the levels of harmful hospital bacteria in the c-section newborns was “shocking.” These babies were also deficient in the healthy bacteria that made up most of the guts of the vaginally born babies.

The difference was so profound that he said he can tell you how the baby was born simply by analyzing the bacteria in their stool.

C-section babies missing strain vital for health, weight management, and immune resilience

After several months the gut microbiomes between the two set of infants became more similar with one striking difference — the c-section babies had significantly lower levels of Bacteroides, a strain vital to human health.

Bacteroides are a key strain when it comes to health challenges modern societies face. A number of studies have shown Bacteroides levels are lower in people with obesity. Studies in both mice and humans show that when gut bacteria from thin subjects are transplanted into the colons of obese subjects, most subjects lose weight.

Bacteroides has also been linked with preventing anxiety, and boosting and regulating immunity to prevent inflammatory disorders. This may explain why people who were born via c-section are at increased risk for obesity and asthma.

The study is part of a larger Baby Biome study that is following thousands of newborns through childhood.

Why method of birth affects the gut microbiome

Research suggests that the vaginal canal imparts beneficial bacteria to the infant during birth, while c-section babies are deprived of that and instead immediately exposed to the bacteria of the hospital and the people attending the birth. Studies are underway in which babies born via c-section are swabbed with the mother’s vaginal microbes.

Other factors to consider beyond birth

It may not just be the birth that determines a c-section baby’s poorer microbiome status. Women who undergo c-sections also receive antibiotics, which may transfer to the newborn through the placenta and later through breast milk. These babies also tend to stay in the hospital longer and thus are exposed to more hospital bacteria.

How to develop healthy gut bacteria

Developing good gut bacteria is not neccesarily as simple as taking probiotics. You may also be overrun with detrimental bacteria that need to be “weeded.”

Perhaps most important is whether your diet supports a healthy gut microbiome.

What the gut microbiome needs most is an ample supply of vegetables and fruits on a regular basis in a wide, ever changing variety. Eating a diverse and abundanat array of plant foods will help create a diverse and abundant gut microbiome.

Ask my office for more advice on how we can help you improve your gut microbiome and overall health.

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Floss Your Teeth Daily to Reduce Your Risk of Stroke

909 oral bacteria and stroke

You may be familiar with common stroke-prevention strategies: Exercise regularly, eat plenty of vegetables, minimize stress, and keep inflammation at bay. But did you know taking good care of your teeth and gums is a major way to lower stroke risk?

A new study has found a significant link between stroke and oral bacteria. An analysis of blood clots from 75 ischemic stroke patients found almost 80 percent of them had oral bacteria DNA concentrated in the blood clots that weren’t found in other blood samples from the same patient.

The presence of oral bacteria in blood clots rounds out a much larger picture that shows the role gum disease and oral bacteria play in cardiovascular and neurological health.

The same research team has also found that blood clots containing oral bacteria cause heart attacks and brain aneurysms, that thromboses in the leg veins and arteries contain oral bacteria, and that oral bacteria is linked to heart infection.

Other research has linked oral bacteria from gum disease with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s. The bacteria produce toxins in the brain that give rise to the misfolding of proteins in the brain that is the hallmark of Alzheimer’s.

An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot starves a part of the brain of blood flow and vital oxygen, causing massive tissue damage. It is commonly caused by the narrowing and hardening of the arteries from plaquing, or atherosclerosis.

There is evidence that oral bacteria activates platelets and speeds up the development of atherosclerosis and blood clotting.

Here’s a tip to motivate you to floss

We get it, flossing is tedious and annoying. You just want to brush your teeth and be done.

Here’s a little tip that may motivate you to floss and brush more regularly: After you floss between a couple of teeth, smell your floss. If it has a foul odor that’s a sign you’ve got oral bacteria accumulating on your teeth and gums. This is also a sign your breath probably stinks as well! Smell check your floss after flossing each section of teeth — you may find areas that need extra attention.

Reacquaint yourself with healthy flossing and brushing habits and consider investing in a water flossing device. These devices use water to deliver extra cleaning power to the teeth and to stimulate gum tissue, so it stays healthy. However, please note that a water flosser should be an adjunct to flossing and not a substitute. Water flossing is not as effective as using dental floss.

Use functional medicine to prevent strokes

Healthy teeth and gums also depend on a healthy diet and lifestyle. This ties in with general stroke prevention strategies — 90 percent of strokes are caused by dietary and lifestyle habits.

Strokes are the third leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of disability.

Studies have found the following factors are the most common causes of strokes:

  • High blood pressure
  • Smoking
  • Poor diet
  • Lack of exercise
  • Excess alcohol
  • Stress and depression
  • Diabetes
  • Excess abdominal fat
  • Heart disorders

As research continues, poor oral hygiene may get added to this list.

