Intuitive Eating 101 – 5 Factors that Influence your Food Choices

Intuitive eating is the practice of eating (and listening) to what foods your body does and does not want, SUCH AS, eating when you’re hungry and stopping when you’re full, or eating a salad one day, and a steak the next because it’s what your body wants—no judgment included.

How are you’re intuitive eating skills?

If you’ve struggled with Intuitive Eating or want to learn how to TRULY listen to your body, more than food rules, then read on to learn about Intuitive Eating 101: 5 Factors That Influence Your Food Choices.

INTUITIVE EATING GONE WRONG

Before we get to the 5 essentials to get started, let’s first establish where you are in your own intuitive eating skills.

Intuitive eating is easier said than done. While we are ALL born knowing how to listen to our bodies, there’s ALOT of confusing messages in this world that leave us disconnected!

Sometimes when we follow a specific dietary protocol or have food restrictions or food rules for health reasons—like healing your gut, intuitive eating gets tricky.Food rules replace intuitive eating, and dietary protocols trump our own ability to listen to our body and feed it foods it wants and needs.

A common (unspoken) phenomenon amongst individuals on a “gut healing” protocol or with specific dietary restrictions is called ARFID—Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder—limiting our food consumption based on fears that our gut OR body will feel worse when we reintroduce certain foods, or feeling guilty if we stray away from our dietary protocol.

Others get their identity wrapped up in what they CAN and CAN’T eat, as opposed to listening to how their body actually feels.

For instance: If you are Vegan, but often feeling bloated, tired and like your metabolism is SUPER SLOW, perhaps it’s because you’re not getting some aminos, B-Vitamins or zinc your body (and metabolism) needs. Or, perhaps you’re Keto, and super active and losing un-wanted weight, perhaps your body CAN handle more carbs—even white rice, or more fruit than you are giving it.

The result? A funky relationship with food!

No matter if you follow Keto, to GAPS, Paleo, Vegan, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, Autoimmune Protocol, Gluten-Free and beyond—it can be EASY to get disconnected with intuitive eating, feel super restricted OR develop unnecessary food fears and food rules when we let our food protocols or identities determine what we SHOULD and SHOULDN’T EAT.

What to do about it?!

First: Raise awareness to these 5 thing that influence your food choices then… “go with your gut” —trusting that you and your body know what you need to eat, more than any food rule or diet.

Intuitive Eating 101: 5 Factors That Influence Your Food Choices

1. Your Experiences. (History, culture and experiences with food)
2. Your Self-Identity & Food Beliefs. (Personal identity and beliefs about food)
3. Emotions & Mindset. How you feel emotionally and mentally about food)
4. Vitamin P (What you enjoy)
5. Health (What your body TRULY needs (nutrients) and what helps you feel best, no rules included)

If you are on a strict dietary protocol, and you neglect any one of these 5 areas, it’s no wonder intuitive eating is hard or you feel even MORE stressed over food and DISCONNECTED from your body!

Understand each of these 5 factors that influence your food choices, and intuitive eating is yours for the taking!

Intuitive Eating 101: 5 Factors that Influence Your Food Choices

Factor #1: Your Experiences

How have your experiences, cultural background or history with food shaped what you do and do not eat?

For example—the foods you ate growing up. There’s something nostalgic about mom’s homemade spaghetti or warming morning oats that, regardless of how “healthy” they are or not, can be comforting.

Was ice cream or chocolate a reward for straight A’s or good behavior? Chances are, they can still feel like a reward today.

Is your family Asian, Mexican or Spanish, Italian, Greek, or a meat-and-potatoes kinda family? How do the foods you ate within your culture influence what you enjoy today?

Perhaps you’ve had negative experiences with foods—severe bloating or constipation, food poisoning. I was force fed things like Pop-Tarts, Twinkies and Egg McMuffins in treatment, and I developed aversions to these foods and gut issues because of it.

Maybe you love travel—and part of the travel experience is eating and trying new foods in your destinations.

The bottom line: LOTS of experiences and contexts can influence what we eat.

Factor #2: Self Identity & Food Beliefs

What is your food philosophy or beliefs about what you SHOULD or SHOULDN’T eat? What shaped this philosophy?

Rules, protocols, nutrition advice and our own identity can shape our food philosophy greatly.

Food is self-expression—a form of identity. Like finding your identity in your punk style as a teen, our food choices and food beliefs are often reflections of who we believe are (our identity), as well as who we want to become.

For instance: In my struggle with healing my own gut issues, I identified myself as “struggling with a horrible gut,” so in turn who do you think I thought I was? And what do you think my food choices looked like?

As I continued to strongly see myself as “sick Lauryn with a bad gut,” I continued to struggle with food. I clung to AIP and GAPS protocols for years, believing those were the only foods I could “eat,” and at times, lost hope that change was possible. My own identity as “a girl with gut issues” caused me to strictly adhere to these protocols as the only way, and I often ate the same foods every day.

In my dieting days, my food beliefs about what was “healthy” came from fitness magazines and mainstream weight loss advice. In turn, I feared fats, obsessively counted calories, and restricted carbs.

Our identities and our food beliefs can change at different seasons throughout our lives.

Maybe you were an athlete growing up or a fitness buff today. As you identify yourself as an athlete, how do you, the athlete, use and view food? With an athlete mindset on, you may view food as your fuel to perform—regardless of what your gut feels like, you drink protein shakes, carb load, or take certain supplements in the name of running faster, jumping higher or lifting heavier.

Maybe you’re a girl who’s “struggled with weight your whole life,” you stay stuck—struggling with weight and food. You’ve “always been this way,” and likewise, you tend to struggle with food—looking for the “best” food rules to follow, obsessing over calories and macros, eating emotionally, or hating on your body.

Maybe you identify yourself as: “Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian, or Keto.” These diets go FAR beyond just eating certain foods. They have an entire culture that can seep into your own beliefs about who you are, what you should care about and even who you hang out with.

Gender is another type of identity—Ever been on a dinner date with a guy you really liked? How did your gender influence your eating choices?

Research shows that when young males are around women, they tend to eat more. And, in the sorority house at lunchtime, when everyone else was picking salads to eat, what did you choose? You’d look like such a guy if you got the chili dog! Or at a sleepover, with your best girl friends, what did you do? Eat popcorn, pizza, and ice cream of course!

One more: Our personality type influences our food identity.  Are you an adrenaline junkie? If so, do you like to live on the edge with your food choices, or prefer stronger, spicier or more ethnic tastes? Or are you cautious and opt for simple, basic food choices, or familiar known foods?

The bottom line: Our identities and beliefs about food shape our food choices.

Factor #3: Emotions & Mindset

Emotions and our thought patterns are HUGE influencers over our food choices.

How does food become a “self-expression” or “identity marker” that reflects the tension and stress you feel inside?

Are you one who tends to eat more when things seem out of control, or the reverse, eat less or lose your appetite?

How is what you eat a reflection of how you feel about yourself or your current circumstances?  Does a breakup make you eat more chocolate, or a promotion at work inspire you to celebrate with a special dinner out on the town?

When you are bored, is food exciting? What do you turn to? A green salad or something like a handful of nuts or snack bar to keep things interesting?

When you are REALLY stressed—do you turn to food…or avoid food entirely, losing your appetite?

The bottom line: How we feel impacts how we eat.

Factor #4: Your Taste Preferences

Vitamin P! What you like to eat obviously influences your food choices or desires.

After all, taste is one of the main attributes we eat. Like good music to the ears, pretty scenery to the eyes, fresh flowers to the nose, good food to the tongue feels good.

When we neglect eating foods we enjoy, we easily fall into the diet mentality—and I am not just talking about weight loss. The diet mentality can also happen when we focus more on what we CAN’T HAVE than what we CAN have, and strictly feel enslaved to food rules or diet guidelines.

And we all know what the diet mentality does! Makes us want certain foods we “can’t have” or think about food more often then we’d like.

One of my favorite studies on the diet mentality os called the “Minnesota Starvation Experiment” and in it, more than 30 healthy men voluntarily ate a severely restricted diet. Ate the end of 6-months findings revealed that the men were more obsessed with food than ever—to the point of hoarding it, day dreaming about it, and experiencing increased interest in nutrition (3 became chefs and many obsessed over cookbooks). Upon re-feeding, the men also reported not being able to “get enough” when they ate, and many emotional, psychological and physical changes continued.

