If you wake up in the morning with a flat belly but bloat so much your pants don’t fit by the end of the day, then it’s time to tune-up your digestion.

In my 4 decades of nutrition practice, I’ve found 4 main keys to a flat belly and happy digestion:

• proper pH balance
• enough intestinal flora
• keeping digestion moving smoothly
• a healthy diet rich in detoxifying foods

This simple, successful, natural approach can have your stomach slim again in no time!

The Importance of Being Acidic

Millions of people find temporary relief from stomach acid-reducing medications available over-the-counter and by prescription. And with the myriad of health books out there talking about the importance of an alkaline body to stave off disease, on the surface it sounds like a good idea to reduce stomach acid – but I assure you it’s quite the opposite. If you are bloating after meals, then it’s likely that your stomach acid is too low.

When stomach acid goes low for the long term, we can’t absorb minerals like iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and selenium, or the B vitamins. We also can’t break proteins down into energy and amino acids. This not only means that we miss out on essential nutrients, but also leaves undigested food just sitting there, building up gases and causing us to bloat. Low stomach acid is more common as we age, but is also a known side effect of taking acid-blocking medications for longer than 6 weeks.

Your stomach acid is the first line of defense against harmful bacteria, parasites, and other pathogens that are ingested along with food. Your ideal stomach pH is 2, which is very acidic. This acid level activates pepsin, an important enzyme needed for protein digestion and the release of energy from foods.

Your digestion happens in a cascade. Chewing food thoroughly causes you to produce more saliva, which in turn signals the production of enough stomach acid. The amount of stomach acid you make is a guide for the amount of bile and digestive enzymes that are released into the small intestine to finish the process of breaking down your food.

When you don’t produce enough stomach acid, the food just sits there, putrefying and causing you to bloat. Fungi and yeasts move in to break down the food by fermentation, which not only causes more bloating but affects the balance of probiotics in the microbiome and isn’t an efficient way to extract nutrients from the food. This disordered digestion creates deficiencies even with what seems to be a healthy diet.

Start simple to supplement acid to your digestion. Your stomach is very responsive to even small changes, so set the tone for acid production for your day with a teaspoon of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar every morning before breakfast. This wakes up your digestion and lowers the pH of the stomach.

The Importance of Intestinal Flora

If you’ve ever taken a probiotic, then you have some idea that healthy bacteria are essential for a healthy body. That collection of trillions of healthy bacteria in your body is known as the microbiome, and the majority of it is housed in your intestines. When your microbiome is in balance, everything from your digestion and weight loss to your immune health thrives. But even one strain of bad bacteria is enough to upset the delicate balance and bring on the belly bloat.

The big issue within the microbiome is the presence of opportunistic microbes. These are the yeasts and bacteria that are beneficial when everything is in balance, but will overgrow and wreak havoc when the opportunity arises. For instance, those yeasts and fungi that are called in when stomach acid is low, to help ferment food that isn’t being digested, then travel downstream into the intestines with the food they’ve been breaking down. Their numbers have multiplied to the point that they overwhelm the probiotic population and start causing inflammation in the intestinal lining.

When yeast is your issue, sugar cravings come with the belly bloat, and giving in may make you feel better but your ever-expanding waistline is a sign that you’re feeding the problem. It may be the result of the stomach acid issue, or it may be caused by antibiotics, stress, or too many carbs in the diet.

Another opportunistic issue happens when bacteria that thrive in the colon back up into the small intestine, known as Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). These bacteria help us break down bile salts and waste products and are essential for colon health, but when they move up into the small intestine or are taken in a poorly formulated probiotic, they can cause gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, weight gain, nutrient deficiencies, and fat malabsorption issues. Healthy stomach acid levels and proper probiotic balance are the keys to stopping SIBO before it starts.

Constipation Is No Laughing Matter

Completing the digestive cascade is the elimination of waste products. If you aren’t moving your bowels after every large meal, then you may be constipated. This may sound like a lot to someone who thought that regular bowel movements meant going the same time every week, but I assure you, it’s exactly what your body needs.

When your stomach produces acid after you start eating, it also starts a wave-like motion throughout the colon, known as the gastrocolic reflex. What you eat, how much you eat, and the temperature of your food and drinks all affect the strength of this reflex. The foods that fermented from lack of stomach acid move very slowly through the colon, causing bloating, fatigue, and weight gain – hallmarks of constipation.

The average adult with even mild constipation is holding onto 20 pounds of waste in their colon, with a capacity for up to 50 pounds. This toxic weight gain can contribute to SIBO, yeast overgrowth, and other digestive issues. Your body recycles many of those toxins and circulates them back through the liver while its waiting to release all that toxic waste, so it also contributes to your overall toxic load and stalls even your best weight loss efforts.

Combine Detox with Diet for a Flat Belly

You’ve stimulated your stomach acid, repopulated your probiotics, and got your sluggish colon moving again. Congratulations! Now only one step remains to keep your digestion bloat-free – reduce your toxic load.

Toxins from the colon that recirculate can congest your liver, stress your kidneys, swell your fat cells, and cause not just bloating but also fat gain. This is because toxins that can’t be eliminated need to be sequestered into fat cells to protect you from their effects. This is how my New York Times bestselling Fat Flush plan got its name – when you detox and flush the fat, you lose the bloat and the excess weight.

If bloating has been your constant companion for quite some time, I highly recommend at least a few months on my Fat Flush plan to detoxify and keep your digestion on track. Join my Fat Flush Nation group on Facebook and see how thousands of people like you are flushing their fat, feeling great, and losing unwanted weight.

Spring heralds a time of fresh clean, lighter fare. It is a welcome change from heavy winter foods higher in carbs and saturated fats. And, it’s the perfect time to give your liver a vacation, and purify your system with a detox soup that provides filling fluid to decrease appetite so you’re not tempted to overeat.

My special soup features cilantro, an herb that is known to chelate heavy metals and toxins from the body. It also includes bone broth that promotes gut and digestive health, as well as supports joint mobility, skin, hair, and nails, and better sleep. And finally, cage-free omega rich eggs, which provide an excellent source of satisfying protein and are loaded with vitamins, minerals and nutrients that the body needs for energy production.

Take your detox to the next level this weekend

Since chlorophyll-rich greens are the hallmark of the spring season, my detox soup not only acts as a perfect spring tune-up, but is sure to satisfy and nourish your body and soul. It’s one of the easiest detoxes I’ve ever created, and it works!

You can start this weekend.

How my Spring Detox Soup works

Here’s what makes this soup recipe so effective (and satiating):

• Bone Broth

  Bone broth is plentiful in minerals, collagen, and glutamine for healing the gut, plus some healthy fats to tamp down hunger. It is a very healthy source of protein, found in connective tissues, muscles, bones, tendons, blood vessels, and digestive system. Bone broth can help soothe achy bones and muscles, fight inflammation and infections, and increase energy, in addition to helping heal and seal a leaky gut.

• Eggs

  Eggs are rich in sulfur (the detox mineral) and the amino acids methionine, cysteine, glycine, glutamine, and taurine. Your liver needs sulfur and these acids to successfully complete phase 2 of its detox process. Eggs offer the lecithin your liver needs to produce the beautiful bile your body needs to break down fat and absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, E, K, and D.

