[g_podcast id="8598440"]
This episode is a little special because it's not about specific tactics or "how do I do xyz", but rather to give you inspiration to take care of your gut health and diet. Especially if you suffer from any chronic complaints.
Many people look for solutions to make their symptoms disappear as quickly as possible. And only when all measures fail, as a last resort so to speak, are they willing to change their diet.
This should be the first action before all others follow.
In this podcast episode I talk about:
Many people don't realize that nutrition and gut health are crucial to getting rid of long-term symptoms and diseases. Most people go to the doctor or naturopath and want to get rid of their symptoms (pain of any kind, skin problems, hormonal problems, etc.).
Almost nobody thinks about nutrition and gut health. That's why I'll tell you a few stories from our practice to inspire you and give you the courage and drive to tackle your problems.
Many people think when they have a health or physical problem that 'it's not that bad', 'as long as it doesn't get worse and I have it under control, I don't have to do anything'.
I would like to disagree with you on this point! If you do nothing, it almost always gets worse over the years!
At some point, there comes a point where you can no longer avoid the diet or you are so ill that your quality of life is limited. I would like to prevent this by taking measures or making sure that you feel better quickly.
But I also understand that there are people who don't do anything if the level of suffering is not high enough. Maybe you're in a situation where it's really bad and you're looking for a solution and I hope I can inspire you today.
The first example I have is a young woman who has an autoimmune disease. She went to the doctor and he said she had to take medication to lower her immune system.
For her, it was out of the question to take this medication because she would no longer be able to do her job as a riding instructor.
With this example, I want to show you what the consequences can be if you are not healthy. It may be that you can no longer live your dream job!
I want to tell you: Look what's at stake!
The good thing was that the woman looked for other solutions because she didn't want to give up her job.
As soon as she changed her diet, improvements quickly became apparent.
However, even with her long way. It took her years to follow the path of nutrition and gut health - she could have had the positive results much earlier.
The next example is of a man who already had an appointment for surgery because they wanted to remove a piece of his bowel.
He then came across us through a recommendation. He underwent a microbiome analysis and intestinal rehabilitation and after a few months he happily reported back that he didn't have to have his operation! He was doing so well that the doctor said the operation was no longer necessary.
That just goes to show: If he had done nothing about his diet and bowel health, the consequence would have been this operation! And, of course, this operation would have had an impact on his quality of life, as he would have had to take care of things for the rest of his life or possibly take medication.
Therefore, the path via nutrition and gut health was much easier.
Another example is a woman who suffered from lipoedema.
Lipoedema is very painful and something that severely impairs quality of life and where most people say: there's nothing you can do about it, except maybe exercise. Exercise really does help to relieve the pain in the legs. But you can't do anything with diet.
We disagreed and advised her to change her diet. She was suffering so much because she realized that she could no longer do her job properly. She had already considered reducing her workload, which of course has financial consequences.
That's really an example of how much health affects completely different areas of life. She changed her diet and is now virtually pain-free and can work normally again!
Even if there are people who tell you that you can't achieve anything with diet: If you don't try it, you won't know!
Next example is a woman who almost had bowel problems all her life.
She had a lot of constipation, was bloated and still didn't associate it with her bowels. At some point it got so bad that blood was found in her stool and then, of course, the alarm bells went off.
She told me that she had a bowel specialist where she had to travel several hours. This specialist didn't ask her about her diet!
I realized very quickly that she is an absolute sugar junkie and she also showed me how many sweets she eats every day. She practically lives on sweets.
Nobody told her that it's not good for the gut! She didn't find the connection herself, despite blood in her stool.
The interesting thing was that she has a mother who needs an oxygen machine and she always said that she didn't want to end up like her mother. But she's already noticing that her breathing is really bad depending on the situation.
I told her that it also has to do with her gut and her diet. She is now on fire and has already started to change her diet and has had initial success!
No matter what the symptoms are. If you have something chronic and it's not getting better, you have to take your diet into account! I'll tell you why in a moment.
The penultimate example is a boy who could hardly speak because he couldn't breathe.
His mother contacted my husband and asked him what could be done. We did a stool analysis and changed his diet.
We met with a lot of resistance from his mother. The boy was 9/10 years old. The mother said 'I can give probiotics. But changing his diet is totally out of the question! My boy needs his chocolate milk in the morning. He won't eat healthily if I tell him that'
She really struggled. But the boy was keen to do something and even agreed to give up his chocolate milk and eat differently.
The first time I spoke to my husband, he could hardly speak. He had such a heavy burden on his airways. Two weeks later, the two of them spoke again and the boy was totally proud!
He said to my husband: 'Listen' and breathed. And my husband said 'I can't hear anything' and the boy said 'EBEN!!!'. Before, the boy had had rattling breathing, which was completely gone.