Couple this with stress alone from disliking our food, or hating on our bodies, and we have the perfect storm for gut distress and bacterial imbalances in our gut too.

The bottom line: Eat foods you enjoy with the ABUNDANCE mindset…thinking: what CAN I have? Instead of what CAN’T I have?!

ONE Caveat: Certain “pleasurable” foods—like potato chips, ice cream, Splenda, and greasy takeout pizza MAY be tasty, but they actually TRICK your brain into thinking you’re getting Vitamin P, when you are really getting additives that act like drugs to your body. Of course, 80/20 balance is ideal and it doesn’t mean NEVER EVER, but there IS  a difference in REAL Vitamin P from real foods you enjoy and “fake” Vitamin P from artificial foods. (Even more: Your gut bugs often crave foods you are intolerant to).

Above all: Within a scope of health, 80/20 balance (i.e. no perfection) with food is also essential. For instance: eating dark chocolate is totally acceptable, and sometimes, a little dirt never hurt either (such as drinking non-filtered water at a restaurant, or eating a food “off plan” that is served at a gathering, then getting back to your usual foods the majority of the time).

Factor #5: Your Health—What your body needs

Last but not least…finally health—eating for your body type based on deficiencies, sensitivities and basic health needs.

Sometimes we turn into “auto-pilot” mode when we eat to “be healthy,” such as eating chicken and broccoli, additive-filled protein powders, or salads for most meals.

However, IF we do not bring mindfulness for our health into the picture—considering the abundance of vitamins and minerals our body needs, as well as what foods truly make our gut feel well and incorporating variety—then are we really being “healthy?”

For instance, you may be Keto, but if you are experiencing sluggishness in your workouts or constipation…perhaps some soluble fiber like sweet potatoes or squashes could do your gut some good. Or perhaps you are AIP, but you actually can tolerate some egg yolks or the occasional macadamia nuts, even though the protocol says “you can’t,” what would it be like to trust your body instead?

As for balance, do you eat fish every night because it’s what you “should do?” even though your body is craving red meat one night? How about eating fresh herbs and fruits in season with your own body’s cues for these foods at certain types of year, or cooking a variety of different healthy options (not eating the same thing for every meal)?

If you aren’t considering what your body needs and wants for your unique HEALTH reasons, are we really eating healthy?

No wonder 99% of diets—even “healthy diets”— fail in the long run, as they train us to follow rules MORE than listen to our own bodies!

Your body was made to crave REAL FOODS—and a variety of them. Not the same things every day. After all, health is found in an abundance of different vitamins and minerals, not the same ones, and an abundance of different foods your body uniquely can tolerate (not rules about what it can tolerate).

Tune in.

The Bottom Line

Intuitive eating is a skill that you were born knowing how to do. It involves a blend of these 5 factors to truly listen to what your body is telling you, but the more you do, the less rules and dietary protocols are the “end all be all.” Food freedom is yours for the taking!

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The Best Leaky Gut Diet to Heal Your Gut for Good

What should you eat to heal leaky gut? Is there an optimal leaky gut diet that can help you heal? Yes…and no.

While there is NO “one-size-fits-all” approach to diets and gut healing protocols, here’s how to customize a leaky gut diet to heal your gut for good and choose the best foods for your body.

Leaky Gut 101

Before we jump in, let’s hit refresh for a moment to answer the question, What is leaky gut?

Leaky gut, or “intestinal permeability” is a syndrome characterized by weakening of the gut tissue lining of your intestines and the “leaking” of food and unwanted proteins and particles into your bloodstream, in turn, provoking an inflammatory response and disrupting healthy bacteria and digestion.

Leaky gut happens when your digestive system gets stressed from environmental and lifestyle factors (i.e. overtraining, eating disorders, lack of sleep, poor diet, environmental toxins, etc.) and/or underlying gut conditions (like parasites, SIBO, and dysbiosis—imbalanced healthy and unhealthy bacteria).

While there are no hard statistics around how many people suffer from leaky gut, researchers speculate leaky gut plays a pivotal role in the presentation of other well-known inflammatory conditions and diseases (Bischoff et al, 2014 ), including;

• Anxiety & depression
• Eating disorders
• Metabolic dysfunction
• Autoimmune conditions
• IBS
• Constipation, bloating, SIBO and bacterial i
• ADD/ADHD
• Autoimmune disorders
• Autism
• Heart disease and high cholesterol
• Endocrine dysfunction
• Thyroid dysfunction
• Chronic headaches and migraines
• Blood sugar imbalances
• Skin breakouts and more

Diseases that affect at least 1 in 2 Americans (CDC, 2017).

The solution? Heal your leaky gut.

Where to start? The food you eat!

Food is Medicine for Leaky Gut

Many people have a general idea of what foods are “good” for them and which foods are not so hot for them.

Green things, lean proteins, some fruits and fats like avocado, nuts and seeds, and olive oil are typically what people think of first as “healthy foods.”

Fast food, processed foods and Chinese and pizza takeout are typically what people think of first as “unhealthy foods.”

Although, there is validity to both of these ideas, a leaky gut diet takes food a step further. If you want to use diet to heal leaky gut naturally, there are certain foods that act like true “medicine” for healing leaky gut, and there are certain foods (even healthy foods) that may also make leaky gut symptoms worse—not better—at least in the short term.

Here are the 20 Best Foods to Heal Leaky Gut, plus 10 Foods That May Trigger Symptoms of Leaky Gut.

Leaky Gut Diet: 20 Best Foods to Heal Leaky Gut

1. Bone Broth
2. Collagen & Gelatin Protein
3. Cooked and Steamed Leafy Greens
4. Winter Squash (Butternut, Spaghetti Squash)
5. Cooked & Cooled Sweet Potatoes (Soluble Fiber)
6. Healthy Fats & Oils (Avocados, Olives, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Ghee, Coconut Oil)
7. Coconut (Coconut Butter, Coconut Water, Coconut Flakes)
8. Wild Caught Fatty Fish & Cod Liver Oil
9. Pastured Poultry & Grass-fed Meats
10. Organ Meats or Liver Capsules 
11. Green Tipped Bananas/Plantains
12. Fermented Veggies (sauerkraut, low sugar kombucha, fermented pickles)
13. Grass-fed Full Fat Raw Kefir/Yogurt
14. Kombucha (low-sugar)
15. Apple Cider Vinegar
16. Ginger & Garlic
17. Herbal Tea
18. Turmeric
19. Colostrum or ProSerum Whey
20. Fresh Herbs (parsley, cilantro, oregano, thyme, peppermint, etc.)

Leaky Gut Diet: 10 Foods That May Trigger Symptoms of Leaky Gut

1. Nuts & Seeds (can be gut irritating)
2. Legumes (Beans, Peanuts)
3. Grains & Pseudo-Grains (Quinoa)
4. Pork (slowest digesting meat)
5. Most Dairy (fermented kefir and yogurt often ok)
6. Some FODMAP Foods
7. Nightshade Veggies & Spices (peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, chili powder, paprika)
8. Conventional and Processed Meats & Cheese
9. Artificial Sweeteners
10. Canola Oil and Vegetable Oils

No, not all of these foods are not “bad” (food doesn’t have morals), but for optimal digestive purposes, these foods are correlated with leaky gut as they can be more difficult for the gut to break down. Experiment with what works for you.

Customizing Your Leaky Gut Diet

In the world of gut healing, deciding what to eat can be overwhelming.

From the GAPS protocol to Low FODMAP to AIP  to Keto, which gut healing diet philosophy should you choose?!

Should you cut out eggs and nuts for AIP? Or do GAPS and cut out certain carbs, but keep the eggs and nuts in?

Should you go Keto—eliminating most carbs altogether, or do Low FODMAP and nix the broccoli and Brussels sprouts that make your stomach turn?

While these different dietary approaches CAN be helpful for giving you a baseline structure for removing certain inflammatory foods, you may very well find that you feel best with a blend of philosophies from these different worlds.

Enter: Customization—picking and choosing the foods that work best for you and make you feel your best.