• Cilantro

  Cilantro is an incredibly versatile herb. Not only is it packed with flavor and zing, it is also packed with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as calcium, potassium, magnesium, and folate. This tasty herb gives a simple and delicious way to tame the toxins and mobilize heavy metals in preparation to be carried out of the body, primarily from adipose (fat) tissue. Cilantro binds these harmful metals and loosens them from the tissue which helps to eliminate them from the body.

Have cravings for sugary snacks gotten the better of you and left you with aching joints and itching skin? You’re far from alone. Cortisol levels soar when we are under stress, which causes us to crave sugary and fatty foods. If indulging in those cravings leaves you feeling like your autoimmune issues are in a flare, then there may be a Candida connection to your condition.

Autoimmune disease is now a daily struggle for 1 out of 5 Americans. Fatigue, digestive issues, joint pain, and skin issues are among the most common autoimmune symptoms – and are also common symptoms of Candida yeast overgrowth. Candida is not only a root cause behind autoimmunity, but the immunosuppressive drugs used to treat autoimmune diseases can cause Candida overgrowth, even if you didn’t have it before.

Candida overgrowth has reached epidemic proportions, with 1 in 3 adults – primarily women – suffering from the symptoms. Candida yeast is in the air, in your throat, and in your digestive system, coexisting peacefully with the myriad of organisms that make up your gut microbiome. But eat a carb-rich diet heavy in sugars, take a course of antibiotics, upset your hormone balance, or find yourself under chronic stress, and the conditions are ripe for Candida to overgrow and wreak havoc.

Why Do We Have Candida?

Normally, these tiny, oval-shaped cells live along your mucus membranes and are kept in check by the trillions of healthy bacteria that make up your microbiome. But, yeast of all types feed on sugar, and with the average American eating more than 150 pounds of sugar in a year, Candida is basically getting an all-you-can-eat buffet and growing out of control. Add to this the number of toxins we come in contact with – including antibiotics that kill off the good bacteria along with the bad – and Candida can pretty easily run amok inside your body.

Yeasts like Candida do serve a purpose in your body. When digestion is poor and stomach acid is low, the food you eat sits without being digested properly by stomach acid, bile, and digestive enzymes, and essentially starts to rot. Yeast comes in and digests the sugars and gives off alcohol as its byproduct, turning this rotting process into fermentation, much like the process used to turn hops and barley into beer. And similar to bread rising, your belly bloats from the process. You also get brain fog from the alcohol production, which can keep you from seeing the warning signs that there’s a problem.

Once the food you’ve eaten is fermented, the nutrients are broken down for easier absorption. This process isn’t ideal – it’s a survival mechanism and a breeding ground for inflammation and disease. This is due in part to the already impaired digestive system being flooded with toxins, pathogens, and products of fermentation, and also to Candida changing into its more invasive form.

More than 20 different strains of Candida have been identified in our bodies, with Candida albicans being the most common. Even though it’s only a single-celled organism, it has evolved to protect itself from being destroyed by taking on several different forms. It’s important to note that researchers typically only look at the single-celled form they isolate from the mucus membranes, and it is this form that’s used when medications and protocols are developed to fight it. But this is not the form linked to autoimmunity.

The Candida-Autoimmune Connection

When Candida turns pathogenic, it forms long chains called hyphae that bore through the walls of your intestines and travel to invade other tissues. In the meantime, the holes it leaves behind allow toxins, whole undigested proteins, and other pathogens to flood out through the leaking intestinal barrier as well. Now, not only has Candida transitioned from a digestive problem into a whole body problem, but it’s brought along toxins, allergens, and other foreign invaders along for the ride.

When this happens, it triggers an inflammatory response from your immune system as a protective mechanism, to try to fight off this onslaught. But, these root-like hyphae also drill into macrophages, the immune cells designed to kill Candida, resulting in an inability for them to mount a defense against it. They also use your own mucus membrane against you and burrow in together to form a protective shield around themselves known as a biofilm. This protective biofilm allows them to create their own living conditions to thrive in, pH adjusted and with plenty of food.

Even though your body can’t penetrate through this fortress in its current state, it still senses the problem and sends out wave after wave of inflammation, which stresses and eventually weakens your immune system. Confusion sets in with the exhaustion, and soon your body is attacking its own tissues trying to get to these foreign invaders. This is the essence of autoimmunity.

The Role Digestion Plays in Autoimmunity

Even if Candida overgrowth isn’t a root cause of your autoimmune issues, sooner or later it’s likely to be a contributing factor. Not only do the immunosuppressive drugs often prescribed allow Candida to get a foothold, but the autoimmunity itself is a challenge to your digestion.

Good digestion begins in the mouth, where thorough chewing mixes with saliva. But many autoimmune disorders cause underproduction of saliva, and when saliva levels are low, they trigger underproduction of stomach acid. Low stomach acid impairs nutrient absorption and the breakdown of food, but also signals a lower production of digestive enzymes. This means bile output also decreases, and autoimmune disorders are associated with as much as a 75 percent reduction in bile production.

Low bile production affects not only your digestion, but your thyroid, and your sex hormone balance, as I explain in my book, Radical Metabolism. Combined with the immunosuppression that allows Candida to overgrow, reduced nutrient absorption with subsequent deficiencies, and the wave after wave of inflammation that is triggered, it’s easy to see how autoimmunity and Candida overgrowth feed off of each other. Fortunately, there’s plenty you can do to stem the tide and starve the Candida out.

Clear Out the Candida

Once Candida finds safety in numbers, and is wrapped in its protective bubble of biofilm, it hides from your immune system and becomes much more resistant to treatment. And the longer Candida is allowed to grow, the stronger the biofilm gets and the more it can resist treatment. A large, well-established colony forms a strong biofilm that seems like an impenetrable fortress, which is why you may not have seen improvement in the anti-Candida strategies you’ve tried.

This is why it’s important to know your enemy. We know Candida feeds on sugar to grow and multiply, but with one-third of the biofilm itself being made of glucose and the rest being complex polysaccharides (sugars), sugar is also what it needs to keep protecting itself from being eradicated. It’s not as simple as cutting off its sugar supply, because your body needs glucose for your blood sugar. It takes a coordinated five-step approach to beat the biofilm and cut down the Candida population.

• Cut the Carbs

  All carbohydrates are broken down into the sugars that Candida feeds on. It’s not enough to eliminate all the processed white sugar, honey, maple syrup, agave, corn syrup, and other sources of sugar, but you really need to clean house and drastically cut the carbs from your diet. This includes alcoholic beverages, sodas, juices, fruit, and even whole grains. Stick with vegetables for your fiber and carbs until Candida is under control. A daily greens powder is an excellent source of green vegetables that also supports cell detox.

• Be a Bad Host

  Candida enjoys a more acidic pH and plenty of sugar. Once the sugar supply is drastically cut down, the next thing is to tackle the pH. At least for a little while, you’ll need to eliminate fermented foods and mushrooms because these set up the conditions that fungus likes to grow in.

• Break Down Biofilms with Enzymes

  You may already be familiar with anti-inflammatory proteolytic enzymes to support joint health and fight overall inflammation, but these same enzymes also help break down the bonds that hold biofilms together, with serrapeptase being the most popular. In addition, digestive enzymes work together with the proteases to help digest the sugars in the biofilm and weaken it. Be sure you increase your intake of filtered water while taking enzymes, because breaking down the biofilm will release the toxins being stored inside, and you’ll want to dilute those and help flush them out with plenty of fluids.

