Gut Health (Private Class Only)
Download all slides and text (zip file) or download and copy/paste individually below.
Download all slides and text (zip file) or download and copy/paste individually below.
Download all slides and text (zip file) or download and copy/paste individually below.
WELCOME
Hey, friend! We are so, so glad that you are here and joining us for this class all about gut health!! Gut health is so important, and we are crazy grateful that we have so much at our disposal to be able to support the health of our bellies.
Just a quick little disclaimer — we’re not doctors or medical professionals. We’re just lovers of Young Living, seeking to live lives of wellness, purpose, and abundance. We always encourage you to run things by a medical professional!
As we get started, let us know — have you tried any Young Living products yet for gut health??
WHY A HAPPY GUT MATTERS
Did you know that 80-90% of your immune system resides in your gut? Our gut flora is the game changer in managing our immunity, and a lot of it has to do with the quality and diversity of the bacteria in our gut.
Do you think about the bacteria in your gut very often? It sounds like a silly question, but if you haven’t thought about it before, I encourage you to start thinking about it now!
In the medical world, the connection between our immune systems and the state of our guts is rapidly becoming a big point of research, and correlations are being found between those with different diseases and the state of the gut. Those with a healthy microbiome — a gut filled with good and diverse bacteria have stronger immune systems than those who have less diverse bacteria or who have a GI system overloaded with harmful bacteria.
Gut health is being linked to all types of diseases — cancer, IBS, autoimmune diseases, and more. When our immune systems are out of whack, it can even impact our emotions. So, having a happy gut is vital to ongoing health!
FEED THE GOOD, GET RID OF THE BAD
Given that having healthy bacteria is so vital to overall health, we want to make sure that we are doing the best that we can to create an environment within our guts for it to continue to flourish without giving space for bad bacteria to overgrow and take over. Eating nutrient dense foods is a wonderful way to nourish our guts and help our bodies to create important digestive enzymes to properly digest our foods, as well as feed the good bacteria that we need.
Here are some signs that you might have an imbalance of healthy gut flora (aka too much of the bad stuff!):
+ Constipation
+ Excess intestinal gas
+ Too little or no intestinal gas
+ Excessive bloating after meals
+ Chronic diarrhea
+ Chronic bad breath
+ Hormonal problems
+ PMS
+ Menstrual complaints
+ Prostate trouble
+ Breast enlargement in men
+ Need for sexual hormone medication
+ Candida overgrowth
+ Chronic anemia
+ Chronic respiratory problems
+ Dairy product allergies or intolerances
+ Vitamin D deficiencies
+ High cholesterol levels
+ Chronic bladder infections
And more!
Do you experience anything on this list? Then it may be time to consider how you can support the gut and make sure we are feeding all that good bacteria so it can do its job!!
THE GUT/BRAIN CONNECTION
Have you ever had a “gut-wrenching” experience? Do certain situations make you “feel nauseous”? Have you ever felt “butterflies” in your stomach? We use these expressions for a reason. The gastrointestinal tract is sensitive to emotion. Anger, anxiety, sadness, elation — all of these feelings (and others) can trigger symptoms in the gut.
The brain has a direct effect on the stomach. For example, the very thought of eating can release the stomach’s juices before food gets there. This connection goes both ways. A troubled intestine can send signals to the brain, just as a troubled brain can send signals to the gut. Therefore, a person’s stomach or intestinal distress can be the cause or the product of anxiety, stress, or depression. That’s because the brain and the gastrointestinal (GI) system are intimately connected.
This is especially true in cases where a person experiences gastrointestinal upset with no obvious physical cause. For such functional GI disorders, it is difficult to try to heal a distressed gut without considering the role of stress and emotion. In fact, there is even a term for this gut/brain connection — the gut is considered your second brain. Hidden in the walls of the digestive system, this “brain in your gut” is revolutionizing medicine’s understanding of the links between digestion, mood, health and even the way you think. Scientists call this little brain the enteric nervous system (ENS). And it’s not so little. The ENS is two thin layers of more than 100 million nerve cells lining your gastrointestinal tract from esophagus to rectum. More and more studies are coming out linking anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders with gut health.
So literally a happy gut = a happier life!
THE IMPORTANCE OF PROBIOTICS
Probiotics are beneficial organisms, most of which are normally found in the healthy human gastrointestinal tract. Many different strains of probiotic organisms are in use, which have different but overlapping benefits. Probiotic organisms work through several interrelated mechanisms to promote health at the molecular level. They conquer potentially dangerous organisms in the intestine, reducing the risk of infection or toxin-mediated diseases. They regulate immune responses which enhance healthy reactions to dangerous infectious organisms, and they suppress excessive inflammation. Additionally, probiotics promote the function of the intestinal inner lining, enhancing its ability to act as a barrier to the entry of potentially dangerous organisms and chemicals.
