Gut Thyroid Connection – Does Gut Health Affect Thyroid?

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Your Thyroid-Gut Connection

You might think of thyroid issues and stomach complications as independent problems. But have you considered the actual close connection between gut health and your thyroid?

It’s not intuitive to consider that your digestive system and your thyroid gland are intimately connected, and that the function of one feeds back on the function of the other. But the thyroid-gut connection runs deeper than you may expect.

Rather than a set of linear, isolated systems acting independently of one another, the body is an interconnected web. When one strand of the web is pulled, reverberations are created throughout the body. Hioppocrates was correct when he said “all disease begins in the gut.”

Hippocrates said “all disease begins in the gut.” Indeed, gut health is foundational for the health and well-being of the rest of the body and its systems, including the hormonal system.

Your digestive system is not only the avenue through which you absorb nutrition, the gut: plays roles in the cycling, activation and recycling of hormones; is one of the Big 5 organs of detoxification; houses the immune system and is a key player in defense; holds the microbiome, the colony of beneficial bacteria that does innumerable functions for us; and even impacts our mood.

When discussing the gut thyroid connection, things get interesting.

The Rise of Autoimmune Thyroid Disease and the Gut

One of the most important things to know about thyroid function and the gut is that autoimmune thyroid disease— Hashimoto’s and Graves’ disease—is strongly driven, created and exacerbated through gastrointestinal dysfunction.

Autoimmune activity arises from unchecked intestinal irritation, leading to increased permeability and a provocation of the immune system. The end game is loss of the immune system’s ability to tolerate food particles, friendly bacteria and your own human cells.

In a process known as molecular mimicry, the switch is flipped—your immune system makes antibodies against your thyroid cells and autoimmune thyroid disease manifests. Treatment of autoimmune thyroid disease (and any autoimmune dysfunction) begins in the gut.

Thyroid Hormones Protect the Small Intestine

The lining of the small intestine is the interface between the immune system, the foods that you eat, and everything else that comes through the digestive system. Appropriate integrity is key for a balanced, non-reactive immune system.

Thyroid hormones T3 and T4 help maintain the integrity of the lining by ensuring that the desmosomes (the button-like structures that keep the cells that line the small intestine) intact.

When desmosomes become unbuttoned, the immune system can become inappropriately provoked and set the stage for leaky gut and autoimmunity. Your thyroid hormones are responsible for keeping the small intestine intact.

Thyroid Hormones Hone and Mature the Immune System

The vast majority of the immune system is found within the digestive system—about two thirds to three quarters of it. It is primarily found in specialized tissue called GALT (gut associated lymphoid tissue) and MALT (mucosa associated lymphoid tissue).

Two hormones—TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) and TRH (thyrotropin releasing hormone)—help with the building up and fortification of excellent immune function.

The levels for great function are on a bell curve—you want neither too much nor too little, but just right amounts. This is partly why those with abnormal numbers of TSH can have immune issues.

Thyroid Hormones Help Keep the Immune System Balanced

There are many different types of immune cells in the body, all of which have a variety of different functions and jobs. One in particular, called an IEL (intraepithelial lymphocyte), is one that is on a rather short, reactive leash. When activated, IELs rapidly create inflammation in the gut.

Inflammation, left unchecked, increases the permeability of the small intestine and can thus contribute to the development of autoimmune disease.

T4 helps blunt IEL activation, which confers an overall anti-inflammatory effect on the gut and immune system. Certain immune cells create gut inflammation, which can lead to leaky gut syndrome.

Thyroid Hormone Activation and Your Gut Flora

There are 2 main thyroid hormones, T3 and T4, both of which have metabolic activity and function. Thyroid hormones help set the pace for your metabolism and the rate at which you burn fuel for specific activities. Those with low thyroid hormones burn much less fuel at a slower pace, often resulting in weight gain.

T3 is more metabolically active than T4, has a shorter half-life than T4, and is found at lower levels in the body than T4. It also has to be converted from T4 to do its thing, continuously. This conversion happens at multiple sites in the body.

The action of your microbiome—the one-trillion-to-hundred-trillion-cell strong colony of beneficial bacteria that resides in your gut—converts a whopping 20% of thyroid hormone into active form.

Thyroid Function and Dysbiosis

Since your healthy, good bacteria do a lot of converting of thyroid hormone into its active form, an imbalance in the microbiome can slow it down. An imbalance in the ratio of good bacteria to bad or less-than-good bacteria, frank infection with pathogenic bacteria, yeast or parasites, and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) are all forms of dysbiosis and can slow down conversion big time.

