Gut health is not easily defined as there is no generally accepted diagnosis of what a healthy gut should look like.
This is because we are not dealing with a single species but rather a community of organisms living in and on the host.
The gut is made up of trillions of bacteria and microorganisms known as the gut microbiome and the number of different species and their relevant population vary from person to person, so a healthy gut is all about the right balance of bacteria for that particular individual.
Gut health is more about what isn’t rather than what is.
The absence of all the things that can go wrong with the human digestive system being the first thing to look at. First indication of a healthy gut is the lack of any digestive issues, is it functioning optimally in a metabolic sense, is it absorbing all nutrients effectively and is it symptom free.
The digestive tract is often referred to as our second brain and this is because about 70% - 80% of all nerves in the body run through the gut, therefore stress and emotions can cause Gut disorders, but gut disorders can also affect our brain – mood, depression etc
An unhealthy gut can cause more than just stomach pain, gas, bloating, diarrhoea or constipation. The gut contains around 60% - 80% of the immune system and therefore imbalances in the gut bacteria can be linked to hormonal imbalances, autoimmune disease, diabetes, chronic fatigue, mood swings, brain disorders, poor memory, ADD & ADHD and the list goes on and on....
All systems of the body are connected and a properly functioning digestive system is the corner stone to good health.
For me the first step towards a healthy gut would be a detox – ridding the body of toxic build up especially in the SI which is where our nutrients are absorbed.
To effectively detox the digestive system you do need to cut out all foods that can contribute to poor gut health.
While detoxing it is also very beneficial to consume foods like Aloe Vera in high quantities as it naturally clears out toxic build-up in the gut.
After detoxing it is advisable to stay away from inflammatory foods as much as possible and rather adjust your diet to healthy foods that support a healthy digestive system.
Foods such as fresh fruits & veg, easily digested grains like oats, quinoa & millet, healthy fats from avos, chai, flax & hemp all help to reduce inflammation & support the hormones which affect digestion.
It is also important to assist the good bacteria in your gut by eating probiotic foods such as kefir, sauerkraut & kombatcha daily or taking a high quality probiotic.
Good restful sleep is also important as it is while you sleep the digestive organs and in fact the whole body is replenished and restored.
Exercise is helpful as it can help massage the digestive organs and stimulate the lymphatic system which is the body’s own waste removal system.
So in order to have a healthy gut you need to be conscious of it on a daily basis, it is not a once off thing. Good clean eating, exercise and plenty of restful restorative sleep and you should be on your way to a healthy happy gut.
This is because we are not dealing with a single species but rather a community of organisms living in and on the host.
The gut is made up of trillions of bacteria and microorganisms known as the gut microbiome and the number of different species and their relevant population vary from person to person, so a healthy gut is all about the right balance of bacteria for that particular individual.
Gut health is more about what isn’t rather than what is.
The absence of all the things that can go wrong with the human digestive system being the first thing to look at. First indication of a healthy gut is the lack of any digestive issues, is it functioning optimally in a metabolic sense, is it absorbing all nutrients effectively and is it symptom free.
The digestive tract is often referred to as our second brain and this is because about 70% - 80% of all nerves in the body run through the gut, therefore stress and emotions can cause Gut disorders, but gut disorders can also affect our brain – mood, depression etc
An unhealthy gut can cause more than just stomach pain, gas, bloating, diarrhoea or constipation. The gut contains around 60% - 80% of the immune system and therefore imbalances in the gut bacteria can be linked to hormonal imbalances, autoimmune disease, diabetes, chronic fatigue, mood swings, brain disorders, poor memory, ADD & ADHD and the list goes on and on....
All systems of the body are connected and a properly functioning digestive system is the corner stone to good health.
For me the first step towards a healthy gut would be a detox – ridding the body of toxic build up especially in the SI which is where our nutrients are absorbed.
To effectively detox the digestive system you do need to cut out all foods that can contribute to poor gut health.
- Foods like gluten, sugar, eggs, yeast, dairy & all processed foods.
While detoxing it is also very beneficial to consume foods like Aloe Vera in high quantities as it naturally clears out toxic build-up in the gut.
After detoxing it is advisable to stay away from inflammatory foods as much as possible and rather adjust your diet to healthy foods that support a healthy digestive system.
Foods such as fresh fruits & veg, easily digested grains like oats, quinoa & millet, healthy fats from avos, chai, flax & hemp all help to reduce inflammation & support the hormones which affect digestion.
It is also important to assist the good bacteria in your gut by eating probiotic foods such as kefir, sauerkraut & kombatcha daily or taking a high quality probiotic.
Good restful sleep is also important as it is while you sleep the digestive organs and in fact the whole body is replenished and restored.
Exercise is helpful as it can help massage the digestive organs and stimulate the lymphatic system which is the body’s own waste removal system.
So in order to have a healthy gut you need to be conscious of it on a daily basis, it is not a once off thing. Good clean eating, exercise and plenty of restful restorative sleep and you should be on your way to a healthy happy gut.
