What Causes Bruxism?

Though bruxism can be due to a variety of health problems, in a nutshell it comes down to one thing – too much stress to the body. At a time when your body should be relaxing and recovering (sleeping), the nervous system is actually unable to calm down into this parasympathetic (relaxed) state. Rather, it remains in sympathetic dominance (flight-or-fight); perhaps the worst time your body can be in such a state as the jaw clenches and grinds as if your body is fighting a battle for survival. Ultimately hormones and neurochemicals are altered as you’re grinding away.

The stress or life stressors which result in bruxism can be any type or combination of emotional/mental, chemical/nutritional, or physical/structural stressors. You could have one big stress – say the loss of a loved one (emotional stress), or a major physical accident (structural damage to your body), which results in bruxism either immediately or over time. You could also have several smaller stressors that add up over a period of time and eventually affect your sleep either with insomnia, restless sleep, or bruxism.  If your diet is high in refined carbohydrates and caffeine, you have a high stress job, and you have some health problems to add to the list, then bruxism may be the way your nervous system tries to deal with this stress when you finally try to get some shut-eye. Antioxidant depletion is also common in those who are under too much stress, especially dietary stress. Not only does this impair overall health but there is an association with sleep problems such as bruxism. High levels of anxiety, antioxidant depletion, and bruxism all tend to run together.*

Bruxism is even associated with taking certain medications. Interestingly enough these same medications which are thought to help one deal with stress can be the same trigger for more nervous system stress and bruxism.  Then again, if you “need” a certain medication there is almost always a health problem in the first place.

Grinding Teeth and Medications

There is a strong link between certain drugs, particularly the neurotransmitter-type (antidepressant) drugs, with bruxism. These are the medications people take for depression, anxiety, addictions, and other mental health related disorders. As mentioned, the pressure a person can elicit on certain medications can easily push nine times or more than what they can consciously achieve. As you may realize, those who take these types of medications are already under a certain amount of stress as it is – or else they would not need these drugs in the first place.

“I’m rather certain this drug can get you clenching more to loosen up that tooth.”

As with everything in the human body, it’s all about balance, and neurotransmitters are no different. These chemical messengers provide so many functions from shaping our personalities to affecting each and every mood and feeling we have throughout the day including how we interpret pain. The balance is between excitation (“the uppers”) and inhibition (“the downers”). Often those who feel the “need” for some drug support or are prescribed such by their physician have too much excitation and lack inhibition so they’re given a drug to help try to create some balance out of the imbalance. I stress the word “try” because the full mechanism of action of these drugs is still unknown and some researchers feel as though the majority (70% or more) have a placebo effect. Dietary excitotoxins such as MSG and aspartame are thought to incur an excitatory prevalence in the body, resulting in stress which can then produce symptoms such as bruxism.

There is a definite link between diet, depression/anxiety, and antidepressant use, particularly with the common selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications, commonly known as SSRIs. The majority of serotonin, (90%) is produced by cells which line the digestive tract, so eating foods which impair digestion can easily affect serotonin production and therefore result in stress to the nervous system and bruxism. It is known that bruxism can occur from taking SSRI medications* (called SSRI-induced bruxism) such as Paxil, Prozac, Celexa, and Zoloft, as well as drugs which also affect the dopamine pathway.

Restless leg syndrome (RLS: akathisia) has been associated with nocturnal bruxism as they both are linked with imbalances in the neurotransmitter dopamine.* Whereas RLS affects the legs often due to low dopamine bruxism affects the jaw often from high dopamine levels. Dopamine is a reward-driven and pleasure type of neurotransmitter and imbalances are linked to addictive personalities and those with attention deficit disorder (ADD & ADHD). Actually, some studies show that those taking medications for ADHD have a higher prevalence of bruxism* than those not treated with such medications for their ADHD.

Caffeine, Stress, and Bruxism

When someone is under too much stress they tend to turn to caffeine for its stimulatory affect so they can continue to push through their day. Along with the caffeine are chemicals in these products (coffee, tea, cacao) which act as central nervous system stimulants, providing a further “get-up-and-go”. The problem here is that those who use caffeine and such products typically abuse them to the point where they begin to have other health problems such as hormonal, neurochemical, sleep and memory issues – all of which can then result in bruxism.

Grinding Teeth and the Military

I have personally learned of the problems with bruxism in the military through several meetings with a dentist who specializes in the production and fitting of a branch of the military with oral orthotic devices, commonly known as bite splints. Many people know at least one person who is in the military and perhaps you are one yourself. The stress these individuals are under, especially if they’re in a combat situation, is one which few can comprehend unless they have been in such a situation. Though the teeth may be the last thing a solider is concerned about,  there is a huge bruxism problem in the military.

Those in the armed forces often are under high physical and mental stress and are provided inadequate nutrition. Adding to this stress is a huge amount of caffeine intake per individual. Most soldiers consume more coffee, tea, and high caffeine/high sugar energy drinks by noon than most should consume all week if not longer. Then to help deal with all the physical, emotional, and nutritional stress, many are prescribed an antidepressant drug (Wellbutrin is common which slows down the reuptake of dopamine) which then kicks the bruxism into full swing to the point where they’ll quickly break down their night splint or their teeth if they don’t wear it.

Night Splints For Grinding Teeth and Treating Bruxism

Often when I see a patent who grinds their teeth they already have been fitted for a night splint. These devices are typically fitted by a dentist though you can get one at any drug store (not a good idea unless that’s your only option). Many people don’t even realize they grind their teeth until their dentist  sees some wear and tear or perhaps their significant other sleeping next to them has told them they sound like a machine factory whose gears need oil.

Understand that these night splints don’t correct any problem – they hopefully keep you from ruining your teeth and maybe also take some stress off your jaw and cranial muscles. Unfortunately many night splints are made incorrectly by those in the profession. As my dentist correspondent likes to say – it’s like “putting a rectangle into a triangle”. For every 1mm the teeth are separated in the back (your molars) the front teeth then separate by a factor of three. So for many, wearing a splint with the same thickness throughout its entirely can cause more problems either immediately or in the future. Actually this is not as uncommon as it may sound since it is the common practice to make splints in such a way. Typically within 72 hours the body begins to adjust to the new splint often by grinding into the splint to create a more proper fit. It may a good idea to have your splint re-fitted every few years or sooner if you notice excessive wear or breaking points in the splint. Last year I saw a woman with sleep problems that were solely from her night splint. The back part of one side had broken off but neither she nor her dentist thought it was a problem. I helped her realize this through the testing procedures I use in my office and as soon as she was fitted for a new splint her sleep problem resolved fully and immediately.

