Part 2: Your Toolboxes
Brain/Nervous System Toolbox:
Is your brain on fire? Is your nervous system aflame? Signs of brain inflammation include brain fog, problems with concentration and focus, mood problems like anxiety and/or depression, and memory issues. Long-term brain inflammation may be a risk factor for cognitive impairment and eventually dementia, as well as for autoimmune disease or other neurological conditions like Parkinson’s, especially in genetically susceptible people. A leaky blood-brain barrier could be to blame. This is a condition often linked to leaky gut syndrome, and it means that the tight junctions that seal off the digestive system and the brain have become compromised. This can let bacterial endotoxins, called lipopolysaccharides (LPS), into places they shouldn’t be, triggering an inflammatory response. Your toolbox contains the foods and other therapies that target brain inflammation. You will probably notice an improvement in your mood and ability to concentrate within just a few days of beginning this plan. Here are your tools. Eat them, use them, try them, as often as you can. Wild-caught fish, because of its high concentration of brain-boosting docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid.2 MCT oil: its bioavailable fats, extracted from coconut and palm oil, have been shown to improve cognitive function. Lion’s mane mushroom, which contains nerve growth factors (NGFs) to help regenerate and protect brain tissue. Mucuna pruriens, an Ayurvedic herb that supports the central and peripheral nervous systems, helping the body to adapt to stress. It is rich in L-dopa, the precursor to the neurotransmitter dopamine. It is sometimes called kapikacchu. Krill oil is even better than fish oil, containing 50 times more of the powerful antioxidant astaxanthin than most fish oil brands. Krill oil also contains the beneficial phospholipids called phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine, which the body uses to support brain and nerve function. Magnesium supports the brain receptors for learning and memory function, increasing neuroplasticity and mental clarity. Deficiencies have been linked to brain problems such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, migraines, and brain fog. Magnesium glycinate and magnesium threonate are two of the most absorbable forms that are conducive to calming anxiety and improving cognitive function (respectively). Aerobic exercise enhances the production of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), boosting memory and overall cognitive function. Try to get at least 30 minutes six days per week. Valerian root, which contains valerenic acid, a substance that modulates the neurotransmitter GABA. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein that helps the growth and function of neurons. Healthy GABA levels are necessary for increasing BDNF, which is important because low BDNF levels are associated with impaired memory and Alzheimer’s.
Digestion Toolbox:
Almost everyone experiencing chronic health issues has some degree of gut inflammation resulting in digestive dysfunction, even if it’s mild. The most common issues are constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), bloating, and acid reflux. Chronic digestive issues can also cause other serious problems, such as esophageal damage from long-term acid reflux, or a stomach or intestinal ulcer, as well as loosening the junctions in the gut lining, causing leaky gut syndrome, which can trigger autoimmune problems. Calming inflammation in your digestive tract so it can heal and work better can have a ripple effect throughout your entire system. Make this happen now with your toolbox. Here are your tools to try—use them often. Cooked vegetables instead of raw. They are much easier to digest. Pureeing them in a blender for soup or to add to other foods makes them even more digestible. Bone broth and galangal broth. Cook bone broth no more than eight hours or pressure-cook it to reduce the effect of inflammatory histamines that develop with extended cooking times. Galangal broth, made from galangal, a root related to ginger, is a plant-based option. Both are anti-inflammatory, healing for the gut, and can be sipped by themselves or used as a base for soups. Try them both, if you can. They are easy to make. Fermented vegetables and drinks. Vegetables like sauerkraut and kimchi and drinks such as water or coconut kefir, beet kvass, and kombucha contain beneficial bacteria to restore and support good gut bacteria. Avoid sweetened versions of fermented drinks. Probiotic supplements. These help improve the balance of bacteria in your gut. Rotate different ones for greater bacterial diversity. L-glutamine supplements. This amino acid supports healing of the gut lining. Digestive enzymes such as betaine HCL with pepsin and ox bile. These enzymes can support your body’s digestion of protein and fat as your gut heals. Deglycyrrhizinated licorice supplement. Licorice root is soothing and healing for an inflamed gut lining. Slippery elm powder. This is an excellent remedy for irritable bowel syndrome issues like cramping, bloating, and gas. It’s also healing for the gut lining.
Detoxification Toolbox:
Your liver, lymphatic system, kidneys, and gallbladder are largely responsible for detoxification as well as processing and removing toxins like alcohol and drugs, pesticides and pollutants, and the waste products of your own metabolism. If these systems get impaired by inflammation, waste can back up in your body, causing more inflammation. If you are having inflammatory issues with your detoxification system, you could be prone to lymphatic backup, fatty liver disease, gallbladder problems, or a feeling of being “toxic.” You might also be letting toxins hang around in your body too long, where they can cause damage to organs and systems. This category also encompasses those who may be struggling with Lyme disease, mold exposure, or heavy alcohol or drug use, or who have to take prescription drugs every day. Cool the inflammation in your detox system ASAP with the liver/lymphatic/gallbladder toolbox and free up your body’s natural systems for taking out the trash. Here is your toolbox. Dandelion tea. A natural liver tonic, this tea contains B vitamins to support methylation and detoxification. Spirulina supplements or powder. This alga has potent detoxification properties. Red clover blossom tea, powder, or supplements. This is another liver supporter that helps promote efficient detoxification. Milk thistle tea or supplements. Yet another liver supporter that can help decrease heavy metal damage. Parsley and cilantro, which help eliminate heavy metals such as lead and mercury. Add these herbs, fresh or dried, to your meals. Sulfur-containing vegetables. Vegetables with a high sulfur content include garlic, onions, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and broccoli sprouts. These help your liver break down toxins and heavy metals, making it easier for your body to get rid of them. Broccoli sprouts are even more powerful than broccoli. Their sulforaphane content aids in supporting healthy detoxification pathways. Try to have some of these vegetables every day. Leafy greens. Dark leafy greens like kale, spinach, and chard contain folate, which is essential for opening detox pathways. Bitter greens, such as collard greens, mustard greens, and arugula, also support liver function. Dry brushing. Special dry brushes are made for brushing your skin before showering. Brush up legs and arms toward the body, and brush the torso toward the armpits and groin, or toward the center of the body, where you have the highest concentration of lymph nodes. Dry brushing daily gets your lymphatic system working and moves excess fluid and lymph out of the body, along with the waste they carry. This can eliminate that puffy look, which comes from sluggish lymph. Do it right before you take a shower or bath.
Blood Sugar/Insulin Toolbox:
If your blood sugar goes too high too often, you are at risk for insulin resistance in all its various forms: metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, obesity, and eventually full-blown type 2 diabetes, including its many complications (nerve pain, cardiovascular disease, kidney damage, and vision damage, to name a few). Diabetes is no joke, taking an average of ten years off a life. Some experts believe half of all U.S. citizens have some degree of insulin resistance. Contributors to this imbalance may be inflammation in the liver and exhausted cellular insulin receptors in the liver that are no longer sensitive to insulin’s sugar-balancing effects. Diet is essential in managing blood sugar and insulin balance, to reduce liver inflammation and modify extreme changes in blood sugar and insulin that can result in diabetes. This is your toolbox. Cinnamon. Try cinnamon tea, or add cinnamon to your warm drinks, fruit, or other food. This tree bark contains proanthocyanidins, which alter insulin-signaling activity in fat cells in a positive way. Cinnamon has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels and triglycerides in people with type 2 diabetes. Reishi mushrooms. Most available as a tea, powder, or dried, these medicinal mushrooms help lower blood sugar levels by downregulating alpha-glucosidase, the enzyme responsible for breaking down starches into sugars. Berberine supplements. Berberine is a plant-based alkaloid and a remedy in Chinese medicine that delays the breakdown of carbohydrates into sugars, keeps blood sugar levels balanced, and has been shown to be just as effective as metformin in regulating blood sugar in people with diabetes. Matcha. This form of green tea contains a compound called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which helps stabilize blood sugar. Drinking the whole green tea leaf in the form of matcha powder is a great way to increase your intake of EGCG. D-chiro-inositol supplements. This nutrient plays an important role in insulin signaling and decreases insulin resistance. Apple cider vinegar. This common kitchen ingredient greatly improves insulin sensitivity and improves the way your body responds to sugar in addition to encouraging lower fasting blood sugar levels. High-fiber vegetables. Fiber from wholefood plant sources is particularly effective at both improving insulin sensitivity and lowering glucose metabolism. Chromium supplements. Chromium is a mineral that plays a role in insulin-signaling pathways. It improves insulin sensitivity and blood glucose in addition to lowering triglyceride and cholesterol levels.
