Session 4
Gut Health | Brain Gut Connection
What is a Leaky Gut and why should you care?
If you have a leaky gut, which most of us will have at some point in time, it means that the lining of your intestinal tract and stomach is damaged. This damage is caused by chemicals and stress on your body, in the form of tiny pinholes, in your gut lining. This is typically caused by being exposed to toxic things. Which toxic things, you might ask? Let’s start with the conventional food, which as you now know, is laden with chemicals. We also destroy the gut lining when we take things like antibiotics, pain killers, and really any drug. But let’s not stop there. The toxins in your water supply also are contributing to your leaky gut. When you eat, some of the undigested food particles enter your blood stream through these holes and create systemic inflammation. That is a BIG deal. Now, stick with me for a moment. Gut bacteria manufactures about 95 percent of the body’s supply of serotonin. Serotonin is a brain neurotransmitter and acts as a hormone and guess what … wait for it … controls your mood and is responsible for your happiness. So, let’s take this “Gut Health Thing” on and get you to your happy place.
What are the symptoms of leaky gut?
- Chronic diarrhea, constipation, or bloating
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Food sensitivities
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Confusion
- Difficulty concentrating
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Skin problems, such as acne, rashes, or eczema.
- Joint pain
- Weight gain
- Weight loss
- Thyroid conditions
- Digestive problems
The good news is, that everything you have learned thus far about health, contributes to healing your leaky gut. It is all accomplished through eating a whole food diet, eliminating the toxicity, and reducing your stress, all of which will weaken your gut lining. Since you are this far in the program, you are already on the road to health. If you need help you can reach out for a coaching plan.
Another concern is that these symptoms can relate to a variety of western labeled diseases. And, once you heal your gut, most of these issues will go away. It took me 9 months to heal my leaky gut. Each day you will feel better. You will feel happier – You will feel focused – You will have more energy. Consistency of your behavior and commitment to the process are keys to your success. Don’t make an excuse about your health. Create ways to win and let your body heal itself.
If there are some symptoms that still do not go away after changing your lifestyle for 4- 6 months, we can approach your concerns from a place of energy-based healing. Meaning, once you have changed your diet, cleaned up your water supply, neutralized the EMF and removed the toxins from your home, we then have a sturdy foundation to work from. These changes to your lifestyle make it cheaper and easier to reclaim your health. You can stop throwing pills at your body and instead give it what it needs, a whole food diet.
An Analogy
A great analogy is your car. Your car needs gas to run. Your body needs nutrients to run. If you fueled your car with water and a nutrient dense smoothie, you and your car would not make it to work. Matter of fact, you would likely need to replace the engine.
On the flip side, if you fuel your body with toxic petroleum and chemicals, which is the conventional personal care, food and water that you might be consuming, you might make it through most of the days, but eventually your body is going to need new body parts too! So, best not to go down that path.
What are the steps to repairing a leaky gut & Creating a Happy Brain?
1. Increase your intake of probiotics and prebiotics.
Probiotics
Probiotics are the healthy bacteria that your gut needs. Easy ways to source probiotics are:
- Kefir
- Kombucha
- Fermented foods – If you like tuna fish, I would look at my tuna fish recipe below that contains fermented foods. Then get creative in the kitchen and make your own recipes.
Prebiotics
Prebiotics is the food for the good bacteria. It stimulates growth.
Some Prebiotics to consider are:
- Chicory Root
- Dandelion Greens
- Garlic
- Onions
- Leeks
- Asparagus
- Bananas
- Barley
- Oats
- Apples
- Konjak root (miracle noodles)
- Cocoa
- Burdock Root
- Flaxseeds
An easy way that I get prebiotics into my digestive tract each day is by consuming dandelion coffee by Teeccino, the herbal coffee alternative.
Another easy way is to add miracle rice made from the konjac plant (prebiotic) to your bone broth soup (collagen) which also helps with healing the leaky gut.
Great Product For Healing A Leaky Gut
Foods and Supplements That
Support Healing A Leaky Gut
2. Ditch the sugars and other refined carbohydrates (cane sugar, white bread and pasta) and switch to healthy fats like avocado, coconut oil, egg yolks, ghee which all promote nutrient absorption.
3. Ditch the over-the-counter medications and switch to plant-based medications. I use frankincense and lavender if I have a headache, deep blue for muscle pain and balance and aroma touch for nerve pain. To learn about the plant based options for your health care opposed to over the counter medications click here to download the pdf.