Resolve the Stress, Resolve the Bruxism

To get to the source of the bruxism you need to deal with the stress or stressors at their source and not try to cover up the problem with medications, other drugs (such as caffeine), or other symptom-based treatments. This means figuring out what the stressors are and correcting them whether it’s your diet, mental stress, or any health problem, including medication use (yeah – ask (or inform) your doctor).

Prevention is always easier than resolving a chronic bruxism problem, that’s for sure. Though bruxism can be resolved it is typically not a simple fix; unfortunately it is common to continue to grind your teeth and keep grinding them even after health improves; it’s not an overnight process as the nervous system can get stuck in this stress pattern. But like most health issues there is a reason for everything and your body can and will heal given some time, persistence, and full dedication to the problem.

* Click link to see studies mentioned if you’re the nerdy-type.

I’m not trying to gloom-and-doom the holidays. This time of year can bring families together and for many this season holds special spiritual significance. The good news is that you really don’t need to go too far out of your comfort zone to continue to stay healthy this winter.

Imagine going through the holiday season and shortened winter days feeling full of energy, losing some weight, (or maintaining your healthy weight), and feeling strong and healthy, (or only catching a quick common cold).  That would be pretty awesome I’d say. And even better is once April comes you’re already way ahead of the game – you don’t need to spend the next several months recovering your health and rebuilding lost fitness. Instead you could focus on progressing your levels of health and fitness. That’s what I’d call a kick-ass spring and summer but for it to happen you need to start now – today, not after Thanksgiving. Here are some simple tips, all of which I’ve discussed before, perhaps a refresher for some and new info for others as topics become buried in this site.

Tips For A Healthy Holiday Season

1. Diet: Follow a Paleo-Type Diet. It’s really not that hard once you get past your cravings (for sugars) after the initial two to three weeks. Oh, and don’t think the reason you’re fatigued and want to pass out after Thanksgiving dinner is from the tryptophan in the turkey. That’s a huge myth.
2. Sleep: Our hens (now 21 of them) which live in a very nice coop about fifteen feet from our house go to bed around 5pm in the winter. In the summer they’re out eating bugs in the yard until 8pm, sometimes later. Chickens aren’t very smart creatures, but their brains are wise enough to know the change in the weather and sunlight and its affect on circadian rhythm. Shorter days mean you should go to bed earlier – not at 5pm but you should shoot for 10pm and give yourself a one hour buffer of 11pm max. Sleeping from 11pm until 7am is much healthier for your body, in regards to tissue repair, hormone and immune function, and pretty much your entire well-being, than sleeping from 1am until 9am. It’s not just about the number of hours, but the time you sleep. If you’re shutting the lights out after midnight you’re simply asking for a host of health problems. Sleep well to stay healthy and regain health.
3. Exercise: There is so much to say about this one. You can find basic exercise info here if you’re unsure what to do first, or head over to Sock Doc and learn a lot more. If you’re already a well conditioned athlete, the winter is a great time to recover a bit but not completely lose all fitness; build your aerobic base! If you’re not into regular exercise then NOW is a perfect time to start – you’ll be five months ahead of the game come April.
4. Health and Nutrition: If you’re unsure whether you’re going to get the flu shot this year or you’re certain you want to, read this first. There are options, and not just one vaccine to choose from. Educate yourself. And remember for most parts of the world you’re already in your vitamin D winter, so consider supplementing, or better yet, now is a great time to have your D level checked.
5. Manage your stress levels: This may be easier said than done but reconsider going to parties or gatherings every weekend night for the next six weeks. Those long nights and poor dietary choices, (and often high alcohol consumption), add up and can quickly take their toll on your health and weight. Reconsider holiday travel plans too, especially if you’re just going somewhere to please someone else and feel obligated to make your appearance. If gift buying is too stressful on your finances and your health, consider some other holiday-giving tradition instead.

So get started and good luck. Remember – it’s not about everything in moderation, but everything healthy in moderation.

You need not deprive yourself of desserts and good tasting food to have a healthy and nutritious diet. High cacao content chocolate, maple syrup, and honey all have their place in a healthy diet. Even raw sugar is not a bad ingredient as long as it’s not a staple in your diet. Moderation here is fine. But eating foods that have refined (white) sugars, high fructose corn syrup, and yes even agave, have no place in a healthy diet, even one of moderation. So swap out those sweeteners  for pure ones, and you can eat them now and then, depending on your health, your activity level, and how well you process them.

These colors aren’t natural.

That means if you eat some sugar and you’re a raging lunatic or irritable after, then hey – you shouldn’t eat sugar! If you get tired after eating sweets, even honey or maple syrup, then it’s not for you. But if you feel fine after some treats made with these real ingredients and you don’t have health problems which they may contribute to (pain, inflammation, a named disease, or just not feeling great), then by all means indulge – in moderation. And these foods can and do definitely have a place in high intensity and long duration exercise programs. So if you ran a marathon or just exercised hard for one hour, having a sugary snack after to replace glycogen is definitely warranted, but not one loaded with fake colors and flavors. How about after a one hour walk? Nope. If you need (or crave) sugar after that walk or even light run you were anaerobic and you need to work on your fitness training, not support it with the wrong foods.

Artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, and lab-made chemicals sweeteners such as sucralose (Splenda) and aspartame (Nutrasweet) should never be a part of your diet. MSG and all those foods that are processed and create MSG should always be avoided too. So if you’re at an office party or your kids are at a friend’s birthday and they’re having a traditional refined, bleached flour cake with artificial frosting made with hydrogenated fats then you can use the “everything in moderation” line, right? I’d disagree, as difficult and maybe uncomfortable as it may be. Why teach your kids to eat like the unhealthy masses who are often sick or taking a medication most likely in large part because of their diet of moderation (or excess in many cases)? My kids take a pass and bring their own treats to celebrate. They don’t need to give into the peer pressure of an unhealthy practice – one that is more than moderation especially at this time of the year – there are excuses every weekend if not daily to indulge on foods that are truly damaging to your health. Moderation soon becomes a habit, the habit poor health, and then a disease.

There are healthier ways to celebrate.

How about those vegetable/nut/seed oils – the refined ones that are in so many products? Many of these oils are genetically modified (GMO) and while we’re not exactly sure of the health impact of such modification, they are also inflammatory-type fats especially in the presence of sugary, carbohydrate-rich foods which they are often baked and processed with. These oils (corn, peanut, soy, safflower, canola, sunflower, cottonseed, and grapeseed), have no place in a healthy household pantry, yet they are definitely hard to completely omit from your diet if you’re to venture outside your home. So moderation has its place here, but it should be contained. That’s perhaps more vague than I often am but the best way to view it is to pay attention to your consumption. If you’re eating foods with these oils during every meal that’s definitely too much. If you’re grabbing a common Whole Foods product with canola oil now and then, maybe that’s okay, but the less you consume the healthier you’ll be. And if you have health problems, even if you just feel tired, achy, or “old” then your moderation of these oils should be close to, if not absolutely, zero.  Partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) and anything deep fried, even in olive oil, should never be consumed – any little bit is extreme. Cottonseed oils should be left for textile processing, not for human physiology.

