Thyroid disorders are prevalent, especially in women, affecting roughly 10 million individuals who have been diagnosed with low thyroid functionality. Countless others likely suffer from undiagnosed issues or sub-optimal thyroid operation. However, detecting low thyroid function is not sufficient. We must ask, "Why is this happening, and why now?"

Part of an integrative approach to wellness is checking for nutritional deficiencies that can contribute to, or even cause, imbalances in blood sugar (glucose). Increased consumption of simple carbohydrates in your diet can increase blood insulin levels, which, in turn, can deplete a number of essential nutrients.

The culprit is gluten, a mixture of proteins including gliadins and glutenins, known for giving wheat dough its elastic texture. Gluten is also found in barley, oats, spelt, kamut and several other foods. A rise in gluten sensitivity and celiac disease, a serious autoimmune disease in which gluten damages the small intestine, has led folks to search out gluten-free options.

Almost immediately as immigrants arrive in the US and their diet changes, their gut bacteria changes. Microbial diversity decreases substantially and measurably. Those bacteria that most effectively metabolize complex carbohydrates reduce substantially.

The flora shifts from Prevotella dominance to Bacteroides dominance (and these changes propagate across generations).

Childhood obesity is increasing across the US. Childhood obesity is associated with lifetime obesity. Obesity is a primary predictor of development of diabetes type II, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and sleep apnea. So it stands to reason that working to decrease childhood obesity is a valuable investment for the child’s future health.

Sprouts are easy to grow year-round in your kitchen. They are inexpensive and densely nutritious. If you grow sprouts, make sure they get proper air circulation and drainage to avoid mold.

Health isn’t found in a bottle – not a bottle of medications, not a bottle of botanicals, supplements, minerals, or vitamins. Very often, bottled natural products are difficult to digest. The pills are compressed and the components are synthetic. They often do not contain enough of any component for those with significant issues, and may be too much for those who are already nutritionally well-balanced.

Love and your microbiome. Just another reason to wonder who is really running our show: our minds, our hearts/emotions, or our gut and its treasure trove of bacteria? Does a more diverse microbiome help you or your bacteria identify and mate with your best prospective spouse? It is a gut level question.

If you happen to be one of the millions of Americans who experience gas and bloating, then read on.

Gas and bloating most often happen after eating. That’s the clue. It has to do with how the food you eat is being digested by the bacteria in your stomach.