How to know if you’re sensitive to gluten or dairy?

How to know if you’re sensitive to gluten or dairy?

Gluten and dairy sensibilities by Queen of the Thrones

How to know if you’re sensitive to gluten or dairy?

Written by: Victoria Williams R.H.N. Victoria Williams Director of Operations at Queen of the Thrones Victoria Williams R.H.N.
Victoria is Head of Operations at Queen of the Thrones®. Victoria obtained a Pre-Health Science Certificate with Honours from Georgian College, which ignited her passion for natural wellness and nutrition.
Full bio

Medically reviewed by: Melanie Swackhammer B.A. 

Est. reading time: 7 minutes.

The clue to having gut glue

Having frequent digestive problems means not knowing when it will strike. During an important work presentation, a first date, or at the movies. Can you relate?

You’re at the mercy of loose stools, constipation, painful gas or bloating. And these symptoms might especially come after specific food items, unfortunately, many of which are your favorite, including pizza, fettuccine alfredo, or grilled cheese. This may make you wonder if gluten and dairy are the cause of your stomach problems?

Well, it might not be that one or the other is causing problems. It’s more so the combination of gluten with dairy.

You see, studies have shown that poor food combining can produce fermentation, indigestion, putrefaction, gas and bloating! 1

Like consuming dairy with wheat, this combination could create, what I like to call, “gut glue”! Yes, you read that right… gut GLUE!

Frequent consumption of these food combinations may result in exhausting and frustrating problems.

The good news: knowing what to have or avoid can allow you to feel fresh and be healthy even after consuming your favorite food items.

While you’re here, would you love to know how you can use Castor Oil Packs to support your gut health, and ease digestive problems?

Before we talk about gut glue, I would love to discuss a bit about gluten and dairy on their own.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein commonly found in barley, wheat, and rye.

If you have tried gluten-free cookies, you know they are typically drier and crumble easily.

This is because gluten protein provides the elasticity associated with pasta and baked products.

And these gluten-free products are becoming increasingly popular, as the media has made many believe that this protein is bad for your health. Sound familiar?

But before getting on the gluten-free bandwagon, let’s understand whether it’s really all bad.

Gluten isn’t all bad

Frankly, what thoughts come to your mind when you think about gluten?

For most, it is sticky bowels or bloating, agreed?

However, it’s essential to understand that humans have been consuming gluten as long as the discovery of bread. It’s a great source of soluble fiber, protein, and other nutrients.

 

 

Let’s get scienc-y for a minute.

Your digestive system produces the enzyme protease, which breaks down proteins. But this enzyme can’t entirely break down gluten, and undigested gluten moves through your bowels.

Most people can manage undigested gluten.

So, the nutrients from gluten are beneficial for those who can tolerate it.

Studies have linked consumption of whole grains to lower risk of stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. The participants of the study daily consumed two to three servings of grains daily, including wheat.2

Moreover, gluten also acts as a prebiotic, supporting the growth of “good” bacteria in your body. It can also help imbalance of bad and good bacteria associated with gut dysbiosis.

What about dairy?

Eating dairy products is the easiest way to get vitamin D, calcium, and proteins needed for the healthy heart, bones, and muscles.

It helps maintain bone density and reduces the risk of fractures.

Studies have even suggested that the right kind of dairy may prevent heart disease.3

So, why is there so much discussion about dairy-free foods?

Well, similar to gluten, your digestive system releases the enzyme lactase to digest sugar in dairy products called lactose.

If you have a problem producing lactase, you probably have symptoms of lactose intolerance, including stomach pain, diarrhea, bloating, and nausea. Makes sense, agreed?

Moreover, evidence suggests that dairy products may improve body composition by reducing waist circumference and fat composition.4

A review of 25 studies also found that various types of yogurt were linked to the lower risk of metabolic syndrome risk factors, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.5

With this in mind, let’s understand more about gut glue.

What about dairy?

My best and favorite example of this is how glue is made.

White school glue, if you didn’t know, is actually edible. You can essentially make it at home with milk, flour, and baking soda, and then the ingredient that is the pièce de résistance is vinegar.

This combination is basically what happens in your belly, when you combine bread (flour) with cheese (dairy/milk) and you swallow it down into your stomach that contains your stomach acid (like vinegar, because it’s acidic!) and bicarbonate (like baking soda).6

Guess what, you’ve got glue in your belly!

So imagine what your gut is like, if you are consuming glue.

Let’s talk anatomy for a second. Ready?

Your small intestine is lined by finger-like projections called villi, that help you absorb nutrients from your food.

Gut glue could cause these projections to get stuck together and reduce your ability to properly digest your food!

In addition, because the carbohydrates and protein don’t digest well together, you get this glue moving all along your digestive tract.

All in all, it’s rarely only one thing that is causing discomfort. It is often multifactorial and there are many contributing factors and culprits.

 

This is simply an example where combining gluten and dairy together may not be ideal for digestion (they also happen to be some of the most common food sensitivities and allergies that people deal with).

This is not it.

According to the traditional Ayurveda medicine, excessive amounts of proteins, carbohydrates and fats should not be taken together as this leads to a feeling of heaviness in the stomach.7

Plus, milk is considered as a complete food.

It contains antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, proteins, good fats, amino acids, calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, lactose, and all nutrients necessary for a healthy body.

That is why in Ayurveda it has been advised not to take wheat products with milk.

What can you do about your digestion problems?

When we choose nourishing food combinations, time our meals accordingly, and create healthy habits like proper chewing, we reduce the chances of these uncomfortable, and sometimes painful symptoms.

Plus, adding the practice of Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs after your meal may further help with inflammation regulation and help to improve liver detoxification, lymphatic drainage and colon cleansing, which means less digestive problems. Amazing, right?

Would you love to know how Castor Oil Packs work and how they can support your gut health?

Are you a practitioner, health coach or wellness influencer? If you’re interested in recommending our easy-to-use tools and practically applying them in your health and wellness professional practice, in clinic, or online with the people you serve, you can join now!

Click here for references

1. Cömert ED, Gökmen V. Effect of food combinations and their co-digestion on total antioxidant capacity under simulated gastrointestinal conditions. Curr Res Food Sci. 2022 Feb 17;5:414-422. doi: 10.1016/j.crfs.2022.02.008. PMID: 35243354; PMCID: PMC8866489.

2. Ye EQ, Chacko SA, Chou EL, Kugizaki M, Liu S. Greater whole-grain intake is associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and weight gain. J Nutr. 2012 Jul;142(7):1304-13. doi: 10.3945/jn.111.155325. Epub 2012 May 30. Erratum in: J Nutr. 2013 Sep;143(9):1524. PMID: 22649266; PMCID: PMC6498460.

3. Lordan R, Tsoupras A, Mitra B, Zabetakis I. Dairy Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: Do We Really Need to be Concerned? Foods. 2018 Mar 1;7(3):29. doi: 10.3390/foods7030029. PMID: 29494487; PMCID: PMC5867544.

4. Abargouei AS, Janghorbani M, Salehi-Marzijarani M, Esmaillzadeh A. Effect of dairy consumption on weight and body composition in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials. Int J Obes (Lond). 2012 Dec;36(12):1485-93. doi: 10.1038/ijo.2011.269. Epub 2012 Jan 17. PMID: 22249225.

5. Khorraminezhad L, Rudkowska I. Effect of Yogurt Consumption on Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors: a Narrative Review. Curr Nutr Rep. 2021 Mar;10(1):83-92. doi: 10.1007/s13668-020-00344-y. Epub 2021 Jan 6. PMID: 33405074.

6. G. Lynn Carlson. A New approach to the baking soda-vinegar reaction. J. Chem. Educ., 1990, 67 (7), p 597 DOI: 10.1021/ed067p597. Publication Date: July 1990

7. Sabnis M. Viruddha Ahara: A critical view. Ayu. 2012 Jul;33(3):332-6. doi: 10.4103/0974-8520.108817. PMID: 23723637; PMCID: PMC3665091.

How to Seed Cycle for Hormone Imbalance with Castor Oil Packs.

How to Seed Cycle for Hormone Imbalance with Castor Oil Packs.

Single Seed Cycling and Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs for a Better Hormonal Health.

How to Seed Cycle for Hormone Imbalance with Castor Oil Packs.

Written by: Marisol Teijeiro N.D. (inactive) & Melanie Swackhammer B.A.
Medically reviewed by: Victoria Williams R.H.N.

Est. reading time: 16 minutes.

So, you’ve heard of the seed cycling protocol as a way to support hormone imbalance, right?

You may have even researched what it’s all about, but thought that maybe it wasn’t for you, or it seemed too complicated, is this you?

While an interesting protocol, seed cycling for hormone imbalance requires the patient to ingest seeds like flax, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower on specific weeks of their cycle.

