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With an astonishing 70% of Americans suffering from some type of intestinal distress in their lifetime, that leads me to question, how can we protect ourselves from this?

It's a fact of life that we, as humans, rarely think of any parts of our anatomy unless they are causing problems. For instance; you might not think about your skin until you switch detergents and it starts to itch. If everything is working, or we don't see a problem, then life is good, right? Well, maybe not. Even though we can't see the problems it doesn't mean that they aren't there.

When it comes to gut health the above course of action seems to be the most popular. If things seem OK, there must not be a problem.

SO MUCH of our overall health is directly related to gut health, so in some cases, you may be treating symptoms without actually addressing the main cause.

For example, out of the blue, you may be experiencing anxiety and/or depression. You go to see your doctor who (God forbid) prescribes an anti-anxiety/anti-depressant to mask your symptoms. But wait! WHY did you start experiencing these symptoms, what is the core reason? You may be surprised to know that anxiety and depressed moods can very likely stem from poor gut health.

So, when considering how important the gut is, what exactly causes so much intestinal trouble?

It all starts with bacteria.

We may shun bacteria in our daily lives but for our gut, bacteria are necessary for proper function. Gut flora like Bifidobacterium Longum and Lactobacillus function to help the intestines break down food, extract nutrients and eliminate waste.

The useful flora also works to keep the harmful bacteria and fungi in check as well. But when there is an increase in harmful bacteria or fungi, balance is lost, and health problems start to stack up.

What causes the loss of balance? While underlying medical conditions can play a role in unbalanced gut health, more times than not, our own actions or inactions are the culprit for lack of intestinal health.

Problems like:

* Consuming sugar or complex carbs

* Not enough fiber-rich foods

* Alcohol consumption

* Lack of food diversity

* Lack of pre and probiotics...

Environmental factors and activities also play a part. Activities like:

* Smoking

* Lack of exercise

* Insufficient sleep

* Too much stress...

These all contribute to a buildup of unhealthy intestinal bacteria.

So, what is the best solution to combat and prevent this bacterial dysbiosis? Probiotics! That's right, the good bugs you need to balance your bacterial flora.

Without the proper amount of good bacteria in our colon, an overgrowth of fungi and bad bacteria, mainly from the Candida family of fungi, wreaks havoc on your entire body. Symptoms like fatigue, depression, anxiety, itching, toenail fungus, indigestion or GERD as well as the obvious signs of gas, bloating, constipation & diarrhea can be warning signs that the gut is in trouble. If you suspect Candida or yeast overgrowth, be sure to check out my Thrive Advanced Candida Protocol Pack.

Thankfully, diet and lifestyle changes along with proper supplementation of high-quality probiotics, such as Thrive GI Balance Probiotics can not only help to restore but even keep GI distress from occurring in the first place.

Be proactive, eat the rainbow of fruits and veggies, avoid sugar and processed foods, take probiotics daily and manage your lifestyle by avoiding unnecessary stress and get plenty of sleep!

PS. If candida is suspected and you would like to know specifically if it is present, consider the following stool tests. Vibrant Gut Zoomer or GI Map Stool Test

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With an astonishing 70% of Americans suffering from some type of intestinal distress in their lifetime, that leads me to question, how can we protect ourselves from this?

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Taking care of one's body should be everyone's topmost priority because good health translates to a good life. However, more often than not, a lot of people tend to think that being proactive about your health is too stressful or too expensive, but it doesn't have to be!

The first step to having a healthy body is quite common knowledge - eat healthy!

The body system is greatly affected by what we take in, so that is why "Health 101" will teach you that vegetables and fruits will benefit you so much more than processed foods, sugar, and simple carbohydrates. But our modern-day diets and fads cause people to become so confused and question what the right food choices are for them.

I had lunch with a beautiful friend of mine yesterday, our conversation was based around this specific topic of how do we know what diet is best for us? We reflected about how over the past 30+ years of our lives there has been so much conflicting and controversial nutrition information fed to us, and it continues up to this very moment.

