Why Does My Methodology Work?
My methodology stems from an in-depth understanding of how human digestion works and what happens when it doesn’t. Once you remove the obstacles that disrupt your gut health, it will start doing exactly what it was meant to do: digest and assimilate foods efficiently, painlessly, and without notice.
I also developed the field of forensic nutrition, which is the theoretical and practical foundation of my methodology. While traditional nutrition promotes 'healthy diets' and 'health foods,' forensic nutrition investigates how these same diets and foods contribute to mental decline, physical deterioration, and premature death.
The following list highlights the key improvements that will gradually happen to your digestion, mood, energy, memory, and focus after you implement and stay with my recommendations:
Reduced inflammation – Impaired digestion triggers systemic inflammation body-wide. What starts in the stomach gradually propagates throughout the entire gastrointestinal tract and causes a condition known as gastroenterocolitis. Eliminating the factors that cause inflammation facilitates healing healing and recovery. Lowering inflammation improves digestion, sleep quality, reduces brain fog, stabilizes mood, increases energy, and lowers neuroinflammation behind dementia.
Reduction or elimination of chronic pain – The gut’s inflammatory response affects nerve signaling and joint health. Persistent systemic irritation contributes to chronic pain conditions like joint stiffness, migraines, and muscle aches. When digestion is normalized, systemic inflammation decreases and so is pain. Pain reduction leads to more restorative sleep, better concentration, and fewer stress-related mood fluctuations.
Normalized insulin sensitivity – The gut influences insulin function through nutrient absorption and hormone signaling. When digestion is optimized, stable insulin levels prevent overeating, energy crashes, improve mental clarity, and support better sleep by reducing nighttime blood sugar fluctuations.
Stabilized blood sugar levels – A well-balanced diet supports stable glucose levels, preventing fatigue and long-term metabolic damage. Stable blood sugar prevents sugar cravings, mood swings, supports sustained focus throughout the day, and reduces nighttime wake-ups caused by excessive urine production.
Lowered stress hormone levels – The gut and brain communicate through the vagus nerve, affecting cortisol and adrenaline production. Elevated levels of stress hormones cause insomnia, anxiety, fatigue, bipolar states, high blood pressure, hypersensitivity to noise and light, irritability, compulsive eating, attention deficit disorders, and most other mental and emotional disorders. Normalizing digestion reduces the level of stress hormones and gradually eliminates all of the conditions above.
Reduced fluid retention, undigested food mass, and impacted stools – The gut controls hydration and waste elimination. Poor digestion and electrolyte imbalances lead to water retention, bloating, and stool impaction. Optimizing digestion eliminates constipation and normalizes fluid balance – the reduced body weight from both actions gives you an energy boost from 'carrying' less weight.
Improved blood circulation and oxygenation – Poor digestion leads to inflammation and increases blood viscosity, both factors slow circulation. Reducing inflammation improves blood flow and delivers more oxygen and nutrients to tissues and brain. Better oxygenation elevates energy levels, supports brain function, and improves sleep quality.
Decreased Cravings and Appetite. Cravings and appetite kick in well before food reaches the stomach. Insulin fluctuations, gastric acid secretion, enzymatic activity, histamine release, stomach wall stretching, saliva production, olfactory responses, and bile secretion all play a role in signaling hunger and satiety. When these processes are out of whack due to a number of factors mentioned in my webinar, they create persistent cravings, premature hunger, and cycles of overeating. Optimizing digestion reduces energy crashes, nighttime hunger, and the overwhelming drive for food. This change leads to stable energy levels, improved mental focus, and better sleep quality.
Removal of hidden dietary stimulants and depressants – The gut processes compounds that affect brain chemistry. Many modern foods contain hidden stimulants (MSG, artificial sweeteners, caffein and companion alcoloids) that alter neurotransmitter function. Removing these substances supports stable energy and mood regulation. Eliminating artificial stimulants reduces anxiety, stabilizes focus, and prevents sleep disturbances caused by overstimulation.
Reduction or discontinuation of medications and their side effects – Many medications address symptoms caused by poor gut health, such as high blood pressure, GERD, or type 2 diabetes. When digestion and metabolism improve, the need for medications—and their side effects—often decreases. Fewer medications mean fewer sleep disruptions, improved mental clarity, and better mood stability throughout the day.
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Restored mineral and vitamin balance – The gut is responsible for absorbing essential nutrients. When digestion is impaired, deficiencies in calcium, magnesium, potassium, and fat-soluble vitamins occur, affecting metabolism, nerve function, and energy levels. Here is how you know when it happens:
— A craving for ice (pagophagia) is often linked to iron deficiency, particularly in anemia.
— Chocolate cravings may indicate a magnesium or B-vitamin deficiency, especially during stress or PMS.
— Salt cravings can signal sodium deficiency or, in rarer case, adrenal insufficiency, such as Addison’s disease.
— Cravings for red meat and high-protein foods are related to iron, zinc, and vitamin B12 deficiencies and are commonly in menstruating women or individuals on restrictive diets.
— A desire for cheese or dairy could reflect low calcium or vitamin D levels, especially in children, pregnant women, or those avoiding dairy.
— Sugar or carbohydrate cravings are sometimes associated with chromium or B-vitamin deficiencies, though they more often result from blood glucose fluctuations.
— Pica (the craving for non-food substances) like dirt, starch, or paper— is strongly associated with iron or zinc deficiencies and is notably common during pregnancy.
Proper nutrient absorption enhances brain function, stabilizes mood, and supports deep sleep cycles.
Proper fluid balance inside and outside cells – The gut controls hydration by regulating electrolyte absorption. Sodium, potassium, and magnesium imbalances may increase water retention and cause swelling on one hand or cause dehydration on the other. Normalizing electrolytes and hydration improves mental alertness, prevents muscle cramps at night, and supports consistent energy levels.
Healthier gut bacteria – The gut microbiome influences digestion, immune function, and even brain chemistry. A disrupted microbiome can lead to inflammation, poor nutrient absorption, and metabolic issues. A balanced microbiome supports serotonin production, improving mood, cognitive function, and sleep quality. The cumulative changes that I recommend enhance and improve the composition of your intestinal flora.
Better digestion and nutrient absorption – Low stomach acid and enzyme deficiencies result in undigested food, bloating, and nutritional deficiencies. Efficient digestion supports brain function, reduces fatigue, and prevents restlessness at night caused by digestive discomfort.
More efficient energy production – Poor digestion reduces energy availability, leading to fatigue and metabolic slowdown. Efficient energy production prevents mid-day crashes, sustains mental focus, and supports an active metabolism that aids deep sleep.
Deeper, more restful sleep – The gut produces neurotransmitters like serotonin and regulates melatonin. Imbalances in gut health can disrupt sleep cycles and lead to poor-quality rest. The balanced gut function supports natural melatonin production, leading to deeper and more restorative sleep.
Clearer thinking and better focus – The gut and brain communicate via the vagus nerve. Inflammation and poor gut health cause brain fog and difficulty concentrating. A healthier gut leads to sharper thinking, improved memory, and better concentration throughout the day.
Stronger immune function – The majority of the immune system is located in the gut. A healthy microbiome supports immune defenses, while an imbalanced gut increases susceptibility to infections and autoimmune conditions. A well-functioning immune system means fewer inflammatory responses, better overall energy, and fewer disruptions to sleep caused by illness.
Once you start on the path of fixing up your digestion, you'll be able to eliminate completely or, at the very least, reduce medications that come with their host of side effects:
Anti-inflammatory medications – Long-term use of anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen weakens the gut lining, disrupts digestion, and depletes essential nutrients. No longer needing these drugs eliminates their profound side effects body-wide.
Antihistamines – Antihistamines cause drowsiness, brain fog, and even long-term imbalances in how the body regulates histamine. When gut health improves, the body's natural histamine response stabilizes, reducing the need for medication and helping people feel more alert, clear-headed, and energetic throughout the day.
Opioid-class pain relievers – The use of opioids slows digestion, disrupts gut bacteria, and leads to dependency, drowsiness, mental fog, constipation, and host of other side effects that impact energy, memory, and focus. By addressing pain at its root—through reducing inflammation, improving circulation, and optimizing digestion you may experience pain relief without the need for opioids.
Laxatives. Regular use of laxatives weakens your ability to regulate bowel movements naturally, leads to dependence, and worsens constipation over time. Stimulant laxatives act by irritating the intestinal lining and forcing contractions, which may deplete electrolytes, disrupt gut bacteria, and damage peristalsis. Osmotic laxatives can cause dehydration and mineral imbalances when used frequently. Polyethylene Glycol-based stool softeners are implicated in neurological disorders such as dementia, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's.
Other medications that affect digestion include proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and antacids, which reduce stomach acid and impair nutrient absorption; antibiotics, which disrupt gut bacteria balance; and diabetes medications like metformin, which commonly cause gastrointestinal distress; cholinergic medications, which can overstimulate or suppress digestive function, leading to cramping, diarrhea, or constipation; and sedatives and hypnotics (sleeping pills), which slow gastrointestinal motility and cause bloating.
The list of drugs that impact digestion is far from being exhaustive. Most drugs in existence come with some or other gastrointestinal side effects, and their effect is cumulative — the more you take, the more you suffer. Once you start following my recommendations, you'll be able to reduce dosing or eliminate most or all of them.
Before you decide to schedule a consultation, let me share a true short story with you. Some years ago, I was approached by the wife of the president of a medium-sized developing country. She had been referred to me by an advisor who had read my Russian-language books and was able to “reverse” type 1 diabetes in her recently diagnosed child.
I put reverse in quotes because type 1 is, of course, irreversible. Most likely, the diagnosis was incorrect. Still, she had taken her child off insulin and was profoundly grateful for what she called a miracle.
So we spent several hours on the phone with the president's wife and her Western-educated physician discussing her situation. Eventually, they invited me to visit and and consult her in person.
Knowing from prior experience how fickle and capricious clients of this type can be, I decided to hedge by asking her a direct question:
— Would you consider letting go of your kitchen staff and preparing food for yourself?
— No, she replied.
— Then I’m afraid I won’t be able to assist you, madam. My approach isn’t compatible with your lifestyle. Please continue working with your doctor.
The moral of the story: I’m not a magician. There are no tricks in my hat. I’m powerless to help you if you’re not willing to help yourself.