Many people with dysbiosis and dysbiotic conditions, including IBS, IBD, Celiac disease and SIBO, have low thyroid symptoms, but their lab numbers tend to look “perfect.” This is a direct consequence of the reduced functional power of the microbiome. An imbalance in your gut bacteria can be the cause of IBS and Celiac disease.

Even more disconcerting, a dysbiotic microbiome releases a lot of LPS. LPS (lipopolysaccharides) are compounds found within the walls of bacterial bad guys. As these guys die and replace themselves, LPS is released.

LPS has been shown to blunt thyroid function by impairing thyroid hormone receptor sites. LPS is also provocative to the immune system and stimulates the release of the inflammatory molecules and immune cells that are responsible for autoimmune activity.

Thyroid Hormone Activity is Depressed from Inflammation

Increased inflammation, from elevated LPS and dysbiosis in general, over time and unmanaged, will increase cortisol. High levels of cortisol, over time, increase TSH and depress levels of T3, the active thyroid hormone. This confers a pseudo hypothyroid state on the body.

Folks who need ever-increasing amounts of medication or who do not respond well to medication would be prudent to have their salivary cortisol checked throughout the day (an adrenal stress index/ASI test).

Thyroid Function and Constipation

The large intestine is one of the Big Five organs of detoxification, in addition to the skin, lungs, kidneys and liver. The hormone estrogen is cleared from the body through the large intestine—you poop it out.

When you are constipated, you don’t poop out as much estrogen. Your hormonal clearance is compromised, which leads to increased hormones circulating in your blood.

Estrogen elevates a protein called thyroid binding globulin (TBG). TBG grabs up thyroid hormone, rendering it useless to the body. Not what you want!

Constipation and slow transit time promote dysbiosis, which reduces thyroid hormone conversion and leads to less active thyroid hormone being produced, as well as lower thyroid function.

Lower thyroid function, in turn, slows down bile flow; ironically, it is bile that is used by the body to bind estrogen before it is sent to the large intestine to be pooped out.

Constipation and thyroid dysfunction often go hand in hand in a self-perpetuating cycle that impacts many other organs and systems of your body.

The push and pull of thyroid and digestive system function and dysfunction can be greatly improved through taking care of the many aspects that promote gut health and supporting thyroid function.

Those with thyroid disease or symptoms would do well to embrace gut health and restoration, for this is a pivotal step towards feeling better.

Watch this video – Gut Thyroid Connection

Written by Jillion Sarno, Teta, ND

Author Bio:

Jillian Sarno Teta, ND, is the author of the best-selling book Natural Solutions for Digestive Health and the creator of Fix Your Digestion. Internationally recognized for her work in digestive health and wellness, Jillian writes, speaks and blogs extensively on the subject, traveling near and far.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

4 Simple Steps to Fix Your Gut Bacteria Imbalance

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

7 Signs Your Gut Bacteria Are Out of Whack

The bacteria in your gut can be one of your strongest allies in getting healthy… or it can be one of your worst enemies. Most people don’t realize it, but what they eat and how they live are changing the makeup of their gut bacteria.

Exciting new studies are coming out every day exploring the connection between gut bacteria and practically every other aspect of human health. The conclusion is clear: if you can change your gut, you can change your life.

But how do you know when something’s wrong with your gut bacteria in the first place? And more importantly, what can you do about it? Keep reading to find out.

Not All Gut Bacteria Are Created Equal

Gut bacteria, which number more than 100 trillion cells, have more of an impact on our health than medical experts previously realized. But not all gut bacteria are created equal. Among other things, “good” gut bacteria improve digestion, strengthen the immune system, and manufacture the vitamins your body needs.

On the other hand, “bad” gut bacteria can cause digestion nightmares, mental problems, skin conditions, and all kinds of other problems you’ll learn about in just a second.

A healthy gut isn’t made by trying to rid your body of gut bacteria altogether. It’s made by balancing the bacteria – limiting the bad guys and encouraging the good guys to grow. So let’s start at the beginning: how to figure out if your gut bacteria is unbalanced.

Are Your Gut Bacteria Imbalanced? 7 Things to Look For

How can you know if your gut bacteria are out of whack? It isn’t quite as easy as finding out if you have a fever. You can’t just take your gut bacteria’s temperature with a thermometer you bought over the counter.

But there are common warning signs that something might be wrong. Keep an eye on them, and you’ll put yourself in the best position to get healthy.

