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Three easy steps to improve intestinal health to drastically improve overall wellness when following a years-long, strict gut healing diet is not an option.
For a number of reasons, the majority of people don’t seem to have very good intestinal health anymore.
Most of the food we eat is not only lacking in nutrients, it’s filled with additives, preservatives, and other chemicals.
From the air we breathe and the water we drink, to the thousands of chemicals we come into contact with each day…it all takes its toll on the colon and, ultimately, on our overall health.
The digestive process begins as soon as food enters the mouth. As we chew our food we increase the surface area of food particles making the food more susceptible to digestive enzymes.
Smaller food particles also travel more easily (and quickly) throughout the small and large intestines.
In the stomach, food is mixed with gastric juices containing digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid. This mixture is known as chyme.
From the stomach, the chyme moves into the small intestine. There, more enzymes and bile are mixed with the chyme, and the breakdown of dietary proteins, fats, and carbs is complete.
Some carbs are not digested by human enzymes and they pass undigested into the colon.
Most nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine.
However, Vitamin K, niacin, and B vitamins are formed by beneficial bacteria in and absorbed by the colon. Vitamin K is necessary for blood clotting and niacin and the B vitamins affect energy levels, metabolism, feelings of fatigue, and the function of nerves.
Evidence suggests that serotonin is created in the colon as well.
The colon is also designed to eliminate toxins. When the colon is not working well, it begins to absorb toxins into the bloodstream rather than expelling them. You can see why having a healthy colon is important.
So how do you know if you have an unhealthy colon? First of all, if you’ve ever taken antibiotics there’s a pretty good chance that you colon health isn’t optimal.
Why? Because one of the determining factors of colon health is the composition of the microbes in your gut. Is it mostly friendly or is the majority unfriendly?
Antibiotics are designed to kill bacteria, and they don’t care whether they’re friendly or unfriendly.
Birth control pills, not enough dietary fiber, poor eating habits, alcoholic beverages, chlorine, sodium fluoride, and stress all contribute to intestinal flora imbalance too.
Our digestive system is home to more than 500 different bacterial species, and if 85% of the bacteria in our colon are friendly then the colon can handle the 15% of unfriendly bacteria.
The problem is most of us have this reversed. The result?
Diarrhea, constipation, excessive gas, bloating, allergies, eczema, irritable bowel, inflammatory bowel, kidney stones, ear infections, colds, vaginal yeast infections, Crohn’s disease, lactose intolerance, thrush, athlete’s foot, cancer, and on and on.
The big problem with these conditions is that more meds are used in most cases even when they were the cause of the intestinal problems in the first place. A common example is considering whether strep can go away on its own.
“Of course not” is the answer if you ask most people. The accepted conventional strep throat treatment is an immediate trip to the doctor for yet another prescription, which further destroys intestinal health!
And the rollercoaster to ever-increasing gut imbalance continues…
How Friendly Microbes Facilitate Health
Friendly bacteria (called probiotics – there are literally thousands of strains) prevent the overgrowth of yeast and fungus.
They help keep our intestines healthy in numerous ways including:
- Competition with candida in the intestine
- Suppression of the growth of potentially harmful bacteria
- Production of substances that optimize and balance cholesterol
- Enhancement of the protective barrier of the digestive tract
- Production of vitamin K1
- Stimulation of immune function
- Lowering of blood pressure in some people
- Aiding in the digestion of lactose
- Prevention of cavities and gum disease
- Decreasing the passage of bacteria or antigens from the intestines to the bloodstream
- Fighting pre-carcinogenic or mutagenic compounds
- Breakdown of oxalates (contributes to kidney stones)
- Detoxification of ingested carcinogens
- Production of compounds that inhibit the growth of tumor cells, and more!
So where do you get these probiotics?
Believe it or not, store-bought yogurt probably sometimes isn’t your best source. Neither is the probiotic pill that you buy at the health food store.
Why? Because the yogurt has been pasteurized which kills all the naturally occurring good bacteria in the raw milk!
Then, manufacturers only add back in a few strains of probiotics. On top of that, commercial yogurt isn’t fermented properly either!
With regard to probiotic supplements, they are dried into a powder which requires rehydration in the body before they can be effective.
In addition, probiotic manufacturers are increasingly using lab strains instead of wild ones, as Mother Nature intended.
What to do?
Well, probiotics can be found in homemade yogurt and kefir as well as naturally fermented sauerkraut and other naturally fermented foods.
When you ingest these foods, you’re actually putting friendly bacteria back into your gut!
So what does this have to do with the “perfect trifecta for intestinal health”? Well, probiotics is one part of it.
Let me tell you what we do in our family that works extremely well and is easy to do!
Fresh Garlic
First, every night before bed we take fresh garlic and chop it up fine – about a teaspoon full will do.
Then we let it sit for 14 minutes and swallow it like a pill.
The garlic kills the unfriendly bacteria in my gut and feeds the friendly bacteria; this is known as a prebiotic.
