1. Our Healthy Gut Microbiome
Dr. Shelly Clevidence, ND

2. No Conflict of Interest
I have no personal financial relationships with commercial interests relevant to this educational activity within the past 12 months.

3. What is a Naturopathic Doctor
Doctor level practitioner of natural medicine
Diagnosis
Use traditional methods to aid diagnosis
Patient history
Complete & relevant physical exam
Laboratory & imaging diagnostics
In addition, work to gain an understanding of patient’s lifestyle with special attention to diet, exercise and other factors in context of the major stressors in the patient’s life.
Core competencies within accredited schools can be downloaded here:
competencies-graduating-naturopathic-physicians/

4. Licensure Efforts in Virginia
Naturopathic Physicians are licensed in 17 states across America
The Virginia Association of Naturopathic Medicine is working to extend licensure to practicing naturopathic doctors in Virginia
licensure

5. The 6 Principles of Naturopathic Medicine
First Do No Harm
The Healing Power of Nature
Find and Treat the Cause(s)
: Utilize the most natural, least toxic natural approaches
: Trust in the patient’s inherent wisdom & capacity to heal
: Look beyond symptoms to underlying cause(s)

6. The 6 Principles of Naturopathic Medicine
Doctor as Teacher
Treat the Whole Person
Prevention
: Educate individuals in steps to attaining and maintaining health
: Understand the patient as an integrated whole with physical, emotional, spiritual and cognitive dimensions
: Emphasis on overall health, wellness & preventive measures

7. What Is Our Microbiome? Bacteria envelope our body
Around 100 trillion
10:1- bacteria to human cell ratio
Viruses have a 10:1 ratio with bacteria in the gut
Over 5,600 separate species and strains of bacteria can inhabit the gut
Each person has their own individual assortment of species
Beneficial microbes crowd out pathogenic organisms and compete for nutrients

8. What Are Healthy Gut Bacteria?
What does it mean to have a more or less diverse population?
Incr diversity =

9. What Are Healthy Gut Bacteria?
Some benefits of having healthy gut bacteria?
Counteract inflammation and control the growth of disease-causing bacteria
The create a strong intestinal lining
Produce vitamins and neurotransmitters, help with absorption of minerals
Control asthma and reduce allergy risks
Benefit mood and mental health
Fight obesity

10. What Factors Negatively Impact our Microbiome
Exposure to substances that kill or decrease beneficial bacteria
Lack of nutrients that feed healthy bacteria
Stress
Environmental chemicals, chlorine, sugar, antibiotics
Fiber,
Cortisol

11. Potential Negative Effects of Unhealthy Balance
Obesity
Have less diverse gut microbiome
More Firmicutes, and less Bacteroidetes
“Gut bacterial transplants” have shown to change metabolism in people
Firmicutes - grow on sugar (so lower simple carbs too), are needed to absorb fats //// cells life span is a matter of hours – so diet can really make a difference!!!
Bacteroidetes – beans are the best food to feed bacteroidetes, increase fiber

12. Potential Negative Effects of Unhealthy Balance
Allergies, asthma, eczema
Inflammation 
Leaky Gut Syndrome 
Large proteins enter the body
Redness swelling pain heat
Desmosomes – proteins go between the cells

13. Potential Negative Effects of Unhealthy Balance
A Few Effects on the Brain
Decreased Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
Decreased neurotransmitter production
Increased Lipopolysaccharides in the body

14. Potential Negative Effects of Unhealthy Balance
Unhealthy microbes create inflammation
Inflammation creates heat, swelling…
Creates gaps in the gut epithelia
Allows large proteins to enter, along with the lipopolysaccharide layer of Gram negative bacteria (like E. coli)
LPS crosses the blood brain barrier to create inflammation in the brain
LPS is implicated in Alzheimer’s, autism, & depression/anxiety

15. The Immune System
Gut bacteria interact with the lymphocytes in the GALT (Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissue) to develop a fully functioning immune system.
The GALT represents 70-80% of our body’s total immune system
Links btwn genes that turn on in babies gut bacteria and babies immune system
A 2012 study found that whether babies are fed breast milk or formula influences the composition of their gut bacteria, and in turn, the development of their immune system.

16. What might you do in the next few months to strengthen your microbiome?
If abx in last 6 months take high dose probiotics

17. Supplementation
Different probiotics do different things but a wide range of strains from different sources is the best
These 5 have been well studied
Lactobacillus plantarum
Lactobacillus acidophilus
Lactobacillus brevis
Bifidobacterium lactis
Bifidobacterium longum

18. Feeding Your Microbiome
Fermented foods
Bubbies sauerkraut
Homemade kefir &/or yogurt
Kimchi
Kombucha tea

19. Feeding Your Microbiome
Eat Low-Carb
Eat Good Quality Fats

20. Feeding Your Microbiome
Eat Your Prebiotics
Prebiotics are found naturally in foods like leeks, asparagus, chicory, Jerusalem artichokes, garlic, onions, wheat, oats, and soybeans
A fiber supplement provides prebiotics as well – soluble fiber
Acacia fiber

21. Feeding Your Microbiome
Take in Flavanoids such as Polyphenols in moderation
Wine
Tea
Coffee
Chocolate

22. Caring For Your Microbiome
Drink Filtered Water
Carbon filtration is fine
Put a Filter on Your Showerhead

23. Caring For Your Microbiome
Fast With Every Change of the Season
If you haven’t ever fasted it can be useful to seek out someone who has experience to help you.
If you don’t have preexisting medical issues then after a few assisted fasts you most likely will be able to do them on your own

24. Sauerkraut Recipe Equipment: Ingredients: 1 gallon ceramic crock
Plate to cover
Heavy weight (I will use a ½ gallon ball jar filled with water)
Cloth to cover the crock
Ingredients:
5 pounds cabbage
3 tablespoons salt

25. Sauerkraut Recipe Directions: Chop up cabbage and add salt
Let it sit and sweat for ½ hour
Put it in the crock and punch it down to pack it in
Cover with the plate and put the weight on it
Check in ½ hour and see that cabbage water has risen over the cabbage and cabbage is wholly submerged beneath the plate

26. Sauerkraut Recipe
Cover with cloth and set in a corner away from direct sun
Check in 4 days and skim off any foam, with a CLEAN utensil taste the cabbage
Continue checking until it has the sour taste desired
Around 2-3 weeks
Set in clean jars and put in fridge
Enjoy!

27. Supplementation DHA Tumeric Coconut oil Alpha-lipoic Acid Vitamin D
makes up more than 90% of the omega-3 fatty acids of the brain
Coconut oil – anti inflammatory and super fuel for the brain
Alpha-lipoic Acid – needed for energy production

28. Resources Wild Fermentation, by Sandor Katz GEMcultures.com
Facebook group: Fermenter’s Kitchen
USDA database: shows fiber amounts (among others) in individual foods
Dr Shelly Clevidence, ND
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