Functional medicine strategies to prevent stroke

Focus on whole foods, plenty of vegetables, and healthy fats. Ditch the sodas, desserts, sweet coffee drinks, and processed foods. It might be hard at first, but you’ll start to feel heaps better.

Stabilize blood sugar

High blood sugar from too many sweets and processed carbohydrates causes chronic inflammation, which damages and thickens arterial walls and promotes the formation of arterial plaques and blood clots. Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, or pre-diabetes, increase your risk of stroke by two to four times.

Regular exercise prevents strokes and makes you feel awesome

Exercise is a magic bullet when it comes to preventing strokes and promoting a healthy brain. Regular physical activity keeps blood vessels strong, improves oxygenation of the brain, and increases your metabolism. Exercise after a stroke also significantly reduces the severity of the repercussions and improves recovery.

Ask my office how we can help you lower your risk of stroke and support your brain health.

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Streaming Documentaries about Chronic Illness

847 streaming docs on chronic illness

One of the hardest things about dealing with a chronic health or autoimmune disorder is how isolating it can be. Because it’s an “invisible” illness, you look healthy and normal to people when, in fact, you may have periods where you suffer profoundly from the symptoms of your illness along with fatigue, brain fog, and depression. Many people with chronic health disorders are disbelieved by doctors and family members or told they are being lazy or whiny. You are not alone, and you can even find validation and comradery in a few streaming shows on the topic.

Below are a list of streaming shows that take you inside the world of chronic and autoimmune health disorders. Even if you don’t have the same disorders as the subjects in these documentaries, chances are you can relate to their journeys.

Afflicted

This 2018 Netflix docuseries follows the lives of several people with mysterious chronic health disorders as they bounce from one treatment to the next in their search for healing. Afflicted drew considerable criticism from the subjects of the film for being edited in a way that makes their disorders look psychosomatic — the biggest stigma people with chronic and autoimmune disorders struggle against. So, keep that in mind if you watch this series, but otherwise the subjects are very open and vulnerable about their struggles.

Under Our Skin

This 2008 Amazon Prime documentary chronicles the disabling effects of long-term Lyme disease and the endless search for effective remedies. Under Our Skin reveals the emotional and psychological journey of despair with debilitating symptoms, the ongoing search for remedies, and medical denial and neglect that is still systemic today.

Brain on Fire

Brain on Fire is a 2016 drama based on a true story about a young woman who suddenly begins to experience a range of neurological and psychiatric symptoms that progressively worsen. Doctors run multiple tests and insist nothing is wrong with her until one doctor diagnoses her with neurological autoimmunity.

My Kid is Not Crazy

My Kid is Not Crazy follows the struggles of parents whose children suffer from neurological and psychiatric disorders triggered by a strep infection, a condition known as PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections.) Parents must navigate not only the frightening and tragic symptoms their children face but also medical skepticism, controversy, and ridicule. It is now established in the research that infections can trigger neurological autoimmunity in both children and adults.

Living Proof

Living Proof is a 2017 documentary that chronicles one man’s diagnosis with multiple sclerosis and his battle not only with this autoimmune disease but also conventional medicine, pharmaceutical companies, and the drug-funded Multiple Sclerosis Society. Filmmaker Matt Embry and his family turn to the science for answers when doctors fail him, and as a result he emerges as an advocate for a diet and lifestyle approach he uses to successfully manage his condition.

Gaga: Five Foot Two

Although Gaga: Five Foot Two is primarily a look into Lady Gaga’s life, she talks about her struggles with chronic pain, body-wide muscle spasms, fibromyalgia, and a search for relief. Viewers are also allowed into Gaga’s life as she suffers through a pain flare in this 2017 film. Gaga said she chose to portray her struggles with chronic pain and fibromyalgia because she is tired of people thinking it’s not a real condition.

Unrest

Unrest, 2017, was created by a Harvard PhD student who was two months away from marriage when she became bedridden with ME/CFS, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome. No longer able to work, write, or read, the filmmaker begins chronicling her disease through her iPhone and then including footage of other people from around the world. She and the others in her film suffer not only from the disease but also from ridicule and dismissal from both conventional medicine and society at large. Unrest is available on Amazon.

Functional medicine for chronic health and autoimmune disorders

One common thread that runs through these documentaries is the disbelief, disregard, and ridicule that patients with chronic health and autoimmune disorders run into in the insurance-based health system. Patients are accused of making up their symptoms, of needing psychiatric help instead of medical attention, and repeatedly told nothing is wrong with them.

In functional medicine, we take your symptoms seriously and do not accuse you of attention-seeking. We run tests that look for underlying causes of your symptoms and help you revamp your diet and lifestyle to support recovery and remission.

Ask my office for more information about managing a chronic health or autoimmune disorder.