This may seem like a viable, natural option for balancing the body, right?

But, what if women with hormonal imbalances are unable to tolerate eating seeds or oils, leaving them doubled over in pain?

Balance your hormones with Queen of the Thrones Castor oil Packs instead of seeds

The seed cycling protocol can then become problematic, doing more harm than good.

Are you with me? Thankfully, there’s an even easier way, are you ready? Keep reading!

Could Castor Oil Packs topically be the answer?

Both ingesting oils and consuming excessive amounts of seeds can actually cause gut health issues, as they can irritate the gut lining. No thank you, right?

This is where Castor Oil Packs come in, working from the outside in, the topical alternative to ingesting seeds or tolerating the oral intake of oils.

So many treatments require the oral route. With this comes issues like proper absorption, and irritated gut responses like leaky gut syndrome. Already a common concern for those with Hormonal unbalance.

Because of this, eating the seeds or drinking the oils leads to a lot of time, energy and money being spent for little improvement in return.

What are the benefits of Castor Oil Packs?

A Queen of the Thrones®️ Castor Oil Pack helps the body better absorb and utilize what it is taking in.

What does that mean exactly? Basically, everything just works better as a result of this practice, likely due to its parasympathetic promoting aspects of the actual compress,1-2 ones that stimulates your natural oxytocin production.

Plus, the feeling of the oil supports natural dopamine production,1A-2A making this tool a wonderful way to support hormonal imbalance as well as a feel-good option.

Plus, the anti-inflammatory action, nitric oxide promoting Castor Oil, supports gut health, biofilm breakdown and microbiome balance,3-4-5 making it a true foundational treatment, not only for cleansing and constipation, as commonly used, but in a regular health practice too.

Queen of the Thrones®️ Castor Oil Packs are known to help you feel better (in most cases).

If our original goal is to make food our medicine and encourage a healthy diet, then Queen of the Thrones®️ Hormone Balance & Detox Kit are an essential part of your wellness toolbox.

In some cases, immediate symptomatic relief 6-7 of digestive symptoms like constipation, gas and abdominal bloating and sleep problems8-9-10-11 flood the system due to the mechanistic actions of the compress itself.

This, in turn, presents with an overall feeling of wellbeing and “feel good” sensations. Similar to how you feel better when you put a “bandaid” on it.

Making sense so far? Great!

Castor Oil Packs are NOW easier to comply with

The seed cycling protocol asks a lot from patients. They must know and understand their cycle, making sure they are ingesting the correct seeds on the proper week. It can be a lot of time and effort to coordinate and a more challenging protocol to gain compliance, agreed?

Even though Castor Oil Packs, done the old way were horrible for compliance, Queen of the Thrones®️ Castor Oil Packs, on the other hand, are an excellent ally to enhance compliance of the once messy, now easy practice, not only in hormonal imbalance but also in immune, gut mucosal, microbiome, and liver metabolism balance.

Not to worry though, this new way to support your hormones and gut health is easy, comfortable and convenient! Allow me to introduce you to…

The ‘Single’ Seed Cycling Protocol with Castor Oil Packs

Enter the ‘seedless’ seed cycling protocol, a method developed to balance hormones in an easier, more supportive way. Sounds good, agreed?

This new protocol, used by health care practitioners, helps with supporting the processes of the body that aid in the creation of a successful foundation for hormonal, metabolic and immune regulation in practice.

So, how does it work exactly?

When it comes to using your Queen of the Thrones® Hormone Balance & Detox Kit there are two essential steps to follow:

Step One:

Follicular “Estrogen” Pro-inflammatory Cleansing Phase

Estrogen is your “necessary evil” 12 as both high and low levels of estrogen cause disease. It works in close coordination with inflammation, which is also a necessary evil, helping to break down tissues in the cleaning and rebuilding processes of the body.

Did you know that Inflammation and estrogen are highly connected? And for women, your follicular phase is a state dominated by estrogen that begins on the first day of your period.

Estrogen helps with balancing of your immune system

It’s true! In healthy levels, estrogen has protective mechanisms.13 During this time, the purpose of elevated estrogen is to balance inflammation while helping with preparation of the body’s “cleaning” phase, before the magical event of ovulation.

Ovulation is where the egg will drop from the ovaries and make its way, ideally fertilized, to the uterine lining, to implant for growth. This is your body’s time to let go and let flow.

During this phase, wearing a Queen of the Thrones®️ Castor Oil Pack for Liver, placed over the liver every night, for a minimum of one hour (or overnight for best results), supports the inflammation balancing role of the liver.

After all, the liver is the “major metabolic hub” of the female body.14

Supporting liver function, with the Queen of the Thrones®️ Castor Oil Liver Pack not only during the phase of the hormonal menstrual cycle, but also during the circadian rhythm throughout the night, according to both Chronobiological medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine, is recommended from 1- 3 am.

Why? Between those hours, the most highly active phase of the liver can be supported. Pretty neat, agreed?

Remember, the liver is always the first to process things like birth control pills, antibiotics and even hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Do you know the signs of an overloaded liver? During this key hormonal phase of clearance, these symptoms most often resemble that of leaky gut syndrome.

Loving what you’re learning? You won’t want to miss out on your FREE eGuide for hormone cycling!

Castor Oil Packs over the liver also support:

  • Support digestion, absorption and elimination 15-16
  • Reduce inflammation17
  • Support the body to shift into the parasympathetic state to encourage deep sleep18-19
  • Optimize nitric oxide production20-21
  • Break down biofilm22-23-24
  • Balance microbiome25

Additionally, the compress itself, when placed on the skin, naturally supports the balance of the shift from a stressed high cortisol state that drives higher estrogen, to the healthier oxytocin state at night during the periods of rest, to help with cleansing and detoxification.

This is via the low threshold afferent C tactile receptors on the skin that feed back to the cranial nerves, specifically the vagus nerve.

This shift into the parasympathetic state is like an escape button to begin the “rest, digest and detox” function.

Wear the Castor Oil Pack for Thyroid for 1 hour each day during entire cycle (not to be worn overnight).

Queen of the Thrones anti inflammatory action supports gut health

You can think of it like a weighted blanket, working in much the same mechanism to help you rest and reset.

Castor Oil supports nitric oxide, which promotes the breakdown of the biofilm,26-27-28 and improves the microbiome, as estrogen plays a key role in liver and detox.29 Speaking of detox, while cleansing may feel new to you, it’s important to remember that…

Cleansing and detoxification is a natural bodily function

Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Packs help to prepare for ovulation

Detoxifications and cleansing happens best while we sleep, and while we are in a state of rest – which is the best time to have your patients wear their Castor Oil Packs for Liver.

These are major keys of working with Castor Oil Packs over the liver to set the foundation for hormonal cleansing and hormonal balancing during the follicular phase.

Step Two:

From the time of ovulation, the body now shifts to a higher progesterone state, where the focus moves from the liver to the pelvic region.

 

This shift often begins with “mittelschmerz”, a wonderful German word for the onset of ovulation, or the “dropping” of the egg.

As the egg travels down the fallopian tube, with the great hope of meeting sperm and creating life, progesterone can be easily robbed by the production of our stress hormone, cortisol.

This biochemical pathway is primed as the body intelligence isn’t one to want pregnancy under times of stress.

Some of the stressors you may not even be familiar with that affect this key fertility stage are:

  • Gut Inflammation
  • Poor diet
  • Emotional distress
  • Excess weight
  • Drugs, and so many other factors

When there is a problem with ovulation, and getting pregnant, elevated levels of cortisol (which rob the body of natural progesterone,30 do not allow for the important nourishment of the ovaries.

During this phase, have your patient wear their Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack for Fertility Kit on their pelvic area every night. Here, the purpose of the Castor Oil Pack for Fertility Kit is to support the oxytocin state, causing relaxation which improves the natural levels of progesterone in the body from simply wearing the Castor Oil Pack compress.

Pretty amazing, agreed?

When beginning the “Single” Seed Cycling protocol using Queen of the Thrones®️ Castor Oil Packs, it is important to note that if your patient has NEVER done Castor Oil Packs before, it’s best for them to start either

  1. Right after the end of their period with step one over the liver or…
  2. At ovulation.

Starting your patients on their bleeding days may potentially lead to them experiencing a quite strong “letting go” sensation.

Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs support reproductive health

Either starting AFTER the bleed or at ovulation will prepare them to have a better period.

Once your patient starts menstruating again, it’s time to switch back to the liver pack and so begins the simple 2 step protocol all over again.

Your patients will eventually begin to experience their symptoms less frequently over time as their body becomes regulated with their natural hormonal cycle.