How to do it? Trial and error.

As you put your own ideal diet together, be on the lookout for signs and symptoms of foods that do and do not agree with you. Skin breakouts, bloating, constipation, energy dips, headaches are all signs that certain foods may not be your BFF. However, you may also find that while AIP says “NO nightshade veggies,” you actually feel fine eating sliced tomatoes; or while GAPS says “NO sweet potatoes,” you actually can handle them.

The bottom line: Instead of looking to food rules to determine what you can and can’t eat on a “gut healing” diet, look to your own body’s cues instead.

Leaky Gut Diet Sample Meal Plan

Want a sample of a leaky gut meal plan? Check out this 3-Day Leaky Gut Diet Meal Plan sample.

DAY 1

Breakfast

Coconut Milk

Collagen Protein

1 tbsp. Carob Powder

½ Greenish Banana

½ Avocado

Lunch

Bone Broth Soup with Shredded Chicken & Veggies

Coconut Flour Cornbread Muffin with Ghee

Dinner

Baked Herb Crusted Salmon

Sauteed Rainbow Chard in Coconut Oil

Summer Squash DAY 1

DAY 2

Breakfast

No Oats Oatmeal

Homemade Turkey Sausage

Lunch

Mixed Greens with Salmon

½ Avocado

Primal Kitchen Cesar Dressing 

Dinner

Organic Chicken Thighs

Roasted Carrots with Olive Oil

Steamed Broccoli

DAY 3

Breakfast

Turmeric Golden Tea 

Turkey Sausage with Avocado

Lunch

Leftover Chicken Thighs

Mixed Roasted Veggies

Dinner

Spaghetti Squash

Grass-fed Beef, ground

Basil Pesto 

Sauteed Spinach in Ghee

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5 Long-term Side Effects of Bulimia & Anorexia

Eating disorders take a toll on your body and the side effects of bulimia and anorexia are vast, including side effects like:

 COMMON SIDE EFFECTS OF BULIMIA

• Unwanted shifts in weight
• Eroded enamel on teeth and tooth decay
• Ruptured or damaged esophagus
• Irregular heart beat and heart failure
• Dehydration
• Weakened kidney and heart muscle
• Electrolyte imbalances
• GI irregularity and constipation
• Russel’s Sign (scratches on fingers and hands from self-induced purging)
• Swollen salivary glands
• Acid reflux
• Sore throat and hoarse voice
• Facial swelling
• Blood in vomit
• Feeling faint
• Low libido
• Red eyes
• Mood swings
• Depression and anxiety

COMMON SIDE EFFECTS OF ANOREXIA

• Weight loss and thin appearance
• Loss of appetite
• Brittle hair and nails
• Flakey, dry skin
• “Peach fuzz” hair that grows on body (lanugo)
• Constipation & bloating
• Cold body temperature
• Anemia
• Abnormal blood counts
• Fatigue
• Dizziness and fasting
• Bone Fractures, Stress Fractures & Osteoporosis
• Amenorrhea (Losing your period) & Infertility
• Irregular heart beat and heart failure
• Dehydration
• Kidney damage and failure
• Elevated liver enzymes and Liver damage
• Seizures
• Low blood pressure
• Depression and anxiety

 

Despite our awareness of the side-effects of active eating disorders however, something rarely discussed with individuals in eating disorder recovery are the long-term side effects of bulimia and side effects of anorexia—even once you’ve chosen to pursue a new healthy lifestyle.

I call this “Post-Recovery Recovery”—the side effects of bulimia and anorexia that happen to your body AFTER recovering from an eating disorder (especially a long-term eating disorder)—and I’ve been there, got the t-shirt.

In my personal eating disorder recovery from a 15 year battle with anorexia, the words “You could die from this” often fell on deaf ears.

While I experienced my fair share of “unhealthy side effects” (such as peach fuzz hair on my body, anemia, a heart arrythmia, osteoporosis, elevated liver enzymes, fainting and dehydration) once I decided to pursue recovery MANY of these anorexia side effects improved tremendously.

However, after I chose a new recovered lifestyle, I soon discovered, my health was not all “rainbows and butterflies.”

After 15 long years spent trying dozens of diets,; following hundreds of food rules; going in and out of multiple hospitals, treatment centers, and tube feeding interventions; and fighting for my life, my body is FAR from perfect, and while I am 100% recovered in my mind, my body has taken its sweet time to catch up.

Here are 5 Long-Term Side Effects of Bulimia & Anorexia No One Talks About in Eating Disorder Recovery (and what to do about them):

 5 Long-Term Side Effects of Bulimia & Anorexia No One Talks About in Eating Disorder Recovery

SIDE EFFECT #1: YOU HAVE “GUT ISSUES” (BLOATING, CONSTIPATION, IBS)

Individuals in eating disorder recovery often complain about “gut issues” with gut side effects in Bulimia, Anorexia and Eating Disorder Recovery including:

• Feeling bloated or excessively full after meal
• Chronic constipation
• GERD/Heartburn
• Poor appetite, or insatiable appetite (like they have malabsorption)
• IBS
• Loose stools and diarrhea
• Abdominal cramping
• Nauseas

To a great degree, it makes sense that after a period of time spent NOT listening to your body’s hunger-fullness signals, eating processed diet foods (Diet Coke, sugar free candy/gum, frozen dinners), abusing laxatives, nutrient deficiencies and significant stress, your gut health would NOT feel well in recovery.

Enter: “Leaky gut” or intestine permeability—gut distress wherein your digestive system and gut lining get weak, “leaky” and/or imbalanced in gut bacteria, triggering both the ongoing struggle with anorexia and bulimia, as well as leaving your gut not feeling well in eating disorder recovery.

The Real Causes of Gut Side Effects in Eating Disorders

Other much less buzz terms and presentations of impaired gut health that I see daily in my own functional medicine, nutrition and therapy practice include:

• Bacterial and fungal infection
• Bacterial overgrowth or “SIBO”
• Parasites
• Healthy-unhealthy gut bacteria imbalance (“Dysbiosis”)
• IBS
• Food intolerances
• Constipation
• And a host of ALL the other side effects discussed in this article

Understanding the Gut-Eating Disorder Connection

Your gut is the gateway to your health and IF and WHEN our healthy gut bacteria and healthy process of digestion is thwarted and stressed, then “gut issues” and other associated health issues experienced in eating disorders and recovery ALSO occur (i.e. anxiety and depression, autoimmune disease,  thyroid dysfunction, blood sugar  and hormone imbalances, etc ).

Think of the gut like a domino.

If it falls, then the OTHER “dominoes” of your health will also fall—often in the form of the diseases and imbalances you are MOST genetically susceptible to (Krautkramer et al, 2016)

My Experience

Unfortunately, in my own experience, this was (and is) the case, but most of my medical care providers and treatment programs at the time just discounted my “gut feelings” as:

• “Just part of recovery”
• An excuse to get out of drinking milkshakes and takeout pizza
• The need for Miralax, Colace, prune juice and other stool softeners
• “All in my head”
• An excuse to restrict my food and not eat gluten or dairy

For weeks and months at a time, I’d suck up eating disorder treatment, eating Pop-Tarts, Twinkies, Snickers Bars, Ben & Jerry’s, fast food challenges, Nestle chocolate tube feeding formulas, Boost shakes, Honey Nut Cheerios, Goldfish and pretzels, and the occasional green vegetable, going through the motions, but rarely feeling great inside (BOTH in my head and in my gut).

While eating disorders DO often cause an adverse reactions to otherwise considered “normal” Standard American Diet foods, this is not to discount the impact that processed foods and lack of gut health support can have on perpetuating poor gut health and the ongoing link between eating disorders and gut bacteria imbalances.

Looking back on the accumulated 3-4 years I personally spent in hospitals and treatment centers with these conventional re-feeding treatments and neglected gut health care, I am more than anything thankful!

Without them, I would have not discovered the amazing connection between gut health and brain health and eating disorders (the brain-gut connection) (Borgo et al, 2017), NOR would I be able to look back on the countless “food challenges” and exposures that helped me develop “thick skin” to NOT freak out (in my eating disorder brain) if I was to eat a bite of a (gasp) cupcake or Twinkie .

