OBEs and the Gut Microbiome

by Bob Peterson

The Golden Rule of OBE Eating

If you've been following my blog, you know the basic rule of eating for out-of-body experiences:

• Eat early, eat light.

Some even use fasting for OBEs. But there's a lot more to it than that. Your diet plays a very important role in your ability to induce OBEs. The older I get, the more I learn how important it is, and it all goes back to something scientists call the "gut microbiome," the trillions of microorganisms that live inside our intestines/guts. These friendly bacteria help us break down food into nutrients needed by our bodies. In return, we provide them a steady supply of food and a safe place to live.

Dietary Considerations

In the past I've written several articles about dietary considerations and how your diet influences your ability to induce OBEs, including:

• OBEs, Pasta and Wheat Gluten
• OBE Dietary Considerations 
• Vitamins, Herbal Supplements and Probiotics for OBE - Part 1
• Vitamins, Herbal Supplements and Probiotics for OBE - Part 2 
  

Many authors of astral projection books (Graham Nicholls comes to mind), recommend a vegetarian diet to induce out-of-body experiences. (I've never had a problem eating meat, but it may help some people).

Author D. Scott Rogo takes it a step further. In his book Leaving the Body he dedicates an entire chapter to “Astral Projection through Dietary Control” (AKA the “Keeler system.”) In short, Rogo suggests fasting or cutting down food intake ("The Golden Rule" above), not eating meat (like Nicholls), but also eating more carrots, fruits, vegetables and eggs, plus drinking plenty of liquids. But the thing that caught my attention is: no nuts of any kind are to be eaten. Rogo says peanuts are especially bad. (Peanuts aren’t technically nuts, but they should still be avoided).

And why should you avoid nuts? Constipation. In my opinion, eating a lot of cheese is also bad for OBEs, for the same reason.

And why is constipation bad for OBEs? It screws up the Gut Microbiome.

Hacking The Gut Microbiome

When people talk about "gut instincts," "following your gut," or "going with your gut" they usually mean following your intuition. But that's just the beginning. The more scientists study the gut microbiome, the more they realize how it influences our bodies and our brains. For example, a recent article in Neuroscience News (neurosciencenews.com) explains the critical role it plays in regulating sleep. (Click here to read it). The human body is not just an amazing machine; it's also a very complex ecosystem. The brain and the gut influence each other dramatically.

 

I first learned about this many years ago from a "body hacking" article about how you can drink a cocktail of raw potato starch and water (perhaps in a tea) before bed to increase the productivity of your sleep: You sleep better, have longer and more vivid dreams, and wake up feeling more refreshed.

 

The reason it works is because it feeds one particular type of bacteria in your gut microbiome. The bacteria eat the raw potato starch and produce more of an enzyme used by your body to "launder" your brain of contaminants during sleep. That cleans your brain more efficiently, which causes a shorter non-REM (nREM) sleep phase. That, in turn, causes a longer and more vivid REM phase. But that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Gut Microbiome Problems

Constipation slows down your gut microbiome and causes problems, and stops your OBEs, but eventually your intestines recover and straighten out.

 

But what if your gut microbiome is completely destroyed, for example, by radiation used to treat cancer? Then you can't digest food properly. In fact, as gross as it sounds, when this happens doctors often have to do a "fecal transplant." Resorting to the crude vernacular, they literally put shit from someone else's guts into your guts to kick-start the regrowth of your gut microbiome. And it works.

Antibiotics Hurt the Gut Microbiome

In the past, doctors loved to treat almost every ailment with antibiotics, but antibiotics take a huge toll on the gut microbiome. I believe they can completely stop your OBEs. Your guts will eventually recover, but again, this takes time.

Good Gut Microbiome Practices

So if you want to induce OBEs, maintain a healthy gut microbiome. Here are some things you can do to improve your guts with OBEs in mind:

Be Gut-Friendly

• Avoid constipation by eating enough fiber (or "fibre"), and avoid nuts and an excess of cheese.
• I've even gone so far as to not drink almond milk anymore. (I also avoid cow milk because I believe it's not good for you, due to hormones, antibiotics, excess fat, etc.). I use oat milk instead.
  
• Avoid antacid tablets like Tums, which can also cause constipation.
• Avoid artificial sweeteners. I've experimented with many different artificial sweeteners (Aspartame, Sucralose, Monk Fruit, etc. I don't like the taste of Stevia), and they all seem to take a toll on my OBEs. Recent studies show they are bad for the gut microbiome. Don't drink diet soda/pop (most contain Aspartame) and don't use flavored water squirts like Mio (most contain artificial sweeteners). I've never had a problem with sugar or corn syrup.
• Drink lots of water, preferably not tap water, because it often contains Fluoride. I have a well, but reverse osmosis water is good too. Be careful with distilled water because too much can leech all the nutrients out of your body.
  

Feed your Gut Microbiome

• Eat pro-biotic foods like yogurt every day (but not if they contain artificial sweeteners).
  
• Drink pro-biotic drinks like kefir.
• You can also buy various "pro-biotic" products in health stores, pharmacies and even grocery stores.
• Some people recommend Kombucha.
  

Go for regular walks or runs

Walking (or running) helps your digestive tract move, which is good for the gut microbiome. Make it a regular practice.

Be Patient

Don't expect your gut microbiome to change overnight. It takes me about four days to recover from artificial sweeteners. And if your doctor prescribes antibiotics, be patient and give your gut microbiome time to heal.

Some people try for years to produce OBEs, unsuccessfully. For many, the problem might be due to mismanagement of their gut microbiome. It's definitely an avenue to explore. So carefully examine your diet and make adjustments as needed.

Finally, be patient, follow best practices (like the Golden Rule above), meditate regularly, and follow the Seven Habits of Highly Effective Astral Travelers. Above all, keep up your regular OBE practice sessions and never give up.

Bob Peterson
03 May 2022

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