Dan De Lion: How to Heal the Human Microbiome with Fermented Foods and Traditional Herbalism | Ep.008

Did you know that our human cells are outnumbered 10:1 by other microbes and bacteria?

Well... Now you do. :)

And my guest today — Dan De Lion, herbalist and educator over at returntonature.us — shares his personal strategies to help realign our microbial health to it's once robust, prolific environment.

For many of us, we suffer from chronic inflammation of our intestines. Which, in many cases, can lead to more severe health issues down the line.

That's why in today’s episode, you’ll learn:

• The problem with modern sanitation practices,
• The group of herbs Dan recommends we all grow to help combat common infections,
• Dan’s favorite fermented creations that you and I can make in the comfort of our own homes,
• And much, much more...

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Episode Breakdown

• Dan describes his early childhood growing up in New Jersey
• Dan talks about how you can help support his latest project (a foraging herbalism roving van school)
• Why Dan says sanitation has become a problem
• Dan explains where microorganisms occupy space in and on your body
• How we’re consuming minute amounts of antibiotics through factory farming
• James shares how natural remedies helped cure a past infection
• Dan explains intestinal inflammation and the many reasons we get a porous intestinal wall
• Alternative anti-inflammatory herbs that can act like aspirin
• The effects of antibiotics on the body
• The problem with eating dry, brittle food
• How cows create protein from bacteria
• A few of the main roles bacteria play in both our nutrition and mood
• Should they throw out biology books due to the new science of the microbiome?
• The pancreas and appendix’s role in mediating bacteria
• The problem with isolated bacterial strains
• The importance of synergy in herbalism
• How Dan might help someone with a staph infection
• The importance of officinalis herbs
• Preventative health care versus acute condition health care
• The differences between teas, infusions, decoctions, tinctures, salves, and balms
• How the FDA regulates herbalism
• Maintenance dosing versus heroic dosing
• How the vagus nerve impacts our enteric nervous system
• How we need to change our perception of the communication within our bodies
• Neural tissue in unexpected areas
• What Dan says about people going to the store to buy Activia
• The benefits and drawbacks of pasteurization
• The benefits of making homemade yogurt on your countertop
• Commercial versus homemade fermentations
• How Dan makes a few of his favorite fermentations
• What to look out for when making your own fermentations
• Conscious omnivory
• Why Dan says you should splurge on buying healthy foods rather than procrastinate until it’s too late