4. Increase your nutritional intake – Check out the recipes for smoothies and hot cocoa. Time to save your brain and let the healing begin.
5. Ditch the alcohol and switch to Kombucha which is fermented and filled with probiotics. We even repurposed some of our glassware that was used for alcohol and now use it for kombucha.
6. Increase your fiber intake which are green leafy vegetables like spinach, arugula; cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts; and sprouted seeds like hemp, chia and flax. All of these together make a great salad and support the growth of healthy gut bacteria. These are also great ingredients for smoothies and some puddings.
7. Increase mineral intake which can be found in your root vegetables. Sweet potatoes are a favorite of mine. The human body requires 102 minerals to function at its full potential and sea moss has 92 of them. While sea moss is an easy way to get minerals into your diet, make sure the brand that you use is tested for heavy metals. Minerals are great for brain health and your emotional wellbeing. Another hack is adding trace minerals to my filtered water, not to mention I have a big rock of shungite in one of my filtered water pitchers too!
8. Bone Broth is a great way to heal a leaky gut. I have used this method for a long time. Bone broth takes a couple of days to make in a crock pot and I suggest that you make your own instead of buying it at the store. When you make bone broth, the key ingredient is the apple cider vinegar that draws the collagen out of the bones into the broth. The collagen and the amino acids proline and glycine are what help heal your damaged cell walls. The collagen basically plugs up the pinholes in your leaky gut. (link to recipe) https://susonessentials.com/bone-broth-recipe-guthealth-brainhealth/
9. Coconut Products are good for your digestion and the fatty acids are easy for most to digest. Coconuts are also grounding. I enjoy coconut water which contain electrolytes and coconut oil is added to my smoothies and my coffee. Finally, the Coconut Kefir which is fermented, is amazing for the healing the gut and hence the brain. This is one of my favorite products. I feel centered and balanced when I add it to my diet.
Salt – which ones and why
First, let me say there is so much misinformation about salt and other foods it is no surprise to me that people are confused about what to eat. We need salt in our diet and salt has gotten a bad reputation over the years. But here are fast facts:
High-quality sea salts typically contain upwards of 60 trace minerals, they are loaded with electrolytes, they are a great source of micronutrients, and it can help your body absorb nutrients from the foods you consume. Proper absorption of nutrients supports your emotional wellbeing and your brain health.
Sodium supports sending signals to our nerves and muscles which sustains the fluid content inside and outside the blood cells.
It is also helps to maintain electrolyte (magnesium, potassium, calcium, and sodium) balance for our organs to function at their full potential.
Let’s explore options for salt intake as they are not all created equal.
Table Salt
According to the Alliance For Natural Health, most of the salt that people eat tends to come from ultra-processed junk foods that contain refined table salt. Table salt is manufactured by taking natural salt and heating it to 1200° Fahrenheit and adding chemicals. During this process, the chemical composition of the salt is completely altered, and the nutritional benefits are destroyed.
Commonly consumed iodized salts are filled with toxic synthetic chemicals which include everything from manufactured forms of sodium solo-co-aluminate, iodide, sodium bicarbonate, fluoride, anti-caking agents, toxic amounts of potassium iodide and aluminum derivatives.
Real world salt is not white. Table salt has been bleached white and we know that bleach is harmful for our lungs, skin, eyes and the endocrine system to get the conversation started. To add salt to the wound… so to speak, some table salt is extracted from crude oil a component of the flaky residue from oil digging. I suspect that there is petroleum residue in the table salt unless some manufactures choose to remove that as well. Not likely. Petroleum also is harmful to human and pet bodies. Breathing fumes from petroleum are known to cause chemical pneumonia, irritation of the nose, throat, and lungs, headache, dizziness, drowsiness, loss of coordination, fatigue, nausea, and labored breathing. Chronic exposure can result in irregular heartbeats, convulsions, and coma. So why on earth would we want the residue of petroleum in our salt?
Now let’s connect the dots. Table salt causes blood pressure to rise rapidly because the blood is trying to move the toxins rapidly from the heart. This is why doctors will often tell people with high blood pressure to stop intake of salt. What they may want to say instead is avoid “table salt”.