Butter and coconut oil are the only fats you should be cooking with (organic lard is okay too if you’re into that). Extra virgin olive oil and unrefined sesame seed oil are great fats to add to dishes after cooking. You can heat the olive oil a bit (keep it under 325) but never the sesame seed oil as you’ll destroy many of the benefits.

Ok for some in moderation.

Caffeine and alcohol consumption are common substances that are very individualized when they pertain to health. Moderation is a grey area here. If you need caffeine to give you energy then you’re past your point of moderation. Same goes if you need alcohol to alter your mood or wind you down at the end of a long day. If you have a withdrawal headache without your typical cup(s) of Joe then again – too much. Interestingly the more stress you’re under the more you’ll tax your adrenal hormones and the more you’ll desire caffeine to make up for that missing energy source. The stimulants in coffee and tea, not just the caffeine, will hinder your health even more at this time. Moderation here is more relative to your stress level. Your stress is higher than what you can handle and that’s what you need to moderate.

So the point here is this – moderation has its place in every aspect of health – diet, exercise, sleep, work, play, etc. Let’s not abuse the cliché line as an excuse to consume foods that are truly detrimental to health. If you can’t grow it, stay away from it. If you can grow it and it has been altered (including being sprayed with pesticides or herbicides), be aware of the consequences it may have on your health. Real, unaltered foods are where moderation has its place, based upon how you feel, react, and of course how much you enjoy the product.

With the holidays now upon us, Halloween through Easter is a long time to play the moderation card. It’s actually the time when your diet should be most healthy and “clean” as cold temperatures, travel, and overall holiday stress are enough to take their toll on your health. A diet of unhealthy moderation will leave you more susceptible to the flu, winter depression, weight gain, and a slew of other health problems including perhaps the start of a major disease. Of course any and all health problems will be “in moderation” too during some point of the disease process and soon you may be on a medication in moderation too!

Flu vaccines weaken the immune system and many times actually make a person more predisposed to illnesses. The vaccine can put one’s health at great risk – from the chance of developing Guillain-Barre syndrome, (a neurological disease that can result in death), to immune system complications such as allergies, autoimmune diseases, and ear infections. Toxicity issues are associated with many of the vaccines given today as mercury and formaldehyde are still present in many shots. Several chemical preservatives are in them too. The vaccine link to Autism Spectrum Disorders and developmental learning and behavioral disorders is becoming more evident.

Who Should Get the Flu Shot?

I’m not here to tell you whether you should, or should not, get the flu shot. That’s not my job to tell you what you should do. Actually, it’s nobody’s job to tell you to get a flu shot (or not get one) and that includes your own primary care physician. I believe in informed consent and an individual making an informed decision based upon unbiased information they have been provided and researched themselves. Unfortunately, most people don’t know much about the flu vaccine other than what the media, their friend, or their doctor tells them, so they think there is nothing wrong with receiving the flu shot. They’re told it will prevent the flu and comes without any risk; or the ever-popular claim that “catching the flu will be much, much worse than getting sick from the shot.”

The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older as the first and most important step in protecting against this serious disease. Yes, it is “the most important step.” Eating well and taking other measures to stay healthy (such as washing your hands) are not as important to the CDC. Did you know there’s only one vaccine (shot) approved for your child under three years old and even the others have their own approved age group ranges? Unfortunately this shot for your infant will come with some formaldehyde, and that’s highly toxic to all, especially little ones. Most people don’t know that there are several different types of flu vaccines and some are clearly worse than others. Most never know which one they already got. Interestingly, those people specifically advised to get vaccinated, the “immune compromised” such as children and the elderly, show little if any benefit from being vaccinated. And those with asthma, another target group, can often have their symptoms exacerbated by a flu vaccine.

The drug companies also note that it is not known whether their vaccine is excreted in human milk. Since many drugs are excreted in human milk, they advise caution when administering the vaccine to a nursing woman. It is also not known whether the drugs can cause fetal harm or how they affect reproduction capacity in women. Furthermore, the vaccines have not been evaluated for carcinogenic or mutagenic potential, or for impairment of fertility. Yet, the CDC continues to recommend all pregnant women get the flu shot since they too are “high risk.” Are you scratching your head yet?

The 2012-2013 Flu Vaccine

That needle is huge!

Each year, federal health agency officials try to guess which three flu strains are most likely to be prevalent in the U.S. the following year to determine which strains will be included in that following year’s flu vaccine. When the match between the vaccine and circulating viruses is close, the flu vaccine is thought to provide a 70-90% chance of temporary immunity to selected strains in healthy persons less than 65 years old. (The only way to get natural and permanent immunity to a strain of flu is to recover naturally from the flu.) For those over 65 years old, which is one of the target groups, the efficacy rate drops to a mere 30-40%. It is however considered to be 50-60% effective in preventing hospitalization or pneumonia and 80% effective in preventing death from flu caused by the covered strains. The vaccine typically contains two type A and one type B strain. This year’s winners are:

• an A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus;
• an A/Victoria/361/2011 (H3N2)-like virus;
• a B/Wisconsin/1/2010-like virus (from the B/Yamagata lineage of viruses)

The names do look strange, (and mean nothing special if you live in CA or WI), but  the H1N1 virus used to make the 2012-2013 flu vaccine is the same virus that was included in the 2011-2012 vaccine. Though, as noted above, that immunity is most likely gone already if you got last year’s shot. The H3N2 and B vaccine viruses are different from those in the 2011-2012 influenza vaccine.

So how accurate is this year’s vaccine? Uh, well, – we’ll know that at the end of the flu season.

The six main vaccines you’re likely to come in contact with for 2012-2013 are listed here. Each drug also contains residual amounts of egg proteins (ovalbumin), as well as other preservatives. So if you’re allergic to egg, you might not want to shoot that into your veins. Thimerosal (mercury) is used in manufacturing of the drugs but some companies remove it before completion. *One dose of thimerosal exceeds the EPA’s safety limit of mercury exposure by over 250 times.

This is my Quick Reference Guide which I made by reading through each respective drug insert (that was a couple fun hours). You can click on the name for the pdf insert to see it all.