Amazingly, I don’t have garlic breath and I don’t smell like garlic when I sweat.
If you are one of those people who do stink from eating raw garlic, try fermented garlic instead.
It’s incredibly easy to make and pickled garlic cloves retain all the therapeutic value with the heat and odor potential significantly reduced or eliminated.
Clay
Second, every day we take a teaspoon of clay and mix it in a cup of water, let it sit for a few minutes, stir it again, and drink it.
Among other things, the clay is primarily negatively charged. By comparison, unfriendly bacteria, toxins, parasites, heavy metals, and radiation, are all positively charged.
As the clay travels through the digestive system, the unfriendly bacteria (and other things) are attracted to the clay and eliminated by the body.
Traditional peoples practiced the use of clay as well. For example, the Australian Aboriginal tribes would dip their food in water mixed with clay as they ate, presumably to protect them from whatever pathogens might be lurking.
Note that it is not a good idea to regularly use activated charcoal as a detox for these toxins instead.
Most people do not realize that AC takes nutrients out of the body too! Activated charcoal is for food poisoning and similar acute digestive issues only…it is not a substitute for clay.
Kefir
Third, throughout the day we drink kefir. Kefir is a better choice than yogurt as yogurt only contains a few strains of beneficial bacteria whereas kefir has 50 or even more!
Also, unlike yogurt, some of these are aggressive strains that recolonize the gut.
One word of caution.
Homemade kefir is better and more therapeutic than commercial brands, which have fewer strains and are likely fermented for shorter periods of time.
So, we’ve got the garlic killing the unfriendly and feeding the friendly; the clay pulling the unfriendly out of the system; and the kefir putting the friendly back into the system which the garlic then feeds.
See how that works?!
So, what have I noticed since I’ve been implementing the “perfect trifecta” for intestinal health in my life? Well, I’m more regular in my bowel movements (overshare, but it’s the truth).
Remember that your body is like a donut – round with a hole through the center. The top of the hole is your mouth and the bottom of the hole is your anus. Whenever the top hole opens it shouldn’t be too long before the bottom hole opens and if it isn’t, things need some improvement.
The other thing I noticed is that my sugar cravings stopped. I didn’t think too much of it until a friend of mine commented that she was having the same result! But it makes sense.
What do the unfriendly bacteria feed off of? Refined sugar, refined flour… So, when I have more friendly bacteria than unfriendly bacteria, my body isn’t going to crave the things that feed the unfriendly bacteria!
Third, I have an overall feeling of health and well-being and no “brain fog”!
Not too shabby for a few “home remedies”, huh?!
So, have you had any experiences using the Perfect Trifecta of garlic, clay, and kefir to improve intestinal health? If so, I’d like to hear about your experiences.
More Information
Food Poisoning Remedies that Work and Prevent Dehydration
Why Fermented Foods are Not Enough to Heal the Gut (and the Probiotic Boost they Need)
Are You a Tummy Bug Magnet? Fat Phobia May Be the Cause
Slippery Elm for Tummy Aches
i’m interested in rejuvelac. thoughts, comments, tips?
Rejuvelac is another fermented beverage and another way to introduce friendly bacteria to your body. The more the merrier I say! 🙂 The more fermented foods we consume, the better we’ll be. 🙂
Will I still get the benefit from store bought kefir? Just not up to making my own….yet.
Not really. 🙁 Sorry.
Once you get some kefir grains it’s so easy to make your own. Cover them in milk, let them sit, strain and drink the milk (which is now fermented and called kefir). Recover the grains in milk, let them sit, strain and drink. Recover the grains in milk, let them sit, strain and drink. For-ev-er. 😉 The grains will thrive and grow and soon you’ll be giving them away to friends who want to know more about this strange (wonderful) thing called kefir that you’ve been telling them about. 🙂
Can you recommend more resources for learning more about the clay? We do garlic & kefir but the clay is new to me and I’d like to study it more. Thanks
Yes Heidi. 🙂 You can follow the clay link on my website for more information and a free ebook download called We Eat Clay, you can go to redmondtrading.com, you can also read Living Clay by Perry A, and The Healing Power of Clay by Michel Abehsera. Soon you’ll love clay as much as I do! 🙂
Wow some more very interesting and helpful information. I will start with the garlic today. I do use the kefir but can’t get enough milk to make it right now . I never have used the clay. I might give that a try. Thank you !
Thanks Linda. 🙂 If you can’t get enough milk to make the milk kefir, you could also get some water kefir grains and make water kefir and if you make traditional lacto fermented vegetables, you could use that too. The main reason for the kefir is to add friendly bacteria to the gut. Milk kefir, water kefir, and lacto fermented foods will all accomplish the same thing. In fact, using a variety of fermented foods to introduce friendly bacteria to the body is actually better than sticking to only one method. Remember that there are 1000’s of strains of friendly bacteria, the more you’re able to get in your system, the better off you’ll be. 🙂 There’s a 2 minute YouTube video that’s a trailer for the dvd Microwarriors, you might find that interesting. 🙂
I’ve never heard of water kefir before. Where can I find out how to make it? My husband’s stomach cannot handle milk kefir, only yogurt.
