Tips To Achieve A Healthy Gut
One of the main reasons why I began my health and wellness journey was because of digestive issues. While I have been eating fairly healthy for years now, I didn’t always take care of my body. During my teenage years and young twenties, I did a lot of partying and put unnecessary stress on my body. After years of putting stress on my body from alcohol and loss of sleep among other things, I began to develop severe digestive issues. I was sick and I couldn’t properly digest my food and because of this, I wasn’t absorbing any vitamins or nutrients. I felt constantly exhausted, depleted and dehydrated. I had lost about 30 pounds, I weighed 105 pounds (which I hadn’t weighed since middle school or younger). I had to replace all of my clothing because nothing fit anymore. I never saw a doctor because I knew that I could heal my body on my own. At the time I wasn’t sure what was wrong, but now I am pretty sure I had leaky gut.
Digestive issues don’t happen just through partying, they can happen from poor diet and stress. It can also be so much more than leaky gut. Many people are silently suffering from issues like IBS, leaky gut, chronic constipation, bloating, gas as well as many other digestive issues. I say silently suffering because no one is out there talking with friends about their digestive system or digestive issues. We have made talking about digestion and poop so taboo that if we have digestive issues we fear that others will reject us (and think we’re gross for talking about it) instead of offering support.
Gut health should be something that we talk about regularly. When our gut is out of balance, it can do so much harm to the rest of the body. Over the years I have learned to incorporate foods into my lifestyle that help to promote healthy digestion.
Below are some of the foods and tips that I use to keep my gut in check:
Add In The good stuff
Fermented foods- I have come to love fermented foods. Okay, not love, obsessed. If you are unfamiliar with fermentation, it is the metabolic process in which microorganisms, yeasts or bacteria create a chemical change in food and beverages. Basically, it creates live bacteria (probiotics) in the food which are beneficial for your digestive system. Foods I love are organic apple cider vinegar, kimchi, sauerkraut, pickles and kombucha. When looking for kimchi, sauerkraut and pickles, make sure to reach for the ones fermented with salt not vinegar!
Lemons- I have at least one lemon a day. Lemons help to aid in healthy digestion. You will often find them in juice detoxes because they are so beneficial for the gut. Lemons contain pectin which is a prebiotic that helps feed the healthy gut bacteria. I start every day by drinking warm lemon and cayenne water.
Ginger- Ginger was a huge helper. I used ginger to help relieve my upset stomach. It didn’t just relieve my pain but it also helped regulate my bowels. In the morning, I would heat up water, then pour it on top of fresh ginger and let it sit until it was warm enough to drink. Before sipping I would add fresh lemon juice. This was amazing for easing constipation and promoting healthy bowels.
Probiotics- Probiotics are so important for a healthy gut. While you can get probiotics from fermented foods, it is also important to get probiotics from a supplement.
Chew your food- This is something I am still working on. There is an old saying that says “your stomach doesn’t have teeth”. This is true. Digestion begins in the mouth and it where you first begin to break your food down. Chewing your food thoroughly will make things a lot easier for your digestion.
Try different foods- I never did an elimination diet (which is used to rule out food sensitivities), but I did try cutting out certain foods to see if my symptoms would go away (i.e cutting out legumes; trading in caffeinated coffee for decaf, etc.).
Find ways to manage stress- There are always going to be stressful situations between things like school, work, relationships, finances, etc. While it may be impossible to eliminate and avoid stress at all costs, it is possible to manage your reactions to stressful situations. Some great (and almost free) ways to manage stress are through movement, yoga, meditation, breath work, aromatherapy, etc.
Gut health is something that we as a collective need to take more seriously. i hope you enjoyed this one and I can’t wait to see what you think in the comments below!