Here’s what to watch out for:

Sign 1. Digestive Issues

When you think of the potential consequences of unhealthy gut bacteria, digestive problems are probably the first things that come to mind.

Many doctors will prescribe drugs like Prevacid or generic antacids to help people struggling with these issues, but those medications only address surface level symptoms. They don’t get to the root cause of the problem, which is unhealthy gut bacteria.

If you’re dealing with any of the following, you might have an unhealthy gut:

• Gas
• Bloating
• Heartburn / acid reflux
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Irritable Bowel Disease (including Crohn’s and Ulcerative colitis)

Sign 2: Mental Issues

Did you know the health of your gut could affect the health of your brain? It’s true. Scientists have already discovered that gut bacteria produce neurotransmitters.

Now, they’re focused on another trend: people with certain mental disorders also tend to have disturbances to their gut bacteria. Believe it or not, your gut could be to blame for certain mental disorders.

If you have any of these mental issues, your gut bacteria might be to blame:

• Depression and anxiety
• Brain fog
• OCD
• Autism

Sign 3. Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies

A healthy gut also plays an important role when it comes to helping your body produce and synthesize vitamins and minerals.

When your gut bacteria are out of whack, your body has a harder time getting enough of the following essential vitamins and minerals:

• Vitamin D
• Vitamin K
• Vitamin B12 and B7
• Magnesium

If you’re deficient in any of the above (you can find out by getting a simple physical from your doctor), you might have an unhealthy gut.

Sign 4: Antibiotics

Used correctly, antibiotics are one of the greatest innovations of modern medicine, but using them incorrectly can create gut issues. The food industry uses them indiscriminately on factory-farmed animals. Some doctors even use them on viral infections (which is useless).

Antibiotics wipe out bad bacteria, but they also wipe out many of the good bacteria in the gut that are essential for your health. Research also suggests that good bacteria wiped out by antibiotics don’t replace themselves unless you intervene.

Sign 5: Chronic, Unmanaged Stress

Stress can wear you down, make you anxious, and increase your blood pressure… and it can also wreak havoc on your gut! Stress is inevitable, no matter how hard we try to avoid it. That isn’t an issue – until you let it go on for too long without managing it.

Unmanaged stress raises cortisol levels, which can stop the gut from working properly. If you’ve been stressed for the past few months (or years, or decades) but haven’t acted to manage your stress, you’re more likely to have an unhealthy gut.

Sign 6: Skin Conditions

There’s been a lot of confusion about skin conditions over the years. Much of it comes from the common (but misguided) idea that the symptoms of a condition must appear in the same spot as the condition itself.

For many skin conditions, the problem isn’t with the skin itself. It’s with an unhealthy gut. If you have any of these skin conditions, it could be due to unbalanced gut bacteria:

• Acne
• Rosacea
• Psoriasis
• Eczema

Sign 7: Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune diseases can be difficult to manage because the body is literally attacking itself. It can be even tougher to spot the source of the problem and address it there. But more research is emerging linking autoimmune diseases to unhealthy guts.

If you’re dealing with any of the following, you just might be able to make your symptoms disappear by taking care of your gut:

• Hashimoto’s
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Inflammatory bowel disease

How to Balance Your Gut Bacteria in 4 Simple Steps?

If any of the warning signs above look familiar to you, there’s good news! You can take action to improve the health of your gut. Doing so can prevent new medical conditions from arising and even reverse conditions that have bothered you for years.

Ready to get started today? Here’s how to balance your gut bacteria in four simple steps:

Step 1. Avoid Toxins

If you wanted to put out a fire, adding gasoline would be worst thing you could do! Unfortunately, that’s exactly what a lot of people with unhealthy guts are doing.

They’re continuing to eat and live in a way that kills good bacteria, encourages bad bacteria to grow, and breaks down the integrity of their gut lining. Most of them don’t even realize they’re doing it.

The first step to reversing this trend is to avoid toxic foods. These include:

• Grains
• Conventional grain-fed dairy
• Sugars, including fructose
• Unhealthy oils

If you’re already following a Paleo lifestyle, you’ve pretty much taken care of this step. Stick to a diet focused on vegetables, animal protein, and fruits, and you’ll create a gut environment that’s friendly for good bacteria and unfriendly for bad bacteria.

Avoid sugar, drugs and other toxins to maintain a healthy gut.