Should I eat low fat or high fat? Try Adkins or say yes to quinoa and complex carbs? Go vegan or primal? Is raw vegan best for me, or eat Paleo? Can I eat beans and legumes or are they really "anti-nutrients"? Is Keto right for me and is it sustainable? Do calories count or not? Should I fast or eat every 2 hours?....

These questions just scratch the surface, and I don't have all the answers.

However, there are 2 things that I do know for sure!

1. We are all uniquely made and what works best for one person is not always best for the next.

2. We must provide our bodies with critical vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids in order to thrive and survive.

My friends at MedAlertHelp.org provided me with an amazing infographic that I want to share with you. This pic will educate you about which foods contain the most life-giving vitamins for your optimal health. It ranges from the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, to the water soluble vitamins B and C.

Vitamins give you stronger bones, build up your red blood cells, reduce your level of bad cholesterol. They also build up your nerves and muscles, supply energy to them, and keep you away from the dentist and optician by giving you strong healthy teeth and incredible eyesight. And all of that is the tip of the iceberg.

The greater news is that you can get vitamins from a number of meals that are quite affordable and easy to obtain. If your diet has been lacking most of this, then it is time to change it.

Regardless of which "diet" you choose, eat whole foods, grown and raised from the earth, not synthetically processed and made in a lab. Always choose organic when possible!

If you would like to take personalizing your diet a step further, consider a SpectraCell MicroNutrient test that measures your white blood cells to indicate exactly what nutrients you are depleted from, borderline on and replenished in.

This amazing blood test can help you decide exactly what foods you should be eating and/or supplements you should be taking to obtain your optimal health!

If you need more help in deciding which diet is best for you to help you achieve your health goals, check out my health consulting and coaching packages.

And don't forget to check out this amazing infographic and share it with friends and family! https://medalerthelp.org/the-world-of-vitamins-infographic/

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Taking care of one's body should be everyone's topmost priority because good health translates to a good life. However, more often than not, a lot of people tend to think that being proactive about your health is too stressful or too expensive, but it doesn't have to be!

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CBD Oil 101 - Ailments That It May Help With

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CBD Oil 101 - Ailments That It May Help With

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You may have heard of the increasingly popular CBD oil, commonly known as hemp oil. CBD stands for cannabidiol and is the second most common compound found in the cannabis plant.

Cannabis, you say? Not to worry!

CBD provides incredible health benefits without the "stoned" feeling that is commonly associated with cannabis usage.

CBD is a neuroprotective compound, which means that it helps strengthen the signaling molecules in the brain. When consumed in small amounts, users record a sense of relief and blissful energy.

One of the most amazing aspects of this natural compound is that, contrary to most substances, there are no recorded overdoses in history. The only real "side effect" from higher amounts of CBD is drowsiness, which may actually come in handy if you are using CBD as a sleep aid.

The most common way to consume CBD is via oil, however, there are also CBD pills, topicals, edibles, concentrates, suppositories, and even bath soaks!

CBD oil may help with:

Depression & Anxiety

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Chronic Pain

Schizophrenia

Alcoholism

Multiple Sclerosis

Fibromyalgia

Purchasing your CBD oil from a reliable source is super important.

I use and trust a couple brands in particular. I love Colorado Hemp oil from Quicksilver Scientific as well as Cannab FS 300 from Designs for Health. You can order directly from the link or reach out to me with questions!

If you're wanting to dive deeper into CBD and the science behind the medicine, check out this extensive resource center for up-to-date cannabis research. This stuff is truly amazing!

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CBD Oil 101 - Ailments That It May Help With

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You may have heard of the increasingly popular CBD oil, commonly known as hemp oil. CBD stands for cannabidiol and is the second most common compound found in the cannabis plant. CBD provides incredible health benefits without the "stoned" feeling that is commonly associated with cannabis usage.

