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doTERRA essential oils: what we’re using right now

Posted on 11 November, 2017 by | Leave a comment

thrive primal best doterra essential oils

Having jumped on the essential oil bandwagon 3 years ago, I still remember what it’s like at the beginning. doTERRA, along with rival companies like Young Living, offers hundreds of oils and a whole heap of other essential oil-based products, supplements, and of course diffusers.

Where are you supposed to start? How can you get the most from your essential oils, without putting a gaping whole it your wallet? Essential oils aren’t cheap, so you really want to make sure you’re making the right oil choices, rather than just taking an aromatic stab in the dark.

These days, it’s fair to say that we’re very much up with the play when it comes to essential oils. We’ve spent the big bucks on oils (and made them back tenfold) and we now know what works best and what’s not really worth the money. We’ve definitely got our go-to doTERRA oils and other products, and I thought I’d share those with you right this very second.

Our favorite doTERRA oils and products

As doTERRA affiliates, we always make a point of trying out all the oils and products that doTERRA produces – it would hardly be fair otherwise! The benefit of this is that we know exactly what we like, and what we don’t like…and chances are this information can help you as you sit down to make your next doTERRA oils order. Here’s what we use almost every day in our household.

Lavender essential oil

Of course this oil had to be on the list! Lavender is easily the most versatile of all the doTERRA oils – it smells amazing, it’s gentle (unlike “hot” oils like oregano or peppermint), and it can be used on both humans and pets! Here’s what we use lavender for:

  • diffusing in the bedroom of our 3 month little girl, Isla, as she naps during the day – but a VERY DILUTED concentration! Lavender is one of the safest oils to use with infants, as it doesn’t irritate their respiratory tracts, but we’re always very careful with it anyway. The lavender soothes her and helps her sleep better, and the diffuser helps to alleviate the dryness of the air and enable her to breathe better.
  • dabbing under our noses when we’re stressed or putting a drop or two on our pillows to help us sleep better through the night
  • diffusing in the living room to make the place smell a whole lot nicer, relax us while we work, and neutralize smells from all the nutritious cooking we do!

On Guard essential oil

We like doTERRA’s On Guard oil for two reasons: it smells fricken amazing (making it a nice oil blend to put in the diffuser) and it’s loaded with potent antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial essential oils – trust me, I’ve done the research. We use it:

  • while traveling, especially flying, as a hand sanitizer and as a way to boost our immune system and protect us from all the colds and illness that flies about in public places!
  • at home in bathrooms and other damp areas that might have a risk of mold
  • whenever we feel a cold or sore throat coming on – a dab or two on the neck and behind the ears does the trick!

Melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil

The quintessential “first aid” oil, the potent antimicrobial agents in tea tree have made it a go-to antiseptic agent for centuries – and why mess with a good thing? We’ve always got a bottle or five of this stuff on hand for anything that needs sanitizing – be it a toilet bowl, shallow wound or graze, or questionable surfaces in and around the house. I’ve even put it in a spray bottle with some water and used it to kill mildew on grape and squash leaves!

Frankincense oil roll on

I’ve recently started using frankincense essential oil a lot after I did some research on it and discovered it’s anti-inflammatory, pro-immunity, and anti-oxidative powers…they’re pretty impressive! I’ll use it on knee joints that are a bit sore, questionable developments on my face, and on any moles that I think might be up to no good – frankincense essential oil has been shown to kill cancer cells, making it a good failsafe for any parts of the skin that seem inclined towards melanoma.

doTERRA MicroPlex VMz

I was actually pretty impressed when I read the list of ingredients in doTERRA’s MicroPlex VMz – while some of their products can contain certain things we neither need nor want, this one seems very much top quality. I pop 2 to 4 per day as a broad-spectrum multivitamin, and I certainly feel like it fills in all the nutritional gaps in my otherwise bulletproof diet. I especially like that it doesn’t have carrageenan as a filler – more of that, please!

doTERRA TerraZyme

As I mention a lot (probably a bit too much, if I’m honest), we eat a ridiculously nutrient dense diet – sort of like a hybrid Paleo and Primal way of eating, with certain biohacks thrown in for good measure. But I don’t always feel 100%, and I’m beginning to suspect that maybe my digestion isn’t as good as it should be – meaning I’m not absorbing all the nutrients that I’m putting my stomach.