It’s also a good idea to avoid other modern toxins. Watch out for:

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Advil and Ibuprofen
• Antibiotics (as much as possible)
• Pesticides

Step 2. Eat Fermented Foods

Avoiding toxic foods and environmental toxins is a great start, but not quite enough for optimal health. It’s time to get proactive about encouraging good gut bacteria to flourish.

One of the best ways is to eat more fermented foods. These foods, commonplace in our ancestors’ diets, are full of good gut bacteria.

Great fermented foods include:

• Kimchi
• Sauerkraut
• Lacto-fermented fruits and vegetables
• Non-pasteurized yogurt, cheese, and kefir

Going from eating no sauerkraut to say… two or three bowls a day might sound like a good idea. But resist the temptation!

Adding too many fermented foods too quickly can create some nasty side effects.

Start small – a teaspoon or two a day and work your way up to give your gut time to adjust.

Step 3. Take Probiotic Supplements

In addition to eating fermented foods (a great natural source of good gut bacteria), you can restore your gut health faster by taking a daily probiotic supplement.

Our ancestors were a lot less concerned with hygiene than we are. This actually helped them pick up plenty of good gut bacteria along with the soil and other dirty things they encountered. You can use probiotic supplements to “make up” for that lost good bacteria. No eating dirt needed!

There’s a wide range of probiotic supplements available. And just like with gut bacteria, some are better than others. Dr. Tim Gerstmar laid down some excellent guidelines on which supplements to focus on:

• Stay away from “bargain bin” prices. You get what you pay for.
• Two reputable brands are Jarrow and Klaire Labs.
• Make sure they’re potent. Dr. Gerstmar recommends at least 8 billion/dose.
• Look for supplements that contain strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.

Step 4. Manage Your Stress

One of the most powerful things you can do to improve your gut health (besides changing your diet) is to make “stress management” a priority. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all method to do this.

The key is to pick something you enjoy and stick with it. Making time to manage your stress – whether you feel stressed or not – will reduce inflammation, lower cortisol levels, and improve your gut health.

And make sure to get enough sleep! A sleep deficit raises cortisol levels (and harms the gut) just like any other type of stress. Shoot for at least 7 hours a night.

Change Your Gut, Change Your Life

More science is emerging every day connecting issues with the gut to issues throughout the body and mind. That’s good news for you! With knowledge and smart action, you can quite literally heal yourself from the inside out.

The recipe for a healthy gut is simple. Avoid toxic foods and substances, add in some fermented foods and probiotics, and make managing your stress a priority. It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen. Changing your gut just might be the first step to changing your life.

Watch this video to learn how to fix your gut bacteria imbalance –  The #1 Master Tip to Help Restoring a Normal Gut Flora

Written by Corey Pemberton

Author Bio:

Corey Pemberton is a freelance writer, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner, and Paleo health enthusiast. Ever since he discovered the ancestral health movement five years ago, he has explored different ways to incorporate ancestral wisdom into his nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle at large. One of his favorite topics is challenging long-held nutrition myths.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

4 Most Common Gut Problems and What to Do About Them

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

If your health is suffering, your gut may be to blame. Check out this list of the four most common gut problems people face – and how to fix them.

Gut health might be trending, but it’s certainly not a new concept. Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, once noted that all disease begins in the gut. Yet somehow we’ve lost sight of this ancient wisdom, and chronic diseases are at an all-time high.

Science repeatedly demonstrates the importance of a healthy gut for preventing disease. Interestingly, people are still often surprised to learn that their chronic disease stems from an underlying unhealthy gastrointestinal system.

Adding insult to injury, the symptoms of an unhealthy gut are often confused for other seemingly unrelated conditions like skin problems, allergies, autoimmunity, obesity, chronic diseases, inflammation, dental problems, body pain, joint problems, infertility, and more.

Unraveling your own personal gut problems can be a little bit like opening Pandora’s box, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Join my 30DC: 30 Day Paleo Challenge and I’ll help you to start reclaiming your gut health today!

How to Fix the Four Most Common Gut Problems?

Everyone’s gut is a little different. In fact, your gut is as unique as your fingerprint! However, there are common conditions and imbalances that constitute the majority of modern gut health issues.

Here are the four most common gut problems that people suffer from, how to tell if that’s what’s ailing you, and steps you can take to get your gut health back on track.

1. Leaky Gut

What is it?

Leaky gut is when your intestines develop tiny holes that create a passage for gunk (like bacteria and undigested food) to be released into the bloodstream. When these foreign particles enter the body, the immune system produces inflammation as a response.