This also shows how quickly things can change and how important nutrition is for symptoms that you don't associate with nutrition at first.
The last example is an acquaintance of mine who has hypothyroidism. Fortunately, she found a doctor who told her that she needed to go to nutritional counseling.
She did so and has been eating a gut-friendly diet for 1 year and says it has changed her life! Her hormonal situation is completely back in balance. She feels great, she has energy.
She wouldn't have thought herself that it would make such a huge difference to her diet. And she told me 'Julia, you really have to tell lots of people, especially women with hormone problems, how important the gut is!'
I actually tell people this all the time, but it's still difficult to get the message across. This is exactly the kind of feedback I get when I make this podcast episode, because it's fascinating that nutrition and gut health are so often suppressed and forgotten and so often put at the end of a therapy. If nothing works, you can try changing your diet.
NO! It has to come first!!!
Especially when it comes to getting pregnant: many women are prepared to take on a lot of things (hormone treatment, injections etc.) because they have such a great unfulfilled desire to have children. Why not just change your diet first?
We have an example from our practice of someone who had the same experience. She really tried everything to get pregnant and it didn't work.
We did a microbiome analysis and changed her diet and a few months later she was pregnant!
That doesn't mean that it always works or that you only have to change your diet. But in my opinion, it is almost negligent not to change your diet if you have a chronic problem.
Why is that? Everything you eat ends up in your body! The nutrients go into your blood and carry out things like energy production, hormone production, etc. Everything our body needs to repair or regenerate etc., it needs certain nutrients for this.
Where should it get the nutrients from if not from food? Even if you are slim, that doesn't mean you don't have to worry about your diet! If you have other problems, for example hormonal, this can also happen to slim people. Many slim people have inflammation and hormonal problems etc.
Everyone who has any kind of chronic problem should definitely change their diet so that it matches our genetics and metabolism and reduces inflammation instead of promoting it!
Nutrition has an effect on the body and a direct influence on the gut. In previous episodes, I have already explained that the gut is the center for all other functions. It is the place where nutrients are absorbed and where certain hormones and vitamins are produced. That's why diet has such a big impact and why it's so important to look at the gut if you have chronic problems.
Nowadays, almost nobody is completely healthy (sleep problems, mood swings, concentration problems, poor immune system, etc.). There are a lot of complaints that people have that they would never associate with diet and gut!
This episode should encourage you a little! Make sure you're eating healthy and taking care of your gut!
It's already a big part of your health.
I'm not saying that's all there is to it. There are definitely other areas that you should definitely include (e.g. stress, relationships, mental health, etc.), but the best place to start is with nutrition. It opens the door to other measures.
Because when you finally gain strength and energy, you have the power to implement other measures in your life!
I'm currently seeing this in my online course Gut Happiness. We've only been changing our diet together for a few days and I'm already getting the first positive feedback.
People are totally surprised that after 2-3 days they're already getting compliments from customers saying that they look so fresh, or have even lost a kilo, or are already sleeping better. After really only a few days!
And that should also encourage you! You don't have to think that it will take years and you will have to fight for a long time before you feel anything. You'll feel something after just a few days if you do it right, and that brings us to the crux of the matter.
There are certain things you really need to bear in mind when you change your diet and cleanse your gut. You have to do this in the right way and I've already done a few podcast episodes on this. Just listen to the first few episodes and I'll tell you what you can look out for in your diet.
If you have a chronic problem, it makes sense to have a microbiome analysis and also to take probiotics and prebiotics and it makes sense to add things like stress reduction.
It's a comprehensive system, but it's very simple and suitable for everyday use.
I just want to encourage you. There is help. Get help, do it right and you will soon notice that your body will thank you for it!
I hope that this has inspired you a little and given you courage.
Don't give up if you have chronic health problems, but start where you can make the quickest impact: in your center, in your diet and in your gut!
I am curious to see if this has encouraged you a little. Feel free to write back and let me know what information you still need to get started.
I have already provided a lot of information in my podcast. You'll find what you need and if you need more support you know where to find me.
Now I recommend you subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode, and if you like what you hear, I really appreciate a review on iTunes or Apple Podcast. Because these reviews also help other people find the podcast so we can spread the knowledge about gut and health more.
This episode is a little special because it's not about specific tactics or "how do I do xyz", but rather to give you inspiration to take care of your gut health and diet. Especially if you suffer from any chronic complaints.
Many people look for solutions to make their symptoms disappear as quickly as possible. And only when all measures fail, as a last resort so to speak, are they willing to change their diet.
This should be the first action before all others follow.
