The gut is a fascinating part of the body and having a healthy gut is essential because it is connected to all the processes happening in your body. It’s main function, which most of us know about, is that it helps to digest and assimilate food. However, it also produces vitamins, regulates moods, regulates hormones, houses our immune response, excretes toxins and produces healing compounds to keep the body well. It is also seen as the second brain, because of how it impacts on our emotional health and on a very basic level we all feel the impact of eating badly and feeling sluggish as a result can affect our mood.
In order to perform all of these functions, the gut needs to be in good health. The gut houses many different types of bacteria and all of these need to be in balance for you to remain healthy. What also lives in the gut are bad bugs like parasites, yeasts and fungi. Too many of these bad bacteria and not enough of the good, like lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium could, over time, lead to serious consequences for your health.
Some Factors Which Can Adversely Affect Gut Bacteria
· Lack of sleep
· Chronic stress
· A diet full of sugar, bad fats (like vegetable oils) and processed foods
· Chronic illness
· Antibiotics
· Environmental pollution
· Chemical based skincare or household cleaning products
The gut regulates our immune system and its response, it also regulates our metabolism and energy, our fat storage, our moods and our hormones – so you can see how a healthy gut is so important! Good gut health has become a focus and scientists are constantly making new discoveries about the gut and its connection to good health. Imbalances in the gut have been linked to health issues such as;
· Autism
· Obesity
· Diabetes
· Hormonal imbalances
· Cancer
· Depression
· Anxiety
· Eczema
· Asthmas
· Seasonal allergies such as hay fever
This link between imbalanced gut bacteria and chronic illness keeps growing.
So how can we optimise our gut health?
· Eat whole, unprocessed and unrefined foods at least 75% of the time, the bacteria in your gut loves vegetables and plant-based foods. It also needs a good amount of fibre to work efficiently.
· Eat good fats daily, this is essential to decrease inflammation, balance hormones and good fats also give gut bacteria a chance to thrive
· Take supplements on a daily basis. This all helps to reduce inflammation, balance hormones, cleanse and replenish.
· Homeopathic remedies, are really useful to correct specific imbalances in the gut and resulting symptoms – contact me for more information
· Emotional causes can affect the gut, again homeopathy can be of major help here.
· Organic virgin coconut oil, an amazing anti-inflammatory, aids weight loss and gives you the most radiant skin.
· Remove vegetable oils from your diet, these are toxic and create inflammation in the body
· Include fermented foods in your diet like sauerkraut, kimchi and miso – they all contain a good number of probiotics.
All these very simple steps, when included in your daily routine will make a huge difference to your overall health.
With gratitude
