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You may find it a bit strange to hear the title "eating dirt". In our impression, the soil is dirty, unsanitary and full of bacteria. Can't be used as food to satisfy hunger, it tastes bad. Why eat it? In fact, the title "eating dirty things" does not mean that we should grab a handful of dirty things to eat, but that we should contact more bacteria and make ourselves dirty. Because the author of this book believes that more exposure to bacteria is good for our health.
All along, we think that bacteria can make people sick. In order not to get sick, we are always eliminating and staying away from bacteria. In fact, in our time, although there are more and more ways to kill bacteria, people's health level is declining. Compared with the past, the modern medical level is higher and the environment is cleaner, but more people suffer from various chronic diseases, such as allergies, obesity, indigestion, autoimmune diseases and so on. Why is this happening? This is what we are going to talk about today, which is discussed in the book Eat the Earth. Josh Akers, the author of this book, looks at our health from a new perspective, telling us that many modern diseases are prevalent because of excessive pursuit of clean lifestyle and bad eating habits, which have destroyed our intestinal health.
Josh Akers is a famous American natural medicine expert and clinical nutritionist. He runs a world-famous functional medicine clinic, in addition, he also has a natural health website with more than10 million visits a month. Axe has worked as a health care doctor for many professional athletes, including swimmer Phelps, a legend who won 18 Olympic gold medals.
Speaking of which, Axe became a doctor because of his mother. When Axe was seven years old, his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. In order to help her get rid of the pain, Alex made up his mind to become a doctor. Later, Axe really became an excellent doctor and helped his mother cure the disease. However, Axe's treatment of diseases is very different from traditional drug treatment. He thinks that traditional medication has many side effects, so he advocates using food and other methods to treat diseases.
Well, after introducing the basic situation of this book, next, I will tell you the core content of this book: The first point is, why is intestinal leakage the root cause of many diseases? The second point is, what are the factors that destroy intestinal health? The third point is, how to repair our intestines and regain health?
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Let's talk about why intestinal leakage is the root of many diseases.
Intestinal leakage refers to the destruction of intestinal tract, which can not prevent harmful substances from entering the blood, thus causing various diseases. Axe pointed out that it is because of intestinal leakage that we suffer from various chronic diseases and autoimmune diseases. There are many diseases related to intestinal leakage, including chronic fatigue, diabetes, thyroid diseases and arthritis.
However, most people have a misunderstanding that the root cause of our illness is bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microorganisms. In fact, for the human body, most microorganisms are neutral or beneficial, and harmful microorganisms account for a small part. Microorganisms are almost everywhere, and we are exposed to a large number of microorganisms every day. It is impossible to completely isolate them. Even if we are in a complex microbial environment, we can still stay healthy under normal circumstances. That's because our body has a perfect immune system, which can resist the attacks of various harmful microorganisms.
Therefore, the incidence of many diseases in modern times has increased, not because we are exposed to too many bacteria, but because the immune system has gone wrong, especially the intestine, the first line of defense of the human body, has been destroyed.
Why do you say that? As we all know, the function of intestine is to digest and absorb food and provide nutrition for human body. However, the intestine has another important function, that is, as a barrier to isolate harmful substances from the outside world from entering the human body. The human body is not directly exposed to the external environment. When we eat, food will enter the intestine through the mouth, but it is not really inside the human body. The intestine separates the external environment from the important organs in the human body, preventing harmful toxins, allergens and microorganisms from entering the blood, thus forming a protective layer to prevent us from getting sick.
However, if there are problems in the intestine, viruses and some harmful substances will enter the blood circulation, causing the human body to secrete antigens to attack these foreign substances, which is why we are allergic. A healthy intestine is only slightly permeable, allowing only a small amount of water and nutrients to enter the blood through the intestine. You can imagine the intestine as a fishing net, complete and with small pores. And unhealthy intestines, that is, after getting intestinal leakage, because the pores in the intestinal wall are too large, larger molecules and other foreign microorganisms can also pass through and move around with the blood. The body will resist these substances as foreign bodies, causing systemic inflammatory reactions.
Then why do we have intestinal leakage? In fact, whether our intestines are healthy or not depends on the type and quantity of microorganisms in the intestines. In a healthy intestine, there are many kinds of microorganisms, which are in balance with each other. Neutral and beneficial microorganisms are maintained at about 85%, which can fill the space of intestinal wall and prevent harmful microorganisms from multiplying in large quantities. In addition, 15% harmful microorganisms can exercise intestines, improve immunity, restrict each other with other microorganisms, and keep a dynamic balance.
