The 6 Best Ways To Heal Your Gut & Restore Your Health

In part 1 of this series I explained what leaky gut syndrome was how it can wreak havoc throughout your body. In part 2, I went over different causes of leaky gut syndrome. If you haven't already, take a look at those articles first.

 

If you have leaky gut syndrome, what do you do now? Here are six of my favorite healing tools to repair a leaky gut:

 

1. L-Glutamine

This amino acid has been shown to bring healing to damaged gut lining. This healing tool may help repair the gut and reverse the effects of leaky gut syndrome.

 

2. Bone broth 

This ancient superfood can do wonders for your gut health. Bone broth is abundant in fat-soluble vitamins and minerals to boost your overall immune health and digestion. Bone broth is also rich in gelatin, which can heal your gut from the inside out. Bones should be from grass-fed cattle or organic chickens.

 

3. Herbal remedies

There are several herbs that can help heal gut lining damage. Slippery elm, marshmallow root and Deglycyrrhizinated licorice are some remedies that have been used for hundreds of years to repair the protective lining of your gut.

 

4. Fermented foods 

Your gut is home to around 100 trillion microorganisms. Fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, and kombucha provide your gut with trillions of beneficial bacteria. This will help rebuild and balance healthy bacteria levels that are destroyed with leaky gut syndrome.

 

5. Coconut oil

This is another superfood no one should be without. The healthy saturated fats are an integral part to healing your gut. Lauric, capric and caprylic acids in coconut oil have antimicrobial, anti-fungal and antiviral properties. This is a real food medicine way to gently clean your GI system. Coconut oil should be organic, extra virgin and cold pressed.

 

6. Intermittent fasting 

Giving your body a little break from digesting food can be very healing. Intermittent fasting is not a full fast, but limiting your daily caloric intake to 500 or 600 a day. This restriction for a few days will allow your body to repair the gut's lining. The healing foods listed above are perfect choices to eat during intermittent fasting.

 

Customized Health Solutions

 

What works for one person may not be right for the next. A health program should be customized based on the patients health history and labs. This tailored and individualized approach is what I do for people all around the world through my virtual Functional Medicine practice. 

Helping People Reverse Disease, Regain Energy, Lose Stubborn Weight And Restore Health, In Pittsburgh & Across The World Through Our Virtual Functional Medicine Practice. Dr. Will Cole: Your Source For The Future Of Natural Health. www.drwillcole.com

Recipe: Layered Fruit Gazpacho

Perfect Healthy, Real Food treat for your whole family:

 

 

 

 

Layered Fruit Gazpacho

Ingredients:
10 ounces frozen raspberries, thawed
2 tablespoons honey
... 12 ounces unsweetened lemon-lime sparkling water
5 kiwis, peeled
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 cup roughly chopped cantaloupe
4 kiwi slices, for garnish

INSTRUCTION:
Combine raspberries (if frozen taw them before) and honey in a food processor or blender until it becomes a puree. Pass the puree through a fine mesh to filter the seeds. Add lime sparkling water and let it rest on the side.
In the blender, combine peeled kiwifruit and lime/lemon juice until pureed. Put it on the side. Then clean the blender, add cantaloupe and blend it.

To make the layers, in each glass put equal amount from each puree; and you have a tasty dessert for your summer days.

 

Helping People Reverse Disease, Regain Energy, Lose Stubborn Weight And Restore Health, In Pittsburgh & Across The World Through Our Virtual Functional Medicine Practice. Dr. Will Cole: Your Source For The Future Of Natural Health. www.drwillcole.com

Vaccination Nation

Vaccines are always a hot health topic. I frequently get asked what my position on the issue is. Most vaccines, if not all contain preservatives, like thimerisol, aluminum, formaldehyde or yeast. Although there is some testing on individual vaccines, there is no testing done on the combinations given. The amount of vaccines now given to infants before 2 years of life is astounding. I don't think their young immune systems were made to handle this insult. That combined with the actual doses of preservatives like those listed above when they get multiple vaccines at the same time can be a detox issue in some children. Vaccines as they are recommended today are a "stress test" of sorts, but instead of being a cardiac exercise stress test, this is a test to see which children are born with genetic polymorphisms that lead to poor detoxification pathways in the body. The ones who have more problems with detoxification end up having a much harder time with vaccinations or it could even be a trigger in the development of autistic spectrum disorders. It may not be the vaccines themselves that are harmful but the amount and in combination with preservatives that overwhelms certain children's defense. MMR has a particular bad reputation. 

