Showing posts with label Gut Dysbiosis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gut Dysbiosis. Show all posts

Monday, March 30, 2015

Gut Guardians Postcast: Episode 16 – (Part 2) Thyroid Help with Robin Treasure

Gut Guardians Postcast: Episode 16 – (Part 2) Thyroid Help with Robin Treasure


Robin Treasure in Part 2 offers her insights on how our guts might play a role in our thyroid health. She advises on the proper testings to diagnose a potential leaky gut causing poor adrenals. Yet another reason to keep your gut sealed up nice and tight.
Be sure to check out Robin Treasures new program ‘Restore!’ to help build and nurture a healthier lifestyle.

Don’t forget to leave any comments or suggestions!
Enjoy!

Show Notes:
Klaire Probiotics


Tuesday, March 10, 2015

uBiome Analysis: Microbiome Hacking to Improve Gluten Intolerance and Acne

uBiome Blog

Our co-blog and Elijah's post on his recent gut uBiome results, here, at uBiome's blog today.

His extended version at his blog: Microbiome Initial Data -- I Need a Recount
"Observationally, I have noticed several changes so far. First and best, is that my sleep has been incredible. I fall asleep easily, sleep through the night and wake up with a pep in my step. Second, my appetite is lower. I feel full all the time. My energy levels are good. There is marginal fluctuation throughout the day. Third, my poop is more regular both in consistency and frequency."

His earlier post at uBiome: How to Poop Well.

Eli's uBiome 10% off referral code
http://ubiome.refr.cc/X4D28CW



[Side B: extended version, lol]

Microbiota Hacking

Thank you Elijah for the generous introduction! I appreciate your enthusiasm and reaching out to me to collaborate on maximizing gut health and your 100 trillion friends.

Looking at uBiome stool analyses helps me to map out the bacterial terrain and landscape in the intestines. It is a ground breaking tool that I’m so grateful for. I look for landmarks and clues that tie in with published pyrosequencing studies.

Elijah is an elite athlete with superior performance and 8-9% body fat. I almost doubted that we could further improve any biometrics (sleep, skin, mood, performance), but, naturally, when we look at the modern dysbiotic gut, everything can be improved. Modern guts are particularly vulnerable because they are being assaulted from all sides everyday. Therefore several simple and easy improvements can dramatically reset overall health by emphasizing our gut.

Our gut is the initial site of nearly all disease (besides pure poisons). Our hunger, hormones, happiness chemicals and energy regulators all are controlled or composed by this master regulator organ that gut researchers call the ‘second brain’. Scientists report 80% of immunity is housed in the intestines. In my estimates, the gut doesn’t control all health, 24/7 all the time, but when it is disrupted, then ALL health may be disrupted. Whether you are an elite athlete like Elijah or a high-level executive or a super tiger-mom, a healthy gut lays the foundation for overflowing health, youthful energy, leanness and longevity.

Our modern lifestyles lend characteristic changes in the microbiome – depletions of vital good flora and overgrowths of opportunistic pathogens. I call the good microflora ‘gut guardians’ because these protect our gut from birth until death. Their absence signals death, whether it’s a slow, gradual, perpetual and mildly painful death or a more chronic course riddled by the common American standbys: cancer, cardiovascular disease, autoimmunity, joint degeneration, or diabetes-obesity.

Elijah’s gut profile exhibits the losses which everyone frequently experiences as a result of processed, refined carbohydrates, high sugar diets and use of antibiotics which were given for chronic ear infections as a child. His birth was C-section and studies show a lack of transfer of mom’s good microflora such as Bifidobacteria longum to baby without a vaginal birth.

