Category: Digestive Health

If you’re interested in improving your health and avoiding the doctor’s office, consider the benefits of consuming foods that are naturally rich in probiotics like such as sauerkraut, pickles and other fermented vegetables, raw cultured dairy foods such as yogurt, sour cream and kefir.

Your immune system, located in the intestinal tract, is the epicenter of health. It controls how the body deals with illnesses, bacteria, viruses, and disease. One of the most important components of immune health is beneficial bacteria, or probiotics. Without these friendly bacteria, our immune systems cannot function properly and our bodies become susceptible to disease and illness. 

The ratio of “good” to “bad” bacteria in your intestinal tract is ideally about 85/15%.  Since we have trillions of bacteria in our digestive system, this balance is challenging to maintain – especially with the average Western or American diet which consists of many processed foods that are devoid of nutrients, enzymes, and good bacteria and the increasing number of harmful or pathogenic bacteria that are continually entering our food supply and environment. 

If you are not receiving adequate healthy bacteria in your diet and environment along with nourishing foods, rest, and stress relief, your body is more vulnerable to illness and chronic disease.

Probiotics 

These living bacterial microorganisms are essential to assist the body’s natural ability not only to maintain so many basic functions, but to heal itself. We have become so accustomed to doctors prescribing antibiotics for illness, we may not stop think what effect synthetic, engineered medications have on the human body. While these drugs may have immediate short-term effects we consider convenient because they allow us to return to our normal everyday activities, antibiotics effectively kill all bacteria in the body. The result is a weakened immune system that is rendered defenseless to other invaders which may come in the future. This includes viruses, fungi and other substances as well as unfriendly bacteria that may have mutated into some other strain the body is simply unequipped to handle.

Probiotics prevent and offer protection against a wide-range of health problems. Studies also show that these friendly organisms can actually be responsible for helping to avoid serious disease such as cancer, Diabetes, and heart disease.

The best way to obtain probiotics from healthy sources is to consume raw dairy products such as milk, cream, cheese, butter, and traditionally-fermented foods like home-made yogurt from organic raw milk, kombucha, sauerkraut, and kefir. Use caution with store-bought varieties – check labels and see A word about yogurt and other commercial probiotic products below as there are some brands that sell truly healthy, fermented products such as Zukay, Farmhouse Culture or Rejuvenative Foods.

There are also a wonderful variety of lacto-fermented vegetables that are not only rich in nutrients but also provide a wealth of flavor to the diet as well. The process of making these foods produces a by-product called whey (the protein source in dairy) which is used to develop beneficial bacteria in foods that are already nutritious. For some information on the lacto-fermentation process on the Weston A. Price Foundation site.

Some practitioners or health consultants may say that probiotics are only necessary to those with gastrointestinal problems, patients who take antibiotics, people who are susceptible to chronic yeast infections, or those who are under a lot of stress (sound familiar?).

The truth is that most people in developed countries fall into at least one of these categories and therefore, everyone can benefit from a good quality, daily dose of probiotics. Keep in mind that all probiotics are not the same, and using care when selecting them is important. The best way to go about selecting such an important supplement for your health is to visit a health care practitioner that uses muscle testing or other effective method, to determine which probiotic will effectively maintain immune system performance at its optimal function. In today’s market, probiotics can be found nearly everywhere from grocery stores to gas stations to health food stores. Choosing the correct type can be overwhelming and confusing.

Where to find effective probiotics

Here is a list of superior probiotic products I’ve used and recommend to clients that will improve your health. It is important to determine that the product you are buying works because many probiotic supplement products on the market do not deliver the promises they claim on the label. And worse, some products are actually derived from toxic ingredients or include genetically-modified substances.