Are you a practitioner, health coach or wellness influencer? If you’re interested in recommending our easy-to-use tools and practically applying them in your health and wellness professional practice in clinic or online with the people you serve, contact us at: royalty@queenofthethrones.com

To deepen your knowledge, here are a few blogs you’ll want to read as well:

  1. Why does the moon make my hormones go crazy?
  2. Why is compliance so low for the traditional seed cycling protocol?
  3. Why beet juice is good for you & your patients’ gut health.
Click here for references

1. Walker SC1, Trotter PD2, Swaney WT2, Marshall A3, Mcglone FP4. C-tactile afferents: Cutaneous mediators of oxytocin release during affiliative tactile interactions? Neuropeptides. 2017 Aug;64:27-38. doi: 10.1016/j.npep.2017.01.001. Epub 2017 Jan 19. PMID: 28162847.

1A. Francis S, Rolls ET, Bowtell R, McGlone F, O’Doherty J, Browning A, Clare S, Smith E. The representation of pleasant touch in the brain and its relationship with taste and olfactory areas. Neuroreport. 1999 Feb 25;10(3):453-9. PMID: 10208571

2. Rolls ET et all. Representations of pleasant and painful touch in the human orbitofrontal and cingulate cortices. Cereb Cortex. 2003 Mar;13(3):308-17. PMID: 12571120.

2A. Löken LS, Wessberg J, Morrison I, McGlone F, Olausson H. Coding of pleasant touch by unmyelinated afferents in humans. Nat Neurosci. 2009 May;12(5):547-8. Epub 2009 Apr 12. PMID: 19363489.

3. Andrade IM1, Andrade KM2, Pisani MX1, Silva-Lovato CH1, de Souza RF1, Paranhos Hde F1.Trial of an experimental castor oil solution for cleaning dentures. Braz Dent J. 2014 Jan-Feb;25(1):43-7.PMID: 24789291.

4. Badaró MM, Salles MM, Leite VMF, Arruda CNF, Oliveira VC, Nascimento CD, Souza RF, Paranhos HFO, Silva-Lovato CH. Clinical trial for evaluation of Ricinus communis and sodium hypochlorite as denture cleanser.J Appl Oral Sci. 2017 May-Jun; 25(3):324-334. PMID: 28678952.

5. Marcela Moreira Salles, Maurício Malheiros Badaró, Carolina Noronha Ferraz de Arruda, Vanessa Maria Fagundes Leite, Cláudia Helena Lovato da Silva, Evandro Watanabe, Viviane de Cássia Oliveira, Helena de Freitas Oliveira Paranhos, Antimicrobial activity of complete denture cleanser solutions based on sodium hypochlorite and Ricinus communis – a randomized clinical study. Randomized Controlled Trial J Appl Oral Sci Nov-Dec 2015;23(6):637-42. doi: 10.1590/1678-775720150204. PMID: 26814466.

6. Arslan GG, Eşer I. An examination of the effect of castor oil packs on constipation in the elderly. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2011 Feb;17(1):58-62. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2010.04.004. Epub 2010 May 18. PMID: 21168117.

7. Sorin Tunaru,a Till F. Althoff,a Rolf M. Nüsing,b Martin Diener,c and Stefan Offermannsa,d,1 Castor oil induces laxation and uterus contraction via ricinoleic acid activating prostaglandin EP3 receptors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Jun 5; 109(23): 9179–9184. Published online 2012 May 21. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1201627109 PMID: 22615395.

8. Walker SC1, Trotter PD2, Swaney WT2, Marshall A3, Mcglone FP4. C-tactile afferents: Cutaneous mediators of oxytocin release during affiliative tactile interactions? Neuropeptides. 2017 Aug;64:27-38. doi: 10.1016/j.npep.2017.01.001. Epub 2017 Jan 19. PMID: 28162847.

9. Rolls ET et all. Representations of pleasant and painful touch in the human orbitofrontal and cingulate cortices. Cereb Cortex. 2003 Mar;13(3):308-17. PMID: 12571120

10. Francis S, Rolls ET, Bowtell R, McGlone F, O’Doherty J, Browning A, Clare S, Smith E. The representation of pleasant touch in the brain and its relationship with taste and olfactory areas. Neuroreport. 1999 Feb 25;10(3):453-9. PMID: 10208571

11. Löken LS, Wessberg J, Morrison I, McGlone F, Olausson H. Coding of pleasant touch by unmyelinated afferents in humans. Nat Neurosci. 2009 May;12(5):547-8. Epub 2009 Apr 12. PMID: 19363489.

12. Patel S, Homaei A, Raju AB, Meher BR. Estrogen: The necessary evil for human health, and ways to tame it. Biomed Pharmacother. 2018 Jun;102:403-411. doi: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.03.078. Epub 2018 Mar 22. PMID: 29573619.

13. Kovats S. Estrogen receptors regulate innate immune cells and signaling pathways. Cell Immunol. 2015 Apr;294(2):63-9. doi: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2015.01.018. Epub 2015 Feb 7. PMID: 25682174; PMCID: PMC4380804.

14. Zwighaft Z, Reinke H, Asher G. The Liver in the Eyes of a Chronobiologist. J Biol Rhythms. 2016 Apr;31(2):115-24. doi: 10.1177/0748730416633552. Epub 2016 Feb 24. PMID: 26911716.

15. Arslan GG, Eşer I. An examination of the effect of castor oil packs on constipation in the elderly. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2011 Feb;17(1):58-62. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2010.04.004. Epub 2010 May 18. PMID: 21168117.

16. Sorin Tunaru,a Till F. Althoff,a Rolf M. Nüsing,b Martin Diener,c and Stefan Offermannsa,d,1 Castor oil induces laxation and uterus contraction via ricinoleic acid activating prostaglandin EP3 receptors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Jun 5; 109(23): 9179–9184. Published online 2012 May 21. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1201627109 PMID: 22615395.

17. Vieira C et al. .Effect of ricinoleic acid in acute and subchronic experimental models of inflammation. Mediators Inflamm. 2000;9(5):223-8 PMID: 11200362.

18. Francis S, Rolls ET, Bowtell R, McGlone F, O’Doherty J, Browning A, Clare S, Smith E. The representation of pleasant touch in the brain and its relationship with taste and olfactory areas. Neuroreport. 1999 Feb 25;10(3):453-9. PMID: 10208571

19. Löken LS, Wessberg J, Morrison I, McGlone F, Olausson H. Coding of pleasant touch by unmyelinated afferents in humans. Nat Neurosci. 2009 May;12(5):547-8. Epub 2009 Apr 12. PMID: 19363489.

20. Mascolo N1, Izzo AA, Autore G, Barbato F, Capasso F.Nitric oxide and castor oil-induced diarrhea.J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1994 Jan;268(1):291-5. PMID: 8301570.

21. Izzo, Angelo. (1996). Castor oil: An update on mechanism of action. Phytotherapy Research. 10. S109-S111.

22. Andrade IM1, Andrade KM2, Pisani MX1, Silva-Lovato CH1, de Souza RF1, Paranhos Hde F1.Trial of an experimental castor oil solution for cleaning dentures. Braz Dent J. 2014 Jan-Feb;25(1):43-7.PMID: 24789291.

23. Badaró MM, Salles MM, Leite VMF, Arruda CNF, Oliveira VC, Nascimento CD, Souza RF, Paranhos HFO, Silva-Lovato CH. Clinical trial for evaluation of Ricinus communis and sodium hypochlorite as denture cleanser.J Appl Oral Sci. 2017 May-Jun; 25(3):324-334. PMID: 28678952.

24. Marcela Moreira Salles, Maurício Malheiros Badaró, Carolina Noronha Ferraz de Arruda, Vanessa Maria Fagundes Leite, Cláudia Helena Lovato da Silva, Evandro Watanabe, Viviane de Cássia Oliveira, Helena de Freitas Oliveira Paranhos, Antimicrobial activity of complete denture cleanser solutions based on sodium hypochlorite and Ricinus communis – a randomized clinical study. Randomized Controlled Trial J Appl Oral Sci Nov-Dec 2015;23(6):637-42. doi: 10.1590/1678-775720150204. PMID: 26814466.

25. Settanni CR, Ianiro G, Franceschi F, Gasbarrini G, Gasbarrini A. From Regular Catharsis with Castor Oil to Recognizing the Importance of the Intestinal Microbiota. Dig Dis. 2020 Jan 6:1-9. doi: 10.1159/000505395. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 31905350.

26. Andrade IM1, Andrade KM2, Pisani MX1, Silva-Lovato CH1, de Souza RF1, Paranhos Hde F1.Trial of an experimental castor oil solution for cleaning dentures. Braz Dent J. 2014 Jan-Feb;25(1):43-7.PMID: 24789291.

27. Badaró MM, Salles MM, Leite VMF, Arruda CNF, Oliveira VC, Nascimento CD, Souza RF, Paranhos HFO, Silva-Lovato CH. Clinical trial for evaluation of Ricinus communis and sodium hypochlorite as denture cleanser.J Appl Oral Sci. 2017 May-Jun; 25(3):324-334. PMID: 28678952.

