3 Gut Health Hacks
Are you living a life full of bloat, constipation, or even unpredictable bathroom visits? If the answer is yes, I am here to tell you, that you deserve better. It doesn’t have to be like this, there are hacks to improve your gut health.
You shouldn’t instantaneously dread the moment you eat something outside of your normal foods or consider taking laxatives to force a poop. That is a clear sign that your body is screaming for help and an alert of poor gut health.
You might be laughing, but many of us have been there at some point in time. I know I have, it’s one of the many reasons I share about gut health and the hacks to improve it.
There are also only about 35368 different supplements on the market, testing options, and complete bogus that won’t solve your gut problems. It’s important to know what will work, what’s science-based, and the testing that might benefit you.
Okay, first things, first. What is gut health?
Our body is made up of hundreds of trillions of microbes, most of these are found in the gut. Although small, they are mighty and crucial for optimal health and wellness. An imbalance can leave you not feeling well, lead to chronic diseases, or make symptoms you are experiencing worse(1).
Imagine your workplace, there are times when one individual doesn’t show up and it leaves everyone scrambling. The same goes for the saying “too many officers and not enough troops”. There are thousands of different species of these microbes that make up your microbiome and they all have their own role to play.
The food we eat and the environment we are in affects our gut health among many other factors. Sure, genetics can play a role to an extent. But, the gut microbiome is a great place to focus when trying to prevent inflammation, diabetes, cholesterol, neurological disorders, and more (2).
What are the best gut health hacks?
There’s no magic pill or supplement that you can take that will make your gut microbiome the most balanced on the planet. However, there are things in your control that you can incorporate and be mindful of to positively impact your digestion and microbiome health.
Rest and Digest
If you’ve been looking for a reason to stop eating at your desk or to close your eyes and take a nap, here it is. In such a busy world, it’s easy to blame our bloating, constipation, etc on something we ate earlier in the day. But, all of this stress and eating meals mindlessly, can actually negatively affect digestion.
So, try to be mindful when you are eating, start by chewing thirty times, putting your fork down in between bites, using nice dish-ware, and taking time to smell and enjoy your meal(3).
Have a stressful day? Consider a nice meditation or a pilates class. Anytime your brain sends a signal like “Hey! We’ve got some serious stress going on today”, your body responds by sending blood flow to other important organs aside from the gut(3.
It’s a vicious cycle because once your brain receives the message back, it can affect your overall mood. So, let’s take some time to rest, digest, and break the cycle.
Probiotics
Maintaining a healthy gut environment also known as intestinal flora, can help boost your immunity, manage and prevent chronic disease, and even potentially treat mental illness(4).
Probiotics can also help to strengthen the lining of your gut, this prevents disease causing pathogens from attaching to the inside.
There are many different types of probiotics and quality is very important. Want to start incorporating a probiotic, but not sure where to get started? Email me or send me a message and we can chat.
Herbal Teas
Herbal teas are fantastic and can be a great swap for coffee or used as a nice cold or hot mid-day beverage. There are a variety of teas that can be beneficial when trying to heal your gut, calm it down, or simply improve your overall digestion.
We will deep dive into products like collagen in the upcoming weeks, but if you are someone looking to incorporate a plant-based alternative, teas are a fantastic option.
You may benefit from teas like peppermint, marshmallow root, dandelion, chamomile, and many more. Each tea will have its unique benefits, so it’s important to identify what your goal is with incorporating these teas.
One of my favorites for the morning time is peppermint tea. The smell and flavor of mint help to wake up the senses. It’s also great if you are having gas pains, an uneasy feeling, or bloating. It’s even been proven to be helpful in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome as well (6).
What’s Next
If you are struggling with symptoms like bloating, constipation, stomach cramps, or weight gain, it may be time to look at your overall gut health. There are small changes you can benefit from, like the ones we listed above but the best solution is to have functional testing performed and get answers backed by science.
It’s overwhelming at first and I completely understand that, that’s why I offer a free nutrition consult where we chat more about where to get started and discuss how we can work together to ease these symptoms and improve overall health.