With this in mind, I’ve been taking 2 TerraZyme capsules with each meal, and while the results aren’t exactly spectacular (I’m not THAT sick!), I definitely feel like I’m digesting my food more efficiently and getting more goodness from what I eat. TerraZyme has decent concentrations of all the major digestive enzyme strains, and it has the added bonus of betaine HCL, which directly stimulates stomach acid production – a very good thing!

doTERRA PB Assist

Even the healthiest of people need a good probiotic to ensure their gut is in ship shape, and as such I usually make a point of taking one at least every other day with a meal. I like doTERRA’s PB Assist as their enteric coating seems quite strong – meaning the live bacterial cultures actually have a chance of making it through your harsh stomach acid intact, ready to make their new home in your gut! I also like that it doubles as a prebiotic, which ensures that the good bacteria you’re feeding your gut with can get settled in and start thriving faster – prebiotics are a type of fiber that acts as food for gut bacteria.

Ready to get started? Find out how to get the most from essential oils AND make money doing it by clicking here.

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Posted in Anxiety & Meditation, Essential Oils, Holistic Health & Personal Development, Uncategorized

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The perfect paleo workout routine for weight loss & muscle gain

Posted on 22 April, 2017 by | 1 comment

the best paleo primal workout for weight loss muscle gain

Let’s cut to the chase: you want six-pack abs, a toned yet shapely butt, and arms that don’t have jiggly bits underneath. You want to get rid of those stubborn kankles, ease the constant chafing between your thighs, and not have sore knees, hips, and back ALL the time. Heck, you might just want to fit back into that old pair of jeans you allow to lurk at the bottom of your drawers, in the hope that one day, one day, they’ll slip back on like a glove. Well, the answer is simpler than you think.

Workouts don’t need to be complicated, drawn out, unenjoyable affairs. They don’t even need to be that frequent, to get the results you want. I’ve spent the last 10 years perfecting the ultimate paleo workout routine, from what protein to consume to which exercises to perform, and it’ll have you transitioning from flab to fab in no time (guys – feel free to replace the decidedly feminine “fab” with something manly like “jab”, if it makes you more comfortable).

So without further ado, here’s quite possibly the best workout routine you’ll ever lay your eyes on.

Your pre-workout routine

First, know that your body won’t respond well to strenuous exercise if it’s tired or still recovering from a previous workout. Ensure that you haven’t done an intensive weight-bearing workout in at least the past 2 days, preferably 3. Also ensure you got enough sleep last night, as your body is already stressed in this case and you don’t want to introduce any more stress into your life with a hard workout.

Step 1: prepare a protein source

For me, this is almost always a protein shake. While many people have been led to believe that whey protein isn’t that great for your health, it’s hands-down the best protein source for workouts if you get hold of the good stuff. That means whey from grass-fed cows, that has no additives or artificial flavors, and is preferably organic. This protein powder ticks all those boxes, and it’s been my go-to protein powder for the past 4 years. If you’re completely against whey protein (just FYI, often people with dairy allergies respond well to whey protein isolate, which shouldn’t contain lactose or casein), then you can always try an organic pea protein powder. Or even just a big hunk of meat, preferably the size of your palm. Your choice! Aim for around 30 grams of protein.

Drink half the protein shake 10 minutes before the workout, and half after the workout. This allows your muscles to synthesize the protein while you work out, which means faster muscle gains and quicker muscle recovery.

Step 2: warm up

Here, we just want to get your blood flowing and your muscles limber, so you don’t do any damage during the workout. This means 2 minutes of jumping around, shaking, dancing, or doing star jumps like nobody’s watching. I hope for your sake that no-one’s watching, as you’re going to look like a complete nutcase.

Your optimum paleo workout

After you’ve knocked back half your protein smoothie (10 mins before exercising) and warmed up a little, it’s time to get down and dirty. A couple of important points to keep in mind:

  1. Use whatever equipment you have available. I regularly work out using a 10 liter container of mineral water, as it’s a good weight for many exercises and has a handle – kind of like a rudimentary kettlebell. Nothing beats an actual kettlebell, however – I’ve found that a good starting kettlebell for ladies is 6 kg or 8 kg, and 10 kg or 12 kg for men.
  2. Perform the reps (reps = repetitions) to failure, unless otherwise stated. This means doing as many reps as you can of a given exercise until you literally can’t do any more. This will shock your muscles as much as possible (a good thing), which means faster fat burn and greater muscle mass development. No half-arsed attempts, people!
  3. Ensure your form is spot on! If you have to practice an exercise at a lighter weight initially, so be it – you need to do the exercise how its supposed to be done, or risk injury.
  4. Take a 1 minute rest between each exercise – use this time to have a sip of water and write down how many reps you did! You’ll need to keep increasing these reps with each new workout, in order to grow muscle mass.

