BIOFILMS?

WHAT THE HECK IS A BIOFILM?

Like most things, biofilms can be made as simple or as complicated as we want to make them.  We can delve into science.  We can delve into fancy supplements, lab testing, and other new medicine type stuff to get to the bottom of things.  Our take?  Let’s assume that nature has provided us with a lot of things to help humans when we screw up (Not that we ever do).  So at the basic level, what is a biofilm?

BIOFILMS:  In my own words, a biofilm is a layer of sludge, slime, or coating that forms on the inner walls of our bodies.  This primarily includes the stomach, intestines, colon, liver, kidneys, etc.  This “sludge” is composed of a myriad of things.  Your guess is as good as mine.  The main ingredients?  We can break them down into two categories.  One is waste products. This is usually undigested food sludge that our bodies never assimilated.  The worst offenders would include high-heated fats, pasteurized dairy products, undigested animal foods, gluten, processed sugars, etc.  Our bodies are not made to digest this stuff.  What do you think happens to a car if you put the wrong gas in it over time?  Ok, so what else?  The other primary aspect of biofilms according to research happens to be structures “built” by parasites and bacteria to protect themselves from our immune system.  Pretty clever right?  

Bugs are smarter than we give them credit.  In my opinion, the food is the primary offender.  The bugs just show up when we have messed things up enough already.  So what problems does this cause?  Well, it makes it very hard to digest and assimilate our own food with a layer of film.  It also makes it hard to fight off the bugs that are embedded or buried beneath it.  A cozy warm home with plenty of food?  You would be hard-pressed to get me out either.  So how do we get rid of these critters and this “sludge?”  This is a relatively unknown topic, even in the health community.  Let’s look at a few ways to help get rid of this stuff.  My approach is to tackle things slowly and steadily, but there are other ways as well.

QUICK WAY:  This can be somewhat intense.  It usually will involve taking large amounts of food enzymes, supplements, or medications in an effort to literally “digest” the gunk and bugs.  Does your body really recognize all of this stuff?  Are we supposed to be throwing in large amounts of unknown substances into the body?  This may have its uses short-term but I would wonder about the safety and efficiency of a long-term protocol.

So what about other ways that may be easier to implement, safer, and not so complicated?  We take a look at some of natures most powerful remedies.

HERBS:  God’s medicine chest guys.  There are herbs for everything.  Some of the most useful herbs for breaking down biofilms are ironically the same herbs that are good for getting rid of parasites and other bugs.  Think intense.  Think potent.  GARLIC, GINGER, PEPPERS, BITTER GREENS, PEPPERMINT, OREGANO, PARSLEY, etc.

CITRUS/ACID:  These are also great biofilm busters.  LEMONS, APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, etc.  A great drink for biofilms?  Mix a tablespoon of raw ACV with half a lemon into a few ounces of water.  Drink in the mornings.  The citrus and vinegar really help acidify things and remove gunk.

FIBER:  This is a tricky one.  If your digestion is messed up, a TON of fiber probably isn’t the best idea.  On the other hand, fiber has the roughage to scrape the insides of your digestive systems, somewhat like a stiff brush or broom.  So how do we get around this?  Some people use actual fiber shakes.  I prefer blended salads.  This creates the same result.  Get a nutribullet or other powerful blender and mix up a good amount of “rough” vegetables.  Beets, spinach, greens, carrots, radishes, and celery are all great.  Drink a few of these a week.  Doesn’t need to be every day.  The idea is to sweep away the mess that everything is wiping up.

FATS/NUTRITION:  Nutrition is critical here as well.  The walls of your stomach and intestines heal pretty rapidly assuming there is nothing getting in the way.  What is some of their favorite things?  Fats are great here.  Raw coconut oil has been said to help biofilms as well.  Why?  Well I can think of two main reasons.  One is that it is said to not require “bile” from your liver to digest like some other fats.  The other is that it has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial effects.  Other good choices include raw olive oil, avocados, raw butter, cod liver oil, and some rare or lightly cooked animal products.  Juicing also can have a huge effect here.  Juicing is a great way to get in all the vitamins and minerals that your body needs to do  these activities.  Most raw fruits and veggies are going to have some mild components to help break these things down as well.

 

Basically what we are attempting to do here is to “clean” the heavy gunk that has accumulated in our engines.  The idea here is to slowly remove the waste and bugs.  This is not going to happen over-night.  We don’t need to make things super complicated.  The most important step will always be cleaning up the diet, working on our mental/emotional/spiritual health, exercising, sleeping more, etc.  Adding in some of these foods on a regular basis can help prevent the formation as well as breakdown some of these tough structures.  Putting together simple protocols is often a helpful way of keeping things organized.  HAPPY BUSTING.

-JOE