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Yeast is a type of fungus found in the gut that aids with healthy digestion and absorption of nutrients. However, when yeast, and specifically one species named Candida Albicans, becomes overpopulated, adverse effects may occur in the vagina, eyes, nails, ears, nose, and other areas of the body.

Indications of infection may include fatigue, joint pain, sinus infection, oral thrush, UTI, diarrhea or constipation, bloating & gas, brain fog, and many other symptoms. Luckily this kind of fungal overgrowth can be treated naturally by maintaining a strict diet and by taking high-quality supplements, including herbal antifungals & probiotics.

Ideally, we want to prevent this Candida overgrowth from occurring in the first place, so here are a few things that you will want to avoid or limit:

Avoid these Candida growth stimulants:

Antibiotics

Simple carbohydrates

Fruit juice from concentrate

Cows milk and soft dairy products

Processed foods

Limit these Candida growth stimulants:

Starchy vegetables (potatoes & sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, peas, etc.)

High sugar fruits (bananas, mango, pineapple, grapes, dates, etc.)

Grains (white rice, brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, gluten free breads, etc)

Fermented foods

Add these to prevent Candida overgrowth:

Increase water intake

Organic vegetables

Apple cider vinegar

Coconut oil

Organic Meats

Ground flax and chia seeds

If you are presenting some of the symptoms listed above, or if you have been diagnosed with or suspect a Candida infection, the Candida diet (aka yeast-free diet) may be necessary.

To eradicate this fungal overgrowth, you will need to follow a specific protocol for 30-90 days, depending on the severity. To learn more about the . If you have excessive GI distress accompanying the candida overgrowth, you may also want to consider the more Candida Cleanse Protocol, advanced Candida Protocol Pack

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Yeast is a type of fungus found in the gut that aids with healthy digestion and absorption of nutrients. However, when yeast, and specifically one species named Candida Albicans, becomes overpopulated, adverse effects may occur in the vagina, eyes, nails, ears, nose, and other areas of the body.

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With all the buzz around gut talk, you have probably heard about why GI health is so important.

Your gut flora can either establish a healthy baseline for the rest of your body, or it can serve as a detrimental piece of the puzzle to your symptoms. There are many manifestations of gut health imbalances, but luckily there are alternative wellness approaches to consider when addressing this critical system in your body.
For those of you tuning into the GI health chatter, you have probably heard these acronyms thrown around, so what is the difference between SIFO and SIBO?
Let's start with SIFO...
SIFO Signs to look for: SIFO Dangers on GI health: You may be wondering: "How can I protect myself against SIFO?"
SIFO stands for small intestinal fungal overgrowth and is often accompanied by unpleasant gastric symptoms. The most common type of SIFO is Candidiasis or Candida for short.

Avoid antibiotics

Reduce sugar intake

Avoid acid-reducing drugs such as PPIs and H2 blockers

Care for your mental health (gut-brain connection)

Sleep for at least 8 hours per night

Refrain from steroid medications

Now let's spend some time discussing SIBO
SIBO signs to look for: SIBO dangers on GI health: I am sure you are asking yourself: "How can I protect myself against SIBO?"
SIBO stands for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and occurs specifically when bacterial species of the colon are overgrown into the small intestinal tract. The most common forms of bacteria overgrowth found in SIBO include Streptococcus species, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Lactobacilli .

Refrain from antibiotics

Stay away from sugar

Refrain from oral contraceptives

Reduce alcohol consumption

"Is there a simple way for me to assess the integrity of my GI health? How can I find out if I suffer from one, both or none of these GI issues?"
Now, you're probably thinking:

Because symptoms alone are not always enough to assess the difference between SIFO and SIBO, there are alternative wellness solutions to help you to better evaluate your gut health.

Luckily, with advanced technology, getting to the bottom of your GI health issues does not have to be a difficult process.

The GI-MAP is the world's first stool test that allows for a complete analysis of GI health, assessing GI bacteria, fungi, and a wide variety of other markers in the gut.