When things go wrong in the balance of intestinal organisms, the consequences can be tremendous. Negative changes in the intestinal microbiome are firmly associated with chronic diseases that include inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome. Scientists are even now recognizing that allergic disorders, asthma, and even obesity are also related to an unhealthy population of intestinal bacteria. Due to modern diets and lifestyle, as well as environmental factors such as pollution and the overuse of antibiotics, the beneficial bacteria in your microbiome are at risk, which can lead to an increased incidence in metabolic and inflammatory chronic diseases. Even simple aging gradually shifts your intestinal bacterial population towards a disease-promoting, rather than a disease-preventing, state. Just think about it — the “pro” in probiotic literally means “life” or “to bring forth.”
Probiotics literally mean to bring forth life.
Do you take a probiotic?! Let’s talk about one of our favorites!!
LIFE 9
If you’ve had the chance to attend or look through our supplements class, you may have seen this information before—
Life 9 is a proprietary, high-potency probiotic that combines 17 billion live cultures from 9 beneficial bacteria strains that promotes healthy digestion, supports gut health, and helps maintain normal intestinal function for overall support of a healthy immune system.
Life 9 is specially designed with delayed-release capsules, a dual-sorbent desiccant, and a special bottle and cap that ensure your Life 9 stays fresh and effective. Each bottle contains 30 capsules, making it easy to use this helpful supplement daily.
Life 9 includes 9 probiotic strains for full-spectrum gut support:
Lactobacillus acidophilus
Bifidobacterium lactis
Lactobacillus plantarum
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Lactobacillus salivarius
Streptococcus thermophilus
Bifidobacterium breve
Bifidobacterium bifidum
Bifidobacterium longum
___________________________________________________
Many today consider regularly taking a high-quality probiotic to be one of the core pieces to a healthy gut, which in turn is a key to brain, immune, and skin health.
Dr. Mercola talks about why you need them, and yet many of us struggle to get enough through our diet alone. “Your body contains about 100 trillion bacteria -- more than 10 times the number of cells you have in your entire body. It’s now quite clear that the type and quantity of micro-organisms in your gut interact with your body in ways that can either prevent or encourage the development of many diseases. The ideal ratio between the bacteria in your gut is 85 percent “good” and 15 percent “bad.”
Highly recommended resource when looking for improved digestive health or combating candida: Inner Transformations Using Essential oils by Dr. Leanne Deardeuff
_________________________________________________
FAQ
Q: When should these be taken?
A: In the evening, following your meal for best absorption.
Q: Can they be taken by children?
A: Yes, typically around a half capsule is given in a smoothie, applesauce, yogurt, etc. and you can work up to a full capsule watching for any loose stool (I even give it to my dogs!)
Q: Can pregnant and nursing women take these:
A: Yes, it is beneficial for both.
Q: Should it be taken while on an antibiotic?
A: Typically, probiotics are taken once a round of antibiotics is complete since the antibiotics destroy gut flora.
Why do you love Life 9?!
THE IMPORTANCE OF DIGESTIVE ENZYMES
Enzymes!!!!!
Enzymes are the keys to life itself; without them, we no longer exist. Over 300 enzymatic reactions occur in the body every second. We NEED enzymes.
To break down food efficiently and effectively, your body needs a sufficient supply of digestive enzymes. Some of these digestive enzymes come from the pancreas, others are produced in the stomach, and still others are secreted by the salivary glands in the small intestines. Raw foods contain natural enzymes that make their own digestion easier, but the more refined foods you eat, the more digestive enzymes your body must produce on its own to absorb nutrients properly.
The definition of an enzyme is “a protein chemical that accelerates a chemical reaction in the body without being consumed in the process.” We need enzymes for our very existence. Just as the life process depends on oxygen, it also depends on enzymes. While oxygen is fuel to the body, enzymes are the “go-betweens” that control the rate and speed of the energy output of each cell. They are catalysts. They energize you by helping to start your day and keep you going. They are needed for every chemical reaction in the body. Vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients cannot be used effectively without enzymes, and many times our bodies don’t produce the amount of enzymes that are needed in order for our bodies to properly absorb the nutrients and use energy effectively. The function of the immune system depends upon the presence of enzymes as well. The body works to produce enzymes needed for the smooth operation of the immune system.
Enzymes are destroyed by heat and processing, so in an ordinary diet, we rarely get the enzymes we need from food. Did you know that in the 12th week of gestation, the baby receives it’s “enzyme potential” for life? (Dr. DicQie Fuller, The Healing Power of Enzymes). Eating a diet with plenty of raw foods will give us some very great enzymes, but even raw foods will lose their enzymes as they sit and oxidize. Fresh is always best when it comes to food, but supplementation is also something very important to consider.
So, let’s take a look at some of the amazing digestive enzyme supplements that Young Living offers to target exactly what we need!