28. Marcela Moreira Salles, Maurício Malheiros Badaró, Carolina Noronha Ferraz de Arruda, Vanessa Maria Fagundes Leite, Cláudia Helena Lovato da Silva, Evandro Watanabe, Viviane de Cássia Oliveira, Helena de Freitas Oliveira Paranhos, Antimicrobial activity of complete denture cleanser solutions based on sodium hypochlorite and Ricinus communis – a randomized clinical study. Randomized Controlled Trial J Appl Oral Sci Nov-Dec 2015;23(6):637-42. doi: 10.1590/1678-775720150204. PMID: 26814466.

29. Chen KL, Madak-Erdogan Z. Estrogens and female liver health. Steroids. 2018 May;133:38-43. doi: 10.1016/j.steroids.2017.10.015. Epub 2017 Nov 1. PMID: 29100781.

30. Ovulation Parallels with Inflammatory Processes Duffy, Diane M et al. “Ovulation: Parallels With Inflammatory Processes.” Endocrine reviews vol. 40,2 (2019): 369-416. doi:10.1210/er.2018-00075.

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including information providers, are those of the respective authors or distributors. Neither Queen of the Thrones® nor any third-party provider of information guarantees the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content. This communication does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Information provided does not replace the advice of your health care practitioner. If you happen to purchase anything we promote, in this or any of our communications, it’s likely Queen of the Thrones® will receive some kind of affiliate compensation. Still, we only promote content and products that we truly believe in and share with our friends, family and patients. If you ever have a concern with anything we share, please let us know at care@queenofthethrones.com. We want to make sure we are always serving Our Queendom at the highest level.

Why Beet Juice is Good for You and Your Gut Health.

Why Beet Juice is Good for You and Your Gut Health.

Why Beet Juice is Good for You and Your Gut Health by Queen of the Thrones

Why Beet Juice is Good for You and Your Gut Health.

Written by: Marisol Teijeiro N.D. (inactive) & Christy Howitt B.A.
Medically reviewed by: Melanie Swackhammer B.A.

Est. reading time: 10 minutes.

Beet Juice is the Perfect Castor Oil Pack Companion

So you love your beets, do you? Perhaps it’s because of their soluble fiber that helps you stay quite regular1? Or maybe it’s because your integrative/functional medicine practitioner or health coach suggested that beets help clean your blood and support liver health and metabolism due to their color2?

How exactly do they do this? If you’ve ever wondered..

  • Why drink beet juice instead of eating beets on their own?
  • How is beet juice good for my gut health and my microbiome?
  • Why beet juice is the perfect companion to your Castor Oil Pack practice?
  • A special easy beet juice recipe for liver cleansing and gut health with simple ingredients to maximize all the benefits of beets so you can start balancing your liver detox and your microbiome

The best part? You probably already have the ingredients in your kitchen cupboard, and you don’t need a fancy juicer or blender.

Easy Right?

So, you might be wondering…

Why drink beet juice instead of eating beets on their own?

First off, all on its own, this hearty, nourishing, dark red root vegetable is an excellent source of essential nutrients like vitamin C among many others. It has been suggested eclectically, according to the doctrine of signatures3, to clean the blood because of its red color. And beet juice has a prebiotic-like effect4 which helps to feed your good gut bacteria, supporting better digestion, absorption and elimination.

Plus, beet juice is also known for nitric oxide, which enhances blood circulation5 and increases oxygen levels in the body. BUT, the best thing about nitric oxide is that it can help break down biofilm6 in your gut.

Good and Bad Bacteria in the stomach by Queen of the Thrones

Why does this matter? Well, think of biofilm like how your mouth and teeth feel before you get a good cleaning at the dentist. You see, biofilm is one of the hardest things to take care of when it comes to your microbiome and gut healing. Especially in chronic diseases like Lyme or autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

Biofilm is the barrier that bad bacteria creates in a sick environment to protect itself, and doesn’t allow any of our nutrients or any of our prebiotics and probiotics to help regulate and balance the microbiome. You see, at this moment in time, there are very few effective natural biofilm reducers.

The nitric oxide in beet juice is a natural biofilm reducer, similar to Castor Oil7. So, beet juice combined with your daily Queen of the Thrones®️ Castor Oil Pack for Liver practice is your new and easy way to support your microbiome and promote a healthy gut environment.

Alongside nitric oxide, another healthy component in your new beet juice recipe is glycine, an amino acid that supports liver detox as well as reduces anxiety.8

 

So yes, beets are great on their own, but your new beet juice recipe for liver cleansing and gut health includes a powerful mix of ingredients that supercharge all the benefits you get from this superfood (beets!).

So, now you might be asking…

Gluten is a protein commonly found in barley, wheat, and rye.

If you have tried gluten-free cookies, you know they are typically drier and crumble easily.

This is because gluten protein provides the elasticity associated with pasta and baked products.

And these gluten-free products are becoming increasingly popular, as the media has made many believe that this protein is bad for your health. Sound familiar?

But before getting on the gluten-free bandwagon, let’s understand whether it’s really all bad.

How is beet juice good for gut & microbiome health?

Dysbiosis symptoms by Queen of the Thrones

This recipe takes the most well-known and sought-after benefits of beet juice…

  • Betaine for support of good stomach acid production9
  • Glycine for liver detox and calming the nervous system so it can heal
  • Nitric oxide which augments oxygenation, circulation and biofilm breakdown

And synergizes them with the exact right ingredients that not only help with liver detox and gut health but also support mucosal immunity and microbiome balance.

Now that’s beautiful.

 

Why is this essential? Because, where there is gut inflammation or microbiome imbalance (known as dysbiosis), this can cause hormones to become imbalanced in your whole body.

And when hormones are imbalanced, it can cause/disrupt conditions like Leaky Gut Syndrome10 (the result of an irritated and compromised gut lining), and the progression of disease; not health. Makes sense, right?

So, how do we allow food to be our medicine once more and not a constant irritant to an inflamed gut lining11? Because as Hippocrates said, “All disease begins in the gut.”

We choose to regularly consume food items like your easy new beet juice recipe, while also supporting this habit with gut health practices like the Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack for Liver. Yes, it can be that easy, with practice!

You see, both work together so your food can once again nourish your body, instead of insulting it and causing food sensitivities, as it can with an inflamed gut. Sounds amazing, agreed?

Hippocrates Recommends Queen of the Thrones Beet Root Juice

An easy beet juice recipe for gut & microbiome health

Yes, there is! This unique combination of ingredients act synergistically so your body can fully utilize the liver detox and gut health components of beets and work to calm and balance your gut and microbiome.

Your new recipe includes 3 key ingredients, in addition to beets…

  1. Apple Cider Vinegar – a well known probiotic ingredient that supports a healthy microbiome12. Used to support acid-base balance for gut health and liver detox13.
  2. Cayenne Pepper – a stimulating spice that increases butyrate producing probiotics14. Butyrate is a short chain fatty acid that is a potent gut health regulator and reducer of chronic gut inflammation, improving conditions like leaky gut and dysbiosis15.
  3. Extra Virgin Olive Oil – the omegas and polyphenol components in this oil are a key aspect of the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet16. It also modulates the microbiome to support the production of short chain fatty acids, key in gut health and mechanisms to revive a Leaky Gut17.
Queen of the Thrones Beet Juice Recipe supports circulation and reduce inflammation

The best part? Plus, when you combine beet juice intake with a daily Queen of the Thrones®️ Castor Oil Pack practice, the result is a powerful anti-inflammatory duo18, one that was developed by a Naturopathic Doctor and is used by many Functional and Integrative Medical Practitioners to support liver detox and gut health.

But how? Well, because the gut health and liver detox beet juice recipe is similar to a gut health supplement and supports your gut by nourishing a leaky gut from the inside out. All of this takes place while the Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack for Liver balances from the outside in, like yin and yang energy, restoring the body. So amazing, agreed?

Together, both practices promote gut health and relief from the symptoms of Leaky Gut Syndrome so you can feel more energized, balanced and wake up like new each day because you did something for you!

Click here for references

1. Luman W, Ardill JE, Armstrong E, Smith GD, Brett L, Lessells AM, Haynes WG, Gray GA, Mickley EJ, Webb DJ, Palmer KR. Nitric oxide and gall-bladder motor function. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 1998 May;12(5):425-32. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2036.1998.00322.x. PMID: 9663721.

2. Mirmiran P, Houshialsadat Z, Gaeini Z, Bahadoran Z, Azizi F. Functional properties of beetroot (Beta vulgaris) in management of cardio-metabolic diseases. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2020 Jan 7;17:3. doi: 10.1186/s12986-019-0421-0. PMID: 31921325; PMCID: PMC6947971.

3. The Doctrine of Signatures Hospital (Lond 1886). 1909 Apr 24; 46(1184): 108. PMID: 29815714

4. Susanne M Henning 1, Jieping Yang 2, Paul Shao 2, Ru-Po Lee 2, Jianjun Huang 2, Austin Ly 2, Mark Hsu 2, Qing-Yi Lu 2, Gail Thames 2, David Heber 2, Zhaoping Li 2Health benefit of vegetable/fruit juice-based diet: Role of microbiome Sci Rep 2017 May 19;7(1):2167. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-02200-6 PMID: 28526852

5. Zamani H, de Joode MEJR, Hossein IJ, Henckens NFT, Guggeis MA, Berends JE, de Kok TMCM, van Breda SGJ. The benefits and risks of beetroot juice consumption: a systematic review. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2021;61(5):788-804. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2020.1746629. Epub 2020 Apr 15. PMID: 32292042.

6. Nicolas Barraud, Michael J Kelso, Scott A Rice, Staffan Kjelleberg 1 Nitric oxide: a key mediator of biofilm dispersal with applications in infectious diseases Review Curr Pharm Des 2015;21(1):31-42 PMID: 27771922.

7. Andrade IM1, Andrade KM2, Pisani MX1, Silva-Lovato CH1, de Souza RF1, Paranhos Hde F1.Trial of an experimental castor oil solution for cleaning dentures. Braz Dent J. 2014 Jan-Feb;25(1):43-7.PMID: 24789291.

8. Pérez-Torres I, Zuniga-Munoz AM, Guarner-Lans V. Beneficial Effects of the Amino Acid Glycine. Mini Rev Med Chem. 2017;17(1):15-32. doi: 10.2174/1389557516666160609081602. PMID: 27292783.

9. Vuyisa Sigwela 1, Maryna De Wit 1, Alba du Toit 1, Gernot Osthoff 2, Arno Hugo 3 Bioactive Betalain Extracts from Cactus Pear Fruit Pulp, Beetroot Tubers, and Amaranth Leaves Molecules 2021 Aug 18;26(16):5012. doi: 10.3390/molecules26165012. PMID: 34443599.

10. Binienda A, Twardowska A, Makaro A, Salaga M. Dietary Carbohydrates and Lipids in the Pathogenesis of Leaky Gut Syndrome: An Overview. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Nov 8;21(21):8368. doi: 10.3390/ijms21218368. PMID: 33171587; PMCID: PMC7664638.

11. Witkamp RF, van Norren K. Let thy food be thy medicine….when possible. Eur J Pharmacol. 2018 Oct 5;836:102-114. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2018.06.026. Epub 2018 Jun 21. PMID: 29936236.

12. Neiworth-Petshow EM, Baldwin-Sayre C. Naturopathic Treatment of Gastrointestinal Dysfunction in the Setting of Parkinson’s Disease. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2018 Aug;17(4):44-50. PMID: 31043910; PMCID: PMC6469461.

13. Quade BN, Parker MD, Occhipinti R. The therapeutic importance of acid-base balance. Biochem Pharmacol. 2021 Jan;183:114278. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2020.114278. Epub 2020 Oct 9. PMID: 33039418; PMCID: PMC7544731.

14. Karunaratne TB, Okereke C, Seamon M, Purohit S, Wakade C, Sharma A. Niacin and Butyrate: Nutraceuticals Targeting Dysbiosis and Intestinal Permeability in Parkinson’s Disease. Nutrients. 2020 Dec 23;13(1):28. doi: 10.3390/nu13010028. PMID: 33374784; PMCID: PMC7824468.

15. Mu Q, Kirby J, Reilly CM, Luo XM. Leaky Gut As a Danger Signal for Autoimmune Diseases. Front Immunol. 2017 May 23;8:598. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00598. PMID: 28588585; PMCID: PMC5440529.

16. Merra G, Noce A, Marrone G, Cintoni M, Tarsitano MG, Capacci A, De Lorenzo A. Influence of Mediterranean Diet on Human Gut Microbiota. Nutrients. 2020 Dec 22;13(1):7. doi: 10.3390/nu13010007. PMID: 33375042; PMCID: PMC7822000.

17. Baranauskas MN, Coggan AR, Gruber AH, Altherr CA, Raglin JS, Carter SJ. Dietary Nitrate Supplementation and Exercise-Related Performance. Nutr Today. 2020 Sep-Oct;55(5):211-217. doi: 10.1097/nt.0000000000000431. PMID: 34658444; PMCID: PMC8516348.

18. Mascolo N, Izzo AA, Gaginella TS, Capasso F. Relationship between nitric oxide and platelet-activating factor in castor-oil induced mucosal injury in the rat duodenum. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 1996 May;353(6):680-4. doi: 10.1007/BF00167187. PMID: 8738301.

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including information providers, are those of the respective authors or distributors. Neither Queen of the Thrones® nor any third-party provider of information guarantees the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content. This communication does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Information provided does not replace the advice of your health care practitioner. If you happen to purchase anything we promote, in this or any of our communications, it’s likely Queen of the Thrones® will receive some kind of affiliate compensation. Still, we only promote content and products that we truly believe in and share with our friends, family and patients. If you ever have a concern with anything we share, please let us know at care@queenofthethrones.com. We want to make sure we are always serving Our Queendom at the highest level.

Does Food Sensitivity Cause My Gut Inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome?

Does Food Sensitivity Cause My Gut Inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome?

Does Food Sensitivity Cause My Gut Inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome by Queen of the Thrones

Does Food Sensitivity Cause My Gut Inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome?

Written by: Marisol Teijeiro N.D. (inactive) & Christy Howitt B.A.
Medically reviewed by: Victoria Williams R.H.N. & Melanie Swackhammer B.A.

Est. reading time: 12 minutes.

If you’ve been wondering, does my food sensitivity cause my gut inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome? the answer is yes – and well, no. Why? This is because gut inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome are metabolic hormonal patterns, ones that are complex and sometimes confusing.

Meaning, the answer to the million dollar question is that gut inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome are not ONLY caused by food sensitivity, food allergies or food intolerances. There is more going on than meets the eye.

Symptoms of Leaky Gut Syndrome and Gut Inflammation

You see, you’re right to suspect that it isn’t just bloating, constipation or IBS symptoms occurring, or that food is the only factor at play here. You are simultaneously experiencing chronic metabolic problems like:

 

  • Thyroid imbalance
  • Weight gain
  • Anxiety
  • Fatigue
  • Joint pain

These are symptoms that are all linked to gut inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome. Your focus on food as the culprit is natural, because you, like Hippocrates, the father of medicine, as well as other scientific researchers, strive to believe in the power food has, stating.

“Let thy food be thy medicine…when possible1.”

Food can be your medicine again, yes. But only with the right environment. When you have a healthy, balanced gut, your Leaky Gut symptoms will be reduced.

Leaky & Inflamed gut Hippocrates by Queen of the Thrones

So what else is at play, causing your gut inflammation besides food?

Many other internal and external factors are perpetrators as well.

  • Supplements
  • Probiotics
  • Prebiotics
  • The microbiome

And so many more factors all contribute to gut inflammation. Interesting, right?

There are many factors causing your gut inflammation and Leaky Gut symptoms, ones that are important to explore, yet food is a great place to start. It is with this starting point that you will discover the complexity of how your gut health truly is in your hands and how you can take steps to feel better. As Sherlock Holmes, the most famous detective would say,

“It’s Elementary, Dear Watson!”

Food Sensitivity and Your Environment for Gut Health

Queen of the Thrones Leaky Gut inflammation

So let’s dive in! As you uncover the pieces to the puzzle that make up your gut health, the first thing to note is your body’s first response to food, which is, by definition, a foreign substance complex that enters your gut, or inside world. Anything foreign has the possibility to cause an internal reaction, good or bad, depending on both the substance and the environment in which it is placed.

 

Whether or not you have a sensitivity to a specific food can be irrelevant, because when there is gut inflammation, even healthy food can become a sensitivity. This is one of the reasons why the validity of food sensitivity testing purchased online is questioned2. These kinds of tests can be misleading, to you, the consumer, and your present state of gut health.

Although these tests seem to be testing different foods, the interpretation from many integrative and functional medical doctors is that you must first determine how much inflammation is in the gut or how leaky the gut may be.

How to Examine your Gut Health Environment?

You simply cannot just look at food sensitivities without also examining the health of your gut environment.

Of course there are some foods like gluten and dairy that are associated sensitivities3, especially in women who have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. This hormonal metabolic condition is highly linked to both gluten and dairy sensitivity and Leaky Gut Syndrome.

