⁃ Gut health has a huge impact on your metabolic function and emotional state.

⁃ Must look at candida or SIBO ( small intestine bacterial overgrowth).

⁃ Bad diet and stress biggest factors driving gut flora diversity and balance.

⁃ Sugar, artificial sweeteners drives and feeds the pathogenic bacteria.
Artificial Sweeteners:
⁃ Increases risk of diabetes by elevating glucose intolerance.

⁃ Drives neurotoxicity and neuroexcitatory activity

⁃ Feeds bad bacteria.

⁃ Calorie disregulation – calories might be low but impact is greater !

⁃ Exposure drives preference ( the more you eat the more you crave!).

⁃ Be careful with fruit – many are high in sugar ( fructose) – Still feeds pathogenic bacteria.

⁃ Sugar is not satiating ( doesn’t trigger satiety ) and actually triggers more fat storage. It impacts satiety hormones (ghrelin and leptin).

⁃ Fruit :  worst offenders are fruit juiceand dried fruit.

⁃ Aim for 1-2 pieces / day ( apples, berries preferred ).

Healthy Microbiome Foods
These foods are also good for brain health and promote  anti-aging properties.
⁃ Fiber (detoxifying, satisfying)

⁃ Legumes

⁃ Fermented foods

⁃ Kefir

⁃ Ginger
Craving and Exposure

⁃ Exposure = preference

⁃ Kefir, Kimchi or sauerkraut juice ( sour overrides sweet cravings)

⁃ These take away sweet tooth !
Fermented Foods

⁃ Sauerkraut and kimchi

⁃ Turn off hunger

⁃ Increase satiety
How We View Sugar
⁃ Glycemic index is erroneous because fructose doesn’t drive up blood sugar, making fructose low on the glycemic index!

⁃ We need to look at the impact of sugar. Sugar hides in many products.

⁃ All carbs breakdown to sugar!!

⁃ Sugar directly affects blood glucose and insulin and drives glucose intolerance and insulin resistance over time.

⁃ Often lowfat products are high in sugar.
Fructose 

⁃ not a health food.

⁃ only metabolized by liver and doesn’t raise blood sugar!

⁃ It doesn’t trigger satiety signals.

⁃ It creates a fatty liver and elevated triglycerides.

⁃ It creates gut permeability.

⁃ Big trigger for inflammation and many forms of cancer.

⁃ Triggers glycation: sugar in bloodstream binds to a protein creating a harmful substance called AEG’s  ( which can promote aging ).
Fiber 

⁃ Feeds good bacteria.

⁃ Decrease transit time, slows stomach emptying.

⁃ Feel full longer.

⁃ Absorb toxins for secretion.
Fiber Supplementation

⁃ Start with real food.

⁃ Aim for 50 grams / day.

⁃ Increase water intake between meals.

⁃ Can make a fiber / protein shake
Shake: 

⁃ Soluble and insoluble fiber

⁃ Spinach and avocado

⁃ Chia or flax seeds

⁃ Berries

⁃ Coconut or almond milk
Increasing Fiber 

⁃ Digestive symptoms go away

⁃ Aim for 50 g/ day.

⁃ Avocado

⁃ Nuts and seeds

⁃ Hummus

⁃ Almond ricotta cheese (Kite Hill)
Satiety Trifecta ( eat together )

⁃ Fat

⁃ Protein

⁃ Fiber
Good Sources of Sugar
⁃ Stevia

⁃ Vanilla ( elevates serotonin)

⁃ Cinnamon (balances blood sugar)

⁃ Berries
Overall Recommendations 

⁃ Eat more vegetables and fiber and less fruit and sugar.

⁃ Sleep 8-9 hrs.

⁃ Drink pure spring water.

⁃ Optimise Vitamin D.

⁃ Lower your sugar impact

⁃ Eliminate food intolerance.

⁃ Add more fiber at each meal.

⁃ Help the gut microbiome !