These are therapeutic, professional grade products. They cost more than many brands you will find in grocery or health food stores, but their potency is guaranteed and worth the money spent:

• GUTPro – organically-produced probiotics, safe for GAPS, SCD, gluten-free, Body Ecology, and PANDAS, and those with autism.
• GUTZyme – by same company that makes GUTPro, GUTZyme contains Pepsin Plus Enzymes and HCL (hydrochloric acid) for improved digestive support.
• MegaSporeBiotic | Microbiome Labs – Spores, derived from the word “seed,”are the most basic building block of a new cell. Found naturally in our environment, spores area robust and effective way of delivering probiotics. Once in the intestines, they strengthen the immune system and protect from infection. Bacillus Licheniformis and Bacillus Indicus produce the full spectrum of B vitamins and Folic Acid and natural antibiotics (respectively) to boost immunity and digestion. Effective for Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. 
• HLC MindLinx by Pharmax – the first probiotic specifically developed for those with gluten and casein intolerance including autism, ADHD, Celiac, and food allergies.  These other Pharmax products are also excellent: HLC High Potency Probiotic Capsules, HLC Neonate Powder  for infants and HLC High Potency Probiotic Powder and HLC Child Chewable Probiotic for children.
• Enzyme Formulations – This product is available in powdered form, and is not only potent but works fast. Contains over 20 billion count of various bacteria as shown on the label. It contains and you must have a relationship with a healthcare practitioner to buy this product. Visit this link to find a practitioner.
• Custom probiotics – powerful probiotics with a variety of product offerings, quality single and multi-strain Acidophilus and Bifidus dietary supplements, for children and adults.
• Complete Probiotics (Dr. Mercola) – 70 billion gut-friendly bacteria in every 2-capsule serving. Promotes optimal environment for the growth of beneficial bacteria, critical support for immune system, removal of harmful toxins, aids in digestion of food, promotes the synthesis of B vitamins and improves calcium absorption and more. 
• Advanced Naturals – containing 50 billion cultures per capsule, recommended by colon hydrotherapists.

A word about yogurt and other commercial “probiotic” products

Most grocery store yogurt falls short of delivering the health benefits we are told it does by health professionals. Even the “organic” labeled products have flaws that prevent our digestive system from reaping the benefits of the important probiotics supposedly contained within the package.

Beware of products on the mainstream market such as Activia by Dannon and YoPlus by Yoplait. Contrary to product labeling and marketing, these products are not whole foods by any imagination-stretch and do not provide nutrition. They contain ingredients such as corn syrup, sugar, fructose, modified corn starch, and pasteurized dairy that is skim or non-fat (altered and not whole or raw). All of these ingredients spell trouble for the digestive system because they do not guarantee live delivery of necessary bacteria into the intestinal tract and add more toxins to your body. Even though these companies add fruit like strawberries to their product so you will better enjoy the flavor, fruit is an unnecessary additive and may actually inhibit the delivery of friendly bacteria into your gut.

What’s more, there has been seen an explosion of “probiotic” supplements and food products on the market, in both health food type stores and chain food stores, which purport to contain probiotic benefits. Most store products fall short of label claims for bacterial count and/or diversity. There are of course, some exceptions and some excellent artisan products and brands. Do your research to find out which contain optimally higher counts and diversity of friendly strain probiotics. It’s always a good idea to make your own at home, if possible. Those results will typically yield higher numbers and more diverse strains of the friendly bacteria you seek for optimal health. 

To get started making your own, here are some resources for getting started making sauerkraut, pickles and other cultured vegetables, yogurt, kefir, water kefir kombucha and more: 

Caldwell’s

Cultures for Health

Kombucha Kamp

Here is a list of reasons why commercial yogurt may fall short of friendly bacterial counts:

1. 99% of yogurts on the market contain some type of sugar (even so-called “benign” sugars such as maple syrup, evaporated cane juice, or fructose). Sugar is the number one, arch enemy to populating your digestive tract with friendly bacteria. Instead of adding to the good bacteria, sugar content causes your digestive system more duress by growing more bad bacteria.
2. Many commercial yogurts are low-fat. Only whole or full-fats provide maximum probiotic benefit of the foods you eat.  Removing fats from foods reduces the net nutritional value since many available nutrients in foods are found in the fat (fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K2). Altering foods in this way also diminishs the probiotic activity since it is no longer a whole food.
3. Store bought yogurt has been processed and most notably, pasteurized. The process of pasteurization causes destruction of friendly bacteria, enzymes, and microbes, thus rendering the yogurt much less potent in good bacteria to help your digestive tract.
4. Commercial yogurts are generally cultured for a fairly short period of time – usually not more than 12 hours. In some causes, the yogurt has had some type of thickening agent to give it the same consistency as real yogurt. Home made yogurt usually has more probiotics, especially because you can culture it for as long as you want, and thus it can turn out thicker (results depend on technique, ingredients, temperature and other factors). It will also be more tart due to the lactic acid which means the bacteria counts are higher and more beneficial. Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride, author of Gut and Psychology Syndrome recommends creating your own yogurt at home and fermenting for 24 hours. This uses up most of the lactose – a sugar which naturally occurs in milk – and allows for more cultures to be grown. Some people are dairy intolerant or to lactose, especially those with compromised immune systems, which makes 24 hour yogurt beneficial for those who experience these challenges.  
5. When you make your own yogurt, you have complete control over the milk you use. The optimal type of milk to use is raw milk from a healthy source where cows are on pasture grazing, and no antibiotics, hormones, GMO feed, nor pesticide or herbicides are used.

Although homemade yogurt does take a bit of effort, the health benefits are worth the effort. Once you start incorporating homemade yogurt into your regular food making regimen you may wonder how you ever did without it. 

Remember that while many commercial companies producing yogurt and other products are in business to make money, those listed that produce probiotic supplements are reputable companies working to improve people’s health. A reputable company will provide studies and research to back up their claims, while some other may not present the whole truth to their consumers about the effectiveness of their products  – nor the manner in which they are produced – and use marketing terms to sell products. A simple comparison of the net nutritional value of those listed above should reveal the quality of ingredients.

Resolution for allergies

Along with a healthy lifestyle and dietary habits, including foods and quality supplements with probiotics can also greatly reduce the body’s reaction to allergies. Practitioners and individuals agree that this type of supplement, when taken properly, is highly effective to reduction and elimination of allergies.

The idea that allergies are triggered by so-called “allergens” is a common misconception. Although the allergen may indeed be the culprit of allergenic symptoms, the underlying cause of allergies is almost always 1) weakened immunity and 2) consumption of substances/products that cause the body to attack itself or produce a super-immune response. 

A key factor to avoiding allergies in foods is variety and avoidance of foods that cause symptoms. Repeated exposure to the same elements can cause allergies to develop over time. To learn more about how allergies are affected by probiotic use, read this medical journal article from Cambridge University and the Nutrition Society.

What are prebiotics?

If you have faced chronic health challenges and/or have eaten a diet of processed foods for a period of time, it may also be important to find a good daily probiotic supplement. Recommended: EcoBloom by Body Ecology.

A significant amount of prebiotic foods are also necessary to help maintain this delicate balance of healthy immunity within the body. Prebiotics are a indigestible dietary fiber which trigger the growth of favorable bacteria and subsequently have positive effect on the intestinal flora found in your gut. Together, prebiotics and probiotics help your body in a symbiotic relationship. Prebiotics can be found in foods with sugar. But since sugar itself is an enemy to the body, we must select the correct types of sugar for this need. Here are some foods with good prebiotic content:

• raw dairy products from healthy cows on pasture
• inulin, found in 36,000 plants, such as:

fruits – apples and bananas

sweet vegetables such as asparagus, garlic, onions, Jerusalem artichokes and leeks

raw apple cider vinegar – mix with water, juice, or over salads with healthy oils such as olive and or flaxseed oil

herbs – dandelion, burdock, and chicory root

Additional reading on probiotics and prebiotics:

Body Ecology

The amazing health benefits of fermented & cultured beverages & foodsThis article originally appeared at: https://healthmade.co/all-probiotics-are-not-created-equal.

Jennifer Whitney, CHN, CGP, CHC nutritionist, discusses with Dr. Michael Karlfeldt, ND, PhD about the GAPS Diet Protocol from by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride,h MD that was developed to heal Leaky Gut (damage to the gut lining) resulting from less-than-optimal dietary habits and lifestyle for detoxification, recovery and healing, and digestive health support. 

Dr. Karlfeldt: With me I have nutritionist Jennifer Whitney. One of the programs you run is the GAPS program. Tell me more about what that is.

Jennifer Whitney, CHN, CGP, CHC:  The GAPS program is a nutritional protocol created by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, who has a degree in human nutrition and neurology. It lays down the basic foundation to heal the gut. And since 90% of your immune system is located in your gut, you want to have a healthy digestive system.

Dr. K: So, healing the gut, you’ve got a lot of gut obviously. There’s almost 30 feet of intestines. So I would assume it would be an extensive process.

JW: It is, it can take 1-2 years (or more) to heal the gut. The GAPS protocol involves 6 stages, and it’s really important to go through each stage correctly. That’s the benefit of working with a Certified GAPS Practitioner to help guide you through each stage. It involves a lot of different things.

Dr. K: You can’t just, because I assume like normal diets, you have a diet here and this diet, and go by the book and you read “eat this” and “don’t that.” And so you can’t just do that?

JW: Well, you can do that. And a lot of people do this. But usually what I see in my clinical practice is they don’t do it correctly. And so they don’t receive the true healing that they should be receiving, which is in this program, wanting to heal the gut. If you follow it correctly, then you are going to actually to heal it correctly.

So you have to know when to move through each phase. Sometimes you may need to add in certain supplements. There’s a lot of different things that can come up that aren’t in the book, that a trained specialist understands and is aware of, and can help guide you better.

Dr. K: So you are talking about phases. What would be like the first phase? And what would be like a middle phase, and a final phase? What do those look like?

JW: The first phase is actually going in there and removing foods that are feeding bad microbes in the gut. And so there’s a lot of withdrawl that can go on, you’re coming off of carbohydrates and sugars. And then you start to eat foods that actually go in and heal the gut. They help to promote new stomach cell growth, they help to grow beneficial bacteria, grow the enzymes and just rebound that inner ecology in the gut. And that’s what you want. 

So that first phase can be one of the tougher phases to go through because you are going through the withdrawl from foods that many people are eating on a daily basis … and so it’s good to have that accountability and guidance. Make sure you are eating the right foods, to do that.

And then as you go through eat stage, you start to slowly add foods back in. And according to the types of symptoms you are having is how you know whether you are ready to do that. 

By the time you are in the 6th phase, you’ve added back in a lot more foods, but they are still mainly foods that promote good stomach cell growth and they are promoting beneficial bacteria and enzymes in the gut. 

And you make a lot of the foods, so a specialist can help you learn how to make those, and they can help you adjust the doses of how much you should be eating every day. So, it’s pretty complex.

Dr. K: So it’s almost like then, like you are using food as medicine. So instead of saying, “Take this much of this nutrient or supplement or medication”, you’re using, then, food as saying “Take a teaspoon of this to start with,” and then building up to…

JW: Exactly.

Dr. K: … and then building up to half a cup. Or eat two apples, and then build up or cut back to one.

JW: (Laughing). Yeah. I actually will write it down. Because it’s so specific. And according to what they go through is how I adjust that.  

Because you can go through die-off. We’re removing foods that are feeding bad microbes. I have a picture here to kind of show you the difference.  

Dr. K: Yeah, please show me.

I’ll start with an example of a healthy gut. And you can see here, inside of a healthy gut there should be about 6 pounds of beneficial bacteria inside that gut wall. And you can see the green represents the good bacteria, and good bacteria helps to break down food, which is the orange. It helps to have a protective coat on the inside of the gut wall, and it eats the bad bacteria which is the purple. And we always have bad bacteria in our gut, and we want that to stay in balance.

And so in an unhealthy gut, the bad bacteria, which is the purple, greatly outnumber the good. And you see here, there’s not as many digestive enzymes. So what starts to happen is this bad bacteria in combination with toxins and parasites starts to eat away at the gut lining, and eventually forms holes there. That’s what you don’t want. And that’s called Leaky Gut, which a huge amount of people are walking around with. 

That’s at the root of a lot of symptoms going on. When you get to this point, you’re in trouble. You’ve got a lot of different things going on.

Dr. K: So what are some of the symptoms then, that a person would experience, when they have this … so they would know that this is what they are dealing with?

JW: Usually they are always having extremely painful digestion, no matter what they eat, whether it’s healthy food or unheatlhy food. It just hurts to eat. When you are actually walking around with Leaky Gut, or a lot of inflammation in the gut, pathogens and partially digested food goes through those holes.  And it gets into the bloodstream, and the body sees that as a foreign object. So it can affect your cells and it cause any number of diseases to start to form. 

The brain sees that as an opiate. And it just works almost against the body, so you’re not getting the nutrition you need at all into your blood, and your organs.

Dr. K: So over and above, the gut being painful: can people be dealing with this kind of issue and don’t feel anything in the gut, and experience other symptoms?

JW: Yeah, they can be experincing, say, this is a natural treatment for autism ADD / ADHD, schizophrenia, dyspraxia bipolar, chronic illness, Crohn’s Disease, ulcerative colitis, there are so many different conditions that appear really as symtoms, but at the root of it is  the gut. You want to heal your gut. Because you are probably dealing with Leaky Gut.

Dr. K: So, even though you’re not dealing with any visible … I mean it feels like you are eating everything perfect. You can then, be dealing with an emotional, psychological …  

JW: Absolutely.

Dr. K: Psychiatric disorders, even. And doing this program then, will correct that.

JW: Yeah. It goes in and truly corrects it. At the root up. Your gut is your root, it’s kind of like a tree. If you visualize a tree. So you’re dealing with different symptoms, say it’s bi-polar or anxiety, or chronic digestive issues. But at that root … those are like the branches of the root, is your gut. That’s where 90% of your immune system is.

Dr. K: So if you’re going to have an inflammatory condition in your brain, or all over your body, it would start in the gut.

JW: Yep. That’s the root of your body. You want to have good gut health.

Dr. K: So, there are other practitioners out there. They read the book and try to help other people to do this. But you are a Certified GAPS Practitioner. So how does that differ from other practitioners out there?

JW: I can speak for myself. I have just spent hundreds and hundreds of hours reading and studying this. I went back to New York and got actually trained by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. I work with clients all the time on this program. And there’s different things that come up with each person. No one is the same.

So the protocol can be the same, but you have to adjust that per client. And so, as an experienced GAPS Practitioner, I know how to do that. I can’t really speak compared to other practitioners, but there’s so much I’ve been trained in and have learned> This is my specialty.

Dr. K: So I know that as you’ve been doing this for a longer period of time, initially it kind of looks simple, “Well, eat this and don’t eat that.”

JW: (laughing)

Dr. K: But the more you get into it and the more you do it, it becomes more and more complex. So it’s actually a quite complex program.

JW: (laughing) It’s very complex nutritional protocol, which also involves usually some supplementation. A lot of times people who start have a very hard time breaking down fats. They might need to raise their stomach acid, they may need the assistance of digestive enzymes. Most of the time you’re going to go through die-off because you’re killing the bad microbes. 

There’s a lot of different things that go on when you’re healing the structure of the gut and you’re re-balancing that micro-environment on the inside.

Dr. K: And then to have someone who’s trained and certified, and does this for a living. I would assume that would be a great help.

JW: It helps a lot. Clients come to me who have tried to do this on their own, and they actually tell me “I need to actually do this with a trained professional. Because there are things going on that I need help understanding.” Because the human body is unpredictable. 

You can follow a book, but in real life, different things can happen.

Dr. K: Right. Thank you very much Jen

If you suffer from a gut issue – from indigestion to gas and bloating or Crohn’s, Colitis etc then this interview is a must watch. Dr. Natasha reveals the diet that has helped millions get back their gut health. 

“Any dysfunction of the brain is usually connected to what‟s going on in the digestive system. Hippocrates – although thousands of years ago – made a statement that all diseases begin in the gut. The more we learn now with all our modern scientific tools, the more we realize just how correct he was.”

Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride is a medical doctor with two postgraduate degrees: Master of Medical Sciences in Neurology and Master of Medical Sciences in Human Nutrition. She graduated as a medical doctor in Russia. After practicing for five years as a Neurologist and three years as a Neurosurgeon she started a family and moved to the UK, where she got her second postgraduate degree in Human Nutrition. She practices in the UK as a nutritionist and not as a medical doctor.

She is well known for developing a concept of GAPS (Gut And Psychology Syndrome), which she described in her book Gut And Psychology Syndrome – Natural Treatment for Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Depression and Schizophrenia, now in its second edition. 

In her clinic Dr Campbell-McBride works as a nutritional consultant with many patients with heart disease, high blood pressure, arrhythmia, stroke and other complications of atherosclerosis. She has become acutely aware of the existing confusion about nutrition and these conditions, which spurred an intensive study into this subject. The result of this study was her book Put Your Heart In Your Mouth! – What Really Is Heart Disease And What We Can Do To Prevent And Even Reverse It.Thousands of people around the world follow the highly successful GAPS Nutritional Protocol to help themselves and their families. You can learn about GAPS on www.gaps.me

In most recent book Vegetarianism Explained: Making an Informed Decision is an essential read for those who are considering a plant-based life style, so they can make an informed decision.

To learn more about GAPS and the works of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride:

http://www.gapsdiet.com/

http://www.doctor-natasha.com/

http://www.gaps.me/

The digestive tract, also called the “gut,” is the home to more of your body’s neurotransmitters than the brain! The health of the digestive system is beyond important in maintaining long-term health.

The digestive system houses the gut microbiome, which means all of the microbes in your intestines. This microbiome actually acts as another organ that is crucial not only to your digestion but to your overall health.

In fact, the gut microbiome controls your digestion, your immune system, your central nervous system and many other vital body functions. If your gut’s health is compromised, then your whole body will be negatively impacted.

Here at the Karlfeldt Center, we believe that healing your digestive system and your gut is one of the first steps to wellness. Many of our services focus on balancing your digestive health so that your body can heal itself.

For more information on each of these services, click the links below:

• Autonomic Response Testing

Autonomic Response Testing (ART) is a physical exam enhanced by biofeedback. The physician uses changes in muscle tone and resistance as indicators of how the autonomic nervous system responds to introduced stressors. This system is effective for most chronic and acute illnesses and is used in combination with other functional assessment tools to develop a restorative strategy.

• Bemer

Impacting the body on a micro-circulatory level, the Bemer employs a patented energy signal configuration to influence the circulatory system. This bio-physical application enables multi-faceted influence on the entire body, maintaining health and promoting healing.

• Food & Environmental Desensitization

Desensitization is a completely natural, non-invasive, and drug-free holistic treatment for reactions to food, dust, chemicals, or other environmental triggers. It works by activating specific acupuncture/acupressure points to “reset” the immune system or inflammatory responses. Suitable for all ages, desensitization may result in complete disappearance of sensitivities and allergies.

• Gut and Psychology Syndrome Diet (GAPS)

The GAPS diet was created by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride to correct the balance of the gut flora and initiate healing of the the intestinal tract. Supporting proper digestion, healthy immune system response, and improved brain function, the GAPS diet is a powerful tool against many diseases that are rooted in gut problems.

• HOCATT

The HOCATT Ozone Sauna is an all-in-one health and beauty experience. Enhancing the body’s detoxification process, the HOCATT speeds up elimination of metals, pathogens, and chemicals, while cleansing internal tissues, organs, and cells. It is a multi-modality health device that synergistically combines ozone therapy, carbonic acid therapy, whole body hyperthermia, far infrared therapy, steam sauna therapy, electrotherapy, ultrasonic therapy, photon light therapy, aromatherapy, and more into one system!

• Homeopathic Medicine

Addressing the person as a whole to promote education, healing, and wellness on every level, Homeopathic Medicine is both safe and gentle. It works in a way that allows the body to restore itself. Homeopathy reviews every aspect of the patient’s physical, medical, emotional, and mental history to determine which symptoms should be addressed most urgently, and which remedies will stimulate the correct healing response.

• IV Nutrition

Intravenous Nutrition Therapy provides the means to feed vitamins, minerals, and amino acids directly into the bloodstream. These nutrients are helpful in correcting deficiencies on the cellular level. Oral intake does not allow for high enough doses due to the limits of the digestive system. From high doses of Vitamin C to help you through a common cold to heavy metal detoxification, IV therapy can benefit nearly every condition.

• Laser Energetic Detoxification

Laser Energetic Detoxification (LED) is an extremely powerful healing technique. Using lasers to increase the efficacy of specific homeopathic remedies, LED can increase the body’s ability to release toxins, activate the immune system, and balance certain hormones. 

• Naturopathic Medicine

Naturopathic Medicine is an approach to health care that uses natural, non-toxic therapies to treat the whole person and to encourage the self-healing process. Combining the wisdom of nature with the rigors of modern science, Naturopathy seeks to combine therapies in a way that is uniquely suited to the optimal healing of each person. 

• Nutritional Microscopy

Blood tells us much about the individual’s health. Using a powerful microscope, we are able to look closely at blood cells. Through this examination, we can learn a great deal about the condition of your red and white blood cells, the amount of pathogens, and how well your digestive system is working. Vitamin deficiencies, heavy metal toxicity, and inflammation, among other things can be identified through this simple test. 

• Total Body Modification

Total Body Modification (TBM) combines the testing of systems, organs, and specific reflex points and then making corrections on the body that are connected with imbalances. Each of the body’s functions are controlled by a biological “computer” within that typically just needs to be reset in order for the the body to operate at optimal function.  Using structural and soft tissue manipulation to realign these systems, TBM is a non-invasive, holistic approach to total body wellness. 

Are you in need of a digestive system boost? 

Our naturopaths and gut health experts can help tailor a program that is right for your gut and help you rebuild your health. 

Food or environmental desensitization is a complete natural,  non-invasive, and drug-free holistic treatment.

A rash, fatigue, pain, inflammation, itching, anxiety, sleep disturbances, abdominal symptoms, etc. can be due to a sensitivity reaction to a food, dust, chemical or some other environmental trigger. Food and environmental desensitization activates specific acupuncture/acupressure points “to reset” the immune or inflammatory reaction to that substance. Frequently, the result is the disappearance of sensitivities and allergies. In regards to a food, it allows the body to relax, absorb and assimilate appropriate nutrients from the food that once caused allergies and support the proper growth of the entire body. Food and environmental desensitization is suitable for all ages.

Improve how your body reacts to foods and environmental triggers by scheduling a densensitization appointment. 

Did you know that 95 percent of the body’s serotonin is found in the bowels? The Gut and Psychology Syndrome diet (GAPS) helps to access neurotransmitters like this.

If you’ve ever “gone with your gut” to make a decision or felt “butterflies in your stomach” when nervous, you’re likely getting signals from an unexpected source: your gut, the second brain. Scientists call this little brain the enteric nervous system (ENS). It is two thin layers of more than 100 million nerve cells lining your gastrointestinal tract from esophagus to rectum. 

Researchers are finding evidence that irritation in the gastrointestinal system initiates signals to the brain that trigger mood changes such as depression and anxiety. 

The enteric nervous system uses more than 30 neurotransmitters, just like the brain, and in fact 95 percent of the body’s serotonin is found in the bowels. 

Truly, every class of neurotransmitter in your brain also resides in your gut. Your gut contains more neurotransmitters than your brain. Your gut wall also houses 70 percent of the cells that make up your immune system. You might not attribute digestive problems with allergies, arthritis, autoimmune diseases, mood disorders, autism, ADD, OCD, dementia or cancer. But, many diseases that are seemingly unrelated are actually caused by gut problems.

GAPS stands for Gut and Psychology Syndrome. The program is the invention of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. Modern world poses many dangers for the gut flora, and once it is damaged, the health of the whole body enters a downward slide towards disease.

The GAPS diet is a specific diet that is targeted at correcting the balance of the gut flora and healing the intestinal tract to support proper digestion, healthy immune system, improve brain function, and reduce inflammation.

Jennifer Whitney, CHC

Our resident expert, Jennifer Whitney is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Certified Health Coach, and Certified Gaps Practitioner. She graduated from The Wellspring School For Healing Arts, and has been trained in Western and Eastern nutrition. As a nutritionist, she offers personalized step by step nutritional programs, food sensitivity testing, food desensitization and personalized weight loss coaching. She specializes in running the gaps program to heal leaky gut and many different types of digestive disorders.

The digestive tract, also called the “gut,” is the home to more of your body’s neurotransmitters than the brain! 

The health of the digestive system is beyond important in maintaining long-term health.

The digestive system houses the gut microbiome, which means all of the microbes in your intestines. This microbiome actually acts as another organ that is crucial not only to your digestion but to your overall health.

In fact, the gut microbiome controls your digestion, your immune system, your central nervous system and many other vital body functions. If your gut’s health is compromised, then your whole body will be negatively impacted.

Here at the Karlfeldt Center, we believe that healing your digestive system and your gut is one of the first steps to wellness. Many of our services focus on balancing your digestive health so that your body can heal itself. We have multiple experts trained in diagnosing digestive issues and developing treatment plans that are individualized and appropriate for your needs. 

For more information on each of these services, click the links below, or schedule an appointment with one of our practitioners. 

• Autonomic Response Testing
• Bemer mat
• Food & Environmental Desensitization
• Gut and Psychology Syndrome Diet (GAPS)
• HOCATT
• Homeopathic Medicine
• IV Nutrition
• Laser Energetic Detoxification
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It’s impossible to feel emotionally balanced if your gut is not healthy.  This is especially true if you have leaky gut.What is Leaky Gut?

Leaky gut is a condition that develops when the lining of the intestinal wall breaks down.  It is frequently caused by infections, toxins, and certain foods.  Eating gluten, sugar, or excessive amounts of other inflammatory foods like dairy can lead to leaky gut.  Drinking extreme amounts of alcohol may be another cause.  Toxins from medications and environmental threats (mercury, pesticides, and BPA among others) are another major cause of leaky gut.

It may be important to note that stress is also a leading cause of leaky gut issues.  Intense emotional disturbances can create a physical strain on the body that contributes to health problems like leaky gut.

For the body to absorb vital nutrients properly, the gut is permeable to very small molecules.  The cells that line the intestinal wall regulate this permeability.  However, certain foods like gluten can cause the gut cells to release a protein called zonulin that breaks down tight junctions in the intestinal lining.  This process is accelerated by the presence of other toxins, stressors, and inflammatory foods.

Once the gut wall begins to break down, you have a leaky gut.  Then, toxins begin to escape from the intestines and are incorporated into the blood.  Now, because there are holes in the digestive system, food doesn’t get digested completely.  Small, undigested food particles end up going through holes in your gut wall right into your bloodstream.

This is not supposed to happen, and once they enter your bloodstream, they can shut down different parts of your blood-brain barrier. The immune system sees these foreign particles as pathogens and attacks them. This creates an immune response that is imbalanced and attacks even healthy cells. This may lead to depression, autism, A.D.D., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and more.Your Gut is Your Second Brain

Your gut contains more neurotransmitters than your brain. Your gut wall also houses 70 percent of the cells that make up your immune system. You might not link digestive problems to allergies, arthritis, autoimmune diseases, mood disorders, autism, ADD, OCD, dementia or cancer. But, many diseases that are seemingly unrelated are actually caused by gut problems.

GAPS stands for Gut and Psychology Syndrome™. It is the invention of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. The modern world poses many dangers for the gut flora, and once it is damaged, the health of the whole body enters a downward slide towards disease. You can purchase Dr. Campbell-McBride’s highly respected book on Amazon.

The GAPS diet is a healing protocol that involves detoxification, dietary changes, and supplementation that, collectively, are designed to heal the digestive system, thereby causing a reduction or remission of related physical and mental symptoms. 

More specifically, the aim of the GAPS diet is to correct the balance of the gut flora and to heal the intestinal tract to support proper digestion, healthy immune system, improve brain function, and reduce inflammation.

The GAPS diet is designed to heal your gut, which is directly linked to having a balanced metal and emotional well-being.

Learn More About the GAPS protocol on this podcast Dr. Michael Karlfeldt interviews Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride