You will have to agree that fixing your health starts with your gut – and fixing your gut might just be the number one priority when it comes to your health.
We write about this relatively often – food really is the best medicine – it’s not just something that is mentioned to get people to jump on a random bandwagon. It really is the truth.
Self care is a pretty incredible thing – and when you can help transform your gut, great things can happen in your body. When you thyroid is out of whack, then everything else in your body follows – your adrenal reactions are off kilter, your metabolism isn’t balanced, your hormones are abnormal, you are suffering hair loss and deep down, and because of it, you are a little stressed.
Or experiencing a lot of stress.
If you want your body to be fully functional, all of the parts need to be in balance. If one area is out of balance, the rest of your body is going to be out of line, too – thankfully, nourishing the thyroid will take care of many of your body systems to ensure that everything is back in line.
Healing the thyroid starts with the gut – it’s important to start with a diet that reduces inflammation in the gut and helps your gut prosper with rich & healthy bacteria. Eliminating grains, and adopting a diet with raw milk, gelatin, grass fed butter and raw milk kefir is a great place to start.
Why Eat Gelatin?
Gelatin helps balance hormones. Collagen hydrolysate and gelatin help balance the amounts of tryptophan and cysteine present in muscle meats. Gelatin contains no tryptophan. When you eat muscle meats, then large amounts of amino acids enter your bloodstream. To deal with that tryptophan, your body releases serotonin, and serotonin then releases more cortisol (this is a great source to read) – which then suppresses your thyroid. Amino acids are not bad, but when they are consumed out of proportion then they can make for problems.
Your metabolism and your thyroid go hand in hand, so by adding gelatin to your diet you will improve your metabolism by improving your thyroid function.
Gelatin has glycine, and glycine is recognized as an inhibitory neurotransmitter that promotes natural sleep.
The glycine in gelatin stimulates stomach acid production by absorbing water and helping to keep fluid “in” the digestive tract. That helps repair the gut over time, and improves assimilation of nutrients in your body.
Poor digestion is the underlying cause of most, if not all, hormonal imbalances, so improving your digestion will lead to greater assimilation of nutrients, and will support your thyroid and therefore better hormone balance.
What gelatin do you choose?
The most important thing to consider when selecting a source for powdered gelatin is the source.
Unless the gelatin powder mentions where it was sourced (and from what kind of animals), you can be assured that it is a byproduct of confined animal farming operations (CAFOs).
I personally don’t want to be supporting factory farming – or to be eating animal products with drugs and hormones… nor do I eat factory farmed meat, so I don’t particularly want to eat factory farmed gelatin either. There are two major brands of gelatin – one is Great Lakes (HERE) and the other is Vital Proteins.
Because I am sure someone will ask, we prefer Vital Proteins – but many have seen success with Great Lakes as well.
After selecting a brand, you’ll need to determine which type of gelatin is for you; there are two- collagen (gelatin), and collagen hydrolysate.
Green (Regular Gelatin)
Gelatin powder is cooked collagen – the green canister of Vital Proteins will cause a liquid to gel when added to it and then cooled. You can use this type of gelatin for making homemade jello, fruit snacks, or gummies.
The green tub needs to be dissolved in warm liquids only.
Blue (Collagen Peptides)
The blue canister is different from the green canister because it does not cause liquids to gel. You can use the blue lid variety and add to your cold liquids (smoothies, drinks).
Simply take a teaspoon and stir into your coffee, milk, juice, smoothie, or even tea – its tasteless and won’t thicken your food. You can find it on Amazon HERE.
Unlike regular gelatin, the collagen hydrolysate is more easily absorbed into the body – it’s great for supporting your metabolism.
[…] Gelatin has a myriad of health benefits – including it’s ability to help support healthy skin elasticity. I would recommend a high quality gelatin like Great Lakes or, Vital Proteins over gelatin varieties you find in your grocery store – as those varieties come from pastured beef (versus confined operations associated with cheaper prices). […]