Next, iodine is added to table salts and our bodies do not naturally produce iodine, Low iodine levels may contribute to the development of anxiety and depression. I used a few ways to make sure that I am iodine sufficient, I use iodine drops under the tongue for mental acuity and I consume iodine rich foods like eggs and shrimp. Other options for iodine include kelp. Nori, cod and sea moss.
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
Unlike table salt, Himalayan Salt is not stripped of the nutrients or bleached, and it does not include anti-caking agents.
Himalayan salt does contain dozens of trace minerals , large amounts of iron oxide and more potassium than other salts. It has naturally occurring iodine and has many health benefits including helping the body with skin imperfections, healthy cell growth, and can help relieve joint pain. The iodine helps us create and maintain a healthy electrolyte balance and PH levels in your body. Maintaining a healthy PH balance in our bodies supports a healthy immune system and emotional wellbeing.
Plot Twist: You can use pink Himalayan salt for emotional wellbeing. Have you noticed Salt Therapy rooms popping up where you live? Himalayan salt is a great air purifier and an easy way to reduce exposure to smoke, dust and other airborne contaminants. Inhaling pink Himalayan salt is a great way to relax and unwind especially in the workplace. A 2010 study suggests that Himalayan salt may also help boost serotonin levels, increase energy, and reduce stress and its symptoms, including depression. Let’s just call Pink Himalayan the “Happy Salt”.
Celtic Sea Salt
Benefits of Celtic Sea salt come from the way it’s harvested. Celtic sea salt is sun-dried and aired in clay ponds. It is then gathered with the help of wooden tools to ensure its living enzymes are intact. Celtic Sea Salt is unrefined, and it provides you with 84 beneficial live elements, without the addition of any preservatives or chemicals.
It can help heal skin damage, promote healthy cell growth, and relieve joint pain. It is a good source of trace essential minerals, including magnesium, iron, manganese, zinc, iodine, and potassium. As a good source of sodium, sea salt is essential for proper brain, muscle and nervous system function. We need proper transmission of electrical signals in the body which Celtic sea salt supports, otherwise, many signals can get thrown off. Celtic sea salt can help with issues including stabilizing blood sugar and improving energy.
Black Lava Salt
Black lava salt is also referred to as Hawaiian black salt, as it usually comes from Hawaii. Black lava salt was traditionally made from volcanic lava. Today, it’s usually made from blending sea salt with activated charcoal. Activated charcoal will help remove toxins from the body and I like to use this salt and I interchange it with the other sea salts.
Sources:
https://anh-usa.org/salt-is-it-good-or-bad/
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/other/health-benefits-of-salt.html
https://explore.globalhealing.com/dangers-of-salt/
https://draxe.com/nutrition/micronutrients/
https://draxe.com/nutrition/black-salt/
https://medicinalherbals.net/hawaiian-black-lava-sea-salt-benefits/
https://www.newhealthadvisor.org/Celtic-Sea-Salt-Benefits.html
https://medicinalherbals.net/hawaiian-black-lava-sea-salt-benefits/
https://www.organicfacts.net/celtic-sea-salt.html
https://www.newhealthadvisor.org/Celtic-Sea-Salt-Benefits.html
https://draxe.com/nutrition/10-benefits-celtic-sea-salt-himalayan-salt/
https://foodfacts.mercola.com/himalayan-salt.html
http://www.pjbmb.org.pk/images/PJBMBArchive/2010/PJBMB_43_2_Jun_2010/13.pdf
Dairy - Why Only Organic?
There are pros and cons to dairy, and it really is driven by whether the dairy is conventional or organic. There is pesticide and illegal antibiotic contamination in non-organic milk. I was consuming all conventional products. Sour Cream, creamer, ice cream, cheese to name a few. I had no idea why anyone would buy organic and quite frankly, I did not even ask. I remember my sister coming to different holiday parties and she would stop at whole foods for her “own food”. She never shared why the rest of the family may want to consider organic as an option and I did not ask. But when your bra cup size grows from a B cup to a GG cup I think it is worth asking a few questions – don’t you?
We are adding synthetic hormones and antibiotics to our livestock to plump them up for more milk or a higher price tag at market. The issue is that when we drink their milk or eat them, we get those hormones ourselves and we plump up too. It is hard not to gain weight when we are filled with hormones that our bodies do not need. The thing is, many of us are in a constant state of blame and shame for our body image and most of us don’t think to ask about why this might be happening to our bodies. We compare ourselves to 16-year-old magazine models whose image has been air brushed and feel sad and it is hard to compete with that. Really, they are not even real – someone airbrushed their imperfections away.
