GUT HEALTH
Gut health is a topic we have been learning more and more about over the past decade or two. Subsequently we are learning just how much we are affected from the foods we eat.
Of course we already knew this to some extent. The phrase and topic ‘You are what you eat’ dates back to the 1800’s and there’s many references to the link between food and health in the Bible so it’s certainly not a new concept, but increasingly we are learning just how connected our gut health is to our general health, digestion, nutrient absorption, energy, moods, immunity, hormones, heart health and of course weight loss.
But just what does this mean? How do we understand it and what can we do to improve it?
When we talk about gut health we’re referring to the functioning of the organs that digest, process, absorb and assimilate the foods we eat, how well they perform these functions and how the body as a whole responds as a result of this.
If we want to know if our gut is functioning well there are a number of symptoms we can look out for; type and frequency of bowel movements, negative reactions to eating certain foods, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, satiety, hunger frequency, energy levels, nausea and vomiting, acid reflux, GERD, immunity, mental clarity and emotional states and moods.
Some of the areas that contribute to the health of our gut are; our diet, processed foods, sugars, whole-foods, organic foods, animal products, alcohol intake, fluid intake, exercise, stress levels, medications, amount and quality of sleep and our mental state.
Our gut is filled with millions of microorganisms that play many vital roles in the functioning and health of our system as a whole. We are extremely resilient and put our bodies under high levels of stress before we start to notice the internal damage displayed outwardly.
Our body is really good at letting us know if we have a problem with our gut health. If we find ourselves with any number of these symptoms it’s a good idea to look at our diet and lifestyle first. It’s not difficult to fix this on a practical level, it’s mentally and emotionally that we struggle to address this and implement change, but life changing if we do!!