Seven Deadly Diseases Rooted In Your Gut Microbiome
Did you know the bacteria in our gut comprise an internal organ all of their own? We are colonized by ten times more bacteria in our gut than there are cells in our body! They play a profoundly important role in human health and disease. From helping us absorb nutrients, to synthesizing vitamins and breaking down cellulose, we couldn't survive without this microbial zoo inside us.
Shortly after birth, we are colonized with over 1000 species of gut bacteria. Influences such as vaginal delivery vs. Cesarean section, breast-feeding vs. bottle feeding, antibiotic use, industrialized processed food, stress, levels, chronic illness and poor dietary choices all have a profound impact on which bugs predominate.
Recent data also shows that toxic chemicals, like glyphosate, may selectively destroy healthy microbes, leading to further imbalance and disease. Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes are the main bacteria in our gut which aid metabolization of undigested food remnants. Healthy bacteria in the gut promote the integrity of our gut lining, preventing “leaky gut” and thus prevent antigens and microbes from crossing over into the bloodstream. They also contribute to our host defense by regulating innate immune system.
Intestinal dysbiosis (an imbalance in the gut microbes) leads to many deadly disease states, including inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, diabetes, liver disease, heart disease, autoimmunity, mood disorders, and even cancer.
Did you know these seven deadly diseases may be rooted in abnormalities of your Gut Microbiome!?
1. Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease is thought to be caused in part by aggressive T-cell mediated cytokine response to the commensal bacteria, which leads to chronic inflammation and damage of the intestinal lining. Another immune abnormality related to the development of Crohn's disease is that certain fighting cells, called macrophages, may have trouble recognizing which bacteria is friend or foe. They initiate an attack on what they perceive to be an enemy, when in fact it's just a harmless residential bacteria lining the gut. In a genetically susceptible people, inflammatory bowel disease may be related to this out of control response to commercial organisms. In addition, Seksik et al. found that the fecal microflora in patients with Crohn's disease contained significantly more enterobacteria than in healthy subjects.
In Ulcerative colitis (UC) the disease is limited to the distal colon. Studies have shown lower numbers of lactobacilli during the active phase of ulcerative colitis. Species, such as Lactobacillus salivarus, Lactobacillus manihotivorans and Pediococcus acidilactici were present in remission, but not in patients who had active inflammation of ulcerative colitis.
2. Obesity
Normal gut bacteria play an important role in development of obesity. Patients on a high-fat diet have higher levels of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria and lower levels of Bacteroidetes, indicating that obesity may be associated with decreased diversity of species. The ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroides is higher in obese people and has been found to be correlated to body weight. Clostridium difficile infections may be another possible cause of obesity. Overweight individuals have more short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) than lean individuals, especially a particular SCFA, called propionate.
Certain bacteria (Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Bifidobacterium pseudolongum) were able to produce Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) in the gut. CLA may have an anti-obesity effect in humans. Another study showed that after eight weeks of feeding, L. rhamnosus PL60 reduced the body weight of obese mice without reducing energy intake. Prebiotics and probiotics can also be used to fight obesity. Besides probiotics, certain gut bacteria could also protect humans from obesity. The Bacteroidetes phylum, particularly Bacteroides spp., has been suggested to protect against increase weight gain.
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) may also hold promise in treating obesity. Animals who received FMT from the obese twin donors developed increased body mass and obesity compared to those receiving transplants from the lean twin donors.
3. Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a destructive autoimmune disease attacking the pancreas islet cells causing the inability to produce insulin. Healthy balance of gut bacteria may reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines to protect patients against the development of Type 1 Diabetes. These changes helped to restore intestinal mucosal barrier function. Impaired intestinal mucosal barrier, also known as “leaky gut” and altered mucosal immunity are involved in development of this disease, and many other autoimmune diseases. Abnormal gut microbes may contribute to the development of type 1 diabetes, since cross-talk between gut bacteria and the innate immune system is one of the triggers for destruction of the islet cells of the pancreas.
Higher levels of Bifidobacterium species decreased the effects of endotoxemia. Endotoxemia is a very pro-inflammatory process that occurs when bacterial coatings, called LPS, cross over into the immune system through a permeable intestinal lining. There is perhaps no more pro-inflammatory trigger to disease than LPS, which has been linked to autoimmunity, depression, diabetes, heart disease and more. Endotoxemia is clearly associated with diabetes and obesity. Bifidobacterium was associated with improved glucose tolerance, improved insulin secretion and decreased inflammation.
4. Liver Disease
The gut and liver work closely together. The liver receives approximately 70% of its blood supply from the intestinal venous outflow. The liver is the first line of defense against gut-derived antigens and it is equipped with a broad array of immune cells; macrophages, lymphocytes, natural killer cells to accomplish this function. Gut bacteria play a key role in the maintenance of a healthy liver. Ethanol, ammonia, and acetaldehyde produced by the intestinal microflora are metabolized by the liver and heavy loads of these chemicals may cause inflammation and toxic overload in this filter organ.
Small intestinal bacteria overgrowth (SIBO) may play a role in the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Small intestinal motility is decreased in the presence of small intestinal bacteria overgrowth (SIBO) in rats with liver disease. Interestingly, antibiotic treatment of SIBO may improve non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. In addition, gut-derived microbial toxins and other bacterial products may be cofactors in the development of alcoholic liver disease.
5. Chronic Heart Disease
Gut bacteria composition has a direct link with the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The gut bugs form trimethylamine (TMA) from dietary choline. TMA may increase risk of atherosclerosis. In chronic heart failure (CHF) patients invasive Escherichia coli were identified. Increase in intestinal permeability in chronic heart disease may trigger inflammation, contributing to further impairment in heart function.
Colonization with Lactobacillus brevis decreased intestinal permeability, whereas Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Streptococcus viridians showed the opposite effect. Increased intestinal permeability, or leaky gut, leads to bacteria translocation (endotoxemia) which is an important stimulus for inflammatory cytokines to be activated in chronic heart failure.
6. Cancer
It is well known that the presence of microbial pathogens or the disruption of the healthy microbiome may contribute to the development of gastrointestinal cancers, like stomach and colon cancers. It was reported that gut bacteria can trigger macrophages to produce products that damage DNA, inducing chromosomal instability in cells. Oxidative stress brought on by abnormal microbes may also contribute to inflammation in these cancers.
The composition of the gut bacteria is quite different between healthy individuals and colon cancer patients. Certain butyrate-producing bacteria (Ruminococcus spp. and Pseudobutyrivibrio ruminis) were low in the stool of colorectal cancer patients compared to healthy individuals. Butyrate is important for normal colon cell health. Two Prevotella species were completely absent from the colon cancer samples analyzed. Prevotella may help maximize energy from a plant-based diet. The higher levels of Prevotella in the healthy individuals may reflect differences in intake of fiber and plant-foods compared to the individuals with colon cancer. On the other hand, species like Acidaminobacter, Phascolarctobacterium, Citrobacter farmer, and Akkermansia muciniphila were significantly higher in colon cancer patients.
7. Autoimmune Diseases
There is a clear link to autoimmune diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis and the gut microbiome. In one study, joint inflammation did not develop in animal models who were germ-free. Rheumatic arthritis patients had significantly lower levels of Bifidobacteria and Bacteroides fragilis. In addition, increased LPS uptake through the gut lining is a risk factor for development of arthritis.
It's time to take charge of your gut!
So now you know how important it is to keep your microbiome happy in order to prevent serious disease… It literally could mean the difference between life and death. A healthy microbiome starts with a whole food organic diet rich in plant foods, healthy fats, like coconut, avocado and olive oils, prebiotic fiber sources, nuts and seeds, probiotic-rich living foods, and a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants.
Please join me for the upcoming Microbiome Summit starting on February 29th to learn more… Over 30 Experts discussing how to cultivate a healthy micro biome!
Microbiome Summit
Register for FREE here. Or if you'd rather have lifetime access to all 30+ interviews and listen as often as you like, click here to order.