My breasts became so large that they walked into the room before I did, and the weight pulled on my back, and I chose to have a breast reduction in 2010. Mind you, I do not suggest this for anyone as I think in hindsight, it was very dangerous. It is 13 years later after surgery and my body is still healing from the procedure. At the time, I did not know any other way. Again, I did not even know to ask that food as medicine could be an option to let my body heal itself.
Back to diary. Antibiotics are banned in organic dairy production. Using antibiotics can lead to antibiotic-resistant infections in animals that is then passed to humans. Synthetic growth hormones also are banned from use in organic farming. Essentially, if you are choosing to eat conventional dairy, you are asking to be plumped up, milked and sold at market.
Organic dairy products are aa great source of protein and essential vitamins and minerals including calcium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamins A, D, B12, riboflavin and niacin. If you think that you are lactose intolerant, consider that you might just be toxin intolerant. Give organics a try and see how you feel. If you are still symptomatic, there is a multi-modal approach to reversing food sensitivities using frequency medicine and it can be typically accomplished in one 60 minute session in person or remotely. Suson Essentials offers this as a service.
Understanding Why Conventional Meat Is So Harmful To Your Health
Understanding Your Meat Supply – You Are What They Eat
Understanding your food supply is key to your health. You will want to know your farmer, when possible, how they raise their livestock. I prefer to purchase meat from farms over the grocery store, and this is not always possible. And let me say that I am not vegan or vegetarian and so I share this from a place of humanity and health. The life of a conventional animal is not pretty, and they are in conditions that would make you think twice before consuming them. Many farms are overcrowded, and the animals are abused. In order to keep the price of meat down, they are fed fake food and toxins like erythromycin, testosterone, estadiol benzoate, sodium bicarbonate, poloxaline, propionic acid, chicken manure, cattle manure, chocolate, stale pastries, cement dust, molasses, candy, urea, hooves, feathers, meat scraps (but not from ruminants, as that has now been banned due to BSE/madcow), fish meal, pasta, peanut skins, brewery wastes, cardboard, corn silage, GMO grains, and various pesticides.
So, if you are eating conventional meat this is what you are serving yourself and your family.
Also, it is important to understand the living conditions of the animals. Animals that are abused or are in a stressful environment will produce excess cortisol levels, then in addition to the list above, you are consuming meat that is filled with excess cortisol. Why should this matter?
Cortisol is a hormone and the pituitary gland in the brain regulates cortisol production. Cortisol plays an important role in the stress response to anger, danger and when we are in those states, we produce more cortisol. Having chronically high cortisol levels can lead to persistent high blood sugar, anxiety, depression, fatigue, gastrointestinal upset like constipation, bloating, or diarrhea, headache, heart disease, high blood pressure and irritability. So, consuming animals that have high cortisol levels because of their stressful environment is not helpful for our emotional and physical wellbeing.
Once the animal is ready for market, the meat needs to be taken to the store for purchase or the farmer sells direct from their farm to consumer. If they sell direct from their farm, the produce is not exposed to as much EMF. EMF is harmful to DNA, not just your DNA. So, when we purchase from the store, the produce is expose to a significantly increased amount of EMF from the trip to the store, and from sitting under all those lights in the refrigerated area, which changes the quality of the meat as well.
Grass-fed Beef
All certified grass-fed animals are raised in open grass pastures. American Grass-fed Association, AGA certified meats are guaranteed antibiotic and growth hormone free. The issue with natural meat and grass-fed meat is that there are no standards for these products set by the USDA, so the manufacturers have a free hand, but must indicate the important aspects of the production methods on the labels.
Grass-finished means that the cows are on grass until they’re slaughtered. They are supposedly not fattened up with grains (like soy and corn) at the end. However, corn is classified as grass according to the USDA so another really good reason to know your famer and what they are feeding their livestock which in turn feeds you.
Organic
The next best option is certified organic by the USDA. The animals are fed 100% organic feed and forage, avoiding all GMOs and synthetic ingredients. This is much better than conventional meat. Organic beef is raised on a blended diet of grain and corn and they graze on grass. The are not confined in spaces for long periods of time which is not good for anyone and they are not subjected to dangerous antibiotics and chemicals. Compared to animals from factory farms who are living in poor conditions but also are more prone to diseases spread from feed that is pumped with antibiotics to prevent infection and to increase fat content on the body.