• Clean House with Antifungal Supplements

  Now that you’ve broken down Candida’s defenses, it’s wide open for attack, both from your immune system and from antifungals. My go-to is Y-C Cleanse. This powerful homeopathic liquid contains the perfect balance of antifungals and immune boosters, to keep you feeling strong while your body cleans up the Candida colonies.

• Refortify with Probiotics

  Bring your microbiome back into balance by increasing your probiotic populations. Take a good quality probiotic and prebiotic to “seed and feed” a new healthy probiotic population to crowd out Candida and support optimal immune function.

Your body is pretty remarkable. As part of its extraordinary plan to keep your organs safe, it isolates fat-soluble toxins, many of which in turn, stockpile in the tummy.

Belly fat and the toxins that are stored within it is extremely difficult to lose without a detox strategy that focuses on the breakdown of fat cells (lipolysis) and autophagy which is the cellular cleanup process that gets rid of the dysfunctional cells and makes way for new cells.

Some of these fat soluble toxins are called obesogens and they include synthetic compounds, chemicals, herbicides, and plastics in your fat cells. These obesogens include Bisphenol-A (BPA), atrazine, phthalates, tributyltin (TBT), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), commonly found in household products, cosmetics, and groundwater.

So how do we help our body to increase lipolysis and autophagy so we can lose stubborn belly fat and the toxins that are stored within?

How to Release Tummy Fat

Here are some easy ways to trick your body into releasing tummy fat fast and easy.

• Count on CLA

  CLA is the fatty acid that helps your body to power off pounds all year long – without dieting!

  As I recently told Woman’s World in this week’s cover story, when I first learned about CLA years ago, I was busy writing a new book day and night. I decided to try CLA to help boost my energy and stabilize my blood sugar.

  I wasn’t even taking it for weight loss but after a few weeks I was backstage at a talk show and realized my pants were so loose, I had to pin them to keep them from falling off! I’ve been a believer ever since. I find that taking 1000 mg of CLA with each meal is incredibly effective in keeping my belly fat at bay.

  Cathy's Story

  Many of my followers have also reported amazing results by taking CLA. I’m really happy for Cathy Reiber, who is featured in our CLA cover story in the November 15th issue of Woman’s World.

  She reported losing inches right away, and was down 11 pounds in a week! And by month’s end, she was 26 pounds lighter. Best of all, she has maintained her 92 lb weight loss for nearly a year!

  Her transformation is incredibly inspiring, and you can supercharge your weight loss too by adding CLA. Like Cathy, it could be your game changer.

  Human Studies

  More than 300 studies have been reported since CLA’s (conjugated linoleic acid) initial discovery, highlighting its promise in cardiac, cancer, and diabetes therapy. However, it is the special properties for weight control that were the subject of the first human studies.

  Dr. Pariza and Ola Gudmundsen, Ph.D. of the Scandinavian Clinical Research Facility in Kjeller, Norway, were among the researchers reporting at the American Chemical Society meeting in 2000.

  Their study of 80 overweight people found that:

  • Those who took CLA when they dieted and regained the weight when the diet ended put the weight back on as 50 percent muscle and 50 percent fat.
  • Those who did not take CLA regained the weight as 75 percent fat and 25 percent muscle, the usual ratio of weight gain.

  According to Dr. Pariza, whose team carried out the study, “CLA works by reducing the body’s ability to store fat and promotes the use of stored fat for energy.” It does this by controlling the enzymes that release fat from the cells into the bloodstream. The result is a decrease in body fat and a proportional increase in lean muscle mass.

  So essentially, CLA helps “convert” fat to lean muscle tissue, and muscle is one of your best metabolism enhancers.

  The Norwegian study found that overweight people who did not diet but took CLA lost a small but significant amount of weight over a 12-week period. This study, also reported in the Journal of Nutrition in 2000, showed a stunning 20 percent decrease in body fat percentage, with an average loss of 7 pounds of fat in the group taking CLA without any diet changes.

• Practice Intermittent Fasting

  I spoke about this in my recent blog (link How I Hacked Intermittent Fasting). Eating only within a six hour window can do wonders for your health. Fasting benefits include increased autophagy and lipolysis and lowered insulin levels.

  During your short eating window, remember to reduce your net carbs. Net carbs are carbohydrate foods without the fiber. Reducing them to twenty to fifty grams per day will radically power up your lipolysis and autophagy and reduce your toxic load.

• HIIT It Up

  Kick it up a notch with some high intensity interval training (HIIT) and/or high intensity interval resistance training (HIIRT) three days per week. Adding in these types of exercises will produce very fast results in a short period of time.

• Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

  And my final tip to assist your body in detoxifying cellular waste and reduce its toxic load to help you shed your weight? Hydration. Remember to drink half your body weight in ounces of water each and every day.

  You’ll be amazed with how great you’ll feel when your body releases toxins and debris and you lose those stubborn pounds once and for all.

As we head into fall, our focus shifts to protecting our immunity as cold and flu season nears, focusing on your diet and how you can use nutritious foods to nourish yourself at this time is vital. We break down what to add to your diet and lifestyle in this transitionary season.

Autumn signals a time of change – in weather, daylight, and temperatures. Days are shorter and the nights are cooler. As the colors of summer are stripped from the trees and quietly transformed to deep, rich hues, you are reminded that winter is nearing, and you need to prepare.

It’s the ideal time to begin to slow down, storing your energy for the upcoming cold months and take time to enjoy as much natural sunlight as you can before the darker days of winter arrive.

Emotionally, you learn to let go and open yourself up to change as you pause to reflect inward. Physically, you need to take special care of the two vital organs of this season, the lungs and large intestines.

Lung Health - Your First Line of Defense Against Respiratory Issues

Your lungs – along with the bronchial tubes, throat, sinuses, and nose – are a major detox pathway. They are your first line of defense against unhealthy air; they hold the key to respiration. Your lungs act as the go-between for the internal and external environment, inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide through their pulmonary capillaries. As the only internal organ to interact with the outside environment, your lungs are vulnerable to dryness and certain weather conditions. So, it’s always best to protect them from cold and damp weather by keeping your chest, neck, head, and feet warm.

Every function of your body relies for existence on the oxygen intake of the lungs, In fact, each cell performs as a miniature lung by taking in oxygen from the bloodstream and eliminating carbon dioxide, which is then carried back to the lungs. That’s why it is so essential for your lungs to have good quality air that is clean, moist, warm, and rich in oxygen. When your lungs aren’t functioning properly, your body accumulates heat, propelling other health issues into motion, resulting in poor circulation, night sweats, excessive perspiration, fatigue, and listlessness. Estimates indicate that 92 million of us nationwide (that is more than 1 out of 3) already struggle with at least one of the more common chronic respiratory diseases: sinusitis, allergies, bronchitis, and asthma.

A Healthy Gut Equals Healthy Immune System

Equally important to your health and detox process are your large intestines, which also need your special attention during autumn. Lying along the outer edge of the abdomen, your large intestine is divided into three parts: a caecum, where your appendix is attached; colons – ascending, transverse, descending, and sigmoid; and the rectum. This five-foot, often-overworked organ absorbs water and finishes nutrient absorption so its blood vessels can transport it to the liver for further metabolism. The main function of your colon is to gather your body’s putrefied toxins and eliminate them via peristalsis so the entire system can work without undue stress.