Different microorganisms in the intestine play different roles. Some microorganisms can digest food and produce vitamins, some microorganisms can regulate hormone levels and produce natural chemicals needed by the intestine, and some microorganisms can prevent toxins from being absorbed and help the intestine excrete harmful substances. If these microorganisms are destroyed, the intestine will not be able to digest and absorb food normally, and it will also lose its resistance to foreign substances.
Ok, I have already shared the first important content with you. Why is intestinal leakage the root of many diseases? The main reason why we get sick is that the intestine, as the human immune system, is destroyed, that is, intestinal leakage. Once there is a problem in the intestine, the body is easily infected by various harmful bacteria and viruses, which leads to illness. Intestinal leakage is caused by the imbalance of microbial environment in the intestine. To keep the intestinal environment healthy and stable, it is necessary to maintain the diversity of microorganisms in the intestine. Knowing the importance of the intestine to our health, what causes the destruction of the diversity and balance of intestinal microorganisms? This is the second important content we want to share. What are the factors that destroy intestinal health?
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Josh Axe believes that there are three main factors that destroy intestinal health: diet, hygiene and stress.
The first is the harm of diet to the intestine. Many times, we choose food according to price, taste and appearance. Those cheap, delicious and beautiful foods are more likely to attract our attention. However, we have neglected one of the most important factors, and that is health. In this way, food producers will comply with our preference for convenience and more profits, and produce foods that look good and cheap, but are actually unhealthy. These unhealthy foods are mainly processed foods rich in chemicals and sugar. Axe listed many processed foods harmful to intestinal health, including chocolate milk, hot dogs, salad dressings and soft drinks. In order to make food look bright, keep it longer and taste sweeter, various pigments, preservatives and sugar are added to these foods. Although in the short term, qualified additives will not cause harm to human body, but long-term consumption will still endanger our health.
Let's read an example from a book. Spector is a professor of medicine. He and his son Tom conducted a study. Professor spector bought Tom McDonald's fast food every day and let him eat only this kind of food for 10 days. 10 days later, Professor spector studied the microbial population in Tom's intestine and found that Tom's intestinal flora was destroyed. In a short period of 10 days, Tom lost 1400 kinds of microorganisms, accounting for nearly 40% of the total. At this time, Tom was pale, weak and very weak, because he lost a lot of intestinal microorganisms. Professor spector's research not only proves the harm of processed food to the intestine, but also makes us realize the importance of intestinal microorganisms to health. If these foods are allowed to disturb our intestinal microbial balance, our health will also be threatened.
In addition to the health hazards of these processed foods and high-sugar foods, we also have the problem of food storage. For example, in order to preserve fresh fruits and vegetables for a long time, we will put them in the refrigerator and take them out when necessary. However, few of us will question whether the refrigerator can really keep the nutrition of food. Researchers in Pennsylvania, USA, found that spinach stored in the refrigerator lost nearly half of its folic acid and carotenoids after eight days. Similarly, other vegetables or fruits will lose a lot of nutrients if they are stored in the refrigerator for a long time. Of course, we don't want to deny the value of modern products, but we should realize that the nutritional value of most agricultural products is easily lost. In this case, when we buy fresh food, the best way is to eat it as soon as possible instead of keeping it in the refrigerator all the time.
The second factor that destroys intestinal health is hygiene. You may ask, is it because we don't pay enough attention to hygiene that intestinal problems occur? Axe said that in modern times, it is not that we don't pay attention to hygiene, but that we pursue hygiene excessively.
How can I put it? Think about it, in our life, are we often hinted that bacteria are harmful and should keep a distance from them? For example, since childhood, parents have asked us to wash our hands before eating and not to get dirty when playing. For another example, the advertisement of a soap brand claims that their soap can remove 90% bacteria from human skin, and it can inhibit bacteria for a long time and protect people's health for 24 hours. Gradually, in order to fight against bacteria, we have developed the habit of over-cleaning, which makes us less and less exposed to microorganisms.