They love the shot in Mass

• Afluria (CSL Limited)
  • Mercury? Yes – in multi-dose (24.5mcg)
  • Formaldehyde? No
  • Age – approved ages 5 and up
• Fluarix (GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals)
  • Mercury? No
  • Formaldehyde? Yes (5mcg)
  • Age – approved ages 3 and up
• FluLaval (ID Biomedical Corporation; distributed by GSK)
  • Mercury? Yes (<25mcg)
  • Formaldehyde? Yes (≤25 mcg),
  • Age – approved ages 18 and up
• Fluvirin (Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics Limited)
  • Mercury? Yes – in multi-dose (25mcg); (≤ 1 mcg mercury per 0.5-mL single)
  • Formaldehyde? No
  • Age – approved ages 4-16 only. (In those less than 4yrs evidence of diminished immune response)
• Fluzone: Fluzone High-Dose and Fluzone Intradermal (Sanofi Pasteur)
  • Mercury? Yes – in multi-dose (25mcg)
  • Formaldehyde? Yes (≤50 mcg),
  • Age – approved ages 6 months and up
• FluMist (MedImmune Vaccines Inc.)
  • Mercury? No
  • Formaldehyde? No
  • Age – approved ages 2-49 only; (Children younger than 5 years of age with recurrent wheezing and persons of any age with asthma may be at increased risk of wheezing following the administration of FluMist Quadrivalent)
  • Live Virus!
  • Contains MSG

Note that FluLaval is very toxic with both mercury and formaldehyde, (ages 18+ only). Most single-dose shots do not have mercury. Only Fluzone is approved for kids under 3 – and it contains formaldehyde and the multi-dose comes with mercury too.

Tamiflu For Your Flu?

Hey, how about that Tamiflu? That is the drug available if you get the flu that blocks the enzyme neuraminidase. Neuraminidase inhibitor medications prevent new virus particles from being released, thus slowing or stopping the spread of the virus. On average, a person recovers 30% faster on Tamiflu. Common adverse drug reactions associated with Tamiflu include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and headache. Rare reactions include hepatitis and elevated liver enzymes. See how to naturally block the neuraminidase enzyme below.

** This drug, Tamiflu, is currently being investigated for “missing information” and hiding the true outcomes of clinical trials.

I believe in maintaining a strong immune system through living a healthy life and taking natural preventive measures, and making choices which promote health and well-being. The flu shot is not part of this plan.

Choose the one on your right!

Healthy Tips For Avoiding the Flu

• Avoid refined foods such as white sugars, (especially high fructose corn syrup), and flours which suppress the immune system
• Avoid fake sweeteners such as Splenda and Nutrasweet
• Avoid “bad” fats – partially hydrogenated oils
• Reduce the amount of omega 6 fats in your diet which are in many packaged, baked, and fast foods. They’re the corn, soy, safflower, peanut, and yes even canola oil. More here.
• Eat organic fresh fruits and vegetables and lots of them
• Drink plenty of  pure filtered water
• Limit caffeine intake (coffee, tea, chocolate, & soda of course because of the sugar too)
• Check your vitamin D level and consider supplementing. All about vitamin D here
• Exercise daily, at least 30 minutes (see this at Sock-Doc)
• Wash your hands frequently, especially after visiting public places
• Get plenty of high quality sleep (and correct sleep problems)

Healthy Suggestions If You Have the Flu (or Any Virus)

• Take elderberry extract. The Israeli extract commonly referred to as Sambucal is proven to block the neuraminidase enzyme responsible for viral replication. This can be used for support during the cold season by taking 2 teaspoons,(1 teaspoon for children), 4 times a day. It can significantly reduce infection time. Some studies show that this can resolve flu symptoms in as fast as 2-3 days, compared to a typical 6-7 day infection period.
• Vitamin C?  I rarely find vitamin C in its common refined ascorbic acid form to be of any benefit to a person, other than to acidify their tissues which can have its own advantages (and disadvantages). It’s more important is to eat plenty of organic, nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables to get all the natural phytonutrients found in the whole food. I also like Camu powder for its natural vitamin C content. I like the products Camu Supreme and Thera Supreme, available in my office (for patients) or here.
• The mineral selenium is also known to help with the immune system and fight viruses. Typically 200mcg a day can be beneficial.
• Consider vitamin D supplementation (per the above recommended test) as well as vitamin A. I typically use 6,000IU to 20,000IU of vitamin A per day in patients who show a need for it. Check with your doctor!
• Rub your thymus reflex point. Your thymus is the master gland of your immune system and rubbing over this typically tender spot will help to support the organ’s function. The area to rub is on the right side of your body midline to your armpit at the level of your nipple. The area can be tender in a small place or as large as 3 inches vertical to 2 inches lengthwise. Rub out the tender areas in a firm, circular motion for 1-2 minutes, 4-5 times a day – or better yet, get someone to do it for you! It will feel more tender than what you can do yourself!

 The flu vaccine is not the answer in preventing the flu. Staying healthy is.

Here’s a great site I got some of the information for this article from – Dr. Tenpenny. Check it out!

Gallbladder Risk Factors: Lower Your Risk For Gallbladder Problems – (Prevention!)

The medical risk factors for the gallbladder are known as the 4Fs – Female, Fat, Forty, and Fertile. Though overweight fertile women are more susceptible for gallstones and gallbladder problems, there are many other risk factors even in those who aren’t fat, and for you guys too out there.

Diet is the number one reason for a poorly functioning gallbladder. Don’t let anyone tell you that diet has no relationship to the gallbladder. Ample research tells us that our diet not only affects every cell in our body but obviously those of digestion. Even before the insulin link to the gallbladder was discovered just a few years ago (discussed in Part I) many natural physicians recognized the importance of diet on metabolism. So – Dietary and Lifestyle Risk Factors:

1)      Bad fats – these include the obvious partially hydrogenated “trans” fats but also those refined polyunsaturated vegetable oils that so many think are good to eat – corn, soy, canola, safflower, sunflower, peanut, cottonseed, and grapeseed. Deep fried foods are especially terrible for your gallbladder. Stick with the good fats please – coconut, eggs, extra virgin oil, fish and flax, butter and heavy cream (moderation) and raw nuts and seeds (moderation there too).

2)      Refined carbohydrates – these, along with the bad fats, are where the oxidation (free radical damage) and the inflammation comes from, and it can take its toll on the gallbladder because its effect on cholesterol. Read the cholesterol article I wrote for more on this. High fructose corn syrup – it’s the worst.

3)      Smoking – Unhealthy for your entire body and really takes its toll on the gallbladder too.

4)      Excess caffeine – yeah too much caffeine can stress out the gallbladder. How much is too much? That depends on the individual. For some it may be three cups of espresso and for another it may be one ounce of chocolate per day. If you’re having gallbladder problems just stop all caffeine until it’s better.

5)      Alcohol – again this is individualized but obviously too much alcohol is not healthy for your liver, gallbladder, or the rest of your body. Ladies – I don’t agree with those who say that it’s okay to drink two glasses of wine (red or white) per night. That’s excessive and I almost always see health problems with it. Stick to one max – and hopefully not every night. Pretty much the same rule applies to men too.