Your gut is like a fortress, maintaining a protective environment where food can be broken down and fed to voracious cells waiting for much-needed nutrients. Its thin mucous membrane absorbs vital nutrients and expels toxins. In a healthy gastrointestinal tract, there are literally trillions of bacteria – good and bad ones. As long as they stay in balance, things are fine. So, to keep your detoxification pathways healthy and your healthy bacteria count high, it is imperative to follow a diet designed for autumn detox, which will help you to cleanse your system by expelling toxins from the large intestine, thereby helping to prevent autointoxication.

Foods to Ward Off Virus & Respiratory Issues

Fenugreek tea is the autumn herbal tea of choice because it is so effective as a lubricant; it softens and dissolves mucus in the lungs and moistens the intestinal tract to prevent constipation. Other lung-protecting herbs include usnea, which the Native Americans fondly named “the Lungs of the Earth,” because it works against “bad” bacteria like staphylococcus, streptococcus, pneumococcal pneumonia, and mycobacterium tuberculosis; osha, which is a powerful aid for bronchial irritations and has immune-stimulating properties; mullein, which has long been associated with alleviating pulmonary problems because it is an expectorant; and lobelia, a strong bronchial dilator and antispasmodic useful for overall lung congestion and asthma.

Autumn spices include warming cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and anise, which not only are deliciously aromatic but also help to prevent indigestion, gas, and cold hands and feet. Anise is a lung remedy as well, known to help bronchial disorders and asthma. Your autumn tea, herbs, and spices all help to support intestinal and respiratory function and to alleviate dampness.

The harvest season is the time to decrease your intake of cooling summer foods and to add more cooked and warming foods (like velvety okra and crunchy snow peas) into your eating plan in preparation for winter. It is also the season to reduce your fruit intake from three portions to two because fruits are especially cooling to the body. We need more warmth now.

Now is the time to enjoy more bull-bodied, richer foods like nuts and seeds, eating them as snacks or adding them to stir-fries and stews. Enjoy heartier, more sustaining foods that will be warming and help protect you from cooler, and often damper weather. For autumn detox, consume foods like sauerkraut, which protects the GI tract. Also, make this special Apple Cider Vinegar Healing Tonic to enjoy morning and evening throughout the autumn season:

Apple Cider Vinegar Healing Tonic

• 8 ounces of filtered water
• 1 tablespoon organic, unfiltered, raw apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of GI, lung and liver supporting Daily Greens
• A pinch of Ceylon cinnamon

Mix ingredients together and enjoy these benefits:

• Balances the body’s pH
• Provides easily available potassium so helpful to mineral balance and balanced detoxification
• A natural antiseptic for overall health, including respiratory health
• Provides overall digestive support

Other Nutritional Tips

• Use organic beef and chicken bone broth for special dishes that require liquids for basting or sautéing.
• Increase your menu options and choose from a large variety of fiber-rich harvest vegetables as colorful as the autumn leaves.

What do high blood sugar levels and the pandemic virus have in common? The answer is in the blood.

The longer this pandemic goes on, the more we learn about the virus causing it. Up until the past few weeks, doctors presumed the virus targeted the lungs, causing fluid accumulation and decreased respiration, then the lack of oxygen damaged other organs. This is when acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) set in and the patient was placed on a ventilator, often with a very poor outcome. But thanks to researchers and some very outspoken doctors in hot spot areas, our understanding of the virus has changed – and explains why diabetics (and anyone with hyperglycemia at the onset of infection) die from the virus at a rate 4 times higher than the general population.

What Does the Virus Really Do Inside Your Body?

Researchers have discovered that the virus isn’t attacking your lungs – it’s attacking your red blood cells. Oxygen is carried through your blood stream in the form of hemoglobin, part of your red blood cells. A molecule of hemoglobin contains 2 oxygen molecules and 2 iron molecules. Your hemoglobin needs both the iron and the oxygen together to deliver oxygen to all of your cells.

The research shows that the virus targets your hemoglobin and binds to the iron and breaks it loose from the hemoglobin molecule, inserting itself in its place. Without iron, the hemoglobin can no longer carry oxygen. As more hemoglobin is damaged, there is less oxygen carrying capacity, and the symptoms of respiratory distress appear.

Lung cells become toxic and inflammatory, and as this process continues, it leads to pneumonia and the now infamous cytokine storm. Because of this lung inflammation, capillaries break easily and coagulant proteins rush in, forming tiny blood clots and further inhibiting oxygen absorption. This leads to damage in many other organs and critical illness.

What all of this shows us about the virus is that problems don’t start with the oxygen absorption in the lungs – it all starts with oxygen delivery in the blood. And this explains why diabetics fare so much worse than others when they contract the virus.

COVID & the Diabetes Connection

Researchers have been analyzing all of the patient data they can get their hands on since this pandemic started. In a US study published in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, as many as 22 percent of those with severe infection requiring hospitalization had diabetes or uncontrolled hyperglycemia upon admission. This makes sense because diabetics already have hemoglobin issues.

The biomarker commonly used to measure long-term blood sugar control in diabetics is the Hemoglobin A1c test, commonly nicknamed the A1c. This test measures the percent of hemoglobin that’s coated with sugar through a process called glycation. Glycation impairs oxygen delivery and is one reason diabetics are more prone to infections in general. The higher your A1c is, the more impaired your oxygen delivery becomes.

This mechanism is the reason I feel the A1c test and a fasting insulin level should be included in everyone’s yearly physical exam. Sugar coated hemoglobin, increased insulin, and the resulting reduced oxygen carrying capacity is a root cause syndrome behind many chronic illnesses – whether you have diabetes or not. Less oxygen means more inflammation, while higher insulin and blood sugar lead to cortisol and hormone disturbances that also drive inflammation and illness.

So now that we know that this virus is adding insult to injury in those who struggle with blood sugar control, it’s time to look at the silver lining in this cloud – an innovative antiviral approach.

How to Boost Your Oxygen Levels in Health and Disease

Looking at the poor outcomes of patients who have been placed on ventilators, we can see it’s vitally important to increase oxygen levels before pneumonia and secondary infections set in, especially in those with diabetes and hyperglycemia. This is where oxygen therapies come in. They have a well studied, proven track record of success with both diabetics and infections.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) delivers pure oxygen in higher-than-atmospheric-pressure environment. This pushes oxygen into the blood plasma for immediate delivery to cells, bypassing the hemoglobin. HBOT has anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antiseptic effects and is known to stimulate new blood vessel growth. During the SARS coronavirus epidemic, HBOT was used to successfully treat several patients with pneumonia and is currently in clinical trials here as a treatment for the current pandemic virus. It is widely available through functional medicine clinics throughout the US.

A wide variety of ozone therapies have also been shown to be effective, both in diabetic complications and as an antiviral. When we think of ozone, normally we think of that protective layer over the earth – but it’s also protective of your health. In a nutshell, it triggers production of antioxidants in your body to combat chronic illness effects, and has antiseptic properties that fight infectious diseases.