Landmarks that stand out on Elijah's gut microbiota uBiome analysis:
  • low biodiversity (low phyla and species counts)
  • depleted gut guardians which secure longevity and leanness by maintaining metabolism and a tight intestinal barrier
             o Bifidobacteria (part of Actinobacteria: 3-fold below normal)
             o Bifidobacteria longum (180-fold below optimal;
                but at least its there! yay!)
             o Bacteroides (3-fold below normal)
             o Christensenella
             o Akkermansia
  • increased potential opportunistic bacterial overgrowths
             o Corynebacteria pathogens (possibly skin related)
             o Proteobacteria pathogens (6-fold more than average) including
                Cronobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, E coli, Bilophila






Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. In the side diagram, you can see how Elijah’s gut scored: doing well for producing butyrate, a fuel of the colonocytes, the cells that line the colon. Faecalibacterium prausnitzii is exuberantly represented. Most healthy humans have 3-10% or more and Elijah’s gut is no exception. His gut also houses plenty of Lachnospiraceae (34.64412%) and Pseudobutyrivibrio (8.86619%) This consortia of robust butyrate-producers may partly explain Elijah’s resistance to gaining fat and other dysbiosis-related disorders. Author of the Epidemic of Absence, Moises Velasqueze-Manoff, recently wrote an essay reviewing the vital anti-inflammatory role F. prausnitzii plays in protecting human health, ‘Among Trillions of Microbes in the Gut, a Few Are Special’.




Reviewing Elijah’s uBiome Results: ABSENT ALLIES

Bifidobacteria longum (part of Actinobacteria). The loss of Bifidobacteria longum by antibiotic drugs and poor dietary choices (sugar, unfermented gluten) contributes to increased gut permeability and subsequent spilling of microbial toxins and cell wall parts through the ‘porous’ barrier into circulation. The consequences are low-grade inflammation, oxidative stress, mood changes, and disease (food allergies, bloating, digestive disorders, acne, etc). Fortunately, prebiotic fiber and probiotics can selectively boost and grow these tender populations. Health and well-being track well with improvements in bacterial parameters in my clinical experiences.

How To Boost
Bifidobacteria longum, Roseburia,
Akkermansia muciniphila,
and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii
For Gut Barrier Restoration and Pathogen Resistance

Geurts et al 2013

Proteobacteria and other pathogens. A few potential opportunistic pathogens were identified. With gut guardians and allies, these easily overgrow at the first opportunity. Many of these may be gently weeded out and replaced by the populations missing, which will be stimulated by probiotics and special fiber. Normal skin microbiota residents are Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium (previously part of Corynebacteria), Propionibacterium, Streptococcus, and Pseudomonas. In acne, microbiota sequencing and culture studies show higher Corynebacteria, Staphylococcus epidermis, Propionibacterium acnes, and fungal Malassezia in skin lesions.

Elijah’s gut apparently showed detectable levels of Corynebacterium amycolatum (0.00499%) which is sometimes associated with opportunistic hospital infections. The gut profile also shows possibly suboptimal concentrations of 4 Proteobacteria implicated in dysbiosis, colitis and food poisoning:
  • Cronobacter sakazakii (12.51294%)
  • Bilophila wadsworthia (0.08107%)
  • Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Agona (0.00499%)
  • Shigella flexneri (0.00249%)





Fecal Facts For The Skin-Gut

Our goal to improve the skin and work from the inside out, starting with shifting the gut microbiota, 100 trillion friends. This is also the progressive new thinking in dermatology:
“In the treatment of acne, one of the prevailing tenets has revolved around the eradication of a bacterium known as Propionibacterium acnes… Rather than non-specific chemical destruction of P. acnes, with its far reaching effects on the human microbiome, investigators are exploring the possibility of utilising non-pathogenic bacteria to improve the skin, with collateral benefits to the gastrointestinal tract and the psyche as well.”



Disease or Defense?

With the lack of protection in the gut, bacterial and parasitic overgrowths may partially degrade the single-cell layer barrier in the small intestines (upper gut) where we absorb the vast majority of digested food and nutrients. Havoc and competition further lower the bacterial sentinels which everyday seal and maintain the barrier layer against being leaky and open.

An environment harmful for health ensues. Food and intestinal yeasts and bacteria may breach and ‘leak’ into the blood and lymph circulation which alarm the immune system, producing large amounts of silent inflammation which adverse affects many organ systems: liver, fat, and muscles. Instead of efficiently burning fat, the body burns other things, sugar and muscles.

An endless cycle begins. For many, the joints and muscles are affected (discomfort, arthritis, swelling, sarcopenia). Invariable digestion and food intolerances are ‘ground zero’ type of symptoms (excess gas, loose bowels, constipation, stomach aches). Gluten, soy, corn and dairy may produce bloating and/or brain fog. For some the skin microbiome is affected (acne, psoriasis or eczema). Our central nervous systems never go untouched with modern gut dysbiosis; headaches, mood fluctuations, fear, hunger, and cravings are hallmarks of mangled microbiotas that I observe.



