🌟 Hiya Gut Foodies! 🌟

For those of you with aches and pains ... which is a lot of us ... this series is for you! And here's another installment ... 

More research on the gut-muscle axis that joins the roster of gut-(part of body) axes ... this one a deep dive into the many ways one affects the other. And a Gut-Tip about a gut-healing food that's also a boon to joint health.

As well as a spotlight on two centuries-old spices whose active components form one of the supplements in my brand-new Jill's Jivin' Joints supplement protocol.

And a blog about antibiotics and how it causes leaky gut ... which ... according to a new client ... can also cause serious joint pain. As well as  a "Back to Basics" Micro-Mindful, and a food-for-thought pain quote. 

All in this information-packed issue geared to ease YOUR pain. Eat it ALLLL up ...

GUT-TIP OF THE WEEK: BONE BROTH

We chefs didn't consider it that way. It was about the richness of taste for sauces and stews.   

But we DID cook it all day ... just like bone broth ... to release the collagen ... the gold of any broth. I wasn't into healing guts for anyone except my own in those days. But it did make mine feel better.

And ... in truth ... bone broth has tons of benefits. First ... for skin ... as it's high in collagen, an essential protein that truly is the star of the glowing-skin show! This protein can help maintain your skin elasticity, which is your skin’s natural way of preventing wrinkles. 

It makes my 81-year-old friend Madeline's skin glow and look much younger than her years!  She maintains a real-estate mini-empire and tools around town in a cobalt-blue BMW.

But this is "The Achy Issue". And another benefit is that bone broth contributes to joint health. Joints and other bone-like tissues are made up of 60 percent collagen. So it’s important to take in enough collagen to protect our joints.

Other benefits include gut healing, better sleep, and many nutrients to make your bodies hum. And ... yes ... you can throw your leftovers in a stock pot (I have a 12-quart) and cook it up yourself.

But ... as a Fab 'N Fast aficionado ...  I'm a huge fan of the stuff that comes in packages ... I use it in soups for an extra gut-healing kick ... such as my Fab 'N Fast Paleo Egg Drop Soup. And in my Smoothie protocol in my Fullscript apothecary.  Can't do without it!

RESEARCH DEETS 

🌟 Who knew our belly buddies could flex their muscles in the battle against muscle loss? The fascinating gut-muscle axis shows just how our gut microbiota can sway everything from muscle mass to our overall vim and vigor! Researchers are diving deep into this connection, uncovering how these tiny organisms influence muscle strength, recovery, and even our athletic prowess through complex biological pathways.

💪 As we age, maintaining muscle isn't just about lifting weights—it's also about lifting our microbial game! The gut's role goes beyond digestion, impacting inflammation, energy levels, and even how our muscles talk to each other. Imagine your gut as a muscle maestro, conducting an orchestra that plays the symphony of your health.

🔬 The plot thickens with each study, suggesting probiotics and prebiotics might just be the unsung heroes in preventing muscle-related woes like sarcopenia. So, let's nurture our gut to keep our muscles robust and our bodies in top form!

My Gut-Take: 

This review study, "Mechanisms Involved in Gut Microbiota Regulation of Skeletal Muscle" goes deep into the impact of the gut-muscle axis on how we move and maintain muscle.

IIr seems that there's a gut-(name of body part) axis for for EVERY part of the body. And ... I'm not surprised ... because this concept totally validates the Root Cause (Functional) Medicine of whole-body treatment.

In other words  ... the gut ... my fav passion ... influences every part of the body.  So ... the question arises ... why don't doctors get that? WHY ... SINCE THERE'S SO MUCH RESEARCH ... like the whopping 145 citations about this body part in this article alone ... THAT POINTS TO THAT!

According to this review, ""The gut microbiota can interact with skeletal muscle by regulating a variety of processes that affect host physiology, including inflammatory immunity, protein anabolism, energy, lipids, neuromuscular connectivity, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, and endocrine and insulin resistance".  And dives deep into each of these ... citing multiple studies along the way.

One of the things that struck me here was the statement, "One of the major mechanisms contributing to the loss of skeletal muscle mass and function is systemic chronic inflammation". Inflammation ... which starts primarily in the gut ... and can be caused by all the things I talk about ... poor diet, stress, lack of peace ... you name it!

Now you're saying it affects the muscle? That's mindboggling. I'm 79 next month and working hard to keep mine!

This review concludes ... "specifically, the host’s diet provides nutritional resupply to the gut microbiota, which maintains the structural integrity and the health of the gut, and participates in and mediates nutrient absorption and metabolism in the gut, which provides the material basis for muscle growth and development". WOW ... what a validating statement about what I do!