Ozone is a diabetic’s best friend. In one study, patients with diabetic foot issues who received ozone therapy not only had superior wound healing to the control group who received antibiotics instead, but also better blood sugar control and reduced oxidative stress. Their lesions also healed better and the amputation rate was far lower than those who received antibiotics. As an added bonus, the ozone group reported no side effects.

This means ozone not only stimulates the body’s antioxidant defense mechanisms, but is also a potent antiseptic that can take on bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses. It has been studied and proven successful against the MRSA superbug and the SARS coronavirus. And once again, several outspoken doctors throughout the world are touting the benefits of ozone therapies in treating their pandemic patients, alleviating both side effects of other therapies and symptoms of the disease itself.

All of this is wonderful news for those already struggling with these diseases, but as the saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” If we really want to rip the risk of disease out by the roots, it starts with better blood sugar control.

Balance Blood Sugars for Long Term Health

When your blood sugar levels start creeping up on your yearly testing, the first pieces of advice given are usually “lose weight and eat a low glycemic diet.” I’m pretty sure that by this time, we’ve all tried to lose weight somehow, but have you ever tried to eat low glycemic without a plan to follow? You either memorize which foods fall in the low glycemic range, or you pull out an app before you plan (or order) every meal. We’ve all learned the hard way how difficult this advice is to follow.

While you are transitioning to a healthier way of living, it helps to have a trusted nutritional supplement to get you going in the right direction. Weight Loss Formula from UNI KEY Health is my first choice. It contains Oregon grape root for immune support, and its rich berberine content aids in blood sugar balance. Chromium is an essential mineral for blood sugar balance that also helps curb cravings and is often low in those with high blood sugar levels.

I know firsthand what a challenge this can be. That’s why I developed both my Fat Flush and Radical Metabolism plans. People were coming to me at the first signs of high blood sugar and prediabetes and needed to eat healthier and lose weight. My New Fat Flush Plan quickly became a New York Times bestseller because of how successful it is for anyone who needs to lose weight and learn how to eat for better blood sugar control.

I knew that people who suffered with chronic illness like diabetes and autoimmune disease for any length of time found it more challenging to lose weight and inflammation, so a more detoxifying plan was needed to help them reach their health goals. I had them all in mind when I wrote my tremendously successful Radical Metabolism plan. This 25-day radical reboot works at the cell level to help you get your health, weight, and blood sugar back on track, for both the short-term and for life.

You don’t have to do this alone. Consider this your invitation to join my Fat Flush Nation and/or Radical Metabolism Revolution groups on Facebook, to find not only my knowledgeable staff of nutritionists, but also people like you who got sick and tired of being sick and tired and took the steps to get their health back on track. Now is the best time to start!

Believe it or not, your lungs are your most vulnerable organ and pulmonary function is the an important predictor of not only how long you’ll live, but how active and healthy you’ll be.

Taking good care of your lungs is not an option, it’s a MUST as we face more and more viral challenges.

Lung inflammation – and cough – from a viral respiratory infection can last for up to 2 months after the rest of your symptoms are gone. It’s called post-viral cough, and has been recognized in the scientific literature all the way back to 1950. The exact cause of the cough isn’t known, but it’s thought to be from all the damage to the lungs during the infection, plus the inflammatory reaction the body has from fighting off the virus.

Not only does the virus do damage, but the radiation exposure from X-rays and CT scans, invasive medical procedures (including intubation and mechanical ventilation), and medications we take all can have undesirable effects on our long-term health as well. Fortunately, there are supportive herbs and nutritional supplements we can use to support our lungs as they heal from such a coordinated assault.

Respiratory Virus 101

In order for your immune system to eradicate a virus anywhere in your body, it has to target and kill your own cells. This is different from a bacterial infection because bacteria attach to the outside of your cell, so you can kill bacteria without sacrificing your own cell. A virus invades your cell and takes over its command center, forcing it to make copies of infected cells and spread. The only way your body knows to kill the virus that’s hijacking your cells is to kill your own cells.

Once a virus is detected, this activates your T cells, the “soldiers” of your immune system that seek out and destroy infected cells. These dead cells are then cleaned up by the macrophages in your blood, which are like little garbage disposals that travel through your blood stream and “eat” any diseased cells. The viral attack on your cells also triggers a protective inflammatory response, which can persist long after the infection is gone.

A respiratory virus typically targets the epithelial cells and the alveoli in the lungs, which are right at ground zero of where oxygen is exchanged. Oxygen travels from these small alveolar air sacs in the lungs into the blood stream so it can be carried to the rest of the body. Once the lung tissue is injured it can become hyperreactive, resulting in decreased oxygen exchange, increased inflammation, and a persistent cough.

While you are recovering from a respiratory virus, your body needs additional nutrients to help it repair and replace cells, reduce inflammation, and soothe irritated tissues. If you’ve been exposed to radiation through medical imaging, then additional detox is helpful to mitigate the effects.

My Top Ten Supplements for Lung Health

From infrared sauna to cupping, herbs, vitamins, and more, there’s so much we can do to support good lung health – especially after an infection. While our access to hands-on therapeutic practitioners may be limited during this pandemic, good quality supplements are back in plentiful supply. Here are my top ten nutrients for supporting the health of your lungs after a viral assault.

• CoQ10

  Every cell in your body relies on the lungs for its oxygen, so when the lungs have been damaged by infection, we are plagued with fatigue from impaired oxygen delivery. CoQ10 is essential for our cells to make energy, and is a powerful antioxidant that protects delicate tissues from damage.

  This fat-soluble enzyme is in its lowest concentration in the body in your lung tissue, and to make matters worse, it declines as we age.

  Just 100 milligrams of this powerful enzyme has been found in studies to improve cell activity and reduce inflammation in people with asthma, which results in a reduced need for steroids.

• Fish Oil

  Inflammation of the lung and throat tissues can persist long after the viral infection has gone, which can predispose us to a secondary bacterial infection.

  According to Richard Phipps, PhD from the University of Rochester Medical Center, in cases of persistent lung disease, the Omega 3 fats in fish oil provide the precursors for molecules that help stop excessive inflammation, while helping your body clear out bacteria.

• Vitamin C

  We already know how wonderful vitamin C is for boosting the immune system during an infection, but it’s equally as helpful when it’s time for cell repair.

  Did you know the new generation of anti-flu medications blocks an enzyme the virus has that breaks down collagen? And did you know that vitamin C is an essential building block of collagen?

  When you put all of this together, you can see that vitamin C helps restore healthy collagen that may have been damaged by the influenza virus, or any other cause. It also helps thin mucus secretions so you can breathe easy.

• Vitamin D3

  This versatile vitamin is not just for bone health – it plays an important role respiratory health as well through its influence in lung development and structure, respiratory muscle strength, inflammation, and immune response to foreign invaders.

  Researchers have found that a deficiency in vitamin D is a risk factor for developing viral respiratory tract infections. It turns out that vitamin D is such a powerful immune factor for the respiratory tract that the lungs actually produce their own active form of vitamin D.

  Take 5000 IU of vitamin D3 daily or as recommended by your health professional.

• N-Acetyl-Cysteine

  Have you ever had a viral infection that left you with thick mucus that was hard to expectorate with coughing? If so, you needed N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC).

  This powerful antioxidant not only boosts your glutathione levels in your lungs and reduces bronchial and lung inflammation, but it also acts as an expectorant, breaking up trapped mucus and helping you cough it out more easily.