Skin-Gut Microbiota Manipulation

The goals stated by Elijah are two-fold:
(1) reverse intolerance to gluten which causes bloating and
(2) improve mild acne on back

What we will do is enhance what the gut already has and repair-renovate what is broken. We discussed considering additions to the great smoothie blend that have been shown in humans to heal the gut and immunity rapidly (add 1-2 of the below). The below ‘feed and breed’ diversity in the gut microbiota including the specific species that are missing (Bifidobacteria longum, Akkermansia and Eubacteria).

Choose a personal diverse combinational blend of prebiotic fiber:
Elijah did all the below except GOS.

1/4 tsp glucomannan (in 2 cups water; maximum dose ½ tsp; avoid if any trouble swallowing or drinking water, will swell 20-fold in volume)
1 tsp acacia
1 tsp arabinogalactan
1 tsp modified citrus pectin
1 tsp GOS (Bimuno or  Jarro Baby Dophilus 1 tsp = 2.4 g GOS)
1 tsp inulin-FOS
1 TBS psyllium
1 TBS cocoa

To seed-weed the proverbial gardens in our gut and crowd out modern potential pathogens, I often guide people to consider rebuilding the gut with health-promoting probiotics and gently weeding with short-term, combination botanicals. For skin I have a couple of tricks which speed healing in the gut. These would empirically target pathogens whilst specifically restructuring what is often missing. They all lower the quiet ‘fires’ of inflammation.

Consider for one month a skin-gut regimen:
--Berberine 500mg twice daily (Thorne)
--Neem 2 caps daily (Himalaya)
--Grape seed extract Trader Joe's 50mg, 4 daily (or 2 twice daily)
--Liver detoxifier (NOW foods) 2 daily

Elijah decided to go with all the above for the skin regimen and for probiotics decided on Bifidus Balance +FOS (Jarrow) and Primal Flora Ultra High Potency (Mark’s Daily Apple). The ability to breakdown casein (dairy) and gluten-gliadin (wheat) may come down to what is in our guts and what isn't. The above probiotics contain strains which can help in digesting and degrading these potentially allergenic food peptides that induce food allergies, similar to what Elijah experiences. Primal Flora UHP is a soil based organisms probiotic (SBO) containing 10 billion CFU. Our recent ancestors  had daily exposures to dust and dirt which contain these species. SBOs are one of the best ways to 'seed' the gut with bacteria aligned to our ancient past and better ability digest a range of plant fiber including small quantities of dairy and gluten.

Stay tuned!






References:

Christensen, Gitte Julie Møller, and Holger Brüggemann. "Bacterial skin commensals and their role as host guardians." Beneficial microbes 5.2 (2014): 201-215.
Bowe, W, NB Patel, and AC Logan. "Acne vulgaris, probiotics and the gut-brain-skin axis: from anecdote to translational medicine." Beneficial microbes 5.2 (2014): 185-199.
Grice, Elizabeth A, and Julia A Segre. "The skin microbiome." Nature Reviews Microbiology 9.4 (2011): 244-253.
Kong, Heidi H, and Julia A Segre. "Skin microbiome: looking back to move forward." Journal of Investigative Dermatology 132 (2012): 933-939.
Tap, Julien et al. "Towards the human intestinal microbiota phylogenetic core." Environmental microbiology 11.10 (2009): 2574-2584.
Geurts, Lucie et al. "Gut microbiota controls adipose tissue expansion, gut barrier and glucose metabolism: novel insights into molecular targets and interventions using prebiotics." Beneficial microbes 5.1 (2014): 3-17.
Al‐Ghazzewi, Farage H, and Richard F Tester. "Effect of konjac glucomannan hydrolysates and probiotics on the growth of the skin bacterium Propionibacterium acnes in vitro." International journal of cosmetic science 32.2 (2010): 139-142.
Cani, Patrice D et al. "Changes in gut microbiota control inflammation in obese mice through a mechanism involving GLP-2-driven improvement of gut permeability." Gut 58.8 (2009): 1091-1103.
Lee, In-Ah, Yang-Jin Hyun, and Dong-Hyun Kim. "Berberine ameliorates TNBS-induced colitis by inhibiting lipid peroxidation, enterobacterial growth and NF-κB activation." European journal of pharmacology 648.1 (2010): 162-170.
Čerňáková, M, and D Košťálová. "Antimicrobial activity of berberine—a constituent of Mahonia aquifolium." Folia microbiologica 47.4 (2002): 375-378.
Han, Junling, Huiling Lin, and Weiping Huang. "Modulating gut microbiota as an anti-diabetic mechanism of berberine." Medical Science and Technology 17.7 (2011): RA164-RA167.
Zhang, Xu et al. "Structural changes of gut microbiota during berberine-mediated prevention of obesity and insulin resistance in high-fat diet-fed rats." PLoS One 7.8 (2012): e42529.
Xu, Jia et al. "Structural modulation of gut microbiota during alleviation of type 2 diabetes with a Chinese herbal formula." The ISME journal (2014).
Yin, Xiaochen et al. "Structural changes of gut microbiota in a rat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease model treated with a Chinese herbal formula." Systematic and applied microbiology 36.3 (2013): 188-196.
Katiyar, Santosh K. "Proanthocyanidins from Grape Seeds Inhibit UV–Radiation‐Induced Immune Suppression in Mice: Detection and Analysis of Molecular and Cellular Targets." Photochemistry and photobiology (2014).
Nichols, Joi A, and Santosh K Katiyar. "Skin photoprotection by natural polyphenols: anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and DNA repair mechanisms." Archives of dermatological research 302.2 (2010): 71-83.
Afaq, Farrukh, and Santosh K Katiyar. "Polyphenols: skin photoprotection and inhibition of photocarcinogenesis." Mini reviews in medicinal chemistry 11.14 (2011): 1200.
Kar, P et al. "Flavonoid‐rich grapeseed extracts: a new approach in high cardiovascular risk patients?." International journal of clinical practice 60.11 (2006): 1484-1492.
Vinson, Joe A, John Proch, and Pratima Bose. "MegaNatural® gold grapeseed extract: in vitro antioxidant and in vivo human supplementation studies." Journal of medicinal food 4.1 (2001): 17-26.
Subapriya, R, and S Nagini. "Medicinal properties of neem leaves: a review." Current Medicinal Chemistry-Anti-Cancer Agents 5.2 (2005): 149-156.
Khan, M et al. "[Experimental study of the effect of raw materials of the neem tree and neem extracts on dermatophytes, yeasts and molds]." Zeitschrift fur Hautkrankheiten 63.6 (1988): 499-502.
Kumar, Venugopalan Santhosh, and Visweswaran Navaratnam. "Neem (Azadirachta indica): Prehistory to contemporary medicinal uses to humankind." Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine 3.7 (2013): 505-514.
Lee, SH et al. "In vitro effects of plant and mushroom extracts on immunological function of chicken lymphocytes and macrophages." British poultry science 51.2 (2010): 213-221.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Gut Guardians Podcast: Episode 15 – Gut Healing w Robin Treasure

Gut Guardians Podcast: Episode 15 – Gut Healing w Robin Treasure

Wellness specialist Robin Treasure joins the Gut Guardian Podcast to bring her expertise on healing the gut. Robin shares her best tips on which certain foods to avoid and which ones to add into the diet to help alleviate inflammation and heal the gut. She also gives warnings for those who may experience symptoms of a histamine intolerance when supplementing with probiotics.

Don’t forget to leave any comments or suggestions! Enjoy!




Show Notes:RobinTreasure.comRobin’s ‘Restore’ ProgramMatt’s source for making his bone brothKlaire Probiotics

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Gut Guardians Podcast: Episode 14 – Genetics & Low Carb, SBO’s, and The Upper Gut w/ John Brisson

Gut Guardians Podcast: Episode 14 – Genetics, Low Carb, SBO’s, and The Upper Gut w/ John Brisson


This is a wonderful gem, just like John Brisson!