6)      Aspartame (Nutrasweet) and other excitotoxins (MSG) – this one is huge and I can’t tell you the number of patients I’ve seen who were diet soda addicts who had their gallbladder removed, (before seeing me), yet didn’t see any connection.

7)      NSAIDS – and other anti-inflammatories can take their toll on the liver and gallbladder. Other meds can too but NSAIDS more often, especially for chronic users.

8)      Birth control pills (BCP), hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and yes even the intrauterine device (IUD) – hormonal regulation and metabolism is a major factor when it comes to the liver and even the gallbladder – that’s why the “Fertile” is part of the medical risk factor. Estrogen dominance has a huge impact on the health of the gallbladder. Considering that estrogen and the mineral copper closely parallel one another, many women have copper toxicity problems due to estrogen dominance and then gallbladder problems because some of those bile salts are copper salts – that’s where the bile gets its green color from – copper! You don’t have to be on The Pill or taking hormones to have a gallbladder problem related to your hormones – it can be from inefficient hormonal detoxification. Guys too – you can have testosterone and estrogen problems.

• And women who have gone the route of an IUD for birth control, (which I feel is the worst form of birth control ever; they’re always a problem but that’s a story for another time), then the copper or the hormones in the IUD will impact the gallbladder – and the impact won’t be good. I’ve seen women who have unfortunately had their gallbladder removed because of gallbladder problems resulting from their IUD, both copper and hormonal types.

Self Help For Your Gallbladder

If you’re having gallbladder problems and it’s not an emergency situation, (let’s all use common sense here – don’t wait if you’re in dire straits – again, discussed in Part I), then the first thing to do is to follow the advice I just mentioned – change your diet and lifestyle and assess your risk factors.

Lemons, Beets, and Ginger – Oh My!

Lemons and beets are great foods for your liver and gallbladder – they help to keep bile healthy and non-viscous. So eating these foods regularly can be beneficial.

During an acute and uncomfortable, “attack” you can try sipping some lemon juice. Take one-half of a fresh squeezed lemon and mix it with about 6oz of water and sip it (don’t gulp it down) over the next 30 minutes. If it works, keep doing it until you’ve received full relief. Ginger works well too for some people, but more for nausea. Try to use real ginger root not those rolled in a lot of sugar. You can add it to a smoothie or juiced drink. Though if you only have access to some Ginger Ale that may get you by.

Hot or Cold?

You can also try a cold pack over the area of your gallbladder – the upper right quadrant of your abdomen. Place the cold pack about half way over your ribs and half over the abdomen. Don’t put ice directly on your skin or you may burn – but wrap in a paper towel or put over your clothing. Leave the ice on long enough to get a “numb” feeling and depending on the relief you get from it. If any area of your skin in the upper right quadrant of your abdomen feels warm to the touch, that is exactly where you should try to cool it down.

Obviously with the recommendations here if you keep having to do the same things over and over (ice or lemon juice) then you’re not figuring out the problem and just getting by with temporary relief. If the pain gets worse and worse – either that same day or with each subsequent attack – you should seek medical attention – right? (Answer = yes)

The Liver – Gallbladder Flush

I’ll briefly discuss “the flush” since I know many will ask about it if I don’t. It’s called the gallbladder flush though some call it a liver flush too. Some say they’ve saved themselves from surgery by doing a flush and many feel a lot better by cleaning out their liver and gallbladder with a flush. Others think the flush does nothing but give you diarrhea. I’ll let you be the judge. There are plenty of flush recipes out there and I have my own which I share with patients and I will not share in detail here. Do I think they work? Definitely, but not all the time and they’re not as necessary as you may think. But if you’re at wits end, “What do you have to lose?” Well not much unless you lodge a stone in your duct during the flush (rare) then you’re off to surgery. In my fifteen years of practice I’ve only recommended the flush a few times because of the way I approach digestive problems – treating, advising, and figuring out why the patient is having a problem, so I rarely need to go the flush route to see improvements. (And I have never had to have a patient have their gallbladder removed either.)

Yeah I hope hands were washed after…

Typically a flush is something like this: the patient drinks four glasses of pure organic apple juice per day for five days, then on the fifth day they fast briefly – 8 hours. Next they take a certain amount of magnesium or disodium phosphate. Finally they drink one-half cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice mixed with one-half cup of extra virgin olive oil just before bed. Then they sleep laying on their right side with their knees tucked into the chest for at least 30 minutes.  The next morning, they have a bowel movement where they may pass a number of green and brown pebbles/stones said to be stones flushed from the biliary system – and some people catch these in a colander and post them on-line for other to see (unnecessary but true). They may pass several very large stones or thousands or small pebbles – or nothing at all! Fun times.

That’s a general idea of a liver-gallbladder flush. Try it if you see fit but remember you still need to change your dietary and lifestyle habits to resolve your gallbladder problem(s) but hopefully you will not be another victim who is told they “definitely need to have their gallbladder removed but it’s okay because it’s not a necessary organ”.

Gallbladder Physiology: Bile is so Good for You

Let’s take a brief lesson in gallbladder physiology here, and I’ll make it interesting and relevant to your everyday health. The gallbladder is a small organ that sits tucked up underneath the liver in the upper right side of your abdomen. It concentrates and stores bile produced by the liver, and along with the enzyme lipase secreted by the pancreas, it aids in the digestion of fats in the gut. When fats from food enter the digestive tract they stimulate the secretion of a type of hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK) in the upper part of the small intestine – the duodenum. This, along with the stomach’s secretion of hydrochloric acid, signals the gallbladder to release some of its approximately 50mL of bile into the gut to help aid in digestion of those fats. Since by most, it’s viewed as a “storage tank” and nothing more, it’s often seen as only a nuisance when it comes to digestive problems and pain – expendable at the first sight of problems and removable with surgical ease. But there’s so much more to it than just storage.

Bile is a lovely dark green/yellow-brown fluid and contains about 10% bile salts. The bile acids (salts) have a strong relationship to hormonal regulation as they share many of the same synthesis pathways as hormones. This is why people with hormonal problems, especially women with estrogen dominance, are more susceptible to gallbladder problems. The more hormonal stress on the body the lower the bile acids which in turn disrupts normal hormonal metabolism. It’s not a coincidence that many women have their gallbladder removed at the same time they have a hysterectomy.

Speaking of hormones, just a few years ago it was demonstrated that the gallbladder also plays a role in insulin regulation and that β-like cells that produce insulin in the pancreas also occur in the gallbladder. Insulin is also metabolized by the liver and can therefore have an effect on the bile salts – so diets high in refined carbohydrates and those with insulin resistance will also be more likely to have troubles with their gallbladder.

Bile also increases the absorption of fats and especially the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. We all know the push for vitamin D by every doctor and health food store today. Consider that if you have an unhealthy gallbladder then your absorption of vitamin D, as well as the other fat soluble vitamins necessary for good health, will also be impaired. So just because your vitamin D level may be low as revealed by a blood test, doesn’t mean you should go vitamin D supplement-crazy; that’s not necessarily addressing the problem.