  It’s available by prescription as nebulizer breathing treatments (the method of choice), or over-the-counter in pill form.

• Serrapeptase

  This systemic proteolytic enzyme has been widely known for its role in helping the immune system repair injured tissues – including in the lungs.

  Severe viral respiratory infections can leave behind thickened tissues and even scars that impair your body’s ability to exchange oxygen. This is often caused by a buildup of fibrin protein.

  Serrapeptase dissolves fibrin and proteins, while decreasing inflammation, reducing scar tissue, and supporting a healthy respiratory system.

• Marshmallow Root

  This time-honored herbal remedy has been known as a demulcent that soothes dry coughs and irritated respiratory tissues. This antioxidant herb is used for swelling or irritation of any mucus membrane in the body, especially those that line the respiratory tract.

  The recommended use is in tea form, so it can soothe the tissues as you swallow.

• Fenugreek

  This pleasant-tasting herb (reminiscent of maple syrup) is a natural expectorant and antiseptic that is wonderfully effective as a cough syrup. It not only loosens excess mucus and helps you cough it out, but it also eases the urge to cough when there’s nothing to expectorate.

  Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects have been shown in studies to ease asthma symptoms and improve quality of life.

  I recommend it as a tea or syrup.

• Pleurisy Root

  This uncommon herb is a great support for any type of lung inflammation – including pleurisy, pneumonitis, and viral infections – and has been used specifically in cases of influenza.

  The key to safe usage of this herb lies in using small amounts, so I recommend a tincture.

  This herb should not be taken if you are pregnant, nursing, taking estrogen, or taking a diuretic.

• Thyme

  This tiny leaf packs a powerfully good punch! Thyme is a powerful antiviral, antiseptic, antibacterial, and expectorant.

  Thymol, an extract from thyme, is so potent that the EPA lists it as a disinfectant that kills COVID-19.

  Thyme Honey

  Thyme mixed with honey has been shown in studies to prevent skin damage caused by radiation treatments and UV radiation.

  Thyme honey also soothes throat pain.

Keep Calm & Carry On - Even in the Face of a Global Pandemic

Panic is in the air, and it seems almost impossible to avoid it. We’re in a State of Emergency across the country, with schools and public buildings closed, restaurants with take-out only services, and grocery stores running out of supplies. People are glued to the news and social media, looking for the latest virus updates and scanning through facts and memes about all our country is facing right now.

The fear is palpable – and understandable – but is doing more harm than good to our immune health and the health of our communities. We’re on information overload and it’s causing panic, anxiety, and overwhelm among even those of us who are normally so calm. It’s time to restore our peace. So curl up on the couch with a warm cup of tea, and let’s go over what it takes to remain calm in the face of chaos.

Find Ways to Stay Grounded

When your mind is racing, grounding helps you focus and stay calm. The amygdala is the part of your brain responsible for your emotions and fear response. As soon as you have a negative thought about a situation, it causes faster and more shallow breathing, increases your heart rate, and causes your muscles to tense up. Then it feeds off these changes and creates a vicious cycle where you become more and more anxious and feel overwhelmed by it all.

Grounding breaks the cycle. If the weather permits where you live, take your shoes off and consciously push your feet down into the ground. As you breathe in, imagine the energy from the earth coming up into your body. As you breathe out, picture all the nervous energy from your mind draining down through your body and into the ground. Notice how each part of part of your body feels heavy as the nervous energy leaves and you relax. Notice how alive you feel as you draw up the energy from the earth.

If you can’t go outdoors for this, then find a chair that allows you to plant your feet firmly on the floor. Bring your focus to how your body feels sitting in that chair, then focus on draining the energy from your mind as I just explained. Once you feel peaceful and calm you can stop and just breathe quietly for a few minutes.

Work Your Nervous Energy Out

Some people build up too much nervous energy to be able to sit still and focus, so grounding simply isn’t possible. When that vicious cycle of anxiety is created, your fight-or-flight sympathetic nervous system response is also activated. We call it fight-or-flight for a reason – your body is gearing up for you to fight or run from the threat, whether it’s emotional or physical.

The best way to calm that nervous energy is to fulfill your fight-or-flight response by doing aerobic exercise. Take a brisk walk or run outside, on a treadmill, or even up and down the stairs. Scrub the bathroom or do another chore or yard work that gets your heart rate up and makes you sweat. Or turn up the music and dance like no one is watching! Whatever you choose, once your heart rate goes up, your nervous system calms down because you’ve “run” from whatever was causing you to feel threatened. Then you can do your grounding to keep your mind calm and prevent that vicious cycle from starting all over again. If your health doesn’t allow for vigorous exercise, then mind-body practices like yoga, tai chi, or walking meditation can also help.

Unplug From Technology

The live updates from officials about the virus are almost constant right now, which feeds the panic and keeps us up at night. There’s never been a time in history that we’ve had such immediate access to what is happening across the globe and, as this pandemic is teaching us, that isn’t always a good thing. The toilet paper shortage is an excellent example of this. As soon as one store reported they were sold out of toilet paper it went viral, and soon all the stores were sold out and people started hoarding. The only way to stop this fear, insecurity, and outright panic is to unplug for a while.

Turn off the news, walk away from your phone and other devices, and go outside and breathe some fresh air. Take a nap, cook a favorite meal, or spend some time with your favorite (offline) hobby. Feel your dopamine levels return to normal as your brain readjusts from all the blue light exposure. For a good night’s sleep, be sure to unplug at least 2 hours before you want to sleep. This ensures healthy melatonin levels and prevents a late night dopamine surge. You may even want to supplement with melatonin if night time binge-watching has been preventing your good night’s sleep.

Natural Remedies Relieve Stress

Stress and worry increase our production of stress hormones like cortisol, which then suppress the immune system. And I know for some of us, it’s hard to shut the worry off. So we deplete our stores of essential nutrients like magnesium, potassium, and B vitamins. Supplementing with UNI KEY Health’s Mag-Key (dosed daily at 5 milligrams per pound of weight) and Adrenal Formula during times of intense or chronic stress is a must-have, in my opinion. In addition, save the skins of your root vegetables and add sea salt and filtered water to make a potassium-rich broth to drink. And I personally use Rescue Remedy, which is a blend of 5 flower essences, when I need help relaxing.

Reconnect & Recharge Your Relationships

We’re all in this together, with the end goal of keeping as many people healthy as possible and preventing the deaths of vulnerable people. There’s nothing like a sense of community during times like these, when fear would have us pull away. Reach out to friends and family, especially if this time of social distancing is isolating them in any way. Face time, call or even record a video to send to them. Send handwritten letters, artwork from children, or even a care package to let them know they aren’t alone.

If you are home with your family, organize activities you can do at home or out in nature to help you reconnect and feel closer. Cook a meal together, go for a walk, play a game, or just watch a movie together on the couch. How you respond to this pandemic affects everyone around you, so I encourage you to be the calm voice of reason everyone so desperately needs right now. Breathe deeply, get plenty of rest, and practice what I’ve taught you. And do stay connected with me on Facebook. You can count on me for reliable, factual information for your mental and physical health.