Whether it’s the food sensitivity or inflammation that came first, we do not know, but we do know they come hand-in-hand, and begins with generalized gut symptoms that indicate gut inflammation like:

  • Bloating
  • Constipation
  • IBS

So as the inflammation grows, Leaky Gut Syndrome develops4.

What role does leaky gut syndrome play in gut health?

Let’s take a closer look at what is occurring internally when it comes to Leaky Gut Syndrome and the related symptoms. These wide-ranged symptoms happen when inflammation irritates and disrupts the integrity of the gut wall.

Your gut health is very dependent on the gut mucosa cells that are connected via gap or tight junctions5, which act like the links of a chain that keep the healthy gut cells (epithelial cells) bound together, protecting our internal bodies from the outside world, from substances like food.

When the tight junctions become increasingly irritated and inflamed, most often by food and its components, such as sugars, fats or even fibers6, these tight gut health junctions cannot hold together. Therefore, the links in the strong chain break and the barrier that protects the body from the gut contents, becomes like a pasta strainer, instead of a brick wall, allowing everything you’ve ingested to flow out into the body.

Leaky & Inflamed gut illustration by Queen of the Thrones

Download our infographic to learn more about how the body is being bombarded by foods you may not suspect – including all those healthy supplements! Would you love to learn more about your gut health and the ways a Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack for Liver practice can help restore your body back to balance? Sign-up to receive our FREE eGuide!

Why isn’t Leaky Gut easily cured?

When your gut wall is disrupted, everything – all the food, supplements, probiotics, and prebiotics that entered via the oral route, pass out into your body. All the items that are meant to stay contained in your digestive system for proper digestion, processed through the cells without bypassing them, now seep through in undigested larger shapes, sizes that aren’t recognizable by the body’s defense systems, aka, the immune system.

This complex protective mechanism – your immune system, is used by the body to identify friend or foe, to achieve homeostasis or balance. Food that was once medicine now becomes a sensitivity to you, depending on how inflammed your gut is, and how leaky it has become.

How does leaky gut syndrome stress the whole body?

So your food and supplements that were once supposed to be medicine, now have the potential, depending on your unique system, to become poison to you, creating food sensitivity reactions that permeate through the entire body! No thank you, right?!

No matter how we look at it, Gut Inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome cause unwanted stress on the body – big time. Supplements, food, bacteria – all the things you’ve ingested – begins to respond atypically, spreading throughout your body, triggering symptoms as random as:

 

  • Migraines
  • Itchy skin
  • Eczema
  • Anxiety
  • Fatigue
rgans affected by Leaky Gut according to Queen of the the Thrones

These don’t appear related to your gut health, making food sensitivities and your health so confusing! Agreed? But everything is very much interconnected!

It’s All About Creating an Environment for Gut Health

The reality is, our bodies are always aiming to achieve good gut health and if you only focus on the food sensitivities that cause bloating, you are going down the wrong rabbit hole, my friend! Your belief may be that identifying and removing your food sensitivities will solve your gut health problems. Although it is an important first piece of the puzzle, it won’t give you the complete relief you’re seeking from your bloating, anxiety, constipation etc. It won’t give you the whole picture.

To ultimately feel better, it is essential to create an environment for good gut health. It is essential to begin the healing of your stressed gut lining, repairing the gaps and tight junctions in your gut lining caused by gut inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome.

Self-caring for the environment of good gut health is understanding that there is a complex interplay of more than just your sensitivity to food affecting whether you feel good or bad, have gut inflammation or are dealing with Leaky Gut Syndrome.

All disease begins in the Leaky Gut because the gut is like Grand Central Station, and where there are multiple players in the game, there is always a possibility for chaos to occur or a fight to break out8.

What Are The Many Factors at Play with Leaky Gut?

Everything you take in from the outside world, including:

  • Food
  • Supplements
  • Probiotics
  • Prebiotics
  • Emotional experiences
  • Gut microbes
  • Medications like birth control pills, antibiotics or stomach acid reducers

On top of that everything made in your body like:

  • Hormones (estrogen, progesterone, thyroid, oxytocin, cortisol etc.)
  • Neurotransmitters (melatonin, dopamine, gaba, serotonin, glycine, histamine etc.)
  • The balance of your microbiome, whether healthy, dysbiotic or overgrown with candida, or the presence of SIBO
  • The waste products you create (such as uric acid, carbon dioxide etc.)

All of this, including the cells and tissues of your body, can be attacked inappropriately when there is gut inflammation, which is why Leaky Gut is a danger signal for autoimmune disease9. This is, of course, a simplified explanation of a complex chronic metabolic gut inflammation condition. But know that both your level of gut inflammation and the state of your gut lining, are determinants of good gut health and how sensitive you may be to the food you consume.

It’s a tad overwhelming, right? Agreed. Since food is so foundational (you have to eat it, right?) – you can’t run away from it. So, therefore, it really is the best place to start your journey to gut health! This is why functional medical doctors, integrative medicine doctors, naturopathic doctors, nutritionists, holistic medicine doctors, and other natural health experts who work with gut health, will most often start here.

How can we revive & restore a leaky gut?

The focus must be on returning your gut health back to a relaxed state, to the ‘gated community’ it was meant to be. It takes time and consistency and intentional actions like:

  • A regular Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack for Liver practice
  • Healthy food choices
  • Properly washing your food to remove toxins
  • Awareness of the emotional stressors
  • Properly chewing your food
  • Intermittent fasting to allow your gut to relax
  • Stress-reducing techniques like calming breathwork practices
Best ways to avoid Leaky & Inflamed Gut Queen of the Thrones

What are the next Steps to Gut Health?

There are a number of ways to support your body moving forward, to begin the process of healing your gut inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome. Now that you have a better understanding of how food sensitivities cause inflammation in your body and the role Leaky Gut Syndrome has to play in your persistent symptoms, you are on track to returning your body to a relaxed and nourished state. You’ve got this, my friend!

Download our infographic to learn more about how the body is being bombarded by foods you may not suspect – including all those healthy supplements! Would you love to learn more about your gut health and the ways a Queen of the Thrones® Castor Oil Pack for Liver practice can help restore your body back to balance? Sign-up to receive our FREE eGuide!

And as always, if you have any concerns about your symptoms or overall health, please consult your integrative doctor or trained medical professional.

Are you a practitioner, health coach or wellness influencer? If you’re interested in recommending our easy-to-use tools and practically applying them in your health and wellness professional practice, in clinic, or online with the people you serve, you can join now!

Click here for references

1. Witkamp RF, van Norren K. Let thy food be thy medicine….when possible. Eur J Pharmacol. 2018 Oct 5;836:102-114. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2018.06.026. Epub 2018 Jun 21. PMID: 29936236.

2. Wong AWY, White HEG, Plant A, Shipman AR, Shipman KE. Issues surrounding consumer-bought food-allergy testing. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2021 Oct 16. doi: 10.1111/ced.14978. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34655248.

3. Ihnatowicz P, Drywień M, Wątor P, Wojsiat J. The importance of nutritional factors and dietary management of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2020 Jun 19;27(2):184-193. doi: 10.26444/aaem/112331. Epub 2019 Oct 2. PMID: 32588591.

4. Binienda A, Twardowska A, Makaro A, Salaga M. Dietary Carbohydrates and Lipids in the Pathogenesis of Leaky Gut Syndrome: An Overview. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Nov 8;21(21):8368. doi: 10.3390/ijms21218368. PMID: 33171587; PMCID: PMC7664638

5. Binienda A, Twardowska A, Makaro A, Salaga M. Dietary Carbohydrates and Lipids in the Pathogenesis of Leaky Gut Syndrome: An Overview. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Nov 8;21(21):8368. doi: 10.3390/ijms21218368. PMID: 33171587; PMCID: PMC7664638.

6. Usuda H, Okamoto T, Wada K. Leaky Gut: Effect of Dietary Fiber and Fats on Microbiome and Intestinal Barrier. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Jul 16;22(14):7613. doi: 10.3390/ijms22147613. PMID: 34299233; PMCID: PMC8305009.

7. Suárez LJ, Arboleda S, Angelov N, Arce RM. Oral Versus Gastrointestinal Mucosal Immune Niches in Homeostasis and Allostasis. Front Immunol. 2021 Jul 5;12:705206. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.705206. PMID: 34290715; PMCID: PMC8287884.

8. Fasano A. All disease begins in the (leaky) gut: role of zonulin-mediated gut permeability in the pathogenesis of some chronic inflammatory diseases. F1000Res. 2020 Jan 31;9:F1000 Faculty Rev-69. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.20510.1. PMID: 32051759; PMCID: PMC6996528.

9. Mu Q, Kirby J, Reilly CM, Luo XM. Leaky Gut As a Danger Signal for Autoimmune Diseases. Front Immunol. 2017 May 23;8:598. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00598. PMID: 28588585; PMCID: PMC5440529.

