holistic healthcare

⁣When we think about health, we often separate physical and mental well-being! However, emerging research from the Journal of Clinical Medicine reveals a fascinating connection between our gut and brain, known as the “Gut-Brain Axis”. Understanding this link unlocks new pathways to enhancing digestive health and mental well-being. Let's dive into the vibrant world of the Gut-Brain Axis and discover how nurturing your gut can lead to a happier, healthier mind!

The Gut-Brain Connection

The Gut-Brain Axis is a complex communication network that links your digestive system and brain. This connection involves intricate signaling pathways, including the vagus nerve, hormones, and the microbiome (the trillions of bacteria residing in your gut!). Here's how this dynamic relationship works:

⁣Neural Pathways: The vagus nerve is a major highway for signals between the gut and brain. It plays a crucial role in transmitting information about the state of your gut to your brain and vice versa.

⁣Hormonal Signals: Hormones like serotonin, often called the "happy hormone," are primarily produced in the gut. These hormones influence mood, appetite, and overall mental health.

⁣Microbiome Influence: Your gut bacteria produce various compounds that can impact brain function. A balanced microbiome contributes to better mood regulation and cognitive function.

The Impact of Gut Health on Mental Well-being

⁣A healthy gut can profoundly influence your mental well-being. Here are some ways in which your digestive health impacts your mind:

⁣Mood Regulation: A thriving microbiome supports the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which help regulate mood and combat stress and anxiety.

⁣Cognitive Function: Nutrient absorption in the gut is vital for brain health. Proper digestion ensures your brain gets the nutrients it needs to function optimally, enhancing memory, focus, and clarity.

⁣Stress Response: A balanced gut can help regulate the stress response, reducing the impact of chronic stress on your mental health.

⁣Tips for Nurturing Your Gut-Brain Axis

⁣Taking care of your gut is a powerful way to boost your mental well-being! Based upon recent research from an Integrative Medicine journal article, here are some practical and positive steps to support your gut-brain axis:

⁣Eat a Diverse Diet: Incorporate a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins into your diet. Fiber-rich foods promote a healthy microbiome.

⁣Probiotics and Prebiotics: Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that can enhance your gut health. Prebiotics are foods that feed these good bacteria. Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and fiber-rich foods like garlic and onions are great choices.

⁣Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water supports digestion and nutrient absorption, keeping your gut in top shape.

⁣Manage Stress: Practice stress-reducing activities like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing exercises. A calm mind supports a healthy gut.

⁣Get Moving: Regular physical activity promotes healthy digestion and positively influences your gut microbiome.

⁣The gut-brain axis highlights the incredible interplay between our Digestive Health and mental well-being. By nurturing your gut with a balanced diet, hydration, stress management, and regular exercise, you can foster a healthier, happier mind. Embrace these positive changes and experience the transformative power of the gut-brain connection!

⁣While this article may be utilized as researched suggestions for healthy living, always consult a healthcare provider. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, or are ready to start a natural approach to your lifestyle, Call Dr. Branham today! Check out our Facebook page for more client testimonials!

Many patients experience low thyroid symptoms long before they are diagnosed with thyroid disease.

This is because the medical field uses lab averages as the standard for what’s considered “normal” bloodwork.

Lab averages are based on the average ranges of people who get their blood work done.

The problem with using lab averages is that it’s typically people who are sick that are getting their blood work done...

so if you are in the “normal range,” it just means that you are in the same range as other people who are sick.

At Premier Health Care, we use functional lab ranges, which are based on healthy people - which is why our patients finally start to feel better once they start our treatment plan.

To learn more about our approach, click here to download my free Natural Approach Series, in which I explain the causes and treatment of thyroid conditions.

To see if you qualify for a free consultation, call 314-647-1384.

⁣Did you know that grass fed beef is significantly better for you than grain fed beef? Unless it specifically states grass fed, the beef you’re getting at the grocery store is corn fed. Neither the human body nor the cow’s body are designed to digest corn.

Feeding cattle on corn fundamentally changes the meat they produce, greatly increasing levels of unhealthy Omega-6 fatty acids and decreasing levels of healthy Omega-3 fatty acids.

Grass fed beef is higher in vitamins A, E, and other antioxidants; and also has significantly lower levels of saturated fat than grain fed beef.

While grass fed beef is much more expensive at the store, you can save greatly by purchasing from a local farmer.

If you’re in the St. Louis area, I highly recommend Daniel Morgan for ethically raised grass fed beef at a great price and free delivery. You can contact him at 660-676-8868 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

For more about the effects of the Standard American Diet on the body, download my free Natural Approach to Digestive Disorders Series here, or call my office at 314-647-1384.

Most patients come to me with a blood sugar problem, toxic liver, and inflammation.

When you’re eating food that contains toxins at every meal, your liver can’t keep up with filtering out everything it’s supposed to, which creates a domino effect of health issues over time.

The Standard American Diet is very toxic, which is why I start just about every patient with a liver cleanse.

I put them on a clean, non-inflammatory diet along with natural products that take the patient through a detox. This detox cleans out the liver, blood, and digestive system; and sets the stage for the next phase of treatment so that the patient can achieve maximum results from everything we do going forward.

During a liver cleanse, almost every patient reports back that they have more energy than they’ve had in years, are sleeping better, having regular bowel movements, and lessening of the symptoms they initially came to see me about.

Don’t underestimate the importance of the food you put into your body - it is ALL connected; and if your liver isn’t working properly, eventually nothing will be working properly.

If you’d like to learn more about how highly refined foods impact your health, I go more in depth on the subject here.

If you'd like to see if you qualify for a free consultation, give our office a call at 314-647-1384.

Why is gluten such a problem and why did we not hear about it 20+ years ago?

Gluten is a term that encompasses a lot of different proteins that are found in grains. The primary grains that it’s found in are wheat, oats, barely, and rye.

Prior to 20 years ago when we were not genetically modifying grains, the amount of gluten found in grains was so low that it was almost imperceptible on liquid chromatography. Now with the genetic modification of grains to make them herbicide resistant and pesticide resistant, we’ve altered the genetic makeup of those proteins. The amount of gluten that’s in these grains is over 200 times higher than it was about 20 years ago.

The human body was not designed to digest gluten.

In every single person, gluten creates an inflammatory reaction and an immune response. For someone that has a gluten sensitivity, that reaction can be life threatening and hospitalize the patient. Gluten is not good for anyone, whether you have a sensitivity or not.

In the commercial food industry, gluten is used as a binder and preservative.

Almost everything processed that comes in a box or a can contains gluten - salad dressings, condiments, soups, cereals, the list goes on and on.

Even if something is labeled “gluten free,” that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s gluten free.

The FDA sets the definition for labeling food items gluten free, and the FDA’s definition is “less than 20 parts per million.” This means that companies can legally label their foods as gluten free, even if there are small amounts of gluten present; as long as it remains under 20 parts per million.

The best way to ensure you’re eating gluten free is to stick to fresh fruits and vegetables, high quality meat, beans that come in a bag, and nuts and seeds that are not cross contaminated with gluten grains.

To learn more about the effects of the Standard American Diet on the body, download my Natural Approach to Digestive Disorders Series here.

If you’d like to talk about a custom meal and treatment plan, give our office a call at 314-647-1384.

It’s very common for new patients to find me because they’ve been diagnosed with (or are living with symptoms of) Irritable Bowel Syndrome. In this blog, I’m going to share with you the journey that usually leads them to me, and what’s really going on.

Bloating, diarrhea, constipation, gas, acid reflux, headaches, memory issues, brain fog, and anxiety are some of the most common symptoms digestive patients deal with on a daily basis.

Many of these patients have lived with these symptoms for so long that they just ignore them - sometimes for years. Eventually, the symptoms get bad enough that they can no longer be ignored, and the first test that their doctor will typically run is a Comprehensive Metabolic Panel.

It's not Comprehensive...

While the name indicates that the testing is comprehensive, it’s actually just a fraction of information that’s needed to find out what’s really going on. Because of this, the Comprehensive Metabolic Panel typically comes back normal - or with very few findings; nothing that explains all the symptoms. Since the blood work comes back normal, the doctor may then order an endoscopy and/or colonoscopy; and most of that comes back normal too.

At this point, the patient is oftentimes diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). In the medical profession, IBS is widely accepted as a diagnosis by exclusion. This means that there is no test that can be run to confirm or deny the presence of IBS. Once the tests have been run and no cause has been found, the patient is diagnosed with IBS and treated for their symptoms.

The medications used to treat these symptoms come with a list of side effects, which are then treated with more medications. Before you know it, the patient is on 10+ medications and the sickest they’ve ever been. Patients that are diagnosed with IBS continue to get worse as time goes on, because the causes of their symptoms have never been treated.

The Real Condition

The real condition that patients are dealing with is called Leaky Gut Syndrome. Leaky Gut Syndrome is a condition in which repeated inflammation over time destroys the lining of the stomach and the lining of the small intestine.

What causes this repeated inflammation? The Standard American Diet - foods high in sugar, processed or refined carbohydrates, genetically modified foods, herbicides, pesticides, antibiotic overuse, alcohol, soda, etc.

Most Americans are ingesting these foods every single day, multiple times a day - and that repeated inflammation literally erodes the linings of the stomach and small intestine.

The Good News

The good news is that with the proper lifestyle changes, Leaky Gut Syndrome can be reversed. At Premier Health Care, we do comprehensive testing to check hormone levels, food sensitivities, and every organ system in your body to find the root cause of your illness. We then create a custom diet and treatment plan for each patient.

To learn more about Leaky Gut Syndrome, download my free Natural Approach series here.

To book a free consultation, click here or call our office at 314-647-1384.