Furthermore, the Gut Zoomer is a microchip technology that provides a complete analysis of the bacteria, both beneficial and harmful, in your GI tract.

As an alternative wellness warrior, you might be wondering:

"How can I naturally take care of my gut health if I do have SIFO or SIBO?"

Both SIFO and SIBO can be treated naturally through diet paired with targeted, high-quality supplements. For a more extensive look at products and diet plans that improve gut health in these areas, check out these Gut Health Protocols designed to improve your health naturally!

Please do not hesitate to contact me regarding questions of what test or supplement regimen is right for you! krystal@awsnutrition.com.

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With all the buzz around gut talk, you have probably heard about why GI health is so important.

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Natural Head Lice Treatment That Works - One Client's Story

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Natural Head Lice Treatment That Works - One Client's Story

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So recently I had a very unusual request from one of my clients.

She wanted to know if my Digestive Enzyme product had Protease in it. I said, of course, however, I wanted to make sure that it was exactly what she needed and so I found out that it has more than double the protease that is found in shelf supplements at your pharmacy.
I was surprised at her reason but after she explained it to me, it totally clicked.
She explained that she has been battling head lice with her 13-year old daughter for months and she was losing the battle. Her daughter is in cheer and has a very active lifestyle, sleepovers, friends parties, overnight trips...
She is not a dirty kid, she showers daily and cares very much about her appearance.
But lice today are not the same lice as 10 years ago, we now have SUPER lice - they are completely resistant to all the over the counter products that cost $30, $40 and even $50 each treatment.

The problem with today's lice - is that nothing kills the actual eggs or nits.

She even tried a shampoo that cost $300!!! It was prescribed by a doctor and filled with a promise to kill the eggs. You see, every 2 weeks, the eggs hatch and create more lice that lay more eggs. The average adult louse can lay 6-8 eggs a day. This means if you don't kill the eggs, then you are treating every two weeks without fail and still your child will have lice 2 weeks later!
So, she decided to go to another doctor and get a second opinion about her lice war.
He did not prescribe her a $300 shampoo but rather told her about a Foster family that uses this fail-safe treatment once on every new kid they foster and the lice AND eggs are gone.

Here is the super simple and inexpensive lice treatment:

1 Cup of Conditioner (any will work)

2 Tablespoons of Coarse Salt

3 Capsules of a Digestive Enzyme that contains Protease

Spread the conditioning treatment thoroughly especially on the roots, behind the ears and the back of the head (this is where lice love to live).

Leave it on for 1 hour.

Rinse and blow dry the hair completely - then use a Nit comb and comb through every strand of hair (this removes all the dead nits and bugs).

Remember to wash all pillows, sheets, bedding, and clothes in hot water and dry it on super high heat. Otherwise, when they go back to sleep they can get infected all over again.
That's it!
Why did this natural and inexpensive lice treatment work?

Because Protease is a very powerful digestive enzyme that eats bad bacteria and bugs in your gut. And guess what? It eats through the skin and protective coating of lice and eggs as well!

So when she told me what she was going to use it for it made total and complete sense to me.

It has been over a month now and I asked her how it was going. She was happy to inform me that her daughter was lice free for the past month and she plans to do this treatment every month to keep them gone for good. She also said an extra benefit is that it makes her daughter's hair beautiful and shiny :).

Here is her email to me about the ordeal:

I asked if I could share her story to spread the word, as I have clients that have daughters that are in cheer, dance, sports, or super active socially (sleepovers are the biggest culprit of lice infestations).

She was more than happy to share and hopes that the word spreads to every mom that has had to deal with this embarrassing plague. Good luck!

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Natural Head Lice Treatment That Works - One Client's Story

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Why did this natural and inexpensive lice treatment work? Because Protease is a very powerful digestive enzyme that eats bad bacteria and bugs in your gut. And guess what? It eats through the skin and protective coating of lice and eggs as well!