Bile and Cholesterol

A small percentage of bile is cholesterol but the majority of bile acid is made from cholesterol; actually about half of the cholesterol our body makes per day is used to make bile acid. These bile acids are recycled from the intestines and back to the liver and gallbladder. However if there are problems with digestion, such as an all-too-common poor diet, then the salts can become “dirty” – the bile becomes thick like a vehicle’s oil that is way past the oil change date.

Stones in the gallbladder

Eventually this thick, dirty bile can accumulate and form a gallstone, also known as a cholelithiasis. Usually these stones contain some or a significant amount of cholesterol, so it’s often cholesterol that gets blamed for causing the stones when really it’s an issue with oxidative stress, inflammation, and digestive problems caused by other factors, (discussed in a bit).  Gallstones in the gallbladder can lead to cholecystitis, which is an inflammatory condition of the gallbladder. The stones leaving the gallbladder can also obstruct the bile ducts which can be life threatening, especially if a stone blocks the pancreatic duct leading to pancreatitis.

Also, low levels of bile salts can be a reason for gallstones; this problem would ultimately fall on a production problem with the liver.

Should You Remove Your Gallbladder – You Don’t Need it Anyway (?)

The surgical removal of the gallbladder is called a cholecystectomy. This is a common procedure that with rare exception, is unnecessary and does not address the problem. Some people who have had their gallbladder removed will see absolutely no change in their symptoms while others may have their symptoms 100% resolved. Others who have had a cholecystectomy may no longer be able to eat high fat foods as their body is unable to handle too much fat digestion at once due to the removal of their bile storage tank. However, the body in its infinite wisdom can often form a new little storage pouch in the area of the common bile duct to store some bile for when it’s needed.

So how do you know if your gallbladder is at the point of becoming a life threatening emergency or you’re simply experiencing gallbladder troubles that perhaps can be dealt with in a non-surgical manner? Well, without giving specific medical advice for every situation, a good rule is to look at the severity of the signs and symptoms. Someone who is having a gallstone attack typically has pain in the upper right side of the abdomen and/or pain in-between the shoulder blades, more often below the right shoulder. It’s uncomfortable and can get to the point of being very painful. Sometimes nausea and vomiting can occur which can last for minutes to hours. Now if the pain and vomiting get worse and worse then you should of course seek medical attention. (Gallbladder attacks and heart attacks can have very similar symptoms – heart attacks don’t always have pain down the left arm only.) Typically gallbladder attacks don’t just come out of nowhere where the person never had any symptoms of a gallbladder problem and now all of a sudden they have a huge stone lodged in their bile duct. So you have to know the symptoms of poor gallbladder function so you can address the issue before it gets too out of hand.

Gallbladder referred pain areas

When Your Gallbladder Isn’t Working Too Well – Gall Bladder Problems: Signs & Symptoms

There are many signs and symptoms of a gallbladder that isn’t functioning very well and most people just think they’re common “normal” symptoms so they think nothing more of it. Then, “all of a sudden” they get a major gallbladder attack and are puzzled as to how it could have happened to them. Well, I’m hopefully going to keep you from being surprised!

• Constipation. Yes, a major reason for constipation is a poorly functioning gallbladder. When fat enters the small intestine it has to be metabolized by those bile salts and the lipase from the pancreas; (you learned this already, right?). But if the bile isn’t released efficiently from the gallbladder then the food and its fatty contents must wait longer and longer in the small intestine to be metabolized. So they wait. And wait. And wait. And you get constipated. So don’t necessarily think that you need more fiber, or you need probiotics if you’re constipated – consider your gallbladder.

• Aside from constipation and the referred pain areas discussed (upper right abdomen and right shoulder area), another symptom of an unhappy gallbladder is burping after or while eating a meal – especially one containing fat. Typically this person will also feel “heavy” and even perhaps bloated if they’re having problems digesting a fatty meal because their gallbladder isn’t doing its job. Burping can be from eating too quickly too but burping from a gallbladder problem usually accompanies heaviness.

• Another symptom of a gallbladder issue is peeling of the skin on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. This is due to an inefficient fat metabolism system as well as metabolism problems with vitamin A (fat soluble). I’ve seen patients present with some pretty wild looking palm and sole peeling that nobody was ever able to understand why. This too, is often a gallbladder problem.

• Finally, and I discuss this in my articles on sleep, the horary time (acupuncture meridian) for the gallbladder is 11pm to 1am. So if you can’t fall asleep until after 1am or if you’re asleep before 11pm but then awaken between 11pm-1am it could very well mean your gallbladder is stressed. Also note that liver is next, from 1-3am, and this is the most common time a person has sleep difficulties for many, many reasons – caffeine, hormones, stress, medications – just to name a few, and all these can also affect the gallbladder too as well as bile production in the liver.

In Part II of Gallbladder Health I’ll discuss how to prevent problems with your gallbladder as well as natural treatments for optimum function of your gallbladder PLUS emergency help to calm down or resolve a gallbladder crisis.

Probiotics Naturally in Your Food                      

Around 100 years ago a Russian scientist named Élie Metchnikoff based much of his research upon the benefits of probiotic organisms that were naturally found in foods. Back then nobody had a pill of healthy bugs to pop – they were getting their probiotics from fermented “sour” milk and various cheeses. It’s the bacteria in milk that live off the milk sugar (lactose) and convert it to lactic-acid, spoiling the milk, and even eventually making cheese. Metchnikoff realized that those consuming this sour milk in countries such as Russia and Bulgaria lived exceptionally long, healthy lives. Today, consuming buttermilk, yogurt, kefir and other naturally fermented foods are rich in probiotics.

The Benefits of Fermented Foods

Fermented foods improve digestion and help balance gut bacteria. While some cultures still drink sour milk and eat fermented fish sauce we now have products such as Kombucha (fermented tea) to make it more readily available and convenient. Chocolate is actually a type of fermented food, (cacao beans are fermented), as is soy sauce and sauerkraut. Yogurt is fermented to some degree, especially the Greek types, and kefir and aged cheese are too. There’s many, many more different types of fermented foods to make or choose from that may benefit your gut health and help your gut bacteria survive and multiply.

Fecal Transplants

Fast forward 100 years and although most of the medical community still doesn’t recognize the importance of probiotics, some are beginning to take note. After all, there is a lot of untouched revenue in the probiotic market. Currently, if you want to talk about taking things to the extreme, there are actually physicians performing fecal transplants here in the USA. Yeah, that’s right – doctors are taking a stool sample from a “healthy subject” and “transplanting” it into the gut of an unhealthy subject to treat their bowel troubles – whether they’re suffering from an infection or inflammatory condition. So we have physicians who are still claiming quackery and placebo effects with probiotics but taking fecal material from one person and putting it into the gut of another person; it’s apparently okay since it’s a medical procedure. Metchnikoff had it right in the 1900s – get your healthy bugs from foods and by eating a healthy diet, (which was much more common 100 years ago).

