Lets delve into the fascinating world of gut health. We’ll explore the intricate journey of digestion, unravel the powerful gut-brain connection, and uncover the gut’s vital roles beyond digestion, including hormone production and immune support. We’ll also dive deep into common gut conditions like IBS and Crohns, offering insights into causes, symptoms, and management strategies.
- Digestion 101, from your plate to pan.
- Gut feelings, the powerful gut-brain connection
- Beyond digestion, the guts hidden role in health
- When things go wrong, understanding your conditions
1.Digestion 101, from your plate to the pan
Your digestive system is effectively a tube that runs from your mouth to your anus, this is known as your allimentary canal. It has many twists and turns along the way. Each different part has a different ecosystem and conditions, with a different role to play. Our digestive lining provides a barrier between this external environment and the body, and when it works correctly we can choose what substances pass that barrier and which don’t.
Extraction of nutrients
Digestive enzymes are substances that we produce to help us break down our food. Different enzymes have a different role, for example lactase enzymes break down lactose (or dairy products). We begin to digest food in the mouth, which is why it is so important to chew your food.
The food then travels down our oesophagus and into the stomach. Here it mixes with chyme and is mixed and rotated by muscular contractions in the stomach walls. Think about it like a big washing machine and it’s role it to break up the food into smaller particles.
From here it heads into your small intestines where most of the nutrients from your food is absorbed, before continuing into the large intestine then into the colon and then excreted.
This total process can take up to 72 hours, and it takes a huge amount of energy. Up to 30% of the energy from the food you are eating is used up by digestion alone.
Improving digestion to increase nutrient absorption
Ensuring you have adequate digestive enzymes is key to improving the absorption of nutrients. Our body naturally produces these enzymes however there are things that we can do to encourage the production of these enzymes.
Have you ever walked past your favourite restaurant and your mouth begins to water at the fabulous smells emitting? These are your digestive enzymes, your stomach is also preparing for the food that is about to arrive. And when you prepare and cook food your body will be getting ready to eat and therefore process the food.
Unfortuntely in modern times we often are not involved in the preparation of food which can impact the digestion of food. Some medical procedures, including the removal of the gallbladder, which is the organ where our digestive enzymes are stored, can also affect how well you digest your food. Connecting with your food and the preparation will help, along with chewing your food well and, if needed, taking a broad spectrum digestive enzyme. My personal favourite is NutriAdvanced Similase, you can get 10% off at checkout by using code WHILL10.
To listen to this podcast episode 204 released on 3rd July click the link below
2. Gut feelings, the powerful gut brain connection
Trust your gut, it is a common phrase that we use to suggest the need to follow the physical feelings your body gives you when you are making the right, or the wrong decision.
Your gut brain connection – the vagus nerve
Your gut and brain are connected by the vagus nerve, a crucial communication pathway sending messages back and forth. Surprisingly, around 70% of these signals travel from your gut to your brain, reinforcing the old saying “trust your gut.” This connection highlights how deeply our gut health influences our brain and overall well-being.
Neurotransmitters produced in the gut
Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in the nervous system. They travel around the body and influence mood, muscle movement, heart rate, and many other functions.
Many of these neurotransmitters are produced in the gut. The main ones are GABA, serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, acetylcholine and melatonin which also travel to the brain.
These particular hormones are key in regulating mood and cognition, further enforcing the connection between brain and our digestive system.
To listen to this podcast episode 205 released on 10th July click the link below
3. Beyond digestion: The gut’s hidden roles in health
It’s not just about digestion, there is a whole lot more to the roles of our gut. It’s key in hormone synthesis, our immune system and nervous balance.
How the gut contributes to hormone production and balance
Female hormone health relies on a delicate balance between oestrogen and progesterone. This balance ebs and flows throughout the month, and our life cycle. Progesterone is released by the egg, however oestrogen is reliant on the estrobolome. Which are a collection of bacteria in the gut which are key in the metabolisation to help modulate the body’s circulating oestrogen.
It is the bacteria in the gut that have a controlling influence on the levels of oestrogen in the body. Oestrogen is key for all females, but particularly in menopause. Gut health also plays an important role in the absorption of calcium which is key in bone protection in later life.
The immune system’s reliance on gut health.
Much of our immune system is located in the gut. This makes sense as pathogens are likely to enter the body through the mouth or nasal cavity, which both lead directly to the gut. We consider this to be our first line of defence, and having a healthy microbiome is vital for a healthy immune system.
