What we Believe
Food intolerances are not normal.
Contrary to popular belief, our body doesn’t digest plant foods. That is primarily the job of our probiotic microbes. When we do not have healthy microbes in the body, these foods are not digested and cause a host of issues from diarrhoea and bloating, to hives, migraines and unexplained neurological issues.
The body is wonderfully designed with a gut (the long tube from the ear nose and throat to the colon) that should be filled with beneficial microbes called probiotics. We are actually are made of more microbes than we are human cells, with some studies showing 10 x the amount!
Food intolerances can be healed.
At Grounded Approach we believe that food intolerance and allergies are a product of a damaged gut barrier and an imbalanced gut microbiome. This stems mostly from antibiotic use and a diet of refined foods that most of us grew up on. Even if you have never had a medical antibiotic, you are certainly a victim of environmental antibiotics. The most prominent sources include: chlorine in our drinking water, pesticides sprayed on our food, and the weed killers used on most lawns. There is no doubt, everyone’s gut microbiome has suffered from these environmental antibiotics.
They kill your beneficial probiotics and allow the overgrowth of yeast and pathogenic microbes which do not benefit the body. When our beneficial microbes are killed we simply no longer have the equipment to digest our food.
As we rebuild the mucosal gut lining, and ever so slowly repopulate the gut with beneficial microbes, we routinely see our clients introduce foods without reactions. Foods that were once a problem become a wonderful addition to a healthy diet.
Histamine Intolerance and MCAS can be reversed.
We have routinely seen even the most severe cases of histamine intolerance and MCAS resolve. Many of our clients were once limited to only 2-3 safe foods and now have no problems with food reactions.
Healing the gut does 3 main things:
1. Causes histamine producing microbes leave the body-When we introduce beneficial microbes, they begin to inhabit the gut lining. There they release acids and change the PH of the intestines. This creates an environment where histamine producing microbes cannot live. As the body gets rid of histamine producing microbes, histamine levels decrease.
2. Stops histamine release- One of the focuses of healing the gut is repairing the mucosal gut lining. As the lining is repaired, undigested food particles no longer leak into the blood stream, which means the immune system doesn't feel threatened and no longer releases histamine every time you eat.
3. Enables the body to detox histamine- The gut cells should create an enzyme called DAO which breaks down histamine and removes it from the body. Most people have an inflamed gut lining and “sick” epithelial cells that aren’t functioning. As the gut lining is rebuilt, the cells on the gut lining naturally start creating a steady supply of the DAO enzyme. This is equivalent to poking holes in the bottom of your “histamine bucket”.
Food is superior to supplements.
While supplements can be helpful as a tool, they are generally overprescribed especially for those with overreactive immune systems. We routinely see those with histamine intolerance or MCAS who are taking 10+ supplements as recommended by an alternative practitioner. This is not helpful and can make histamine issues worse. We always emphasise food over supplements with a few exceptions as tolerated.
Food is not the enemy.
We live in a world where entire food groups are routinely demonized. It makes sense. When the gut microbiome is damaged people cannot tolerate food. They remove food groups and feel better. That leads them to the conclusion that the food group was the problem and should be removed permanently. This is the wrong conclusion and avoids fixing the root cause.
Yes, a restricted diet can be helpful short term while you actively work on healing the gut. But eventually, the goal is to tolerate all food groups when they are in their natural whole food form.
Health should not be exclusive.
The practitioners at grounded approach know that most people have already spent tens of thousands of dollars on expensive protocols, tests, and detox equipment. Not only do these expenses cause stress to the mind and body, but they are not necessary.
We aim to keep our prices low which is why we have created the “Cure Histamine Intolerance & MCAS” course. 85% of our clients just do the course and have great success. Some in the course want to invest in 1:1 consulting, so we have options for that as well.
We have had many group members who were allergic to everything and couldn’t even tolerate 1/4 tsp of meat stock when they started. So they started with a lick of an ice cube of meat stock and over a month or two worked their way up to having ½ a cup or more. This may not seem like much but we can reassure you, this increase is significant and shows that the gut is healing. Within months they went on to tolerate cups of stock, and were able to move onto a full gut healing protocol where they saw full remission of symptoms.
Why We Love the Microbiome
We agree with Hippocrates when he said “All disease begins in the gut”. Our gut is not just our intestines, but the entire tube from your mouth to your colon. It is actually an external organ as it constantly comes into contact with the outside world in the form of food and toxins.
When your microbiome is balanced and you have plenty of beneficial microbes in your body, you not only digest your food without reactions. You also, have good mental health and great sleep, aren’t susceptible to bacterial infections like staph or UTI’s, have energy and no pain.
Specific roles of beneficial microbes (probiotics) include:
Digesting your food
Creating a thick mucous barrier that keeps toxins from entering the blood stream
Creating vitamins ( B vitamins and K2)
Releasing protective acids that protect us from parasites, pathogenic bacteria and more
Creating feel good neurotransmitters (Serotonin and GABA) that give us happy healthy and calm moods
Detoxing the body. They bind to mold spores, mycotoxins, plastic aflotoxins and metals and remove them from the body
Our goal is to help you heal and rebalance your gut with a slow approach. As your beneficial microbes increase and the immune system calms down you can begin to reintroduce foods without fear.