Suspicions have been confirmed for those wary of vaccinating their children. A recent large study corroborates other independent study surveys comparing unvaccinated children to vaccinated children. They all show that vaccinated children have two to five times more childhood diseases, illnesses, and allergies than unvaccinated children.

The multinational drug companies have a multi-billion dollar investment in the vaccine industry. 2/3 medical research is funded by the companies whose financial interest is in the industry. This also applies to most pharmaceuticals. The reality is, toxins are called toxins for a reason. Vaccines are a piece of the puzzle to the epidemic rise of chronic and autoimmune diseases. We have to take in consideration environmental toxins, food supply, GMOs, vaccines increasing since the 1980's, artificial sweetener use increase, genetic polymorphisms, stress levels, immune function, etc. We are not genetically adapted to be able to tolerate all of these toxins and stressors in a short period of time. It was independent thought not too long ago to say that blood letting and even more recently involuntary lobotomies and electroshock therapy was not sound practice even when the medical establishment said it was. Homosexuality was called a mental disorder by the medical establishment not too long ago as well. I believe in time the toxins we put in our body and in our environment will look just as ridiculous to the masses as lobotomies, blood letting, EST etc. I believe in informed consent and personal liberty. I just don't believe either are going on all that much.

Helping People Reverse Disease, Regain Energy, Lose Stubborn Weight And Restore Health, In Pittsburgh & Across The World Through Our Virtual Functional Medicine Practice. Dr. Will Cole: Your Source For The Future Of Natural Health.

400 Companies That Are GMO Free

There is a lot of talk about GMO's or Genetically Modified Organisms. There is an increasing amount of GMOs in our food supply and with no regulation on food labeling, it is important, if we want to know what we are eating, to support food companies that offer NON GMO products.

The list below is a list from the NON GMO Project of brands that specifically offer NON GMO products! These companies believe that their customers have the right to make an informed choice:

10 Reasons To Go Organic

 

 

Coaching people in Pittsburgh and virtually around the world in regaining health and reversing disease, two of the most common questions I get are "what exactly does organic mean" and  "Do I have to eat organic?" Lets go over these two questions:

What Does "Organic" Mean?

Organic agriculture is a production method that emphasizes the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality. Organic food products are produced using:

• Agricultural management practices that promote healthy eco-systems and prohibit the use of genetically engineered seeds or crops, sewage sludge, long-lasting pesticides, herbicides or fungicides.
• Livestock management practices that promote healthy, humanely treated animals by providing organically-grown feed, fresh air and outdoor access while using no antibiotics or added growth hormones.
• Food processing practices that protect the integrity of the organic product and disallow irradiation, genetically modified ingredients (GMOs) or synthetic preservatives.

Top 10 Reasons To Go Organic!

(Courtesy of our friends at The Organic Trade Association)

1. Organic products meet stringent standards

   Organic certification is the public's assurance that products have been grown and handled according to strict procedures without persistent toxic chemical inputs.
2. Organic food tastes great!

   It's common sense — well-balanced soils produce strong, healthy plants that become nourishing food for people and animals.
3. Organic production reduces health risks

   Many EPA-approved pesticides were registered long before extensive research linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases. Organic agriculture is one way to prevent any more of these chemicals from getting into the air, earth and water that sustain us.
4. Organic farms respect our water resources

   The elimination of polluting chemicals and nitrogen leaching, done in combination with soil building, protects and conserves water resources.
5. Organic farmers build healthy soil

   Soil is the foundation of the food chain. The primary focus of organic farming is to use practices that build healthy soils
6. Organic farmers work in harmony with nature

   Organic agricultural respects the balance demanded of a healthy ecosystem: wildlife is encouraged by including forage crops in rotation and by retaining fencerows, wetlands, and other natural areas.
7. Organic producers are leaders in innovative research

   Organic farmers have led the way, largely at their own expense, with innovative on-farm research aimed at reducing pesticide use and minimizing agriculture's impact on the environment.
8. Organic producers strive to preserve diversity

   The loss of a large variety of species (biodiversity) is one of the most pressing environmental concerns. The good news is that many organic farmers and gardeners have been collecting and preserving seeds, and growing unusual varieties for decades.
9. Organic farming helps keep rural communities healthy

   Organic agriculture can be a lifeline for small farms because it offers an alternative market where sellers can command fair prices for crops.
10. Organic abundance — foods and non-foods alike
    
Now every food category has an organic alternative. And non-food agricultural products are being grown organically — even cotton, which most experts felt could not be grown this way.

Helping People Reverse Disease, Regain Energy, Lose Stubborn Weight And Restore Health, In Pittsburgh & Across The World Through Our Virtual Functional Medicine Practice. Dr. Will Cole: Your Source For The Future Of Natural Health.

10 Disgusting Facts About Fast Food

After reading this I don’t think you will want to eat at a fast “food” restaurant again, these incredible though true facts are enough to make me avoid these places for good. Here we give you 10 disgusting facts about fast food.

1. McDonald’s Milk Shake uses a ridiculous concoction of 50 chemicals, such as ethyl acetate, phenethyl alcohol and solvent, to “imitate” the flavor of a real strawberry.

2. Chicken? More like a disgusting sludge of pink paste, through a chemical process, causing excessive bacteria, so it is washed in ammonia and then re-flavored with more chemicals and dyed. Next time, think twice before ordering some “nuggets.”

3. The average fast food patron eats 12 pubic hairs in a given year.

4. Apparently it is approved by the FDA an average of 30 insect fragments, including rodent hair per 100 grams of peanut butter.

5. Shellac is used to improve the shine of wood and furniture but you can also find it in your delicious jelly beans, it is used to improve the shine of food.

6. The FDA approved the use of bacteriophages on processed food such as lunch meat and hot dogs.

7. Each can of coke contains 10 teaspoons of sugar, more than what your body needs daily, it is thanks to another additive called phosphoric acid, that cuts the levels of sugar, that you don’t vomit automatically after drinking a can.

8. Fast Food’s “healthiest” choice is a salad packed of antifreeze’s chemical compound, Propylene Glycerol, which causes eye and skin irritation.

9. Many fast food chicken items contain beef additives, listed as extract or essence, used to enhance flavor and change health stats.

10. Any cheese product labeled as processed is packed with additives, chemicals and flavorings, it is actually 49% of the product itself, half of the product has nothing to do with cheese.

Source: positivemed

Helping People Reverse Disease, Regain Energy, Lose Stubborn Weight And Restore Health, In Pittsburgh & Across The World Through Our Virtual Functional Medicine Practice. Dr. Will Cole: Your Source For The Future Of Natural Health.

6 Ancient Superfoods For Modern Health

Our modern lifestyle has given us spectacular technological advancements and conveniences that would have bewildered those living even just 100 years ago. But modernity has made us forget Hippocrates' timeless advice: "Let food be thy medicine, and medicine thy food." 

As someone who helps people lead healthy lives, I see the foods eaten daily by the standard American, foods that would be unrecognizable to our ancestors. Our ancestors understood nutrient-dense food and incidentally didn't suffer from the chronic diseases — the diseases of wealth — that society suffers from today. Here are six foods that today have been marginalized to some extent, but were an integral part of abundant ancestral health:...See The 6 Ancient SuperFoods For Modern Health Over At MindBody Green.com

Helping Patients Reverse Disease, Regain Energy, Lose Stubborn Weight And Restore Health In Pittsburgh & Across The Country Through Our Virtual Functional Medicine Practice. Dr. Will Cole: Your Source For The Future Of Natural Health.

If Cholesterol Doesn't Cause Heart Disease, How Do You Prevent It?

In my last post, I discussed the myth that cholesterol leads directly to a higher risk of heart disease. The conclusion, though, begs an inevitable question: If cholesterol doesn't cause heart disease, what does? And how do you guard against it?

Here are three dietary changes you can make to help you prevent chronic disease like heart disease:

Read Entire Article at MindBodygreen!

Does Cholesterol Really Cause Heart Disease?

by Dr. Will Cole
When I say the word "cholesterol" what do you think? Most people think in terms of heart disease. We're taught to believe that cholesterol is the cause of heart disease, and as a nation we've spent trillions of dollars on spreading the belief that cholesterol is very bad. We have The War on Terror, The War on Drugs and The War on Cholesterol, and whenever we have a war on something it normally has a lot of propaganda fueling it, with unintended (or intended) consequences...Read the rest of the article over at MindBodyGreen.Com HERE! Be sure to share it with your friends!

I Love Helping People Get Healthy!

   I know the blog is not updated as much as it should be, my apologies! The reason is I am extremely busy helping people get healthy and regain their life back. In the Pittsburgh area, and across the country via phone and Skype consultations, I am honored to be able to make a positive impact in peoples lives.

   Blogging in between patients right now, and I just got finished talking with a patient a few minutes ago. A few weeks ago he felt like he didn't want to live anymore. A long list of medications, overweight, depressed and sick. 2 weeks on his program (because there is no ONE program, they are designed for you) he was able to cut his medications in half, he lost 13 pounds, he feels great, has the energy he hasn't had in years, is sleeping better, thinking more clearly, and is not feeling depressed anymore!

   Its not magic, it is just clinically investigating the underlying reasons why people are feeling the way they are feeling. Natural Science put into action! Learn more at www.drwillcole.com

FutureHealth February Newsletter

Hello everyone! Check out the latest FutureHealth Monthly! Where we send you once a month a special Healthy Recipe, Giveaway and Functional Medicine Article! Learn how we are transforming peoples health in Pittsburgh and across the nation via our virtual health practice! Read the FutureHealth Monthly Here!

Anti-Aging 101: 3 Things You Need To Do To Stay Young And Healthy

Everywhere you look there is another "look young and sexy quick" product on the market. From magazines, television to shopping malls, there is another "Fountain of Youth In A Bottle" for you to buy. With the  supposed anti-aging pills, powders, potions and lotions it can be overwhelming to find out what is worth spending your money on and what is better left on the shelf.

Reverse Fibromyalgia: Break The Cycle!

I help people all around the country break the Fibromyalgia Cycle. By clinically investigating why someone is going through Fibromyalgia symptoms and tailoring a health program that is unique to them we can reverse Fibromyalgia once and for all! Check Video Out Below:

Leaky Gut And Brain: Why You Can't Lose Weight Or Get Healthy

I have seen thousands of patients around the country struggle with chronic conditions such as diabetes, leptin/weight loss resistance, metabolic syndrome, depression and autoimmune conditions. Patients who were given very little hope and told to take a drug or just "live with it". When they came to me many of them feel like they are a hopeless cause with no chance of getting well. But through Functional Medicine we are able to look beneath the surface and find out why people are suffering from chronic illness. By ordering the right tests and tailoring a health program for them we are able to reverse these disease processes. On a daily basis I see patients in my virtual practice and patients in the clinic showing up with positive diagnostic signs of a dysfunctional gut/brain axis. Watch the video to learn more:

Weight Loss Resistance, Fatigue Natural Solutions

Here is a quick message that clinic manager and health coach Andrea and I made for you. Take advantage of the Free 5 minute Evaluation  on www.drwillcole.com to see if Functional Medicine might be right for you in your struggle with resistant weight loss, fatigue and other chronic issues that we help people with all over the country. ( and watch me chug my tea like a champ)

Toxins and Weight Loss Resistance, Chronic Disease

How do toxins cause things like weight loss resistance, fatigue, diabetes, thyroid issues, hormonal imbalances, fibromyalgia and more? Watch Video Below:

Natural Solutions To Combat Cellulite

In the video below, I give some easy, natural ways to help with cellulite!