Book Synopsis From functional medicine expert and wellness authority Dr. Josh Axe, a groundbreaking guide to diagnosing and treating an often-discussed yet little-understood condition--leaky gut syndrome--that is dominating media headlines. Most Americans live a germ-free lifestyle, sanitizing and scrubbing every surface, eating processed and pasteurized food, and slathering on anti-bacterial gels. But while our homes and hands may be clean, our health is taking a hit. Starved of actual nutrition and overtaxed by chemicals, stress, and excessive antimicrobial use, we are developing microscopic tears in our intestinal walls. These tears can lead to a condition known as leaky gut syndrome, a deterioration of the gut wall that results in wide-spread inflammation and weakened immunity. In his bestselling book Eat Dirt , functional medicine practitioner Dr. Josh Axe explains the hidden causes and widespread effects of leaky gut syndrome and offers a program to heal the gut and restore health in five easy steps. Dr Axe offers diagnostic quizzes to help readers assess their gut type, then provides simple regimes designed to heal the gut and eliminate digestive and autoimmune problems. From reducing antibiotic use to eating seasonally, spending more time outdoors, managing stress, and incorporating probiotic-rich foods into your diet, Dr. Axes program can help anyone restore gut health and feel their best. From the Back Cover In recent decades, modern improvements to our lifestyle and food supply have come with a cost: our health. From pesticides in our soil to the refrigeration and pasteurization of our food to an overreliance on antibiotics and a preoccupation with sanitizing everything in sight, our desire to be clean is actually putting us at risk for a host of chronic illnesses. Thats because as weve shifted our focus to living a germ-free life, our bodies--specifically, our digestive systems--have taken a hit. Starved of actual nutrition, fed toxic levels of processed foods, and overtaxed by chemicals, stress, and excessive antimicrobial use, weve developed microscopic tears in our intestinal walls, leading to the widespread inflammation and weakened immunity that characterize a condition known as leaky gut syndrome. In Eat Dirt , functional medicine practitioner Dr. Josh Axe explains the hidden causes and widespread effects of leaky gut syndrome, a condition that is thought to be ground zero for many of the countrys most confounding health crises--including allergies, asthma, food sensitivities, diabetes, digestive diseases, arthritis, thyroid conditions, and even frustratingly difficult-to-treat conditions such as chronic fatigue and autism. Dr. Axe explains that 70 percent of our immune system is located in the gut--when its under attack, our health suffers. In leaky gut syndrome, a number of factors--including insufficient exposure todirt--leads to the breakdown of the intestinal wall, allowing food, bacteria, and toxins to seep into the bloodstream. In Eat Dirt, Dr. Axe reveals that the solution, while counterintuitive, is almost effortless: we just need to welcome a little more dirt back into our lives. From ditching hand sanitizers, using essential oils for personal products, reducing antibiotic use, and consuming local honey to spending more time outside, eating seasonally, managing stress, and incorporating probiotic-rich foods into our diets, Dr. Axe provides specific guidance to help everyone get a little dirty. Advance Praise for Eat Dirt Our understanding of what really threatens human health is undergoing a revolution, and Eat Dirt magnificently describes this paradigm shift. Dr. Axes compassionate guidance, centered on reestablishing healthy gut bacteria, is in line with our most respected and forward-thinking medical research. Read this book and open the door to lifelong health.--David Perlmutter, MD, author of the #1 New York Times Bestseller Grain Brain Eat Dirt is a proven way to address the root cause of all disease. The first step to healing yourself is healing your gut. Using the science of microexposures, Dr. Axe gives us a simple-to-follow guide on the five steps to repair a damaged gut and overcome a range of issues, from autoimmune disease to chronic inflammation. If youre ready to learn some cutting-edge concepts and take back your health, this book is for you.--Mark Hyman, MD, bestselling author of The Blood Sugar Solution If youre struggling with a chronic illness like digestive problems, autoimmune disease, or adrenal and thyroid conditions, this book can change your life. Dr. Axe lays out an easy-to-follow plan for addressing the root cause of disease where it starts--in the gut. His natural prescriptions using plant-based medicine, a gut-friendly diet, and exposing yourself to good microbes to build your microbiome are cutting-edge techniques that can help you experience a health breakthrough.--Sara Gottfried, MD, bestselling author of The Hormone Reset Diet and The Hormone Cure There is a beautiful course correction afoot--scientific research is reminding us of our inner and outer ecology and our inextricable union with the natural world. In Eat Dirt , Dr. Axe deconstructs the myth behind our war against germs, sheds light on why and how we are sick, and honors the ancient wisdom of healing that starts with the gut.--Kelly Brogan, MD, ABIHM, author of A Mind of Your Own Years of oversanitation have left us vulnerable to the modern worlds most dangerous infections. In this practical guide, Dr. Axe helps us see the direct links between our nations obsession with cleanliness and the epidemics of leaky gut and autoimmune conditions. Dr. Axe combines cutting-edge science and the ancient practice of natural immunization into a plan that reduces inflammation and chronic pain, promotes weight loss, and increases energy and vitality. Youll love this fun, counterintuitive strategy to achieve optimal health: Get dirty!--JJ Virgin, bestselling author of The Sugar Impact Diet Review Quotes Eat Dirt is a proven way to address the root cause of all disease. The first step to healing yourself is healing your gut. If youre ready to learn some cutting edge concepts and take back your health, this book is for you. -- Mark Hyman, MD, author of The Blood Sugar Solution If youre struggling with a chronic illness like digestive problems, autoimmune disease or adrenal and thyroid conditions, this book can change your life. Dr. Axe lays out an easy-to-follow plan for addressing the root cause of disease where it starts in the gut. -- Sara Gottfried MD, author of The Hormone Reset Diet and The Hormone Cure There is a beautiful course correction afoot... In Eat Dirt, Dr. Axe deconstructs the myth behind our war against germs, sheds light on why and how we are sick, and honors the ancient wisdom of healing that starts with the gut. -- Kelly Brogan, MD ABIHM, author of A Mind of Your Own Dr. Axe combines cutting-edge science and the ancient practice of natural immunization into a 5-step plan that taps the bodys innate defenses to reduce inflammation and chronic pain, lose weight, and increase energy and vitality. Youll love this fun, counterintuitive strategy to achieve optimal health: Get dirty! -- JJ Virgin, author of The Sugar Impact Diet Our understanding of what really threatens human health is undergoing a revolution, and Eat Dirt magnificently describes this paradigm shift. Dr. Axes guidance, centered on reestablishing healthy gut bacteria, is in line with our most respected and forward-thinking medical research. Read this book and open doors to lifelong health. -- David Perlmutter, MD, author, #1 New York Times Bestseller, Grain Brain