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Staying Thin is Harder Than in the Past

843 weight loss harder these days

If you feel like you have a harder time staying slim than your grandparents did at your age, you are right. We are about 10 percent heavier than people in the 80s, even when we eat the same foods and exercise just as much. This may be due to changes in lifestyle and environmental factors that impact our BMI, or body mass index.

Recent research by York University’s Faculty of Health shows it’s harder to maintain the same weight at a certain age than it was for someone 20 or 30 years ago. Even if you eat exactly the same macros (protein, fat, and carbs) and do the same amount and type of exercise, you are likely to be heavier than they were at your age.

In fact, with all factors accounted for, the predicted BMI has risen 2.3 points between 1988 and 2006.

According to study author Jennifer Kuk, “Our study results suggest that if you are 40 years old now, you’d have to eat even less and exercise more than if you were a 40-year-old in 1971, to prevent gaining weight. However, it also indicates there may be other specific changes contributing to the rise in obesity beyond just diet and exercise.”

Specific factors contribute to our increased BMI

Historically we tend to look only to dietary and exercise habits when we consider our weight or BMI (body mass index).

However, weight management is much more complex than watching what you eat and how much you work out. Our BMI is affected by many factors such as:

  • Medication use
  • Environmental toxins
  • Genetics
  • Meal timing
  • Stress level
  • Gut bacteria populations
  • Nighttime light exposure

While the study’s authors admit we need more research to determine exactly how these factors play into the changed BMI picture, they suggest three main players:

Increased environmental toxins. Compared to 30 years ago, we are exposed to a higher level of environmental toxins such as pesticides, air pollution, heavy metals, flame retardants, plastics used for food storage, and more. These toxins put a heavy burden on the endocrine system, altering the hormonal processes that affect metabolism and weight management.

Increased use of prescription drugs. Since the 1970s our use of prescription drugs has risen dramatically. Many antidepressant drugs are linked with weight gain and are the most prescribed drugs in the US for people between 18 and 44.

Our gut microbiome has changed. The gut microbiome, or the community of good and bad bacteria that naturally inhabit the digestive tract, have changed dramatically since the 80’s.

Americans eat differently than they used to. The products we eat are more filled with antibiotics, pesticides, and other toxins; we eat more artificial sweeteners; and we eat more junk food. All of these factors may negatively affect our gut bacteria populations.

A hot topic of research, the gut microbiome is linked to more and more aspects of health and disease. We now know that some gut bacteria are linked with weight gain and obesity. In fact, doctors are even using fecal implantation — insertion of gut bacteria from a healthy slim patient into the gut of an unhealthy obese patient — to reduce chronic obesity.

Support your microbiome with SCFA

In functional medicine we consider the gut microbiome to be a foundation of health. An imbalanced gut microbiome can prevent you from healing from many health disorders, so it makes sense to do everything you can to support yours.

One important factor is oral tolerance, or the body’s ability to properly recognize food proteins. When we lose oral tolerance, the immune system mistakenly thinks more and more foods are pathogens, and we begin to have more food sensitivities, increased hormonal issues, increased autoimmunity, and imbalanced metabolism and weight gain.

You can support oral tolerance by fixing leaky gut, supporting liver function, taming histamine reactions, reducing stress, and balancing blood sugar. But one of the best ways to support it is by providing your body with plenty of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA).

Your gut bacteria not only make SCFA, they also need them as fuel to produce more SCFA. The more you eat them, the more your good gut bacteria can outweigh the bad.

Three main SCFAs include:

  • Butyrate
  • Propionate
  • Acetate

SCFA bind to cell receptors that control your hunger and appetite, turn off insulin resistance, and burn body fat more efficiently.

When you are low on SCFA you will:

  • Have a larger appetite
  • Be prone to insulin resistance (think pre-diabetes)
  • Store body fat better than you burn it

When gut diversity is ruined, SCFA can’t signal properly and you end up with what we call an “obese microbiome.”

How to support SCFA

To support healthy levels of SCFA, adopt the following habits:

Eat abundant and varied produce. Eat plenty of diverse vegetables so your gut bacteria stay adept at recognizing many different food proteins. Aim for 7 to 9 servings a day. One serving consists of a half cup of chopped vegetable or one cup of shredded greens. Go easy on high-sugar fruits to keep your blood sugar stable.

Supplement with SCFA. You may benefit from also supplementing with butyrate, the main SCFA. Start with one capsule a day and work your way up to two capsules twice a day.

Boost glutathione levels. Glutathione is the master antioxidant that helps dampen inflammation, a main factor in loss of microbiome diversity. Take absorbable glutathione such as liposomal glutathione, s-acetyl glutathione (regular glutathione isn’t absorbed well), or its precursors such as n-acetyl cysteine.

There are many other helpful ways to support a healthy microbiome. Contact our office to determine your microbiome health and how to improve it, so you can maintain a healthy weight.