In this podcast episode I talk about:
- Why diet and the gut are important for your health in the first place
- The possible consequences of not taking care of your diet (and no, we're not talking about obesity here)
- A few impressive case studies from our practice that show the impact health has on our quality of life
- Why nutrition is often seen as a last resort instead of the first sensible measure, without which all other strategies remain ineffective
- And: which components are included if you want to live a gut-healthy life
Always think about nutrition and gut health if you want to get chronic conditions under control
Many people don't realize that nutrition and gut health are crucial to getting rid of long-term symptoms and diseases. Most people go to the doctor or naturopath and want to get rid of their symptoms (pain of any kind, skin problems, hormonal problems, etc.).
Almost nobody thinks about nutrition and gut health. That's why I'll tell you a few stories from our practice to inspire you and give you the courage and drive to tackle your problems.
Many people think when they have a health or physical problem that 'it's not that bad', 'as long as it doesn't get worse and I have it under control, I don't have to do anything'.
I would like to disagree with you on this point! If you do nothing, it almost always gets worse over the years!
At some point, there comes a point where you can no longer avoid the diet or you are so ill that your quality of life is limited. I would like to prevent this by taking measures or making sure that you feel better quickly.
But I also understand that there are people who don't do anything if the level of suffering is not high enough. Maybe you're in a situation where it's really bad and you're looking for a solution and I hope I can inspire you today.
Real-life examples show that if you take care of it, it gets better quickly - so don't wait too long!
Woman with autoimmune disease
The first example I have is a young woman who has an autoimmune disease. She went to the doctor and he said she had to take medication to lower her immune system.
For her, it was out of the question to take this medication because she would no longer be able to do her job as a riding instructor.
With this example, I want to show you what the consequences can be if you are not healthy. It may be that you can no longer live your dream job!
I want to tell you: Look what's at stake!
The good thing was that the woman looked for other solutions because she didn't want to give up her job.
As soon as she changed her diet, improvements quickly became apparent.
However, even with her long way. It took her years to follow the path of nutrition and gut health - she could have had the positive results much earlier.
Man with an appointment for bowel surgery
The next example is of a man who already had an appointment for surgery because they wanted to remove a piece of his bowel.
He then came across us through a recommendation. He underwent a microbiome analysis and intestinal rehabilitation and after a few months he happily reported back that he didn't have to have his operation! He was doing so well that the doctor said the operation was no longer necessary.
That just goes to show: If he had done nothing about his diet and bowel health, the consequence would have been this operation! And, of course, this operation would have had an impact on his quality of life, as he would have had to take care of things for the rest of his life or possibly take medication.
Therefore, the path via nutrition and gut health was much easier.
Woman with lipoedema
Another example is a woman who suffered from lipoedema.
Lipoedema is very painful and something that severely impairs quality of life and where most people say: there's nothing you can do about it, except maybe exercise. Exercise really does help to relieve the pain in the legs. But you can't do anything with diet.
We disagreed and advised her to change her diet. She was suffering so much because she realized that she could no longer do her job properly. She had already considered reducing her workload, which of course has financial consequences.
That's really an example of how much health affects completely different areas of life. She changed her diet and is now virtually pain-free and can work normally again!
Even if there are people who tell you that you can't achieve anything with diet: If you don't try it, you won't know!
Woman with digestive problems
Next example is a woman who almost had bowel problems all her life.
She had a lot of constipation, was bloated and still didn't associate it with her bowels. At some point it got so bad that blood was found in her stool and then, of course, the alarm bells went off.
She told me that she had a bowel specialist where she had to travel several hours. This specialist didn't ask her about her diet!
I realized very quickly that she is an absolute sugar junkie and she also showed me how many sweets she eats every day. She practically lives on sweets.
Nobody told her that it's not good for the gut! She didn't find the connection herself, despite blood in her stool.
The interesting thing was that she has a mother who needs an oxygen machine and she always said that she didn't want to end up like her mother. But she's already noticing that her breathing is really bad depending on the situation.
I told her that it also has to do with her gut and her diet. She is now on fire and has already started to change her diet and has had initial success!
No matter what the symptoms are. If you have something chronic and it's not getting better, you have to take your diet into account! I'll tell you why in a moment.
Child with respiratory problems
The penultimate example is a boy who could hardly speak because he couldn't breathe.
His mother contacted my husband and asked him what could be done. We did a stool analysis and changed his diet.
We met with a lot of resistance from his mother. The boy was 9/10 years old. The mother said 'I can give probiotics. But changing his diet is totally out of the question! My boy needs his chocolate milk in the morning. He won't eat healthily if I tell him that'
She really struggled. But the boy was keen to do something and even agreed to give up his chocolate milk and eat differently.
The first time I spoke to my husband, he could hardly speak. He had such a heavy burden on his airways. Two weeks later, the two of them spoke again and the boy was totally proud!
