Except when hit by a stomach bug growing up, most of us took our digestive system for granted. We could eat whatever we wanted and things moved along without much thought. Are you lucky enough that this is still the case for you?
Or are you like most of Americans who experience frequent digestive health concerns? Bloating, constipation, diarrhea, food intolerances, and nutrient deficiencies because we aren’t absorbing food the way we should are all very common.
How about fatigue, hormone imbalance, or sleep disturbances . . . did you know those are all affected by the gut too?
Last week we talked about 10 frustrating symptoms that could be a sign of poor gut health. You can find that information HERE, so we won’t go into any more details about these complaints that we hear so often from clients and friends.
This week, let’s dive into what to do about it., because especially for our clients hitting mid life, these issues are seriously disrupting their life. Are they surviving? Of course. Most of them don’t even mention these symptoms to their doctor.
But, are they thriving? Enjoying vibrant energy, balanced moods, stellar exercise performance, and feel confident that they are aging well? These are the areas that many feel they are lacking.
In each of these areas, we can identify gut health as a root cause, because the gut is the gateway through which all nutrients reach the many cells or our body.
So, what is causing this poor gut health?
- irritating foods
- stress
- poor sleep
- lack of exercise
- insufficient fiber
- bacterial imbalances
- obesity
- environmental toxins
- many medications
When our gut is damaged in this way, it causes a cascade of inflammatory responses in the body. These inflammatory states characterize the most common bone, joint, and metabolic diseases associated with poor health and aging.
Inflammation is a most significant factor in pain and fatigue related to diabetes, autoimmune disease, arthritis, or neuro muscular disease. In these cases persistent inflammation and a lowered immune system can be improved by healing the gut.
The result – decreased pain, more energy, fewer illnesses, and improved ability to maintain an active lifestyle. Let’s get on the path to gut healing. . .
1. Remove Gut Irritating Foods
By removing irritating foods in your diet for a period of time, you allow the inflammation in your body to decrease. Foods that are most often irritating include gluten, dairy, sugar, and alcohol.
In a heightened state of inflammation the body is irritated by these trigger foods and may need some time off to recover. Work with an expert if you aren’t sure what foods are triggering your inflammation.
2. Restore the Gut Lining
When we take out the bad stuff , we also need to repair damage already done. This comes back to diet, as well as supplementation to support the process.
The most critical gut healing nutrients are Omega 3 fatty acids, zinc, and vitamin C, and collagen. My favorite Collagen includes aloe and Fulvic Acid to help maximize nutrient absorption and improve the health of the intestinal lining.
3. Replace Depleted Nutrients
If your gut isn’t working optimally, your body is not able to absorb nutrients from food you eat (or even supplements you take). As you start to take out irritating foods, you want to replace nutrients that were depleted.
The highest rates of nutrient deficiencies come from chronic use of antibiotics and anti inflammatory medications. A diet loaded with fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats will fill in the nutrient gaps.
4. Refeed the gut with pre and probiotics
We have beneficial bacteria living in our intestines. They fight off the bad bacteria for a healthy immune system and improve digestion for proper nutrition and elimination.
The “good bugs” we know as probiotics, but they must be fed by prebiotics. This type of fiber is found in foods such as apples, onions, and asparagus to name a few. We can supplement with both pre and probiotics to further improve our bacterial balance. I feed my beneficial bacteria daily with a prebiotic drink mix to make this step easy and enjoyable.
It seems so simple, yet so complex all at the same time.
Irritation and inflammation in your gut causes your body to basically start fighting itself. It sends messengers throughout your body causing inflammation in joints and tissues that ultimately result in painful conditions and a struggle to feel your best.
By improving gut health and decreasing this chronic inflammation, symptoms of bone, joint, and metabolic disease can be decreased. You can move with ease and enjoy the active lifestyle that allows you to continue on the path to confident, healthy aging.
If you take it one step at a time and provide your body with the support it needs to heal, the reward it a lifetime of vibrant health.
Looking for further guidance on gut health, reducing inflammation, natural pain control, or just looking to live your most vibrant life?
Click the link below for a Free Health Discovery Consult with an expert in movement, meals, mindset, and metabolism. After this 30 minute session you will have a clear plan of your next best step in achieving your health goals.
Free Health Coaching Session
For any questions about collagen, prebiotic, probiotic, or gut healing products please email amanda@peakpotentialpt.com. We can help you know what to look for and we will pass on a discount code if you are interested in trying our favorites.
