Have you ever just felt off? You could be going through a period of time when your energy is down, brain seems foggy, stomach is rumbling, pants keep getting tighter and skin just won’t seem to clear up?
Or maybe your anxiety is higher than normal and your mood seems uneven. Have you just gotten some bad news from your doctor, given a new diagnoses or been put on a new medication?
You may be wondering – what could be causing these uncomfortable symptoms?
The truth is: most health conditions are linked back to the gut. If random health problems are arising, and you’re feeling lost and confused, listen to your gut.
We know that the gut houses most of our immune system, making it a critical part of the body. I mean, how do we fights off disease without a strong immune system? Often times we think to strengthen our immune system with vitamin C and herbs (which are amazing supplements!), but this can only go so far.
Think of it like this, if you are standing on a tack, taking an Advil will help manage the pain, but it is not getting to the root cause of the issue, you will need to continue taking Advil, and most likely increase your dosage to continue managing the pain. However, your foot isn’t hurting because you have an Advil deficiency. If you identified the root cause of the issue (the fact that a tack is still in your foot), and removed the tack from your foot, the pain would eventually subside.
Your body would begin to heal itself. Ahhh, beautiful.
New research shows that an imbalance in the good and bad bacteria in the gut cause inflammatory responses in mice that are linked to age-related conditions such as stroke, dementia and cardiovascular disease. Therapies that target the bacterial composition of the gut, through changes to diet and pre- and probiotic supplements, may lead to a healthier aging population.
Other research has shown poor gut health is linked to:
- hormonal imbalances
- allergies
- autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
- diabetes
- liver disease
- obesity
- autism
- chronic fatigue
- fibromyalgia
- anxiety
- depression
- eczema
- rosacea, and more.
In addition to more physical symptoms, regulating gut microbiota may help relieve the symptoms of anxiety. One study drew a link between certain groups of bacteria and a higher risk of mental health conditions, including depression. Another suggested that our gut bacteria may influence certain brain mechanisms and contribute to anxiety.
So I encourage you to take a moment and evaluate where you stand today. If you are not living your most healthy and vibrant life, this could be your missing link.
So how do we eat for our gut? Here are a few of my top tips:
- ditch the processed carbohydrates + sugar
- increase fiber intake
- ditch the toxic oils + inflammatory foods
- manage stress the right way – meditation, breathwork, laughter
- decrease medication
- take a high quality probiotic
- stay well hydrated
- get good quality sleep
- move in a way that feels good to you
Here is one of my favorite HAN Morning Power Smoothies to help nourish your gut ASAP:
- 1-2 cups unsweetened nut mylk
- handful of spinach
- 1/2 c frozen cauliflower
- knob of ginger
- knob of turmeric
- pinch of black pepper (helps with absorption of curcumin in turmeric!)
- dash of cinnamon
- 1 scoop l-glutamine (see notes below)
- 1 scoop collagen
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed
- 1 serving chocolate plant-based protein powder
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
*L-glutamine is an amino acid that helps to rejuvenate the gut wall lining. This amino acid plays a critical role in healthy digestion and brain function and protects against mucosal breakdown in the gut. For me personally, this supplement has been a game-changer. You will find this amino acid in a lot of intestinal support supplements. This is one of my favorites.
If we want to start feeling better now, and help minimize your risk for most diseases going forward, it’s time to start nurturing this intelligent bacterial ecosystem.
Hippocrates, the “Father of Modern Medicine,” claimed that “All disease begins in the gut.” Take note, my babes!
