Refresh Your Soul

  Childbirth and the Microbiome: Understanding the Link Childbirth is an incredibly intimate experience that signals transformative change, not just for the new mother, but for the life of the child as well. Most of us are aware that childbirth shapes a child's physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development, but did you know that it also plays a crucial role in establishing the child's microbiome? In this blog, we will dive into the fascinating world of childbirth and the microbiome, what it entails, and why it matters. The human microbiome is a complex community of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, that coexist with the host in a symbiotic relationship. This community influences how the body processes nutrients, fights diseases, and modulates immune response, among other critical functions. The microbiome is established early in life, primarily during childbirth, when the child is exposed to the mother's microbiota. This is why the mode of deliv...

  What are the origins of MY GI Issues? The most common question besides how often I should get poop is, what are the origins of my GI issues?  That is a great question. I will attempt to answer this below.  Doctors and scientists have been exploring the origins of digestive issues for decades, and numerous theories have developed from their work. Gastrointestinal issues are complex, and they don't just appear overnight. In fact, research shows there are often genetic and hereditary factors at play. We know that trauma and stress affect the microbiome and digestion. Research also indicates that how babies are fed in utero, born, and fed after birth plays a significant role in the development of the microbiome. Babies born naturally absorb bacteria from their mothers that are not transferred during cesarian births, and breastmilk is shown to also carry over bacteria from the mother to the infant, building a more diverse microbiome for the growing child. The invention of a...

  Stress, Adrenal Glands, and Hydration Your adrenal glands are two small glands that sit on top of your kidneys and, along with your thyroid, create energy. They also secrete important hormones, including aldosterone. Aldosterone is a hormone secreted by your adrenals that regulates water levels and the concentration of minerals, like sodium, in your body, helping you stay hydrated. Your adrenals are also responsible for regulating your stress response. Stress is so everyday today that it has become chronic for most people, creating a state of adrenal fatigue. When stressed, more aldosterone and sodium circulate in your body. Once the stress is over, aldosterone levels fall, and sodium must leave your bloodstream. The sodium passes through your kidneys and exits your body as urine, taking water. If you experience high-stress levels regularly, you will weaken your adrenals and dehydrate your body. And even if you drink a lot of water, you may need more hydration! 11 Tips for Nouri...

  Product of the month is Fiber Fiber plays a significant role in digestive health. Fibers are typically plants, fruits, vegetables, dried beans, legumes, lentils, nuts, and seeds. As a culture, we consume far less fiber than other cultures. Fiber is linked to major digestive and health issues. Recent studies show a high-fiber diet decrease major illness and diseases. Fiber helps you POOP! Fiber helps feed your healthy bacteria; the biproduct is short-chain fatty acids. Short-chain fatty acids may play a role in reducing inflammatory diseases, type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and other conditions. Dietary fiber is the term used to describe the combination of insoluble and soluble fibers. Soluble fiber is the form of fiber that dissolves in water. Foods containing soluble fiber include fruits, oats, legumes, and barley. Insoluble fiber comes from plant cell walls and does not dissolve in water. Foods containing insoluble fiber include wheat, vegetables, and seeds. Fiber wor...

  Fermented Food and Kombucha Fermented food has been around for decades and can be very helpful when rebuilding the microbiome. What about Kombucha? If one is drinking them as a probiotic, there are better ways to get in the bacteria; Kombucha is a great healthy drink; yes, they contain some healthy bacteria and sugar. Too much sugar can feed fungi and cause an imbalance in our microbiome. Studies show that cultured food has improved the microbiome and digestion. Yes! Eating fermented food such as kefir, saurekraut, and kimchi has value and helps improve gut health. A quality probiotic is recommended. Visbiome or other quality probiotics that are clinically tested. These have been studied and clinically proven to improve the bacteria in our gut. Visbiome has over 72 clinical studies on people with Gastrointestinal issues. There are a couple of other companies I like. Orthomolecular is another excellent company. The value of a probiotic is the capsule, releasing the bacteria in the...

  February  What does February mean to you? It means implementation, acknowledgment of black history month, and Love. I am falling back in love with myself, with humanity, and with the process. The past couple of years has been challenging, as I am sure we all can relate.  I think back to my ancestors and the civil war and what we have fought for as a collective; it inspires me, and at times we are unique, yet we are not. We have all endured challenges and tragedies, and we can all bond. Love doesn’t always feel like love. It feels like discipline, followed by results, that for me, feel like accomplishments.  I think the second part is perceptions; I usually see the world as a glass half full or as an optimist, waking up excited for the world, and choosing to take responsibility for myself. There tend to be two types of camps. People whom things happen to and another camp that makes things happen. I believe reality is somewhere in the middle; however, I lean a little...

  I was listening to one of my favorite Podcasts by Dr. Emeran Mayer. If you don't know who he is, he is responsible for "The Mind-Gut Conversation PODCAST" and the science behind the Microbiome. He is the author of 2 published books and many scholarly articles and literature. He has done many published papers and is recognized as the microbiome guy. Dr. Emeran Mayer has a podcast where he hosts all types of practitioners ranging from holistic health nutritionists to scientists at UC Santa Barbara, studying the Microbiome in the soil. Dr. Drossman was a recent guest. He is a gastroenterologist that has popularized the biopsychosocial model and the brain-gut axis; these two are probably the most influential in my career as far as my schooling and going back to school in psychology and understanding how trauma in the Microbiome plays a role in nutrition.   I was listening to the Podcast and learned excitedly that Dr. Drosserman interviewed Dr. Emerson Mayer. WOW, technology...