Workout #1 (day 1)

  • 10 glute activators (essentially just hip thrusts which you can do on the ground or on a bench that help to activate your glutes, which are often dormant going into a workout)
  • kettlebell bicep curls (remember to keep your arms in by your sides, and you can just do one arm at a time if you only have one kettlebell)
  • wide-grip pull-ups – the guy in that video cracks me up, but he’s right about how to do it! (use anything around the house or gym for this – could be a lateral tree branch, a pergola, a doorframe, or a chin-up bar. If you don’t have any of these, just skip this one)
  • full-extension kettlebell crunches
  • crazy ivans using your kettlebell
  • slow pushups (5 seconds down/5 seconds up. You don’t have to do it on your knuckles like this guy! Keep your hands in line with your shoulders)
  • alternating kettlebell lunges
  • kettlebell deadlift (slow and steady wins the race with these bad boys!)

Workout #2 (day 3 or 4)

Post-workout

After your exercises, take a couple of minutes to shake it off and loosen up if you feel a bit tight. I find just going for a very quick jog around the yard helps with this. Now its time to drink the rest of your protein shake and rehydrate. Drink lots of water during and after the workout – dehydration is not your friend!

Workout 1 shouldn’t take you more than 20 minutes, and workout 2 shouldn’t take you more than 15 minutes. Studies show that shorter, more intense workouts are more effective for weight loss and muscle gain than long workouts. Give yourself plenty of time to recover between workouts (I always space them at least 3 days apart, interspersed with days of mild to moderate cardio like walking, running, cycling and kayaking).

I always have my phone with me during workouts – I use it to note down how many reps I do per exercise for each workout, so that I can ensure I’m always increasing reps over time. I also use it as a timer for the side planks. You should also consider getting yourself a good exercise mat or yoga mat, to make your experience a whole lot more enjoyable. And crank those snazzy tunes! Nothing like a good workout playlist to get the blood pumping. I’m digging Spotify’s “Motivation Mix” right now.

That’s it! Easy, right? Try this routine for a month, and see how you look and feel. We’d love to hear if it kicked those kankles and busted that butt!

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Posted in Healthy Weight, Holistic Health & Personal Development, Natural Self Care, Primal Lifestyle, Uncategorized

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Buying the best essential oil diffuser

Posted on 26 March, 2017 by | Leave a comment

thrive primal essential oil diffuser guide

So, you’ve seen the amazing health and wellness benefits that essential oils can bring into your life. Excellent. You’ve signed up as a wellness advocate with the likes of doTERRA or Young Living, are buying oils on a regular basis, and use them daily. Awesome. Perhaps you’re just buying oils occasionally, when you’re favorites run out. That’s cool too!

But what about diffusers? They’re typically a larger investment than single oils, and you’ve heard that a lot of diffusers don’t really cut the mustard. You want a diffuser that’ll stand the test of time, fill your home with wonderful aromatics, and above all not break the budget. It’s a hard bargain you drive, but a commendable one.

This post is all about helping you reach an informed decision about which diffuser is best for your needs. While I’ll admit up front that I’m a doTERRA advocate (because they’re so darn awesome!), I’m making a point of being as impartial as possible and reviewing a wide range of diffusers from different companies.

Common types of diffusers

There’s plenty of confusion out there when it comes to diffusers, and part of that is because of the wide range of types that are available on the market. Ultimately, however, there’s 4 main varieties of essential oil diffuser:

  • ultrasonic diffusers
  • nebulizing diffusers
  • heat diffusers
  • evaporative diffusers

From the experiences we’ve had and the preliminary research I’ve conducted, I personally wouldn’t recommend using heat diffusers or evaporative diffusers. From most accounts, they aren’t as effective at spreading the essential oils throughout a space, and in some cases (as with the heat diffusers) the essential oil may be denatured by the process. Feel free to make your own conclusions on this one, however.