He said to my husband: 'Listen' and breathed. And my husband said 'I can't hear anything' and the boy said 'EBEN!!!'. Before, the boy had had rattling breathing, which was completely gone.
This also shows how quickly things can change and how important nutrition is for symptoms that you don't associate with nutrition at first.
Woman with hypothyroidism
The last example is an acquaintance of mine who has hypothyroidism. Fortunately, she found a doctor who told her that she needed to go to nutritional counseling.
She did so and has been eating a gut-friendly diet for 1 year and says it has changed her life! Her hormonal situation is completely back in balance. She feels great, she has energy.
She wouldn't have thought herself that it would make such a huge difference to her diet. And she told me 'Julia, you really have to tell lots of people, especially women with hormone problems, how important the gut is!'
I actually tell people this all the time, but it's still difficult to get the message across. This is exactly the kind of feedback I get when I make this podcast episode, because it's fascinating that nutrition and gut health are so often suppressed and forgotten and so often put at the end of a therapy. If nothing works, you can try changing your diet.
NO! It has to come first!!!
Hormonal problems and an unfulfilled desire to have children are also linked to gut health
Especially when it comes to getting pregnant: many women are prepared to take on a lot of things (hormone treatment, injections etc.) because they have such a great unfulfilled desire to have children. Why not just change your diet first?
We have an example from our practice of someone who had the same experience. She really tried everything to get pregnant and it didn't work.
We did a microbiome analysis and changed her diet and a few months later she was pregnant!
That doesn't mean that it always works or that you only have to change your diet. But in my opinion, it is almost negligent not to change your diet if you have a chronic problem.
Building materials and fuels come from our diet, which is why it is crucial for our health
Why is that? Everything you eat ends up in your body! The nutrients go into your blood and carry out things like energy production, hormone production, etc. Everything our body needs to repair or regenerate etc., it needs certain nutrients for this.
Where should it get the nutrients from if not from food? Even if you are slim, that doesn't mean you don't have to worry about your diet! If you have other problems, for example hormonal, this can also happen to slim people. Many slim people have inflammation and hormonal problems etc.
Everyone who has any kind of chronic problem should definitely change their diet so that it matches our genetics and metabolism and reduces inflammation instead of promoting it!
Nutrition has an effect on the body and a direct influence on the gut. In previous episodes, I have already explained that the gut is the center for all other functions. It is the place where nutrients are absorbed and where certain hormones and vitamins are produced. That's why diet has such a big impact and why it's so important to look at the gut if you have chronic problems.
Nowadays, almost nobody is completely healthy (sleep problems, mood swings, concentration problems, poor immune system, etc.). There are a lot of complaints that people have that they would never associate with diet and gut!
This episode should encourage you a little! Make sure you're eating healthy and taking care of your gut!
It's already a big part of your health.
Nutrition is the best way to start feeling good again quickly (sometimes even in just a few days)
I'm not saying that's all there is to it. There are definitely other areas that you should definitely include (e.g. stress, relationships, mental health, etc.), but the best place to start is with nutrition. It opens the door to other measures.
Because when you finally gain strength and energy, you have the power to implement other measures in your life!
I'm currently seeing this in my online course Gut Happiness. We've only been changing our diet together for a few days and I'm already getting the first positive feedback.
People are totally surprised that after 2-3 days they're already getting compliments from customers saying that they look so fresh, or have even lost a kilo, or are already sleeping better. After really only a few days!
And that should also encourage you! You don't have to think that it will take years and you will have to fight for a long time before you feel anything. You'll feel something after just a few days if you do it right, and that brings us to the crux of the matter.
There are certain things you really need to bear in mind when you change your diet and cleanse your gut. You have to do this in the right way and I've already done a few podcast episodes on this. Just listen to the first few episodes and I'll tell you what you can look out for in your diet.
If you have a chronic problem, it makes sense to have a microbiome analysis and also to take probiotics and prebiotics and it makes sense to add things like stress reduction.
It's a comprehensive system, but it's very simple and suitable for everyday use.
I just want to encourage you. There is help. Get help, do it right and you will soon notice that your body will thank you for it!
I hope that this has inspired you a little and given you courage.
Don't give up if you have chronic health problems, but start where you can make the quickest impact: in your center, in your diet and in your gut!
I am curious to see if this has encouraged you a little. Feel free to write back and let me know what information you still need to get started.
I have already provided a lot of information in my podcast. You'll find what you need and if you need more support you know where to find me.
Now I recommend you subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode, and if you like what you hear, I really appreciate a review on iTunes or Apple Podcast. Because these reviews also help other people find the podcast so we can spread the knowledge about gut and health more.