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including information providers, are those of the respective authors or distributors. Neither Queen of the Thrones® nor any third-party provider of information guarantees the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content. This communication does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Information provided does not replace the advice of your health care practitioner. If you happen to purchase anything we promote, in this or any of our communications, it’s likely Queen of the Thrones® will receive some kind of affiliate compensation. Still, we only promote content and products that we truly believe in and share with our friends, family and patients. If you ever have a concern with anything we share, please let us know at care@queenofthethrones.com. We want to make sure we are always serving Our Queendom at the highest level.

How to relieve constipation and stress with Castor Oil Packs

How to relieve constipation and stress with Castor Oil Packs

How to relieve constipation and stress with Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs

How to relieve constipation and stress with Castor Oil Packs

Written by: Marisol Teijeiro MD (Inactive)
Medically reviewed by: Melanie Swackhammer B.A. & Victoria Williams R.H.N.

Est. reading time: 7 minutes.

Constipation is stressful, would you agree? Or what about:

  •  Bloating
  •  Gas
  •  Diarrhea
  •  Anxiety
  •  Can’t sleep

Do any of these sound like you?

I’ve been there! I suffered with Irritable Bowel Syndrome for years. Being stressed and constipated was normal for me, until I found relief with the ancient health practice of castor oil packs and the WHY behind it all.

Did you know that if you sleep better, have better digestion, and reduce stress, your health would be drastically different? I didn’t know this then, but now it all makes sense.

The more anxious I was, the less likely I’d be to have a bowel movement. At that time I thought my constipation was a stand alone issue. All I wanted was to feel relaxed and ‘normal’, but it seemed impossible. Have you ever felt this way? It’s not your fault, because bodies often have a mind of their own.

What finally relieved my constipation and stress?

When I actually understood how closely connected my stress and digestion was, I figured out how to give my body the reset it needed so that I could have:

  •  Better stools
  •  Better sleep
  •  Less stress

After years of suffering, castor oil packs opened my eyes to how gut health goes beyond just the gut and that sometimes our bodies need a total reset and that’s ok! Health begins in the gut, which is why castor oil packs are one of the gems for a balanced digestive health.

How did I know I should try a castor oil pack?

For years, I thought I was doing everything ‘right’. Taking the right supplements, seeing a naturopathic doctor, exercising, eating healthy, but still struggling with going to the bathroom. Can you relate? I was so used to being constipated that it became ‘normal’ for me, know what I mean? Be gentle with yourself if you relate.

I hit my lowest point and became so sick that I couldn’t even get out of bed for a week, so I took the leap and made my own castor oil pack after ignoring this suggestion for years.

How does the castor oil pack relieve stress and constipation?

As soon as I put on that Castor Oil Pack I felt what relaxed was supposed to feel like and then I was finally able to have that long awaited bowel movement. Sounds amazing, doesn’t it?

You see, once my body was in a naturally relaxed state, I was able to naturally eliminate the build up of stools, it felt like a ton of bricks finally being freed from my stomach.

The 2 main ways the castor oil pack restored my gut

My gut was SO tense and contracted. The actual castor oil pack being placed on my abdomen worked with my stress and anxiety instead of fighting against it.

Yes, castor oil packs were 100% transformative for me, but I also needed to understand the 3 keys to gut health (better stools, better sleep and less stress) and how the castor oil pack worked with the 3 keys.

To my amazement, research showed that it supported the 5 fundamental pillars of health that just happen to spell out F-A-I-T-H.

Out of all these wonderful benefits, the ‘F’ and the ’T’ are the most important.

F: Function of the Digestive Tract.
Studies have shown that castor oil packs help to relieve constipation1 and improve the smooth muscle function of the digestive tract, in turn supporting better absorption and elimination.

T: Tension and Stress Reduction.
The soft compression of the pack on the skin stimulates sensory receptors that help to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, our ‘rest and digest’ state. The compress promotes production of our feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine2, as well as our love and connection hormone, oxytocin3.

FAITH on Queen of the Thornes Castor Oil products

My castor oil pack gave me back the FAITH that my body could heal and find relief from chronic constipation and a way to naturally relax.

It was kind of like getting a back massage for the first time, my stomach was relaxing and shedding all the food waste that needed to come out. And even better, I was less stressed and I was even sleeping better!

Can’t you just drink castor oil to relieve constipation?

When you actually drink castor oil it’ll make you go to the bathroom, but in a really rough and fast way. With this in mind, it’s an excellent stimulant laxative when taken by mouth but it doesn’t stay in you long enough to put your stomach in a relaxed state and that is one of the most important keys.

My key to freedom from constipation and stress: castor oil packs

You see, tension and stress inhibit our bodies’ natural ability to cleanse, have a bowel movement and relax. Trust me, I’ve been there without my castor oil pack and let me tell you, that’s a story worth reading.

It’s not that I needed my stress to disappear, I needed to have a system to naturally relax and release all the garbage (yes, stools!). 

This is why I want to share this new opportunity with you, an opportunity to get your body into that relaxed state, the way it’s meant to be!

I’m definitely not perfect and still have stress in my life, but I now have a system that pulls me out of the evil cycle all thanks to the castor oil pack.

Reach the freedom of relaxation with Queen of the Thrones Castor Oil Packs

Are you a practitioner, health coach or wellness influencer? If you’re interested in recommending our easy-to-use tools and practically applying them in your health and wellness professional practice, in clinic, or online with the people you serve, you can join now!

Click here for references

1. Sorin Tunaru,a Till F. Althoff,a Rolf M. Nüsing,b Martin Diener,c and Stefan Offermannsa,d,1 Castor oil induces laxation and uterus contraction via ricinoleic acid activating prostaglandin EP3 receptorsProc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Jun 5; 109(23): 9179–9184. Published online 2012 May 21. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1201627109PMID: 22615395

2. Francis S, Rolls ET, Bowtell R, McGlone F, O’Doherty J, Browning A, Clare S, Smith E. The representation of pleasant touch in the brain and its relationship with taste and olfactory areas. Neuroreport. 1999 Feb 25;10(3):453-9.PMID: 10208571

3. Walker SC1, Trotter PD2, Swaney WT2, Marshall A3, Mcglone FP4. C-tactile afferents: Cutaneous mediators of oxytocin release during affiliative tactile interactions? Neuropeptides. 2017 Aug;64:27-38. doi: 10.1016/j.npep.2017.01.001. Epub 2017 Jan 19.PMID: 28162847

4 Walker SC1, Trotter PD2, Swaney WT2, Marshall A3, Mcglone FP4. C-tactile afferents: Cutaneous mediators of oxytocin release during affiliative tactile interactions? Neuropeptides. 2017 Aug;64:27-38. doi: 10.1016/j.npep.2017.01.001. Epub 2017 Jan 19. PMID: 28162847

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including information providers, are those of the respective authors or distributors. Neither Queen of the Thrones® nor any third-party provider of information guarantees the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content. This communication does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Information provided does not replace the advice of your health care practitioner. If you happen to purchase anything we promote, in this or any of our communications, it’s likely Queen of the Thrones® will receive some kind of affiliate compensation. Still, we only promote content and products that we truly believe in and share with our friends, family and patients. If you ever have a concern with anything we share, please let us know at care@queenofthethrones.com. We want to make sure we are always serving Our Queendom at the highest level.

Why Birds Love Papayas?

Why Birds Love Papayas?

Learn with Queen of the Thrones Why Birds Love Papayas

Why Birds Love Papayas?

Written by: Marisol Teijeiro N.D. (inactive)
Medically reviewed by: Victoria Williams R.H.N.

Est. reading time: 11 minutes.

National Papaya & Body Confidence Month

September is National Papaya Awareness Month and in case you’re thinking this is just another blog about the health benefits of a fruit, it’s not.

Get ready to expand your mind about this tropical fruit that looks like a squash but has a bright internal orange color that just screams out beta carotene! (That same stuff you get in orange carrots) and seeds that look like slimy alien fish eggs, but have benefits that are, dare I say it, out of this world!!

Stay tuned for that goodness, but this is also going to give you a whole new perspective on a movement having to do with @thebirdspapaya that I am loving and want to help support.  Her movement is changing how you, me and we see the world. 

Honor the papaya, like the birds do, read ‘till the end and share with all of your sisters and brothers, mothers and fathers!

Papayas Are For The Birds

Some people don’t like papayas and believe that they are solely for the birds.  As they blossom in tropical trees much as the banana does, these fruits of the tropics are well known to get pecked as they’re one of the favorite foods of parrots.

Bird love papayas because they are a superfood.  They provide the body with ample nutrients with a taste so divine – kind of like a mix between that fatty feeling you get in your mouth with avocados and sweet juiciness like a watermelon.

With high levels of healthy fats, protein, magnesium, fiber, calcium, and phosphorus, they pack a nutritional punch unrivaled by other fruits. 

