Gut Health Improves Well Being

What is Gut Health?

Gut health refers to the balance and harmony within your digestive system. It’s about more than just avoiding indigestion or occasional discomfort; it’s about nurturing an environment where your gut can thrive, and consequently, so can you.

Your gut is home to a bustling ecosystem of microorganisms, and this community, known as the gut microbiome, plays a crucial role in your well-being.

Benefits of a Healthy Gut

• A healthy gut can contribute to improved digestion,
• a stronger immune system,
• and even a better mood.
• Improving gut health reduces symptoms such as bloating, indigestion, cramping, constipation, or diarrhoea.

It is important to keep the gut healthy because as Hippocrates said more than 2000 years ago, “All disease begins in the gut”.  It is only now that we are beginning to see just how right he was.

Research over the last 20 years is showing that an unhealthy gut contributes to some of our most chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, and even autism spectrum disorder.

With this in mind, it is prudent that we tend to the gut as part of our daily routine and treat it with the same importance as our outward appearance.You see, a healthy gut makes a happy you.

Nurture our Microbiome

A good starting point is to nurture our natural microbial occupants, our microbiome.

The microorganisms that live symbiotically on the skin, the tongue, and in the coils of the intestines are known as the microbiome. Since there are 10x more of these than cells in our bodies, it is wise to feed not just ourselves but the good bugs in our digestive systems as well.

Wise indeed, especially since they influence our state of health and illness, from gut to brain and immunity to pain. What could later show up are irritable bowel symptoms, joint pain, mood and memory issues, and immune challenges, to name a few.

Unfortunately, it is really easy to destroy our good bugs. Among the culprits are the sugars either overt or hidden sugars in some of the food we choose; stress and toxicity are included here too; as well as antibiotics, medications, and other environmental chemicals which we may expose ourselves to from time to time.

Now, if you happen to have a bit of a problem with the gut: perhaps you experience bloating, tiredness after eating, cramps, reflux, constipation, or diarrhea, then your gut is likely in need of some repair, it is likely to be leaky and in need of some good bacteria as well as some special nutrients.

Here are a few steps to take in caring for the microbiome:

1) Start by Giving your System a Rest

Leave out foods that are sure to irritate an ailing digestive system. Start with leaving out wheat and dairy foods and opting for easy-to-digest steamed vegetables and soups or broths. Pre-digested foods are good too so try making green smoothies.

2) Add some Good Probiotics and Prebiotics

It’s really easy to use a good quality brand of probiotic and take it daily.

3) Eat Foods that Contribute to Good Gut Health

Foods that help in this regard are fermented food such as kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi. Really valuable because they help introduce enzymes and probiotics that can help with the digestion and absorption of our food.

Kale, spinach, silverbeet, dandelion greens are the leafy greens that can be included in salads, soups, smoothies.

Polyphenols are a class of micronutrients that act as an antioxidant and encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria.

Polyphenols are naturally occurring chemical compounds found in many of your favorite foods. They are found in deep red and orange vegetables such as beetroot, carrots, and red cabbage; also in blueberries and red wine, apples (whole including skin), plums, cherries, pomegranate, peppermint tea, green tea, curcumin, and other spices. They act as a fertilizer for your microbiome.

With a healthy microbiome, your body can actually better break down the nutrients you’re eating, which is your first step on the road to wellness.

And with a healthy inner ecology comes less pain, more energy, better moods, a happier belly, and more balanced immunity.

Ultimately it eventually allows for more dietary variation and tolerance as well!

4) Manage Stress

However, if your symptoms are severe, the above measures will most likely not be quite enough. Truth be told, for many of us with chronic conditions and leaky gut, it often takes an army of helpers. This is where we can step in to help.

If this article prompts you to visit us, then simply give us a
call on 03 9879 9596 or contact us.

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