January 18, 2024

Picture receiving a diagnosis of 13 “incurable” illnesses, a daunting revelation where hope seems elusive, and the prospect of a life defined by suffering and pain becomes your reality.

Today's guest, Dr. Lauryn Lax, intimately knows this struggle, as her own journey unfolded against the backdrop of such adversity. Now, she's on a mission to help people disrupt old paradigms, unleash their inner wisdom, and ignite their full potential. 

As a Doctor of Occupational Therapy, clinical nutritionist, and functional medicine practitioner, Dr. Lauryn's expertise spans over two decades, making her a specialist in gut health, hormone imbalances, toxic mold recovery, and disordered eating. Her personal story has been featured on ABC, Good Morning America, TEDx, CBS, and USA Today.

You can follow her work by tuning in to The Health Detective Podcast, where she discusses topics like functional medicine, nutrition, mindset, gut healing, hormone balance, and food freedom. She's also published eight books, including Total Gut Reset, which provides a customized health program to heal from the inside out. This fascinating and resourceful guide includes insights on how to solve poor gut health that could be causing issues like slow metabolism, skin breakouts, bloating, constipation, cancer, diabetes, autoimmune disease, thyroid and hormone imbalances, and anxiety.

In this episode, join me in unraveling the layers of wisdom embedded in Dr. Lauryn's journey. From the profound link between eating disorders and gut issues to intriguing topics such as poop analysis and coffee withdrawal constipation, tune in for an unforgettable conversation on gut health that will ignite your path toward holistic well-being.

During this discussion, you'll discover:  

-Who is Dr. Lauryn Lax?…06:37

• Dr. Lauryn is a former TV news journalist who has become a gut health expert
• The 28-Day Gut Kickstart: Reinvent the Way Your Body Looks, Moves, Feels & Thinks by Dr. Lauryn Lax
• Total Gut Reset: Optimize Your Health With Your Second Brain by Dr. Lauryn Lax
• Had issues with weight and her gut from an early age
  • Developed anorexia
  • Wasn’t satisfied with the treatment of anorexia

-Do eating disorders create gut disorders?…10:36

• 98% of those who have eating disorders will develop a functional gut disorder
• Those who experience anorexia will likely develop autoimmune disorders
• Diets fail because of what's happened in the gut microbiome
• Gut Check by Steven Gundry

-How do you escape anorexia and find healing?…16:13

• Dr. Lauryn suffered from anorexia
• Went to the gym at 5 a.m. every day
• StairMaster
• Needed God’s help to make a change
• Nine gymgoers from the gym wanted to help and took her to the hospital
  • Was in very bad shape
  • Spent 4 weeks on feeding tubes and heart rate monitors
• Went to treatment for 6 weeks
  • Decided to fight for health and change her life
• Found a church community and CrossFit community
• Got interested in paleo and functional medicine
  • Spent a decade learning
  • Used her own experience 
• There was not much hope for her other than symptom-based treatment
• At 33, she found healing through a mechanism called the gut-brain access
• Developed an understanding of how the gut and the brain are connected
  • A physiological state can produce a psychological reaction
• Became very passionate about helping other individuals take their health back into their own hands
• The gut is not just about digestion, constipation, and bloating
  • It's a very broad term for the root cause of health

-How do you read food labels without anxiety and stress?…24:49

• Podcast with Vani Hari:
  • “Eating Healthy At Parties, Hidden Toxins In Your Children’s “Health Food,” Why Baby Food Has MSG & More With Food Babe Vani Hari.”
• There are a lot of chemicals and toxins in food
• The hygiene hypothesis — the cleaner you are, the sicker you become
• With food and the gut, it can be the same way
• Dr. Alia Crum's milkshake study — “Mind Over Milkshake: How Your Thoughts Fool Your Stomach”
• The role of perception in your diet
  • The more you hyper-focus on food, the more you react to food

-What is Dr. Lauryn’s 3-step process?…36:17

• Starts with awareness
• Mental mindset level can prime tissues for disease or symptomology
• Discovering the root cause of stressors that are happening can be healing
• The impact of prayer, deep breaths, and gratitude before a meal
• Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl
  • The impact of positive thoughts
• The perception of stress plays a role in your health
• Dr. Lauryn has a 3-step process:
  1. Tune in to your gut
  2. Take care of your gut
  3. Trust your gut
• Rick Warren

-What can you learn from your poop?…49:19

• The ideal normal poop would be daily if not twice a day
  • Well-formed, complete, easy to pass
• Eating habits and stress levels contribute to different types of poop
• What is a megacolon?
• Any type of poop is better than no poop
• Intermittent fasting
• Eating starch in the evening

-What is coffee withdrawal constipation?…54:46

• Coffee is a stimulant, natural dehydrator, and digestive bitter
• Most people are underhydrated
• Gallbladder is supported by digestive bitters (use code GREENFIELD15 to save 15%)
• Stopping coffee can cause constipation
• Supporting the gallbladder can regulate poop
• Apple cider vinegar has some gallbladder-stimulating effects
• The importance of hydration
• What to do when constipated?
  • Magnesium (use code BEN10 to save 10)
  • Buffered vitamin C
  • Chew your food until fully liquefied and slow down
  • Sea moss — one to two spoonfuls daily 
  • Probiotics like Lactobacillus plantarum
  • Squatty Potty
  • Sit up straight during the day
  • Take a prokinetic in the morning and evening
  • Eat food for breakfast instead of liquids
  • Smooth Move tea
  • Minerals
  • Avoid drinking out of plastic water bottles
  • No laying down or intense exercise after eating
  • Avoid raw veggies and raw salads
  • Avoid high-FODMAP foods
  • Digestive bitters (use code GREENFIELD15 to save 15%)
  • Coffee enema
  • Chlorella tablets
  • Rebounding
  • Squeeze your colon acupuncture point (inner web of the right hand)
  • Abdominal massage
  • Hypnosis
  • And more
• The main cause of constipation:
  • Stress
    • Rest and digest, a meditative state
    • Pausing to pray and breathe before a meal
    • Breathing exercises to lower stress
  • Stressing the gallbladder
    • Birth control pills
    • Long-term use of drugs like SSRIs or Tylenol, Advil
    • Abdominal massage
• Power Plate

-What is the enzyme challenge?…1:03:02

• Bloating after meals can be caused by low enzymes
• The benefits of apple cider vinegar
• 3 main components of digestive health
  1. Healthy microbiome ecosystem
  2. Stomach acid digestive enzymes
  3. Healthy gallbladder
• HCL acid instead of apple cider vinegar
  • Drink with 4 oz of water
• Assessing acid levels:
  • After HCL, if you feel a burning sensation quickly — lower stomach acid
  • After apple cider vinegar
    • If it doesn't burn, then you might need digestive enzyme support
  • Take a half to a quarter teaspoon of baking soda
    • If you're not burping within five minutes, you probably have low stomach acid production
• Digestive enzymes