December's Evolutionary Edge
December 27th, 2021 |Early Winter Edition
Let's be Nuts for Health!
(Keep reading for a brand new recipe featuring a seasonal nut which supports the Gut Biome in very potent ways)
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My Gentle Healing Winter Cleanse begins January 10th - Registration Now Open!

Special focus on this Cleanse is eating for a healthy gut biome to:
(1) optimize a healthy weight
(2) create a robust immune system

Plus, we'll of course have all the other Cleanse goodness you've come to expect!
Walk Through Grief with Grace Podcast
While the holidays can be a time for joyous celebration, for many they are also reminders of those we've lost.

If you're in need of some extra support this holiday season, please tune in to my recent podcast interview, where I share a story of deep love, tragic loss, and redemption, healing and magic. (on apple podcasts - link above - my episode is #6)

May these words inspire new hope in your being! (this link above takes you directly to the podcast on spotify)
Good Eats for the "Good Guys"

I am really looking forward to new beginnings in even healthier bodies in the New Year!

Please join me to learn everything you could ever imagine wanting to know (and more) about the gut microbiome and how tending to this both delicate and yet surprisingly resilient (when given the right foods) inner ecosystem could make all the difference in your health and wellness moving forward!

Enjoy today's article, and do Join me for the Winter Cleanse if you'd like to both reset your health and learn the best way to eat for YOUR body moving forward into 2022

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Healing the Gut Microbiome:
A Tasty Pathway back to Good Health

Today’s article is a deep dive into the Gut Microbiome, which I’ll be bringing a specific focus to on my upcoming Winter Cleanse. 

Keep reading to learn about:

*** THE MICROBIOME - What it is and why it matters

*** THE GUT AND YOUR BRAIN - addressing depression, brain fog, anxiety, etc.

*** THE GUT AND IMMUNITY/WEIGHT - Yes, all can be corrected with the right diet!

*** SPECIFIC HEALING FOODS

*** THE GUT AND FOOD SENSITIVITIES

*** THE GUT AND CRAVINGS - how to shift these for the long-term

If, after, reading through this article you feel you might benefit from a bit of focused gut support in addition to all the other Cleanse benefits, please do join me! We begin in 2 weeks, and we’re edging towards 1/2 full.


THE MICROBIOME 

The plethora of research that has gone into the gut microbiome these last several years is quite heartening. It’s about time that we start to grok how interconnected we really are!

Some medical professionals actually consider the microbiome to be its own organ - as important to acknowledge, understand, and nourish with the right foods, as our heart, kidneys or lungs. 

It is the home, after all, to trillions of different micro-organisms, most of which we cannot live without! It may seem strange to acknowledge in these times where we are so sensitive to being careful about spreading invisible pathogens, but so many of the functions in the body that are essential to our very life would not happen without this teeming array of bacteria, viruses, yeast, and other microbiota that are invisible to the naked eye yet very much a part of who we are.

There are so many, in fact, that they actually out-number our own cells 10 to one!

The Good News?

Most of the invisible words of micro-organisms we co-exist with are highly beneficial, especially if we eat to nourish the growth of the “good guys”.

The state of your microbiome determines:

  1. What kinds of foods you crave - i.e sweets and starches? Or healthy fruits and veggies?

  1. When you feel hungry - i.e. all the time - can never feel satisfied - or only when you actually need nourishment.

  1. How food is metabolized. Does it store as fat around the waist? Is it used as energy for your day? This is why you can be eating the same thing as your friend and one of you has a normal stable weight, and the other one of you gains weight/stores fat.

If we can reset the microbiome, we can be free of excess hunger, cravings and a feeling of never being satisfied with our meals.

Amazingly, we CAN reset the microbiome - often more quickly that we might imagine possible!

Microbiome shifts can begin to happen within hours, and certainly bigger shifts within a couple days. (NOTE: This is why so many people when doing a Cleanse that involves taking out the main culprits that feed the “bad guys” start to have cravings completely disappear by day 3, 4 or 5)

Within a couple weeks of healthy intentional eating, you can have a whole new healthy microbiome - if you’re supporting it in the best of ways!


THE GUT AND YOUR BRAIN

The amount of data and research into the relationship between the gut and brain is massive. Without sharing all the details, it's enough to just know that a healthy gut equals a healthy brain!!

Did you know that the gut and the brain evolve from the same clump of tissue in embryogenesis? So right from the beginning of the creation of our body in our mother’s womb, these two organs/systems are interconnected. 

Additionally, the Enteric Nervous System (which is located in the tissues surrounding the digestive organs) is connected to the Central Nervous System by the vagus nerve. This means there is a bi-directional neural pathway between the gut and the brain. The gut and the brain are talking to each other through a direct phone line ALL the time. 

What does this mean practically speaking for us?

The long and short of it is that gut issues WILL manifest as mood and behavioral issues.

If you have brain fog, anxiety, fatigue, lack of ability to concentrate, depression, etc., healing your gut can change that.


THE GUT AND YOUR IMMUNITY and WEIGHT

Most of us probably already know that we need to do everything we can to get rid of the sources of inflammation in our diet, environment, etc., in order to heal fully.

But what is inflammation and why is it so problematic? 

Inflammation is a reaction from the immune system. It is an important, appropriate and helpful reaction in an acute situation to bring healing energy to a part of the body. But when it sets in as a chronic issue we start to have real trouble.

While there are MANY causes of inflammation, diet, lifestyle, toxins and stress are a few of the biggies. Chronic low grade stress leads to chronic low grade inflammation. 

Inflammation is behind all chronic illness, especially autoimmune conditions, as well as inability to lose weight. 

Why? 

Because inflammation cues the immune system to alter the metabolism. 

Why does it do that?

Because the body is in crisis, and the best way it knows to survive is through holding onto fat. It’s a biological imperative/necessity. 

From a dietary perspective, inflammatory foods can alter the gut microbiome as quickly as within 20 minutes. The “bad” bacteria that feed on unhealthy foods such as fast food for instance, produce endotoxins, which trigger the immune system to get on the defensive, which leads to?!? Inflammation!

Endotoxins also cause insulin resistance, which increases our risk of diabetes. No wonder diabetes is such a significant health crisis in our world today. It’s directly related to our junk diet!

This is also why diabetes is reversible with diet!


SPECIFIC FOODS THAT HELP

One of the categories of foods that we need to eat to help heal the gut are foods rich in oligosaccharides, which are a prebiotic. These foods feed the good bacteria and then the bad bacteria are starved out. A short list includes onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, jicama, chicory root, and jerusalem artichokes.

The bacteria that feed on oligosaccharides produce many beneficial substances, including short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and certain B vitamins. Early research evidence suggests these bacteria could promote absorption of certain minerals, including calcium and magnesium, which escape the small intestine during digestion.

While research is ongoing, SCFAs likely provide many benefits, both in the colon as well as in the rest of the body. Specifically, butyrate (which a seasonal food I’ve shared a recipe for below helps to create) may protect colon tissue from damage caused by conditions like colon cancer and ulcerative colitis. Other possible benefits of SCFAs include:

  • Lower cholesterol
  • Lower triglycerides
  • Improved insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism
  • Improved immune system function


LEAKY GUT and FOOD SENSITIVITIES

A leaky gut is another way in which our metabolism can be affected. The main thing to consider here is food sensitivities.

Going back to the Cleanse, the reason so many people see such healing - I’d even say miraculous healing - on the Cleanse, is that the main foods that can cause sensitivities especially if there is already leaky gut present, are the foods that are eliminated on the Cleanse - wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, sugar (the top inflammatory/reactive foods). 

If there is leaky gut (i.e the tight junctions in the gut start to open and become permeable, and food particles are passing through without being fully digested) the immune system, which mainly resides in the gut just outside the small intestines where microscopic foods particles are being passed through to be taken into the blood and transported to the cells, will start to react, and then end up in a state of permanent reactivity. 

Once antibodies are created to these foods, even a small amount - like a little bit of milk in tea or coffee, can be enough to set off an immune/inflammatory response in the gut, and slow down your gut healing.

This inflammatory response would ALSO contribute to making it virtually impossible to lose weight - because of the way insulin is tied up in the reaction - which would be cueing the body to store fat instead of burn it. 

When we heal the leaky gut, the immune system can rebalance/reset, and we can once again eat certain foods that would have been previously toxic to us without issue again down the road.

Side note: Vitamin D is essential for healing tight junctions. And it’s also of course essential for optimizing immunity.

Have you gotten your levels tested yet?

 
THE GUT AND CRAVINGS

Cravings: Because the body develops antibodies to certain toxic foods there is a strong reaction that happens, which is that the immune system seeks out these foods in order to attack and “kill”. 

These vigilant antibodies created by the immune system can actually cause cravings - i.e. you may crave the very foods that you are reacting to. So if you go on the Cleanse, for instance, and your cravings go away, then that is a sign that your gut is healing (or there was never a problem in the first place), but if you still crave bread or cheese, or things like that, it’s very likely your gut is leaky, and you have antibodies that are causing you to want to eat these foods. 

Gluten is a little extra tricky because it triggers the production of Zonulin, which opens up the tight junctions of the gut wall. This is why it can be important to eliminate gluten for a longer period of time to really heal, even if you don’t have celiac or any other diagnosable sensitivity to gluten.

So, removal of the foods you may be reacting to is really important for the full healing of your body AND the resetting of the gut microbiome. Also removing other inflammatory foods/triggers as we do on the Cleanse is really important. 

Additionally, and especially if you can’t seem to kick sugar cravings, it’s very wise to consider the role that fungi like candida or other pathogens might be playing in your gut health. Parasites can cause similar symptoms to candida…so it may be that taking certain supplements to kill off pathogens in the gut is necessary for your healing. It’s extra important to consider getting tested for fungus/parasites/mold or other pathogens if you have an autoimmune condition. 

After the microbiome is reset, we can generally safely indulge in certain previously restricted foods. I often recommend the 90/10 rule (eating healthy/whole/real foods 90 percent of the time) as a standard approach that is balanced and appropriate for many people for long-term health and wellness. But for most of us for the shorter term it’s best to “keep it clean” as it were until the microbiome has been fully reset…

The period of time where we need to “keep it clean” to fully reset our gut microbiome will vary for each of us, but 21 days is a really good start!

Please join me in 2022 to take control of your health through careful tending and feeding of this inner “garden”. I look forward to supporting you in being empowered in your health choices in 2022!

Here's to our digestion!
Ellen
p.s. Did you know that you can shift the microbiome in your gut to a more beneficial state in JUST 24 HOURS by eating different foods? It’s amazing how quickly we can heal! This Cleanse I’ll be doing things a little differently by sharing a few specific recipes to incorporate each week (after the educational Zoom calls I’ll host once a week) to encourage folks to experiment with new foods and see the direct results on their gut microbiome! These recipes will be in addition to the standard Cleanse Recipes Booklet and the Gut Healing Recipes which I shared for the first time on the Winter Cleanse last year. Enjoy one such recipe below!


Evolutionary Wellness

"A butterfly must struggle to break out of its cocoon. But the struggle to emerge from the cocoon forces the fluid from the butterfly's body into its wings - a necessary process for enabling it to fly."

- Charles C. Manz
My Evolutionary Wellness Mentorship Program

A personalized one-on-one mentorship program designed to support you in realizing the next level of your health and wellness.

This program is designed for the person who is truly ready to heal.

I am committed to your success and will be bringing out every tool I have in my toolkit to support you in your evolution.

The sessions are a combination of:
  1. Nutritional recommendations/support/ guidance.
  2. Energy clearing sessions to remove the blocks that we identify together are in the way of your success.
  3. Spiritual and nature-based guidance/direction (if desired).

This program is for you if you are interested in having breakthroughs in not only your physical health, but if you are also committed to evolving your overall consciousness to a place of true balance - mind, body, spirit.

This Program is designed for those who are ready to be sovereign in their life and align with their higher self/highest truth. There is no time like the present to wake up to the fullness of who we are and create the life we want to be living.

Contact me on email to schedule an introductory consult. Or read more about my programs and offerings here.

"When I began counseling with Ellen my thyroid was unmanageable, my cholesterol was too high, I was overweight and lacked the energy to get through my day. Only 7 weeks into her program, my bloodwork results astounded me. For the first time in years my thyroid was balanced and my cholesterol and lipid profiles were right on target. I knew my energy was higher and that my focus and stamina throughout the day had improved but the bloodwork was much more than I could have hoped for in such a short time. 

If you are willing to do the work, Ellen offers a no-fail program. Her knowledge base extends far and wide. I was particularly impressed with the preparation she did prior to each meeting, picking up on details so often ignored by medical professionals. 

She was able to prescribe a program that allowed me to loose twenty pounds and learn a new way of eating that will keep me healthy, happy and feeling good in the years to come and I am finding very enjoyable. Her pleasant manner put me at ease, making learning easy, she challenged me while providing encouragement when needed. 

To walk away after these sessions, with bloodwork that was excellent and twenty pounds lighter was great, but the improvement in my energy and mood has been delightful.

I recommend Ellen without any reservation, simply put, she is the best!" - Matty Maccaro, Maryland

Roasting Chestnuts and More!

In my preparations for the upcoming Winter Cleanse, where I'll be educating about the gut microbiome and the specific foods that support the growth of certain very beneficial micro-organisms, I've been researching recipes that are both Cleanse-friendly and contain the specific foods that are extra beneficial for the gut.

Every time I think of chestnuts this time of year I must admit I break out into song (in my head).

You may be familiar with them mostly as used in stuffing (like the delicious recipe by Elizabeth David my sister-in-law made for Xmas).

Here's one that's Cleanse friendly and looks great that my husband and I plan to try soon!

But before you prepare anything made with chestnuts, in case you are relatively new to cooking with chestnuts like me, do make sure to read this very thorough overview of how to roast chestnuts (if you are buying them in the shell. Ultimate Guide to Roasting Chestnuts

Vegan Nut Roast
(Source: Olive Magazine - click link for more chestnut recipe ideas)

Ingredients
  • onions 3 large, grated
  • coconut butter 100g
  • dried chilli flakes a pinch
  • sage a small bunch, chopped
  • vac-packed cooked, peeled chestnuts 180g, chopped (or roasted/boiled and peeled yourself)
  • white breadcrumbs 100g (Gluten-free)
  • ready-to-eat dried apricots 50g, chopped
  • cranberry sauce 4 tbsp
  • sweet potatoes 400g, peeled
  • butternut squash 400g, peeled

Method

STEP 1
To make the stuffing, put the onion in a pan with the coconut butter and chilli flakes and cook until the onions have softened. Stir in the sage and cook for 2 minutes.

STEP 2
Put the chestnuts, breadcrumbs and apricots into a bowl. Stir in half the onion mixture, mix well and season. Mix the rest of the onions with the cranberry sauce.

STEP 3
Slice the sweet potatoes and squash separately in a food processor or with a mandoline and divide into 3 piles of each. Melt a little more coconut butter and brush the inside of a 900g/2lb loaf tin. Line with a strip of baking paper

STEP 4
Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Line the bottom of the tin with a neat overlapping layer of 1/3 of the squash, trimming to fit the tin. This will be the top of the loaf so get this as nice as possible – the other layers you don’t need to worry about so much. Then add a layer of 1/3 of the sweet potato.

STEP 5
Add a layer of stuffing, then cranberry onions, then the next 1/3 of squash and sweet potato. Add the rest of the stuffing, then another layer of cranberry onions and finish with the last 1/3 of squash and sweet potato.

STEP 6
Cover with foil, put on a baking tray and bake for 2 hours, or until the sweet potatoes and squash are tender. Leave to sit for 10 minutes before turning out and cutting into slices.

NOTE: Oven temps are in Centigrade, and quantities are in grams. Please make sure to convert to your temperature/measurement needs where you live.
Evolutionary Wellness and Ellen's Nutrition Counseling| [www.ellenkittredge.com]