DIGESTIVE ENZYMES
Young Living has several enzyme options to choose from, and all of them are amazing for targeting gut support:
+Allerzyme is a complex blend of enzymes, botanicals and essential oils to support proper digestion, waste elimination and nutrient utilization.
+Detoxzyme is a vegan formula to take with meals or between meals to digest food missed when eating. One of the ingredients of Detoxzyme is the essential oil DiGize. Added to this product is also an enzyme (cellulase) that digests cellulose, a fiber which humans cannot digest without assistance of outside enzymes.
+Essentialzyme is your all-purpose digestive enzyme that also contains herbs. Taken just prior to eating, Essentialzyme supports digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. The children’s chewable version is called KidScents Mightyzyme (because we want healthy guts in our kiddos too!). Essentialzyme is more effective for breaking down what’s in the body and is best taken between meals.
+Essentialzymes-4 contains all the necessary enzymes to break down all the fiber, carbs, fats, and proteins we are eating at meals. The dual time-released technology releases animal and plant-based enzymes at separate times in the digestive tract, allowing for optimal nutrient absorption. Essentialzymes-4 is more effective for taking with meals to digest food.
Take your pick. They are all great and all include the three types of enzymes. Have you tried any of them yet? Are there any you are looking forward to trying??
DIGIZE
DiGize essential oil is one of our most unique essential oil blends, combining Tarragon, Ginger, Peppermint, Juniper, Lemongrass, Anise, and Patchouli oils for a spicy, exotic aromatic blend. DiGize oil also includes Fennel essential oil, the use of which dates back to ancient Egypt.
This oil is such a great one to have in your arsenal for all the gut support and tummy related issues. The smell may be a lot to handle (although I personally love it!!), but it is a powerhouse of support!! Use this topically to support all types of digestive issues — I love a drop right in my belly bottom or a couple drops rubbed over my abdomen. Drink DiGize Vitality in your water, place a drop under your tongue (I do this after every meal!), or take internally as a supplement. This oil is so wonderful to have on hand for any sort of stomach related discomfort!
What do you think of DiGize??
PEPPERMINT
This is a MUST HAVE in our household! Seriously, there is no such thing as being without peppermint here. There are bottles in literally every room of the house because this oil is incredible for all things digestive support!
Experiencing any cramps? Bloating? Indigestion? Nausea? Try rubbing this baby (with some carrier oil if you need it!) right across your stomach. Drink some Peppermint Vitality in your water, or if you’re feeling super brave, put a drop under your tongue and enjoy all the support. I also really love to just hold this one in my hand with the cap off when I’m in the car for long hours!! No car sickness over here!
Do you love peppermint?!??!
DIGEST & CLEANSE
Digest + Cleanse soothes gastrointestinal upset and supports healthy digestion. Stress, overeating, and toxins can irritate the gastrointestinal system and cause cramps, gas, and nausea that interfere with the body’s natural digestive and detox functions. Supplementing with Digest + Cleanse will soothe the bowel, prevent gas, and stimulate stomach secretions, thus aiding digestion. Digest + Cleanse is formulated with clinically proven and time-tested essential oils that work synergistically to help prevent occasional indigestion and abdominal pain. Precision Delivery softgels release in the intestines for optimal absorption and targeted relief and to help prevent aftertaste. This product can also be used in conjunction with any cleansing program, such as Young Living’s 5-Day Nutritive Cleanse.
Have you tried it?!
COMFORTONE
ComforTone (capsules) is an effective combination of herbs and essential oils that support the health of the digestive system by eliminating residues from the colon and enhancing its natural ability to function optimally. Because it supports normal peristalsis (the wave-like contractions that move food through the intestines), ComforTone is ideal for strengthening the system that delivers nutrients to the rest of the body. It also contains ingredients that are beneficial to liver, gall bladder, and stomach health.
Let’s just say this supplement has come in handy whenever we’ve needed a little extra “push” to get things moving, if you know what I mean ;)
NINGXIA RED
Many of us already know and loooove our NingXia Red, but did you know that this is great to support a healthy gut?! Cause let’s be real — the foods that we are putting in our bodies can take a toll. And even if we eat the healthiest of diets, our environment is still a factor in our health as nutrients in soil aren’t what they used to be. NingXia Red, an antioxidant drink, is a fantastic way to fill in the gap where we may be lacking in nutrition! Supplements cannot make up for a poor diet, but they can help flood our bodies with nutrients that we may not be getting from our foods. And, as we’ve already seen, lots of healthy vitamins and minerals leads to a healthier and more diverse microbiome!
What’s your favorite way to drink your NingXia?!
ALKALIME
Let’s chat about pH levels for a second. Most of us never consider the acid/alkaline balance of our blood, but a proper pH is a crucial aspect to health. Many doctors stress the importance of pH because a balanced pH protects us from the inside out. Disease and disorder, they say, cannot take root in a body whose pH is in balance.
