Antibiotics | Raw Juice Guru

March 12, 2017

10 Things To Know About Your Gut & Probiotics

Until a couple of years ago, my understanding of the bacteria that live in our digestive systems could be summed up in two sentences – “If you take antibiotics they’ll kill some of the good bacteria along with the bad and you’ll get diarrhea. So eat some probiotic foods, like yogurt, to restore the good bacteria.”

That’s true as far as it goes, but I’ve now learned that those bacteria, which many people call “gut flora” and scientists call “gut microbiata,” do so much more than prevent diarrhea. Although the study of gut flora is still in its infancy, many scientists now refer to it as a separate “organ” of the body, one that plays key roles in everything from digestion to immunity to mental health.

Why are the good bacteria in your digestive tract so important? Research is beginning to show that “good” bacteria play dozens, if not hundreds, of roles in maintaining our health.

Here are five:

1- Bacteria in our intestinal tracts produce B vitamins and vitamin K. These vitamins play important roles in energy metabolism (producing energy from food), maintaining the health of the nervous system, and clotting blood.

2- Bacteria in the large intestine digest fiber and use it to produce chemicals that feed and protect the intestinal lining. This lining plays key roles in preventing infection, boosting immunity, and reducing inflammation. If the lining breaks down, chemicals that should never leave the intestines end up in the bloodstream, which can lead to inflammation or an overactive immune response.

3- Gut floral produce most of the body’s serotonin, a key neurotransmitter. Scientists are beginning to see connections between the health of the gut and the health and functioning of the brain.

4- Intestinal bacteria produce enzymes that metabolize drugs, hormones and toxins. In addition, they produce chemicals that “communicate” with the liver regarding production of enzymes used in detoxification.

5- Gut bacteria may play a role in obesity. Some animal studies, and now a few human studies, have shown that animals or humans deficient in certain bacteria may be more prone to gain weight.

Can We Improve Gut Flora

Can we “improve” our gut flora? And should we even try? Yes! Although scientists are hesitant at this point to “prescribe” actions people should take, the research to date suggests that people can change their gut flora in ways that are likely to benefit their health.

Here are five things we can do:

1- Eat probiotic foods regularly. These include yogurt and fermented foods, such as kefir and sauerkraut. You can buy high-quality yogurt and kefir at the grocery store, but you can make them too. We make both, and it’s fun, cheaper, and not too difficult,

2- Eat fewer processed foods. Processed foods lack many of the nutrients that contribute to a healthy “climate” in the digestive tract. In addition, they tend not to contain the kinds of healthy bacteria found in more natural forms of food. (For example, think of a processed cheese product vs. real cheese. The former doesn’t contain any bacteria when it leaves the factory, but the latter contains plenty of “good” bacteria – and it tastes delicious!)

3- Eat foods high in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Fruits and vegetables are great for your health in so many ways. When it comes to your gut health, plant fiber feeds the bacteria in the large intestine, and they in turn produce chemicals that protect the intestinal lining.

4- Take antibiotics only when necessary. If your doctor says, “Let’s wait a day or two to see if you need antibiotics,” don’t insist on getting some right away! Antibiotics can significantly alter the gut flora, killing off beneficial bacteria and providing an “opening” for harmful bacteria to move in and “set up shop.” When you do take antibiotics, eat probiotic foods (take steps during and after treatment to re-establish a healthy gut microbiata.

5- Consider taking probiotic supplements. Scientists, physicians and government agencies have not issued official guidelines on probiotic supplements. The research on the benefits (or drawbacks) just isn’t clear yet. So right now there’s no clear “right” or “wrong” answer to the question, “Should I take a supplement?” I’ve done some research on probiotics, and my husband and I take a supplement fairly regularly (probably 4 or 5 days a week). We buy several different brands that contain different bacteria, and we alternate them (because it’s hard to figure out which bacteria are the best ones to take!).

