He’s a regular on Dr. Oz, a leading health expert, author and radio host—not to mention brings McDreamy good looks, too. Say hello to Dr. Josh Axe! We recently enjoyed a chance to ask him our top health questions, including his take on juice cleanses, leaky gut and skipping breakfast. Here’s the healthy scoop. —Aurea Dempsey
Q: Bullet proof coffee has been getting a lot of buzz lately. Those who drink it for breakfast say it gives them amazing energy and can help with weight loss too. On that note, can adding a bunch of oil and butter to our morning caffeine be considered a healthy meal?
Dr. Axe: It actually can—as long as you are using the right kind of oil and butter. Grass-fed butter is full of vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin A for great vision and a healthy endocrine system, and selenium, which is a powerful antioxidant. It also contains omega-3 and omega-6 fats, which are great for brain function, and fatty acids that support the immune system, improve digestion and support a healthy ratio of good-to-bad bacteria in the gut. Conventional butter (and all conventional dairy) on the other hand, are often full of hormones, antibiotics and other chemicals that can lead to leaky gut and destroy health.
Aside from butter, I recommend adding coconut oil to your morning coffee. Coconut oil is a super food I personally consume daily. Thanks to its medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), it gives you a great source of long-lasting energy to power through your day—plus it’s not stored as fat as other types of oils are. For the purest kind, look for virgin, unrefined coconut oil.
Q: Leaky gut syndrome is a topic we know you are passionate about. Is it as bad as it sounds? How is it diagnosed and what can we do to fix it?
Dr. Axe: Actually, leaky gut is exactly what it sounds like. When our bodies are bombarded by toxins from the environment including processed foods, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, the good bacteria in our guts is killed-off, allowing the bad guys to thrive and our intestines to become more permeable. As a result of this, undigested food particles, toxins and other foreign invaders are able to escape the gut and enter the bloodstream. When this happens, we experience a variety of health issues including bloating, indigestion, skin issues like psoriasis, brain fog, liver and gallbladder disease.
I talk about this extensively in my new book, Eat Dirt, including how to get tested, and what you need to do to overcome this growing problem.
Once you’re ready to heal your leaky gut, I outline a simple, 5-step approach. It varies slightly based on different symptoms, but essentially you will want to: (1) Remove the foods that are gut-damaging including gluten and processed foods; (2) Add a high quality probiotic, rich in beneficial bacteria; (3) Restore your gut’s health by consuming organic, fermented foods, as well as bone broth; (4) Reduce or eliminate mental and emotional stress through a variety of relaxing activities, including massage and exercise; (5) Incorporate supplements to reseal and protect the gut from future damage, including digestive enzymes, l-glutamine, licorice root, collagen and probiotics.
Q: With summer here, many of us are more likely to jump on a juice cleanse, not just for fast weight loss, but to detoxify too. In plain Doctor-speak, a good or not-so-good idea?
Dr. Axe: There are some benefits to a juice cleanse—namely, that you will be flooding your body with lots of nutrients and because juice has the fibre removed, those nutrients will get into the cells of your body much quicker. The cons of a juice cleanse are that it’s hard to remain physically active during, and those-fibre free juices (often fruit-heavy to make them taste better) can cause horrible blood sugar swings. Finally, they can get really expensive.
If you’re looking to lose weight and detox, I suggest limiting your juice or smoothie to breakfast, and then following a whole foods-based diet that is super-clean and free of processed foods, toxins and alcohol for the rest of the day. If you feed your body the right foods, it will remain in a state of constant detox. Also, make sure you exercise, as sweating is a great way to detoxify, and spend some time outdoors each day.
Q: Other than a daily multi-vitamin, what supplements do you recommend women include daily? Please set us straight on this one, as we’re often over-whelmed by so many options!
Dr. Axe: I recommend most supplements on a case-by-case basis, based on the symptoms of the individuals. But for everyone across the board, I recommend a high-quality, soil-based probiotic that will restore and maintain a healthy ratio of bacteria in the gut (ideally, it’s 85 per cent good/neutral bacteria, to 15 per cent bad bacteria), while boosting the immune system. Though not a traditional supplement, I also recommend everyone have a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil daily. From preventing heart disease and boosting the immune system, to improving memory and brain function, the health benefits are tremendous. Simply add to a smoothie, or blend it with your cup of coffee to create a smooth, creamy finish without the dairy.
Q: From Paleo to low-carb, we get the no-sugar, low-carb thing. But life without banana bread or ice cream? Not a chance. Are we being too hard on ourselves? Can we still eat sugar every so often and not feel guilty about it?
Dr. Axe: They key to long-term health and wellness is a to choose a lifestyle that is sustainable, and completely depriving yourself of all treats will only cause cravings and eventually force you back into unhealthy habits. The good news is that treats don’t have to be bad for you. Processed sugar and refined carbs are definitely bad for you, but there are several healthy, natural sweeteners like raw honey and coconut sugar that will satisfy your sweet tooth and may actually be beneficial. Regarding carbohydrates, there’s no need to cut them completely—opt for root vegetables like sweet potatoes and parsnips, and when you’re craving baked goods, swap out inflammatory wheat flour with a healthier, gluten-free flour like coconut flour or almond flour.
Q: Last, because we JUST have to ask … is there anything you can tell us about Dr. Oz we might be surprised to learn? Is he really as nice as he seems on camera?
Dr. Axe: Dr. Oz is a great guy, and he really is as nice as he seems. The great thing about him is that his show isn’t just a gimmick or just a way for him to make money. He is genuinely concerned about the health of North Americans and wants to make sure that the public is completely aware of the latest developments in health and wellness.
To learn more about the latest in health, fitness and wellness, visit: www.DrAxe.com
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