Why pH is Crucial to Health?
It is an imbalance of acidity and alkalinity that allows unhealthy organisms to flourish, damages tissues and organs and compromises the immune system.
So, what is proper pH?
What we call pH is short for the potential of hydrogen. It is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of our body’s fluids and tissues. It is measured on a scale from 0 to 14. The more acidic a solution is, the lower its pH. The more alkaline, the higher the number is. A pH of 7 is perfectly neutral. The healthiest pH is one that is slightly alkaline. Optimally, we want a pH of 7.365. This number will fluctuate throughout the day, but the normal range is between 6 and 7.5.
What affects pH?
Normally, the kidneys maintain our electrolyte levels, those of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. When we are exposed to acidic substances, these electrolytes are used to combat acidity. High degrees of acidity force our bodies to rob minerals from the bones, cells, organs, and tissues. Cells end up lacking enough minerals to properly dispose of waste or oxygenate completely. Vitamin absorption is compromised by mineral loss. Toxins and pathogens accumulate in the body and the immune system becomes suppressed.
If the pH levels are off in our guts, that can contribute to a lot of issues and discomfort! The foods that we eat and the things that we drink can impact our bodies, making them more acidic or more alkaline. Some people who are struggling to balance their bodies even go on full alkaline diets to help bring their bodies and their guts back into a place of homeostasis.
So, what’s so great about AlkaLime?
AlkaLime is a precisely-balanced alkaline mineral complex formulated to neutralize acidity and maintain desirable pH levels in the body. Infused with lemon and lime essential oils and organic whole lemon powder, AlkaLime also features enhanced effervescence and biochemic cell salts for increased effectiveness. One note - do not use if you are on a sodium restricted diet. <3
One simple way to test to see where your body is at?
Get some pH strips and test your urine from your first urination of the day! That should give you a good indication of where your body is at.
Have you tried AlkaLime or the AlkaLime sticks yet??!
CLEANSING PROTOCOL
Sometimes our guts need a bit of a reset, and that’s where cleansing can be super effective. Get rid of the yuck so that we can fill ourselves back up with all the good!
Enter Young Living’s Cleansing Trio!
The Cleansing Trio Kit contains the products you need to begin improving your health through cleansing your system and eliminating waste by specifically supporting normal liver function. Augmented with herbs that are rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, fiber, and essential oils, the Cleansing Trio will give you new energy and an improved sense of well-being.
Essentialzyme is a bilayered, multienzyme complex caplet specially formulated to support and balance digestive health and to stimulate overall enzyme activity to combat the modern diet. Essentialzyme contains tarragon, peppermint, anise, fennel, and clove essential oils to improve overall enzyme activity and support healthy pancreatic function.
ComforTone (capsules) is an effective combination of herbs and essential oils that support the health of the digestive system by eliminating residues from the colon and enhancing its natural ability to function optimally. Because it supports normal peristalsis (the wave-like contractions that move food through the intestines), ComforTone is ideal for strengthening the system that delivers nutrients to the rest of the body. It also contains ingredients that are beneficial to liver, gall bladder, and stomach health.
ICP helps keep your colon clean with an advanced mix of fibers that scour out residues. A healthy digestive system is important for the proper functioning of all other systems because it absorbs nutrients that are used throughout the body. ICP provides ingredients such as psyllium, oat bran, flax, and fennel seeds to form a combination of soluble and insoluble fibers. Enhanced with a special blend of essential oils, the fibers work to decrease the buildup of wastes, improve nutrient absorption, and help maintain a healthy heart. ICP provides two grams of dietary fiber, one gram of soluble fiber, and one gram of insoluble fiber per serving.
TARGET SUPPORT FOR GUT ISSUES
We have so much at our disposal to help us to target all the areas that we need support for our guts — whether it is to increase good gut flora, provide enzymes that are vital for our guts and overall health, and all the other areas that we could use some support. This is just the tip of the iceberg of all the ways that we can support our bodies and immune systems with our Young Living products.
Are there any gut issues that you are specifically looking to target? Young Living has you covered with all the support!
HAPPY GUT, HAPPY LIFE
Clearly, gut health is so important! A stable, healthy microbiome helps everything work smoothly -- literally and figuratively! Working on our gut health is a place to start for any sort of immune deficiency or illness we are experiencing. As we work on the state of our guts, making sure we are giving our system the beneficial bacteria it needs to fight diseases and work properly as well as the needed enzymes to properly digest and absorb our food, it improves everything else about our lives as well. Brain fog lifts. It can impact our stress levels and emotions for the good. Truly, a happy gut = a happy life!
THANK YOU!
We are so glad that you were able to join us tonight! Thanks for taking the time to follow along! Let us know what you are looking forward to trying/if you learned anything new tonight!!!