EAT DIRT
Dr. Josh Axe
From Dr. Josh Axe, a groundbreaking guide to diagnosing and treating an often-discussed yet little-understood condition—leaky gut syndrome—that is dominating media headlines.
Most Americans live a “germ-free” lifestyle, sanitizing and scrubbing every surface, eating processed and pasteurized food, and slathering on anti-bacterial gels. But while our homes and hands may be clean, our health is taking a hit. Starved of actual nutrition and overtaxed by chemicals, stress, and excessive antimicrobial use, we are developing microscopic tears in our intestinal walls.
These tears can lead to a condition known as “leaky gut syndrome,” a deterioration of the gut wall that results in wide-spread inflammation and weakened immunity. In his bestselling book Eat Dirt, Dr. Josh Axe explains the hidden causes and widespread effects of leaky gut syndrome and offers a program to heal the gut and restore health in five easy steps.
Dr Axe offers diagnostic quizzes to help readers assess their gut type, then provides simple regimes designed to heal the gut and eliminate digestive and autoimmune problems. From reducing antibiotic use to eating seasonally, spending more time outdoors, managing stress, and incorporating probiotic-rich foods into your diet, Dr. Axe’s program can help anyone restore gut health and feel their best.
This is a pretty comprehensive book. I got lost in a few places, but it was well worth the purchase and the time. If you are not familiar with the concepts presented, I suspect this might be a little overwhelming. But if are dealing with digestive issues, work with a naturopath or western medicine doctor, and want additional support – do check out this book. There are really good explanations of the whys and hows, instructions on how to make easy – as well as challenging – lifestyle changes, plus helpful food lists, recipes, and website links for additional good stuff from the author. You’ll make yourself crazy trying to follow everything, but even a few of the suggested changes should lead to improvements…and if nothing else, a better understanding of what ails you. — Jen Payne
Three Chairs Publishing 
The title tells it all. Leaky gut syndrome is only one of the possible problems that over protection can cause. This can keep the immune system from developing effectively, allowing a person to contact a microbial s/he is unable to fight off. Research the Bubble Boy of the 1950s. He was born without a properly functioning immune system and so the “experts” developed a solution: He was kept in a plastic bubble, to protect him from germs—and he died. The doctors said they had been unable to protect him from all possible microbial, and so he eventually contacted one and was unable to fight it off. The point of the title, Eat Dirt” is to tell you that children who grow up eating sand from the sandbox and carrots pulled up from the garden and unwashed, develop strong immune systems that ward off new microbial. And that those who don’t—may actually die. SRA, RN, MSN