December 30, 2016

What is a Detox? Ten Reasons To do A Juice Feasting Cleanse

Why Cleanse?
Why do people do a juice cleanse?
Doesn’t your body detox itself its a waste of money to do a juice cleanse?
Juice cleanses screw up your body?
What toxins does the juice cleanse remove, why cant these companies that sell juice cleanses tell you the name of the toxins that are being removed?

I am sure you have heard all these questions and even you yourself have wondered what is the point of a juice cleanse. I am here to tell you its not a hoax, its not a waste of money, and its not useless.

So yes your body does detox itself daily. Or I should say your body is supposed to be detoxing itself daily. Your body works like a well oiled clock. Every few hours in the day a different organ in your body is attempting to detox itself. Have you ever wondered why when you wake up in the morning one of the first things that happen is you go poop. That is because your intestines detox between the hours of 3 and 6am. Problem is our eating habits and lifestyles have changed dramatically. We consume lots of dairy, meat, processed and nutrient deficient foods. We don’t sleep enough, we don’t exercise and get our bodies moving.

The body becomes overloaded with toxins due to various internal and external forces such as unhealthy foods, stress, sleeping habits and harmful environments.

It’s important to flush these toxins out of the body regularly to make sure that the body’s systems are running properly.

Common signs of excess toxins in the body are fatigue, excessive weight gain, skin reactions (rashes and acne), constipation, and bad breath to name a few.

There are two main sources of toxins that affect the body on a daily basis:

Environmental Toxins: These are toxins outside of the body. They include things like pesticides, carbon monoxide, the perfume or cologne you wear, your cleaning products and other chemicals people come in contact with on a daily basis.

Metabolic Toxins: These are toxins on the inside of the body. This can happen through a variety of mechanisms, but the main thought here is something that has been eaten and absorbed into the cells through digestion. The dairy and meat you eat have growth hormones given to the chickens, cows and etc, they also contain antibiotics. Something to keep in mind is that 85 percent of the antibiotics in the world are used on the foods you eat. There is also the fluoride that is added to your water, linked to dementia and Alzheimer. We have all heard about GMOs cant forget those, not to mention preservatives like salt, MSG, and all those long complicated names that you see written on the ingredient lists of foods. We can write a novel about the toxins that are inside your body at this moment just from the foods you have eaten.

What is a detox? You can detox in a variety of ways, but the main purpose is simple – to get the toxins out of the body, best way is by doing a juice cleanse. WHY? A juice feasting cleanse gives your digestion a break by flooding your system with nutrients it needs to reset, reboot and heal. A raw juice is be absorbed by your digestive system within 15 minutes, compared to other foods you eat that can take anywhere from 24 to 36 hours. Anytime you eat your body can use up to 80 percent of its energy on digestion, and that is not good. Hence why you might feel tired after eating complex foods like meat, dairy and processed. When your body is using 80 percent of its energy trying to digest the food you just ate, other organs that are meant to be detoxing are not.

Other ways to detox after your cleanse are through dieting, exercise, inhaling fresh air, and consuming more water, fruits, and vegetables. Juicing can have dramatic effects on your overall health and how you feel.

10 Reasons to do a Tailored Juice feasting cleanse and Detoxify the Body

1. Youthful energy

Remember the vibrant, non-stop energy you had in your youth? Detox programs can help to get some of it back. One of best benefits from detoxification of the body is increased energy levels.

Cutting out harmful chemicals like sugars, hydrogenated oils, fatty foods, and dangerous energy drinks while replacing them with water, vegetables, and fresh fruits, can cause a dramatic spike in the body’s natural energy levels.

Things you will notice in your day-to-day life:

Wake up and feel energized to start the day
Experience less midday energy crashes
Have a greater desire for new experiences instead of time on the couch

2. Improves mental clarity

There is a direct connection between cognitive and digestive health. Once you improve your overall health, you will notice the mind becoming clearer. Foods labeled as inflammatory not only affect your organs and gut, but the brain as well. Most people overlook the important fact that inflammation from foods happens in the brain as well as the body.

Once you clear your plate of sugar and fatty foods, you will notice clearer thinking and an improved mood as a result of the detoxification process.