References:
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Impacts of Gut Bacteria on Human Health and Diseases
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Gut Microbiota and Inflammation
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Clinical Consequences of Diet-Induced Dysbiosis
Dr Jill discusses the Microbiome and Autoimmune disease
![204: Resiliency Radio with Dr. Jill: Can our Minds Spontaneously Transform our Health? Bruce Lipton Dr. Jill 00:00 Hey guys, I am so excited to announce that the movie that you've been waiting for, the documentary Doctor/Patient, is now available for rent or purchase at DoctorPatientMovie.com. Check out the trailer here. 00:13 Dr. Jill: When I really knew something was wrong, was when I started having trouble walking up the stairs. I was supposed to be grateful and happy and healing and well and thriving, but I did not feel that way. I was so sick. Like always, I wanted to find an answer, and I had to figure it out. And I had to figure it out to save my own life. So I dove in. 00:38 James Maskell: Jill is the leading voice in biotoxin illness and chronic conditions that are driven by toxicity. 00:43 Bree Argetsinger: Oh my gosh, you're dealing with mold? You have to work with Dr. Jill Carnahan. 00:47 Patient 1: Dr. Jill is the first person that actually began to shed some light on the problem. 00:53 Dr. Jill: What I do is listen to the patient, and we together talk about what else is possible. 00:59 Patient 2: I don't know why I'm crying. 01:02 Patient 3: She saved my life. 01:06 Dr. Jill: The deepest lessons and most profound insights come in the suffering, come in the dark moments. Self-compassion is the healing transition that shifts something inside of us. It's actually the thing that we need most in order to heal. 01:26 Narrator: Doctor/Patient—available now at DoctorPatientMovie.com. Dr. Jill 01:36 Hey, welcome to Resiliency Radio, your go-to podcast for cutting-edge insights in functional and integrative medicine. I'm your host, Dr. Jill. In each episode, we dive into the heart of healing and personal transformation. Join us as we connect with renowned experts, thought leaders, and innovators who are at the forefront of medical research, empowering you with knowledge and wisdom to overcome illness in your journey to optimal health. Dr. Jill 02:02 Hey guys, if you don't already know, if you've been around me at all, you know my movie, Doctor/Patient is now out. You can view it, share it, gift it, or rent it at DoctorPatientMovie.com. Be sure to check it out and then I would love to hear your feedback after you've had a chance to watch it. Dr. Jill 02:19 Today, I am deeply honored to have guest Bruce Lipton here with me. He's a PhD, a cell biologist, a lecturer, and an internationally recognized leader in bridging science and spirit. We were just talking before we came on about how he has been a leader [for] decades before a lot of us in functional/integrative medicine came along. And I am so excited! If you're a doctor listening—and I know I have a lot of audience there—you are in for a treat. If you're a patient, you're also in for a treat. Stay tuned. Dr. Jill 02:47 Bruce was on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and later performed groundbreaking stem cell research at Stanford University. He's a best-selling author of The Biology of Belief—if you haven't read that book, it's a classic now—The Honeymoon Effect, and the co-author with Steve Bhaerman of Spontaneous Evolution. Bruce received his prestigious 2009 Goi Peace Award from Japan in honor of his scientific contribution to world harmony. Bruce, it is a true honor and delight to have you here! Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 03:17 Jill, I am a happy person to be here because this audience that I get a chance to talk to, to me, is a very important audience. These are the cultural creatives that are paving the way for the future that we need to get into very soon because we're facing an evolutionary upheaval at this very moment. Whether you watch the news, surf the web, or even look out your window, the whole planet has experienced chaos at every level of it. People are focusing on the little chaos, like focusing on the trees, without pulling back to see the biggest thing that's happening and nobody's saying the words. NASA—Let me just say NASA's words. NASA has recognized that within the next 20 years, civilization is facing—and this is my emphasis here—an irreversible collapse. The reason is so mathematically simple. Let me give the math. Dr. Jill 04:16 Sure. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 04:17 Science has recognized that to continue living just the way we're living—just say, let's every day live the way we're living today on this planet—it takes 1.6 planet Earths to provide the resources for today's civilization. The simple math is this: There's one Earth subtracted from 1.6, and we're recognizing: "Where the hell are we getting the extra points?" Dr. Jill 04:39 We're in a deficit. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 04:40 And that deficit is leading to the destruction of the web of life. We have to also recognize this: Even though the Bible is giving us some fanciful story that nature was created and then humans were added on top of nature—no, we evolved from nature. We are nature. If nature goes down, humans go down, because we are part of this web of life. Our separation in our consciousness [that causes us to believe] that we can dominate nature, I say, "How's that working?" I say, "We're facing an extinction." That's a biological reality at this moment. It's called a mass extinction. It happened five times in the history of this planet: Life was thriving, [then] mass extinction. It knocked it all out and then it started again. We are there because of our behavior. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 05:33 And I say, "Our behavior is based on our consciousness." I go: "Okay, wait a second. Is that New Age?" I go: "No, let's stop. No New Age here at this moment." [In] 1927—day one, quantum physics—Max Planck, the founding father of quantum physics, states: "The mind is the creator of our life experiences." Quantum physics—the most valid of all the sciences today in the sense of its predictions and accuracy. Quantum physics. And it's still the belief in quantum physics: Consciousness is controlling this. And I go: "So if consciousness is controlling this, then why are we in such a mess?" The answer is: We have been programmed, and the programming has disempowered us all. It has disempowered us as patients. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 06:28 I go: "I'll give you a program that disempowers you right now." I say, "What is it?" "It's called genetic determinism." That was what I was teaching in medical school: Genes control the character of life. I go: "Did we pick the genes as far as we know? No. But if we don't like the characters we have, can we change the genes? No, can't do that." And then let's just add a little tidbit: Genes turn on and off by themselves. And I say: "You put those together and what have you done? You have told the patients that their lives are not in their control, they're controlled by their heredity, and that they're victims of heredity. Which is victims of what? Genetics. And what does a person know about genetics? Nothing. Who does know something? The doctor. Aha! The program is: When it comes to health, people do not trust themselves." They say: "I need an expert opinion. I'm not knowledgeable." They accept the truth from somebody else. Dr. Jill 07:28 I so love the direction that you're going here because, as a physician, one of the most important things I can do is empower the patient and make sure that they don't think that I am the end-all-be-all. [I want them to know] that we are collaborating and that I listen to them, and I say: "How do you feel about this treatment plan? Where do you want to go?" Granted, if I have wisdom, I can give them that information, but they still get to make that decision. But so many patients are outsourcing that wisdom to someone. Or, at least paternalistically and historically, that has been the way. And what we need to do is take control of our own health. Dr. Jill 08:00 How many patients have gone through a loved one with breast cancer—I'm a breast cancer survivor, so I can speak on this—and they're told, "You have the BRCA gene and you need to have a bilateral mastectomy"? I'm going to be strong about this because I disagree. That's an action out of fear. To each his own, so if you've been out there and have done something based on your genetics, there's no judgment here. But what we're saying is that you actually have control over the expression of those genes. So why don't you go into epigenetics for those who don't know what that means and tell us a little primer on epigenetics and why we have more control than we think? Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 08:34 Okay. The most important thing—and this is all scientific, so this is not any new age BS here, folks, this is science—I say: "What is it?" The belief that genes turn on and off is a completely false statement because a gene is a blueprint to make a protein. The proteins are the building blocks. Proteins wear out; you have to replace them. So you have to have a blueprint. It's called a gene. I go, "It's a blueprint!" I go, "Why is that relevant?" I say: "Go to an architect's office. She's working on a blueprint. You ask her, 'Hey, is your blueprint on or off?' She would look at you like, 'What are you talking about? There's no on and off to a blueprint.'" I go: "Aha! Aha! A gene is a blueprint. What you want to find out is: Who's the architect who reads the blueprint? The blueprint does not read itself. There's an architect." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 09:24 I saw this in my research in 1967. None of you were probably old enough to know what I'm talking about—1967! But I was cloning stem cells. Let's give the real name of a stem cell: An embryonic cell. It's an embryo's cell. It replaces things that are broken and gets a new one. I go: "So what? I clone the stem cell." I say, "What's that?" I say: "You put one stem cell in the culture dish. And then what? It divides every 10 or 12 hours." So first there's one, then there's 2, then there's 4, 8, and 16. A week later, [there are] 30,000 cells in the petri dish. What's the most important fact? They all came from one parent. I have 30,000 genetically identical cells. I split them into three petri dishes—one, two, three. Each dish has 10,000, 10,000, 10,000, all genetically the same. We grow cells in a culture medium. Ah, this is going to be the tricky part, for when you get this, the world changes. I'm going to come back to it. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 10:27 I say: "A culture medium is what the cells grow in in the lab. And I make it up by putting the chemistry or culture medium. Since I'm creating it, I can change some of the constituents. So I make three different versions of culture medium, A, B, and C." So I say, "So what?" Each one represents a different environment because the cells live in a culture medium. So I say: "Okay, dish one, environment A—the cells form muscle. Dish two, environment B—the cells form bone. Dish three, environment C—the cells form fat cells." I'm doing this experiment. I'm teaching genetic determinism, and I'm watching the cells and going— Dr. Jill 11:10 Wait a second. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 11:11 —"Wait a second, who controlled the activity?" They were all genetically the same. What was different? The environment. The chemistry of the environment selected the genes. The genes did not select themselves. Then, all of a sudden, I said, "Why is this important?" It's a revolution! I'll tell you why. Genetic determinism: Victim. The new science, epigenetics, which I'll explain: Master. Why? Because you control the environment. It's the environment that controls the cells. It's called epigenetics. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 11:48 [There's a] simple reason why the name [is what it is]. What do we call skin? Epidermis. Why? What's under the skin? A layer called dermis. What's the skin above the dermis? Epidermis. Epi: Above. Epigenetics: Control above the genes. I go, "Whoa, the control is not in the genes." I said: "No, it's to control the environment that the genes live in." I go, "Well, wait, I control the environment." Aha! If you control the environment, then you control the genetics. And that's all of a sudden where the new science comes in. The genetic determinism: Victim. Epigenetics: Master. You control your genes. So basically, what I saw back in 1967 was, "The genes didn't make this decision." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 12:48 Now let's just jump ahead a second here because that's a basic science. And then I'm going to give you this, which you're totally aware of: You are a skin-covered petri dish. You have 50 trillion cells under your skin and you have the original culture medium. What is a culture medium? I didn't say it before, but I'll tell you where it is: A laboratory version of blood. When I grow human cells, I concoct a culture medium based on the constituents of human blood or mouse blood, depending on which cells I'm growing. What's the point? You are a skin-covered culture dish with what? The original culture medium. You have the blood. The blood carries the chemistry, which activates the genes. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 13:34 So the first point: Scientifically, it doesn't make a difference if the cell is in a plastic dish or a skin dish? I said, "No, it's the environment." And I say the environment in your body is the blood for the cells. Then come two questions that blow the game into a new evolution. Question number one: What controls the chemistry of the blood? The answer is the brain. It's the chemist. The big one—here it is, hold on: What chemistry should the brain put into the blood? You know what it is? Whatever picture you hold in your mind, the brain translates the picture into complimentary chemistry that matches the picture. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 14:25 I say, "So why is this important?" The picture in your head becomes material in your body. You manifest what you're thinking. I go: "Wait a minute. Would I manifest this life? Would I manifest my cancer?" I go, "Yes." I go, "You say that so affirmatively." I go: "Quantum physics—the most valid science principle number one [is that] the mind is the creator of our experience." I go: "Well, epigenetics is the biological component of that physics mechanism." Epigenetics is how the mind adjusts the genetics of the body. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 15:05 And I go, "We're facing a healthcare crisis on this planet." I go, "Yes, we are facing a healthcare crisis." And I go, "What's responsible?" We put all the money into science. You know what we're looking for? We're looking for the gene—the gene that controls that problem. Guess what? Less than 1% of all diseases on this planet have any connection with genes. Wait, then that means only less than 1% of what we diagnose as disease is connected with genes. I go, "Yes, that's a fact." Then what is really contributing to the worldwide crisis in healthcare? The answer is: Stress is 90% the cause of disease, minimum. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 15:54 I go: "Okay, come on! How could that do that?" Let's give the biology because it's not New Age again. You're ready? When you're in stress, you're in threat. When you're in threat, you engage a protection response. I say, "What is a protection response?" The protection response is: When you perceive stress, you will release stress hormones, adrenal hormones. I go, "Yes, so what?" Well, what do you think the adrenal hormones do? They prepare the body for fight or flight. I go, "So what?" I say: "First of all, there are three stages to take a body from health, happiness, joy—I'm in the garden, I love my life—to 'Ah! A sabertooth tiger's chasing me!'" I say, "So I have to switch from growth, boom, into protection." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 16:41 How does that happen? Three steps. Number one, stress hormones cause the blood vessels in the gut to constrict. Why? Because most of the blood is in the gut. I say, "Who cares?" I say: "Ah, but the blood is a source of energy. So if you need energy, you need blood." So I say, "So what's the point?" I say: "Most of the blood is in the gut, taking care of the body, cleaning, fixing, repairing, nourishing, and doing all those things. But the moment stress hormones come in, the blood vessels squeeze shut. People feel it in the body." "It's queasy. I feel very queasy when I'm in fear like this." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 17:16 I say: "But some people say butterflies in the stomach. Why?" The fluttering of the blood vessels shutting down—you can feel it. And it's a fluttering. And what's happening? The blood is being pushed to the arms and legs, and that's where I need to run away from that damn tiger. So number one, redistribute the blood. Where do I take it from? [From] growth and maintenance to protection. So I'm not funding growth and maintenance when I'm running from the tiger. I go, "No, you're not." Number two, the immune system is to protect me on the inside. If I'm being chased by a saber-toothed tiger, then what's the value of the immune system? Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 17:55 I'll give you a scenario. Come on, doctors, listen to this. The patient's got a bacterial infection. They're going to have a real bad case of diarrhea coming up here and they're being chased by a saber-toothed tiger. How would you split the energy of the body? How much to support the immune system and how much of that energy to run away from the saber-toothed tiger? I'll give you a second. Okay, thank you. The answer is, of course, who cares about the immune system? If the tiger chased you, the bacteria are not your problem anymore, that's for sure. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 18:26 Listen, stress hormones shut down the immune system to conserve energy. And you know damn well that when people are sick, sometimes they don't even have the energy to get out of bed because the immune system uses a hell of a lot of energy. If you're being chased by a tiger: I can't support the immune system because if the tiger gets me, who cares about what's happening in the interior?—it's not mine anymore. It's so important—in fact, therapeutic—that when they transplant an organ from person A into person B and they don't want immunological rejection, they give the recipient stress hormones before the operation. That restricts the function of the immune system so it doesn't immediately reject the foreign graft. Ah, so stress hormones are used therapeutically to shut off the immune system. So I say, "Yes, what do you think stress does automatically?" That's number two. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 19:21 Number three, conscious processing is slow compared to reflex behavior. Conscious [processing] is like, "Oh, let me think." Reflex is boom! Boom! Like that. The point is, if you're running from a saber-toothed tiger, conscious processing is going to delay your nervous system because you'll be thinking. When that tiger is coming, guess what? Remember the role of the stress hormone—to squeeze the blood vessels here? They squeeze the blood vessels in the forebrain. I say, "Why?" Because it stops the blood flow from going to the conscious mind. Where's it going? The hindbrain—reflex behavior. Result: We become less intelligent in the fear process. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 20:11 So I say: "Let's put these all together. I shut down growth, I shut down the immune system, and I shut off conscious awareness." I go: "When was that system formed?" "Oh, a couple hundred thousand years ago." I say: "What was it responding to?" "The saber-toothed tiger?" I go: "So what was important?" "If you escape that tiger for five minutes or ten minutes, there's no more saber-toothed tiger, no more stress." So it was used for five to ten minutes. Shut it down [for] five to ten minutes; we'll come back later. In today's world—you know the whole thing—every day, every minute, we're in stress. The system was never designed for chronic stress. It shuts down the vitality, health, and maintenance of the body. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 21:01 The stresses of this world are responsible for over 90% of healthcare crises. This is recognized by the American Psychological Society: 95% of visits to doctors' offices [are] stress-related. I was a programmer. And I'm not proud now because, when I programmed, people used to believe in genetic determinism. I go: "No, no. I was wrong. Epigenetics, okay?" But we've been programmed to be victims. Dr. Jill 21:32 Yes. First of all, I think doctors are starting, at least in my realm of functional/integrative—we're talking epigenetics; we're using this. And I just want to share a personal example to bring home what you just shared. It's so important. Many of my listeners know that at 25, I had breast cancer, then Crohn's disease, and then autoimmunity. I'm the poster child. What I remember very clearly is that in my 30s, I got mold-related toxicity. My immune system was terribly trashed and overactive and I was under high stress. I remember one day walking along and realizing: "This stress that is in my body is actually killing me." I had the mentality [of] "beating cancer," "fighting cancer," "fighting this," "fighting that"—fighting, fighting, fighting—which is your saber-toothed tiger [description]. I was in fight or flight. Dr. Jill 22:16 The day I realized that was the day I realized I could also reprogram my immune system through my thoughts. That day I started thinking [up] a new paradigm, thinking about these little yellow minions being my immune system. They were helping escort mold toxicity out of my body without this fight because, [in] fight or flight, there's no healing. And now, today, I'm healed from that and from mold-related illness and all of this. But it's really that moment when I realized I could change my thought process, change the function of my immune system, recover from Crohn's, cancer, and toxic mold, and no longer fight. Dr. Jill 22:53 And the most important message, as you brought home, is that when I'm sitting with a patient, if they're in fear, if they are in fight or flight, and if they are feeling unsafe in their body, there is no amount of pills, supplements, IVs, nutrition, or even good advice that I can give them… Unless they go to that place of unsafeness, that place of fear, that place where they're still somatically running from the tiger. We have to change that, and it starts with this. Dr. Jill 23:22 So I love, love, love that you framed this. And I just want to give you credit because you've been doing this work for decades before anyone else was talking about it. And now we're seeing it. And finally, doctors in my field are starting to acknowledge and talk about it. But even in my field, functional medicine is a lot about supplements, diet, and lifestyle. That's all great. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 23:40 Well, that's environment! Dr. Jill 23:41 Right? Right. Actually, that's the thing I was going to mention too. My specialty is environmental toxicity, so I know the petri dish of how it affects our bodies. But I do believe, as you're saying, that this reprogramming of our mind… Do you have any stories or examples, maybe from your book, of a patient, client, or somebody who has read your book who really took this and changed from there? Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 24:03 I've got hundreds and hundreds of letters from people who've written. There were two things about this. Let me express it even in my personal life. I understood this from a scientific point of view. Man, it was in my laboratory, my research. It was repeatable; I could do this all the time. It took 23 years before science caught up with that observation. I [inaudible] a lot of other things in between to conform. And the reality is that our own understanding about our frailty—it's an understanding. And then I give an understanding of, "No, we're very powerful." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 24:42 I was so happy to go and find an audience of doctors and people: "Let me explain how to create the most wonderful life. Here's the science!" And then they'd come to my lecture and they'd look at me and go: "Lipton, your life doesn't look that good for a guy who says you know this." Oh my God, I was caught. You know what it was? Talking the talk, not walking the talk. I knew the science. It was in my head. Did I make it part of my life? No! I say: "So what was the point? I don't care how smart you are; if you don't make a part of your life, it's irrelevant." Totally! Then all of a sudden, when I caught myself going, "Oh, do as I say, not as I do," it's like, "I can't do that!" So I had to say: "Stop lecturing. Start living your life with the principles you are telling other people. Live this now." How long did it take me to change my life? Oh, within a month, my life was completely on a whole different spectrum. And it was like, "Now, of course, I start talking about it again," because it was real. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 25:47 Let me just give a simple understanding, a scientific understanding, and that is this: The mind is not one thing. "Oh, the mind." I go: "No, not the mind. There are two minds. And they're interdependent, but they have different functions." The conscious mind, the latest evolution: The prefrontal cortex, right behind your forehead, [is] the seat of the conscious mind. What's that? The conscious mind is your source, your personal identity, your spiritual place. What else is it? It's creative! That's what makes humans different than all the other animals. We can take ideas, boom, build them, and create in the conscious mind. What about the subconscious mind? Oh, the original one? Hard drive, programs, habits, stored behavior. Thinking? Uh-uh. Just behavior—program. Dr. Jill 26:38 The subconscious has no way to differentiate truth, right? It does whatever you tell it to do. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 26:44 No, well, the subconscious doesn't do what you tell it to do; it does what it tells it to do. The subconscious is the autopilot. I say, yes, the mind works, but you have to understand that when I'm in the conscious mind, that is the creative side. That's the side with wishes, desires, and aspirations. What do you want? Conscious mind. Subconscious mind: Program. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 27:09 I say, "So what's the issue with our life when it comes down to it?" The monkey wrench that blows the whole thing out is that when the conscious mind is thinking, it's not paying attention to the outer world. A thought is inside. When you're present, your conscious mind is looking at the world and engaging the world. Right now, in front of it, I'm engaging it. But if I'm thinking, my conscious mind is no longer looking out; it's looking in because a thought is on the inside. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 27:38 So I say, "Wait, what if I'm driving the car and I have a thought?" And I've got to tell you, in fact: Then you're not driving the car. "What do you mean? No accident or nothing." I say: "Driving is a program. You don't have to think about driving." In fact, most of the time, if you've been driving for a long time, you never think about the details of driving. It's an automatic behavioral program. It plays when you're not paying attention. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 28:02 I go: "Aha! When the conscious mind is thinking, it's not paying attention to the outer world. Why? It's inside." So I say: Walking, driving, talking, doing your job—hey, those are habits. You've been doing it all—whatever [it is]—for a long period of time. You don't have to re-learn it. It's automatic. Do you even have to think about walking? No, you didn't even have to say: "Oh, I'm going to walk from here to there. I'm going to get that." I say: "Walking is automatic. You don't think about it—program." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 28:37 So then comes the number and this is scientific: Ninety-five percent of the day is the average person's amount of thinking. Then what does that represent? Biologically, only five percent of the day are you creating your life with the conscious mind's wishes and desires. Ninety-five percent of the day your life is coming from programs that you downloaded mainly before age seven. And I go, "Where did I get the programs?" I go: "Before age seven, your brain is not primarily functioning at the level of consciousness, which in EEG terms is alpha, beta, and gamma. When you're under seven, you're operating primarily at theta, which is just below consciousness." Theta—imagination. Hey, the tea party: Pour nothing into the cup. Drink the nothing. "The best tea I ever had in my life!" That's imagination. That's theta. That's what kids do all the time. They can have imaginary friends. They play with them all the time. It's imagination. Theta is hypnosis. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 29:41 I go, "Why is that important?" How many rules does it take to be a member of a family? How many rules does it take to be a member of a community? Now we're talking thousands. I go, "Why is that important?" I said, "Well, teach an infant a thousand rules." I go: "They can't read a book. They can't sit in a classroom. They can't understand a video." I said: "How are they going to learn?" Nature took care of that. Nature gave the first seven years theta, which is hypnosis. You want to know the behavior? Watch your mother, watch your father, watch your community. Watch their behavior; download it. Now it's your behavior! Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 30:19 So the behavior that's in your subconscious mind didn't even come from you, did it? Nope, it came from other people. And did they answer your wishes and desires—what you'd like? Not necessarily. So then, are there programs in there that give you what your wishes and desires are? Not necessarily, no. In fact, I say, "So what about these programs?" Sixty percent of the things you downloaded as a kid—sixty percent of the subconscious programs [are] disempowering, self-sabotaging, and limiting beliefs. And you operate ninety-five percent of the day from them. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 30:53 Ah, but here's the monkey wrench you didn't catch! Why am I using my subconscious programs? Because my conscious mind's not paying attention; it's thinking. Well, then, do you see the programs when they come out? I go: "Nope! You're the only one who doesn't even see the program!" Why? Everybody else around you is responding to your program. You're not even paying attention [to] what the hell is coming out. Sixty percent of it [is] disempowering yourself. So the issue is this: We are not controlling our lives. Our program controls our lives. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 31:28 I say, "Oh, this is a new science." I go: "Scientifically, this is valid. This is understanding theta activity, downloading programs, conscious, subconscious, blah, blah, blah, blah." But the Jesuits knew about programming for 400 years. They would tell their followers, "Give me a child until it is seven, and I will show you the man." Oh my God, that's 100% right! The programming is before age seven, and 95% of the life is the program. They knew it. They created Catholic schools to help the programming go along. And that idea is never lost because if you can watch an infant today, which I've seen carrying an iPad, interacting with a program on a computer, that's far better programming than Jesuits could ever have thought of. Dr. Jill 32:17 Yes, it's clear, isn't it? That's a really good transition because one of the things I see as the biggest crisis in healthcare is environment, but it's environment that is no longer socially interactive or present. We're numbing ourselves out with machines, with iPads, and with phones. They are designed to create an addictive behavior, so they're tapping into some of those subconscious programs, right? Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 32:40 And let me just add this to that: It's not just that behavior, but it's also creating disempowering behaviors. So these programs—as you were just going to say, and I'll let you have it back again—were not designed to help us; they were designed to control us. Dr. Jill 33:05 Yes. And sell and control. Yes, so we are pawns in this new world of technology that is neurodynamically designed to be addictive. If you haven't seen The Social Dilemma, that's a great place to start in your education on social media and the impact. I do want to talk about this. One of the things you just got done saying is that before seven, we're programmed. I totally understand and believe that. But the truth is, we have the power to change that programming. Tell us about that. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 33:36 Most everybody out there has changed that programming. I say, "You've already done it." I say: "What, the movie The Matrix, being a documentary, everybody's programmed?" Yes, of course, that's the foundational belief of the movie and the reality. And in the movie, they offered the red pill. And I say: "What was the red pill? You get out of the program!" Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 33:54 I go, "Almost everybody out here right now listening has done that." I say: "What was the consequence? How did it happen?" I'm going to tell you. Falling in love is a red pill. I go, "What do you mean?" Because when you first fall in love, you stop thinking. Biologically, you stay present; you stay in the conscious, creative mind. You've waited for this person your whole life. They're there. What, you want to start thinking and then ignore them? Are you kidding me? You stay up conscious. You stay mindful. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 34:23 I say, "So what happened?" I say: "Your life up to meeting that person: Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. You meet them [and] 24 hours later: 'Oh, man, life is beautiful. Life is so wonderful. Hey, the food's really good. That music is even better than I ever thought it was.'" And even the crappy job is not so crappy. I said: "What'd you do?" You made honeymoon. What's honeymoon? Heaven on earth. I said, "What was your heaven on earth?" Whatever you wished and desired. You and a partner coming together when you're both wishing and desiring, you're sharing the same wishes and desires, you manifest a honeymoon. Oops, I dropped something, but okay. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 35:01 Is the honeymoon already there? I go, "The honeymoon's always there." I said, "Then how come you don't have it?" Because when you start thinking, you then go back to subconscious control, the default. And the problem is, why do 50% of marriages end up in divorce? The answer is this: Marriage has started with the relationship of two conscious creative minds sharing together a belief in creating a honeymoon, and it ends when thinking enters into the people and they start playing their regular programs, which are 60% negative. The partner hears these programs. The one saying the thing doesn't hear it; the other one hears it. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 35:43 I love the response. When somebody comes out in a relationship and the loving partner hears some kind of BS come out of their other partner, they look at them and go: "Who are you? Where did you come from?" What? It was never part of the behavior. And then, all of a sudden, it shows up. And the more thinking, the more that negativity shows up. There's a point where a partner will say: "That's enough. That's not why I signed up here. I signed up because we had a great honeymoon." After you started thinking, this thing went right down the tube. The point is, that's what reality is about. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 36:18 So the idea then becomes simple, which is the obvious thing: "What if I created all programs that represented my wishes and desires—if I had those programs?" I said: "Oh, you know what? Whether you're consciously creating those wishes and desires or your conscious mind is off in left field, your subconscious will be manifesting the wishes and desires. And guess what? A honeymoon is not a short period. A honeymoon is every day of your life for as long as you live." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 36:46 Does it work? Personally, I had some very bad programming when I was young because my mother and father had a dysfunctional relationship. I downloaded my father's dysfunctional behavior. I played it when I couldn't see it. The result is that I couldn't get relationships off the ground. Then I understood the nature of the programming. Then I understand the nature of reprogramming. Around 50, I met my partner, Margaret. We just celebrated 28 years! And I'm not selling just a relationship; I'm talking honeymoon for 28 years. To wake up every day in my life and go: "Oh my God, I'm still here. Oh my God, I have another day to smell the roses, to have a piece of cake, to enjoy the love, watch the environment, and love my life." I celebrate life. Jill celebrates life. What's the result? Where's the illness? What illness? Dr. Jill 37:45 Yes! I love that. There are some points that I think are so crucial that you just made, number one, being present with our partners, watching them in real time and observing them. So often we create a program of them, a template, and then we don't expect them to change. Or, we expect them to behave the same. And when we're in real time, present with another person—whether it's a friend, family member, business associate, or lover—we can respond in real time. And that's part of that co-creation that you're talking about. It's crucial. Dr. Jill 38:15 The other thing is that with illness, I find one thing that was—I'm sure this is related to the program, [and] I'd love your comments—I never identified with the cancer. I never became the cancer. I never made that part of who I was. Even now, I'm like, "Oh yes, 20 years ago, I had cancer." And of course, it's real, but it's almost foreign because it was never part of me. And I really believe that's a huge part of why I overcame a very, very aggressive cancer at the age of 25—because it never was my identity. Do you want to talk about that a little bit? Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 38:44 Yes, let's just talk about this. The first thing is that I'm going to give a fact of science [to] which [a person might say], "He really said that?" And I'm going to say, yes, I'm going to say this. There's not one gene that causes cancer. There's not a gene [where], "You have this gene, you get cancer." The one scary one for women, of course, [is] the breast cancer gene. I go, "So what?" I go: "Women who carry the breast cancer gene don't necessarily have to have cancer. As a matter of fact, nearly half of them don't get cancer. But they have the gene." So then I say, "Then where did the cancer come from?"—because those who have the cancer with the gene and those who are healthy with the gene have the same gene. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 39:20 What's the difference? The answer is this: Cancer is correlated with a gene, not caused by a gene. Cancer is caused by disharmony in the system. Disharmony is the source of disease. Harmony is the source of health. Disharmony means your programming wasn't really good, and you're responding to things in a negative way that is going to cause a breakdown of the system. That's where the stress comes into it. So the concept is this: The image—even if once you tell a woman, "Yes, you have the breast cancer gene," what the hell image do you think is going to be in her head? The answer is: Cancer. I go: "Yes, but isn't the function of the mind to take the image of the head and turn it into reality?" I go, "Absolutely! What's the consequence?" Ninety percent of cancer has no genetic linkage at all. Dr. Jill 40:14 Yes. That was the biggest question I got as a 25-year-old. Every single person, to a T: "Oh, did you have genes?" No, I didn't have genes. I had a dysfunctional system when I was in my 20s. That goes into a whole other lecture that I could give, but I was not living consciously. And there were some things, stress-wise, that were contributing. And it was the environmental toxic load. So all of these things are the petri dish. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 40:38 And more than that, there must have been the two programs. Eighty to ninety percent of all people will not test positive for two beliefs. Number one, and I think the most important, is the belief, "I love myself." Eighty percent of people will not test positive for that belief. Number two, and this is the one where the healthcare crisis comes from: "I am safe." When you have a picture of fear, then the chemistry of fear is to manifest the fear. When they say "This is it" and [show you] a picture of the tumor and everything, then you make the chemistry of the tumor. Then the idea is that we have to own quantum physics. Consciousness is the source of our life experiences. We have to understand the nature of epigenetics. Consciousness is the source of what controls our genes. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 41:07 The third thing that I think is part of the Renaissance that we really must emphasize at some point is Newtonian physics, which separates physical from non-physical, matter versus energy. It's an illusion. It's not real. But it programs us in a very bad way because the program says: "Whatever is made out of matter can only be affected by matter. Whatever is made out of energy can only be affected by energy." And I say, "So what's the consequence?" I say: "The body is matter. And what do you think the whole foundation of the pharmaceutical company is? The body is matter and we make the matter to fix the matter." Dr. Jill 42:16 Yes. What's the matter with that? [laughs] Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 42:18 Three hundred thousand people die in the US every year from prescription drugs, that's what's the matter with it, when less than 50,000—I think 30,000—people die from illegal drugs. We have a war on illegal drugs, and 300,000 people dying from pharmaceutical drugs is called the cost of doing medicine. I go: "That's damn expensive! We don't need that." Simple law of science: If a drug works, it only works because you already had a receptor for that drug on you. Do you think nature put receptors on cells, waiting for the pharmaceutical company to make a drug? No, come on, man! If you have a receptor for a drug, it's because you have a receptor for a drug that you make. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 43:01 I go, "I can make any drug." Of course, because any drug works because you have a receptor to connect it. If you have a receptor, then you obviously have a signal that will bind to that receptor. Then you say, "Well, it's not working." And that's where everything gets screwed up because that system isn't working and then you go right away: "Oh, the body is defective. The genes aren't working right. There's an interference with the physical." I go, "Yes, there was an interference because it didn't start down here; it started up here." And once you start to understand this, yes, treat the body if there's an immediate need to treat the body, but the process of treating the patient is treating this part. Knowledge is power. They do not have the knowledge of who they are. They're programmed [to think]: "I'm a victim of my genes and I have no power." I go, "Well, there's your problem." Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 43:54 And the issue about it is that you guys are in the front of the evolution that says: Okay, I can treat the patient, but I've really got to treat the consciousness of the patient. Why? Because, as quantum physics says, consciousness is the source of this creativity, and as epigenetics says, consciousness is the source of this expression. You cannot leave that out. Dr. Jill 44:18 You just talked about two beliefs that I think are critical and it's a great place to kind of wrap up. The first one is: Do we love ourselves? Do we really, really, truly love and accept ourselves? I have written a book and done a movie on that message. The heart of healing is: How do we show self-compassion and love? Because that is the only way that our cells will respond in health. Dr. Jill 44:41 The second thing was so crucial too, and that is the fear and the unsafety. This is where a physician in the office can make all the difference, because if they add to that fear message, guess what? That's just adding to that patient's unhealth. So one thing we are obligated to do as physicians is create a safe environment and teach that patient how to start to feel safe in their body. With those two beliefs, maybe in the last couple of minutes here, could you maybe give us some practical advice for somebody who's like: "How do I start doing that, Bruce? How do I feel safe in my body? And how do I love myself?" Because that, I couldn't agree more with you, is really the core message here. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 45:19 I'll tell you, let's get right to the root of why people do not love themselves. The answer is: Because parents act like coaches on a sports team. I go, "What does that mean?" A player isn't doing well. What does the coach say? "Oh, do better." No! The coach says: "That's not good enough. Who do you think you are? You don't deserve to be on this team." Well, a player is older than seven. They're in consciousness. They understand that the coach is saying, "You better do better!" Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 45:47 Now let's say the parent is the coach and the kid is under seven. There's no consciousness operating. What's operating? Hypnosis, programming. So when the father says, "That's not good enough, you don't deserve this, you're not lovable, you don't belong," blah, blah, blah—acting like the coach who says, "This is going to make them do better"—if the kid is under seven, you just programmed them to self-sabotage because the subconscious is going to create 95% of their life. And if I get a program "I do not deserve," when I'm thinking 95% of the day, what the hell program is running? "I do not deserve." So I could say something so stupid in my corporate structure or something, and somebody says, "That guy doesn't deserve to be here." And then, all of a sudden, I'm kicked out of the structure. Why? Because I myself made behavior to conform to "not good enough" and to not love myself. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 46:41 This is why that one's so important—because if you can't love yourself, I'm going to be honest, you can't accept love from somebody else. I go, "Why?" Because they say they love you, but in your mind, you're going: "Well, they don't know me, man. I know I'm not lovable." And you'll push them away. And then you'll find yourself with nobody around. And guess what you'll say? "You see?! I'm not lovable!" [inaudible] You just did that. And when it comes to "Do I have any power?" the answer is: No, it has been systematically deprived of them. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 46:59 I've got a minute; I've got to say this because this is really cool. There's a power struggle in the world. It's always been this way. There are three levels of power. Number one, caveman. Who's the biggest badass with the biggest club? Whatever they say, do it. They've got the power. Evolution came along. There are people then who control the resources that you need. And all of a sudden they say, "If you want those resources, you've got to give me something for this." And you know what? The ones who had the resources paid the caveman to hit you over the head if you didn't pay for the resources. Dr. Jill 47:53 A personal hitman. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 47:55 That's the king who owns the resources with an army of cavemen. Then I say, "But the last of the power struggles came down to 'knowledge is power.'" And it was recognized that, yes, that is the supreme power of everything. Knowledge is power. The first thing the church of Rome did was acknowledge: "We are the source of infallible knowledge. We are the source of truth. We say it; it's true." Well, you say, "I don't care." The point about it was that people gave up their power to the belief. And I say it here very quickly: There's a code behind the power brokers. I call it the powermongers' credo. I say, "What is it?" Are you ready? Give them the fear for free and then sell them the antidote. Dr. Jill (pre-recording) 48:46 Hey, everybody. I just stopped by to let you know that my new book, Unexpected: Finding Resilience through Functional Medicine, Science, and Faith, is now available for order wherever you purchase books. In this book, I share my own journey of overcoming a life-threatening illness and the tools, tips, tricks, hope, and resilience I found along the way. This book includes practical advice for things like cancer and Crohn's disease and other autoimmune conditions, infections like Lyme or Epstein-Barr, and mold- and biotoxin-related illnesses. What I really hope is that as you read this book, you find transformational wisdom for health and healing. If you want to get your own copy, stop by ReadUnexpected.com. There, you can also collect your free bonuses. So grab your copy today and begin your own transformational journey through functional medicine and finding resilience. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 50:59 "What do you want me to do? Put a mask on? Sure. I'll mask on. I can't visit my mom, who's dying in a nursing home?" "No, you have to give that up because you can't do that." "Really?" Dr. Jill 51:09 Yes. If you're controlled, then fear created the biology of illness. It really, really is a great analogy. Bruce, this has been so fun to dive deep. I love talking to you. I love your enthusiasm. I love your wisdom. And I love most of all that you were so far ahead of the curve because people are kind of coming along to this belief. But the truth is, you were one of the very first ones writing and talking about this. And I'm just grateful that way back in the day, in the lab, you saw this and started writing about it. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D. 51:44 I can't be any happier than I am for myself! I have a different life! I have a different life than before that discovery. Dr. Jill 51:53 Yes. And it transforms us all, too. I have many stories, the same thing, of me continuing to transform because of this knowledge. Thank you for the work that you do. Thank you for spending your time with us today!](https://www.jillcarnahan.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Bruce-Lipton-Biology-of-Belief-Can-Your-Mind-Spontaneously-Transform-Your-Health_-WEB-1.jpg)
81 Comments
Is phempigus related in autoimmun diseases that you talk about?
yes, it may be….
Do you have a favorite digestive enzyme supplement?
Hi Amy
Favorite for regular use is Xymogen Xymozyme 1-2 with meals. For those with more severe pancreatic insufficiency, the pancreatin-based Xymogen PanXyme is better. Both can be ordered direct from Xymogen using code: DrJill and last name: Carnahan
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Dr Jill
Dr. Jill what is the best antibiotic to use for Sibo? Thank you
Hi Nikki
It depends on the type of SIBO that you have, methane or hydrogen predominant. Rifaxamin works well for the hydrogen predominant.
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Dr Jill
Dr. Jill,
How does one find out if which one we have? Methane or Hydrogen predominant?
What if you have both kinds of SIBO? I’ve read that herbs are as or more effective than antibiotics–what is your opinion on this?
There is also info online that fecal transplants don’t help SIBO. Could FMT still be helpful in people with SIBO, & if so, is there an agreed upon protocol? thanks so much if you can provide more info on this. Best, Dorothy
If you have both, methane predominants and you will need to treat with dual antibiotic or multiple herb regimen. FMT treats colonic dysbiosis but does not address the small bowel.
Dr. Jill Do you have a preferred probiotic that you recommend? Thank you so much for your gift of service to the world. It is greatly appreciated!
Hi Teresa
There are many excellent probiotics but my two favorites are 1) Klaire Labs Detox Support and 2) Klaire BioSpora. You can order either direct from manufacturer using code: 618 on website
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Dr. Jill
What are your thoughts on Fructose Malabsorption? Can that be reversed? Is there a link between Fructose Malabsorption and Gilbert’s Disease. Both have to do with enzymes and not being able to break down fructose and medicine.
Fructose Malabsorption affects the gut.
Hi Michelle
Fructose malabsorption is linked to villous atrophy and also SIBO. I would start with a breath test to make sure there is not also bacterial overgrowth in the small intestines.
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Dr Jill
Thank you so much for this great article…it explains all I have been going through…the worse my gut/digestion/constipation the more my whole body is…now my liver!!! Do you see patients? I am struggling to heal on my own…trying tons of natural/supplements suggested but seem to not be able to figure out with my crazy lack of focus and brain fog now that my physical health is so crummy.
Hi Chris
Thanks for your feedback… it really is true the root of all disease begins in the gut.
Dr Jill
Dear Dr Jill, I am 64, have rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. Also fatigued. Avoiding drugs after bad reaction to methatryxate. Am gluten free, caffeine free, chemical free, sugar free, alcohol free, and avoid all refined foods. Using tumeric in cooking, bone broths, veges,meat, fish, rice, to heal gut. What supplements do you recommend?
Hi Pam
I cannot give you specific medical advice without a consultation. But you can ask your doctor to do a stool test, urinary organic acid testing and breath test to determine if there are any abnormalities in the gut that need to be treated.
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Dr Jil
Is there a preferred probiotic product that supplies many, if not all, of the specific microbes that are lacking in these ‘7 deadly diseases’ of the microbiome?
nope! there are no probiotics that supply the type of diversity necessary for health
Hi I had my gut profile done by stool from Amercian gut project and I grew 43% Stenotrophonmonas i now classed as pseudomonas. 17% entero bacteria .What am I to be worried about in terms ofthe 7 deadly diseases? Are tests representative to large bowel or also small intestine . I was a real outlier compared to rests of the groups for my age. gender, western etc. This took 6 months to process and I have been taking more probiotics, kefir but I cant handle water kefir . It makes me nauseus.
Hi Marion
The Gut project is experimental research so one cannot make a diagnosis based on your sample. If you are concerned about microbial populations, talk to a functional medicine doctor to get further testing to determine what needs to be done. You likely have something going on, like SIBO or dysbiosis.
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Dr Jill
Is a positive smooth muscle auto antibody result a sign of possible increased bacterial and viruses in the liver and GI system.
Jill I was treated for citrobacter and yeast over growth 4 weeks ago with cipro and a drug I can’t remember the name for yeast starts with F. It’s been a week and a half my gut feels raw I still drinking kieffers what more can I do to keep these two at bay. I can’t eat any sugar now it makes few out of it sick, no grains no process foods. I’m eating veggie and rice or veggies and eggs, small amounts of chicken/ beef. No dairy. What more can I do to help keep citrobacter and yeast from over taking my gut again.
Hi Barbara, some patients find great success with the AIP diet (autoimmune paleo). If you google it, you will find plenty of cookbooks and resources…
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Dr. Jill
I have type 1 diabetes and have Hashimoto’s. I recently found out I have gastric dumping syndrome. I would love to learn more about the associations of these and what would help. I’m tired of being fatigued, my joints hurting, stomach nausea and being overweight! And how does one go about a consult with you?
Great presentation at the microbiome summit. I wish I lived near you so I could have you diagnose me. I’ve been suffering with chronic Lyme, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, IBS, whatever you want to call it. It seems like I have Sibo and leaky gut. Doctors haven’t been able to help me. Is there an herb that can kill the overgrowth of bacteria? I’ve already changed my diet but still have problems with fatigue and pain. Right now I’m on Cipro for cystitis. I’m worried more antibiotics are not helping. I’ve had years of antibiotics before teeth cleanings and 2weeks IV penicillin for Lyme. My health struggles have been going on 29 years. I’m 60. What do you suggest I do that’s affordable?
Thanks, Sherry
Thank you, Sherry! You can search for a functional medicine doctor near you at http://www.functionalmedicine.org
Hello Dr. Carnahan. I heard you speak on the Microbiome Summit with Dr. Kellman. I was captivated by the information you were sharing. I had two questions for you. Can you please tell me the name of the herbal antibiotic you had mentioned. And does one need a doctor’s referral to come see you in your clinical setting?
Thanks
Hi Jeanne
We are accepting new patients by referral only. I mentioned Bio-botanicals Biocidin product. Call office if you’d like to order #303-993-7910
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Dr Jill
Dr. Jill,
What are your thoughts on grass fed/ hormone free
Pastured meats and wild caught fish (any concerns about radiation)? Do you think they have a place in an optimal diet? Or is a true plant based diet the way to go?
Also what are your thoughts on soaked beans?
Thank you!
Dr. Jill,
Is there a connection with Leaky Gut and being homozygous for C677T? (random food allergies being the main indicator for the gut) If homocysteine levels are normal, is it something I need to continue to seek medical information on? I’ve been to the Doctor and they are saying to not look further into it since homocysteine was normal and Vitamin B12 was actually high. Also, tested positive for ANA and Thyroid Antibodies, the Doctor again saying to not look further into it. Are all these issues connected?
No direct connection with leaky gut and MTHFR
Hello Dr. Carnahan,
I have Hashimoto’s as well as Candida overgrowth and eczema. I have very low white blood cell count. My white blood cell count are below the range at 4.8 and I have an old test result that showed them at 9.2. What could be causing them to be so low? Could my low white blood cell count explain the Candida overgrowth since white blood cells kill fungus?
Hi Dr. Jill!
When you have a patient come in with extreme debilitating fatigue that is so bad they can’t put on makeup and it’s exhausting to take a shower, what all do you test for that could be causing this? Thank you!
Allergies, Gut Dysbiosis, Infections, Chronic inflammation, Environmental Toxins, Nutritional Deficiencies and Endocrine abnormalities….
Hello Dr. Jill,
I’m having iron deficiency anemia with no explanation. I eat iron-rich foods in my diet and I have light periods every 23-24 days. But I’m still anemic and my numbers keep getting lower. I’m getting scared because there’s no explanation for it. I’m not having difficulty absorbing other vitamins and minerals like B12. It’s just iron that’s the problem. My doctor doesn’t know what it is. She said possibly malabsorption but that would cause malabsorption of all vitamins and minerals, not just iron. Do you know what this could be or some different things I should ask my doctor to test me for?
Hi Amanda
Yes, this is likely due to malabsorption and you should have your doctor check for various forms of dysbiosis, like SIBO and SIFO and treat them.
Warmly
Dr Jill
Hi Dr. Jill,
How would you normally treat dysbiosis in large bowel/colon along with SIBO and Candida? Streptococcus is the main bug in the dysbiosis.
thanks
Hi Stephen
That would best be a discussion with your doctor. You could chose a variety of herbs or prescription medications to cover all organisms.
Warmly
Dr Jill
Hi Dr. Jill,
What would you recommend to someone who has psoriasis? I found out a friend of mine has it and I know about leaky gut but I wanted to give her specific advice. Should she assume Candida and treat that or is it more so related to her diet?
Thank you!
Hi Claire,
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease so best to find root cause: stress, infections, toxins, nutritional imbalances or inflammation and treat the root cause.
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Dr Jill
Hi Dr. Jill,
I have Hashimoto’s, iron deficiency anemia, and really bad bloating. Within the past couple months, the bloating has gotten twice as bad and my antibodies have went from 972 to 1800. I thought it was a lab error so I got it rechecked at the same lab 2 weeks later and my antibodies went to 3000. My iron has went way lower than what it was before. My ferritin was around 8-12. Now it’s 4. And it’s not just ferritin, all my iron results are low and my TIBC is really high. It’s like my body is not absorbing iron because of the 6 month pregnant belly I have. I’m so exhausted I sleep all day. I go to bed bloated and wake up at 5pm (been asleep all day) and am still bloated and I haven’t even eaten anything all day. I’m really scared! Do you know what could be going on?
Hi Megan,
It sounds like you have dysbiosis. Find a functional medicine doctor to test and help you treat the root cause.
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Dr Jill
Dr. Jill,
I’m very low in iron. When I take supplements, it goes up only slightly and very slowly. I took an 18mg supplement and it brought my ferritin up 7 points in 3 months. My functional doctor thought I might have internal bleeding and suggested a colonoscopy. What are your thoughts?
Chronic anemia may result from a occult GI bleed and if iron/hemoglobin are low colonoscopy is recommended.
Hi Dr. Jill,
How do you recommend increasing stomach acid in someone who has Hashimoto’s?
Talk to your doctor about using Betaine HCl with pepsin. I do not advise using it without physician supervision as it may cause gastritis.
Hi Dr. Jill!
What would you recommend for someone who has bad distention? I know there’s a lot of info out there about bloating but I struggle with distention. If I wear shorts that fit well and aren’t loose, it is very noticeable. I know some websites refer to bloating and distention as the same thing but I’m referring to bloating out to the sides, not straight out but to the sides. Thank you!
find a doctor to test and treat the root cause!
Hi Dr Jill,
I have always been underweight and with SIBO/yeast. I recently had some stressful events and lost even more weight. Can SIBO and yeast get worse during stress and cause this type of weight loss? I am having trouble gaining back the weight now. Are there any other digestive problems besides SIBO/yeast that can cause weight loss that I should look into? The doctors aren’t finding anything.
I had a high d-lactate level on my OAT which was considered high acidolphilus. How do you treat too much good bacteria?
Thanks!!
Hi Marie,
Hi lactic acid is caused by SIBO. You may need re-treatment for SIBO and or SIFO
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Dr Jill
Hi Dr. Jill!
Is there a connection between gut health and social anxiety/social awkwardness? What kind of tests would you recommend running for this?
Thank you!
Hi Peyton
Dysbiosis in gut can affect anxiety/depression…
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Dr Jill
So with high lactic acid, is treatment with probiotics not good since they produce d lactate and l lactate?
What can cause low stomach acid in someone who has Hashimoto’s? And does thyroid medication like Levo correct the low stomach acid?
Hi Jennifery
Stress and many other things cause low stomach acid. It may or may not be related to your Hashimoto’s
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Dr Jill
Hi Dr Jill,
For years now I have been struggling with chronically low ferritin levels. The doctors prescribe iron supplements and it goes up slightly but takes forever to get up to optimal levels. And then when I stop taking iron, it goes right back down. Even taking 54 mg a day (which my doctor says is the equivalent of 7.5 steaks a day) it still takes forever and goes up very slowly and doesn’t stay up. It appears to be some kind of malabsorption but I’ve been deficient in other vitamins like B12 but I took a supplement and it came right up quickly. That doesn’t happen with the iron. It doesn’t come up quickly. It doesn’t move. I can take massive doses of iron and it barely moves. But it’s only iron, not other vitamins. Those absorb just fine with multivitamins/supplements. I don’t know if this makes a difference or not, but my hemoglobin is fine, even on the high end of the range. Could this be an infection doing this that’s feeding on my iron? I have been to gastroenterologists and several doctors and nobody has answers. They just say iron supplements.
Hi Mariah,
taking iron supplement will not raise ferritin if the cause is malabsorption or inflammation… treat the root cause and stop the iron supplementation 😉
Warmly
Dr Jill
Hi Dr. Jill,
Which organic acids test do you recommend for testing for SIFO and nutritional deficiencies? I’ve heard Genova has many of them. Do you recommend the Metabolic Analysis Profile or the Comprehensive Profile?
Hi Katie
I use ONE and NutrEval, Organix and ION.
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Dr Jill
Hi Dr. Jill,
Is there a herb that could be taken with rifaximin rather than neomycin for methane SIBO? I’ve read that rifaximin on its own isn’t particularly effective, but I’m hesitant to use neomycin because of the potential side effects. I haven’t found much information on people combining herbs with antibiotics–have you had any success with this?
Thanks for all the helpful posts!
Hi Char,
I’ve found either neomycin or tinidazole to be most effective for methane-SIBO. The herbs are less effective.
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Dr Jill
Hello,
My daughter has been having a problem with her iron that has been going on for years. It is like she cannot properly absorb iron. A couple years ago, the doctors diagnosed her with anemia (very low ferritin, low % saturation, low serum iron, and high TIBC) although her hemoglobin is normal. She was experiencing and continues to sleep all day and lose her hair. She takes iron supplements with Vitamin C. Her ferritin goes up 2 points. Eats meat every day. Her ferritin goes up by 2 points. Her periods are very light. I have taken her to specialists, gastroenterologists, endocrinologists, functional medicine doctors, and every doctor under the sun. The last doctor we saw thought she might be having malabsorption, which makes sense, but when she tested her other vitamin and mineral levels, everything else is optimal except for her iron. So then I asked the doctor can malabsorption affect iron only and no other vitamins and she said she didn’t know. I also asked if some pathogen is feeding on her iron specifically. So she ran a one-day comprehensive stool test through Genova and of course, it showed no pathogens. No parasites, no H. Pylori, nothing that could explain her low iron. My daughter is sad because she’s missing out on her life being so fatigued and losing her hair. I’ve watched your interviews before about gut health and you’re amazing and so smart. Do you happen to know what could be causing this? I just don’t understand it because her other vitamin and mineral levels are good, some of them even above the halfway point of the range so not even verging on low so it sounds like she’s absorbing other vitamins with no problems.
Hi Lisa
A stool test shows what is colonizing the large bowel microbiome but tells you nothing about the small bowel where malabsorption occurs. You may need to do further testing such as organic acids or breath testing for SIBO to determine the cause. Chronically low ferritin is likely due to malabsorption or inflammation or villous atrophy.
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Dr Jill
Hello,
I have a question. Both sides of my abdomen are distended, but my left side is distinctly more distended than the other. Any ideas what could be causing this? Or can SIBO or Candida make one side more distended than the other? Thank you.
You will need to see your doctor about this. I cannot make a diagnosis online….
Hi I had some elevated bacterial dysbiosis markers on an OAT. I’m not sure what this means. Does this mean I have a bacterial overgrowth somewhere since the test is testing for bacterial byproducts? And if so, how do I find out what and where the overgrowth is so it can be treated?
Hi Emily
The OAT test doesn’t indicate where the bacteria are, just if there is likely issues with bacterial dysbiosis. If you use anti-microbial herbs to treat, you can assume it is likely in the gut and have good success no matter where the problem lies.
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Dr Jill
Hi
I was wondering if probiotics are always necessary to heal a leaky gut and put an autoimmune disease in remission?
Typically it is…
Hi Dr. Jill,
I’m really worried about what’s going on with my daughter, and we can’t get any answers. She is at a healthy weight at 115. She could gain about 5 more pounds but overall her weight is healthy for her height at 5’3. But her face and stomach tell two different stories. Her face looks very emaciated. She looks like she’s 102 pounds, if not 90 pounds. But her stomach and legs look like she’s 140 pounds. It’s almost like how you see people in developing countries who are starving and their face is really sunken but their belly is really big. And I’m not sure if this is relevant at all but I thought I’d mention it…she’s low in iron and we don’t know why and she was already looking bad but she just had her period and now she looks a lot worse. Her face looks even more gaunt than it did before. So I just don’t know and the doctors have literally been clueless. I’m wondering if she losing blood somewhere making her iron low and her face look so gaunt.
You may find a functional medicine doctor to help you by searching http://www.functionalmedicine.org
Hi Dr Jill,
Do you have any information on strep throat. I hear from some that antibiotics are needed but others say natural methods work too or even better. What is your take on antibiotics for it?
My children have had sore throat. I was doing all the natural remedies I could think of: garlic, ginger, AVC/Grapefruit seed extract gargle, lots of Vitamin C, propolis… But they developed high fever and one got a rash. I’m now thinking perhaps antibiotics may be wise? Or perhaps I am not giving enough of the natural antibiotics?
Thanks
Hi Claire,
Yes, strep throat is best treated with antibiotics to prevent any rheumatological side effects long-term
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Dr Jill
Dr. Jill
I ran across your interviews on YouTube regarding to mold exposure. I have been exposed to mold exposure and I have pretty much every symptom you spoke of. I live in an apartment and took upon myself to get Air testing done, because owner declined. Results came back aspergillius and cladosporium. Can you recommend any vitamins or herbal I can start using to feel better. Was active all my life with more than enough energy and now I feel as my life has ended. I do have severe asthma from this along with other issues. This is a nightmare.
Sincerely
PB
Hi PB,
I am sorry to hear this… please get out of the exposure so you can get well
warmly,
DR Jill
Hi Dr. Jill,
I’ve been suffering with extremely low ferritin levels, in addition to low serum iron and low % saturation for years. I have Hashimoto’s and I’ve been gluten free for 3 months. It’s helped significantly with many symptoms and it’s made my B12 and Vitamin D go way up to normal. But my ferritin still won’t move despite taking ferrous fumarate supplements with Vitamin C. My ferritin will go up like from 5 to 26 but then will fall back down. They’ve checked and found that there’s no intestinal bleeding. My periods are light. I can’t function with low ferritin levels. I get bad shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, and can’t think straight whenever it falls really low so I need to get this resolved. But I don’t know what’s causing it. I’ve seen a functional medicine doctor and she ran a stool test and it showed no gut infections. She also looked at my most recent thyroid tests and they looked really good. She said my T3 and T4 are great and that I’m not hypothyroid. So I don’t know what’s causing the low ferritin levels.
Chronic inflammation, occult infections, malabsorption syndromes and autoimmunity can all cause low ferritin
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