Side Effect #2: Your Metabolism SLOWS DOWN or SPEEDS UP

“Why do I keep gaining weight?!” OR “Why do I have a hard time holding on to my weight?!”

Metabolic dysfunction impacts individuals in recovery on both sides of the spectrum—some people with histories of eating disorders struggle to maintain a healthy weight as it seems their body puts on 5 to 10 to 20 more pounds by simply looking at food, and others in recovery from eating disorders (particularly long-time anorexia) struggle to “hold on” or maintain a healthy weight.

What gives?!

One word: Stress.

Eating disorders do a number on your stress levels—often also referred to as “adrenal fatigue.”

In the stress response, cortisol levels (your stress hormones) are elevated or suppressed in the struggle to “keep up” (i.e. the eating disorder), and eventually over time, this stress wreaks havoc on your metabolism.

What is your Metabolism?

Your metabolism is a representation of how efficiently your body is at using your energy (food and energy stores in your cells, muscle and organs) for ALL your cellular processes and body functions.

If you have a “fast metabolism” it typically means your body burns your energy like a furnace. However, it can ALSO mean you have impaired digestive pathways (and your body is actually STRESSED and/or unable to absorb or use your energy to the best of its abilities), often due to a leaky gut or blood sugar imbalances caused by a period of chronic dieting and under-eating.

If you have a “slow metabolism” it typically means your body’s digestive process, blood sugar balance and/or stress hormone pathways are stressed and sort of like walking through the mud after a hard rain in stiletto heels, your metabolic processes (digestive, stress response, blood sugar balance mechanisms) “walk” less smoothly and efficiently. They get stuck clomping through the muck.

Why is My Metabolism Off in Eating Disorder Recovery?!

Whichever side of the spectrum your metabolic presentation falls on (“fast” or “slow”) in eating disorder recovery, the bigger question is WHY is it STILL “off”—even though you are “taking care of yourself” and no longer neglecting your body now?

Here are 4 reasons your metabolism is off in eating disorder recovery:

Chronic Dieting & Under-eating Backfires

One of the most poignant studies of this phenomenon is the “Biggest Loser” study (Fothergill et al, 2016), wherein researchers followed and tracked the metabolic efficiency of former “Biggest Loser” TV show contestants 8 years after being on the show and experiencing amazing weight loss results from their 12-week stint spent dieting. The findings? Every single contestant had gained their weight back, despite eating “healthier,” and their metabolisms were 1 to 2 times LESS efficient than they had been previously (i.e. they required about 500 calories less for weight maintenance than previously).

Thyroid Dysfunction Happens

Other research has shown that individuals with both bulimia and anorexia experience the consequences of thyroid dysfunction (Altemus et al, 1996) (Warren, 2011)—the organ responsible for making sure your metabolic processes are working in tip top process. Hashimoto’s (thyroid autoimmune disease) is also highly correlated with eating disorder recovery, often characterized by unwanted weight gain or weight loss, food intolerances, fatigue and impaired metabolism. If your thyroid levels are “off,” (i.e. a TSH value above 2, or T3

Blood Sugar Levels Are Unstable

Blood sugar is what gives you energy and balanced blood sugar levels are a sign that your body is using energy properly.

In an ideal world, when you eat, blood sugar levels go “up” (slightly) as insulin rushes in to your cells, giving them energy, then gradually come down with time back to a balanced flatline state of natural, normal energy—no caffeine or sugar needed.

However, in eating disorders, after a period of binging/purging or active restriction, your natural process of blood sugar balance gets off!

Blood sugar levels either get extremely high (hyper-glycemia) or super low (hypo-glycemia) (Mirsa & Klibanski, 2011) as your body becomes less and less able to tap into normal digestive enzymes and blood sugar balance processes since your eating patterns tend to be more extreme.

Over time, the eating disorder conditions your blood sugar levels to function the majority of the time in these extreme states (i.e. under-eating, restricting proteins or fats or carbs, binging and purging, fasting). Couple this with the high chance of “leaky gut” and other gut imbalances in eating disorders, and malabsorption of nutrients in the first place ALSO prevents your body from getting the “proper nutrients” and absorbing the just-right-amount of energy and nutrients to keep your metabolism revving in tip top speed.

Reactive hypo-glycemia (eating but blood sugar dropping) (and insulin resistant hyperglycemia (as seen in diabetes) (Prioletta et al, 2011 )may also occur.

You Get a New “Set Point”

On the opposite end, in research of individuals in recovery from anorexia, researchers have found that those who fought the battle for a longer amount of time, suffered from metabolic “damage” or side effects that entailed needing at least 1.5 times the amount of caloric load as other “normal controls” of their same size and stature (Kaye et al, 1988), and that their bodies were in hyper-calorie burning (Zipel et al, 2013) and hyper fat-burning mode (FASEB, 2008) (Dellava et al, 2009) . Researchers speculate this to be due to the catabolism (break down) of body tissues and organs, as well as long-term malnourished state and a body that “soaks up” nutrition to repair body damage once recovery ensues. Leaky gut and unhealthy gut bacteria from malnutrition also impair healthy metabolic pathways making malabsorption a common phenomenon others experience in recovery as well (Kane et al, 2015)

In short: Chronic dieting, under-eating, over-exercise and/or body neglect tend to backfire.

SIDE EFFECT #3: Adrenal Fatigue

Tired despite sleeping for 7-9 hours?

Need coffee to function?

Crave sugar or artificial sweeteners?

Wired and tired at night or difficulty sleeping?

Hangry before meals?

Afternoon sleepiness or need naps often?

Frequent headaches?

Easily anxious, wound up or depressed?

Horrible PMS?

Adrenal fatigue or “HPA Axis” Dysfunction  is a common phenomenon experienced in individuals in the aftermath of an eating disorder, due to the side effects of chronic long term stress on the body.

Although stress is a NORMAL part of life, and we all experience stress on a daily basis, TOO MUCH STRESS WITHOUT PROPER RECOVERY can throw off our cortisol response.

Cortisol is your stress hormone responsible for helping you “fight or flee” in the fight or flight response. However, if cortisol is constantly called upon and unable to help you fight or flee with the mounting stress, HPA Axis Dysfunction and hormone imbalances are a given.

Even in recovery, as you’re taking care of yourself, your body may still be healing for the time it spent living on edge constantly.

It’s vital to recognize that stress goes FAR BEYOND just mental and emotional stress as well. It can also be physical. Other common stressors include:

Common Stressors in Eating Disorder Recovery

Lifestyle Stressors

• Burning a candle at both ends
• Bluelight screen exposure (long times on screens)
• Social Media comparison/endless scrolling
• Trying to be all things to all people/people pleasing
• FOMO (lack of downtime for yourself)
• Less than 7 hours of sleep most nights
• Overtraining
• Imbalanced exercise (i.e. doing HIIT/cardio all the time without mixing it up)
• Not talking about your stress (bottling it up)
• Not doing things you love
• Exposure to chemicals in beauty, cleaning and hygiene products
• Plastic tupperware/container use
• Lack of outdoor/nature and fresh air
• Lack of play and fun
• Endlessly Google searching answers to your health questions
• NSAID use (headaches, etc.)
• Birthcontrol and long term medication use
• Disconnection from community/meaningful relationships

Food Stressors

• Frequent coffee/caffeine consumption
• Artificial sweeteners (most commercial stevia included)
• Eating packaged, refined or processed foods
• Low water intake (less than half your bodyweight in ounces)
• Tap water (not filtered)
• Frequent eating out (more than preparing/handling your food)
• High focus on calories, diet plans and food rules
• Lack of Vitamin P (pleasure in foods)
• Low carb intake and/or Low fat intake
• Lack of quality protein (amino acids for your brain)
• Dairy (conventional) consumption
• Grains and “gluten free” processed products (with gluten-cross contaminants)
• Binging/Purging and erratic eating habits
• NOT listening to your gut

Consider how you could dial back on ONE of these things….just ONE to start.

 SIDE EFFECT #4: Getting Your Period Then…Losing Your Period

You got your period in recovery…then you lost your period.

Hello?! Where did your period go?!