Mapping The Gut

A lot of amazing research is currently being done in the world of gut health. Scientists are able to map out the bacteria that live in our gut just like they can map our DNA. We have millions of these beneficial bacteria in our digestive tract but only roughly around 160 different strains per person. Most people know about acidophilus and bifidus and lactis – they’re common names – do you know the other several hundred?! We also now know that the appendix isn’t just an organ that’s hanging off our colon waiting to become infected, but a reservoir of healthy bacteria available for the body to call upon them as needed – it’s a like a home for the National Guard.

Probiotics Like a Nice Home to Live In

So we know that gut bacteria are a good thing – but just like fiber, as I discussed last week (here), more isn’t necessarily better. A lot of people are lacking healthy gut bugs and/or have unhealthy digestive tracts because of what they’re eating (or not eating), not because they’re not taking their daily probiotic. Probiotics will keep your digestive tract healthy but there are many other factors involved in the health of your gut too.

If your diet is horrendous and subsequently your gut is suffering, no amount of additional probiotics is going to fix your problem. Sure, some may help, but you’re merely treating the symptom. It’s usually more important and effective to focus on removing the gut problem whether that’s a dietary-food problem, infection (yeast, bad bacteria, parasite), emotional stress (also discussed in the fiber article), or any other gut trouble. Once the offender is removed, then probiotics may help, and if they do, then a healthy person with a healthy gut should not always need to keep taking them.

If your gut is unhealthy, think of it like the bad neighborhood in town. Not too many good people are going to live, or want to live, in this neighborhood. If you force them to live there, a few may stay but most will leave, or get killed off; (yeah my make-believe neighborhood is hard core).  Now if you help out by getting rid of a lot of the bad folks and cleaning up the streets (lowering inflammation) then the good people will start to move in, and they’ll stay. Better yet, once they move in they’ll start to reproduce and eventually make up the majority of the population! But if you never deal with some cleanup and getting the bad guys out then most likely the good guys will not last. So if you have to always take probiotics (good guys) it’s because you’re not addressing the bad guys and the infrastructure of your gut. Yes, sometimes you can just take in billions and billions of good guys and they’ll clean the area up, but it’s uncommon – that’s not their job – they’re better at keeping the peace rather than acting as a military force.

Probiotics After Antibiotics?

This is a question I often get – “Do I take probiotics before, during, or after an antibiotic?” My answer is that it’s always individualized. Usually taking them with an antibiotic is not going to be a problem but it’s impossible to say how much of the probiotic is going to be destroyed by the antibiotic. Taking them after, with the thought that the antibiotic destroyed many of the good bacteria in the gut which now needs to be replaced, is not necessarily a given either. It’s also impossible to estimate how much of the healthy gut bacteria, and which ones, will be destroyed by the antibiotic. Not only that – how many probiotic supplements have all 160 species that live in YOUR gut? The answer is of course none of them are that ideal just for you. So taking a supplement of four to five different strands of bugs is simply a guess at best, not necessarily a bad guess, but still a guess.

Prebiotics With Your Probiotics?

Many probiotic companies add in prebiotics such as inulin and FOS (fructooligosaccharides) to their supplements with the rationale that these substances help the probiotics survive and reproduce in your gut. Yes, that’s true, but realize that theses same substances may also feed any bad bacteria just as much. For this reason, I never use probiotics with any inulin, FOS, or any other prebiotic with my patients. They’re completely unnecessary and the risks are too great. Most people with gut problems have (bad) bacteria overgrowth already; they don’t need to feed that process. I discuss this in the fiber article too and also in more detail in the FODMAPS article.

Which Types of Probiotic are Best and How Much Do You Take?

There are so many different types, brands, and stands of probiotics out there to choose from I cannot give specifics on which ones are the best. However, you should shoot for a supplement of at least 20 billion (not million) per capsule and one with no inulin or FOS. And remember, as I’ve discussed, if you always need to take your probiotic to feel well, although that’s better than not feeling well or needing a medication to ease your gut troubles, you’re missing something that is causing some gut distress and you should focus your efforts on figuring that out. Keep your gut healthy and happy!

I’m not at all saying that fiber isn’t important. It is, but if you’re going through your day thinking about the 35+ grams you need to get in by nightfall to hopefully have a good bowel movement (BM), well, that’s a crappy way to live and I mean that in more way than one.

I don’t think it’s all that necessary to go too deep into fiber basics here – everybody has access to Google and Wikipedia. But I think it’s important to state the basics about fiber before I discuss what I feel are much more important things to consider when it comes to gut health and your overall health. But first:

Fiber Basics & Highlights

• Fiber is the part of food from various plants that your body doesn’t digest. There are two types: Soluble and Insoluble. Soluble is the type that get’s fermented in your gut. In other words, too much of this type of fiber makes you all gassy and smelly and no fun to be around. Insoluble fiber is the type that gives more bulk to your feces – which is what most people think of when they think of fiber.
• Soluble fiber is mostly from foods on the FODMAPS Diet list. Many people with digestive problems are sensitive to FODMAP foods and therefore they can’t eat too many of them or they have problems ranging from fatigue to bloating to even Crohn’s Disease. Yes – this is from too much soluble fiber – the same stuff that is supposed to help with these problems. But it doesn’t always work that way. Prune juice (yum), that many are told to drink to try and have a BM, is soluble fiber – so it doesn’t provide bulk to the stool as is often thought. Psyllium is similar – it is mostly soluble fiber. So those taking Metamucil every day to have a BM are eating mostly soluble fiber, not insoluble. Perhaps your intake of too much soluble fiber is having an irritating effect to your gut giving you the impression that you’re having a healthy BM because you’re not constipated. In other words – your body is unable to handle the heavy load of fiber you’re eating and it’s trying to get rid of it as quickly as possible. That’s not healthy as you’ll have impaired nutrient absorption and perhaps even gut inflammation. This would be like saying you have good energy during the day because you drink a few cups of coffee every morning. It’s a false sense of health.
• Prebiotics are a type of soluble fiber and many take these in supplement forms, (inulin and FOS – fructooligosaccharides), as they are touted to help with the colonization of probiotics (healthy bacteria) in the gut. Though this is true, I never use them in my practice because more people adversely react to them than those who benefit and you can still colonize the healthy gut bacteria just fine without additional prebiotic supplementation.
• Essentially, most foods have both types of fiber: Insoluble fiber is found in many of the same foods as where soluble fiber is found but even more so in the skins of those fruits and vegetables (and starches).