Look at Yemoos.com and CulturesForHealth.com for both information and to purchase and then I would Google Dom’s Kefir for a TON of additional information on kefir – both water and milk. 🙂
Is this something that is safe to use both internally/externally if you are trying to get pregnant? Ok to use when pregnant?
Absolutely Taylor! As with all things, use discretion and as I mentioned to Melissa in a previous comment, I would start slowly and begin with 1/4 tsp of clay in a cup of water. (As a side note, have you tried foot zone therapy yet to help get pregnany?)
Can you explain more about foot zone therapy to help you get pregnant?
Foot zone therapy can help bring the body into balance – physically, emotionally and mentally. Clients have reported regulation of menstrual cycles as well as reduced stress and anxiety as a result of regular foot zone sessions. Both of my previous guest posts on foot zoning had comments from people who used foot zone therapy to help with pregnancy, and my website also has additional information under the Foot Zone tab at the top of the site.
I drink kefir regularly and have been taking a Sacred Clay from Vitality Herbs and Clay with water first thing in the morning for a while, but fresh garlic before bed, that’s a new one. I’m definitely going to start doing this. I absolutely love garlic and have been devouring garlic scapes the past month. Thanks for the info, Katherine!
No problem Ryan! Let me know if you notice any diference. One word of caution however, be sure to just swallow the garlic, don’t chew it. 😉
Ah, that sounds like an important detail to emphasize. For those who will be experimenting with your interesting regimen, you might consider adding the words “without chewing” after “swallow it like a pill” in the original post.
When I take garlic, I tend to feel a little nauseated… so, if I follow it with a banana, my tummy calms down considerably. Just my experience 🙂
Thank you Melissa. 🙂 I’ts so important to listen to the clues our body gives us. 🙂
has not have
Redmond clay (as with most clay) have a lot of iron in it. I stopped giving my family any clay (I have Pascalite clay, Redmond clay and a French clay) because we were getting white spots on our fingernails and toenails that were never there before and because we don’t need the extra iron especially my husband. Please research clays on your own before taking it.
White spots on the finger or toe nails is generally more an indicator of a zinc deficiency. Clay is wonderful if you make sure you are actually getting what you’re paying for. Order only from reputable sources such at Mountain Rose Herbs. Their product information will always tell you if it is for internal use, or for external use only. I love their rhassoul for my skin and hair, the french green or french pink for my face, the fuller’s earth for lightening skin spots, etc.
The only thing I use Redmond clay for is to mix with arrowroot powder (organic) and use as a body powder (under boobies) or as a baby butt powder. Very nice on irritated baby bottoms, and is especially nice for fat babies with all those rolls and creases – in this hot weather it helps keep them cooler and dry, less prone to irritation.
I also use a mixture of clay and pure charcoal as a drawing agent (for slivers or boils, etc). Mix with a little ground flaxseed and some raw milk to make a paste, apply on a gauze pad and keep it wet (with water) or it won’t draw.
Redmond clay has been shown to have more drawing power than other bentonite clays so it works very well topically, but it is also designated as GRAS for human consumption.
As for the white spots, I’m not sure what would cause them. I use clay almost daily and have never had a problem. However, I do know that certain vitamins an minerals work in tandem (like calcium & magnesium). Taking too much of one without a sufficient amount of the other will actually cause a deficiency. I don’t know if that’s the problem, but if it were me I would reduce the amount of clay I were using to see if that took care of the problem. Based on my experience your body is pretty quick to tell you if you’re using too much, the first sign being a headache. This indication would occur within a day, well before white spots would begin showing on your fingernails.
There are many, many uses of clay and you’ll find additional information on my website, but if you’re still interested in learning more I can recommend Living Clay by Perry A, and The Healing Power of Clay by Michael Abehsera.
White spots on the fingernails are indeed caused by zinc deficiency, which can be cause by overconsuming iron and zinc together.
Iron and zinc compete for absorption in the gut and as such should be consumed apart. If your zinc was below optimal anyway, or if you were consuming the clay together with meals, you were probably developing a zinc deficiency this way as the gut cannot optimally absorb both together.
Iron is not the villain, but everything must be taken in balance and zinc and iron must always be taken separately 🙂
What does GRAS mean??
I’m already on board with the garlic and kefir, but I have a question about the clay. Can I take it if I’m nursing?
ABSOLUTELY! 🙂 In addition to pulling out the nasties, the minerals in the clay provide your body with minerals that it may be missing because the soil has been depleted. If it were me, I’d start out using only a 1/4 tsp in a cup of water every day for a week, then increase the amount to 1/2 tsp the next week, 3/4 tsp the following, working my way up to 1 tsp the week after. This will help prevent any unfriendly effects from detoxing too quickly. On my website there’s a free ebook download on some of the many uses of clay as well as a short video.
Wonderful! Thank you for this information. I’m going to get some and give it a try!
What about bentonite clay?