A woman’s period is her monthly health “report card”—a sign that her hormones are working as they should (especially if PMS is minimal)—and a sign for the woman in recovery from an eating disorder that her body is in a more “stable place.”

However, some people find they get their period back for one or two cycles, only to find that their period goes missing AGAIN—even though they are taking care of themselves.

Healing from an eating disorder is not always “rainbows and butterflies” or “Happily Ever Afters” for your body and the loss of your period can be due to multiple factors that are only corrected with time, consistency, patience, and self grace and love.

As mentioned previously, stress is the #1 driver AGAINST your period happening—and in the case of disordered eating, this is the #1 reason why amenorrhea is common.

Adrenal fatigue or impaired cortisol function equally (negatively) influences estrogen and progesterone presentation (hormones needed to make your period happen). If cortisol is either too high or too low, estrogen levels are “thrown off” and the last thing your body wants to do is be fertile or have a baby.

Blood sugar levels and insulin growth factor production (normal insulin levels) ALSO are key players in healthy hormones. If your blood sugar balance is off (due to poor digestion and/or stress), then research supports that the period may still be “missing” in recovery (Cominato et al, 2014)

In addition, since your hormones are produced by fats you eat and fat oxidation—including cholesterol—if your digestive pathways are still healing, you have leaky gut OR enhanced fat “oxidation” (you burn fat really easily) from metabolic dysfunction—then hormone production (namely estrogen and progesterone are going to be an uphill climb).

Some women can STILL experience ovulation, despite no shedding of their uterus lining (i.e. bleeding), but more often than not, the period won’t happen until stress levels (inside and out) continue to be addressed. This is not ideal however, as iron overload and osteoporosis are also common in women who do not have regular periods.

SIDE EFFECT #5: Autoimmune Disease

Autoimmune disease affects 1 in 4 women, and 1 in 6 men—and, research shows if you’ve had an eating disorder, the prevalence and incidence of autoimmune disease goes up nearly two fold.

There are more than 30 Autoimmune diseases that range from Crohn’s Disease, to Celiac Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Lupus, Hashimoto’s, arthritis and osteoporosis.

No matter what condition or symptoms an individual has, the universal theme of an Autoimmune Disease is the same—the immune system is suppressed and the body attacks itself.

Enter: Inflammation, increased cortisol (stress hormone), food intolerances and leaky gut or intestinal permeability.

One study (Raevuori et al, 2014) of 2342 patients who received treatment for an eating disorder found nearly a 2:1 greater ratio risk of having an autoimmune disease (regardless of genetic history), compared to healthy controls (particularly hormone and gut-related diseases). The researchers also speculated that the relationship between Autoimmune Disease and eating disorders may be bi-directional, asserting that Autoimmune Disease can further drive psychological symptoms [such as OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder and tendencies), depression and anxiety seen in eating disorders] since Autoimmune Disease is characterized by inflammatory anti-bodies that attack the person’s own body cells—including brain cells and neurotransmitters.

Another study of 930,977 volunteers, confirmed this hypothesis as participants with autoimmune conditions were up to 75% more likely to develop/have histories of anorexia, bulimia and EDNOS (eating disorders not otherwise specified).

Causes of Autoimmune Disease

How does the immune system get “suppressed” and autoimmune disease happen in the first place?!

Considering that 80-percent of your immune system is produced in your gut, the bigger question is: “How is your gut health?” If your gut health is poor (i.e. eating disorder behaviors) or you have a “leaky gut” (intestinal permeability), then you are more AT RISK for developing an autoimmune disease (Mu et al, 2017 ).

Since “leaky gut” is both a common side effect of eating disorders AND a trigger to eating disorders (Lam etal, 2017), autoimmune disease likelihood makes total sense.

Currently research is being conducted on the prevalence of “leaky gut” and autoimmune antibodies in individuals before and after re-feeding, with the authors believing that the increased presentation  of leaky gut arises from current conventional eating disorder treatment protocols (i.e. Ensure shakes, processed foods, etc.), enhanced stress levels and lack of education of proper gut health support during treatment. (Grigioni, 2016)

What to Do About It?!

Regardless of what Side effects you experience in eating disorder recovery, there is always room to feel better and improve your health in your post-recovery recovery!

While it can be extremely frustrating for your mindset to be in one place, but your body still feel like it’s lagging behind or trying to catch up, there is more for you in your continued healing.

Work with a functional medicine practitioner or nutritionist to address underlying stressors and conditions impeding your gut health, hormone health, blood sugar balance and all-around wellbeing together.

Some lab testing may be warranted depending on your own side effects and symptoms, including:

• Comprehensive Functional Blood Work
• Stool Testing
• SIBO/Bacterial Overgrowth Breath Testing
• Urine Organic Acids Testing (gut test)
• Hormone DUTCH Urine & Saliva Testing

Based on results, dietary guidance, supplements and lifestyle “therapy” and medicine (i.e. de-stressing your body) help markers improve.

Above all: Know patience and consistency will pay off AND…you are worth it.

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How to improve your digestion

How is your digestion?

Our gut is the gateway to all things health. If our gut is not healthy, or digestion is “off” then other things fall apart. How is your digestion? Today’s Tip Tuesday is dedicated to all you need to know for improving your digestion in order to feel amazing in your own skin (inside and out).

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Signs of digestion disturbances:

• Constipation
• Bloating
• Gas, especially after meals
• Abdominal discomfort
• Cramping
• Fatigue between meals
• The 10 a.m. or 3 p.m. “crash”
• Frequent headaches
• Skin breakouts
• Lightheadedness before meals
• GERD, reflux
• Allergies, asthma
• Brain fog
• Autoimmune conditions
• Lowered immunity
• Mood disorders (depression, bi-polar)
• Mental and behavioral health maladies (ADD/ADHD, autism, schizophrenia, eating disorders, migraines)
• Inflammation (and stress)
• Hormonal imbalances
• Blood sugar handling issues

How to improve your digestion?

• Remove the stressers
• improve digestion
• Remove the bad. The goal is to get rid of things that negatively affect the environment of the GI tract such as inflammatory foods, infections, and gastric irritants like alcohol, caffeine or drugs.

STEPS TO IMPROVING YOUR DIGESTION

FOOD LOGGING & INVESTIGATION

If you suspect a food intolerance, try keeping a detailed food and symptom journal for two weeks that includes times, foods, portion sizes, and any symptoms experienced—note how you feel (psychologically, physically, etc.) before and after meals. This log will begin to give you a good clue as to what foods may be the culprits for some of your symptoms.

FOOD ELMINATION EXPERIMENT

With a clearer picture of what foods may not be your best friends, it’s time to rid of things that negatively affect the environment of the GI tract. No one likes to change dietary habits but it is essential for treating a leaky gut. For most everyone, that means eliminating packaged and processed foods and excessive amounts of added sugar, for some, that means: gluten, grains, dairy, soy, FODMAPs (garlic, onion, honey, fructose, avocado, apples, bananas, legumes, etc.) and/or nightshades (potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, paprika, etc.). Many people freak out right here (“You’re taking my ____ away?!”). It may not be forever—but you need some time away from these potential sneaky gut attackers in order to really determine if it is beneficial for you or not. Elimination allows you to reduce inflammatory reactions, improve gut permeability and improve digestion/absorption. Common foods to avoid during an elimination may include:

• ALL sugars and sweeteners, even honey or agave
• High-glycemic fruits: watermelon, mango, pineapple, raisins, grapes, canned fruits, dried fruits, etc.
• Tomatoes, potatoes, and mushrooms
• Grains: wheat, oats, rice, barley, buckwheat, corn, quinoa, etc.
• Dairy: milk, cream, cheese, butter, whey, etc.
• Eggs or foods that contain eggs (such as mayonnaise)
• Soy: soy milk, soy sauce, tofu, tempeh, soy protein, etc.
• Alcohol
• Lectins—a major promoter of leaky gut—found in nuts, beans, soy, potatoes, tomato, eggplant, peppers, peanut oil, peanut
• butter and soy oil, among others
• Instant coffee: Many brands of instant coffee appear to be contaminated with gluten. It’s important to eliminate it to be sure it’s not an immune trigger.
• Processed foods
• Canned foods

REPLACE

Replace with good. Add back in the essential ingredients for proper digestion and absorption that may have been depleted by diet, drugs (such as antacid medications) diseases or aging.

