Why is your gut health important right now?

We are talking about the health of our digestive system at the minute. It seems like everyone on TV and the radio is talking about your gut but why?

Firstly what do we mean when we say your gut?  It is your whole digestive system, which includes mouth, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, small intestine, colon, and rectum. Much easier to say gut.

70% of your immune system is in your gut.

It makes sense when you think about it, most viruses enter through your mouth or nose and therefore have a quick route direct to your gut.  Your digestive immune system needs to be on high alert to deal with any dodgy food you might have eaten, or any viruses or infections that arrive there.

Serotonin is stored in your gut.

Serotonin is your happy hormone.  Up to 90% of your serotonin is stored in your gut, it then travels to your brain to make your happy! So we need to make sure your digestive system is working properly to keep you happy.

Now you know your gut is responsible for your immunity and your happiness.  These are two things that we are talking about a lot at the moment.  But what you really want to know is how to make sure it’s working properly. So here are my top tips:

Rest and Repair

Digesting and processing food is a difficult job, and our guts are a highly acidic environment.  It’s a like a muscle and if you overwork it and don’t give it time to rest it becomes damaged.  So make sure that you give it time to repair itself, this is done whilst you sleep. 

1. Make sure that you give your stomach a rest, ideally 12 hours without eating, remember that 8 of these you will be sleeping anyway. And remember that food includes sweets and milky drinks.
2. Constant eating, give your body time to digest each meal before adding to the load. Remove snacks and sweets from reach so that you don’t eat mindlessly.
3. Start the day right – put a glass of water on your bedside table each night and make it the first thing you drink in the morning.  This will help flush out any toxins and prepare you for the day ahead.

Toxins

We have good and bad bacteria in our guts, millions of them, and we need to feed the good ones and not the bad ones.  If you feel bloated and uncomfortable is it because you are eating foods that are feeding the bad bacteria not the good?

1. Processed Food – It is the job of the food industry to make processed foods taste good.  Always read the label and be wary of anything with a very long list of ingredients, or anything you don’t recognise. If it isn’t food then don’t eat it.
2. Sugar – this is the favourite food of our bad gut bacteria, so if you are feeling bloated it might be down to your sugar intake.  Also, did you know that we convert sugar to fat very quickly and store it round our middle.  So if your waistline is increasing check how much sugar you are eating. Don’t forget to check labels you might be surprised how much sugar is added to food without you realising
3. Gluten – Many people have an intolerance to gluten.  An intolerance is not the same as an allergy and if you feel you have an allergy you can get tested by the doctors .  Gluten is quite inflammatory and if you are already stressed and worried it could be adding to the load.  If you are unsure then cut it out for a few days and see if you notice and improvement.

Stress and being mindful

Stress in our biological past was triggered when we needed to react to a threat or danger.  We shut down our digestive system as we don’t need it and divert our energy elsewhere, such as our legs so we can run away from danger.  Our lives are constantly filled with small stressors which affect our digestive system. 

1. Chew your food – Take time out when eating. Be aware of what you are consuming, and take time to chew your food, digestion starts in the mouth. If you are feeling bloated and uncomfortable it could be due to how you are eating.
2. Take a walk to improve gut motility – if your digestion is not working properly you may not be visiting the bathroom as regularly as you should.  By stretching and taking a gentle walk you can get things moving efficiently again.
3. Cooking stimulates digestive juices – if you are not a good cook then try to be involved in the kitchen by chopping and stirring.  Our body prepares for food when it starts to see and smell it.  By getting involved in the kitchen you are telling your stomach to expect to be eating soon, this can hugely improve your digestion.

Even if you are feeling generally well and fit there can be times where you just feel a little out of balance. Paying some attention to your gut health can be beneficial for your overall feeling of health and wellbeing.  That is why I designed my Three Day Gut Reset program, it is quick and easy to do and is a great way to just reset and rebalance.  If you would like a free copy click here