Whether you choose to invest in nebulizing or ultrasonic diffusers is up to you. Here’s a few pros and cons for each:

  • nebulizing diffusers are perhaps the most effective diffusers at covering a large area. The essential oils attach directly to the unit, so there’s no water required, and they can fill a room much more quickly than ultrasonic diffusers. However, they do tend to cost a little more than ultrasonic diffusers, and you’ll go through your oils quicker.
  • ultrasonic diffusers are generally cheaper than nebulizing diffusers and double as a humidifier, which is useful for those cold, dry winter months or if you’re sleeping in a room with low relative humidity. Many of them do tend to have lights that you can’t turn off, which isn’t great for melatonin, and they’re not quite as strong as the nebulizing diffusers.

Purespa ultrasonic essential oil diffuser

This is one classy ultrasonic diffuser. It’s relatively compact, looks good, and is BPA free. Here’s the pros and cons of the Purespa Deluxe Ultrasonic Diffuser:

Pros

  • Large 120 ml tank, which means it can be left on for up to 10 hours. That’s considerably longer than most other diffusers, which typically range between 2 and 6 hours.
  • The LED lights can be completely switched off! This makes it a great choice for having in your bedroom as you sleep.
  • Easy to clean and refill 
  • It looks pretty darn sexy, if I’m honest.

Cons

  • Many people have reported that the diffuser went downhill after a month. Some have said that it becomes noisy or inefficient after that time, but it’s worth noting that the company who makes them seems to have good customer service, and they typically replace the unit no questions asked.
  • The touch-sensitive on/off switch can be difficult to operate for some people.
  • It’s a little noisier than some other ultrasonic humidifiers. Not super noisy, but the slight whirr may annoy some people.
  • The lights continuously toggle through a series of colors rather than remaining on one, which might put off some people.

Overall, the Purespa Deluxe diffuser deserves much of the hype it receives. The fact that the some of the units degraded after a month might worry me, but that was only for a very small minority of the purchasers and that’s likely to happen to many diffusers, no matter how good the quality is. I really like that it can go completely dark, which to me makes it a great diffuser+humidifier combo at night.

Cost: $40-$50 on Amazon (there’s a less fancy, but equally effective, version of the Purespa diffuser for $10 less than the deluxe version)

Trillia MINA III Aromatherapy Nebulizer diffuser

The future is here, and it looks like the Trillia Mina III Nebulizing essential oil diffuser. It’s a ridiculously long name for a super-sleek yet down-to-earth diffuser that packs a serious punch. If you’re ok with spending a bit more money, this could be the right diffuser for you.

Pros

  • Looks fantastic, either in the natural wood finish or the sleek white version
  • For a nebulizing diffuser, it’s one of the most quiet I’ve found. The pump is rated at a super low 5 db noise level, so it’s almost as quiet as an ultrasonic diffuser
  • The nebulizer and high performance air pump mean it can service up to 800 square feet of your home! That’s actually pretty impressive. 
  • Your essential oils are completely encased in glass, meaning there’s no potential for plastic degradation as with some ultrasonic diffusers

Cons

  • It’s a whole lot more expensive than your average diffuser
  • It’s still a little noisier than some of the higher quality ultrasonic diffusers
  • Shuts off automatically when the oil runs out, but the light stays on until it is manually switched off. Kind of unnecessary.

I’m actually hard-pressed to find much wrong with the Trillia Mina III. I love that the essential oil is completely encased in glass, because I simply can’t bring myself to fully trust plastic diffusers. This means that you can diffuse citrus essential oils without any concern of plastic breakdown, as is the case with some other diffusers. I’m also impressed with how much coverage this thing has – some people have even reported that it can diffuse effectively over 1000 square feet. This means that, while it’s more expensive than other diffusers, it does the job of 3 or 4 cheaper diffusers. Kind of a no-brainer, really.

Cost: $99 on Amazon.

Urpower ultrasonic essential oil diffuser

Easily one of the most popular diffusers available, the Urpower Essential Oil Diffuser has an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 from a whopping 12,000 reviews on Amazon. It’s hard to argue with those statistics. At the time of writing this post, it’s also one of the cheapest diffusers we’ve come across, at a measly $20.

Pros

  • Two mist settings, meaning you can up the ante when you need more essential oil action around the home or if you’re using it in different-sized rooms  
  • Super quiet, perhaps the most quiet ultrasonic unit I’ve come across
  • Small and compact, making it a good travel companion
  • Considerably more affordable than most other high-quality diffusers.

Cons

  • It can be hard to twist off the top of the unit to fill up the reservoir.
  • Only operates for up to 6 hours
  • While the LED lights can be turned off at night, the small “on” indicator light can’t. Not great for sleeping.