• HCL Supplementation
• Digestive Enzymes

REINOCULATE

• Improve digestion
• Support beneficial bacteria to reestablish a healthy balance of good gut flora
• Probiotics and fermented foods 1-2 times daily (I love Farmhouse Culture’s Sauerkraut!)

REPAIR

• improve digestion
• Providing the nutrients necessary to help the gut repair itself, as well as adopting new food hygiene habits, are essential.
• Supplementation (as directed). May include:
• L-Glutamine
• Pancreatic enzymes
• Gallbladder and liver support
• Cod liver oil
• Zinc
• Vitamin A, C, E
• Bitters and herbs such as licorice root and aloe vera
• Ginger

FOOD HYGIENE HABITS

• Chew your food. Until its not longer in its original form
• Relax. “Rest and digest.” Digestion is a parasympathetic process

• Water Timing. Drink half your bodyweight in ounces (i.e. a 120 lbs. Individual needs approximately 60 oz. of water), and, for every 8 oz. cup of coffee or diuretic (green tea or caffeine drinks) you consume, you technically need 12 oz. of water to compensate for the dehydration that beverage provokes. In addition, refrain from water intake during meals inn order to allow your digestive juices to remain concentrated and better able to break down food.

 

• Food Handling. Consume foods in their freshest, least-handled state as possible. This prevents LOTS of bad bacteria (from others’ grimy hands or sketchy restaurant kitchens, or spoilage) from inhabiting your gut.

• Food Quality. Food quality not only involves food handling, but also the nutrient-density of your foods. For instance, consider your morning eggs. Where did your eggs come from? A sick chicken in a huge chicken factory or a pasture-raised, free-range roaming chicken in a field? Or, an apple: A mealy, grainy 25-cent apple at the airport versus a crispy, crunchy organic and juicy apple from the farmer’s market? Totally a different experience with completely different nutrient factors.

REBALANCE

These are the powerful lifestyle factors that can get neglected when we focus exclusively food and supplements, like sleep, physical activity and stress management practices (yoga, meditation & mindfulness)

• Connect (with your body). Sometimes the connectedness we have (or don’t have) with our bodies can make all the difference in the world for digestion. Often times, we go into autopilot mode: we eat the same foods we “like”—with the same symptoms of gas, bloating, constipation or nausea (with no awareness that these foods are not digesting well). For instance, we drink the same protein powder day in and day out, only to find ourselves with a rumbly tummy and needing to find the nearest restroom fast…or we eat foods we think are ‘healthy’ for us, only to find ourselves doubled over in digestive distress time and time again, regretting our decision (onions, nuts, yogurt, cheese, eggs, etc.). Every BODY is different, and this is where being a super sleuth (and honest) with yourself is a must.

• Find a Routine. Aim to eat regular meals throughout the day. Going too many hours without any fuel in your system may actually inhibit Reach for balance (protein, fats and veggies) and try to consume these around similar times of day, snacking only as needed to promote positive blood sugar between meals. A regular routine eating simply gets your body in the habit of anticipating food and beginning the digestive process—even without your trying.

 

• Exercise. Regular exercise does a body good. Get things moving by grooving.

• Mindfulness. Take a deeeeep breath in and let it out….five times. Attune to your breathing and your body. Sometimes all we need is a little re-set and stress management to realign our body.
  Heal your gut, heal your health.

 

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The Essential AIP Diet Guide: How to Do It & Heal Yourself

The AIP diet, or autoimmune diet, is a specific way of eating or “way of life” to help individuals heal from autoimmune disease. Here’s all you need to know about an AIP Diet, including the benefits, side effects, food lists, meal ideas and tons of resources to help you get started.

AIP Diet 101

The Autoimmune Protocol, or “AIP Diet,” is a special dietary approach to help people with autoimmune disease, symptoms and/or digestive issues heal their gut—and decrease inflammation.

“Autoimmune” essentially means “attacking self”.

In the case of autoimmune disease, the body produces antibodies that attack its own tissues, leading to the deterioration and in some cases to the destruction of such tissue.

And this is most often attributed to a leaky gut—as your intestinal lining becomes more permeable (less tight) with wear and tear, food particles and ingested toxins easily leak into the bloodstream, causing those antibodies (disease destroying particles) to go to work.

As the antibodies attack the foreign invaders, they also attack your body’s own tissues in the process, leading to inflammation, “flare ups”, achy joints, skin conditions, brain fog, depleted energy, cysts, IBS, heart disease, cancer and more.

In other words: No bueno (no good).

Why the AIP Diet?

Certain “higher inflammatory” and histamine foods generally provoke this situation more, including:

• Grains and gluten
• Dairy
• Beans
• Sugar (added) and artificial sugar
• Alcohol
• Eggs
• Nuts and most seeds
• Processed foods
• Vegetable oils (canola, Crisco, margarine)
• Nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes—sweet potatoes ok, peppers, eggplant, paprika, all chili’s including spices)

Enter: The AIP diet—a period of “removing the triggers” and focusing on gut-loving, anti-inflammatory foods to allow the body (and gut) to heal.

How the AIP Diet Works

An Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet works to reduce inflammation in the intestines.

Many “clean eating” or elimination diets are not complete enough to remove immune triggers that promote inflammation in the gut.

AIP works to calm inflammation in the gut and also calm inflammation in the body. Although autoimmune disease can never be cured, it can be put into remission by targeting improved gut health. For some, an initial AIP protocol of 6-8 weeks (paired with digestive support like probiotics and enzymes) is all that’s needed to then begin experimenting with some foods within the “avoid” list again to see how the body responds—even on occasion.

For others, it can be years, or even a lifetime from a history of an unhealthy gut that certain foods do provoke an inflammatory response. Every BODY is different and it’s a matter of finding what works for you.

AIP Diet Foods: What to Eat & What to Avoid

Although AIP may sound like a restrictive diet, there are actually hundreds of foods included and ways to “spice” it up. I encourage my clients to eat with the “abundance” mindset. Think: What CAN I eat, instead of what CAN’T I eat? In fact, the “avoid” list is MUCH shorter than the “eat list”

What to Avoid

• Eggs
• Nuts/Seeds
• Grains
• Dairy (Except for Grass-fed butter; Ghee; Full-fat grass-fed yogurt with Live Active Cultures Only)
• Beans & Legume (Including Peanuts)
• Beans
• Nightshades (potatoes-sweet potatoes are ok, tomatoes/tomato sauce, eggplants, sweet and hot peppers, cayenne, red pepper, tomatillos, goji berries etc. and spices derived from peppers and paprika)
• Alcohol
• Fructose consumption in excess of 20-30g per day (1-2 servings/fruit per day)
• NSAIDS (like aspirin or ibuprofen)
• Artificial sweeteners (yes, all of them, even stevia for right now)
• Sugar & added-sugar (Salad dressings, ketchups, frozen dinners—read labels)
• Conventional Processed/Packaged Foods
• Emulsifiers, thickeners, and other food additives
• Alcohol (limit to 1-2 glasses per week)
• Coffee (limit to 1 cup or less of high-quality, organic coffee per day)

What to Eat

• Grass Fed Meats, Poultry and Seafood
• Vegetables (except nightshades)
• Fruits (limit to 20-30 grams fructose/day)
• Coconut, including coconut oil, manna, creamed coconut, coconut aminos, canned coconut milk, shredded coconut
• Fats: olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, lard, bacon fat, ghee (derived from butter, but ok in small doses)
• Fermented Foods (coconut yogurt, kombucha, water and coconut kefir, fermented vegetables)
• Bone Broth
• Herbal Teas
• Green Tea
• Vinegars: Apple Cider Vinegar, Coconut vinegar, red wine vinegar, balsamic
• Natural Sweeteners: occasional and sparse use of honey and maple syrup (1 tsp/day)
• Herbs: all fresh and non-seed herbs are allowed (basil tarragon, thyme, mint, oregano, rosemary, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, savory, edible flowers)
• Herbs and spices (such as: sea salt, curry, dill, cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, vanilla, onion powder, oregano, garlic, cilantro, bay leaf, basil, chives, peppermint)

Benefits of the AIP Diet

Feeling energetic, less inflamed and experiencing remission of your condition!