However, there are too few contact microorganisms and there are great hidden dangers. Let's look at an example. There is a study in Science magazine 20 12, and the researchers made a comparative analysis of two groups of mice. The first group is specially bred sterile mice lacking intestinal bacteria. The second group is normal mice exposed to good bacteria and bad bacteria. As a result, the two groups of mice found that the level of colon and lung inflammation in infertile mice was higher than that in normal mice, that is, they were more likely to get sick and have symptoms similar to asthma. However, as long as sterile mice are exposed to a normal number of bacteria within two weeks, their immune system response will regain balance and then slowly recover from inflammatory diseases. People, like mice, need a variety of microorganisms in our intestines to maintain balance. If you don't contact and replenish enough microorganisms, your immunity will get worse.
Axe also suggested that we should not take a bath often. Because frequent bathing will upset the microbial balance of our skin. In our human skin, there is a kind of bacteria that can help the body keep clean and smell fresh, strengthen the immune system and reduce inflammation. If you take a bath too often, using antibacterial products such as soap and shampoo will destroy the balance of microorganisms on the skin surface and lose their protection, and our skin is more likely to get sick.
In addition to modern diet and excessive pursuit of hygiene, the stress of life will also destroy intestinal health. Mental and psychological stress are the main causes of intestinal leakage. Axe thinks that the main reason for his mother's cancer and intestinal leakage is that she has been under too much pressure for a long time. Axe's mother is a teacher who teaches children with special needs. She also has three children. She does housework and prepares dinner for them every day. Under the heavy pressure of life, she was tired and depressed, and as a result she fell ill.
So how does stress make people sick? In fact, the brain, intestines and microorganisms are interrelated. The pressure of the brain will be transmitted to the intestine, which will affect the microbial balance of the intestine. After the intestinal balance is broken, it will affect neurotransmitters and feed back to the brain, making people more anxious, angry and depressed, forming a vicious circle. This is why people get worse when they encounter life changes, such as the death of their loved ones, unemployment, divorce or other trauma. Because these pressures will stimulate the reproduction of pathogenic bacteria, reduce probiotics, and then lead to intestinal leakage. When beneficial bacteria die, the number of pathogenic bacteria increases sharply, and the digestive function and immune function of the intestine are also declining, and people's physical condition will naturally deteriorate.
Well, the second key content of this book has been shared. Let's summarize. In modern life, what factors are destroying our intestinal health? We mentioned three factors. The first is the harm of modern food, especially processed food and high-sugar food. These foods have a strong destructive effect on intestinal flora, leading to the death of beneficial bacteria and the reproduction of harmful bacteria. Secondly, excessive pursuit of hygiene. Excessive hygiene will make us less exposed to microorganisms, and proper exposure to microorganisms plays an important role in maintaining the normal operation of the human immune system. Finally, there is heavy pressure. The brain and intestine are interrelated. When the brain feels nervous and stressed, it will disturb the microbial balance in the intestine through nerve transmission. So, how to repair the intestines and regain health? This is the third important content we want to share.
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Axe believes that the key to repairing the intestine is to improve our lifestyle and eating habits and bring beneficial bacteria back to the intestine. Because we are mutually beneficial to intestinal microorganisms, intestinal microorganisms rely on our human bodies as hosts, and we need microorganisms to help us digest food and resist harmful germs. How to do it specifically? Axe mainly gave us three steps. The first step is to choose healthy food; The second step is to get close to the natural environment; The third step is to learn to release pressure.
Let's look at the first step, choose healthy food. There is an old saying that "illness comes from the mouth", which means that the reason why we get sick has a lot to do with what food we eat. You may think that as long as it is clean food, it is healthy, while dirty food with bacteria is unhealthy. In fact, many processed foods with good packaging and bright colors look clean and hygienic, but if they are eaten for a long time, they will be harmful to health. And those vegetables and fruits that have just been picked from the farm and still carry dirt are more conducive to our health.
The processed food we often eat has many negative effects on our health. For example, milk on the market, often eaten, will lead to inflammatory reaction. There are many chemical additives in processed food, which will destroy the beneficial bacteria in the intestine. These chemicals include various food pigments and preservatives. Most people like to eat sugar, but excessive consumption of sugar is also harmful to health. Because sugar helps the growth of bad bacteria and yeast, it produces toxins that destroy the small intestine, which leads to the imbalance of microorganisms in the intestine and harms the digestive system.