But also states ... "Dietary supplementation, probiotics and/or prebiotics, SCFAs, and exercise can influence the composition of the gut microbiota, improving skeletal muscle mass and function. Although there is now a large body of research demonstrating a strong link and communication between gut microbiota and muscle tissue, there are no clear experiments showing which type or types of probiotics and/or prebiotics, SCFA, promote muscle growth and development, and there is also a lack of research on the quantitative nature of supplements".

So ... like all studies ... it calls for more research. But the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements only spent $18.1 million dollars in 2022 on research (looked high and low for statistics and this was the only one I found) as compared to drugs.

Here's those scoops ... Americans spent $12.8 billion out-of-pocket on natural product supplements, which was about one-quarter of what they spent out-of-pocket on prescription drugs. Drugs ... a "mere" $83 BILLION spent on research. And Americans spent over $722 billion on prescription medications in 2023, marking a nearly 14 percent increase from the previous year.

Clearly ... we DO need more funding for dietary supplements ... a LOT MORE ... to bring this change about. Up for it?

SUPPLEMENT TAKES: BOSWELLIA and CURCUMIN

However, when we're treating bacterial overgrowth ... or trying to reduce that pesky joint or overall inflammation ... it can cause a lot of released endotoxins ... which can lead to even more toxicity. And the worsening of existing and development of new symptoms.

And even more inflammation. And pain. And ... I hate to say it ... NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories you probably use every day) lead to cartilage deterioration and even more inflammation.

So ... what are we to do? I've studied natural compounds for over 30 years. I even wrote a very controversial chapter on them for treating cancer in a text, Nutritional Issues in Cancer Care ... still available on Amazon (it's almost 20 years old now and still in print). Which led to more textbook writing and speaking gigs.

So I've known about these ancient ingredients for pain FOR YEARS! Boswellia is a traditional Ayurvedic (East Indian traditional medicine) remedy that has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, antioxidant and anti-arthritic activity in both animal and human studies.

Curcumin (we talked about turmeric in the last issue ... curcumin is the active ingredient ... last week in GUT FOOD ... check it out here. It is best known for powerful and widespread anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity and is effective for natural pain relief.

 Research has shown that curcumin has the ability to modulate many inflammatory pathways in the body, making it therapeutic for a wide range of health problems including arthritis. And the crazy part of it is that one active ingredient improves that absorption of another ... gotta LOVE natural compounds!

Multiple studies have shown that curcumin is significantly more effective than placebo in relieving the symptoms of osteoarthritis ... and does not pose significant safety risks. And ... guess what ... they're comparable to NSAIDS in their power to reduce inflammation. 

Gotta LOVE natural compounds! And together... they perpetuate. Which makes them stronger ... as blending other natural compounds together does.

That's why I added them to my newly-created Jill's Jivin' Joints protocol at my Fullscript apothecary. Your knees (and other achy body parts) will LOVE you for it!

GUT BLOG OF THE WEEK: DO ANTIBIOTICS CAUSE LEAKY GUT?

I know that this article seemingly has little to do pain ... but it does! Because ... remember ... if you have a genetic predisposition toward joint pain ... leaky gut can make it worse!

Also ... antibiotics are the #1 cause of leaky gut in the U.S. ... which potentially can CAUSE that pain. One of my brand-new clients that I talked to just TODAY developed debilitating joint pain just by taking one bout of antibiotics ... NO LIE!

So here's the scoop on this very sad reality ... 

Is the antibiotic age over? Far from over, honey! 🌟 Despite my peeps in alternative medicine flagging them as passé, antibiotics are still wreaking havoc, leading the charge as leaky gut's main culprit. A 2014 BMC Medicine shocker revealed a doubled prescription rate over a decade—with half deemed unnecessary! 😱

From a personal battle beginning with a misdiagnosed IUD issue to a never-ending quest healing my gut, I've seen it all. Avoiding surgeries and ditching gut-aggravating foods, my journey into functional medicine was sparked by this antibiotic overuse disaster. 🌱

These supposed lifesavers not only obliterate bad bacteria but also the good, leaving a scorched earth in your gut. It’s not just pills—our food's laced with them too, amplifying resistance and inflammation, the root of so many evils. Time to ditch the "quick fixes" and embrace holistic healing. Ready to mend that gut and ditch the meds? 💪

MICRO-MINDFULS

BACK TO BASICS  with my all-time-fave Miicro-Mindful ... TASTE! Being such a foodie ... this one not only heightened my enjoyment of food ... it was crucial for my ... and my eating-disordered clients' ... recovery from our lousy relationships with food.