Free Range
Free range meat production focuses on providing open air access to animals opposed to confining them to barns. Free range meat does not have guidelines for the animal feed, and this is not organic meat.
Free Range means that they are free to roam in open fields along with other animals and should be able to experience natural light. Open pasture access is defined as at least 120 of the 365 days of the year.
What about chicken?
Organic chickens live in more sanitary living conditions where they don’t wallow in their own poop compared to factory chickens. They also have space to run around with other animals and are raised without antibiotics. Again, always a good idea to be friends with your local famer and to personally see how they are treating their livestock.
This way of raising livestock create a healthier and happier, disease free (e.g., salmonella) chicken.
Conventional farmers feed antibiotics to their chickens in order to to prevent the birds from getting sick and dying. However there are ways to use plants instead of synthetics. When you eat a conventionally raised chicken, you are eating all the medications and any other synthetic that they were fed. Each day we have a choice in the matter of what we eat.
What's The Beef With Pork?
Throughout this program, I have been explaining to you about the health benefits of toxic free living and eating – oh my. However, If you want your tongue to do the happy dance; eat organic. It really just tastes better. Lose the metallic taste of your food and enjoy the natural taste of food. With that being said, lets get back to the benefits.
I love to connect food to your mood and bacon is a natural mood enhancer that can help create a positive mental state. The protein in bacon further impacts neurologically by reliving stress and making people happier.
Organic pork is full of vitamins and healthy fats. There is 101 IU of Vitamin D in a 100 grams portion of Animal fat, bacon grease. Depending on your age, you might remember the days when grandma saved the fat and cooked with it. Then fat got a bad reputation. But bacon fat is a great source of Vitamin D…most of us are low in vitamin D. I still save my bacon fat in a glass container and I use it when I cook my eggs, veggies and anything else that would taste good with bacon. Honestly, what doesn’t taste good with bacon. Uh — nothing.
Why is vitamin D important? Vitamin D is important for bone growth. It supports the absorbency of calcium, the immune system function, nervous system, muscles and skin. It has also been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia. Deficiency of vitamin D is closely linked to rickets, osteoporosis, osteomalacia and can lead to bone fractures in the elderly. A cheap and fun way to get Vitamin D is sunshine. So go out and get your daily walks. Outside of that, eat your mushrooms, mushroom powders, butter, eggs, sprouted seeds, beef and liver.
Next, the cool thing is that bacon contains choline, which supports memory building. A choline deficiency can result in poor concentration and memory, mood changes and other cognitive impairments. Researchers have studied the effects of choline in relationships to the symptoms of Alzheimers’. It has been universally proved that a diet that contains choline on a regular basis will show reduced rate of memory loss over time. It is also used in the treatment for mental impairments, including dementia. The richest dietary sources of choline are found in meat fish dairy and egg. When you support your brain, which is the executive center of the human body, you support your whole body. The brain can then easily send messages to every organ, tissue and cell.
When purchasing bacon, choose sugar free and uncured, meaning it does not contain synthetic sodium nitrates. Organic farmers use natural nitrates like celery. Natures Ranger is my favorite brand. I also love the bacon that comes from farmers. Ask for Jowl bacon that comes from the pigs cheeks. Sorry, I don’t mean to be gross, but it has more fat and is really delicious. I first tried this from Hasselmann Family Farm https://hasselmannfarm.com/
in Illinois. If you are in that state, I highly recommend that you order from them. They provide amazing quality products and I have personally seen their farm.
Dr. Mercola shares that eating organic, free-ranging, grass-fed bacon is the ideal food. It contains all the important nutrients that the human organism needs to live, including vitally important animal fat and animal protein. (mercola)
If you are buying conventional pigs, they are fed and injected with pharmaceuticals, vaccinations, and hormones. This is done to make the conventional pigs grow quick and fat which yields more weight in less time. It also makes them retain water weight. Why is water weight important to conventional farmers? The conventional farmer wants more money. The more they weigh the more they pay. This is a simple math equation.
If you choose to eat this toxic meat, then you are consenting to being medicated for some disease state that you may or may not have. Nonetheless, you are receiving medication through your food supply. Keep in mind, that the pesticides that are sprayed on the grains they eat are harmful to your DNA and your emotional and physical wellbeing. So if you don’t want to eat chemicals, know your farmers and your brands, and choose organic or sustainably produced.
