28 May Courtney Cowie
From Illness and IBS to Self-Healing: The Hidden Culprits: Mold, Lyme, SIBO and Trauma! …
Courtney Cowie – Health – Nutrition, Gut Health, eliminating Mold, Lyme and other Causes of Disease
Could your chronic gut issues stem from food, your environment, or even emotional roots? Courtney Cowie shares her journey from lifelong IBS to becoming a nutrition therapy expert, uncovering hidden causes like mold, Lyme disease, and trauma. We dive into holistic tools—from diet shifts to detox—for real, lasting healing. If you’re tired of health issues, we hope this episode helps you!
Episode Summary:
What if the key to chronic gut issues lies in the food you eat (or don’t), your environment and possibly past experiences? In this episode, we follow Courtney’s powerful journey from a childhood of unexplained IBS to becoming a nutrition therapy expert uncovering root causes like toxic mold, Lyme disease, and SIBO. Her story highlights the limitations of conventional medicine and the importance of holistic approaches that address trauma, diet, and environmental toxins. We explore how generational shifts in nutrition, modern lifestyles, and emotional health impact digestion, and dive into practical strategies like herbal remedies, binders, and elimination diets to support healing from the inside out.
Chapters:
(0:00:00) – Men’s Health and Gut Health Stories
(0:08:43) – Origins of Health and Toxin Removal
(0:16:51) – Mold Toxicity and Detoxification Binders
(0:22:22) – Root Causes of Gut Dysfunction
(0:29:39) – Food Triggers and Elimination Diets
Chapter Summaries:
(0:00:00) – Men’s Health and Gut Health Stories (9 Minutes)
This chapter explores the personal journey of Courtney, who faced a long-standing battle with IBS and gut health issues that began in childhood. She shares her story of recurrent stomach aches that persisted into adulthood, eventually leading her to seek medical advice after years of managing symptoms on her own. Despite undergoing traditional medical testing, which yielded little insight, she took a proactive approach by consulting holistic and functional health practitioners. Through this, she uncovered underlying issues such as toxic mold exposure, Lyme disease, and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Courtney also emphasizes the role of early childhood stress and trauma in contributing to chronic gut conditions. Her path to becoming a nutrition therapy practitioner and functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner allowed her to gain the knowledge needed to address these issues holistically, ultimately transforming her health and understanding of root causes.
(0:08:43) – Origins of Health and Toxin Removal (8 Minutes)
This chapter examines the foundational role of environment and social-emotional factors in supporting physical health, alongside the impact of diet. I reflect on the work of Weston A. Price, a holistic dentist who studied the correlation between dental and overall health across different cultures exposed to processed foods. His findings highlight the deterioration in dental and physical health across generations due to dietary changes. The discussion extends to the broader implications of modern lifestyles, marked by convenience and processed foods, on health vulnerabilities. Additionally, I share personal experiences with addressing parasites through herbal cleanses, emphasizing the efficacy of high-quality herbal remedies over pharmaceuticals in certain cases. The conversation underscores the importance of holistic approaches in addressing health issues influenced by generational dietary shifts.
(0:16:51) – Mold Toxicity and Detoxification Binders (6 Minutes)
This chapter addresses the complexities of mold exposure and its impact on health, emphasizing the importance of removing oneself from environments with mold, such as homes or offices. Mold can thrive in hidden areas, and water damage may not always be visible. The discussion touches on Dr. Richie Shoemaker’s work on mold toxicity and genetic factors that make some individuals more susceptible to mold-related illnesses. We explore the process of detoxifying mold from the body, focusing on the use of binders like activated charcoal and specific clays to help eliminate mold toxins. The challenge of managing toxic burdens is highlighted, including the risk of overwhelming the body’s detoxification system, and the need for personalized approaches to ensure effective and safe detoxification without causing additional health issues.
(0:22:22) – Root Causes of Gut Dysfunction (7 Minutes)
This chapter explores the root causes of gut dysfunction, highlighting the roles of adverse childhood events, chronic stress, and poor diet as foundational factors. I discuss how the standard American diet, often lacking in essential vitamins and minerals, can impair cellular function and lead to digestive issues. Weak digestion, characterized by low stomach acid, insufficient pancreatic enzyme output, and poor bile quality, is identified as a common problem that affects food breakdown. We explore how stress and meal hygiene can hinder stomach acid production, while aging and chronic illnesses can further impact digestive functions. I also emphasize the importance of supporting digestive organs, particularly in older adults, to improve nutrient absorption. Lastly, we touch on the potential benefits of fermented foods, noting that their impact can vary depending on individual health status and gut condition.
(0:29:39) – Food Triggers and Elimination Diets (13 Minutes)
This chapter focuses on exploring dietary experimentation as a tool for understanding and managing symptoms related to IBS and IBD. We discuss the benefits of trying naturally fermented foods like sauerkraut and the significance of elimination diets in identifying food sensitivities. Highlighting wheat and dairy as common triggers, I explain the importance of completely avoiding these foods for a substantial period to truly gauge their impact on the immune system. We also touch on the intricacies of food proteins and how immune cross-reactivity can lead to sensitivities to similar foods. Additionally, the conversation introduces the idea that some people may have preconceived notions about certain foods, such as pork, which may stem from different cultural or philosophical perspectives, like those in Chinese medicine.
If you’d like more information about IBD, gut health and nutrition, please visit: Overcome IBD
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