Win. Win. Win.

Side Effects of the AIP Diet

As with anything in life, there are “pros” and “cons,” and some cons to be aware of include:

• Overthinking your food
• Stressing out or fearing how food makes you feel
• Isolation (not feeling like you can go out or be with people)
• Unwanted weight loss (your body is still healing)
• Feeling limited in your food options and choices
• Cravings or thinking about binging due to restrictive mindset trap

It’s vital to be aware of your mindset and the psychology of eating   when commencing AIP, and remember: It’s not forever.

Beyond the AIP Diet: Is There Anything Else You Should Do?

The AIP Diet goes far beyond the foods you put into your mouth. In fact the actual latin form of the word “diet” means “a way of life.” For the individual with an autoimmune condition, this means your lifestyle also reflects an “autoimmune diet”—or anti-inflammatory—lifestyle.

In fact, considering that 90-95% of all disease is triggered by stress alone, mitigating and addressing stress head on is an essential component of the “healing” process.

AIP Lifestyle “Medicine”

This includes:

Healing Your Gut

An AIP Diet is great, but it is not the end all, be all to healing from autoimmune disease. Gut healing is an ESSENTIAL component to any AIP Diet protocol, and should not be taken lightly. “Intestinal permeability,” or “leaky gut” go hand in hand with autoimmune conditions, and healing and sealing the gut is not a practice of just managing the disease with an AIP diet.

Addressing underlying issues or causes to intestinal permeability and autoimmune disease is essential, including potential testing for:

• Food Intolerances/Sensitivities
• SIBO
• Fungal & Parasitic Infection
• Dysbiosis
• Organic Acids

Partnering with a functional medicine practitioner or nutritionist skilled in addressing the ROOT CAUSES of disease can be game changing.

Aside from lab testing, supplement protocols, other food avoidances and gut-healing agents may be warranted, including:

• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Herbs like Dandelion and Milk Thistle
• Colostrum
• Algae
• L-Glutamine
• Collagen
• Bone Broth

Sleep

7-9 hours per night does a body good—sleep  and rest is where anti-inflammatory healing occurs.

Hydration

Aiming for a minimum of half your body weight in ounces per day, and limiting coffee/caffeine to 1 quality cup of organic brew per day or less.

Exercise

Not too much, but not too little. Many people with autoimmune diseases find they feel weak after a bout of dealing with the disease, making exercise more difficult. Others realize their stressful lifestyle itself has been the #1 contributing factor to their disease—over training included. Movement is essential to healing, but a focus on gentleness and truly listening to your body is encouraged. A variety of movement also is beneficial, including: Yoga, walking, swimming, and strength training. No need to train for a marathon or CrossFit back to back 5-7 days per week either. Simply: Have fun with movement AND listen to your body.

AIP Diet 3-Day Meal Plan Ideas

Day 1

Breakfast

Chicken Sausage, Veggies (Greens, Mushrooms & Zucchini Sautéed in Ghee), Avocado

Lunch

Roast Turkey, Collard Green Wrap, Avocado Mayo, Plantain Chips

Dinner

Bison Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries & Coleslaw

Snack

Bone Broth

Day 2

Breakfast

“Chocolate” Green Protein Smoothie (with Collagen Protein)

AIP Zucchini Bread Slice

Lunch

Spinach Salad with Leftover Burgers, Avocado, Sweet Potato Fries, & Apple Cider Vinegar or Squeezed Lemon

Dinner

Crispy Chicken Thighs
Mashed Cauliflower
Pan-Fried Greens

Snack

Coconut Butter Packet

Half Banana

Day 3

Breakfast

Breakfast “Tacos”: Coconut Flour Tortilla, Ground Turkey, Guacamole, Nutritional Yeast

Lunch

Leftover Shredded Chicken with Avocado Mayo
Apple
Cucumber Slices

Dinner

Herb Crusted Salmon
Asparagus
Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash

Snack

Beef Jerky

AIP Diet FAQs

 

1. How long should I do AIP for?
   When first starting the AIP diet, the “strict” AIP diet is recommended for 30-60 days. This is to allow your gut and body time to heal and detox from any inflammatory foods you’ve been eating, followed by a reintroduction phase, where you may begin to experiment with foods.
2. How do I do the reintroduction phase?
   Reintroducing foods after an initial AIP diet is best accomplished by focusing on adding one thing at a time, in 2-7 days chunks. This methodology allows you to see what foods work for you and which ones don’t. For instance, beginning with eggs, you may eat scrambled eggs one day and feel great, but notice your nose is runny or skin is breaking out a few days later. Sometimes foods can have a delayed autoimmune (attack) response time, so by conducting slow reintroductions, you’re able to reintegrate foods appropriately.
3. Will I ever be able to eat sandwich bread, oatmeal, pizza or ice cream?
   Foods during a “reintroduction” phase of the AIP diet may very well include some old beloved staples, however, be warned, most people do respond differently to more real foods (say scrambled eggs or almond butter) than they do Subway sandwiches and takeout pizza. In other words, on the “totem pole” of “inflammatory” foods, most processed and refined foods, sugars, hydrogenated oils and gluten-containing foods tend to be MORE INFLAMMATORY than real foods like nuts and eggs, even though nuts and eggs are also not technically “AIP foods.” When reintroducing foods, experiment with what you will, but be warned that most real foods sit well with individuals than not real foods. Let your body be your guide.
4. I’m going out to eat, what should I order?
   Many people on the AIP diet feel completely isolated because social life often revolves around food—many inflammatory foods at that. Most restaurants are unaware of AIP Diet triggers, like hydrogenated oils, margarines and gluten-cross contaminating foods (like “gluten-free grains”), and even if a restaurant is gluten-free, it doesn’t mean it’s inflammatory free. That said, you do NOT have to live in a bubble. Share with your waiter that you are highly sensitive to gluten and dairy, or have autoimmune dietary needs from the beginning, and (good) restaurants will often go out of their way to accommodate your needs. As far as ordering goes, you typically have one of two options: (1.) View eating out as more of social experience—rather than strictly an eating experiment. Plan to eat a real meal your body enjoys before or after, and at the restaurant nosh on a real-food appetizer, salad, or smaller portion of a meal (such as shrimp cocktail or ceviche—sans sauce; greens with protein, avocado and squeezed lemon juice; or non-oiled veggies and proteins). You may even opt to bring your own packet of coconut oil, coconut butter or ghee to have some healthy fat to compliment an otherwise boring or dry meal.
5. I’m overwhelmed! How can I do this?!
   First things first: Take a deep breath! Just like anything that’s new (and overwhelming at first), it gets easier with time. The best part? The AIP diet is NOT about perfection. As you get more and more familiar with it, you’ll get comfortable with it (and may even learn it becomes more second nature).

Helpful AIP Diet Resources

There is strength in numbers and, as more and more people become aware of the game-changing effects of an AIP diet and lifestyle, there are tons of amazing books, programs, websites, blogs and companies out there to help you navigate an “AIP” lifestyle and diet. Here are some helpful resources:

Books

• The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook by Mickey Trescott & Angie Alt
• The Autoimmune Solution by Dr. Amy Myers http://amzn.to/2reGGGf
• The Paleo Approach by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne http://amzn.to/2reXk8E
• The Wahls Protocol by Dr. Terry Walls
• Gut: The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Underrated Organ by Giulia Enders
• Eat Dirt by Dr. Axe
• It Starts with Food

Cookbooks

• The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook
• The Healing Kitchen Cookbook
• Meals Made Simple by Danielle Walker
• The Essential AIP Cookbook 
• The Alternative Autoimmune Cookbook 
• The Autoimmune Solution Cookbook 

Recipe Blogs

• Unbound Wellness 
• The Phoenix Helix http://www.phoenixhelix.com
• Grazed & Enthused 
• A Squirrel in the Kitchen 
• AIP Lifestyle 

Websites

• Autoimmune Wellness 
• Chris Kresser https://chriskresser.com
• DrLauryn
• Robb Wolf 
• The Paleo Mom 
• Wellness Mama 
• Environmental Working Group 

Supplements

Supplements will be unique to every individual, and a functional medicine practitioner or nutritionist can help customize a protocol for you.

