Life Changes I Made For My Gut Health
Gut health is one of my all time favorite topics to talk about! Because it is SO important to our overall health…and the majority of people don’t know about it or understand it! Our modern medical system is just now beginning to understand the repercussions of rounds and rounds of prescribed antibiotics and exposure to harmful hormone disrupting chemicals. The topic of gut health is so expansive and can be a bit overwhelming, especially the more “sciency” the explanations get. I break it down for you in a very easy to follow video on my IGTV that you can find here.
The more I learned about gut health, the more I realized that it is imperative to a healthy lifestyle. Healthy gut = healthy life. Our bodies are so connected, and it truly seems as though the gut is the center. It is called our second brain, after all. While there are certainly more serious conditions relating to the gut, such as celiacs disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or leaky gut, there are a few simple daily habits that everyone can participate in to help keep your gut happy.
Drink more water
I thought I was the champion of staying hydrated, but once I intentionally started making sure I got a more than adequate amount of H2O on the daily, I noticed that it helped my bloating immensely! Although it is important to be mindful of water consumption during mealtimes. Drinking while eating can dilute the acid in our stomach, making digestion less effective. Try to limit water intake during meals and increase throughout the rest of the day.
2. Avoid processed foods and eat REAL food
Once I started eating a mostly plant based diet, I realized the effect processed foods would have on my body and it was terrible! Stomach aches, bloating, mood swings, and headaches, to name a few. These symptoms alone make me happily avoid those processed foods I used to love. Suddenly pizza filled with gluten and cheese just isn’t worth the bloat, stomach ache, and crabbiness that’s sure to follow. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy pizza! Just not the cheaper quality filled with GMOs. I try to stick with gluten free, organic, and homemade if possible. I try my very best to not have my meals come out of a box or through the drive through. Because of this, I always carry an emergency snack or two with me. Lara bars are a fav ;)
3. Incorporate fermented foods
Fermented foods are the bomb! They help diversify our gut microbiome, which supports our immune system (about 80% of our immune system resides in our gut). They include things like kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, naturally aged cheeses, fermented veggies, keifer, and kombucha. The more I introduce these into my diet the more I crave them, so I know I’m feeding those good bacteria! On top of that, I’ve noticed a change in my immune system. I used to get sick at least once a year (fever, feeling like crap for at least 3 days) plus have a few colds a year, but since giving my gut bacteria some love, I get sick far less often. (Like rarely-and I’m a nurse so I’m around sick people often!)
4. Take a probiotic
This is the same idea as incorporating fermented food. The goal is to support the beneficial bacteria in our guts, which increases our immune system, helps our cells function better, improves our moods and our digestion.
5. Decrease stress
Stress directly presents itself in our guts. When we’re nervous, we feel those familiar flutterings in our stomachs. You may need to use the bathroom frequently before a big race. Maybe (hopefully not) you’ve experienced nervous bouts of vomiting. This is because our brains are telling our guts, “Hey, we have this much more pressing thing to deal with and we do NOT have the time or the energy to put towards digesting food right now! That is not our priority at this moment! Get rid of it!” In today’s world, we can be exposed to an overload of stress all day long. When our bodies are constantly under that anxiety, our digestion suffers; our bodies are not able to properly or efficiently absorb nutrients from our food, and we experience symptoms like bloating, gas, or diarrhea. Have you ever heard of the term “rest and digest”? If not, take it to heart! Especially be mindful of your anxiety levels while eating, and do your best to incorporate stress relieving routines into your daily life. I can personally vouch for the magic that peace can have on our guts! Great examples are deep breathing, exercise (doesn’t have to be intense; think walking or yoga), meditation, and using essential oils. Usually a combination of all of these is a great way to decrease stress!