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Sources:
https://www.organicfacts.net/organic-products/organic-food/organic-meat.html
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/grass-fed-vs-organic-meat-whats-the-difference/
https://eatbeautiful.net/healthy-meats-to-buy/
https://thehumaneleague.org/article/animal-slaughter
https://www.growandbehold.com/blog/making-kosher-meat/
https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/ethnobotany/food/grains.shtml
https://www.webmd.com/diet/pork-good-for-you
https://brainmd.com/blog/focus-on-choline-improve-focus-memory/
https://www.amenclinics.com/blog/healthy-food-rules-business-meetings/
https://planetwaves.net/news/daily-astrology/dr-mercola-bacon-is-miracle-food/
https://pasturetoplate.ca/why-you-should-be-buying-organic-pork/
https://www.personaltrainerfood.com/blog/5-reasons-why-bacon-is-healthy/
https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-choline
https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/changes-nutrition-facts-label
What's The Line On Fish and Shell Fish?
Wild Caught VS Farm Raised Fish
Fish is a great source of protein, easy to cook and most of us like the taste. However, how we source the fish is important. Back in the day it was all wild caught. Meaning, from the sea, ocean or lake to our table. However, things have changed. Today we actually Farm Fish. Crazy thought to me. At first I thought that this was a great thing. But it’s really not. You might notice a trend here. Farmed fish includes things like cancer causing pollutants, high concentrations of antibiotics and pesticides. To keep this simple, the toxins that you find in your water supply are also feeding your fish farms. It can be worse on the farm because the fish are swimming in their own fecal matter in a small space. Farmed fish and shellfish have high levels of dioxins, due to the closed ecosystem which propogates persistant pollution from food waste, antibiotics and pesticides all of which are highly toxic, cancer causing, cause problems with the reproductive organs, damaging to the immune system, and can interfere with hormones. Farmed fish and shellfish have reportedly high levels of dioxins, due to the closed system and persistent pollution due to food waste and the use of antibiotics and pesticides
So what is the difference? Wild-caught fish are not fed antibiotics like they are on the farm and have a lower risk of disease and contamination. Wild caught is generally believed to be a healthier option. Wild-caught does have a more diverse diet, however, they are also exposed to heavy metals and microplastics. So I have a personal hack for cooking fish. I add a few drops of lemon essential oil and cilantro essential oil to coconut oil. I drizzle this over fish that I bake or broil to neutralize the effects of the heavy metals and microplastics. If I am boiling wild caught shrimp, I add this to the boiling water. Understanding our fish supply on a deeper level is always a great thing to do. There are several resources below that can help you understand this is you want to take that route.
If The Lobster Suffers Will You?
The Good News
Lobster has always been one of my favorite foods. It was a birthday treat for many years. It is high in protein and can be a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which our bodies can not make on its own. These essential fatty acids can support your heart health and emotional health just to name a few. Omega-3 fatty acids can help with anxiety, stress, and depression.
The Bad News
I recently learned about another side of Lobsters. Lobsters and other shellfish have harmful bacteria naturally present in their flesh. Once the lobster is dead, these bacteria can rapidly multiply and release toxins that may not be destroyed when cooking. This is why we, as a culture, have cooked lobsters alive. While it minimizes the chance of food poisoning we are consuming excess cortisol. Let me explain —
The Evil News
Lobsters react to tissue damage both physically and hormonally. Yes – They are capable of detecting pain.
In fact, the hormone that they release into the bloodstream, cortisol, is the same one that humans produce when hurt. Hmmmm.
When we cook lobsters alive, they are releasing the cortisol that we then consume. Consuming cortisol triggers stress and inflammation in our bodies.
Do I have your attention now?
Look What Others Have To Say
Adam Hall, head chef of Barangaroo seafood restaurant Flying Fish shares that stress causes the lobster’s cortisol levels to spike. This can result in poorer quality meat. “If you try to kill them straight away, when they’re still alive and quite feisty, the meat is really tough because all the stress, fear and pain gets transferred into the muscle and it seizes up,” he says.
Let’s Connect The Dots
There is a connection between stress, hormones and how we feel… all of which is connected to our lifestyle choices.
First we can leverage the opportunity to better understand the consequence of stress. We can all start off with being more self-aware.