The Finale of the 3 part series with John Brisson of FixYourGut.com. In this episode, John talks with Grace and Matt about the Perfect Health Diet, Raw Milk, Genes and Low Carb Diets, SBO’s and much more! Don’t forget to check out John’s book, which is a great resource for anybody who would love to learn more about the gut and resolving gut troubles.

Enjoy the episode!


Show Notes:

FixYourGut.com

FixYourGut Book on Amazon

Perfect Health Diet


Friday, February 20, 2015

Gut Guardians Podcast: Episode 12 &13 – Probiotics, MAPS, and Ancestral Core; Flora Disruptors w John Brisson

Gut Guardians Podcast: Episode 13 – Flora Disruptors w John Brisson


FixYouGut.com’s John Brisson joins Matt and Dr. Grace on the GG podcast. In part 2 of the 3 part series, John and Grace talks about certain strains that are both detrimental and beneficial for proper gut function. Enjoy!



Show Notes:

FixYourGut.com

FixYourGut Book on Amazon








Gut Guardians Podcast: Episode 12 – Probiotics, MAPS, and Ancestral Core with John Brisson


FixYouGut.com’s John Brisson joins Matt and Dr. Grace on the GG podcast. In part 1 of the 3 part series, John brings his insights and precautions on using certain probiotics. He also explains how he has had success treating clients with Crohns/Ulcerative Colitis. Dr. Grace and John also talk about their differences on what they believe to be “ancestral”. Don’t forget to rate and review the podcast. Enjoy!


Show Notes:

FixYourGut.com

FixYourGut Book on Amazon

MAP’s Study


Thursday, February 5, 2015

Gut Guardians DOUBLE Podcast Episodes: Diabetes, Fiber Diversity and the Gut Microbiota w/ Dr. Tim Gerstmar, Parts I and II

Diabetes and the Gut Microbiota (Part 1) With Dr Tim Gerstmar ND

The Gut Guardians Podcast welcomes Dr. Tim Gerstmar (@DrTimGerstmarND) onto the show. He shares his insights on how he is treating his patients with diabetes and also gives us his take on the most recent findings that show the relationship between the gut microbiota and diabetes. Dr. Grace and Matt had a lot of fun chatting with Dr. Tim, as he brings his expansive knowledge to the show.  

Enjoy!






The conversation continues on the Gut Guardian Podcast with Dr. Tim Gerstmar. He gives both Dr. Grace and Matt a look inside of his “secret” jars. Well, looks like they aren’t going to be much of a secret after listening to this podcast! Inside the jars are Dr. Gerstmar’s special blend of fibers which range from FOS to glucomannan. Get your mason jars ready! Dr. Tim and Dr. Grace go back to the discussion on the mismatch between the modern human and the environments surrounding in and around us. And be sure to listen to the end, where Dr. Tim sums up what all of us should do to lead a happy, healthy life. 

Enjoy!


Show Notes

Dr. Tim Gerstmar’s Site Aspire Natural Health

@DrGerstmarND and on Facebook 


HUMAN STUDIES ON GLUCOMANNAN:


Lack of translation between refined RS2 and RS3 animal studies to human trials:

Sorry. Resistant Starch is Unlikely to Miraculously Cause Weight Loss and Body Fat Loss

  • Low (15g) and high dose (30g) RS2 for 4 weeks didn't induce fat loss either but mildly improved insulin resistance in obese men, not women (Maki et al, 2012).
  • Neither did 25 grams refined RS3 supplementation (Novelose330), but high-protein/40% carbs resulted in all body fat parameters pivoting: improved insulin sensitivity, body fat loss and weight loss in human subjects with metabolic syndrome (Lobley et al, 2013).
  • Neither did 40 grams RS2 supplementation for 12 weeks in T2 diabetes (Bodinham et al, 2014). Worsening in body fat mass, BMI, fatty organs such as fatty pancreas, also higher insulin secretion observed.
  • GREEN BANANA FLOUR: However, a whole food supplement which contains a broad spectrum of microbial superfoods, native banana starch flour (NBS) 24 g/day induced 1.2 kg weight loss, improved waist-hip ratios and insulin sensitization in T2 diabetic, obese females after 4 weeks, contained only 8 grams RS2 (Ble-Castillo, 2010). Version B of BIONIC FIBER in the 7 steps. Green banana and plantains have been shown to heal ulcers and infectious colitis.