With the fast, worldwide reach of the media, it seems like every year we hear about a new illness outbreak looming on the horizon. In 2001 it was anthrax, 2002 was West Nile virus, 2003 was SARS, and in the following years it’s been H1N1 influenza, Ebola, and Zika viruses, among others. And now in 2020, we have a new coronavirus emerging.

The World Health Organization has now declared the coronavirus outbreak centered in Wuhan, China a “public health emergency of international concern,” with cases diagnosed as far as Europe, Thailand, Japan, and the US. This currently rivals the SARS coronavirus outbreak as far as total numbers, but the relative good news is that the fatality rate is much lower at 2 percent right now. Unfortunately, the media coverage and medical system response is enough to create panic for anyone.

Boost Your Immune System to Exploit Virus Weakness

Fortunately, all viruses share the same fundamental weaknesses, and there’s so much we can do to safely, easily, and naturally exploit these weaknesses to boost our immune system and protect ourselves from getting sick. For instance, did you know the magnesium chloride that is commonly used even in hospital ICU departments to save lives can also help fight off a virus? It’s true, and magnesium chloride is readily available for home use as well, so you don’t have to get sick to have access to it. And you can easily make it into a gel to apply to your children’s skin, so you don’t have to worry about getting them to take a pill.

With a basic understanding of how common viruses spread, some simple common sense precautions, and nutrients to boost your immune system, you can help protect your family from this public health menace.

Use Common Sense to Prevent Viral Illness

The first thing you need to know about fighting off viruses is that the earlier you start, the better your interventions work. Don’t wait until you have a fever and cough, start at the first sign of a sniffle or that feeling that you might be coming down with something. Pay attention to local media and area schools with what they announce is going around, and boost your immune system ahead of time so you never have to miss a day of work.

When you have to go out in public during a viral illness outbreak (like flu season) to run errands or attend events, make sure you understand how the virus is spread and take appropriate measures. Most viral illnesses that cause outbreaks are airborne. This means they spread through tiny droplets that come from coughs and sneezes, and can travel all the way across a crowded room through the air, landing on solid surfaces or being breathed in.

Take Caution When in Public Spaces

Door knobs, shopping carts, keypads at the checkout, chair arms, and even the items you touch while shopping can all have contaminated droplets on them. While you are out, take special care to not touch your face and wash your hands regularly, or at least once you leave the store. If you are immune-compromised, wear a mask.

School children should wash hands regularly throughout the day, and athletes who play sports like basketball need to be aware the germs can travel on the ball and they need to use a towel (not their hands) to wipe sweat from their faces, and wash their hands after playing.

The Difference Between Viruses & Bacteria

Viruses aren’t like bacteria, so you can’t simply take an antibiotic to get over them. Bacteria stick to the outside of your cells, while viruses inject themselves inside your cells, using your own cells as a layer of protection. This makes it difficult to develop medications that stop viruses without injuring our own cells. This is why we look to natural alternatives that help boost our immune systems so they fight off foreign invaders more quickly, and also help to strengthen cell membranes so the viruses can’t get in to begin with.

10 Best Immune Support Nutrients 

• Elderberry Syrup

  Elderberry Syrup has earned its reputation as a potent flu-fighter and works well to boost immunity for other viruses as well. Elderberry is an immune system modulator, increasing the production of cytokines to help the body regulate its response to infections and diseases. The best syrup is the one you make yourself by boiling fresh or organic dried berries and adding local honey to the strained liquid once it has cooled (to preserve the immune boosting enzymes found in the honey). If you choose store bought, make sure the syrup is organic with no artificial sweeteners. Aim for one tablespoon 3 to 6 times daily at the onset of symptoms.

• Echinacea

  Echinacea combined with elderberry is a dynamic duo. A Czech study of more than 400 people with early flu symptoms found it was more effective than a Tamiflu/placebo combination, with 90 percent of people experiencing symptom relief and shorter duration of the flu. This powerful combination also proved effective against avian influenza virus and other upper respiratory infections. Echinacea has an astringent effect on tissues, which decreases the ability of a virus to infect cells. It also increases the number of macrophages, the immune cells that kill bacteria and clean up dead viruses. Echinacea can be taken as often as every 4 hours in the first few days of infection as tincture, tea, or capsules.

• Oil of Oregano

  Oil of Oregano was studied during the SARS coronavirus outbreak and an in vitro study showed it stopped virus replication within 20 minutes of exposure. While these types of studies alone aren’t considered strong enough scientific evidence alone, oregano has long been known for its antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. It should be noted that oil of oregano is not the same as oregano essential oil. Oregano essential oil has been found to kill the healthy probiotic bacteria in your microbiome, while oil of oregano has not. My recommendation is for oil of oregano, 2 gelcaps twice daily.

• Olive Leaf Extract

  Olive Leaf Extract has been shown in studies to have antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Not only is it antiviral, but also lowers blood pressure, balances blood sugars in diabetics, increases metabolism, and has anti-aging effects on the skin. Olive leaf extract also fights the dangerous E. coli and salmonella found in food poisoning. One teaspoon of tincture 2 to 3 times daily should be taken at the first sign of viral illness. Olive leaf extract is known to work well with oil of oregano.

• Monolaurin

  Monolaurin is a fat found in coconut oil and has strong protective effects for viruses similar to coronavirus. Many viruses, including the Wuhan coronavirus, are enveloped in a protective layer of fat, shielding it from the immune system. Monolaurin dissolves the lipids in this fatty envelope, stripping the virus of its protective layer, allowing it to be destroyed by the immune system. When seeking monolaurin’s immune-supportive properties, it isn’t enough to ingest coconut oil, you must take the more concentrated form. I recommend 1500 milligrams twice daily in capsule form.

• Vitamin C

  Vitamin C is a potent nutrient with many positive effects to help boost the immune system. It starts outside the cell by strengthening the collagen matrix, which helps limit the damage a virus can do to your tissues. Once inside the cell, vitamin C enters the virus and stimulates a reaction that kills the virus. Not many nutrients can help to strengthen your immunity and repair cells like this vitamin does. I recommend Time-C (a time-released formula) taken as 1 to 2 tablets three times daily to keep vitamin C levels steady all day.

• Vitamin D

  Vitamin D has several studies that back up its effectiveness against the flu and other viruses by decreasing duration and reducing the risk of being infected in the first place. Vitamin D also stimulates your innate immunity to viruses. I recommend doses up to 5000 IU to support your immune system during viral outbreaks.

• Iodine

  Iodine was shown in 1905 to be effective against tuberculosis, and was used almost a century ago in aerosol form to protect classrooms against influenza. According to Dr. David Brownstein, “There is no bacteria, virus, parasite or fungus that is known to be resistant to iodine.” It can be taken in liquid form as Lugol’s solution, or in pill form as Iodoral. Aim for up to 12.5 milligrams of intake per day at the onset of symptoms.

• Magnesium

  Magnesium is a powerful immune-boosting ally. As I touched on briefly, its use extends beyond the ICU and into your home. Magnesium is in high demand in your body when you are under any kind of stress, including the physical strain of illness. Magnesium chloride, which can be applied topically either as a bath salt or made into a gel, is especially helpful because our bodies are able to tolerate higher doses. The gel is made simply by adding small amounts of water to the salts until liquified. Apply a few grams every few hours when symptoms start to help decrease duration and severity. It is important to note that your diet should be free from processed sugar while ill, because it takes more than 50 molecules of magnesium to process only one molecule of sugar.