What it can lead to

It is theorized that a leaky gut can lead to several different symptoms, conditions, and disease states that are often unrelated to the gastrointestinal system, such as:

• Autoimmune disease
• Thyroid disorders
• Diabetes (type 1 and 2) and insulin resistance
• Many types of cancer
• Cardiovascular diseases
• Periodontal conditions
• Urinary conditions
• Respiratory disorders (asthma and others)
• Reproductive disorders and infertility

You might be experiencing any of the below conditions

• Food allergies/intolerance/sensitivity
• Joint and body pain
• Skin problems
• Liver issues
• Obesity
• Digestive symptoms

Common causes of leaky gut

• Eating grains and legumes
• Drinking alcohol
• Certain drugs, like NSAIDs, aspirin, antibiotics, and birth control
• Dysbiosis
• Consuming foods you’re sensitive to
• Stress
• Poor digestion
• Poor oral hygiene

The Fix

Cleaning up your diet is super important. Try my 30-day Paleo challenge to reset your system and start healing your leaky gut. You can also make sure you’re getting plenty of nutrients and herbs that can repair the gut wall, such as glutamine, aloe vera, slippery elm, deglycyrrhizinated licorice, marshmallow root, and bone broth.

2. Dysbiosis

What is it?

Dysbiosis is an imbalance in the gut flora, which is made up of trillions of organisms. There should be mostly beneficial strains of these critters living within us, and when the bad guys outnumber the good, troubles can arise.

What it can lead to

• Allergies
• Alzheimer’s
• Arthritis
• Autoimmune diseases
• Bacterial, fungal, viral, yeast, or parasite infections
• Depression and anxiety
• Diabetes
• SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth)
• Obesity

You might be experiencing

Brain fog, depression, anxiety, and mood swings

Cravings for sugar or carbs

Dental problems

Digestive problems, like diarrhea, constipation, bloating or gas

Fatigue

Skin conditions

Common causes of dysbiosis

• Poor digestion (see the next gut problem)
• Eating too many carbs
• Overuse of antibiotics
• Not enough fermented and cultured foods in the diet
• Lack of diet variety

The Fix

The fix is often two-part. First and foremost, a change in diet is almost always warranted. You might want to start with a Paleo diet, then move to a low/no-carbohydrate diet, low FODMAP diet, or GAPS diet if gut problems persist.

The second step involves treating the underlying infection (either with herbal or pharmaceutical antibiotics). Specific GI testing or organic acid testing can help your doctor identify specific microbial overgrowths to direct treatment.

3. Impaired Digestion or Absorption

What is it?

Digestion and absorption are the two main roles of the gastrointestinal (GI) system. The GI tract runs from your mouth to “down south”, and gut problems can arise anywhere along this line.

Common GI issues include hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid production) which results in undigested proteins. Stomach acid is needed to release the bound minerals inside those proteins so our bodies can absorb them.

After digestion in the stomach is complete, food is passed to the small intestine where it’s met by digestive enzymes from the pancreas and bile from the gallbladder, which are needed to finalize the digestion of food.

If there is a deficiency of pancreatic enzymes or bile, food will not be completely broken down and as a result, may pass through your system intact, leading to malabsorption.

What it can lead to

• Malnutrition
• Poor digestion
• Weight loss or weight gain
• Blood sugar disorders
• Conditions like osteoporosis, anemia, amenorrhea, IBS, IBD, memory problems, muscle wasting, numbness in hands and feet, and organ problems 

You might be experiencing

• Incomplete digestion (you might see undigested food or oils in your stool, diarrhea or constipation)
• Weakness and fatigue
• Sore tongue
• Heartburn
• Gas, bloating, cramping, stomach pains, and other digestive symptoms

Common causes of impaired digestion and absorption

• Not chewing your food thoroughly
• Eating too quickly, when stressed, or while standing up
• Chronic stress
• Antibiotic use
• Conditions such as Celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, and others
• Motility problems (food is moving either too quickly, or too slowly through your GI system)

The Fix

Chew your food thoroughly – especially those sweet potatoes! The majority of digestion, especially carbs, takes place in the mouth.

Sit down, relax, and take your time when eating.

Don’t drink liquids with meals, as it can dilute stomach acid.

Support stomach acid production by taking raw apple cider vinegar or herbal bitters just before meals.

Try supplementing with digestive enzymes, ox bile, liver support, and other supportive nutrients and herbals.

Keep your stress levels low. Try yoga, meditation, or a daily walk.

4. Histamine Intolerance

What is it?

