The Pattern Library

The how & why of bone broth🍖 Bone broth is perfect for this time of year. It's warming, cozy, delicious, and so good for you!⁠ The...

The gut-brain connection has been present since the beginning of humankind, but the research on this connection has expanded significantly in the past decade. Though the research is showing us more and more ways the gut and the brain communicate with each other, we still have unanswered questions: how does the microbiome affect a person’s mood? Can we modify the microbiome to support mental health? Where do probiotics come into play? This is what we’ll focus on today: probi

Many of my patients come to see me for digestive health, so why on earth would I ask them about past head injuries? Here's why: Brain...

I love stumbling upon notes from medical school. There's some good stuff in there!⁠ One of my favorite topics, by far, was and is leaky gut. Leaky gut also known as intestinal hyperpermeability, is when the cells in the intestines are no longer tight and instead have too much space between them. Intestinal cells are normally held together by a mechanism called tight junctions. Normally tight junctions allow water and small particles to pass through. When tight junctions are

Ah the microbiome, a hot topic in today's world though something that has been present since the beginning of humankind. Think of the body as a planet, home to trillions of organisms - bacteria in the intestines, on the skin, in the nose, in/on the reproductive organs. This is our microbiome. All of these places on our body create a unique ecosystem with different temperatures, water content, oxygen levels, and nutrient variety. Each ecosystem has a different community of mi

The Gut-Brain axis is a hot button topic in the world of health. We’ve always known there’s a connection between the gastrointestinal...

I know this isn't the most glamorous topic, but it's an important one and more prevalent that you might think. Candida albicans is fungus that is part of normal flora. That means some Candida is suppose to be in the body, genitals, GI tract, and skin. The problem is when there is too much, yeast overgrowth occurs, which leads to pesky symptoms. Since Candida is part of normal flora, overgrowth symptoms can occur in many places. It may manifest as an itchy rash, diarrhea, f

Got plans to find sunshine? Escape the winter drear? Good! Early spring is a great time to get out of town and take a vacation. It's a...

"All disease begins in the the gut", said Hippocrates. One might infer that health must begin in the gut as well. When problems occur in the gut, they can manifest in other areas of the body in a variety of ways. Immune: Did you know that 70% of your immune system is in the gut? The immune system both in and out of the gut are interrelated and protect the body from harmful microorganisms and toxins. Apart from our skin, the GI tract is one of the main barriers against illn

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is the most commonly diagnosed gastrointestinal disorder. It acts as a catch-all diagnosis for symptoms of abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation. IBS is defined by having abdominal pain or discomfort at least 1 day per week for the past 3 months. Symptoms improve after having a bowel movement and are often associated with a change in stool frequency or appearance. Looking at this list of symptoms, its no wonder th

"You know what I could really go for after a stressful day...a fat, juicy carrot." - Said no one ever! When the body undergoes a stress response, the natural instinct is to turn on survival mode. Survival mode typically means that digestion is not the first priority. The hierarchy of survival goes: heart --> lungs --> muscles (necessities to run from a tiger) --> digestion --> reproduction --> psycho-spiritual. If the body wants food at all, it wants things that are easy t

The gut-brain connection is all about nourishing the microbiome to keep the GI tract happy and the mind at ease. The GI tract is made up of 100 million nerve cells, which is why it affectionately earns the title of "the 2nd brain". This is evidenced by the familiar feelings of "an anxious belly", "a gut feeling", "butterflies in the stomach". The mind is powerful and so is the gut! Here are 4 ways to nourish both: Set the stage -- in an earlier blog post, I talked about the

Having gas or an irregular bowel movement here and there are normal and a part of life. But having GI symptoms regularly can mean chronic inflammation, which can be harmful to your long-term health. The good news is that there are simple solutions to help you regain normal bowel function and reverse chronic GI issues. Meet the 4 Pillars of a Healthy Gut. Sleep Exercise Stress Reduction Nutrition Maybe you're thinking 'Great..I already knew those.' So let's dive a little deep

Growing up, we always said a prayer of thanks before each meal. Little did I know that this habit helps the nervous system be in a better...

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is the most commonly diagnosed gastrointestinal disorder, likely because it acts as a catch-all diagnosis. Symptoms of IBS can include abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, or both. IBS is defined by having abdominal pain or discomfort at least 1 day per week for the past 3 months. Symptoms improve after having a bowel movement and are often associated with a change in stool frequency or appearance. There are many pos

Are the feelings of anxiety, reflux, belching, getting full fast, shallow breathing, or flatulence familiar to you? These are all common...

I'm sure you've heard it hundreds of times: eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is a key ticket to wellness. Yes, this is true, and I...

Have you ever heard the term "anxious belly"? It's more than just a turn of phrase! Our emotions are connected to our GI health in ways...