In the mean time though, most any human gut can benefit from a daily probiotic, pre-biotic, fermented foods and apple cider vinegar. Fermented cod liver oil is also great for anti-inflammatory properties.

• Primal Probiotics
• Sunfiber Prebiotic 
• Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar
• Rosita Cod Liver Oil

Health Solutions

• Dr. Lauryn 
• Institute for Functional Medicine
• Functional Medicine Coaching Academy
• Kresser Institute 
• Paleo Physicians Network 

Meal Delivery & Food Services

• Paleo on the Go
• Pete’s Paleo 
• Barefoot Provisions AIP Lifestyle Collection (Snacks)
• Butcher Box (high quality meats)
• Vital Choice (high quality seafood and meats)

Get it? Got it? Good!

Want to make peace with food and your body throughout your healing.

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30 Daily Insider Bodywise Tips (you won’t find on Google)

30 Day Real Food Nutrition Plan and 30-Day Feel-Good Fitness Program

30 Day Gut & Metabolism Healing Protocol

And TONS of weekly resources—including Meal Plans, Recipes, Thrive Projects & Body Boosting Challenges

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Find out more and you and join the 30-Day Project today.

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Will My Gut Ever Heal? —How to Heal Leaky Gut for Good

How to heal leaky gut? And will my gut EVER heal?

If you’ve been in the “game,” of gut healing and treating leaky gut for any amount of time, you know how frustrating and time consuming it can be.

While approximately 3 in 4 people struggle with some sort of gut dysfunction like leaky gut throughout their lifetime, MANY people don’t realize it—chalking their “bad gut health” up to being normal.

Is poor gut health your normal?

• Pooping every 2 to 3 days is “normal”
• Feeling bloated or passing gas is “normal”
• Never feeling hungry is “normal” or always feeling hungry is “normal”
• Abdominal cramping is “normal”

However, for those of us who DO realize we have leaky gut, or that our “gut is a mess,” what happens when you do ALL THE RIGHT THINGS, but our leaky gut is STILL not healing?!

Do you do “all the right things?”

• We take a probiotic and prebiotic
• We pop digestive enzymes with our meals
• We Google search terms like “low stomach acid” or “coffee enemas”
• We pay close attention to eating a “clean” or anti-inflammatory
• We sip kombucha
• We use toxic-free face wash and non-fluoride toothpaste
• We drink filtered water out of stainless steel water bottles

Yup, despite our efforts to heal leaky gut naturally (and even though we feel better than when we first started)…our gut health is still a mess  Constipation, bloating, gas and all-around GI discomfort are STILL our “norm,” and we cannot figure out HOW to heal leaky gut for good!

“What gives?!” you cry.

Answer? There are 3!

3 Essentials to Heal Leaky Gut for Good

Keep in mind….

1. Gut healing is a marathon (not a sprint).
2. There is a DIFFERENCE in “healing” vs. “managing” your gut health
3. And, often times, the path of LEAST resistance is where the MOST healing will be won.

Let’s talk about each.

1. GUT HEALING IS A MARATHON (NOT A SPRINT)

Pop question: How long have you been struggling with your “gut health?” Moreover, how long did you lead a stressful, or non-gut-supportive lifestyle prior to “healing your gut?”

Chances are the time you spent eating processed foods as a kid, taking antibiotics, burning a candle at both ends, eating artificial sweeteners and OTHER non-gut-friendly lifestyle behaviors far outweigh the time you’ve spent towards healing your gut now.

That said, patience and time, my friend.

Behold the turtle—the slow and steady—that wins the race.

When it comes to “healing your gut” or improving leaky gut syndrome, consistency, time and persistence will be the biggest game changers that pay off.

And, while it takes approximately only 5 days for your gut lining itself to repair itself and form new tissue, IF you continue to have other underlying (unaddressed) stressors—such as SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), parasites, fungal or bacterial infections, or unaddressed food intolerances (even “healthy” foods)—then gut healing will be a longer process.

All things considered, don’t forget where you started, as well as where you’ve come from,.

This day in age, typically, the amount of time spent on gut healing vs. living a stressful lifestyle does not compare, and the slow and steady gut healing will also win the race.

2. HEALING VS. MANAGING YOUR GUT HEALTH

Are you “managing” or “healing” your gut health? There IS a difference.

Often times, people wander down the rabbit hole of “gut healing,” without realizing they are actually simply managing their gut health.

They do things like:

• Take probiotics and prebiotics
• Eat fermented foods
• Drink water
• Eat Paleo, or AIP, or GAPS, or Low-Fodmap
• Sautee their vegetables
• Sip bone broth

—And beyond

However, they have yet to actually address the UNDERLYING gut conditions that brought them to not feel well in the first place. Sort of like cleaning your room versus hiding all your toys in your closet to make your room look clean, gut HEALING vs. gut MANAGING is different too.

Beyond probiotics and prebiotics, clean eating and gut-loving bone broth, if and when you have an UNDERLYING pathogen such as:

• Undiagnosed Food Intolerances
• SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth)
• Parasites/Fungal Overgrowth
• Dysbiosis (Too Much or Too Little of certain bacteria)
• Viral Infection
• Autoimmune Conditions

Then, often times, all the clean eating and probiotic popping in the world will not fully correct or reverse the “problem.”

A customized gut-healing approach involves two essentials:

a.) Assessing and realizing what gut “pathogen” (underlying condition) you have in the first place

b.) Treating it appropriately with a more targeted protocol (such as anti-microbial herbal supplements to “kill off” SIBO, or taking certain strains of bacteria while eliminating the others)

If you’ve been at the whole “gut healing thing” for a little while and your gut is “still not healing,” considering what (if any) underlying forces may be working “against you,” and treating them with a healing—not simply managing—approach.

Where to start? Working with a trained Functional Medicine Practitioner or Nutritionist who can help you “dig deeper,” underneath the hood in order to figure out your body’s imbalances is critical.

3. TAKING THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE

Last but not least…sometimes we are the greatest forces standing in our own way of truly healing leaky gut for good, versus holding on to our gut struggles (and gut identity).

While there is still a highly physical component to the process of healing leaky gut, there is also a great mental component—and sometimes our mentality is the biggest game changer in moving us forward or keeping us stuck.

Are you keeping yourself stuck?

• Are you clinging to the food intolerances you have—and neglecting the abundance of foods you CAN eat?
• Have you been eating an AIP diet for a LONG time, and you’re scared to “step outside” the box and experiment with a food your body actually may be able to handle now?
• Do you constantly ask Google questions about gut health?
• Do you dread feeling constipated or bloated so much—that it actually happens EVERY time?
• Do you continue to lead a stressful lifestyle outside your food factors (like not getting enough sleep or overtraining) that continues to drive your symptoms?
• Do you continue to eat certain foods you know don’t make you feel well, but you cannot wrap your head around WHY your protein powder (with stevia) or sweet potatoes don’t sit well with you?
• Do you stress out over food or how poorly you feel that stress dominates meal times and your daily thoughts?

One of my favorite studies around gut healing involves the integration of hypnotherapy in the treatment of IBS (Lee et al, 2014). Findings reveal that hypnotherapy is just as effective—if not more—than conventional treatments.

Truly a mind over matter.

So as we think, therefore we become.

While there IS a big physical component to healing leaky gut and how we feel as a whole, do NOT discount how our mental approach (and our own resistance to trusting that our body knows what it needs and how to heal) can help us thrive…if we just listen.

Want to heal leaky gut for good? Dr. Lauryn Lax takes a whole-body approach to your gut healing—mental, physical and emotional support to help you:

1. Figure out what—if any—underlying conditions are driving your symptoms
2. Customize a nutrition and lifestyle plan the works for your body
3. Support your mental and emotional healing—including improving your relationship with food and your body
4. And ultimately, help you feel good, inside and out

Schedule a 10-minute complimentary phone consult with Dr. Lauryn today to find out how Dr. Lauryn can help you thrive—not just get by—in your gut healing journey today.

The post Will My Gut Ever Heal? —How to Heal Leaky Gut for Good appeared first on Dr. Lauryn Lax.

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