Did you ever think that your mood, energy or skin issues could be gut related? There is a good chance they may be. Gut health is crucial to your overall well-being. The gastrointestinal tract, along with the diversity of your microbiome, plays a significant role in maintaining physical and mental health.
From start to finish, everything that happens in the gastrointestinal tract has a tremendous impact on your physical, mental, and emotional health. By understanding and improving gut health, you can enhance nutrient absorption, boost immune function, and achieve better overall health.
Studies mapping the diversity of the microbiome, often referred to as the second brain, demonstrate that imbalances in the trillions of bacteria that line the GI tract impact nutrient absorption, appetite, blood sugar regulation, clear thinking, and the ability to maintain a healthy weight.
Additionally, we know that 70 to 80 percent of our immune system lies within our gut. When pathogenic organisms enter the body, the immune system and gut coordinate to quickly eradicate the offending invader and maintain a healthy environment. If the gut is compromised from a poor diet, unhealthy lifestyle choices, or a high toxic load, our immune system cannot operate optimally to keep us healthy and thriving.
Supporting a robust and diversified ecosystem in the gut is a top priority for me with all my patients. Read on to learn more about how you too can adopt the same strategies I start with on the road to optimizing gut health.
Remove inflammatory foods as the first step in building a resilient gut.
Every individual is different and determining how much and how often to have a drink depends on each person’s current state of health.
In healthy individuals, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends no more than one alcoholic beverage for women and 2 glasses for men in a day.
From strictly a nutrition perspective, for those with digestive problems, skin issues, brain fog, fatigue, slow recovery from illness, and disrupted sleep it may be wise to rethink alcohol use in the immediate future and reintroduce once these factors have improved.
Here are a few items to consider adding to your diet:
Fiber - the recommended daily intake of fiber for adults is 25–30 grams from food, not supplements.
Prebiotic rich plant foods - aim for 2 colors of plant foods per meal; choose from fruits and vegetables unless working on blood sugar issues choose more vegetables than fruits
Choose soluble fiber rich foods vs refined wheat flour or corn-based foods
Try resistant starch foods that feed the good bugs in your gut
Everyday rushing, eating on the go, eating in a distracted way (e.g., on the computer or in front of the TV) keep us in fight or flight mode. This means our sympathetic nervous system is in charge, disrupting the signals to secrete adequate stomach acid and digestive enzymes from the pancreas.
Partially digested food reaches the small intestines and can lead to poor absorption and assimilation of essential nutrients as well as digestive discomfort such as gas, bloating and burping.
Consider integrating the following into your day around mealtime:
By adopting these practices, you can significantly improve your gut health and overall well-being.
Adopt a few new habits at once. Give yourself a chance to realize how good, good feels! Let others know you are on a journey to improve your health so they can support and/or join you!