Restoring Your Gut With A Healthy Lifestyle

by Eric Bakker N.D.

One of the big things I like to impress on patients, especially people that I’ve seen once or twice, is the importance of lifestyle when it comes to recovery from a health problem. In my opinion, lifestyle is particularly important when trying to recover from conditions like bacterial overload, autoimmune disease (e.g., psoriasis), a Candida problem, and cutaneous fungus.

Despite the importance of lifestyle changes, the focus tends to be on, “What am I going to eat today?” or, “What pills am I going to take?” While diet is important, it’s not the be-all and end-all. It’s not even the major factor responsible for helping people recover. In other words, recovery is not necessarily about which type of grain you eat, or which kinds of fermented foods you consume; it’s about how you’re living your life.

It may seem pretty crazy for me to say something like that. But after years of working in clinical medicine, I know from experience that most people tend to recover faster and stay better longer when they make significant lifestyle changes.

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Several lifestyle factors contribute to illness. For example, a job that isn’t the right fit. An apartment that doesn’t meet your needs. Neighbors who bother you with loud music. Are there relationships that are causing you significant stress? Lifestyle stressors are like unseen, hidden icebergs that sit there floating around in the dark like the Titanic. Then, one day, bang, your body is going to hit that iceberg. I’ve seen this problem in people with very little money and millionaires. It doesn’t matter how much money you’ve have or where you live. What does matter is how you live.

The point I’m trying to make is that it’s essential to take a good, hard look at your lifestyle. Is there anything about your lifestyle that could be causing your health problem? That is an important question to ask yourself again and again. Stress is a significant part of not getting better, and stress and lifestyle are synonymous.

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About Eric Bakker N.D.

Eric Bakker ND has completed almost ten years of study and has almost almost 25 years of clinical experience in natural and integrative forms of medicine, and has pursued continuous post-graduate study in Australia, America, India as well as in New Zealand.

Eric is the past Vice President of the NZ Natural Medicine Association and is currently on their editorial advisory board.