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Яжте мръсно!
С хиляди последователи по цял свят и личен диетолог на олимпийски шампиони като Майкъл Фелпс, д-р Акс представя революционния си подход и на българските читатели.
Да ядете мръсно? Сигурно с погнуса потръпвате при мисълта за това. Не се тревожете – никой не очаква от вас да ядете боклук или пръст, или поне не буквално!
Философията „Яжте мръсно“ включва здравословен начин на хранене и живот, с който да преборите синдрома на чревната пропускливост – основната причина за множество разпространени болести. Водещ експерт по функционална медицина и автор на програмата, д-р Джош Акс ни призовава да се върнем към забравени, но доказани във времето навици, сред които контактът с „мръсната“ природа.
От книгата ще научите:
- кои са основните причини за чревната пропускливост и връзката й с редица сериозни болести: от хранителни алергии и автоимунни заболявания до забавен метаболизъм, хронична умора и депресия;
- как да ограничите вредите от консумацията на високопреработени и ГМО продукти, употребата на лекарствени медикаменти и дезинфекциращи препарати;
- кои храни и добавки ще ви помогнат да се справите с чревната пропускливост;
- как употребата на етерични масла и забравени лекове от природата ще преобрази живота ви;
- кой индивидуализиран лечебен протокол да изберете според петте типа чревна пропускливост;
- както и много любопитна информация, ценни съвети, рецепти, тестове и бонуси.
Да ядете мръсно? Сигурно с погнуса потръпвате при мисълта за това. Не се тревожете – никой не очаква от вас да ядете боклук или пръст, или поне не буквално!
Философията „Яжте мръсно“ включва здравословен начин на хранене и живот, с който да преборите синдрома на чревната пропускливост – основната причина за множество разпространени болести. Водещ експерт по функционална медицина и автор на програмата, д-р Джош Акс ни призовава да се върнем към забравени, но доказани във времето навици, сред които контактът с „мръсната“ природа.
От книгата ще научите:
- кои са основните причини за чревната пропускливост и връзката й с редица сериозни болести: от хранителни алергии и автоимунни заболявания до забавен метаболизъм, хронична умора и депресия;
- как да ограничите вредите от консумацията на високопреработени и ГМО продукти, употребата на лекарствени медикаменти и дезинфекциращи препарати;
- кои храни и добавки ще ви помогнат да се справите с чревната пропускливост;
- как употребата на етерични масла и забравени лекове от природата ще преобрази живота ви;
- кой индивидуализиран лечебен протокол да изберете според петте типа чревна пропускливост;
- както и много любопитна информация, ценни съвети, рецепти, тестове и бонуси.
384 pages, Paperback
First published February 23, 2016
1770 people are currently reading
6488 people want to read
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June 7, 2017
-- UPDATE (6/6/17)!! After following the "candida gut" diet for three months... guess what? No more pre-diabetes (I've been lighter in weight before, exercised more and my A1C never came down, but this time it did)! My cholesterol also is vastly improved; my inflammatory markers are all NORMAL! Bonus: I've lost 17 lbs! And the best part is how much BETTER I feel energy-wise, brain-fog-wise, and just OVERALL. Hip, hip hooray! --
This book was a necessity for me, as someone who has struggled with off-the-charts inflammatory markers and diagnoses that have included “unidentifiable autoimmune disorder” and "fibromyalgia" (not the right diagnosis either) since I was 21 years old. Fast forward 23 years, and I can now add to the list severe joint aches/pains, arthritis, high cholesterol (at age 16), food sensitivities, and the moniker pre-diabetic (some years hovering in the safe range, some not).
So, before the term “leaky gut” became a more acceptable condition by the traditional Western medical community, I’d already heard of it back in the early '90s, having done lots of my own research to figure out ‘what was wrong’ and how I could have gone from Dean’s List student with a tack-sharp memory to continuous brain fog and near-debilitating sluggishness. I never did figure out how to fix it... And somehow, over the past 23 years, I have learned to live with all of it and continue to function in my new 'norm.' But now, thanks to this book, I believe I have some real ideas for how to combat many of my issues.
This book tackles the “what” and “why” of leaky gut, a condition in which the intestinal walls become compromised and get holes in them. The tears lead to leakage of food byproducts and hard-to-digest proteins, etc. into the bloodstream and other parts of the body, which often creates an inflammatory reaction and sets off an autoimmune response. (The research the author cites links various diseases – diabetes, autism, allergies, food sensitivity, skin issues, Celiac Disease, GI problems, autoimmune disorders like MS, Lupus, etc., and even mental health issues – to leaky gut).
This book does a great job of scaring the hell out of you (again, a necessity for me, personally) regarding just how non-nutritive our diets are, even if we are eating salads and lean proteins – and what the devastating, long-term effects are on our bodies. Why is our food so void of nutrients? Our fruits and vegetables come from soil depleted of nutrients from over-farming on a mass scale, and they are then sprayed with chemicals, then genetically modified to be able to withstand those same chemicals that are killing the nearby weeds. (This is not NEW news to anyone, of course). But one stat in the book indicated that your grandmother’s orange is not today’s orange (You’d have to eat 8 of today’s to get the Vitamin C equivalent of ONE of grandma’s). The wheat of the past is not today’s wheat, either (There is MORE gluten in it, it is less nutritious and harder to digest, and those genetic modifications account for the spikes in gluten sensitivity and Celiac disease). So not only are we getting very little nutritional value from the foods we eat, even when we think we are eating healthy – unless they are organically grown or from Farmer’s Markets – many of us also have malabsorption problems because of the lack of good bacteria in our guts that have been killed off by those chemicals, through stress and antibiotic use, and due to leakage (take some vitamins and most shoot right through the holes and aren’t being absorbed into the body). We’re essentially malnourished, despite bigger waistlines.
The concept of “Eat Dirt” is that we’ve become a very over-sanitized, over-medicated, over-stressed society, and that our guts are paying for it (Healthy bacteria in the gut is at the epicenter of whether we are healthy or unhealthy. Even my MD believes and understands this). Dr. Axe advocates for eating ‘dirty’ foods – local foods coated in the rich minerals of the soil; and eating fermented foods that provide probiotic-rich nutrients. His book outlines natural foods and various supplements that may help, as well as essential oils, and ‘get outside’ activities that actually aid the immune system. He urges people to cut back on Rx drugs and consider homeopathic options, to plant their own gardens (and literally play in the dirt).
I am planning to implement many of the suggestions from this book (especially the addition of bone broth to my diet and the re-introduction of probiotics, plus local honey consumption daily and the addition of keifer to my diet – and well as barefoot walks in the dirt) and will monitor my results.
My biggest complaint about EAT DIRT is that, while it offers recipes in the back of the book and a plethora of suggestions for food substitutions and types of digestive enzymes and vitamins and make-at-home foods that can help, the brunt of the work is still left to the reader to ‘figure it out.’ It would have been helpful, for example, to offer recommended probiotic blends and brand names; or to provide a detailed ‘schedule’ for implementing changes – Week one: do this, week two: do this. And, here's a week's meal plan, complete with snacks and supplements. But the book is not structured this way. It’s essentially, “Here’s the base plan and the gazillion things that COULD help YOU. Try the parts of it that you want for a few weeks. Keep a journal and see what’s working. If you don’t get results, go to this next section of the book where I identify specific gut types. Then follow those plans for more specificity.”
That will likely be a drawback to people like me who generally want books like this to be structured and laid out and don’t want to or can’t take the time to ‘figure it out.’ But I will because I, personally, HAVE to. As it stands, I have quite a few unanswered questions, such as: After you heal your gut, can you then tolerate some of the more difficult to digest foods like traditional breads or pasta on occasion? What happens if you eat the occasional cookie or have a traditional Thanksgiving meal one time per year (Will you be running for the toilet? Will you be deathly ill after eating so cleanly?). These questions were not answered.
I realize a book can only cover so much since each person’s intestinal woes are unique and specific to his/her life history/environment/stress level, but more structure on the “ how to implement” side would have been appreciated. The majority of the book is focused on the science of leaky gut and supporting evidence/patient anecdotes. An added bonus, however, are the links to various additional documents and recipes on Dr. Axe’s website.
Overall, I’d recommend this book because I think the topic is that important. If changing my diet can result in focus/mental clarity and energy, I’m in. As they say, “I’m tired of feeling sick and tired.” I will be sure to post an update once I’ve implemented the dietary and life changes.
This book was a necessity for me, as someone who has struggled with off-the-charts inflammatory markers and diagnoses that have included “unidentifiable autoimmune disorder” and "fibromyalgia" (not the right diagnosis either) since I was 21 years old. Fast forward 23 years, and I can now add to the list severe joint aches/pains, arthritis, high cholesterol (at age 16), food sensitivities, and the moniker pre-diabetic (some years hovering in the safe range, some not).
So, before the term “leaky gut” became a more acceptable condition by the traditional Western medical community, I’d already heard of it back in the early '90s, having done lots of my own research to figure out ‘what was wrong’ and how I could have gone from Dean’s List student with a tack-sharp memory to continuous brain fog and near-debilitating sluggishness. I never did figure out how to fix it... And somehow, over the past 23 years, I have learned to live with all of it and continue to function in my new 'norm.' But now, thanks to this book, I believe I have some real ideas for how to combat many of my issues.
This book tackles the “what” and “why” of leaky gut, a condition in which the intestinal walls become compromised and get holes in them. The tears lead to leakage of food byproducts and hard-to-digest proteins, etc. into the bloodstream and other parts of the body, which often creates an inflammatory reaction and sets off an autoimmune response. (The research the author cites links various diseases – diabetes, autism, allergies, food sensitivity, skin issues, Celiac Disease, GI problems, autoimmune disorders like MS, Lupus, etc., and even mental health issues – to leaky gut).
This book does a great job of scaring the hell out of you (again, a necessity for me, personally) regarding just how non-nutritive our diets are, even if we are eating salads and lean proteins – and what the devastating, long-term effects are on our bodies. Why is our food so void of nutrients? Our fruits and vegetables come from soil depleted of nutrients from over-farming on a mass scale, and they are then sprayed with chemicals, then genetically modified to be able to withstand those same chemicals that are killing the nearby weeds. (This is not NEW news to anyone, of course). But one stat in the book indicated that your grandmother’s orange is not today’s orange (You’d have to eat 8 of today’s to get the Vitamin C equivalent of ONE of grandma’s). The wheat of the past is not today’s wheat, either (There is MORE gluten in it, it is less nutritious and harder to digest, and those genetic modifications account for the spikes in gluten sensitivity and Celiac disease). So not only are we getting very little nutritional value from the foods we eat, even when we think we are eating healthy – unless they are organically grown or from Farmer’s Markets – many of us also have malabsorption problems because of the lack of good bacteria in our guts that have been killed off by those chemicals, through stress and antibiotic use, and due to leakage (take some vitamins and most shoot right through the holes and aren’t being absorbed into the body). We’re essentially malnourished, despite bigger waistlines.
The concept of “Eat Dirt” is that we’ve become a very over-sanitized, over-medicated, over-stressed society, and that our guts are paying for it (Healthy bacteria in the gut is at the epicenter of whether we are healthy or unhealthy. Even my MD believes and understands this). Dr. Axe advocates for eating ‘dirty’ foods – local foods coated in the rich minerals of the soil; and eating fermented foods that provide probiotic-rich nutrients. His book outlines natural foods and various supplements that may help, as well as essential oils, and ‘get outside’ activities that actually aid the immune system. He urges people to cut back on Rx drugs and consider homeopathic options, to plant their own gardens (and literally play in the dirt).
I am planning to implement many of the suggestions from this book (especially the addition of bone broth to my diet and the re-introduction of probiotics, plus local honey consumption daily and the addition of keifer to my diet – and well as barefoot walks in the dirt) and will monitor my results.
My biggest complaint about EAT DIRT is that, while it offers recipes in the back of the book and a plethora of suggestions for food substitutions and types of digestive enzymes and vitamins and make-at-home foods that can help, the brunt of the work is still left to the reader to ‘figure it out.’ It would have been helpful, for example, to offer recommended probiotic blends and brand names; or to provide a detailed ‘schedule’ for implementing changes – Week one: do this, week two: do this. And, here's a week's meal plan, complete with snacks and supplements. But the book is not structured this way. It’s essentially, “Here’s the base plan and the gazillion things that COULD help YOU. Try the parts of it that you want for a few weeks. Keep a journal and see what’s working. If you don’t get results, go to this next section of the book where I identify specific gut types. Then follow those plans for more specificity.”
That will likely be a drawback to people like me who generally want books like this to be structured and laid out and don’t want to or can’t take the time to ‘figure it out.’ But I will because I, personally, HAVE to. As it stands, I have quite a few unanswered questions, such as: After you heal your gut, can you then tolerate some of the more difficult to digest foods like traditional breads or pasta on occasion? What happens if you eat the occasional cookie or have a traditional Thanksgiving meal one time per year (Will you be running for the toilet? Will you be deathly ill after eating so cleanly?). These questions were not answered.
I realize a book can only cover so much since each person’s intestinal woes are unique and specific to his/her life history/environment/stress level, but more structure on the “ how to implement” side would have been appreciated. The majority of the book is focused on the science of leaky gut and supporting evidence/patient anecdotes. An added bonus, however, are the links to various additional documents and recipes on Dr. Axe’s website.
Overall, I’d recommend this book because I think the topic is that important. If changing my diet can result in focus/mental clarity and energy, I’m in. As they say, “I’m tired of feeling sick and tired.” I will be sure to post an update once I’ve implemented the dietary and life changes.
December 26, 2017
When I was a kid my brother talked me into eating dirt one day, said it was good. No, it wasn’t. He was always “pulling my leg” as he called it, and I would always fall for it. I also remember making a mud cake around that time, and my mother gave me an old box of raisins that I spread on the top and sides of this mud cake.
Now, I am reading that dirt is good for you, good for your immune system. I can believe this. I knew a woman that worked for a scientist who told her that he never washed his hands for that reason, and he never got sick. And recently my friend told me that when her mother was a baby, the doctor told her mother's mother to let her baby sit in the dirt with a spoon. She had been a premature baby and as a result she was not strong and healthy. Eating dirt actually helped her. My friend said that her mother only weighed 2½ pounds at birth, so her grandmother used to set her in a box on the back of the wood stove to keep her warm.
Well, here we are in 2017, washing our hands constantly, using antibacterial soap. Not me. But eat dirt?
So yes, the author recommends eating dirt, and I listened just as I did when my brother suggested it. I went on line to find some kaolin clay. Why not dig up dirt in my yard. I imagine it has toxins in it. People swore by kaolin clay on Amazon. I got a baggie of it and tried it. It tasted like nothing. How can you even eat nothing? It made me realize how much taste has to do with even wanting to take another bite, or in this case, the lack there of. Maybe if it were sprinkled on a salad or in a smoothie. Kaolin clay is used in Kaopectate. Constipating. Bad idea. I also bought the soil based probiotics capsules. That I can swallow. Next i bought Dirt toothpaste. The cinnamon in it was so strong that I quickly washed it out of my mouth. Then I couldn’t get the photo that this woman put of her brown teeth on her review of it. Claimed it stained them. Maybe it did. Maybe trying to help one’s immune system can lead to trying out crazy things, not that I don’t agree that eating dirt is good for you.
But the book doesn’t stop here, he also goes into other eating habits that we need to have, like being gluten free and all the other things that health books tell you to do. But a book on dirt should just stick to dirt, just like the book I read on water, Your Body's Many Cries For Water, was just about water. Mix the two together and you will have a healthy meal, a mud pie. Put some old moldy raisins on and it and enjoy. Maybe a little mold will be a homeopathic remedy for mold allergies. Maybe it won't.
Mud Cake
Use good smooth dirt that is free of sand, rocks and pebbles. In a small bucket mix the dirt with water. Using your hands to combine the dirt and water, continue add small amounts of water until the mud is the consistency of bread dough. Mould the mud into pies by rolling the mud into balls and then flatten them down. You can make them as thick or as thin as you like.
And if you still are not convinced, here is an article on it:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Diet/sto...
"It's mostly subsurface stuff and I think that's probably less likely to be a source of infection," said Gerald N. Callahan, immunologist at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
Callahan believes eating clay may be a way to build up the immune system during pregnancy. Citing what has been referred to as a "hygiene hypothesis," he noted that children raised in rural areas, especially on farms, have fewer allergies and autoimmune diseases than children raised in cities -- some researchers believe exposure to soil and other environmental impurities is the reason.”
Hmmm. Maybe it would get rid of my allergies.
Note: While you can eat dirt, there are some precautions to take, which is why buying kaolin clay is best: http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/News...
"Manufacturers add clay-like compounds to some vaccines to increase the immune system's response, making the inoculation more protective. It's possible that a child's mud pie may be a kind of primitive self-vaccination, letting the gut get used to a selection of common bacteria that rarely cause harm.
Most dirt is safe, despite the thousands of species of bacteria and other organisms it contains."
And while some molds are good for you; some aren't. I wss joking about the moldy raisins.
Now, I am reading that dirt is good for you, good for your immune system. I can believe this. I knew a woman that worked for a scientist who told her that he never washed his hands for that reason, and he never got sick. And recently my friend told me that when her mother was a baby, the doctor told her mother's mother to let her baby sit in the dirt with a spoon. She had been a premature baby and as a result she was not strong and healthy. Eating dirt actually helped her. My friend said that her mother only weighed 2½ pounds at birth, so her grandmother used to set her in a box on the back of the wood stove to keep her warm.
Well, here we are in 2017, washing our hands constantly, using antibacterial soap. Not me. But eat dirt?
So yes, the author recommends eating dirt, and I listened just as I did when my brother suggested it. I went on line to find some kaolin clay. Why not dig up dirt in my yard. I imagine it has toxins in it. People swore by kaolin clay on Amazon. I got a baggie of it and tried it. It tasted like nothing. How can you even eat nothing? It made me realize how much taste has to do with even wanting to take another bite, or in this case, the lack there of. Maybe if it were sprinkled on a salad or in a smoothie. Kaolin clay is used in Kaopectate. Constipating. Bad idea. I also bought the soil based probiotics capsules. That I can swallow. Next i bought Dirt toothpaste. The cinnamon in it was so strong that I quickly washed it out of my mouth. Then I couldn’t get the photo that this woman put of her brown teeth on her review of it. Claimed it stained them. Maybe it did. Maybe trying to help one’s immune system can lead to trying out crazy things, not that I don’t agree that eating dirt is good for you.
But the book doesn’t stop here, he also goes into other eating habits that we need to have, like being gluten free and all the other things that health books tell you to do. But a book on dirt should just stick to dirt, just like the book I read on water, Your Body's Many Cries For Water, was just about water. Mix the two together and you will have a healthy meal, a mud pie. Put some old moldy raisins on and it and enjoy. Maybe a little mold will be a homeopathic remedy for mold allergies. Maybe it won't.
Mud Cake
Use good smooth dirt that is free of sand, rocks and pebbles. In a small bucket mix the dirt with water. Using your hands to combine the dirt and water, continue add small amounts of water until the mud is the consistency of bread dough. Mould the mud into pies by rolling the mud into balls and then flatten them down. You can make them as thick or as thin as you like.
And if you still are not convinced, here is an article on it:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Diet/sto...
"It's mostly subsurface stuff and I think that's probably less likely to be a source of infection," said Gerald N. Callahan, immunologist at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
Callahan believes eating clay may be a way to build up the immune system during pregnancy. Citing what has been referred to as a "hygiene hypothesis," he noted that children raised in rural areas, especially on farms, have fewer allergies and autoimmune diseases than children raised in cities -- some researchers believe exposure to soil and other environmental impurities is the reason.”
Hmmm. Maybe it would get rid of my allergies.
Note: While you can eat dirt, there are some precautions to take, which is why buying kaolin clay is best: http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/News...
"Manufacturers add clay-like compounds to some vaccines to increase the immune system's response, making the inoculation more protective. It's possible that a child's mud pie may be a kind of primitive self-vaccination, letting the gut get used to a selection of common bacteria that rarely cause harm.
Most dirt is safe, despite the thousands of species of bacteria and other organisms it contains."
And while some molds are good for you; some aren't. I wss joking about the moldy raisins.
March 17, 2016
I Failed the "Leaky Gut Questionnaire"
At first, I thought this book was only mildly interesting. Then, I decided to take the "Leaky Gut" test. The author uses this test to check the likelihood that the "good" microbes in your gut have been harmed. To my astonishment, I had many of the leaky gut symptoms noted in the test (and which my current physician has not solved.)
Okay, at this point, I got a LOT more interested in what Dr. Axe had to say.
Dr. Axe's main point is that we need to get back to the bacterial DIVERSITY that we used to have: "Bacterial diversity keeps the whole system in balance." The idea is, this balance requires lots of different bacteria. This used to happen naturally in our environment and diet, but when we started to use tons of chemicals, and changed our food composition, we began to reduce the types of bacteria in our gut.
EAT DIRT contains a pretty detailed technical discussion about how our digestive system works, and the important layers in our gut. The doctor explains that these layers protect our body from dangerous pathogens. However, when the protective wall thins, this leads to the "leaky gut" syndrome. The health of this barrier is affected by certain chemicals. Research shows that these chemicals are released by the over-consumption of gluten.
The author cites quite a bit of scientific studies, but he admits that the field is changing, and that tons of research is ongoing. In fact, he notes, there have been over a thousand new research studies in one year alone. There are lots of interesting studies cited that seem to support the author's ideas. Perhaps the most intriguing, for me, was one study that linked bacterial diversity to lower body weight and lower fat.
The author recounts the experiences from different patients in his practice. He is careful to note that a patient's experience should not be generalized to everyone. He cautions the reader to not jump to broad conclusions based on just a few anecdotal cases.
EAT DIRT has links to "replacement foods" so that you can switch-out your current menu items for more healthy choices. Besides these links, the doctor also discusses alternatives for common foods. For example, instead of drinking the usual milk, he discusses the advantages of coconut and almond milk, as well as more unusual alternatives.
I never understood the fuss about wheat and gluten. After all, I thought, how can something so natural really be harmful? Well, the author explains that it's not the SAME wheat, and it's prevalence is not the same as it used to be--its use is far more widespread now. Okay--I appreciate this information. I admit I did not know that.
I found EAT DIRT to be a serious work that will require serious study. There is a LOT to absorb in this book. The author makes many good points, and he does a good job of supporting his theories. The appendices contain lots of notes and further research information.
I have decided to follow the author's advice, and make some changes in my diet and lifestyle. I will especially to try to get more diverse bacteria by making some simple dietary changes. Fortunately, many of Dr. Axe's food recommendations are tasty. I like Kefir, and I'm buying more.
Advance Reading Copy courtesy of Edelweiss Book Distributors
At first, I thought this book was only mildly interesting. Then, I decided to take the "Leaky Gut" test. The author uses this test to check the likelihood that the "good" microbes in your gut have been harmed. To my astonishment, I had many of the leaky gut symptoms noted in the test (and which my current physician has not solved.)
Okay, at this point, I got a LOT more interested in what Dr. Axe had to say.
Dr. Axe's main point is that we need to get back to the bacterial DIVERSITY that we used to have: "Bacterial diversity keeps the whole system in balance." The idea is, this balance requires lots of different bacteria. This used to happen naturally in our environment and diet, but when we started to use tons of chemicals, and changed our food composition, we began to reduce the types of bacteria in our gut.
EAT DIRT contains a pretty detailed technical discussion about how our digestive system works, and the important layers in our gut. The doctor explains that these layers protect our body from dangerous pathogens. However, when the protective wall thins, this leads to the "leaky gut" syndrome. The health of this barrier is affected by certain chemicals. Research shows that these chemicals are released by the over-consumption of gluten.
The author cites quite a bit of scientific studies, but he admits that the field is changing, and that tons of research is ongoing. In fact, he notes, there have been over a thousand new research studies in one year alone. There are lots of interesting studies cited that seem to support the author's ideas. Perhaps the most intriguing, for me, was one study that linked bacterial diversity to lower body weight and lower fat.
The author recounts the experiences from different patients in his practice. He is careful to note that a patient's experience should not be generalized to everyone. He cautions the reader to not jump to broad conclusions based on just a few anecdotal cases.
EAT DIRT has links to "replacement foods" so that you can switch-out your current menu items for more healthy choices. Besides these links, the doctor also discusses alternatives for common foods. For example, instead of drinking the usual milk, he discusses the advantages of coconut and almond milk, as well as more unusual alternatives.
I never understood the fuss about wheat and gluten. After all, I thought, how can something so natural really be harmful? Well, the author explains that it's not the SAME wheat, and it's prevalence is not the same as it used to be--its use is far more widespread now. Okay--I appreciate this information. I admit I did not know that.
I found EAT DIRT to be a serious work that will require serious study. There is a LOT to absorb in this book. The author makes many good points, and he does a good job of supporting his theories. The appendices contain lots of notes and further research information.
I have decided to follow the author's advice, and make some changes in my diet and lifestyle. I will especially to try to get more diverse bacteria by making some simple dietary changes. Fortunately, many of Dr. Axe's food recommendations are tasty. I like Kefir, and I'm buying more.
Advance Reading Copy courtesy of Edelweiss Book Distributors
October 3, 2016
Although I agree with his premise that we need to eat more fruits and vegetables and fermented foods, I disagree with his kooky diets. We just need to eat a variety of whole and unprocessed foods. We don't need supplements and to buy things from his website!
September 19, 2023
bottom line: leaky gut sucks
December 31, 2016
There are some very good tips here (get exposed to dirt/earth, soak in sea water if you can, that sort of thing), but on the whole, the full concept of what the author wants the reader to follow sounds rather utopian. Not only are all the supplements and probiotics he recommends probably not available everywhere (and not even online from some places, in case you wanted to ask), the whole way of living he advocates for does cost a lot of money. In an age where most people just make ends meet while having many unexpected expenses thrust upon them every day (those with kids especially will relate to this!), you cannot really afford to put aside money for only organic veggies, rare plant extracts, numerous strains of probiotics, etc.
It stems from good intentions and positivity, but might not be that easy to actually follow in real life.
It stems from good intentions and positivity, but might not be that easy to actually follow in real life.
July 10, 2019
Hands down one of my favorite books on health ever!
October 27, 2017
I am going to rant about this one a bit. I don't think Dr. Axe is particularly bad at this so please don't hate him too much. Pretty much everything I am saying applies to people without MDs who insist on calling themselves Doctor (Dre not included). Dr. Axe is better than most of these health personalities and I thought I liked him when I got this book (though I don't remember why).
Most of the information in this book is good, but it feels like someone read a bunch of articles online and came up with a well researched summary. This is probably good for most readers but it is dangerous as it doesn't seem to be backed by the right knowledge/mind set. Most of the information in this book wasn't new to me so I skimmed heavily. Even in skimming I found a few incredibly off putting things.
First, Dr. Axe recommends apple cider vinegar (ACV) to help with heartburn stating that heartburn is often due to low stomach acid (a popular opinion). This is a bit simplistic as some people who have horrible heart burn for structural reasons,etc. will end up hurting their esophagus more this way. Its this level of thought/insight that seems to be missing (though perhaps this was due to realistic publishers and not incompetence). I pretty much agree with the ACV recommendation, but was put back when the author suggested not to eat acidic food. I realize some people think acidic food is a problem, but to say yes to ACV and no to acidic foods without a clear explanation makes it look like no thought was put into this. It is true that some acidic foods do increase heartburn by doing things like increasing Lower Esophageal pressure etc, it is pretty irresponsible/lazy to make such a conflicting statement without explanation.
Second, Dr. Axe recommends taking bile salts. This is another unqualified recommendation that was irresponsibly made. Bile salts can cause problems, I don't remember the particular problem I was worried about when I considered taking them but they are at least somewhat linked to colon cancer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bile_acid)
Third, he is a bit dogmatic (though less than many) about paleo. Diet is complex and not universal and being attached to a diet causes one to miss this complexity. The someone minor flaw this is related to is Dr. Axe's omission of mentioning fat and how high fat diets can exacerbate heart burn.
Lastly, and he uses the phrase "gastric gut". It is hard to imagine anyone who knows what gastric means saying this phrase without cringing a little.
All that being said, this is no worse than other similar books (and is in fact a bit better than average) and I'd rather see you read this than grab a diet book at random from your library.
Most of the information in this book is good, but it feels like someone read a bunch of articles online and came up with a well researched summary. This is probably good for most readers but it is dangerous as it doesn't seem to be backed by the right knowledge/mind set. Most of the information in this book wasn't new to me so I skimmed heavily. Even in skimming I found a few incredibly off putting things.
First, Dr. Axe recommends apple cider vinegar (ACV) to help with heartburn stating that heartburn is often due to low stomach acid (a popular opinion). This is a bit simplistic as some people who have horrible heart burn for structural reasons,etc. will end up hurting their esophagus more this way. Its this level of thought/insight that seems to be missing (though perhaps this was due to realistic publishers and not incompetence). I pretty much agree with the ACV recommendation, but was put back when the author suggested not to eat acidic food. I realize some people think acidic food is a problem, but to say yes to ACV and no to acidic foods without a clear explanation makes it look like no thought was put into this. It is true that some acidic foods do increase heartburn by doing things like increasing Lower Esophageal pressure etc, it is pretty irresponsible/lazy to make such a conflicting statement without explanation.
Second, Dr. Axe recommends taking bile salts. This is another unqualified recommendation that was irresponsibly made. Bile salts can cause problems, I don't remember the particular problem I was worried about when I considered taking them but they are at least somewhat linked to colon cancer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bile_acid)
Third, he is a bit dogmatic (though less than many) about paleo. Diet is complex and not universal and being attached to a diet causes one to miss this complexity. The someone minor flaw this is related to is Dr. Axe's omission of mentioning fat and how high fat diets can exacerbate heart burn.
Lastly, and he uses the phrase "gastric gut". It is hard to imagine anyone who knows what gastric means saying this phrase without cringing a little.
All that being said, this is no worse than other similar books (and is in fact a bit better than average) and I'd rather see you read this than grab a diet book at random from your library.
July 2, 2018
I'm someone who's been following the microbiome research daily for a few years now. I catalog what I see in a wiki for others to access. I read this book as part of an investigation into what I saw as dangerous misinformation being spread that seemed to stem from a misinterpretation of the literature.
-
The book starts off with example of his mom's breast cancer & other related health problems being reversed with some standard changes such as removing processed foods, and taking a few supplements. Later on in the book he clarifies that he thinks one of the main things was the "Budwig diet" - a daily drink consisting of "goat's milk kefir (raw and organic), sprouted flax mevvval (meal?), flaxseed oil, stevia to taste".
Attributing only to leaky gut, tons of things that are due to the wide variety of forms of gut dysbiosis. And the solution is to "eat dirt".
Same as with all the others promoting this nonsense, he's misattributing damage done from antibiotics and poor diet to lack of environmental microbes, IE: dirt. Based on the assumption we're born sterile and develop our gut microbiome solely from the environment/dirt.
Most of the recommendations are just general good food/supplements and being outdoors, but the eat dirt stuff is a dangerous misinterpretation of the literature, and jumping to conclusions based on incomplete data.
Gives little to no backing/evidence for his "eat dirt" recommendation. Total junk. It's not even "junk science" as there is no science. It's mostly anecdotes with no scientific studies comparing the results of one behavior vs another, and measuring all health outcomes in both groups.
I wasn't going in to this with high expectations based on what I've seen from his website previously, but this guy makes me non stop facepalm. IMO he's worse than any of the criticisms I've seen directed towards Dr Oz and Mercola.
There are so many conflicting/contradictory statements in this book that I have to wonder at what point in his life did he lose the ability to make logical connections between multiple things. Was it due to problematic microbes he picked up from his dirt eating, or was it something earlier in his development that was the cause. Perhaps he simply inherited dysbiosis from his parents - probably the most common case.
Much of the book is just promoting generally healthy diet. Also promotes the use of essential oils for a variety of things.
To add some perspective on the oils he promotes, one of them - Oil of Oregano, is a broad spectrum antimicrobial (which is completely contradictory to his warnings about antibiotics, and his overall recommendation to eat dirt) that in my experience was more damaging than many prescription antibiotics. AND it gave me no benefits when at least the prescription antibiotics did (along with their harms).
Look up "appeal to nature fallacy". That's what he's doing.
Common misinformation about probiotics - recommends to get multi-strain & high CFU count. And then later on in the book says to look for specific strains/brands that are effective for your specific condition. It's like he's just regurgitating every bit of information out there, regardless of accurate/inaccurate/contradictory.
"All synthetic drugs cause leaky gut in some way" - my imodium strongly disagrees.
"Spikenard, an essential oil widely referenced throughout the Bible, can reduce stress, calm inflamed skin, stimulate the immune system, lower cortisol, and increase spiritual awareness." - example quote
Another perfect example of the major problems in our medical/education systems. This guy is a medical doctor who is extremely uninformed/misinformed and spreading dangerous, non-evidence-based advice. He's got one of the most popular health websites on the net.
-
The book starts off with example of his mom's breast cancer & other related health problems being reversed with some standard changes such as removing processed foods, and taking a few supplements. Later on in the book he clarifies that he thinks one of the main things was the "Budwig diet" - a daily drink consisting of "goat's milk kefir (raw and organic), sprouted flax mevvval (meal?), flaxseed oil, stevia to taste".
Attributing only to leaky gut, tons of things that are due to the wide variety of forms of gut dysbiosis. And the solution is to "eat dirt".
Same as with all the others promoting this nonsense, he's misattributing damage done from antibiotics and poor diet to lack of environmental microbes, IE: dirt. Based on the assumption we're born sterile and develop our gut microbiome solely from the environment/dirt.
Most of the recommendations are just general good food/supplements and being outdoors, but the eat dirt stuff is a dangerous misinterpretation of the literature, and jumping to conclusions based on incomplete data.
Gives little to no backing/evidence for his "eat dirt" recommendation. Total junk. It's not even "junk science" as there is no science. It's mostly anecdotes with no scientific studies comparing the results of one behavior vs another, and measuring all health outcomes in both groups.
I wasn't going in to this with high expectations based on what I've seen from his website previously, but this guy makes me non stop facepalm. IMO he's worse than any of the criticisms I've seen directed towards Dr Oz and Mercola.
There are so many conflicting/contradictory statements in this book that I have to wonder at what point in his life did he lose the ability to make logical connections between multiple things. Was it due to problematic microbes he picked up from his dirt eating, or was it something earlier in his development that was the cause. Perhaps he simply inherited dysbiosis from his parents - probably the most common case.
Much of the book is just promoting generally healthy diet. Also promotes the use of essential oils for a variety of things.
To add some perspective on the oils he promotes, one of them - Oil of Oregano, is a broad spectrum antimicrobial (which is completely contradictory to his warnings about antibiotics, and his overall recommendation to eat dirt) that in my experience was more damaging than many prescription antibiotics. AND it gave me no benefits when at least the prescription antibiotics did (along with their harms).
Look up "appeal to nature fallacy". That's what he's doing.
Common misinformation about probiotics - recommends to get multi-strain & high CFU count. And then later on in the book says to look for specific strains/brands that are effective for your specific condition. It's like he's just regurgitating every bit of information out there, regardless of accurate/inaccurate/contradictory.
"All synthetic drugs cause leaky gut in some way" - my imodium strongly disagrees.
"Spikenard, an essential oil widely referenced throughout the Bible, can reduce stress, calm inflamed skin, stimulate the immune system, lower cortisol, and increase spiritual awareness." - example quote
Another perfect example of the major problems in our medical/education systems. This guy is a medical doctor who is extremely uninformed/misinformed and spreading dangerous, non-evidence-based advice. He's got one of the most popular health websites on the net.
Read
September 1, 2016Dr. Josh Axe offers an alternative lifestyle to many of us to cure many diseases. It blames leaky gut syndrome for many of our physical ills. The list includes, but is not limited to, Anxiety, Thyroid. Weight gain, Irritable bowl, allergies and all digestion problems.
The Gut is permeable and as a result is can leak causing substances to enter the blood stream which causes inflammation which produces disease. The two largest culprits that cause a leaky but are sugar and gluten. They eat away the lining of the gut.
Dr. Axe recommends gut healing foods. The best for gut healing is bone broth. It is made by boiling bones of chicken, beef or fish in apple cider vinegar and water and slow cook for up to a day or longer. If interested YouTube has videos on how to make it.
Apple Cider vinegar is another gut healer. He recommends adding a teaspoon of it to a glass of water when you eat.
Some other tips are to walk bare foot outside, do deep breathing exercises, exercise a half hour a day and most importantly buy your vegetables locally to avoid GMO laden rooted food.
He doesn’t like tap water because fluoride and chlorine harm the body. He claims that store bought soap, shampoo and cleaning products are hazardous to our health as well.
He gives lots of healthy recipes in the back of the book. They include recipes to make home-made soap, shampoo and deodorant. Also there are many meal recipes.
There is much more to this book that in my review. Anyone who has digestion problems should buy this book and practice what is in it. The rest of us it will also benefit, I am sure of.
The Gut is permeable and as a result is can leak causing substances to enter the blood stream which causes inflammation which produces disease. The two largest culprits that cause a leaky but are sugar and gluten. They eat away the lining of the gut.
Dr. Axe recommends gut healing foods. The best for gut healing is bone broth. It is made by boiling bones of chicken, beef or fish in apple cider vinegar and water and slow cook for up to a day or longer. If interested YouTube has videos on how to make it.
Apple Cider vinegar is another gut healer. He recommends adding a teaspoon of it to a glass of water when you eat.
Some other tips are to walk bare foot outside, do deep breathing exercises, exercise a half hour a day and most importantly buy your vegetables locally to avoid GMO laden rooted food.
He doesn’t like tap water because fluoride and chlorine harm the body. He claims that store bought soap, shampoo and cleaning products are hazardous to our health as well.
He gives lots of healthy recipes in the back of the book. They include recipes to make home-made soap, shampoo and deodorant. Also there are many meal recipes.
There is much more to this book that in my review. Anyone who has digestion problems should buy this book and practice what is in it. The rest of us it will also benefit, I am sure of.
August 24, 2017
Dr. Axe goes in depth into the gut-brain connection and how to heal different kinds of disorders from Candida to Adrenal Fatigue using functional medicine. I think this is a great health book to own!
March 6, 2022
This one was a little more along the lines of what I was looking for. But for every interesting piece of information, there was a weird tangent about the amazingness of essential oils, which, fairly or not, decreased my overall confidence.
May 16, 2016
Another in the many books Ive read on this topic. Also great like the others. It may be hitching a ride on this fairly new and hot topic.
August 12, 2016
In this book Dr. Josh Axe guides us through the process of healing our leaky guts.
He does this by explaining WHAT it is (bad regulation of the tight junctions in the gut, which leaves room for substances to leak into the bloodstream) HOW it is CAUSED (antibiotics, processed foods, toxins, a lack of relaxation) and HOW to HEAL it (probiotics, organic foods, fermented foods, relaxation). Oh, and he also adds in a few stories of how he helped his clients overcome their health problems.
Reading this book will have hopefully helped me in my attempt to improve my current skin conditions (rosacea/eczema) as I will apply what I've learned in the coming months.
A year ago, while reading "The ultramind solution", I felt like some things were really off and needed to see a functional doctor, so I did. The doc made me do a stooltest which showed that I had a severe gut dysbiosis... I immediately made huge changes to my diet and switched to an organic paleo/keto diet, also on top of that I started a solid meditation practice. After a year time this provieded huge changes in my energy levels, attention span and mood. However one issue still remains... the skin issue: rosacea and eczema.
Since I already read the Ultramind Solution, some things were already known to me (probiotics, meditation, toxins,...). However through reading this book I learned about some new beneficial foods (artichok, hummus, bee pollen, brewers yeast, and activities (barefoot walking, seaswimming, essential oil baths) and hereby hope to have found a solution to my skin problems.
An interesting fact; while I may have considered essential oils as a bit wu-wu before, I will this time definitely drop my preconceived notions about them and try it out to see what gives.
Oils I'm considering buying after reading this book:
- Note when buying these; they are all about "good fit", don't force yourself to use a specific oil because you see your desired effect, choose the one that is most enjoyable to you.)
- Make sure they are certified organic therapeutic grade essential oils.
• Frankincense (wierook) is anti-inflammatory and lifts the spirits
• Lavender reduces stress and improves mood
• Myrrh (mirre) is a natural antispetic that supports beautiful skin
• Peppermint improves focus and energy and supports digestion
• Rose reduces skin inflammation and lifts moods
• Spikenard (nardus) reduces stress, calms inflamed skin, stimulates the immune system and increases spiritual awareness
• Vetiver has been proven to calm the neurological system and treating ADD, brain injuries and dementia
He does this by explaining WHAT it is (bad regulation of the tight junctions in the gut, which leaves room for substances to leak into the bloodstream) HOW it is CAUSED (antibiotics, processed foods, toxins, a lack of relaxation) and HOW to HEAL it (probiotics, organic foods, fermented foods, relaxation). Oh, and he also adds in a few stories of how he helped his clients overcome their health problems.
Reading this book will have hopefully helped me in my attempt to improve my current skin conditions (rosacea/eczema) as I will apply what I've learned in the coming months.
A year ago, while reading "The ultramind solution", I felt like some things were really off and needed to see a functional doctor, so I did. The doc made me do a stooltest which showed that I had a severe gut dysbiosis... I immediately made huge changes to my diet and switched to an organic paleo/keto diet, also on top of that I started a solid meditation practice. After a year time this provieded huge changes in my energy levels, attention span and mood. However one issue still remains... the skin issue: rosacea and eczema.
Since I already read the Ultramind Solution, some things were already known to me (probiotics, meditation, toxins,...). However through reading this book I learned about some new beneficial foods (artichok, hummus, bee pollen, brewers yeast, and activities (barefoot walking, seaswimming, essential oil baths) and hereby hope to have found a solution to my skin problems.
An interesting fact; while I may have considered essential oils as a bit wu-wu before, I will this time definitely drop my preconceived notions about them and try it out to see what gives.
Oils I'm considering buying after reading this book:
- Note when buying these; they are all about "good fit", don't force yourself to use a specific oil because you see your desired effect, choose the one that is most enjoyable to you.)
- Make sure they are certified organic therapeutic grade essential oils.
• Frankincense (wierook) is anti-inflammatory and lifts the spirits
• Lavender reduces stress and improves mood
• Myrrh (mirre) is a natural antispetic that supports beautiful skin
• Peppermint improves focus and energy and supports digestion
• Rose reduces skin inflammation and lifts moods
• Spikenard (nardus) reduces stress, calms inflamed skin, stimulates the immune system and increases spiritual awareness
• Vetiver has been proven to calm the neurological system and treating ADD, brain injuries and dementia
November 2, 2016
Excellent examination on the outcome of our modern day convenience-centered eating habits.
There is so much I learned from this book, so much I found fascinating, astounding, surprising and infuriating.
Some of it I knew, like the incredible health benefits from consuming kefir and fermented vegetables, but most of it I did not know.
I have changed a few of my buying and eating habits since reading this. It also makes a great companion read to Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes the knowledge in the two books compliment each other extremely well.
I wish the information in this book was common knowledge. It would really cut down on the disease epidemic in the U.S- an alarming amount of which, are preventable simply by taking better care of ourselves and making better choices about what we choose to put into and on our bodies. At some point it became "normal" to submerge oneself and household in a barrage of assaulting chemicals (via air fresheners, perfumes, plastics, cleaning product, cosmetics, teflon, detergent, VOCs etc) and it saddens me that such a massive percentage of the populace just accept it as okay, safe, and pass the habits onto children to perpetuate. I am glad Dr. Axe has begun the conversation about very serious aspects of our lives that we would all do better to change.
There is so much I learned from this book, so much I found fascinating, astounding, surprising and infuriating.
Some of it I knew, like the incredible health benefits from consuming kefir and fermented vegetables, but most of it I did not know.
I have changed a few of my buying and eating habits since reading this. It also makes a great companion read to Rosemary Gladstar's Herbal Recipes the knowledge in the two books compliment each other extremely well.
I wish the information in this book was common knowledge. It would really cut down on the disease epidemic in the U.S- an alarming amount of which, are preventable simply by taking better care of ourselves and making better choices about what we choose to put into and on our bodies. At some point it became "normal" to submerge oneself and household in a barrage of assaulting chemicals (via air fresheners, perfumes, plastics, cleaning product, cosmetics, teflon, detergent, VOCs etc) and it saddens me that such a massive percentage of the populace just accept it as okay, safe, and pass the habits onto children to perpetuate. I am glad Dr. Axe has begun the conversation about very serious aspects of our lives that we would all do better to change.
May 7, 2018
Some interesting ideas but mostly filler. Skim it or borrow it.
September 19, 2022
I have no idea why I read this but uhmm... interesting book
tldr; feel free to come consult me if you have a leaky gut (no please don't ever mention leaky guts to me again)
tldr; feel free to come consult me if you have a leaky gut (no please don't ever mention leaky guts to me again)
March 22, 2024
"Among His Signs in this, that He created you from dust; and then,- behold, ye are men scattered (far and wide)!"-30:20 Al Quran"
"Everybody taking antibiotics, the gut's diversity's overloaded
Every microbe twists, their cilia crossed
Everybody knows the treatment is over
Every doctor knows the good bacteria's lost"
In today's world, we are more hygienic than ever, yet paradoxically, we are also more ill than ever. We strive to sanitize everything from our floors with antibacterial cleaners to our hands with antibacterial hand wash. In his book, Dr. Josh explains why leaky gut is very common nowadays.
Our gut health is crucial because it serves as our second brain. If your gut microbiome is disrupted, our entire body will be affected. Our microbiota weighs approximately 2 to 6 pounds. Bacterial diversity maintains equilibrium throughout the entire system.
Dr. Axe offers a thorough examination of the gut microbiome, its role in health, and how modern lifestyles impact it. The book provides practical tips and guidelines for improving gut health, including dietary recommendations, probiotic supplementation, and stress management techniques.
Dr. Axe supports his recommendations with scientific research, making the book informative and credible. Complex concepts are explained in a clear and accessible manner, making the book suitable for readers with varying levels of scientific knowledge.
Dr. Axe shares personal stories and case studies, adding a relatable and human element to the book. Eat Dirt by Dr. Josh Axe is a valuable resource for anyone interested in improving their gut health and overall well-being. With its actionable advice, scientific foundation, and accessible style, it serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding and nurturing the gut microbiome.
Rana Dil Nawaz.
https://thelionstudios.com
"Everybody taking antibiotics, the gut's diversity's overloaded
Every microbe twists, their cilia crossed
Everybody knows the treatment is over
Every doctor knows the good bacteria's lost"
In today's world, we are more hygienic than ever, yet paradoxically, we are also more ill than ever. We strive to sanitize everything from our floors with antibacterial cleaners to our hands with antibacterial hand wash. In his book, Dr. Josh explains why leaky gut is very common nowadays.
Our gut health is crucial because it serves as our second brain. If your gut microbiome is disrupted, our entire body will be affected. Our microbiota weighs approximately 2 to 6 pounds. Bacterial diversity maintains equilibrium throughout the entire system.
Dr. Axe offers a thorough examination of the gut microbiome, its role in health, and how modern lifestyles impact it. The book provides practical tips and guidelines for improving gut health, including dietary recommendations, probiotic supplementation, and stress management techniques.
Dr. Axe supports his recommendations with scientific research, making the book informative and credible. Complex concepts are explained in a clear and accessible manner, making the book suitable for readers with varying levels of scientific knowledge.
Dr. Axe shares personal stories and case studies, adding a relatable and human element to the book. Eat Dirt by Dr. Josh Axe is a valuable resource for anyone interested in improving their gut health and overall well-being. With its actionable advice, scientific foundation, and accessible style, it serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding and nurturing the gut microbiome.
Rana Dil Nawaz.
https://thelionstudios.com
April 30, 2019
Good information on how to heal your gut. He goes into detail about the 5 gut types. Best book I have read about the subject so far
August 17, 2019
Made me want to start gardening. Good information and motivation to eat the way we used to. Appreciate the reminder on how getting back to basics will make us better.
June 8, 2023
pg 49 a medical geneticist suggests beingexposed to germs and certain infections a a young age to prime the immune system to defeat germs, viruses, and bad bacteria in the future.
so don't grab that sanitizer, get outside and play
"We've been waging our war in five main ways: oversanitizing our lives; eating processed, nonorganic foods; using modern conveniences that expose us to environmental toxins; living daily with unrelenting stress; and overmedicating. In doing so, we've ceded the battle for our microbiome and left our gut barrier wide open - and, ironically, completely vulnerable to the strains of bacteria that we were trying so hard to avoid in the first place."
pg 54 "our paranoia about germs has gotten out of hand. Ad it's not hurting the germs - it's hurting us."
pg72 Conventional dairy may also increase your risk of being overweight and even getting cancer.
pg 112 A real problem: pesticides and GMO's in Food Supply - the U.S. Senate launched an investigation into the decreasing quality of our soil, this is what it reported: "The alarming fact is that foods - fruits, vegetables and grains - now being raised on millions of acres of land that no longer contain enough of certain needed nutrients, are starving us - no matter how much we eat of them." That report was published in 1936.
pg 127 Chlorine in the water system increased the prevalence of antibiotic resistance among known bacteria, it also increased the number of brand-new antibiotic-resistant genes.
pg 136 . . . any mental stress, either short or long term, can alter the bacterial composition of the gut, favoring "nervous" strains of bugs. Countless studies have shown that depression is linked to health conditions such as IBS, chronc fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic pain, addiction, insulin resistance, and obesity.
pgs 140-141 Gut protector suggestions are given to relieve stress.
There are a few quiz questions followed by a chapter of which type of gut you have.
This book might be worth buying.
so don't grab that sanitizer, get outside and play
"We've been waging our war in five main ways: oversanitizing our lives; eating processed, nonorganic foods; using modern conveniences that expose us to environmental toxins; living daily with unrelenting stress; and overmedicating. In doing so, we've ceded the battle for our microbiome and left our gut barrier wide open - and, ironically, completely vulnerable to the strains of bacteria that we were trying so hard to avoid in the first place."
pg 54 "our paranoia about germs has gotten out of hand. Ad it's not hurting the germs - it's hurting us."
pg72 Conventional dairy may also increase your risk of being overweight and even getting cancer.
pg 112 A real problem: pesticides and GMO's in Food Supply - the U.S. Senate launched an investigation into the decreasing quality of our soil, this is what it reported: "The alarming fact is that foods - fruits, vegetables and grains - now being raised on millions of acres of land that no longer contain enough of certain needed nutrients, are starving us - no matter how much we eat of them." That report was published in 1936.
pg 127 Chlorine in the water system increased the prevalence of antibiotic resistance among known bacteria, it also increased the number of brand-new antibiotic-resistant genes.
pg 136 . . . any mental stress, either short or long term, can alter the bacterial composition of the gut, favoring "nervous" strains of bugs. Countless studies have shown that depression is linked to health conditions such as IBS, chronc fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic pain, addiction, insulin resistance, and obesity.
pgs 140-141 Gut protector suggestions are given to relieve stress.
There are a few quiz questions followed by a chapter of which type of gut you have.
This book might be worth buying.
December 27, 2016
Dr. Josh Axe introduces the concept of Leaky Gut, which is the root cause of a lot of modern diseases and health problems. Dr. Axe stresses that we need to have microbial diversity in our guts to keep our system in balance and maintain a healthy gut protective lining. This prevents pathogens, undigested food particles including toxins from entering our blood stream causing undesired immune responses and all sorts of health issues.
A large part of the book talks about the right kind of diet and life style. The author's points reinforce what I learned from a few other health books and there are some new ideas that stick out to me. For example, I learn that goat milk and goat milk yogurt is better than cow milk. And bone broth is the number one food that he recommends to nurture your gut lining. In addition, throughout the book, Dr. Axe stresses the importance of regular exposure to healthy food-based and soil-based bacteria and hence the appropriately title of the book.
I am impressed that Dr. Axe mixes some of the traditional Chinese medicine knowledge to his diet principles. A small portion of the book touches on the five elements in Chinese medicine and the concept of harmony and balance in the body and how they relate to the different gut types described in the book. For example, when he talks about the Candida gut, he references the dampness of the body, an important concept in Chinese medicine.
We are now living in an age where we have the information, resources and tools to have more control of our health by being more educated in health and nutritional sciences. This book is one of those books that I feel more educated after reading it and I will keep it in the health section on my bookshelf. Regarding how bacterial diversity link to one's health, this field is evolving and a lot of research is still going on. I am sure there will be more books coming out on this topic.
A large part of the book talks about the right kind of diet and life style. The author's points reinforce what I learned from a few other health books and there are some new ideas that stick out to me. For example, I learn that goat milk and goat milk yogurt is better than cow milk. And bone broth is the number one food that he recommends to nurture your gut lining. In addition, throughout the book, Dr. Axe stresses the importance of regular exposure to healthy food-based and soil-based bacteria and hence the appropriately title of the book.
I am impressed that Dr. Axe mixes some of the traditional Chinese medicine knowledge to his diet principles. A small portion of the book touches on the five elements in Chinese medicine and the concept of harmony and balance in the body and how they relate to the different gut types described in the book. For example, when he talks about the Candida gut, he references the dampness of the body, an important concept in Chinese medicine.
We are now living in an age where we have the information, resources and tools to have more control of our health by being more educated in health and nutritional sciences. This book is one of those books that I feel more educated after reading it and I will keep it in the health section on my bookshelf. Regarding how bacterial diversity link to one's health, this field is evolving and a lot of research is still going on. I am sure there will be more books coming out on this topic.
August 16, 2017
As I grow older, among other things, I continue to re-examine my life and the choices that I make in how I treat myself both mentally and physically. This book came recommended to me through one of the teacher - parent book clubs at my daughter's school. The book focuses on the human gut and how all of the processed food that we consume in the US, together with our quest to destroy as much as bacteria possible, and the high stress levels that we all face has thrown our bodies, and in particular our guts, out of whack. Dr. Axe then prescribes a comprehensive program that ranges from diet to supplements to essential oils to naturally made cleaning materials.
The great thing about this book is that it covers everything that you need to know. Plus, it provides information on Dr. Axe's website that rounds out some of the topics in more detail. The down side about the book is that there is so much information that it can be overwhelming at times. My goal is to start making smaller changes to see how things go.
Overall, a good book for people interested in developing more of a healthier living style.
The great thing about this book is that it covers everything that you need to know. Plus, it provides information on Dr. Axe's website that rounds out some of the topics in more detail. The down side about the book is that there is so much information that it can be overwhelming at times. My goal is to start making smaller changes to see how things go.
Overall, a good book for people interested in developing more of a healthier living style.
May 23, 2016
The book was grand in outline but not necessarily in execution. Perhaps his website will fill in the missing pieces, perhaps not. In one case a section was titled: "the siren call of the fridge and microwave", but then never said anything at all about microwaves. Because of situations like that and others, it brought up lots of questions, but didn't answer all of them. And some of it's answers just brought up more unanswered questions themselves. It made me want to change my family's diet, but didn't give a whole lot of doable ways to do that. It seemed to be more for city-living, rich folks than DIYers that can't afford natural food store prices, but it wasn't all bad. It definitely made me rethink some of the food items I had always thought of as "healthy".
August 19, 2016
I've been following Dr. Axe for a few years now, I subscribe to his newsletter, and read his blog and have heard him speak for many online "summits".
eat dirt is a comprehensive look at how our current lifestyle and diet is killing us. We're over sanitized and undernourished. We need to revert to eating fresh food straight out of the dirt, and ditch the hand sanitizers and bleach.
I myself quite like snacking on dirty carrots now and again. Just bang off the big chunks and eat it ;)
eat dirt is a comprehensive look at how our current lifestyle and diet is killing us. We're over sanitized and undernourished. We need to revert to eating fresh food straight out of the dirt, and ditch the hand sanitizers and bleach.
I myself quite like snacking on dirty carrots now and again. Just bang off the big chunks and eat it ;)
January 2, 2017
Infuriating. In one paragraph, he'd reference real, established science and in the next paragraph he'd reference a bullshit sham of a study from a vanity journal. His advice is a mishmash of solid science and promising theories jammed together with hokum and woo. It's infuriating because, questionable legitimacy of different "gut types" aside, much of the actionable advice is sensible...so WHY push those other bullshit theories? They just throw every other claim into question too.
March 24, 2019
I found parts of this book great (informative and well referenced), and other parts really inaccessible (so many rare and unusual food suggestions, and an almost excessive amount of suppliment suggestions) to the average person.
I will be making some changes to my diet as a result of reading this, but I probably won't follow his plan, and I won't be buying any of the suppliments.
Borrow it from a friend or library, but I wouldn't buy it.
I will be making some changes to my diet as a result of reading this, but I probably won't follow his plan, and I won't be buying any of the suppliments.
Borrow it from a friend or library, but I wouldn't buy it.
December 28, 2017
Reader proceed with caution and "read" between the lines. 90% of the stuff he recommends in his book is carefully worded as:
"it's suggested that..." or "believed to contain..." These aren't definitive statements and if you go to his site, stuff he recommends is an affiliate link to Amazon where he makes money off you.
"it's suggested that..." or "believed to contain..." These aren't definitive statements and if you go to his site, stuff he recommends is an affiliate link to Amazon where he makes money off you.
January 30, 2024
This was well-written and easy to read. As with most health focuses, he tends to put all problems under one cause. Some of the material is contradictory to what I personally think based on my own chronic illness and healing journey. So I don’t necessarily adhere to everything he presents, but there are still a lot of good takeaways.
July 28, 2016
An interesting read...
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