If you’re looking for a solid choice at a low price, you could do worse than the Urpower Essential Oil Diffuser. You’re not going to get as much coverage as the Trillia Mina III, nor as long an operation time (like the Purespa Deluxe), but I definitely wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to any first time essential oil users.

Cost: $20 on Amazon (currently on special)

Innogear ultrasonic essential oil diffuser

Look the same as the Urpower diffuser? That’s because it is! Exact same product, different name. The Innogear essential oil diffuser is also going for $20 right now, so it’s really just down to the name.

doTERRA ultrasonic petal diffuser

The doTERRA petal diffuser is simple and straightforward. It lacks many of the finer points that other diffusers offer, and is admittedly a lot less aesthetically pleasing, but I don’t mind that – not every diffuser needs to be a work of art! This was my very first diffuser, and it continues to work without a hitch 3 years later – it’s even travelled with me across several continents, so that’s saying something!

Pros

  • Simple and reliable. I’ve never had any issues with this product  
  • Reasonably quiet, although does have a slight tinkling sound occasionally
  • Mist reach of up to 330 square feet, which is more than many other ultrasonic diffusers

Cons

  • The LED light can be switched off, but there’s still a small light behind the “on” indicator that can’t be switched off. This does create some light, which can be annoying for sleeping.
  • A bit “uglier” than some other ultrasonic units
  • Could do with a slightly longer operation time

Ultimately, the doTERRA petal diffuser is still a good first choice for those starting out with essential oils. I can personally say that these things just keep on going, so there’s no doubt to its quality. It is, however, a bit more expensive than many of the other ultrasonic contenders.

Cost: Currently $58.60 on Amazon. Note that it can be bought wholesale for $47 if you’re a doTERRA Wellness Advocate.

doTERRA ultrasonic lotus diffuser

I haven’t tried the doTERRA lotus essential oil diffuser yet but based on preliminary reviews wouldn’t recommend it. It’s horribly overpriced, and as far as effectiveness it’s about the same as most other standard diffusers. You’re better off investing in the Trillia Mina III, which is still $20 cheaper and works far more effectively. 

Pros

  • Looks nice, and has a relatively unique design
  • Doesn’t take up much surface area

Cons

  • Ridiculously overpriced for what it is: a standard essential oil diffuser.

Cost: $120 on Amazon.

Young Living ultrasonic diffuser

The Young Living Rose Home Diffuser is essentially just a more expensive version of the doTERRA petal diffuser. It has all the usual features that most ultrasonic units provide, and is a solid yet unexciting choice for your first diffuser.

Pros 

  • Looks nice-ish, if you like roses!

Cons

  • Super expensive, for what you get: a standard ultrasonic diffuser
  • Has been known to break down after 6 months
  • Has a smaller coverage than the doTERRA petal diffuser

Overall, it doesn’t really make sense to buy this unit (or the Young Living “Dewdrop” diffuser, for that matter) when you have so many other, more reasonably-priced diffusers available.

Cost: $75 on Amazon.

Which essential oil diffuser is best?

It’s difficult to say which is the king (or queen) of diffusers, as there’s just so many different kinds out there. I have, however, reviewed a good range of diffuser types over varying price ranges, so this gives you a good idea of how the market is segmented. Based on my own experiences with these diffusers and other people’s reviews, here’s my two picks.

Best ultrasonic essential oil diffuser: the Purespa Deluxe Ultrasonic Diffuser. For what is still a reasonable price of around $40, you get a top-quality diffuser that has an impressive operation time of 10 hours and with lights that can be completely turned off to help you sleep. It’s only shortcoming is a slightly smaller coverage than the doTERRA petal diffuser.

Best nebulizing essential oil diffuser: while I only reviewed one nebulizing diffuser, the Trillia Mina III Nebulizing diffuser is the obvious choice for top-quality essential oil aromatherapy. I love that it’s made from hand-blown glass, that it doesn’t contain any nasty plastic, and that it can diffuse over a huge area. In this way, it replaces up to 4 ultrasonic essential oil diffusers. The price may deter some buyers, but if you’re looking for quality, this is a great choice.

What essential oil diffuser to you use? Would you recommend any specific diffuser to the team here at Thrive Primal? We’d love to know how you got on with your diffuser purchasing experience!

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Posted in Essential Oils, Holistic Health & Personal Development, Stress, Uncategorized

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The best probiotics for your gut health

Posted on 29 November, 2016 by | Leave a comment

Thrive primal best quality probiotics

The popularity of probiotics in the past 10 years has skyrocketed. A decade ago, most people would probably have given you a bit of a weird look if you asked them whether they were supplementing with probiotics. But now, with the scientific community increasingly proving that your gut health is critical to your overall health, probiotics are a hot topic.

Now, there’s all sorts of words like “good bacteria”, “bad bacteria”, “microbiome”, and “gut flora” bandied about. They sound important, but what the heck do they actually mean? And for that matter, why do you even need to know what they mean? Can’t you just grab any old probiotic product from your supermarket or health store shelves, knock a capsule back once a day, and move on with your life?

Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. There are plenty of probiotic products out there which will provide absolutely no benefit for your gut health, and others that may even do you harm. In order to get the most from your probiotic supplement, you first need to get inside your gut. Metaphorically, not literally – that would be pretty darn gross.

Why do I need to take a probiotic supplement?

Your gastrointestinal tract, henceforth referred to as your gut, is home to over 500 different species of microorganisms. This number of species is likely much higher, as scientists are still funding hundreds of new gut microflora strains every year. These microorganisms number in their billions. Billions, people!

Far from your gut being an incestuous infestation of disgusting microscopic bugs, we rely on these billions of microorganisms for our very existence. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Nutrition in Clinical Practice found that the bacteria in your gut form an intricate, living fabric of natural controls that affect body weight, energy, and nutrition. Another 2012 study, this time published in the Journal of Nature Reviews Neuroscience, noted that the gut microbiotia plays a pivotal role “in the regulation of anxiety, mood, cognition and pain.”

The take away from all these emerging studies is that the microorganisms that live in your gut are far more important than you think. They have the potential to influence almost every aspect of your health, so if things are unbalanced down there (and they probably are!), there’s no way you can ever be fully healthy.

Your gut is probably lacking in good bacteria

The reason I say that your gut microbiome (the “living community” of bacteria and yeast which resides in your gastrointestinal tract) is probably a bit sad is because modern society has it in for these useful little guys. For starters, evidence shows that a natural birth is critical for exposing newborn babies to certain beneficial bacterial strains which then go on to colonize their gut. As this article from Science Daily puts it:

Each individual’s community of gut microbes is unique and profoundly sensitive to environmental conditions, beginning at birth. Indeed, the mode of delivery during the birthing process has been shown to affect an infant’s microbial profile.

Communities of vaginal microbes change during pregnancy in preparation for birth, delivering beneficial microbes to the newborn. At the time of delivery, the vagina is dominated by a pair of bacterial species, Lactobacillus and Prevotella. In contrast, infants delivered by caesarean section typically show microbial communities associated with the skin, including Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, and Propionibacterium. While the full implications of these distinctions are still murky, evidence suggests they may affect an infant’s subsequent development and health, particularly in terms of susceptibility to pathogens.

Essentially, if you had a cesarean birth, your gut is off to a very bad start. The next great blow to your gut health comes with antibiotics. Every time your doctor prescribed a round of antibiotics to kill of some pathogen in your body, it also killed off the good bacteria in your gut. Antibiotics are not selective, meaning they kill everything in your gut – good and bad.

Finally, there’s all sorts of other environmental toxins, prescription meds, and oral contraceptives which have been shown to take their toll on your gut health. Suffice to say that your population of beneficial bacteria is not what it should be.

Are the probiotics in fermented foods enough?

This one is a little more difficult to answer. For some people, the probiotics they receive from fermented foods may be sufficient to keep their gut happy and healthy, but only if they work hard at it. These people would need to have an already healthy gut biome, and they’d need to be eating a variety fermented foods per day. Examples of fermented foods include:

  • sauerkraut
  • kimchi
  • kombucha
  • kefir
  • kvass

All of which need to be raw and unpasteurized. These foods can be very expensive to buy, and are time consuming (but highly rewarding!) to make. Most people don’t want that kind of commitment. If you do, check out our easy DIY sauerkraut recipe.

If you’re not prepared to eat a range of different fermented foods every day, or if you have been exposed to a cesarean birth, antibiotics, or have serious digestive issues, you NEED to get your hands on a quality probiotic supplement. Here’s how.

