Do you have “good” gut health or “bad?” What does that really mean?
Your gut, or digestive system, is the main way you consume and process nutrients in your body. These nutrients turn into your muscles, organs, and cells so your body will function the way God created it to. So it is key to focus on what you eat and your lifestyle habits so you can be as healthy as possible and limit illness. Your gut also produces neurotransmitters – in fact, 95% of your serotonin and 50% of your dopamine, two happiness hormones, are produced in your gut, which affects your mental health, too.
What makes your gut bad?
We call this dysbiosis, which means you have a faulty gut microbiome or the bacteria that makes up your gut functioning. In other words, you have more “bad” bacteria than “good” bacteria which can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, stomach cramps or pain, bloating, gas, food sensitivities, weight issues, or malnutrition.
What causes a poorly functioning gut? Here are a few factors:
Poor diet, too much alcohol, too much processed and refined sugary foods
Lifestyle factors – poor sleep, inactivity, too much stress
Medical conditions and medications
Genetics
Infections, parasites, viruses
What happens when we don’t focus on maintaining a healthy gut?
Digestive issues like IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) or IBD (Irritable Bowel Disease) develop, even Crohn’s Disease or colitis. Living your life worrying about where a bathroom is, not being able to eat or dine out, or having other symptoms like fatigue (caused by poor nutrient absorption), hair falling out, losing or gaining too much weight, having heart and breathing issues, pre-diabetes and diabetes type 2, obesity, premature aging and early death as well as the digestive symptoms noted above is not living our best life. And as we talked about last month, poor gut functioning affects your mental and emotional health, too.
What is the number one trigger for IBS?
Certain ingredients and drinks can trigger IBS symptoms in some people or worsen symptoms like bloating, gas, pain, and diarrhea, But these triggers may vary from person to person. Some common ones include white sugar, artificial sugars, wheat/gluten, fried foods, alcohol, and dairy products. Lifestyle factors like stress or gastrointestinal upsets may also trigger an IBS flare-up.
So what makes gut health good?
You may not have control over your genetics, but there are many things you do have control over. Eating primarily a healthy diet by consuming foods the way God created them – not processed with additives and chemicals. There are some specific caveats if you have IBS. For example, you may need to cook your veggies rather than eat them raw. We will dig more deeply into that next week.
Sometimes we may need supplements (digestive enzymes, probiotics, prebiotics, maybe HCL if you have too little acid, or even medicine temporarily). We will talk about stomach acid more in detail in a couple of weeks.
I’ve often been asked this question, “Should I take probiotics?” Well, it depends. If you have IBS symptoms, you may have to decrease symptoms first before you tolerate probiotics. It is really an individual basis on how your body tolerates them. You have to listen to your body.
Living a healthy lifestyle characterized by regular physical activity, managing stress, good sleep, finding joy and a purpose in life, connecting with others, as well as eating a variety of whole foods is the best way to ensure a healthy gut flora. And balancing your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health is key.
I am a national board certified health and wellness coach and help women over 40 who have fatigue, digestive issues like bloating, constipation), brain fog, weight issues, as well as thyroid and autoimmune problems. I work with you and as a team, we focus on nutrition and lifestyle factors to help you have more energy, think clearer, and fit into those favorite jeans again. You can do this! You just might need some help from someone who’s been there herself and worked with clients – helping guide, support, and encourage you each step of the way. Contact me here to set up a free strategy session to see how we can work together. — Leah Cheshire, NBC-HWC