Innerstand where the stress is coming from. Is it internal negative self-talk? Is it the food and water that we consume? Perhaps the chemicals in our environment? Or is it the people that we surround ourselves with? Are they healthy or toxic for us? You may want to journal about this to gain greater clarity and insight for yourself.
The long-term effects of stress will increase the release of stress hormones, like cortisol, and it can disrupt all your innate systems. All this will increase the risk of anxiety, stress, depression and more.
Now that we have connected cortisol levels to our emotional wellbeing, and we know where it may be coming from, we have the opportunity to create a new foundation for health.
A lifestyle which is grounded in balance, science based nutrition, and a toxic free or toxic limited environment. These wiser lifestyle choices are easier and more sustainable than a strict or harsh diet.
Lets look at the perspective of Joon Yun, Amanda Yun. Joon Yun indicates that chronic stress response in animals is that they get fatter.
And the consequence of stress on fruits is they get sweeter.
When combined, fatty and sweet ingredients serve as the foundation of all processed desserts.
People—when they are stressed—crave fatty and sweet foods.
Think about students binging on ice cream and cake during exam week or police officers taking time at donut shops. Joon Yun said “It is more than ironic that the word “desserts” spelled backwards is “stressed.”
There are many view points on this and according to me, today, some of the sweetness in life is actually very short lived and the trade off for a moment of sweetness is chronic stress. It disrupts your immune system and nervous system to just begin.
I can speak to the connection between stress and weight gain intimately. When I was on disability, I was able to get my stress levels under control and I went from a size 22 to a size 8. Then, I went back to work and I had to integrate what I learned into a lifestyle that included the corporate workspace.
My stress levels increased and I went from a size 8 to a size 10. Then I entered into a new relationship and I had to do the shadow work to better understand myself and create homeostasis in my love relationship. Oops. I went from a size 10 to a size 12. All this to say that stress can make us gain weight. So, I have been on a mission to better understand how my emotional, physical and spiritual habits relate to my stress levels. Where do I live by my highest values and where do I people please. Where do I break boundaries with myself and others? And, how can food support a stress free life. Well, maybe just less stress will do?
Redefine Desserts & Reverse “Stressed”
So I believe there is an alternative. That dessert can be redefined as something that fuels your health and your soul. That dessert can be how you REVERSE Stressed. If you give yourself the sweetness in life that aligns with your highest good, you are living with Eustress. A healthy stress. You can reverse the stressed moments and live in peace and harmony. Desert can include things like Cashew Nuts which is one of natures anti-depressants. It can include things like dark chocolate that support the increase of the feel good hormone. So, lets shift our thinking today and look at health in a new way. What experiences, foods and people will contribute to my wellbeing and lets focus on that. Eat food that supports your health.
Today is a great day to start exploring what we do, and how we can do it differently to achieve a different result. Lets stop assuming that how things are raised or cooked are for our highest good. Let’s stop assuming that the food is good for us because it says natural or because the government approved it. And just because it tastes delicious does not mean it is good for you either.
So when we connect the dots – just because something is a whole food, like lobster, does not mean it is good for you. You have to know how your food is sourced. The last section of this program gives you access to local and national resources for vegetables, grains, meats and fish.
Sources:
https://www.organicconsumers.org/news/high-cost-salmon-farming
https://foodfacts.mercola.com/wild-alaskan-salmon.html
https://www.organicconsumers.org/news/wild-or-farmed-salmon-eaters-want-know
https://www.yourfishguide.com/what-does-wild-caught-fish-mean/
https://environment.co/farm-raised-fish-vs-wild-caught/
https://draxe.com/nutrition/fish-you-should-never-eat/
https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/why-are-lobsters-cooked-alive-and-do-they-feel-pain/
https://www.goodfood.com.au/eat-out/news/the-most-humane-way-to-kill-a-lobster-20221216-h28plu
https://www.worth.com/stress-is-edible-heres-how-we-can-avoid-it-in-our-food-system/
Congratulations You Made It Through Session 4
Time To Test Your Knowledge
Treat yourself To This Podcast and Focus on You! Love You, Love All of You, the Good, The Bad, and the Stuff You Don't want to Tell Anyone About ...
Love That Part Too!
The Power Of Self-love
You should be so proud of yourself that you have made it through Session 4. Here is the gift of Self-Love. Listen to this show and focus on your mental health for a bit. This powerful show was recorded live, so we might have some Bleeps. But the message will be loud and clear. Love yourself first.