Finding the best quality probiotic supplement

If you find the right probiotic supplement for your needs, your gut will flourish. Quality probiotic supplements provide billions of beneficial bacteria which actually re-colonize your gut and make it a happy place once more. If you’ve been suffering from digestive issues (diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, gas, nausea, etc), you’ll likely notice the difference within a few days, if not immediately!

Cheap or poor-quality probiotics, on the other hand, use the wrong bacterial species or don’t allow those bacteria to actually take up residence in your gut. A classic example of this is acidophilus yoghurt – it might help your digestion when you eat it, but it’s effects are only temporary, simply because those bacteria aren’t designed to actually live in your gut.

Prescript-Assist Probiotic $49 on Amazon

This probiotic easily gets the thumbs-up from us, for a number of reasons. Firstly, it’s endorsed by Chris Kresser, a key figure in the health industry who I have a lot of respect for due to his obsession for reviewing the scientific literature and really knowing his stuff. If Chris says its good, its probably good.

Next, Prescript-Assist sources it’s beneficial bacteria from soil-based organisms – bacteria and other microorganisms which we would commonly have been exposed to before humanity developed a repulsion for getting dirt on its hands. These bacteria have been scientifically proven to live in the human gastrointestinal tract, meaning this supplement helps you to rebuild you gut population, rather than just temporarily bolstering it (as with many other probiotics).

Finally, Prescript-Assist also contains a humic/fulvic acid prebiotic which helps those good bacteria to thrive and flourish within their new home (your gut!). Essentially, it plants your seedlings, and gives them a healthy dose of organic fertilizer at the same time.

Primal Probiotics $29 through Primal Blueprint

These potent little babies pack a serious punch, and are endorsed by another of our health heroes, Mark Sisson. I like these probiotics as they’ve gone for high-potency, high-quality bacterial strains rather than just a vast number of low-return bacterial species. That’s what a lot of companies rely on to sell their probiotic product – “contains 150 billion trillion CFU’s!”, when really it’s about quality, not quantity. What’s the point in sending hundreds of billions of bacterial strains through your gut, if they don’t actually want to live there?

Primal Probiotics come with excellent reviews and plenty of information regarding their effectiveness and why they’ve selected certain strains. They’re also designed to survive the harsh environment of your stomach and make it through to your gut intact, which can’t be said for many other probiotic supplements.

Different strokes for different folks

While the above two probiotic supplements are a great start, everyone is different. With this in mind, if your body doesn’t respond well to them after the initial “adjustment” period (usually around a week), shop around and find a probiotic which is also well-respected and which suits your needs better.

Do you have a go-to probiotic supplement which you love? Tell us the difference that it’s made in your life!

 

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Posted in Ancestral Nutrition, Healthy Weight, Holistic Health & Personal Development, Natural Self Care, Uncategorized

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Supplement review: what’s the deal with glutathione?

Posted on 29 September, 2016 by | Leave a comment

thrive primal glutathione how to find the best

If you scour the alternative health cyberspace from time to time, you’ve probably seen the occasional furtive mention of a mysterious thing called glutathione. It seems to be slowly but surely gathering steam, with many people now convinced that it is the one and only “master antioxidant”, king to all the rest. Kind of the like the “one ring to rule them all” of the supplement world.

What’s the deal? Should you be immediately jumping on the glutathione band wagon? Let’s find out.

What the heck is glutathione?

If we’re getting just a little bit geeky, glutathione is more accurately known as L-glutamylcysteinylglycine among academic circles. Glutathione is a tripeptide consisting of 3 bonded amino acids – glutamate, cysteine, and glycine.

Glutathione is generated by cells in our bodies for the rather important purposes of protection and survival. Glutamate makes up part of our brain cells, glycine promotes metabolic processes, and cysteine acts as a moderator in the manufacture of intracellular glutathione.

The roles of the individual amino acids in glutathione are wide-ranging. Critical functions associated with this tremendous trio include detoxification, cell protection from free radicals, elevated energy production, immune support, and healthy brain function.

In addition to being an all-round, cure-all-ailments sort of compound, glutathione is unique in that, unlike other antioxidants which operate from within the blood on the outside of cell membranes, glutathione works from the inside out. This means that it operates from within the cells to protect the mitochondria, expel toxins and boost immune system function. Kind of a big deal, as it happens.

A growing body of clinical trials, along with substantial anecdotal evidence, indicates that supplementing with glutathione can dramatically boost energy levels, noticeably slow the signs and effects of aging, and increase brain activity and focus. In other words, it appears as if it can make you have more energy, live longer, and think smarter. Perhaps there is some substance to the claims of it being the “master antioxidant”.