Fiber and Cholesterol

A lot of the fiber push in our society is based on the erroneous fear that we’re all going to die from high cholesterol and the lower you can get your cholesterol the better. This is, of course, unsupported by any evidence which I discuss here – low cholesterol can be more harmful than high cholesterol. This is not to say that fiber isn’t important for healthy cholesterol levels; actually it’s very good at lowering the “bad” LDL cholesterol which is easily oxidized and responsible for diseases such as atherosclerosis. Now, unfortunately we are told by the media and many doctors that the best way to get cholesterol-lowering fiber is through oat bran and other “whole grain” products. However, these sources are often very harmful to our health, even low amounts in some people, as the excess carbohydrates outweigh the soluble fiber benefits by increasing inflammation in the body and even decreasing nutrient absorption. Additionally many people are gluten sensitive (wheat, rye, barley, and some oats).  Fruits and vegetables are the best ways to get your soluble (and insoluble) fiber.

To What Extent Is Fiber Even Necessary for a Good, Healthy BM?

I’m now in my fifteenth year of practice and I have not once recommended to a patient that they need to consume more fiber. I am always working with patients with various digestive problems ranging from bloating to colitis and everything in between. I often make dietary changes and suggestions and use various treatment therapies including nutrients to help a person’s gut heal. But never have I had to even mention the word fiber unless it was to ask them to stop taking their fiber supplement as many people don’t need them or they take too much. You see, if you eat a healthy diet then you’re going to get all the fiber you need. A truly healthy diet is discussed a bit later.

It’s All in Your Head

Here’s something that not too many people talk about – the fact that your gut is your second brain. Your digestive tract – from your mouth all the way to the other end (your anus) – has a mind of its own. The nerve cells in your gut act independently from the brain in your head but they must communicate and cooperate with one another. This is why people get stomach “butterflies” or a “nervous stomach.” It’s also a reason why people sometimes get constipation and diarrhea. Actually, constipation and diarrhea have a whole lot more to do with lifestyle factors and NOT fiber. Want to start to heal your gut and have normal, healthy BMs? It’s more about how you live, (and eat too), than the oat bran, psyllium husk, and other high fiber foods.

Here’s another fun fact for you to wrap your head, or in this case your gut, around: The majority of your neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) are made in your gut but used by your brain. So if your diet is a disaster and your gut is a mess you will have trouble making important mood chemicals such as serotonin, which is what so many people have an imbalance of leading them to seek out drugs such as Prozac, Paxil, and Lexapro to fight their depression. So if you’re popping Prozac while drinking your Diet Coke and eating Cheetos then you really have some soul searching to do.

Case History:  Early on in my practice I saw this guy who was suffering from constipation. He had a BM approximately one time a week, at best. (As a side note: “Normal” is at least once a day for both men and women, though I had a woman tell me once with certainty that “only guys have BMs every day as every one of her girlfriends only goes two times a week”.) I treated the guy and discussed some dietary changes and sent him on his way with a follow-up appointment for one week later. He returned a week later and reported something very interesting. He said that after he left my office he had a BM later that day, (I have that effect on people), but then did not have another BM until five days later and then had another one on the sixth day and again on the seventh day before seeing me. I thought I had fixed his problem but really I hadn’t. What happened was on the fourth day he lost his job, which he despised, so it was actually a huge relief for him to be forced out of what he couldn’t stand to do every day. The day after he was laid off his gut issues ended. The emotional toll (stress) on his nervous system was overriding his gut’s nervous system – his second brain.

Sympathetic or Parasympathetic?

Being too stressed out – whether you’re living a lifestyle that is too emotionally draining for you, (long commute to work, long work hours, a job you hate, a boss you hate, family issues), consuming poor food, (too much caffeine, refined sugar, bad fats, artificial preservatives – Splenda is terrible for your digestive tract), or dealing with a lot of physical stress, (past or current pain and injuries, exercising too often or intensely), will all affect your nervous system as well as your hormonal system. Too much stress which accumulates over time will put you in a sympathetic overload – this is that “fight or flight” reaction you may have learned about in school. Sleep problems, body aches and pains, feeling old, sexual dysfunctions, and a host of other symptoms occur when you’re under too much stress, and yes, gut problems are paramount. Some people get diarrhea or loose stools while other people get constipated. Is the solution to consume more Colon Blow Cereal? How about more prune juice or popping  another laxative? Definitely not. The way to fix these problems is to address the cause(s) – that of your sympathetic nervous system overriding your parasympathetic nervous system – what some refer to as the “rest and digest” nervous system. You don’t try to push or stimulate the gut, (the parasympathetic), when you’re sympathetic dominant; that’s like trying to blow a golf ball through a garden hose.

Magazines, Magnesium, and Caffeine

If you have magazines or any other reading material, (including this article), in your bathroom to read while you’re on The John then you’ve got problems. It shouldn’t take you that long to have a BM. If you need to drink coffee (caffeine) to have a BM then that’s not normal either. A lot of individuals have an overactive gastrocolic reflex – which is the stomach telling the colon that food is on its way and to plan on emptying soon. So they eat something that irritates/overstimulates the reflex and the colon flushes out. Also if you take a supplement like magnesium to have a BM that’s also not healthy or normal. Yes, it’s better to take some magnesium than some other laxative and probably better than not having a BM, but don’t fool yourself into thinking that you’re correcting the problem. A magnesium deficiency won’t make you constipated, so although taking magnesium might stimulate the bowels, (as will high amounts of vitamin C), it shouldn’t be used in such a manner.

Final Gut Health Key Points Before We Flush

The three most important points to take from this, which you hopefully found both informative and entertaining, are:

1. Fiber is not the most important aspect of gut health and a healthy BM
2. The stress on your nervous system is the influential aspect of gut health and a healthy BM
3. Your gut is your second brain. Take care of it by:
   1. Eating well – healthy, unrefined fats, clean protein, unrefined carbohydrates, organic fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and plenty of clean water. A healthy diet will provide you with adequate soluble and insoluble fiber. I like a Paleo-Type Diet.
      1. Fats: Coconut Oil & Milk. Eggs. Butter & Cream. Fish & Flax Oil. Raw Nuts & Seeds. Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
      2. Protein: Undenatured Whey. Pasture Beef & Poultry. Eggs. Wild Fish.
      3. Carbs: Lots of Veges. 1-2 Servings Raw Fruit. Sparingly: Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Rice, and Corn.
      4. Sweets & Treats: 80%+ Chocolate. Honey. Real Maple Syrup. Coconut & Almond Flour. Real Butter.
   2. Reducing as much emotional stress as you can in your entire life
   3. Exercising aerobically; anaerobically when you’re ready
   4. Sleeping well

Thanks for reading and guys don’t forget to put the toilet seat back down.