Do The Health Benefits Translate To Humans? 

Birds even eat the seeds because, in nature, the seeds are a well-known anti-parasitic and have been studied for reducing intestinal parasitosis in humans.  In fact, they have been studied in Africa as an effective tool for mass de-worming programs for children, by adding the seeds to porridge in schools.  They are also an excellent source of the digestive enzyme, papain.

Queen of the Thrones recommends to eat Papaya for healthy digestion

All of this makes the papaya a perfect partner to help you poo too!  You all know how much I talk about the importance of pooping so this is just another reason the birds and I are so in love with the papaya!

Of course, papaya is great for humans too, and there are a few ways that I encourage people to eat them that help not only with pooping but also with your digestion.

How Do You Like Your Papayas?

Most people eat papaya on its own, in a papaya salad, smoothies or simply cut up with tart lime juice and salt to smooth it all down.  They are so delicious this way.  I like to add the seeds into my smoothies to help with digestion as well.

But there is another way I like them because when speaking of improving digestion we first must understand exactly what digestion is.

Defining Our Digestion

Digestion is the most important physiological function that goes on in our body.  We must take in nourishment, utilize it, then get rid of what no longer is needed.  However, it isn’t only the ability to digest, absorb and eliminate food.  There is also a very emotional energy connected to digestion.

Whether or not you digest well, depends not only on the types of foods you are eating.  Whether they are “healthy” I put this in quotations because healthy food choices depend on the individual.  Remember, a superfood for one can be a poison for another.  The way foods are combined, and the time of day they are eaten are also big factors.  These aspects all matter, but what matters more than anything is this simple fact that isn’t often talked about.

How we digest our food is symbolic of how we are digesting life.

How we are digesting the world. 

Say these powerful words one more time with me – Digestion is how you are digesting your LIFE!!!!

How We Digest Life

Digestion is about taking something from the outside world, like food, and processing it so that it works for us.  But if what we intake, whether food or something else (stimulus like violent tv shows, judgments of other people, social images that make you feel less-than), goes against our true nature and our soul’s purpose, these external stimuli does our body no good and it will resist.  The sequelae is we will have problems with our digestion.  Acid reflux, gas, bloating, indigestion, constipation, and diarrhea to name just a few. 

So many of us have an internal struggle going on within where we don’t accept ourselves for how we are naturally.  We work to constantly fix how we digest by taking digestive enzymes (like papain), supplements that coat the gut, and fiber to help us poo.

According to Queen of the Thrones papaya is one of the fruits with more fiber content

The Little Known Cause of Digestive Problems

But did you ever think that maybe, just maybe, your digestion problems are caused by elevated stress levels due to your inability to accept yourself, in the constant pursuit of achieving other people’s ideals of you?  Do you not think that inherently this is going to affect your digestion?

Of course, it does, no different than when you can’t poo (which symbolizes an inability to let go of emotions).  Or if you have diarrhea, it’s a sign of excess burden and stress in your life, and the need to force-quit out of situations.  It’s about being conscious of the messages that our body is telling us.  Getting in touch with our gut feelings, being conscious and confident in our bodies is the key!

Another Kind of Papaya

So where am I going with this?  Well, papayas are an excellent natural source of good stuff for our bodies.  I usually like my papayas with freshly squeezed lime juice and salt!

But beyond this, is another kind of papaya that I feel is so good for our heart, body, mind, and souls.  This special papaya can be found on Instagram at @thebirdspapaya.  I love her posts, her podcast @thepapayapodcast and her blog The birds Papaya because she is starting a movement to LOVE our bodies, to be confident, understanding and accepting of them wherever we are in our healing journeys.

Her story is real, it’s raw (like a papaya) and it is ripe and ready for picking!  I highly encourage you to follow her, because she is a leader in this amazing movement that I am literally addicted to.  Just like papayas! 

She became a leader by accident, as she began by simply sharing her story of her 111 lbs of weight loss, relationship struggles, financial struggles and every other struggle of human experience in a totally honest and incredibly relatable way.  What truly struck a chord with me was her stories of being judged by others and judged by herself for not fitting the societal mold of ‘perfection’.  She generously shares her life experience as she paves the way for us all to think differently.  I’ve been following her for over a year and I have to say I think differently than I did before I met her.  She preaches how to show up in your life, and I’ve learned a lot about showing up in mine in my true skin.

So she, just like my hot yoga, hot pilates, healthy diet, mindset molding, soul meditation, Castor Oil Pack for Liver practice, gratitude practices and sleep hygiene, are all part of my daily practices that keep me expanding and inspired to do the work that I do. 

What she has helped me to realize and connect to is that her, like my patients and like myself, have all experienced judgments (oftentimes from ourselves) to live up to the status quo.  To roll with the Jones’s, whoever they are.  To be part of the ‘cool people’, the ‘in-crowd’ or the popular clique, ugh feels just like high school and I’m so over that, finally.

Body Confidence Through Understanding

Her food for thought is all about a movement known as the body confidence or body positivity movement.  I really prefer confidence because the energy of that simply feels less judgemental.   I am vibing to her message because I feel what I do is so similar.  I want to empower people to be body confident by being conscious of what their body is telling them.  This can start with your poo, getting to understand the clues that it gives you about the state of your health.  And later we will delve deeper and deeper so that you have a vast understanding and love for yourself that allows you to own your throne, as I say.

The understanding that you are gifted by the divine with conscious thought, we are the only mammal with this ability!

Queen of the Thrones teaches you how to to cope digestive problems

This beautiful tool/gift that we have been given works for us only when we are focused on the present and in our hearts, taking all the signs and symptoms as blessings.  Yes, even the beautiful cellulite on your thighs.  I love that cottage cheese look so much.  Or your wrinkles, or how you go to the bathroom.  These are all signs to acknowledge and address in a way that is healthy and life-promoting for us so that we can live each moment showing up for ourselves and our loved ones, with the ability to digest our lives with ease and grace.

Inspiration Feeds the Soul

I feel it’s important for me to share who is inspiring me, because like I share what food is good for my body, A.K.A. papayas, more importantly, I want you to know what is feeding my soul. 

So my dear friends as you dive into your journey of enjoying some lime-bathed, salt-sprinkled papaya, leave some for the birds too.  Join these movements with us.  You can do so by following on Instagram, subscribing to her podcast and sharing us with all those you love (wouldn’t it be nice if you loved everyone you know? You can – it’s simply a choice)! 

You Have a Choice

Speaking of choice, don’t you think it’s high time you choose confidence and consciousness in who you are, why you are here, and bring on the gifts that we have been given so we can serve the whole world?

It’s time and it goes like this.  You either decide to be the designer of your destiny, by allowing stimulus that enlightens you, entertains you, helps you grow, helps you fall deeper and deeper in love with yourself every day no matter what type of package you come in, OR you choose to fall into the proverbial rabbit hole like Alice in Wonderland, falling into your fate, losing who you really are and feeling like there is no hope.

Stop the digestive upset with food and how you are digesting the world. It’s papaya time!  Love and share this now! 

Are you a practitioner, health coach or wellness influencer? If you’re interested in recommending our easy-to-use tools and practically applying them in your health and wellness professional practice, in clinic, or online with the people you serve, you can join now!

Click here for references

Bruno Levecke,1 David J Buttle,2 Jerzy M Behnke,3 Ian R Duce,3 and Jozef Vercruysse Cysteine proteinases from papaya (Carica papaya) in the treatment of experimental Trichuris suis infection in pigs: two randomized controlled trials. Parasit Vectors. 2014; 7: 255. Published online 2014 May 30. doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-7-255 PMCID: PMC4049439

Okeniyi JA1, Ogunlesi TAOyelami OAAdeyemi LA. Effectiveness of dried Carica papaya seeds against human intestinal parasitosis: a pilot study. J Med Food. 2007 Mar;10(1):194-6.

M. KugoL. KeterA. MaiyoJ. KinyuaP. NdemwaG. MainaP. Otieno, and E. M. Songok Fortification of Carica papaya fruit seeds to school meal snacks may aid Africa mass deworming programs: a preliminary survey. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2018; 18: 327. Published online 2018 Dec 7. doi: 10.1186/s12906-018-2379-2 PMCID: PMC6286506

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including information providers, are those of the respective authors or distributors. Neither Queen of the Thrones® nor any third-party provider of information guarantees the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content. This communication does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Information provided does not replace the advice of your health care practitioner. If you happen to purchase anything we promote, in this or any of our communications, it’s likely Queen of the Thrones® will receive some kind of affiliate compensation. Still, we only promote content and products that we truly believe in and share with our friends, family and patients. If you ever have a concern with anything we share, please let us know at care@queenofthethrones.com. We want to make sure we are always serving Our Queendom at the highest level.