Why you need more glutathione in your life

Our body naturally produces glutathione in the liver, however studies indicate that glutathione levels in the body decrease as we age. This process of glutathione decline begins at around age 20, and increases exponentially from then on.

Interestingly, studies which tested apparently “healthy” people over a wide range of ages found that the decline occurs with time even if the health of the individual does not itself decline. This is what leads experts to believe that glutathione production is directly linked to aging – suggesting that the less glutathione you have, the more your body ages. But more on that later.

While glutathione naturally declines with age, it’s decline in our bodies can be significantly increased by a number of factors, namely stress, diet and nutrients. In the western world, stress levels tend to increase after a person reaches adulthood, with the introduction of stress-inducing activities such as work, commuting, relationships and debt placing chronic pressure on our minds and bodies. Unsurprisingly, free radical damage greatly increases as a result of this exponential rise in stress, and with that natural decline in glutathione production, we no longer have enough of this free radical-fighting antioxidant to keep up with the oxidative damage to our cells.

The average diet of the modern man is one rich in hydrogenated fast foods, gluten, chemicals from pesticide-laden produce, growth hormones and antibiotics from factory-raised animals. All of these inflammatory, nutrient-poor dietary inputs can place additional pressure on the liver (the organ which naturally produces glutathione) and starve the body of the fuels it needs to produce glutathione in the first place. The elasticity of childhood dampens the effect a poor diet can have on our glutathione production (hence why we don’t see the decline until after age 20), but as we age our ability to roll with the poor-diet punches diminishes.

Finally, our body’s ability to absorb vital nutrients declines as we age, while our exposure to environmental toxins continues to build – things such as heavy metals can remain in our deep tissue and accumulate over time, rather than passing through our system. This increasing state of nutrient depletion and toxic accumulation offsets glutathione production and impedes the processes which promote healthy concentrations of glutathione inside our cells.

How to get the most from your glutathione supplement

Based on the growing body of research surrounding this mystical compound, the more glutathione you have, the better off you are. I’m convinced that it’s the closest thing to anti-aging that modern research has unearthed so far, as it is so small that it can work from within your cells, protecting them from the oxidative damage of free radicals, which are the primary agents of aging. 

Yes, glutathione levels appear to naturally decline with age, but luckily there’s certain things you can do to halt this decline and preserve your health. The first thing you can do is to increase your intake of certain whole foods and high quality food products which can provide some of the glutathione precursors, such as sulfur and amino acids. These foods include onions, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and grass-fed, minimally-processed, organic whey protein.

The second step is to supplement. Usually, the mantra of Thrive Primal is one firmly grounded in the belief that if you live the right lifestyle and eat the right whole foods, your body should have everything it needs to achieve optimum health. In 99.9 percent of cases this is true, but in this instance it appears that even lowering stress levels and amping up your consumption of sulfur- and amino acid-rich foods will only make a small difference. To really make a difference, you need to get out the big guns – pure glutathione supplements.

While a plethora of glutathione supplements are available in drug stores, health food stores and even supermarkets, most of them make little difference in your body. This is due to the fact that their proteins are easily broken down by acids in the stomach, meaning they’re completely denatured and effectively useless by the time they reach the liver.

For this reason, you need to look out for glutathione products which guarantee that the proteins don’t get denatured by your stomach acids. This can include products which use compounds to bind the glutathione to acid-resistant peptides, or straight bonded cysteine, which can make it through your stomach intact and team up with glutamate and glycine afterwards to build glutathione. Make sure you really do your research here, otherwise you’ll be throwing your money away.

With this in mind, I’ve tracked down two very rare supplements which appear to do just that. This clinical glutathione ($47 on amazon.com) appears to be very well reviewed and promises to have a much higher success rate of reaching the liver intact than other conventional glutathione supplements.

The second choice is made by Bulletproof Executive, and in my opinion is the clear winner in terms of reliability and quality. They’ve used a protective coating of essential oils and other compounds around the inner capsule, which contains the actual glutathione, to ensure that it makes it through to your liver unscathed. I haven’t tried it yet, but I certainly intend to very soon. You can get it through the Bulletproof Exec site, but shipping is often quite crippling there, so I’d recommend getting it on Amazon for $50. Here’s the link.

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Posted in Ancestral Nutrition, Holistic Health & Personal Development, Safe Natural Remedies

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