Because most of us eat mindlessly. And this script (and audio) mindfully reacquaints you with the joy of food.

For this exercise, you actually need a table ... hopefully your kitchen or dining room one ... to reacquaint you with your eating at a certain place ritual ... so important for those of us that stuff or starve in secret. If you're wondering why I'm asking you to do this ... read The Ritual of the Kitchen Table.

And ... YOU NEED SOME FOOD ... YUMMY FOOD! If your relationship with food is still halfway lousy (or worse) choose one that is still yummy but doesn't trigger MORE disordered eating rituals.

Once you have both of these things ... sit down ... put the food close ... and turn on the audio! Or ... if you prefer to hear your own voice ... use the script below to record and play back.

And don't forget these mindfulness tools ... put “breathe” signs on your mirror, kitchen cabinet, or dashboard to remind you to breathe, mindfully and deeply (and tell yourself out loud using your name ... i.e. "Breathe, Jill"). 

In stressful situations and/or emergencies ... when you find yourself starting to feel tense, anxious, or in pain, use your breathing to calm you ... take 3 to 5 mindful breaths ... but even one can make a difference. 

You'll find this on the "My Micro-Mindfuls" page of my website by clicking on the button below. I'm designing these to use anywhere you feel stressed ... even if you're standing in a long checkout line or when you feel overwhelmed at work.

So download this one (BASICS SIX) on your phone or other device so that you can use it whenever and wherever you’d like. I created a playlist on my phone music app and am downloading these weekly.

And … as more and more free mindfulness (and also guided imagery) snippets become available … you can pick and choose what resonates with you to create your very own playlist. So let’s begin …

Savor Every Bite 🥑👀

Begin by settling yourself at a lovely-decorated table🌸🎨… you can even light a candle 🕯️ and use colorful cloth napkins 🌈🍽️… in front of one of your favorite foods 🍇🧀… one that’s luscious but that you feel comfortable eating 🍽️❤️.

Now take a moment to feel your feet on the ground 🦶🌍 and notice how you feel right at this moment. Notice any thoughts 💭, sensations 🌀, or emotions 💖 you are experiencing…🍃

Now take three deep breaths in and out… breathe in 😮‍💨… and out 😌… breathe in 😮‍💨… and out 😌… breathe in 😮‍💨 and out 😌…

Now tune into the awareness or sensation that you have in your body of feeling hungry 🤤… What is your body hungry for? Dwell on this for a few moments 🤔…

Now, bring your attention to the item on the table and imagine that you are seeing the food for the first time. Observe with curiosity as you notice its color 🎨, shape 🔵🔶, texture 🍂, and size 🔍.

Is there anything else that you notice, sense or feel when you do? Dwell on all this for a moment 🕰️…

Now place some of the food between your fingers and feel its texture… temperature 🔥❄️… smoothness 🌟… stickiness 🍯… fluidity 💧… anything else. Again… notice if you have any thoughts 💡, sensations 🌈, or emotions ❤️‍🔥 at this time.

Now return your focus to your breathing… being fully present in this moment of awareness of the sensation of the food between your fingers 🤲.

Take part or the whole piece of food and bring it toward your nose and smell it with your full awareness 👃. Notice if you have any memories 📚, sensations 🎇, or reactions in your body about it. BREATHE…

When you’re ready… with full awareness of your hand moving toward your mouth bring all or part of the food to your lips and note how it feels between them 👄. Now place the food into your mouth without chewing or swallowing it. Just allow it to be in your mouth… roll it around to different parts of your mouth and tongue 👅.

Notice its flavor 🍓🍫 and texture… the physical sensations that may arise within your body… especially your mouth. Continue to breathe as you explore the sensation of having this food in your mouth.

Next…. take just one bite and notice the flavor… the change of texture. Then very slowly begin to chew this piece of food, and notice the parts of your mouth that are involved in chewing 🦷.

Notice the sound 🎶 and movement of chewing… and the sensations that arise… When you’re ready… swallow this item and notice the sensations that follows it from your mouth and throat into your stomach 🌀👇.

Notice the sensation and taste that may linger in your mouth 🍃. Now focus again on your body and your breath… and notice the sensations right at this moment 🧘‍♂️.

Continue in this way as long as you’d like… perhaps taking more bites of food as mindfully as the first. Don’t forget to keep breathing…

Then… whenever you want… get up from the table… put the rest of the food away… and go about your day with the taste of the food and the sensation of the experience lingering in your consciousness 🚶‍♂️💭🌟.

PAIN QUOTE