Histamine is a natural compound in the body released during allergic and inflammatory reactions. Certain foods also contain small amounts of histamine, like aged cheeses, vinegar, chocolate, beans, shellfish, alcohol, fermented and pickled foods, and many others.

When too much histamine accumulates in the body and is unable to break down, it can cause problems like skin conditions and headaches.

Histamine intolerance affects a little more than one percent of the population, with studies finding that it mostly affects middle-aged women.

Some people’s histamine intolerance is related to genetic issues, such as DAO deficiency. DAO (diamine oxidase) is an enzyme in the body that breaks down histamine. Some people do not produce enough of this enzyme; similar to those with lactose intolerance who do not produce enough of the lactase enzyme.

The only way to know for sure if you have a histamine sensitivity is by conducting an elimination diet by avoiding histamine-containing foods to see if symptoms improve.

Be aware that the Paleo diet may not be appropriate for people with histamine intolerance as many Paleo foods contain natural histamine.

What it can lead to

The condition of histamine intolerance can lead to skin problems, digestive issues, and even mental health issues. These symptoms are generally unrecognized by the medical community as related to histamine.

You might be experiencing

• Skin conditions, like hives or itchy skin
• Headaches or migraines
• Anxiety
• Food allergies
• Allergies or sinus issues
• Nausea
• Heart racing
• Vertigo
• Breathing problems
• Difficulty sleeping
• Fatigue
• Tissue swelling or inflammation
• High or low blood pressure
• Digestive issues

Common causes of histamine intolerance

• DAO (diamine oxidase) enzyme deficiency
• Dysbiosis or SIBO
• Poor digestive function
• Histamine-rich foods
• Gastrointestinal disorders like leaky gut and IBD
• Certain medications

The Fix

A low-histamine diet is at the forefront of treatment for the condition. This involves removing high histamine foods and focusing on food preparation methods that minimize histamine production.

An elimination diet can be particularly helpful to identify triggers that are often not obvious or easily identifiable. Treating underlying digestive issues and dysbiosis is also critical.

If you have a DAO deficiency, you may benefit from supplementing with the DAO enzyme before eating histamine-rich meals.

What the Gut!?

By now you might be thinking: “What the gut!? Is having a healthy gut rarer than gold? Why are so many people suffering from an unhealthy gut?” While the answer is complex, it can basically be simplified down to this: modern living.

This world we live in is full of chemicals, processed and refined foods, GMOs and sugar in every possible form. We’re not getting enough fiber, we lack variety in our diets, and eat too quickly. We’re using antibacterial cleaners in our homes and antibiotics and countless other medications to treat the symptoms of our medical problems.

On top of that, we’re under a relentless amount of stress and don’t get enough exercise or interaction with our environment. Plus, we’re sleeping poorly! All of these factors (and many more) can quite literally change the composition of our microbiome.

Over the course of many years, this neglectful behavior towards our bodies can send us into a serious state of imbalance, predisposing us to an unhealthy gut and subsequently a number of chronic diseases.

Before you throw in the towel, you should realize that having a healthy gut is not as difficult as you might think. A return to an ancestral way of living and eating is ultimately the solution to achieving and maintaining a healthy gut and optimal health.

Heal Thy Gut

The good news is that your gut can heal, and in fact, the body spends a large amount of energy to completely replace the gut lining every week or so. 

Our bodies are quite literally designed to fix our gut lining, but if we are continually exposing ourselves to gut irritants, we will be perpetually stuck in a battle state.

When given the right ingredients, the gut will heal. In order to create space for this healing to occur, we must remove the triggers that are contributing to our gut problems in the first place.

How do I know? Well, I lived through this myself. After being diagnosed with multiple autoimmune diseases, I made the connection between diet, lifestyle, and disease and immediately turned my health around to put my conditions into remission. I did this by eating a varied Paleo diet avoiding the main triggers of my leaky gut like grains, dairy, and legumes.

Watch this video – 4 Most Common Gut Problems and What to Do About Them

If you need some guidance hacking your gut health, I’d love to help you out! In my 30-day Paleo Challenge, I’ll walk you step-by-step through restoring your gut health, one delicious bite at a time.

Written by Kinsey Jackson

Author Bio:

Kinsey Jackson, MS, CNS® is a clinical nutritionist specializing in functional and integrative nutrition. Her own experience of overcoming multiple autoimmune disorders by adopting a Paleo lifestyle vastly contributes to her passion for helping others to also reclaim their health and vitality by making informed dietary decisions.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook