In this week’s episode, Dr. Fiona Lovely speaks with Gerardo Gutierrez – “Guti”, founder of Mitolux, about one of the most overlooked pillars of wellness: sunlight. After facing pre-diabetes, low testosterone, and depression, Gerardo turned away from lifelong medications and toward natural healing. His recovery began with daily sun exposure—a simple shift that dramatically improved his hormone levels, mood, and overall vitality.

Gerardo now educates others on the science of light: how UVB, red, and infrared wavelengths support vitamin D production, hormone balance, mental clarity, and even skin health. He also shares why he created the Mitolux lamp—to help people safely access the benefits of sunlight indoors, especially in modern lifestyles that keep us indoors and afraid of the sun.

If you’ve ever wondered whether sunlight could be more healing than harmful, this episode is a must-listen.

Topics We Cover in This Episode:

• How Guti reversed chronic health issues using sunlight instead of pharmaceuticals
• Why UVB, red, and infrared light are essential for hormone health, energy, and mood
• The truth about sunscreen and how some types can disrupt hormones
• How light therapy supports skin, collagen, anti-aging, and even libido
• Why Mitolux was born—to safely replicate the sun’s full healing spectrum at home
  

You can learn more at Mitolux.com,  and please follow Guti on Instagram @mitoluxusa.

 Get the Vitamin D book for Free here!!  (PS…Add it to your cart, it becomes free there.)

The post Sunlight’s Healing Power: Finding Health in your own Backyard first appeared on Dr. Fiona Lovely.

The perimenopausal weight gain is a real thing, driven by those fluctuating estrogen levels messing with our metabolism, appetite, and fat storage. It’s not just about those extra pounds; it’s about the increased risk for things like heart issues and type 2 diabetes, which, let’s be honest, none of us have time for!

HRT helps to keep symptoms at bay and our systems strong, and daily enjoyable activity as well as being mindful of our calorie intake (because our bodies do change as we age), helps to keep excess weight at bay.  Add in the exciting potential of Calocurb®, that natural supplement from New Zealand hops that works by gently nudging our gut to release those all-important fullness signals called satiety.

But since my podcast episode with Sarah Kennedy of Calocurb and our last conversation, my inbox has been buzzing with your brilliant questions, and a lot of them touch on something I’ve been passionate about: the power of our gut-brain connection and the role of GLP-1.

You see, for years, my clinical observation has led me to suspect that many of us are walking around with a functional GLP-1 deficiency. Think of GLP-1 as one of your body’s natural superheroes for appetite control. It tells your brain you’re satisfied, slows down digestion, and helps regulate blood sugar.

Now, enter Calocurb®. What’s so fascinating is that this all-natural extract actually acts as a GLP-1 activator. It gently encourages your gut’s L-cells to get back in the game and boost your own GLP-1 production. We’re talking about potentially a 600% increase compared to your baseline in studies! This isn’t some synthetic fix; it’s about supporting your body’s innate ability to regulate appetite.

Think about the studies we talked about: that almost 20% reduction in calories consumed after taking Calocurb®, and the impressive reduction in hunger and cravings during fasting windows. And for us ladies, the data even suggests we might be more sensitive to GLP-1’s effects.

Now, some of you have asked how this relates to the buzz around pharmaceutical GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic and Mounjaro. These medications are powerful, and they work by mimicking the effects of GLP-1. However, they’re also prescription medications with potential side effects, and importantly, research suggests that long-term use can sometimes reduce your body’s own natural GLP-1 production.

This is where I see a real potential sweet spot for Calocurb, especially for those of you in perimenopause dealing with that gradual weight creep. It offers a natural way to support your own GLP-1 production without the need for prescriptions or injections. Think of it as “GLP-1 lite” – a gentler approach to help you feel fuller sooner, manage portions, and tame those pesky cravings that can derail our best intentions, especially when hormonal fluctuations are throwing us for a loop.

And for those of you who might have used pharmaceutical GLP-1 agonists in the past, Calocurb may even help your gut’s L-cells “wake up” again (once you decide to stop taking the medication) and start producing more of your own GLP-1. It’s like giving them a little exercise routine!

Now, is Calocurb going to give you the same intense appetite suppression as a high dose of a pharmaceutical GLP-1 agonist? Absolutely not. It’s a different ballgame entirely. But for many of you looking for a natural way to regain control over your appetite during this menopausal transition, and perhaps even support your body after using stronger medications, it’s definitely worth considering.

In fact, for those of you who simply don’t want to go down the prescription route, or who are just looking for a natural way to manage those extra few pounds that seem to have appeared out of nowhere, Calocurb could be a fantastic option to try. (You can use code LOVELY10 for 10% off your first order!)

You’ve got more tools in your perimenopause and menopause toolkit than you might realize. Understanding the hormonal shifts is key, and then exploring options like mindful nutrition, and perhaps a natural GLP-1 activator like Calocurb, can make a real difference in how you feel and how your body navigates this transition.

You’ve got this! Let’s embrace this journey with knowledge and empower ourselves to feel our absolute best.

The post The Science-Backed Way to Tackle Perimenopause Weight Gain first appeared on Dr. Fiona Lovely.

In this week’s episode, Dr. Fiona Lovely is joined by Lisa Kilgour—Registered Holistic Nutritionist, TEDx speaker, and author of Undieting: Freedom from the Bewildering World of Fad Diets—for a compassionate and eye-opening conversation about the gut-brain connection and why most diets are set up to fail, especially for women in midlife.

Lisa shares her personal health journey, from musician to holistic nutritionist, and unpacks the deep relationship between our gut, brain, and emotional well-being. Together, she and Dr. Lovely explore why bioindividuality matters, what cravings are actually telling us, and how to rebuild trust with our bodies after years of diet culture messaging.

You’ll also hear a powerful discussion about the societal pressure on women to be thin, how diet culture often disguises female obedience, and why real health means strength, not shrinking.

Topics We Cover in This Episode:

• Why diets fail: your body isn’t broken, just bioindividual
• What cravings really mean—and why they’re not a weakness
• The truth about protein needs and why 150g/day isn’t for everyone
• How carbs support hormones, sleep, and energy in midlife
• The deeper harm of diet culture and why strength matters more than thinness

You can find more about Lisa Kilgour at lisakilgour.com Follow her on Instagram and TikTok @lisakilgournutrition, and grab a copy of her book Undieting—available now.

Love this episode? Share it with a woman who’s ready to ditch diet culture for good. 💛

Thank you to our sponsors for this episode:

💙🌿BEAM Minerals to help with stress related depletion – this is your 2025 pro-health move!  Did you know that chronic stress can zap your energy and your minerals?  You FEEL better quickly, with this easy to take supplement – replenishing all lost minerals.  Give BEAM a try – beamminerals.com and use the code LOVELY for 20% off your first order!

🩵 Protein struggles? Same, friend. But I found a game-changer—KION Aminos! This tasty, mix-in-your-water powder is packed with the essential aminos your body and brain need to feel amazing.  Since adding it to my daily routine, I’ve got more energy, laser focus, and just feel way more like myself. 😍⚡️ Wanna feel the magic too? Snag 20% off your order at getkion.com/lovely—you’re gonna love it! 💃✨

The post Cravings, Hunger, H-angry and Our Changing Food Needs at Menopause with Lisa Kilgour first appeared on Dr. Fiona Lovely.

In this week’s episode, Dr. Fiona Lovely sits down with Angelo Keely, nutrition and protein optimization enthusiast.  Together, they dive into the powerful, science-backed role of protein and amino acids in supporting women’s health—especially in midlife and beyond.

Angelo unpacks why protein needs actually increase with age, particularly for women going through menopause. From fighting muscle loss (sarcopenia) to supporting bone health, metabolism, and mood, getting enough high-quality protein is essential—but often overlooked.

You’ll learn smart strategies to meet your protein goals without overeating, the key differences between protein powders and essential amino acids (EAAs), and how targeted supplements like creatine and EAAs can dramatically boost muscle and cognitive health—even without intense workouts.

They also address the risks of rapid weight loss with GLP-1 medications (like Ozempic or Zepbound), and how pairing these with resistance training and amino acid support can help preserve lean mass and vitality.

Topics We Cover in This Episode:

• Why women over 40 need more protein, not less
• How sarcopenia sneaks in—and how to stop it
• High-protein food tips: egg whites, Greek yogurt, lean meats & more
• EAAs vs. protein powder: what your body really absorbs
• NASA studies, amino acids & maintaining muscle without exercise
• Creatine for women: not just for gym bros
• GLP-1s & supporting strong muscles when taking it
• Simple, sustainable tips for strong, energized aging

You can find more about Angelo and KION and about the Aminos product we speak about in this epsiode by visiting getkion.com/lovely (and there is a 20% off code – LOVELY)

“Breathe. Be patient. Trust the process.” – Angelo Keely

🎧Tune in for this empowering conversation and discover how to fuel your body for strength, longevity, and vitality—no matter your age. 🎙️💪

Thank you to our sponsor for this episode:

🩵 Protein struggles? Same, friend. But I found a game-changer—KION Aminos! This tasty, mix-in-your-water powder is packed with the essential aminos your body and brain need to feel amazing.  Since adding it to my daily routine, I’ve got more energy, laser focus, and just feel way more like myself. 😍⚡️ Wanna feel the magic too? Snag 20% off your order at getkion.com/lovely—you’re gonna love it! 💃✨

The post Confused About Protein? Clearing Up Protein Optimization with Angelo Keely first appeared on Dr. Fiona Lovely.

Are you feeling the effects of poor nutrient absorption? 

Let’s talk about magnesium. Without this mineral, 300+ processes that keep you alive will cease. About 50% of us don’t absorb enough of this essential mineral for optimal cellular energy production, sleep, cognitive function, strong bones, and nervous system health.  

Why don’t we absorb this? Well, our soil is magnesium-deficient, and nutrient-poor soil grows nutrient-deficient plants. Alcohol and common medications, interfere with absorption in an already low intake. Digestive and autoimmune conditions, compound the problem. Then stress steals your hard-earned magnesium and leaves you thinking maybe you’re not performing at your best. 

It’s a similar story with the vitamin C.  Vitamin C, for example, requires a special protein to transport it from the digestive system to the cells where it’s needed to produce collagen, support immune function, and fight oxidative stress. Problem is, your body doesn’t make enough of these specialty proteins to transport the Vitamin C deluge from a standard supplement, and the excess leaves your body before doing anything other than possibly upsetting your stomach. 

Even modern supplements can be left without the vitamin ever landing in the cells! 

Liposome encapsulation can help you feel like you again 

To power elite absorption of these critical nutrients, get to know liposome encapsulation technology. Liposomes are microscopic spheres that bypass absorption barriers to transport critical nutrients into the bloodstream while protecting from digestive destruction. Because they are made of the same essential phospholipids that comprise the cell membrane, liposomes can easily assimilate into the cell to deliver vital nutrients to the cell’s power center.  

Not only do liposomes help cells absorb the nutrients that keep you alive, they feed the cells phospholipids that tend to wane in adulthood.  

The pharmaceutical industry has been using this technology since the 1970s to deliver life-saving drugs, but it wasn’t until 2004 that LivOn Labs introduced Lypo-Spheric® Vitamin C, the first dietary supplement to target the cells with liposome encapsulation technology. Twenty years later, the female-led, family-owned and operated company has expanded its high-absorption line to include critical supplements for midlife women, Lypo-Spheric® B Complex Plus and Lypo-Spheric® Magnesium. 

Lypo-Spheric® B Complex Plus includes an optimal dose of all the B vitamins to support mood, metabolism, cognitive function, and normal blood sugar. It features a methylated folate for all the MTHFR ladies, as well as thyroid-supporting minerals selenium and zinc. 

Lypo-Spheric® Magnesium is nicknamed The Ultimate Brain Supplement due to its powerful combination of magnesium l-threonate — the only compound shown to raise magnesium levels in the brain where you need it for memory, learning, and relaxation — and choline for neurotransmitter production. 

Because of how important these nutrients are for women in midlife, LivOn Labs is offering a special deal for Not Your Mother’s Menopause listeners to save $56 on a month’s worth of vital supplements for mood, metabolism, sleep, cognition, collagen production, and a whole lot more.  

Go to LivOnLabs.com/Lovely and add the Midlife Bundle to your cart to get Lypo-Spheric® Vitamin B Complex Plus, Vitamin C, and Magnesium for $56 less than buying all three individually. 

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. 

This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. 

The post Why Nutrient Absorption Matters  first appeared on Dr. Fiona Lovely.

As we enter the decades of life where our wisdom and priorities finally reach their maturity, our health starts to make life harder for us.

We might want to enjoy a long hike through beautiful nature more than ever, but our stamina and joints may not want to cooperate anymore. 

We might want to value fitness more, but our body starts taking days to recover from one workout. 

Everything our minds finally appreciate- from helping our community and loved ones, to applying well-honed talents in our career, suddenly has to battle our energy levels that didn’t use to hold us back.

A big reason that our 40’s, 50’s and beyond introduce all these negative aspects of aging into our lives, is senescent cell accumulation. 

How Senescent Cell Accumulation Ages Us

Every day, billions of your cells die (and billions more are created). 

When we’re young, this process of your body eliminating old cells and replacing them with young cells, occurs at nearly the same rate through a process called apoptosis. 

But past age 30, our bodies begin to eliminate our old cells less easily. 

They tend to linger around, long after their useful function, wasting our energy and nutrition, without providing any health benefits in return. This “lingering” quality to old senescent cells, is why they’re also nicknamed “zombie cells”.

We want them gone to make room for younger, healthier cells, but they just hang out; almost like a house plant with some old yellow leaves on it that need pruned off to make room for young, green leaves to grow. 

And in time, with more and more senescent cells accumulating in us past age 30, our tissue repair and maintenance can become less efficient, introducing all sorts of common aging symptoms such as: 

• More joint discomfort. 
• Slower workout recoveries. 
• Less physical and mental energy. 
• Or simply put, we start “feeling old”. 

A Groundbreaking Discovery In 2015 Changed Everything

For decades, nutritional science could offer no solutions for helping our bodies naturally eliminate senescent cells so we can age better. 

But in 2015, two of America’s top research institutions (Mayo Clinic and Scripps Research) discovered a class of plant-derived compounds that actually promote our body’s ability to eliminate senescent cells.* 

And in the last decade, more and more of these plant-derived compounds have been identified, and in some cases, even standardized to ensure potency, such as:

• Fisetin: This flavonoid, found in fruits like strawberries and persimmons, has been shown to support the body’s ability to clear senescent cells.*
• Piperlongumine: Derived from the long pepper plant, this compound helps the body eliminate damaged cells, supporting both immune health and cellular function.*
• Quercefit®: A highly bioavailable form of quercetin, Quercefit® is absorbed much more efficiently than regular quercetin, making it incredibly effective at helping the body clear stressed cells and supporting healthy cellular behavior.*
• Senactiv®: A combination of notoginseng root and chestnut rose fruit, Senactiv® promotes muscle health, enhances recovery, and helps the body clear senescent cells from muscle tissue specifically.*

This class of zombie cell slaying ingredients are now commonly referred to as “senolytics”.

The word senolytic in latin literally translates to “destroy the old” (as in old senescent cells). 

So problem solved, right? 

Not so fast. 

Unfortunately, zombie cells earned their nickname for a reason. They are stubborn in their refusal to die off and make room for young healthy cells. 

So you can’t just take a random senolytic ingredient in a random dose, by itself, and make much of a difference in your senescent cell load. 

You need to take these ingredients in combination with each other (because they each function in different ways to help the body eliminate senescent cells), and you need dosages that are sufficient to actually help eliminate them.* 

My Nutritional Pick For (Actually) Slaying Your Zombie Cells 

For the reasons stated above, one clinically tested health formula that actually gets zombie cell slaying right, is Qualia Senolytic.*^†

Two things make Qualia Senolytic stand out: how comprehensive it is, and, how simple it is to take. 

Qualia Senolytic combines *nine* plant-based, non-GMO, gluten-free ingredients (including all the ones mentioned above) into one formula, that work in concert with each other to help disrupt all the various ways zombie cells linger on.* 

And here’s the kicker…you only have to take Qualia Senolytic two days a month!

There’s no point in buying a supplement or formula too complicated or time-consuming for you to actually use as intended, but two days a month?!?! Anyone can manage that! 

And in my experience, the difference it makes can be noticed in as little as a month or two. When you start doing something about senescent cell accumulation? It truly feels like the youthful vitality of your body is reignited.*^† 

You’re essentially reinvigorating a hallmark of youthfulness when your body is better equipped to clear out zombie cells as it should. And the health benefits of doing so are immeasurable, from lifestyle, to mindset, to actually feeling like you can apply decades worth of wisdom and clear priorities to your daily life, without being hindered by the lower energy, uncooperative joints, and feeling too old to truly live life.* 

How To Try Qualia Senolytic

If you’re ready to experience the benefits of senolytics for yourself, you can try Qualia Senolytic risk-free with a 100-day money-back guarantee. 

Right now, there’s a chance to try it at 50% off through this link if you click here, and by using the code FIONA15 at checkout, you can get an additional 15% off your order!

The science is clear, the financial risk is none, and the rewards are real—so it’s well worth letting how your own body feels after a couple months, speak for itself.

The Bottom Line: Poor Aging Doesn’t Have to Define Your Future

Senolytics are being hailed as a revolutionary advancement in aging research. This is the first time we’ve had a way to nutritionally target one of the most fundamental hallmarks of aging.* 

If you look at photos of people in their 60s from a century ago, it’s easy to see how much older they looked compared to people of the same age today. Advances in aging science are allowing us to age with grace—and now, with the help of senolytics, we can actively age better and experience vitality for decades.*

While clean diet, regular exercise, and quality sleep should be the staples of healthy aging, senolytics give us a new addition to our toolkit to help us age extremely well.* 

By addressing aging at the cellular level, we can now extend youthful vitality in ways that previous generations could only dream of.*

The future is now when it comes to advanced nutritional tools to age better than past generations could have hoped for. 

Start taking advantage of these tools now, and your future-you will thank you decades from now.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

†Disclaimer: This review represents the personal experience and opinions of the author, and is not a guarantee, promise, or reflection of other users’ results.  The author was provided [free product/compensation] in exchange for this endorsement.

The post The (Ridiculously Simple) Aging Breakthrough For The 40+ Crowd first appeared on Dr. Fiona Lovely.

With all that in mind, it’s no surprise that one of the most common menopause symptoms is burnout. The chronic stress most of us experience in this phase of life can wear you down after a while. 

This is why taking minerals during menopause is crucial business. Increasing your mineral stores is one of the best ways to boost your body’s resilience to stress (and it’s good for easing other symptoms too!). The right mineral supplement can make you feel better within days, and it’s a lifesaver if you’ve been struggling with burnout. 

What Are The Symptoms Of Burnout?

Burnout is a state of mental and physical exhaustion that happens when you’re stressed for a long time without a break. It’s common in new mothers, people in demanding careers—and, of course, in those of us going through perimenopause. 

Symptoms of burnout include:

• Constant fatigue
• Poor sleep
• Headaches
• Muscle or joint pain
• Sudden weight gain
• Depression
• Anxiety or dread
• Hopelessness
• Loss of interest in things you normally enjoy
• Procrastination at work
• Trouble concentrating
• Decreased productivity
• Irritability or mood swings
• Relying on food, alcohol, or drugs to cope

If several of these symptoms apply to you and you’ve been under a lot of stress lately, there’s a good chance you have burnout. It’s more common than you might think: a 2023 Gallup poll found that 52% of American workers report burnout from chronic stress. [*]

Minerals Help You Recover From Burnout

If you think you have burnout, there’s a simple way to help ease it: take a good mineral supplement!

It sounds surprising, but getting more minerals makes a huge difference in your capacity for handling stress, as well as how quickly you recover from it. 

Constantly stress is expensive for your body, and it’s especially hard on your mineral stores. A 2020 review found that stress depletes a variety of minerals, including magnesium, potassium, calcium, selenium, zinc, and iron. [*]

Even worse, that mineral depletion makes you more susceptible to future stress. Researchers call this the vicious circle theory: stress depletes your minerals, which impairs your body’s ability to regulate stress, which further depletes your minerals, and so on, trapping you in a negative spiral of continuous chronic stress. [*]

But if you replenish your mineral stores you can reverse that process. 

• A 2013 study found that a full-spectrum mineral supplement decreased stress, fatigue, and anxiety in burned out adults. [*]

• A 2017 review found that magnesium relieved both mental and physical symptoms of stress, as well as reducing anxiety. [*]

• A 2021 study found that selenium is especially good for reversing cognitive deficits caused by stress, including impaired memory and mood swings. [*]

Minerals make a big difference for burnout—and as a bonus, research shows they also relieve hot flashes, [*] low mood, [*] and inflammatory pain [*] during menopause or perimenopause. 

That’s why I’ve decided to partner with BEAM Minerals. They make supplementing easy—every mineral you need for stress and perimenopause, in the right ratios, all in a single liquid supplement. It tastes like water and refills all your mineral stores at once.  It truly has no flavour!

If you’re struggling with burnout during menopause, give BEAM Minerals a try with the code LOVELY. They’re one of the best things you can take for gentle, effective stress relief. 

I’m close with BEAM’s founder, Caroline, so I got a special discount for my readers. Be sure you use code LOVELY at checkout for 20% off your first order! 

The post Recovering From Burnout With Plant-Based Minerals first appeared on Dr. Fiona Lovely.

Anemia is defined by a deficiency of red blood cells or haemoglobin in the blood. These important elements carry oxygen to all the tissues of the brain and body. There are different types of anemia but a common one for women in the perimenopausal years (35-55) is iron deficiency anemia. This means that your red blood cells cannot carry a sufficient amount of oxygen to your brain and body leading to fatigue.

If you know you have anemia, it’s important to know what type of anemia you have so that you may supplement your diet accordingly. Your last lab tests will give the clues about what kind of anemia you are experiencing. For example: you may have a deficiency of B12 or folate (vitamin B9) which can easily be supplemented with a high quality vitamin like we carry in our AST dispensary.

Iron should be replenished by our diet. Dark green leafy veggies, lentils, liver, red meat, and fish are good sources. If you are eating a veggie-forward diet, please be sure to consume foods high in vitamin C with your meals to help with absorption of iron. Cooking in a cast iron pan will also impart iron into the foods you consume.

It helps to understand that a woman loses iron monthly with her menstrual bleed, so you must be replenishing this lost iron continuously. If she has fibroids or endometriosis or short cycles or is bleeding heavily, then this loss of resources can be difficult to keep up with requiring an iron supplement daily. There are many types of iron supplements, please speak to you practitioner to get the best one for you.

Want to know more about how to feel better and have more energy? Please tune into Episode 086 of the Not Your Mother’s Menopause podcast for tactical tools on how to correct anemia below.

The post Low energy? You could be anemic first appeared on Dr. Fiona Lovely.

Many experts are sharing the details on intermittent fasting – they are all over socials, the TV and quite a few books have been written on the subject.  

And do you wonder if it’s for you?  Have you tried it and found it was more difficult than you anticipated?  This is true for many women.  There can be a huge variation in how men do IF and how women can fast.  

For example: we should allow our menstrual cycle to dictate when and how long we fast.  Additionally, women shouldn’t fast every day of the week.  Turns out, our magnificent bodies require more resources at certain times of the month.  

Now, if you are already menopausal or your cycle isn’t regular, you can follow the cycle of the moon to know how best to fast for your body.  

Fasting not only helps you lose weight, it assists with creating blood sugar balance, better sleep, increased libido, reduces chronic inflammation and decreases the chronic disease risk factors of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, neurodegeneration and others.

Want to know more?  Please listen to Episode 69 and 76 of the Not Your Mother’s Menopause Podcast below for all the details on how to easily introduce intermittent fasting into your life. 

The post Fasting for Women first appeared on Dr. Fiona Lovely.

Recently, a panel of our own AST team experts took place to discuss the important topic of immunity. I had the pleasure of sharing the connections between the brain and the gut. Below are my takeaways for gut and brain health.

The human immune system is made up (in part) by the 4.4lbs of organisms (100 trillion of them!) which make up the human microflora, or microbiome and cells of the lining of the gut. The health and stability of the microbiome is what you are establishing and feeding when you take your daily probiotic. Think of it like a garden to be cultivated. They are bacteria, parasites, fungi, virus living within us and helping to regulate the system. They even contribute to our DNA, our genetic makeup and our ability to adapt to any environment. Poor diet, stress, chronic disease and antibiotic therapy will diminish or eliminate the bugs of our gut. You must re-seed the garden after antibiotics and it must be inoculated with a high quality probiotic supplement ongoing. I am often asked why it is important to eat organic – remember this, the pesticides, fungicides, etc that are sprayed on our produce are not fruit and vegetable selective!

They will kill off your microbiome too.

The health of these systems, the microbiome, your organ reserves and health and your voluntary inputs (nutrition, stress management, exercise, etc.) make up the terrain that dictates how healthy you are. Terrain is the term used to describe the inner environment of a human being. The health of the terrain explains why some get sick and some do not.

What can you do to help the health of your gut, assist with immunity?
Let’s look at stress. When you are experiencing stress, your defences diminish because the brain is sending resources to the stress response system. We are living through one of the most intensely stressful times in our history, so if you are feeling stress, you aren’t alone. Stress is our current way of life, it isn’t going away anytime soon, you cannot control it. But what you can control is your response to something stressful. Are there calming thoughts you can have when something stressful comes up? Meditation helps.

So, what are you consuming daily? News? Negative people? Toxic relationships, stinking thinking? Are you a complainer? Do you engage in drama? All of these things encourage you to have negative thinking and a survival response. When you are surviving, your blood flow shunts from the extremities to the core organs. Immune system takes a back seat to critical functions.

Now, a few more things to help gut health and thus, immunity too:

• Check your breathing? (One hand on chest, one on belly and eyes closed. Take three deep breaths. Which hand moves more?). Chest breathing happens when we are sympathetic dominant or in survival mode. When you breath shallowly, your brain gets the signal that you aren’t safe, which deepens the survival mode, it can last for years! So, soften belly while you breath, exhale longer than you inhale.

• Get your gut right by eating the foods which heal rather than inflame the lining of your intestines. Identify food allergies and eliminate them. Eat probiotic and prebiotic foods, supplement daily.

• Have a gratitude habit. Start to recognize where and what and whom you can be thankful for.

• Gratitude lowers inflammation, boosts immunity and makes you better looking too!

  Healthy mind = healthy brain = healthy gut = healthy immunity = health.

Access the Zoom recording below. The passcode is STAYHEALTHY2020!

The post The Connection Between The Brain and The Gut: Supporting Your Immune System first appeared on Dr. Fiona Lovely.