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Category: Health

8 Superfoods That Naturally Cleanse Your Liver

Posted on by venadmin

Are you ready for a liver cleanse?

Your liver is responsible for filtering, processing and breaking down the foods and substances that pass through it.

This means that whatever goes into your body will – at some point – go through your liver. This could be anything from healthy nutrients found in fruits and vegetables to harmful toxins like alcohol, chemicals and highly processed foods.

Which is why, when preparing for a liver cleanse, it’s important to know which foods will help your liver function at its full capacity and aid in its natural detox.

1. Beetroot

By helping the liver to cleanse and filter out toxins from the blood, beetroot increases oxygen in the body and helps it to excrete waste at a faster rate.

Our Daily Detox blend combines the beneficial properties of beetroot powder and nine other plant-based foods to help provide natural liver support and supplement your liver cleanse journey.

2. Walnuts

Walnuts are great for the brain AND the liver. Loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and the amino acid arginine, they help the liver to detoxify ammonia.

Because they help to increase circulation and blood flow, walnuts speed up the process of delivering toxins from various parts of the body to the liver.

This efficient practice speeds up the overall elimination process of toxins from the body.

3. Leafy Greens/Cruciferous Vegetables

Vegetables are powerful plant-based foods with an endless number of health benefits. It is no surprise then, that leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables have made it to the list.

Leafy greens like spinach and mustard greens can soak up environmental toxins from the bloodstream. They help to neutralise metals and other toxins which, in turn, offers the liver some respite from its daily workload.

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower contain high levels of fibre and glutathione, an antioxidant that activates the liver’s toxic cleansing enzymes.

4. Citrus

Citrus fruit like lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruit contain vitamin C as well as the antioxidant glutathione, which means that eating citrus helps to naturally flush toxins out of the body.

The vitamins and antioxidants in citrus have also been known to help reduce inflammation and fat buildup in the liver, substantially helping its natural detox process.

5. Garlic

Sulphur is a key component of garlic that increases glutathione levels in the body and triggers liver enzymes to fight off and flush out toxic waste.

It also contains selenium, a micronutrient that works to cleanse the liver by increasing toxin-fighting enzyme levels in the organ.

6. Avocado

Packed with good fats, avocados are another food containing the powerful antioxidant glutathione.

This delicious fruit assists the liver with detoxifying waste and heavy metals. And it’s a great addition to any salad, sandwich or green smoothie!

7. Turmeric

An ancient spice with countless beneficial properties, turmeric has been used as a medicinal food for thousands of years.

Our Turmeric Blend is blended with 13 plant-based foods that work as a natural anti-inflammatory, simultaneously helping the liver to repair its cells and rid itself of toxins.

Turmeric also aids the liver in producing bile, a fluid that helps with digestion and the breaking down of fats.

8. Apples

Apples are packed with pectin, a type of soluble fibre that promotes regular bowel movements and subsequently helps to remove toxins from the body.

Apples can also help to protect against fatty liver because of the anti-inflammatory properties that the fruit contains.

A liver cleanse is easy with the right foods

Your liver helps to remove harmful substances from your body and bloodstream. As you can imagine, it is much easier for this powerful organ to do its job when given the right tools.

To rid your liver (and your body) of toxins, start by increasing your daily intake of these 8 superfoods.

You can also help your liver by introducing our Daily Detox beetroot powder to your morning or evening routine.

Start your liver cleanse with our Daily Detox blend

Foods That Fight Inflammation

Posted on by venadmin

Food as a natural anti-inflammatory

Hippocrates said “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food’.

This is the approach we take to healing here at Flourish. One of the most important functions food can serve is as a natural anti-inflammatory.

Depending on what we choose to put in our bodies, food has the incredible ability to either help us or harm us.

Foods like beans, nuts and seeds, good fats, greens, healthy starches and fruits and vegetables all have beneficial properties that can target certain ailments within the body and boost overall health.

Natural anti-inflammatory foods you should be eating

There are plenty of natural anti-inflammatory foods at our disposal that we should be consuming more of, especially if we’re fighting disease and chronic inflammation. Here is a list of just a few:

Tomatoes
Spinach
Kale
Collards
Broccoli
Capsicum
Chill peppers
Mushrooms
Avocados
Almonds
Walnuts
Strawberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Blackberries
Cherries
Oranges
Grapes
Dark chocolate
Green tea

The health benefits of turmeric are also important to note. The ancient super-spice has significant anti-inflammatory properties, as well as antimicrobial and antioxidant benefits.

Our Turmeric Blend is packed full of turmeric and curcumin, directly targeting inflammation within the body.

4 ways to use food as a natural anti-inflammatory

1. Eat more plant-based whole foods

Plants have been prominently supplementing our diet since back before we were Neanderthals and cavemen.

At a time when meat came few and far between, plants, grains, nuts, seeds and legumes were the core foundation of our meals.

Doesn’t it make sense then, to continue that practice now? We think so.

Packed with a wide range of natural anti-inflammatory nutrients that our bodies need, a whole food plant-based diet helps to both prevent and reverse chronic disease.

2. Say no to processed food

As much as we might love the taste of sweets and fried treats, refined sugars and carbohydrates are not good for us.

Processed foods like fries, lollies, sugary drinks, breakfast cereals, bread and cakes are all known to cause inflammation throughout the body.

Processed foods are rich in trans fats and other toxins that our taste buds may enjoy, but our bodies certainly don’t.

Though it can definitely be a challenge, the best thing you can do for your health is to limit – or entirely remove – these foods from your diet, replacing them instead with whole food plant-based alternatives.

3. Reduce red meat consumption

Red meat can become inflammatory if it is processed, high in fat and eaten in large quantities. Processed meats to avoid include sausages, hot dogs, bacon and store-bought burgers.

At Flourish, we are strong advocates for a plant-based, whole food diet. However, if you enjoy eating meat and want to keep it in your diet, we recommend that you choose the healthiest, leanest and least processed option.

We understand that it can be expensive to buy grass-fed, unprocessed and organic red meat. But if you can reduce your weekly meat consumption, you will also reduce overall costs.

4. Talk to a professional about natural anti-inflammatory supplements

Natural anti-inflammatory supplements are an excellent way to give your body that extra nutritional boost it needs.

If you’re unsure about supplements, talk to your doctor, nutritionist, healthcare professional or the team at Flourish to learn more about the benefits that they offer.

A key component of the turmeric that we use in our Turmeric Blend is curcumin. Curcumin further promotes the health benefits of turmeric through its active, natural anti-inflammatory properties.

The curcumin-rich Alleppey turmeric we use is blended with 13 other plant-based superfoods that support the body’s natural ability to reduce inflammation and alleviate the symptoms associated with chronic health conditions.

A natural anti-inflammatory, food has got your back

Food is a powerful source of natural medicine – we know that now. By eating the right foods, you can help your body to ease and reduce inflammation.

And the best part is that our whole food, plant-based nutritional supplements can help, too.

Learn more about our natural anti-inflammatory Turmeric Blend

10 Prebiotic Foods You Should Eat

Posted on by venadmin

What are prebiotics?

Whether through food or prebiotic supplements, prebiotics play an important role in keeping our bodies running smoothly, particularly when it comes to gut health.

The simplest way to explain what prebiotics are is this: fruit, meat and vegetables are types of food that humans eat. Prebiotics are the food that probiotics eat.

Prebiotics are a type of dietary fibre that feed the probiotics in your gut. Their most important job? To bump up the balance of good bacteria and maintain the overall health of your gut microbiome.

1. Bananas

High in fibre, vitamins and minerals, bananas are a wonderful source of prebiotics. All this good stuff helps to reduce bloating and increase good bacteria in the gut.

Green, unripe bananas are the most prebiotic-rich. This is because green bananas contain resistant starch – which means higher levels of prebiotics for the probiotics to eat!

2. Oats

Oats are packed full of prebiotic fibre. No matter what type of oat floats your boat, both steel-cut and rolled oats have great health benefits.

Oats also contain beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre. This fibre works wonders for your gut microbiome as it provides the probiotics with a jelly-like substance to eat.

3. Asparagus

You can’t go wrong with a tasty asparagus dish and it’ll serve you in more than one way!

A great source of prebiotics, asparagus is known to promote the growth of friendly bacteria in the gut. It contains 2-3 grams of inulin (per 100g), a powerful prebiotic fibre with impressive health benefits.

4. Flaxseed

An easy addition to things like oatmeal, salad or smoothies, flaxseed – in its many forms (powder, oil etc) – is one of the most prebiotic-rich foods.

It is a nutritious supplemental food that contains high amounts of fibre that helps to promote a healthy gut environment.

5. Onion

Onions can be easily added to most meals, which is perfect considering they’re such a good source of prebiotics – and, not to mention, delicious!

Onions also aid digestion and significantly increase the good bacteria in your gut.

7. Chicory root

A root that might not often be found in your pantry, it’s one very high in inulin, which makes it an excellent source of prebiotics.

The inulin found in the chicory root also helps to remove toxin build-up in the digestive tract and improve bowel movements, working to improve overall gut health

8. Jerusalem artichoke

The Jerusalem artichoke is high in fibre, low in carbs and packed with prebiotics.

With 76% of its fibre content being inulin, the Jerusalem artichoke is one of the most prebiotic-rich foods. Definitely a worthy addition to the pantry!

9. Apples

An apple a day, right?

50% of an apple’s fibre content is made up of pectin, a component that ensures the fruit is loaded with prebiotics.

While apples help to increase the good bacteria in your gut, they’re also known to help boost your metabolism.

10. Garlic

A welcome addition to most dishes, garlic is an incredibly popular, nutritious food.

Filled with prebiotics, garlic serves two functions (three if you include the fact that it tastes great!).

Garlic acts as a superhero for the gut by promoting healthy bacteria AND preventing bad bacteria from growing.

Prebiotics are important and beneficial for your body

Creating and maintaining a healthy gut environment is crucial for each and every one of us. So, aren’t we lucky that prebiotics can do it all?

Even if you do get your prebiotics in through food, our inulin powder Prebiotic Blend nourishes and feeds your gut with everything it needs to leave you feeling healthy and happy.

An excellent source of prebiotics and gut-loving ingredients, our Prebiotic Blend is easy to use and gives you the daily boost you need to keep your gut bacteria healthy.

Click here to learn more about our Prebiotic Blend

Food and Fibromyalgia

Posted on by Tim Ashton

What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia Syndrome is a condition with symptoms that include widespread, chronic pain and tenderness in the body. While there is no cure, you can certainly make some lifestyle changes that will minimise symptoms and improve your quality of life.  With supplements such as our turmeric blend, which helps the body’s ability to reduce inflammation, alleviate pain and reduce symptoms associated with many chronic health conditions, our mission is simply to help people from all walks of life achieve a full, healthy and pain-free existence.

In my early 30’s, I contracted the Parvo Virus, the aftermath of which was Fibromyalgia. Every part of my body ached, my muscles were sore to touch, my brain was foggy, and although I regularly went to the gym, the pain from exercise was extremely hard to recover from each day. Getting out of bed caused horrible pain in my feet. The aches became my ‘normal’ until I discovered it was not at all normal. Exercise was not meant to feel so debilitating. I then made the decision to see a Rheumatologist, and that is how my journey into the world of western medicine began.

The list of drugs that I was taking began to get longer and stronger, and it wasn’t until I was prescribed Methotrexate that I wondered if my pain was worsened by my diet. My doctor told me that there was no scientific evidence to support my theory about diet and its correlation to body pain, but as a self-confessed sugar-addict, I made a decision to cut it out for a while and see what happened. Within a few weeks, I was pain-free I could get out of bed and walk normally without pain, a sensation I had not had for years. I was excited. I gave back the script for Methotrexate and began a journey of using ‘food as medicine’, and this is when I started studying to become a Medicinal Nutritionist.

Fibromyalgia and Diet

Over the years of working as a Medicinal Nutritionist, I have come to realise that certain diseases hate certain foods, and, in particular, Fibromyalgia Syndrome hates sugar. If I bring sugar back into my life, I would be inviting the pain of Fibromyalgia back in, too. Another mandatory component of healing from Fibromyalgia is good sleep.

Moving on to the foods that promote healing from Fibromyalgia, we can divide them into two simple food groups: fruits and vegetables. The greater the variety of colour of the fruit on vegetables on your plate, the better you will feel. Intermittent fasting is another thing that Fibromyalgia responds well to aswell. Foods that promote problems and the severity of symptoms include packaged and processed food, such as sugar, alcohol, and meat.

The Flourish blend best suited to aid in the management of Fibromyalgia Syndrome symptoms is our turmeric blend. Once the pain is under control, 1 teaspoon per day, split into two 1/2 tablespoons per day is a wonderful maintenance program. The 1/2 teaspoon at night will also promote good sleep.

Let food be your medicine and change your diet to include more whole-food, plant-based foods, and you will be able to better manage the symptoms of Fibromyalgia. For more information on the healing benefits of food, see our whole food supplements and books, available for purchase on our website.

Lifestyle and Arthritis

Posted on by Tim Ashton

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is a condition that causes pain and stiffness within joints. There are over 100 different types of arthritis, each with a slightly different presentation that involve different parts of the body.

The most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is mainly due to wear and tear. It is caused by joints having to work too hard. Think of it like the brake pads in your car – after time and distance, they begin to deteriorate and need replacing. Luckily, you are able to take your car to the mechanic to have your brakes replaced. Unfortunately, that is not as easily done if a joint wears out. While some joints can be surgically replaced, this is only done as a last resort.

Osteoarthritic joints cause pain and stiffness, and, as a result, people who have this condition can find simple tasks that they once performed easily, now painful and tiring. The pain is caused by low-grade inflammation, and this is where the Flourish turmeric blend comes into play. Take 1 teaspoon 1 to 3 times a day, or until the pain has reduced. Then take 1 teaspoon per day for maintenance.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune problem.  The immune system sees the joint tissues as non-self, or as a foreign tissue that needs to be removed from the body. In RA, the joints are often swollen, red and very painful. The pain can be unrelenting, and oftentimes there are many accompanying issues.

The treatment regime will often be anti-immune system medications, which try to dampen down the response by the immune system. Whilst these drugs are often extremely helpful, they are not without nasty side-effects, especially to the liver. This is where our daily detox blend can help. This will help support the liver and protect the liver cells from damage. As for the inflammation, our turmeric blend is a wonderful product to accompany any other treatments. When treating RA, we recommend taking a minimum of 2 teaspoons per day: 1 teaspoon with breakfast, and another at night with dinner. If there is no significant reduction in pain, try adding another teaspoon with lunch.

Foods that Harm

  • Gluten
  • Alcohol
  • Processed and Packaged Food
  • Sugar
  • Red Meat
  • Bacon
  • Dairy
  • Fried Foods
  • Tobacco
  • Preservatives
  • Corn Oil

Foods that Heal

  • Green Leafy Vegetables
  • Ginger
  • Turmeric
  • Broccoli
  • Garlic
  • Walnuts
  • Avocado
  • Berries
  • Cherries
  • Red Grapes
  • Kiwi Fruit

Exercise

Exercise helps tremendously, also, and is just as important as diet. Whilst it may be painful to move, it is important to find an exercise regime that you are able to maintain so as not to loosen the condition of the surrounding muscles. The stronger you are, the better your body is able to cope. Swimming and walking are two easy exercises to incorporate into your daily living.

While we know our supplements can dramatically help in managing both types of arthritis, we strongly recommend overhauling your complete lifestyle through food and exercise, especially when treating RA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Importance of Gut Loving Foods

Posted on by Tim Ashton

There are so many nasty gut issues, ranging from things such as Colitis, IBS, Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis, Diverticulitis, and many others. Symptoms can range from bloating to constipation diarrhea, abdominal pain, flatulence, bleeding, and a myriad of other problems. While some gut issues are autoimmune in nature, others can be related to things like stress and food intolerances, which can set up a cascade of health complications. All in all, gut health issues are frustrating, debilitating and inconvenient.  The Flourish anti-inflammatory turmeric blend and the prebiotic blend work wonders for anyone with any sort of gut issue.

Treatment

Yes, problems with gut health can vary, but the way we at Flourish treats them is the same.  We use a system called “DEBBIE” :

Diet – the right foods feed the gut flora and create greater diversity

Enzymes – help to break down food for better absorption and digestion

Barrier – leaky gut – decrease autoimmune response

Bacteria – the greater the diversity, the healthier

Immune system – 95% of your immune system lives in the gut

Enteric Nervous System – decreases stress and pain pathways

Diet

As you can see, the first line of fixing your gut issue revolves around diet and making sure that you are consuming plenty of gut-loving foods.  The foods you eat have a direct impact on your gut lining and gut microbes.  Our way of healing the gut is by going back to basics. Just as your mother did after you stopped breastfeeding, the foods you were given then created your gut world. What we do is take out all the offending food and go back to eating basic fruits and vegetables in order to recreate your particular gut world. We eliminate the foods that may be wreaking havoc on your gut health.

No matter where your pain originates, pain equals information. So if you are feeling bloated or have stomach pains of any kind, then it is a sign of inflammati0n. This inflammation needs to be switched off if you are to heal your gut.  Gut diversity – which refers to the number of species you have in your gut – is extremely important, and comes from eating a range of different foods. If your gut is inflamed, however, then diversity does not matter; the gut microbes have gone to sleep and are no longer doing their job. You need to consume a wide range of foods, and you need them all awake and working hard for you if you are to be happy and healthy. Because of this, diet is our number one challenge and treatment plan.

Often, if we get the ‘D’ for diet right, the rest of the ‘DEBBIE’ system falls into place and happens pretty much without intervention.

If you have any private issues or questions that you would like to discuss, please pop online and send us an email. We will be happy to chat, or click the appointment button and come and see us. Again, the Flourish anti-inflammatory turmeric blend and the prebiotic blend work wonders for anyone with any sort of gut issue. The only thing that changes from person to person is the dosage. The worse your problem, the gentler you must be with the dose. Always start small and build up gently.

Healthy Lifestyle For Fatty Liver

Posted on by Tim Ashton

What is fatty liver?

Fatty Liver is a term usually given to someone whose liver cells contain too much fat. It is diagnosed through a blood test, ultrasound, or MRI. The liver enzymes could be out of range in a blood test, or an ultrasound could show that the liver cells are enlarged and containing fat.

The cause is usually excessive alcohol consumption, but today we are seeing this condition in people who do not drink alcohol, also. If this is the case, it is known as non-alcohol fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Why does it happen? 

The answer is the food we are eating. The standard Australian diet – though improving – is typically filled with foods containing excessive amounts of oil, fat, and refined sugars, which all cause the liver to store fat within its cells. Ageing and the excessive intake of medications can also be a factor. The more processed your diet, the more likely you are to have a Fatty Liver.

The liver is responsible for over 500 different processes within the body. It plays a major role in the production of our hormones, processing foods, detoxifying toxins and filtering harmful substances. Also, it is the only organ in the body that is capable of regeneration. A regeneration cycle is 30-40 days, depending on the size of the person.

Chronic liver disease is often symptomless, or the symptoms are subtle at the least: general fatigue, poor sleep, not waking refreshed, swelling of the legs, weight gain, insulin resistance, thyroid issues, and diabetes are some of the most common. If the condition is at its worst, the symptoms can include a terrible itching of the skin, yellowing of the eyes and skin, weight loss, loss of appetite, abdominal pain and swelling, confusion, and death.

Is it reversible?

Yes, we believe it is, but it requires you to make some big changes to your dietary habits, exercise regime, and alcohol consumption.

Dietary Changes needed:

  • Remove fat from your diet
  • Eat a plant-based diet
  • Eliminate meat and diary
  • Eliminate gluten
  • Eliminate alcohol

Optional – for quick and longlasting results:

  • Consume the Flourish Detox Blend – nightly before bed – 1 tablespoon
  • Consume the Flourish Turmeric Blend – ½ teaspoon nightly before bed

It normally takes 30-40 days to see significant changes, or 1 regeneration cycle. If the condition is severe, we recommend continuing the healing regime for a minimum of 3 months.

Because the liver is one of the most important organs in our body, is extremely important to keep it healthy and avoid conditions such as Fatty Liver. By making healthy changes to your diet, regularly exercising, and significantly reducing alcohol consumption, you can not only treat Fatty Liver but reverse it.

How To Reverse Cardiovascular Disease

Posted on by Tim Ashton

What is cardiovascular disease, what causes it, and how do you reverse it? These are the three biggest questions we get asked when we see someone who has been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. Overall, a good detox natural detox such as our daily detox beetroot blend, a healthy diet, daily exercise, and stress management can help to treat and reverse cardiovascular disease.

What is it?

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a collective name given to diseases that cause a narrowing of the blood vessels. The narrowing of these blood vessels can lead to heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, and, ultimately, death.

The Cause

While most people may think it is hereditary, which is a statement that may have some truth behind it, it is by no means the whole story. Our genes only make up 3-5% of what happens to us, and it is the environment that we live in that allows the hereditary part to be expressed.

We at Flourish think that the food we eat makes up the majority of the cause, and stress makes up th rest. The food environment we grow up in usually runs in families, hence why we typically see the same conditions amongst family members. If the entire family eats a predominantly high-fat diet, then diseases associate with that could run in the family. A diet high in fat, refined sugars, meats, dairy, and processed and packaged foods can be the cause of CVD.

Our blood vessels are designed to stay wide and open. The epithelial cells that line the blood vessels release a substance called nitric oxide and its purpose is to keep the vessels open, which allows the blood to flow easily. The flow is called laminar.

When we consume fat in our diet, the nitric oxide is inhibited by the epithelial cells, causing a narrowing. This then causes the blood flow to goo from laminar to turbulent. This turbulent flow causes the blood to bump into the cells, damaging the vessel lining. Our body will then lay down plague as a band-aid trying to heal the damage, which then results in a permanent narrowing of the blood vessels and, in turn, the beginning of CVD.

How to reverse it?

A complete lifestyle change is the best way to reverse CVD. While some may think it is easier said than done, it does not have to be. From a food perspective, it is important to cut out high-fat foods and instead eat foods that strengthen the epithelial cells that line the blood vessels. Foods that help with this are beetroot and green leafy vegetables, amongst others.

Our beetroot detox blend is the perfect supplement for strengthening the blood vessels, working best when taken alongside 6 cups of leafy green vegetables every day. We recommend taking 1 tablespoon of the detox blend in the morning or night, whichever fits your routine best. Exercising for 30 minutes a day will also help significantly.

It is also important to decrease stress, which is probably the hardest lifestyle change. Meditation or prayer is a good place to start, but you will find your own way to decrease external stressors. The best place to de-stress is internally, and by changing the foods you consume, you will see a huge difference in reversing cardiovascular disease.

 

 

 

 

 

Prebiotics vs Probiotics

Posted on by Tim Ashton

Simply put, probiotics are live micro-organisms (bacteria, yeast or fungi) and they live naturally on and in our bodies. Prebiotics are a form of fibre that acts as a food, for the bacteria found within your gut.

In order to have a healthy gut, most health practitioners will tell you that you need to have a good balance between your good and bad gut bacteria, and whilst we at Flourish agree with this, the ways of achieving it differs dramatically.

Let’s talk about probiotics.  I want to keep this really simple, not highly technical as I think it is easier to understand and therefore allow you to be able to make a more informed decision as to what is right for you.

The gut microbiome or gut flora – I am going to refer to these as if they have a personality.

Their role in life is to keep us healthy.  Their job is to keep the immune system strong, make certain vitamins and minerals, aid digestion, metabolism, psychology and reduce chronic inflammation one of the key drivers of chronic illness.

Some facts:

  • There are 10 x as many of them as they are of you, totalling approximately 100 trillion microbes
  • Thought of as a new organ with distinct metabolic and immune activity
  • There are between 1500 – 5000 different species, but this number is changing rapidly as new research comes to light.
  • Weighs approximately 2 kilograms
  • The majority reside within the large bowel
  • Make up approximately 60% of each and every bowel movement
  • Populated during birth and breastfeeding and continues to develop until the age of 2 -3 years when the gut microbiota stabilises and resembles that of adults
  • Antibiotics in early life can shift the bacterial profile and promote obesity and metabolic abnormalities and/or autoimmune disease.
  • It is believed that our gut microbiota diversity is influenced by some three generations travelling down our mothers side.
  • Lack of diversity is linked with chronic diseases, especially allergies
  • A bad gut can lead to a fatty liver
  • Gut bacteria profiles are unique like fingerprints. No two humans have the same profile.  In fact we only share 68% of the same profile the rest of the profile is unique to each and everyone of us.

 

 

 

Thyroid 101

Posted on by Tim Ashton

This small but mighty, shield shaped gland is located in the front of the neck and plays an enormous role in our overall health.  Every cell in the body, except red blood cells, has a receptor site for thyroid hormones, and these regulate temperature and metabolism.  The thyroid influences almost every bodily function, so when it is not working properly you can experience a wide range of signs and symptoms. 

Under-active or Overactive?

You might hear the terms under-active and overactive thrown around from time to time when it comes to talking about the thyroid.

Under-active Thyroid

Hypo or low thyroid function means the thyroid gland is under-active and it does not product enough thyroid hormone.  High cortisol (stress hormones) can cause the thyroid to stop producing thyroid hormones and this is known as hypothyroidism.

Environmental stress can also be a cause of an under-active thyroid, and this is highly linked to individual genetic predispositions. 

The major signs and symptoms of under-active thyroid issues are fatigue, hair loss, weight gain, foggy brain , depression, brittle nails, shortness of breathe, anxiety, irregular periods, sensitivity to the cold, bowel problems and a general feeling of un-wellness. 

Over-active Thyroid

Hyper or high thyroid functions means the thyroid gland is overactive, and producing far too many thyroid hormones.  Again internal and external environment stress can cause the hypothalamus and pituitary glands to send the wrong message to the thyroid gland, causing it to over produce.                                                                                           

The signs and symptoms are fairly similar to those of an under-active thyroid, but weight loss is more prevalent, along with a very rapid heart rate, heart palpitations, anxiety, unable to control temperature and shakiness throughout the body. 

Hyperthyroidism is far more dangerous that hypo and needs to be addressed quickly due to the heart’s involvement with hyperthyroidism or Grave’s Disease as it is known. 

Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s

Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s are the names given to thyroid disease if the immune system is involved; this means that the problem is autoimmune.

Besides medications, controlling environmental factors in both Hashimoto’s and Graves’ is paramount.  Reducing stress and eating a whole food, plant-based fat free diet makes a monumental difference to both diseases.

Lifestyle factors to support thyroid health

Staying gluten free is one of the most important things if diagnosed with a thyroid issue.  The gluten protein is extremely similar to the protein structure found within the thyroid.  This similarity is called cellular mimickery and causes the immune system to see the thyroid as similar to gluten. If you have a sensitivity to gluten, it will want to destroy the gland, this is the first step to autoimmune thyroid disease.

A low ‘free-fat’ diet is also one of the keys to supporting thyroid problems.  The thyroid itself only produces 7% of the active hormone T3 (what the cell can use) and the other 93% , known as T4, must travel via transporter proteins to the liver and gut for conversion to active T3.    These transporter proteins have a strong affinity to fat, so if the diet is full of ‘free’ fats (those that come from a bottle or a jar) bind to these transporters not allowing them to pick up the inactive T4 for transportation to the liver. 

How Flourish can help with the natural anti-inflammatory and beetroot powder

All three of our blends have a role to play when it comes to supporting thyroid health.

If the liver is filled with fat also from a high-fat diet, then it is unable to make the conversion. Our detox blend has been designed to aid this very function of the liver.

Good gut bacteria is also responsible for converting 20% of the inactive T4 to active T3, so our prebiotic, gut blend should also be front of mind if you have a thyroid issue.   

If the gut is inflamed the bacteria all go to sleep for want of a better description, so are unable to perform the conversion properly.  Decreasing inflammation not only in the gut, but also all through the body should be top of mind as well. And that’s where our Turmeric blend comes in.

Find out more about our blends here.

You might also be interested in “Let’s talk about inflammation“.