When faced with the unsettling news that they have a disease, many people are taken aback and swear that it just “came out of nowhere.” 

Trust me, nothing could be further from the truth. 

Disease is not a sneaky monster that lurks in the shadows and waits for its opportunity to bite poor unsuspecting you in the derriere. 

No, my friend—disease is slowly CREATED, and although there are many factors that determine whether your doctor will say to you, “We have a problem here,” far and away the biggest factor is the health of your GUT. 

When you have an unhealthy gut environment, you are absolutely and unequivocally rolling out the red carpet for disease to come knocking on your door.   

And the thing is, even though your gut might not be directly affected by the condition itself, it is the starting point for a series of disease-triggering processes to make their way through your body and assure your arrival in the land of the diagnosed. 

I call it “Disease Cascade” and here is what happens: 

Disease Cascade—the path to your diagnosis 

Your gut has three major life-saving responsibilities: 

1. Absorption of nutrients 
2. Elimination of wastes 
3. Housing your immune system 

Each of those functions affects you from head to toe, and if your intestinal tract is slacking in any of those areas, it’s not a matter of if but merely when will you get sick…and how serious will it be. 

Let’s take a closer look at each of those: 

Nutrient absorption 

The functioning of every cell, tissue and organ in your body is dependent on nutrients.   

So if your gut is not carrying out that job so well, your body will begin to break down.  Most sicknesses and diseases have nutrient deficiencies as a primary root cause. 

For example, lacking in certain B vitamins and/or essential fatty acids increases your heart disease risk. 

Your brain needs B vitamins and essential fatty acids. 

Deficiencies in vitamins C, D and E as well as zinc can compromise your immune system functioning. 

Lacking antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and lipoic acid can cause free radicals to spiral out of control in your body, setting the stage for cancer, heart disease, stroke and premature aging. 

And those are just a drop in the bucket! 

Waste elimination 

Your BMs are so much more than just the smelly unusable portion of your foods! 

Your body eliminates excess cholesterol, old worn-out hormones, viruses, harmful bacteria and other toxins through the “escorting services” of your BMs. 

So if your gut is dicey in this area and you’re prone to constipation, you can get in trouble with things like elevated cholesterol levels, increased risk of hormone-dependent cancers and autointoxication (where viruses and toxins are absorbed into your bloodstream through the gut wall). 

Plus having a lengthy bowel transit time (meaning your BMs hang around inside you WAY longer than they should) sets the stage for harmful bacteria overgrowth which can contribute to leaky gut, impair nutrient absorption, weaken your immune functioning and may even trigger flare-ups of diverticulitis.   

Immune housing 

Although your immune system is all over your body, about 80 percent of it is housed in your gut.  That is a major statement about the importance of your gut environment and microbiome! 

Your immune system protects you from EVERYTHING--not just colds, infections, flu and viruses (including COVID), but also cancer! 

So it’s vital to provide a healthy home for your awesome immune system—your life just may depend on it. 

4 Steps to a healthier gut

Now that you see all that your humble intestinal tract does for you, it’s crucial to make sure yours is in tip-top shape! 

Here are 4 very effective steps to achieve YOUR healthy gut: 

1- Eliminate the bad stuff 

Eliminate and avoid things that can harm your gut environment, such as: 

• Cigarette smoke 
• Soda (both diet and regular) 
• Excessive alcohol (especially beer)  
• Refined carbs and sugars 
• Processed and fast food 
• Antibiotics 
• Acid reducing medications 
• Regularly lacking sleep 
• Stress 

2- Support a healthy microbiome 

This involves replacing and supporting your supply of beneficial intestinal bacteria, and this is done with a full-spectrum probiotic supplement like regular Super Shield or Super Shield PLUS multi-strain probiotic formula.  

Contrary to what you may think, your friendly intestinal inhabitants are not “permanent residents”—they only “vacation” inside of you for about 12 days.  So it’s crucial to make sure you consistently replenish your supply of troops in your protective intestinal army. 

Having a strong population of beneficial bacteria in your gut microbiome helps prevent gas, bloating and constipation, as well as supporting proper nutrient absorption and strong immune function. 

Plus 90 percent of your body’s serotonin is produced in your gut—so if your intestinal tract is not functioning like it should be, you may be at an increased risk of depression. 

Not sure which formula you need?  This can help: 

Original Super Shield’s 13 strains and 7.25 billion CFUs is a solid, supportive formula that helps maintain a well-balanced gut bacteria environment, encourages regular BMs, enhances immune health and helps curb gas, bloating and mild allergy symptoms. 

Super Shield PLUS, on the other hand, is a super-potent 15-strain, 20 billion CFU formula that helps address a challenged gut environment and tackles more serious issues including immune-related conditions (autoimmune diseases, severe allergies, food sensitivities and asthma), as well as illnesses such as diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, leaky gut, chronic constipation and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). 

3 – Eat gut-loving, wholesome real foods 

Do the majority of your grocery shopping in the outer perimeter of the store, where the wholesome real foods are located. 

I’m talking about fiber-rich fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, poultry and fish, eggs and real butter. 

At the same time, avoid sugars, grains, refined carbs and soda as much as possible.   

4- Reduce inflammation 

Omega-3 essential fatty acids have been shown to help support intestinal health and counteract inflammation in all areas of the body.   

Omega-3 EFAs are abundant in fatty fish, but since fish is not a regular part of most people’s diets, fish oil supplements like VitalMega-3 are a convenient way to get the Omega-3 EFAs your body so desperately needs. 

VitalMega-3 provides a soothing 1,200 mg of anti-inflammatory Omega-3 fats in every 2-capsule dose, including the Superstars EPA and DHA—that are critical for your brain and cardiovascular health. 

Start on your road to strong gut health!

Remember, it’s never too late to pave the way for better health and prevention of disease.   

Even if you’re on multiple medications, can’t remember the last time you had a normal BM or have begun to think it’s too late for you. 

You too can feel better! 

Take care of your precious gut and it will thank you handsomely many times over. 

To your health, 

Sherry Brescia