Gut health is a trending topic right now and for good reason. Over 60% of Americans report struggling with some type of chronic gastrointestinal condition or symptom. This includes irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD), Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), bloating, constipation, and diarrhea...just to name a few!
What many of us don't realize is that the health of our gut can impact our body in many other ways without us even realizing it. If there is dysbiosis, increased intestinal permeability, or inflammation in the gut - it is very common to experience symptoms elsewhere in the body. Did you know that approximately 90% of serotonin, the "feel good hormone" is produced in the gut? Or that the majority of our immune system resides in the gut? If you are dealing with irritability, anxiety or depression or you feel like you catch every illness that comes your way, it might be a good idea to consider working on your gut health!
How can we work on our gut health? Here are a few simple steps to get you started!
Start with Digestion
Digestion starts before we even take that first bite of food! Eating in a relaxed state is essential for proper digestion to occur. The nervous system has two main branches:
The Sympathetic Nervous System, aka "Fight or Flight"
The Parasympathetic Nervous System, aka "Rest and Digest"
We want to be in "Rest and Digest" when we sit down to eat. The body doesn't know the difference between being chased by a bear or reading a triggering email from your coworker. It interprets and responds to these stressors in the same way - by slowing down digestion and prioritizing survival! If you want to work on digestion, you'll need to take a look at your stress load, especially around mealtime.
Here are a few ways to promote better digestion:
Avoid distractions (TV, phones, laptop, working through lunch etc.) and focus on the meal in front of you.
Avoid eating on the go, sit down at a table.
Remember to eat slowly. Set your fork down in-between bites.
Take 5 deep breaths to help relax you before eating.
Focus on chewing! When we chew our food, it is broken down into small pieces so that when food enters the stomach, Hydrochloric acid (HCl) and digestive enzymes can do their job and help us to adequately digest and absorb nutrition from the foods we eat. Chewing also helps food mix with saliva which contains salivary amylase, an enzyme that helps break down carbohydrates. A helpful tip is to chew your food to applesauce consistency or chew each bite 30 times before swallowing.
Diet
Increase plant diversity in your diet!
Studies show that people who consume 30 plants per week have a more robust gut microbiome! The gut microbiome is a community of bacteria, fungi, yeast and other microbes that live in the digestive tract. These microbes play an essential role in maintaining our overall health and wellbeing. The gut microbiome helps regulate digestion, immune function, inflammation, nutrient absorption, maintain the integrity of our gut lining, supports a healthy metabolism and more.
Prebiotics and Probiotics: Incorporating foods that contain prebiotics and probiotics helps support our microbiome and overall gut health.
Probiotics are live organisms that provide us with health benefits. Probiotics are found in fermented foods like sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir, miso, tempeh, kimchi, and kombucha.
Prebiotics help to feed probiotics. Prebiotics are found in green bananas, oats, apples, onions, garlic, leeks, cherries, kiwis, carrots, lentils, and flax.
Remove or limit exposure to gut irritants.
Processed foods, toxin exposure, alcoholic beverages and excess caffeine intake are all known to cause irritation in the gut. In some cases, eating foods we are sensitive can also play a role in gut inflammation. For the most part, we want to focus on foods we can ADD to the diet to improve our health. However, for certain individuals, food sensitivities can contribute to inflammation and therefore gut related symptoms. Common foods that may cause problems for some people include gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, corn, and eggs. Trialing an elimination diet can be helpful in determining food sensitivities. I recommend working with a practitioner when trialing an elimination diet.
Manage stress
Stress is normalized in our modern-day world. We tend to glorify hard work and burnout and minimize the importance of rest and relaxation. Chronic stress can have detrimental effects on overall health - especially gut health. As mentioned above, stress can impact digestion. It can also contribute to Increased Intestinal Permeability or "leaky gut" which has been associated with low grade inflammation, autoimmunity, anxiety and depression. If we want to heal the gut, we need to look at our stress load.
Physical stressors like over exercising, lack of sleep, and a diet high in processed foods can be managed by making better lifestyle choices:
Sleep:
Get early morning sun exposure. Avoid blue light exposure 1-2 hours before bedtime.
Wake up and go to bed at the same time every day, even on weekends.
Limit caffeine intake and avoid caffeine later in the day.
Create a consistent bedtime routine that signals your body that it is time for sleep.
Physical Stress
Avoid or limit strenuous exercise.
Try to incorporate strength training a few times per week.
Choose low impact exercises like walking, yoga, or Pilates.
Avoid or limit processed foods
Consume foods in their most natural form.
Choose organic produce and grass fed or pasture raised meat and poultry.
There are many different ways we can work on improving our gut health. In some instances, simple changes like tweaking our diet and making better lifestyle choices can lead to improved digestion and reduced gut symptoms. For others, a more comprehensive evaluation may be needed to look for bacterial overgrowth, poor digestive capacity or hidden infections. Consider working with a functional medicine or functional nutrition practitioner to identify and address the root cause of your symptoms and for a happy healthy gut!
Disclaimer: The content of this blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet, lifestyle, or treatment plan.
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