Posts tagged Leaky Gut
Leaky Gut: What it is and How to Know if you Have One

The term "leaky gut" has been thrown around a lot lately.

Do you think you may have one? How do you know? And if you do, what can you do about it?

Leaky gut can be linked to many different conditions; especially ones related to the gut and chronic inflammation. While there may not be one definitive test to diagnose a leaky gut just yet, there are some known dietary and lifestyle factors that can make it better or worse.

In this week’s blog post, I’ll dive into those factors right after telling you a bit about what it is, how it occurs, and what some of the common symptoms are.

Plus, you’re in for a treat this week. I’m also sharing one of my favourite chicken broth recipes that is slow-cooked and oh so comforting!

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Improving Brain Health Through the Gut

How does an unhappy gut equate to an unhappy brain? I’m sure you’ve heard of the gut-brain axis by now.

But just how closely linked is the health of our gut to the health of our brain? How can one affect the other? And, most importantly, how can we use the health of our gut to improve that of our brain?

Keep reading to find out!

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Feeding the Autistic Brain

Welcome to my new series highlighting nutritional guidelines for specific conditions.

We all know that certain foods are better for us than others, but when dealing with a learning disability, neurological disorder, mental health issue, or other condition, consuming the right foods while avoiding certain others can have a huge impact on outcome.

This week, we start with autism and what to feed the autistic brain. Read on to discover some do’s and don’ts when feeding autism and why certain foods can have a huge impact on daily life.

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Celiac Disease: Living Gluten-Free after Diagnosis

Yes, a celiac diagnosis changes everything. This section is designed to help you navigate through all the hype and educate you about gluten, where it’s often hidden, and how to avoid cross-contamination to help get you started you on your journey to better health.

The first step is recognizing that if you have celiac disease, you must adopt a gluten-free diet for life - and “cheating” on this kind of diet when you have celiac disease spells disaster.

The second step is to educate yourself. You need to be aware of what gluten is, which foods contain it, and how to avoid cross-contamination so you don’t get sick.

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Celiac Disease: Signs and Symptoms that May Surprise You!

When most people think of celiac disease, they immediately think of the common digestive symptoms that manifest if gluten is consumed, including diarrhea, gas and bloating. But there are many other less common, or “atypical” signs and symptoms of the disease - some of which may surprise you. Could you be suffering from one of them?

In honour of May being Celiac Awareness Month, let’s dive right into the disease, test your knowledge of celiac, and examine symptoms during Part 1 of my series on celiac disease. Then be sure to return next week for part 2 of this series to learn how to live gluten-free healthfully.

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How Stress Messes With Your Health: The Ugly Truth

Not all stress is bad. In fact, stress can save our lives. Your natural fight-or-flight response is crucial to help you get out of a dangerous situation alive.

And even the hormones produced in response to stress, including cortisol, adrenaline, and epinephrine, aren’t always bad either. Their levels change throughout the course of the day in response to various challenges you face, including waking up in the morning (yes, that is a form of stress), dealing with traffic, managing an unruly child, or being showered with a birthday surprise.

During times when you feel stressed, various hormones (cortisol included) are released. And once the stressful event is over, levels should return back to normal.

This form of acute (or temporary) stress usually won’t mess with your health too much. It is your body’s natural reaction to circumstances, and, as discussed, can be a good thing.

When the “threat” (a.k.a. “stressor”) is gone, the reaction subsides, and all is well.

It's the chronic, or long-term stress that's a problem.

You see, your body has specific stress reactions. If these stress reactions are triggered every day or many times a day and cortisol levels are never allowed to subside, your health will pay the price.

This kind of stress (and the stress hormones that go along with it) can have a huge impact on every aspect of your health.

Let's dive into this "stress mess.”

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Celiac Disease is an Autoimmune Condition: What You Need to Know

May is Celiac disease awareness month.

Celiac disease, an extreme manifestation of gluten sensitivity, occurs when an allergic reaction to gluten causes small intestinal damage. It is the most severe reaction anyone can have to gluten, and is more prevalent than you may think, as most people who have this disease are never actually diagnosed.

For those of you who have been diagnosed with celiac disease, it’s likely that you already know what it is and how it impacts your life. For others, this is the opportunity to learn the truth about celiac disease, symptoms associated with it, and how it manifests itself.

In this week’s blog post, I’ll discuss how celiac disease, an autoimmune condition, may arise, common myths about the disease, and provide you a list of food/ingredients containing gluten that all celiacs must avoid.


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How You Can Improve Your Digestion Naturally

How to Improve Digestion Naturally: Restoring your gut health can be as simple as incorporating the right foods into your diet. Keep reading to learn how to improve digestion naturally.

How often have you finished a meal and felt bloated, been gassy, had cramps or acid reflux, or felt just plain uncomfortable? It happens to everyone from time to time, and it can be a sign that your digestive system isn't working the way it should.

If it happens to you regularly, it may be time to make some lasting changes.

Your digestive system is a delicate balance of chemical reactions. Having one element thrown out of whack can wreak havoc on many aspects of your health, not to mention leaving you feeling very uncomfortable. But taking medicine for these problems all the time may not be right for you - or the approach you want to take.

If you're looking to improve digestion naturally, read on for several tips you may just want to try.

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