How is your gut health? So many people today have digestive issues that prohibit them from living the life they want and restricts them from eating all the foods they truly desire. Aside from individuals with auto immune disorders or debilitating conditions that go beyond their control, there is a big portion of the population that have agency over their gut health. The gut plays a crucial role in the digestion and absorption of nutrients from the foods we eat. A healthy gut can break down food more efficiently. A healthy gut can absorb more of the essential nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, and proteins, that our bodies need to function properly. The gut is sometimes referred to as the “second brain” due to the intricate connection between the gut and the brain. The “brain in the gut” can independently control many functions of the digestive system, such as the movement of food through the intestines and the secretion. If you’ve ever eaten something and then become lethargic an hour later or moody a day or two later, this is why. The foods we eat have a direct reflection over how we feel.
If you’r wondering how you could possibly improve your gut health, you’ve come to the right place. I struggled with serious digestive issues for years. I was in a constant state of misery trying new elimination diets, trends, fads and the works. Honestly, nothing worked until I had an “ah ha!” moment. For me that meant incorporating more foods over supplements. Probiotics, for instance, are live bacteria so crucial and beneficial to to our gut health. You may be thinking, “well, I take my probiotic supplements, so I must be good in that department.” This is only half true. What I discovered in my “ah ha!'“ moment was that I needed to be eating probiotic rich foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt and fermented vegetables more than just consuming a few pills a day. I also needed to incorporate more prebiotics into my diet. Prebiotics are fibers that feed the good bacteria in the gut, including probiotic-rich foods. This meant I needed to consume more bananas, onions, apples, garlic, flaxseed & oats, just to name a few. Adding these micronutrients into my daily diet tremendously helped me improve my gut health over time.
There was a time in my life when my acne was so bad I was embarrassed to leave the house. My acne was a direct reflection of what was going on with my unhealthy gut. I had terrible gas. Did you know a healthy gut means you only fart around 6 times a day. I had such terrible gas at that time I was passing wind about 45-50 times a day. I felt terrible. I had to make a change. So, when you hear me talk incessantly about fermented foods and how important it is to take good care of your gut its because I’ve been on the other side of the stick and hated it. A healthy gut can improve mood & cognitive function. A healthy gut can reduce symptoms of depression & anxiety. A healthy gut can improve sleep and sex drive. The life you want is just a few healthy eating habit shifts away.