Inflammation in the gut, whether caused by food or illnesses, significantly impacts the immune system’s ability to respond to viruses and other invasive substances. Maintaining gut health is crucial for a robust immune defence.
If you feel that your digestive system is not working as well as it could then it is worth seeking advice from a registered nutritional therapist who can help you create a personalised protocol to support improvements.
To listen to this podcast episode 206 released on 17th July click the link below
4. When things go wrong: Understanding gut conditions
IBS seems to have become a common diagnosis in recent years, however this is just a label that the medical community have given a group of digestive symptoms. You can have IBS with diarrohea and IBS with constipation, which are two very different things.
We know that the health of our digestive system is key in being able to absorb nutrients efficiently. It supports hormone and neurotransmitter synthesis and is the first line of our immune system. So being able to recognise symptoms and more importantly look after the health of our microbiome is key.
Types of digestive disorder
There are different kinds of digestive disorders that have an impact on our health and wellbeing.
- leaky gut – intestinal hyperpermiabliity is when the tight junctions in the stomach lining do not close, allowing larger particles through into the body causing inflammation and/or toxicity.
- gastroesophageal reflux disease – GORD – where acid from the stomach leaks up into the oesophagus. It can cause symptoms such as heartburn and an unpleasant taste in the back of the mouth.
- hiatus hernia – occurs when a portion of the stomach pushes up through the diaphragm into the chest cavity. It can be diagnosed through your healthcare practitioner.
- Crohns – is a type of IBD that is an autoimmune system issue. It causes severe inflammation in the digestive system and is extremely painful.
- Ulcerative Colitis – when the large intestine and colon become inflammed and ulcers form. It can be extremely painful.
- Diverticulitis or diverticular disease – is when small pockets form on the inside of the digestive lining. When inflamed particles of food can become lodges in them causing pain and discomfort, usually around the lower left part of the stomach.
Whilst surgery is needed for some of the more severe conditions, many can be modulated through improvements to diet and lifestyle. Simple changes can result in significant improvements.
Tips for improving gut health.
Now you know that the digestive system is so important to your health what are some things you can do to improve the health of your digestive system.
- Avoid additives and chemicals – we are talking UPF which I talk about in May’s podcast they are inflammatory to the gut and the body as a whole
- Rest between meals – it’s not just what you eat, Allowing 3-4 hours without food allows your digestive system time to do all the other things it needs to.
- Consider a microbiome test – really understand what your microbiome balance is and find out how to support it. A truly personalised approach.
- Probiotics and prebiotics are designed to repopulate and then feed the microbiome.
- Eat plenty of fibre – fresh fruits and vegetables plus whole grains are the cornerstone of a healthy gut microbiome.
- Get enough sleep – our digestive system repairs overnight and having enough sleep, particularly restorative sleep is key in gut system health
To listen to this podcast episode 207 released on 24th July click the link below
Did you enjoy the topic of these episodes, have you got any feedback or questions? Please reach out to me via my social media channels, I’d love to hear from you. And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so that you don’t miss an episode.
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Want to know more about ways to work with me?
There are many ways that you can work with me to balance your hormones and improve your health and wellbeing.
On Facebook the Fab Female Nutrition Club is a wonderful FREE community where I offer lots of support and advice on female health and wellbeing. I also love to cook and create recipes and I’ll often be seen in the group cooking live and sharing all the wonderful health benefits of the ingredients used.
My Fab Female Nutrition Membership sits alongside the free club, but offers you lots of resources and group coaching with me. The hub has the full recipe book that is constantly being updated, the 5 elements of health containing resources and guides to help support you in your health journey. And 6 group coaching calls a year, plus access to other member benefits such as discounts from group programs.
A few times a year I work with groups of ladies to transform their health and wellbeing. Appropriately called The Transformation Program it can help with many differing issues and we have had hugely impressive results – including up to 100% reduction in symptoms. If you suffer with IBS, fatigue, inflammation, hormonal imbalances or just want to spend some time concentrating on your health and wellbeing they are fabulous value and great fun.
If you feel like you need a more bespoke option, then my 1:1 coaching and testing is for you. We will concentrate on your specific needs creating nutritional protocols that support your health goals. We take a full health history, then tailor testing to help create and refine protocols so that you learn about your body and how to support it. I will be with you every step of the way to guide you and ensure that you realise your true health potential. Find out more here.