Top 5 successful ways to heal your overall gut health
Pc: Dianagrigoriian
Have you ever wondered why you just can’t seem to get rid of chronic bloating or stomache pains after a meal, no matter how hard you try? Why you have random digestive issues, fatigue and tiredness, trouble sleeping and nausea?
Well, these symptoms could all be clear signs that your gut microbiome is sending you, so you can understand and take care of it in healthier and more efficient ways. Our gut, is one of the most important things that we must work to maintain and keep healthy in order to fight off certain diseases, improve digestion, and our mental wellbeing,
This is why, many experts say “taking steps to heal your gut health, is the most important and best way to ensure lifelong health.” Such experts like Dr. Alejandro Junger in his best selling book ‘clean gut’ also explains that a clean and healthy gut is the key to eliminate all toxins within our bodies as the gut represents the root and source of our overall health & wellbeing. (quote)
Many other studies also show how our conventional approach to gut health may need to be altered in order to enhance our overall wellbeing.
Often, conventional medicine offers many successful remedies and advice however a lot of the times we find it is only a quick fix to our digestive issues. An holistic approach, proves just as effective in the long term as it is also important to remember that these practices may take time and a hard, consistent routine, in order to be most effective.
Adopting holistic routines with habits such as; improving diets to be healthy and balanced, eating the right foods, taking probiotics, exercising, cutting down on sugars, reducing stress levels by meditations and breathing exercises, will give you a gut that is both happy and healthy in the long - run.
Read on to find out more about how you can naturally heal an unhealthy gut with these simple, natural and easy practices.
Why is having a healthy gut important?
Maintaining a healthy gut is vital to absorbing foods so your body can take in all the good daily nutrients it needs.
According to many studies, the gut is also important to maintain in a good condition as it produces around 95% of serotonin which also effects the brain and other areas of our bodily functions.
Serotonin acts not only as a hormone, but also as a neurotransmitter carrying messages between nerve cells into our brain. This shows how crucial the state of our gut health truly is, not only towards our digestive system, but also to our overall performance, lifestyle and functional health.
Having an unhealthy gut causes a lot of upset symptoms, if left untreated for long periods of time it can also become enhanced and lead to many health risks and diseases such as; cardiovascular disease, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, certain cancers, IBS and diabetes.
Signs of an unhealthy gut
Bleeding
Bloating, constipation & diarrhea
Heartburn
General Pain
Nausea and vomiting
5 Natural ways to heal your overall gut health
Changing your diet: Incorporating foods that nourish the ‘good’ bacteria into your diet.
The first thing to tackle when faced with the symptoms of an unhealthy gut is to alter your diet, you may have just been eating too much of the wrong thing or too little of the right foods. However, understanding your dietary needs and altering what maybe isn’t working out for you is the first and arguably the most important step of healing your gut, so it can be happier and healthier.
So, you might now be asking: “well how can i do this?” —
You can by simply adding probiotics and prebiotics into your dietary plans and routines
Adding food that contains probiotics (foods that increase and restore the good and natural bacteria in your gut) can effectively help your gut gain back balance and health in no time. These are foods like; bananas, kefir, yogurts, watermelon, and nuts like almonds and walnuts.
You can also take prebiotics at the same time which is also known as microbiome therapy.
Prebiotics contain soluble fibers that simply help feed and strengthen probiotic bacteria. Therefore, they are really good for your digestive system as they also reduce inflammation and naturally decrease cholesterol levels. Prebiotics can be found in high fibre foods such as; apples, oats, garlic, onions, asparagus and artichokes.
You can also take certain prebiotic supplements, however it’s best to speak to a healthcare provider when doing so, as people who are prone to a weaker immune system and certain illnesses are advised not too.
2. Cutting down on artificial sugars and sweetners
Another great way to naturally heal your overall gut health is to reduce or at least take care and watch your sugar intake. As many of us know by now, sugar internally damages us and even when our taste buds crave those sweet and sugary flavours, our gut certainly doesn’t.
Experts say that many artificial sweetners that contain saccharin, sucralose and aspartame are damaging the walls of our intestines which destroy our ‘good’ bacterias in our gut, alot more than we think.
Cutting down on artificial sugars at least has many other benefits besides a much healthier gut. For example; our taste buds will get used to not having sugar or sweeteners and we will less likely crave sweets and sugary snacks of any kind.
As a result of this, our blood sugars will also stabilize which prevents artificial sugars increasing insulin resistance which commonly leads to diabetes.
Overall it is always a good idea to quit or at least reduce the amount of artificial sugars or sweeteners in your diet, successfully doing so will allow your gut to heal and thrive.
3. Avoiding taking antibiotics unnecessarily
They can be vital to recovering from health risks and diseases however, it is no hidden secret how antibiotics majorly disrupt and can damage the gut, not just for the short term, but also the long term too. Some long term effects are less known and talked about which is why it’s so important to take care of your gut after taking antibiotics or try to at least avoid taking them unnecessarily.
Antibiotics can cause imbalances in the gut microbiome so if you are taking them make sure to finish and complete the course of antibiotics, taking only when you should, look for better alternatives if possible and make sure to take extra care to revitalise the good bacterias in the gut, afterwards.
When taking care of the gut it’s also important to have what works better in the long term and what is healthier for your own body, in mind.
Sure, antibiotics are great when recovering and fighting off diseases. However, you have to ask yourself personally, are you looking for a quick fix that may cause an domino effect of issues? or a long term plan to fight and take care of the nasty toxins that may be in your body.
4. Reducing stress naturally
Pent up stress within the body can cause your stress hormones to fluctuate and cause all types of problems especially in your gut.
High stress levels can cause inflammation, disruption in the microbiome and much more that only causes further damage. It can be explained in a vicious cycle on how the state of your gut effects your stress hormones and this results in your stress hormones majorly effecting the state of your gut.
So you might be wondering what the solutions are and yes it’s as simple as working through your stress to manage and adapt to it.
Yet, its also complex as again Dr. Alejandro Junger says we must think of our guts as the roots of our health and gradually build it back up so it’s happy and that our stress hormones lower back down.
Therefore you may want to try activities that reduce your stress naturally such as meditation, controlling your sleep cycle, yoga and mindfulness, so you can control the state of your gut microbiome yourself.
5. Improving sleep cycle
Having a healthy and consistent sleep cycle is a major factor that determines the health of your gut.
As some studies explain, people that have an unhealthy gut are more prone for irregular sleep cycles and constant lack of sleep. The gut and brain are connected by the vagus nerve so it’s very important that you regulate your sleep accordingly, so your gut can receive the correct signals from the brain.
you can actively improve your sleeping cycle by; giving yourself a few extra hours to wind down in the evening so your body regulates and is used to the time you relax and go to sleep each night. Eat a few hours before bed so your body has time to digest your meals, and by avoiding screens or distractions before you go to sleep.
So, by following these 5 natural methods, you can improve your gut health and overall well-being. Remember, a healthy gut is the foundation of a healthy body and mind you aren’t just healing your gut and digestive system you are also healing your overall lifestyle, wellbeing and body.
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