If you are feeling many of the following symptoms, you may have what they call LEAKY GUT or YEAST BELLY.

• fatigue
• chemical sensitivity
• lack of energy
• upset bowels
• bloating
• rectal itching
• bladder issues
• stomach irritant
• thyroid issues
• constipation
• low immune system
• digestive issues
• feeling lousy
• there are actually more…

We have good bacteria in our gut, but sometimes that good bacteria is replaced by bad ones.  In fact, if we don’t have more than 80% good, we will start to see symptoms listed above.   (don’t worry, I got a slew of rock solid references to back up everything I’m about to tell you – see below)

Have you ever heard of Gut Yeast?

Gut yeast loves to eat, in fact, it will actually make you have cravings of foods that you know are bad for you, and you eat them anyway.  It’s like a child screaming in your stomach asking for it to be fed, and you give in.

So the best thing about all this, it’s not your fault!

You may think you are working out so much at the gym, day after day, 6-7 days per week, eating fairly healthy and honestly doing everything in your power to be fit – but no avail.  That’s because you are fighting the symptoms and not the source.

Gut yeast lives in your gut and feeds on the friendly bacteria that gets in it’s way.  One of it’s most favorite foods – ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS!  Oh no, am I going to tell you to give up your diet soda?  If you are drinking it daily.

(If you are consuming artificial sweeteners in your DAILY nutrition, yikes, you are feeding gut yeast – and you don’t even know it!)

There is so much to share about all this, but I’ll cut to the chase. There are 4 Digestive Track Destroyers out there that will ambush you all the way to obesity and bodily failure.  This is because we are uneducated, and honestly FLEECED by our big manufacturers that pretend things are healthy – when they aren’t.

CONGRATS to Subway for getting this one right!

#1 AZODICARBONAMIDE

Ever heard of this?  You will be appauled after you figure out what this is. In fact, in Singapore it’s banned in their foods and they get caught, they go to prison or pay a $400K fine!  It is also banned in Europe and Australia…But as all of you may realize, it’s NOT illegal in the US yet.

So…companies continue to use it in our foods course. Want to know how? It’s the bleaching agent they use to make flour white and makes the flower a little stronger.  Here is a great little article on it LINK (that will explain WHAT it is – not what it does to you.)

Why am I telling this to you…it’s in our DAILY food course. We consume it almost everyday as a nation. McDees’s uses it in their breads (ever wonder why they stay looking fantastic after days?) See some youtube videos if you want proof.

DIET SODA ranks #2

on the list of the cause of digestive issues.  There is so much proof that artificial sweeteners make us fat I can’t even begin to write it all in, but you can research away with the link below.  Put it this way, the average person weighs more that drinks diet.  They are more bloated and puffy.

This is where the gut yeast begins to take over.  It snacks on these artificial sugars and grows more addicted, which is why we can’t seem to have 1 glass of it while we are out to dinner.

Next time you are out to eat, look at other tables (if you don’t drink the stuff) and see how many times they get refill after refill…- just hook us up to the dispenser!

All of the sudden the gut yeast starts stealing your food! You begin to eat more and your pants begins to notice.  Things don’t fit like they used to.

But I MUST add this…diet soda is the most consumed product, but let’s not forget that there is artificial sweeteners in our yogurts, cookies, cakes, reduced fat and sugar products.  In fact, I went to the Aspartame website and they listed them for us:

#3 SUGAR in large quantities

is obviously a huge culprit. The American Heart Assc. recommends that we eat 5-8g of sugar per day. (sugar is a carb and carbs are 4 calories per gram which = 20grams people).

If we go to Starbucks and get a small Frappuccino with non-fat milk we are talking 29 sugars.  This little cup holds more than 4 donuts!

If our gut is responsible for 60% of our cells in our body, this really should be the focus of our health – right?

So if we are feeding our gut yeast with a sugary drink here and there will it hurt us.  It all depends on if you gut yeast is out of control. Does sit control more than 20% of your gut? If so, you’ll have symptoms from above. If it doesn’t, you may be out of the woods, but not for long.

Sometimes it can takes months to see symptoms and months to see them disappear.

#4 ALCOHOL

is one the last disrupter in the belly chain.  It turns off your friendly bacteria and just helps the gut yeast grow.  We all know everything in moderation, so this is a huge one here.  It also contains 7 calories per gram – which can add up quickly.  Alcohol also has yeast in it – which doesn’t help to reduce it in your belly.

A word on antibiotics. YES take them when you need them!  However, they do kill all your bacteria in your gut, which means you need to replace it with good bacteria when you are done.

SOLUTION to our GUT – don’t eat the above 4 listed and…

There are 3 ways to actually kill these gut yeast issues.

1. Eat foods that have acidophilus (grow your own kefir or buy a good brand)
2. Take probiotics – but not just any probiotics – THIS IS THE HUGE PROBLEM here…
3. Of course praying is essential in anything and everything we do.