• Selenium

  Selenium deficiency in the body could allow an otherwise benign virus to mutate and cause serious damage. This is because there are selenium dependent proteins in your immune system that keep viruses under control. When you don’t have enough selenium to make adequate levels of these proteins, your body doesn’t have the support it needs and viruses could be allowed to run rampant. It only takes 100 to 200 micrograms of this powerful antioxidant mineral daily to keep levels optimal.

Bad bacteria, like the ones that cause food poisoning, could also be causing your SIBO, and surprisingly, Fatty Liver Disease as well.

You’ve heard it from me countless times over the years – your body is only as healthy as your gut. If you can’t digest and absorb nutrients from food and drinks while also fending off foreign invaders, then there’s something wrong with your gut – and that something might be food poisoning.

Ten percent of people who come down with a case of food poisoning don’t recover and it becomes a chronic bacterial infection. When this happens, it can progress into Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), and as researchers have recently discovered, it can wreak further havoc and lead to Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).

The good news is you can beat the bloat and get your gut health back on track with a few simple steps.

Digestion 101

Your digestive system is the first line of defense for most of the foreign invaders your body comes in contact with. This complex system has multiple internal lines of defense to keep these harmful invaders from breaching its protective front lines and invading your bloodstream, where they are able to travel pretty much anywhere in the body to wreak havoc.

The digestive cascade all starts in your mouth with chewing and saliva production. Chewing your food thoroughly stimulates the release of saliva, which in turn signals how much stomach acid to make, followed by digestive enzymes from the pancreas and bile from the gallbladder. In your intestines, your microbiome – the collection of healthy bacteria that makes up part of the immune system in your gut and helps you break down and absorb nutrients – gets to work breaking down food and attacking unwanted hitchhikers that make it past the stomach.

When all of this is working properly, it also balances the pH needed in each area and controls how much peristalsis – the wave-like contractions of the intestines – needs to happen to move the food along. The end result is food that is broken down, all the nutrients extracted and sent where they’re needed, and any harmful invaders neutralized and easily eliminated through regular bowel movements.

This delicately balanced system can be thrown out of whack at any point along the course – you don’t chew your food thoroughly, which causes less stomach acid to be released, and then fewer pancreatic enzymes and less bile is released. Or you drink too much liquid while you eat, which dilutes your stomach acid, causing a slow down of the whole system. Or perhaps worst of all, a break down in the microbiome allows bad bacteria to survive, and you now have an illness – like food poisoning – to fight.

How Food Poisoning Causes SIBO

Thanks to your microbiome, at least 60 percent of your immune system is in your gut. This is likely because it’s your first line of defense against most of the foreign organisms you encounter. Aside from the food and drinks you put in your mouth, the secretions from your pulmonary system drain into your stomach, and anything you touch before putting your fingers in your mouth also ends up in your digestive system.

If there is any weakness to your microbiome – either not enough probiotic bacteria or not enough diversity – the bad bacteria that cause food poisoning will take over and cause illness, damage, and eventually SIBO (Small Intestine Bacteria Overgrowth). According to researchers, food poisoning bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter jejuni and Shigella all produce a potent neurotoxin called cytolethal distending toxin B. The more antibodies you make against this toxin, the more likely you are to develop SIBO.

Cytolethal distending toxin B is molecularly similar to a good protein we have in our intestines called vinculin. Because your antibodies can’t tell these two proteins apart, the same antibodies that attack the neurotoxin also attack your good vinculin protein. Vinculin is a “good guy” for the nerve cells in your gut; it stimulates peristalsis in its surroundings. When you have less of this protein then you have weak muscle contractions, which means food stays too long in the small intestine.

This slower transit time gives bacteria the chance to latch on, feed, and overgrow. Once bacteria overgrows in the small intestine, the result is bloating, gas, inflammation (and more), the hallmarks of SIBO. Food poisoning and its resulting gastrointestinal damage is now considered to be one of the major causes of SIBO. But, in the case of E. coli, the damage doesn’t stop there.

From SIBO to NAFLD - How Bad Bacteria Just Get Worse

Did you know the protective lining of the intestines – that separates harmful bacteria from your bloodstream – is only one cell in thickness? It’s true! Normally, there’s a protective mucus layer over this lining that houses the majority of your microbiome. But, when the microbiome gets disrupted, the mucus layer can be destroyed by bad bacteria (or parasites) and invade your body by getting into your bloodstream, causing systemic inflammation.

E. coli is especially heinous, and is a major contributor to Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD). When it overgrows in the small intestine, it gives off alcohol as its byproduct. So this bacteria in particular causes that food to ferment, increasing bloating, the release of toxins, and the production of alcohol. Once it breaks through your intestinal barrier, all of that alcohol floods your system and heads for your liver.

The alcohol produced by bacteria poisons your liver the same way the alcohol you drink does.

It used to be that we only saw Fatty Liver Disease in people who regularly drank excessive amounts of alcohol. Now NAFLD affects more than one-fourth of the adult population in the US. We see it most commonly in people with high carbohydrate diets who are feeding the alcohol-producing bacteria (and yeasts) in their disrupted microbiome. In fact, these alcohol-producing bacteria have been found in more than 60% of NAFLD patients.

Your alcohol levels from the bacteria (and yeasts) can actually go so high that you register a blood alcohol level of intoxication. This is called Auto-Brewery Syndrome and is rare, but should give you a good idea of just how much alcohol these bacteria can make. So, if you’re experiencing bloating, brain fog, inflammation, and fatigue, then it’s time to tune-up your microbiome and strengthen your intestinal border function.

Get Your Gut Health Back in 3 Easy Steps

1. Cleanse Your Digestive System

   SIBO and NAFLD are both signs that your microbiome has been disrupted, allowing harmful bacteria to invade and do damage. So, good gut health starts with a gentle but thorough cleanse. There are two ways to go about this.

   • For Recent Symptoms

     First, if you’ve only recently developed the symptoms, you may be able to do a broad spectrum herbal colon cleanse.

   • For Ongoing Symptoms

     If the problem has been ongoing, it may make more sense to start with a comprehensive laboratory test like the Expanded GI Panel from UNI KEY Health or a DNA probe to determine exactly which bacteria are causing your issues so you can make a more targeted, informed approach.

2. Take Enzyme Supplements

   Once the delicate lining of the intestines is injured, the digestive enzymes that are normally attached are flushed out without being able to do their job. So, supplementing with digestive enzymes is not only helpful to fight inflammation but also provides good digestive support while you are healing. I recommend taking a good quality, broad spectrum digestive enzyme formula with every meal.

   Also, enteric-coated peppermint capsules have been found to soothe the inflammation associated with SIBO and are currently being researched for their antimicrobial effects in the intestine.

3. Restore Your Microbiome

   It’s important to “seed and feed” your microbiome – it contains trillions of bacteria ready to come to your aid. Once it is disrupted and harmful microorganisms have begun to overgrow, you need to bring back healthy probiotic populations so it can effectively do its work again. Taking a good quality probiotic that contains the prebiotic food they prefer is something I consider essential to helping restore health to your microbiome.

   Numerous studies show there is a strong relationship between choline deficiency and NAFLD, so I believe choline supplementation is essential for liver support. I recommend taking a supplement twice daily to get your daily dose of choline.