So what kind of food is healthy and nutritious? Axe recommended those unprocessed natural foods and fermented foods to us. Natural food, including organic fruits and vegetables, if it is meat food, it is best to have free-range beef or wild fish. Fermented foods, including sauerkraut and pickles, belong to fermented vegetables, while yogurt and apple vinegar belong to fermented drinks. Besides, Axe suggested that we make our own bone soup. The method of making bone soup is very simple. You only need to use chicken bones or pig bones and add some ingredients to make it. Bone soup is rich in collagen, glycine and other compounds, which has a good curative effect and can help restore the health of the intestine and promote immunity.
The second step is to get close to the natural environment. The purpose of being close to nature is to have more opportunities to contact microorganisms on soil and plants. Axe tells us that proper contact with microorganisms can increase the number of beneficial bacteria in the intestine, reduce the occurrence of inflammation, and help to treat and prevent intestinal leakage. It can be seen that proper contact with microorganisms is of great significance to our health. There are many ways to contact microorganisms. For example, you can go for a walk in the park or walk barefoot on the lawn. You can also have a dog or a cat and play with it. If conditions permit, you can also go swimming in the sea or freshwater lake. In addition, a very good way is to go to the farmer's market and look for fresh fruits and vegetables with soil, so that you can not only get in touch with soil microorganisms, but also eat healthy natural food. Of course, in order to avoid colds and flu, it is necessary to contact microorganisms in moderation and maintain basic hygiene habits.
The third step is to learn to release pressure. With the accelerated pace of modern life, all kinds of stress and anxiety make people physically and mentally exhausted. If the stress is not relieved in time, it is likely to cause harm to the body. So how should we release the pressure? Axe suggested that we take exercise, because exercise can not only make our bodies better, but also relax our mood and relieve stress. It is a multi-pronged method. If you are a communicative person, you can communicate with friends who can listen and encourage each other. You can also develop your hobbies, so that when you are immersed in your favorite activities, you can forget those troubles and pressures.
The third part of this book has been shared. How to repair the intestines and regain health? We can achieve it in three steps. The first step is to choose healthy food. It is best to use natural foods, such as organic vegetables and fruits. Fresh and fermented food bought from farmers' markets is also a good choice. The second step is to get close to the natural environment. Don't stay indoors all day, go outdoors more and get in touch with some soil properly. The third step is to learn to release pressure. The pace of modern life is compact, and we are prone to feel depressed and nervous, so we need to adjust our mentality in time to relieve the pressure.
05
At this point, we have finished sharing the core content of the book Eating Soil. Below, let me briefly summarize all the sharing today:
First of all, we mentioned that intestinal leakage is the root of many modern diseases. The increase in the incidence of many modern diseases is due to the destruction of the balance of microorganisms in the intestine. Intestine has the functions of decomposing food, providing human nutrition and resisting harmful substances from outside. If the intestinal environment is unbalanced, it will lose its function of resisting diseases and easily lead to various diseases.
Then, we talked about the factors that destroy intestinal health. The normal operation of intestinal function is maintained by microorganisms in the intestine. Modern diet, excessive pursuit of hygienic habits and great pressure will destroy the balance of intestinal microorganisms. In terms of diet, the main reason is that we choose too many processed foods. Processed food is not conducive to gastrointestinal digestion, but also destroys beneficial microorganisms in the intestine. In terms of hygiene, it is the habit of excessive cleaning that reduces our chances of contact with microorganisms, which play an important role in the normal operation of our immune system. In addition to food hygiene, stress is also the main factor that destroys intestinal health. The heavy pressure of life not only makes people feel nervous and depressed, but also does harm to their health.
Finally, we talked about how to repair the intestines and regain health. We should not only improve our eating habits and lifestyle, but also learn to release stress. Choose more natural foods in your diet, not processed foods for convenience. Be close to the natural environment in your life, and don't use too much detergent and disinfection equipment. We also need to learn to release stress. Anxiety and nervous psychological state will affect your health, so when the pressure is too great, you should adjust your mood appropriately and slow down your life.
The book "Eating Earth" corrects many misconceptions about health for us, and also provides many practical methods to improve health. Although some suggestions in the book are difficult to be thoroughly implemented in the modern environment, such as not eating processed food, we can still consciously restrain ourselves and avoid making some mistakes and causing health problems. We are entering an era of rapid development, and great changes have taken place in our lifestyle and environment. However, no matter how it changes, the intestine still plays an important role in people's health. Therefore, we should improve our diet reasonably and develop good living habits.
Let's call it a day. Congratulations on reading my long speech.