Why Plant Based Foods, and What Does Fat Have To Do With It?


So why plant based proteins over animal based? Research using a comparison was done where they looked at our gut health after eating meat and dairy, and then looked at the microbiome after eating plants. The microbes that "love bile" — the Bilophila — started to dominate the volunteers' guts during the animal-based diet. Bile helps the stomach digest fats. So people make more bile when their diet is rich in meat and dairy fats. A study last year found that blooms of Bilophila cause inflammation and colitis in research studies, which got me thinking that maybe it wasn't just SIBO causing my acid reflux. Maybe it was the extra healthy saturated fats I had added to my plant based diet.

Studies have also been done on the fats, and the types of lipids we consume affect the composition of our gut health. This one is important because it has to do with those of us that will develop obesity-related inflammation, according to a study published in Cell Metabolism. Mice fed a high-lard diet for 11 weeks developed signs of metabolic disease, while mice fed fish oil remained healthy. When the researchers transplanted gut microbes from fish oil-fed mice to antibiotic-treated mice and then subsequently fed the animals lard, the mice were protected from the typical unhealthy effects. Dietary supplementation with a compound that is naturally abundant in red wine and olive oil prevents gut microbes from turning unhealthy. Not that I am a huge fan of fish oil, in fact I use a complete vegan omega source daily, but it still got me thinking about the way our bodies react to different fat sources.

An inter-disciplinary study led by researchers at Tufts University found that coconut oil effectively controlled the overgrowth of a fungal pathogen we know as candida in mice. In humans, high levels of this fungal organism in the gastrointestinal tract can lead to bloodstream infections, including invasive candida. The research, published recently, suggests that it might be possible to use dietary approaches as an alternative to antifungal drugs in order to decrease the risk of infections caused by candida. How often have you been told to add coconut oil to every meal? I know that Dr. Roizen doesn't agree with that even if Dr. Hyman is a coconut oil fat. However what has been found is that coconut oil elevates the endotoxins for up to two hours after a meal, and if endotoxin levels rise, our immune system perceives a threat and responds with inflammation. I don't know about you, but I don't need any help in the inflammation department. 

Another ground breaking research done in Brussels shows exactly why that isn't supportive to our microbiome. When they dosed the mice with endotoxins, the mice gained weight. They also developed insulin resistance. Maybe this increase in coconut oil was actually part of my problem? I believe this is the reason why MTC oil has a different impact than just using Coconut oil. MCT diet maintains the tight junctions between cells, normalizing serum endotoxin. 

Coconut oil is not a cure-all. Research supporting claims of its role in preventing, reducing risk for, or curing HIV/AIDS, diabetes, thyroid disease, or Alzheimer’s disease is sparse or non-existent. There is little evidence to suggest it has a significant effect on inflammation or bacterial infection when consumed in food. And the pre-clinical research in cancer is mixed. It is a far better oil to cook with, but almost all of the clinical research I have seen is all based on MCT oil and not based on coconut oil. Olive oil on the other hand has had a ton of amazing information and clinical studies. I have been using algae oil, a lot, even without the ton of studies only because of the huge amount of monounsaturated fats in it. It's like eating an avocado, but not eating an avocado. My latex allergy does not make me a fan of avocado, although in testing only 1 percent of  avocado samples showed any detectable pesticides. So go avocado!! 

Cleveland Clinic researchers have also demonstrated – for the first time – that targeting microbes in the gut may prevent heart disease brought on by nutrients contained in a diet rich in red meat, eggs and high-fat dairy products. This novel approach centers around the research team’s previous discovery that TMAO, a byproduct formed in the gut during digestion of animal fats – is linked to atherosclerosis which is plaque buildup, and heart disease. They identified a naturally occurring inhibitor called DMB that is found in some cold-pressed extra virgin olive oils and grapeseed oils – that reduced levels of TMAO and reduced atherosclerosis in mice. Super important to me with my autoimmune issues. So truly what you eat can be the biggest way to keep your cells functioning well, and our receptors activating in a way that is aligned to receiving.

We each are receptors of the energy of the universe. Arguably, the connection between the gut and the brain is somewhat embedded in our collective unconscious. Expressions such as “gut feeling” are of common usage. Many common idioms using the word “gut” are somehow illustrative of a brain-gut connection: “have the guts” – have courage; “hate someone’s guts” – hate someone, which is basically hating their personality, temper or attitude; “spill one’s guts” – to confess, say what’s on one’s mind; “gut reaction” – a basic and instinctive reaction to something; “butterflies in the stomach” – you know, when you see someone you fancy…Butterflies in the stomach are your microbes shaking in fear of what is coming. There is a truth to the fact that if you do not care of that which is embedded in our collective unconscious, then you indeed are ending the connectivity with any energy that comes your way. The collective unconscious transcends this reality. Every action has and needs an equal and opposite reaction. We receive energy, the energy must go somewhere in order to complete the circuit. This completion of the circuit is the creation of what feeds back into the collective unconscious. Once that energy goes back into the collective unconscious, the cycle repeats indefinitely because each action requires reaction over and over again. There is an infinite ability here to be both receiving and giving. We are receiving information – energy – in a non-linear way. Downloads of energy that open us to feelings or inner sight, inspiring us to creative expression. Gut to brain, energy and life. Live whole and you will find all of these informational pods that are just for you!

These 3 daily activities have been scientifically proven to boost brain function. Follow them on a regular basis for best results.

1. Eat well --- I will always go to nutrition first! A a nutritional therapist I know we can’t always eat well, nor can we get the similar nutrients due to depleted soil in our large scale producers. I choose organic, or local non-gmo where crops are rotated and for the same reasons I bridge the gap with encapsulated whole foods+ for my clients, and my family.
2. Follow healthy emotions and reduce stress on the cognitive functions with fitness and by building healthy relationships. There is no good that comes out of staying connected to someone for the reasons of “fixing” them. And of course we are made for movement. Our bodies haven’t changed that much ancestrally. If you eat a lot of plants, and you move a lot, you will feel better.
3. Know that you are always receiving as you were made for it. The truth of what you’ll do with that energy is up to you. Take some time every day to drive this home through meditation or meditative behavior. Walking in nature or yoga are two items I like to call meditation in motion. It’s not all about the zeny zen. It’s about that inner connection to opening up the reception for what you are about to receive. 

Vitality comes at a holistic level… Nutrition must come first.

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