I had chronic intestinal parasites for 10 years. From disordered eating, anxiety and depression to gas, bloating, cramps and IBS, I was miserable. I was miserable because my gut microbiome, the trillions of bacteria, yeasts and viruses that make me who I am, were miserable.
Pathogens had taken over my gut and I could not regain balance. They were pushing out the bacteria, yeast and viruses that were indigenous to my body. My physical and mental health were suffering because my microbiome was suffering.
I tried antibiotics, which made things much worse: they cleaned house for the parasites to further embed themselves in my intestinal lining. Then, I tried dietary interventions and herbal protocols. These helped temporarily, but I could not regain balance in my gut.
I lost 40 pounds, quit my jobs as a business consultant and cafe owner, and stayed home. I found myself reduced to eating 6 foods: rice, olive oil, eggs, chicken, kale and sweet potatoes.
I was willing to do anything to feel alive again.
“The microbiome has come to be seen as the foundation of human life, health, and most interesting to me: human consciousness itself.” Zach Bush, MD
What Dr. Bush articulates so well is exactly what I was experiencing: without a healthy gut microbiome, I was ruined. What eventually got me back on the path towards health had nothing to do with food. I attended a 10 day silent meditation retreat.
It took tremendous courage to leave home and try something so vulnerable. But, as I continued to remind myself, I could not keep doing the same things and expect different results. The retreat was 3 hours away from my house at a residential retreat center. I ate all kinds of foods I had not eaten in over 2 years. And guess what? I felt better than I had since contracting parasites.
This is because the microbiome and mental health are intrinsically intertwined. Yes, of course: what we eat (and don’t eat) affects the balance of our gut bacteria. However, this balance cannot be maintained in a healthy way without building a relationship with our nervous system.
I could not believe how much better I felt.
Once I got home from the meditation retreat, I started back on my regimen of foods and anti-parasitic herbs. For the first time, they started working! I was astounded and kept meditating to make sure I kept digesting my food well. Over time, I gained back the weight, eliminated my IBS symptoms, and found fewer and fewer parasites in stool test results.
Science has since proven that mindset is just as important as food in managing hormone balance and promoting healthy digestion. I take my microbiome seriously now more than ever because of our changing viral landscape. The gut microbiome is not only the seat of strong digestion and mental health, it is also the source of our immune response.
The healthier the microbiome is, the more effective our immune system becomes. So, strengthen your digestion and heal your gut. Not just for the well-being of your metabolism, but for your capacity to meet pathogens and eradicate them before they generate illness within you.
Eat prebiotic foods: asparagus, leeks, artichokes, avocados.
Eat probiotic foods: sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, tempeh.
Fill your meals with insoluble fiber: pumpkin seeds, spinach, kale, amaranth.
Practice deep breathing: three deep breaths before meals will work wonders for your digestion.
Stop eating 3 hours before bed to give your digestive system a rest every night.
To super-charge your digestion, get my Gut Health Guide here.