So here is the skinny on each of the solutions:

1. Probiotic Foods:
   • Yogurt has TONS of false claims out there. This is what makes it so frustrating.  Our average yogurt isn’t the best source – but we think it is. If it’s pasteurized it already lost some of the important components in it that we think we are getting.
   • Kefir (find out what this is all about) but in short: it’s liquid yogurt – the naturally occurring bacteria and yeast in kefir combine symbiotically to give superior health benefits when consumed regularly. It is loaded with valuable vitamins and minerals and contains easily digestible complete proteins. Just don’t get the kind loaded with sugar.
   • Acidophilus milk. This is simply milk that has been fermented with bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus. Sometimes it’s labeled sweet acidophilus milk.
   • Or fermented foods (good article here) : unpasterized sauerkraut, miso (fermented soybean) and tempeh made from base of fermented soybeans, soft cheese like gouda, sourdough bread, sour pickles,

1. Probiotic Supplement
   • You may have taken a probiotic supplement before, but there are a few problems with some on the market, which makes them not work as well as we hope and then we write them off as not a possible solution.
   • Some come in plastic bottles (remember that bleaching agent- #1 above, depending on the type of plastic).  Scientists are still learning a lot from the way things are packaged.  Until they have the full skinny, glass is best.
   • Different grades of probiotics matter.  Just because you spend big bucks on them doesn’t mean they are awesome.  Here is the consumer advisory guide to choosing a good probiotic. But of course I’ll give the cliff notes here. PLEASE don’t waste money on the cheaper ones that are not laboratory grade: look for:
     • Be made in America
     • Be tested by an independent 3rd party lab
     • Contain tens of billions of Colony Forming Units (CFUs) per serving
     • Have a variety of different strains (at least 7)

I’m not affiliated with any of these products or websites. I’m  just a wellness coach trying to share the love of a healthy gut so you can be happy and healthy the rest of your life!

3. Prayer and meditation is the best practice we can do for health.  Even if the good Lord chooses a different way to heal you, rather than a miracle or right away, meditation gets our heart, mind, soul, and spirit in a better state.  It connects us with our creator and brings physical healing in one way or another.

• If you don’t know how to pray, use Jesus as a model in the Lord’s prayer. 

One last things I will add: PREBIOTICS

While probiotic-foods have live bacteria, prebiotic foods feed the good bacteria already living in your gut. Try prebiotic foods on their own or with probiotic foods to perhaps give the probiotics a boost.  You can find prebiotics in items such as:

• asparagus
• Jerusalem artichokes
• bananas
• oatmeal
• red wine
• honey
• maple syrup
• legumes

Please let me know if you find this article helps you – I would LOVE to know how well these worked for you.

Citations/References

WebMD, LLC., http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/probiotics-15/slideshow-probiotics

Pagel, J. F. MD “Excessive Daytime Sleepiness,” American Family Physician, 1 Mar. 2009. Web 13 Mar. 2015 

The New York Times: “Probiotics: Looking Underneath the Yogurt Label.”

Johns Hopkins Health Alerts: “The Promise of Probiotic Yogurt.”

Go Ask Alice, Columbia University: “Will Probiotic-Enriched Yogurt Aid Digestion?”

ABC News: “Is Sauerkraut the Next Chicken Soup?”

Mail Tribune, Dow Jones: “Living Food.”

The Ohio State University: “Microbes Help Make Sauerkraut.”

Lipski, E. Digestive Wellness, McGraw Hill, 2005.

USDA: “Nutritive Value of Foods.”

Mullin, Gerard MD. “10 Tips for Combatting Irregularity,” 8 Aug. 2011. Web. 11 Mar. 2015. 

Santiago, L. Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology, June 1992.

Mäkeläinen, H. International Dairy Journal, November 2009.

Ugarte, M. Journal of Food Protection, December 2006.

“Health Benefits of Taking Probiotics,” Harvard Health Publications, 1 Sep. 2005. Web 12 Mar. 2015. 

“Acne,”American Academy of Dermatology, Jan 2015. Web. 12 Mar. 2015 [link]

“National Coffee Drinking Trends 2013” National Coffee Association USA, 2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2015. [link]

Hattaka K et al, “Effect of long term consumption of probiotic milk on infections in children attending day care centres: double blind, randomised trial.” The BMJ, 2 Jun. 2001. Web. 11 Mar. 2015. 

Khamsi, Roxanne. “Can Gut DNA Sequencing Actually Tell You Anything About Your Health,” Newsweek, 17 Jul. 2014. Web 12 Mar. 2015. [link]

“The Largely Unknown Health Epidemic Affecting Almost All Americans,” Body Ecology, 1 Dec. 2006. Web 11 Mar. 2015. [link]

Cromie, William. “Genetic Secrets of Killer Fungus Found,” The Harvard University Gaztte, 30 Oct. 1997. Web. 11 Mar. 2015. 

Savino, F et. al. “Lactobacillus reuteri (American Type Culture Collection Strain 55730) versus simethicone in the treatment of infantile colic: a prospective randomized study,” Pediatrics, Jan. 2007. Web. Mar. 9. 

Virgin, JJ. “America’s #1 Addiction Might Shock You,” Dr. Sara Gottfried MD. Web 10 Mar. 2015. 

Alimentary Pharmabiotic Center – University College Cork, “Early Gut Bacteria Regulate Happiness,” Science Daily, 12 Jun. 2012. Web 9 Mar. 2015. 

Richards, Lisa. “Why Use Probiotics for Candida,” The Candida Diet. Web. 12 Mar. 2015. 

*None of this advice is meant to give a diagnosis a disease or condition. THIS TOOL DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be relied on to make decisions about your health. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911.