A Healthy Digestive System affects way more than you think

Your gut, aka "inside your belly", has been proven to be your bodies literal "second brain". For years, the medical world has been trying to figure out what causes our moods to change and what causes common problems that most of us face like stress, anxiety, and even depression. These are common problems, and we know they are linked to serotonin, but did you know that 95% of serotonin isn't even produced in the brain? 

Serotonin is actually produced in the gut.

What we eat is directly related to our emotional health. Our gut consists of bacteria and we need those bacteria to have a healthy balance or the rest of us will not be balanced including our mood. Your gut and your brain work together, so if one is out of balance the other will be also. 

Have you ever had an upset stomach because your mind was stressed? Well, think about it, if it works one way it works both ways. There have been many scientific studies that have linked mood problems to gut problems and vice versa. 

Is your gut balanced with good bacteria? That is the recipe for a healthy gut and a healthy mood. The best way to make sure your body has healthy bacteria for your gut is to feed your gut healthy bacteria. Some symptoms of an unhealthy gut include gas, bloating, nausea, sugar cravings, and more. 

What you may not realise is that there are many seemingly unrelated health issues (often not recognised by doctors) that are linked to your gut health, such as:-

the cause of your weight gain, eczema, acne, arthritis, allergies, autoimmune disease, rashes, chronic fatigue, mood disorders, dementia, cancer, hormone imbalances and more. 

So having a healthy gut can mean a lot more than being free of bloating or heartburn! 

 It’s absolutely crucial to your health and is connected to everything that happens in your body. Treating the ‘gut’ is where you may need to start ‘fixing’ a health problem, it’s where I always start.

 Digestive disorders are extremely common and include irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, diarrhoea, heartburn, reflux, gas, plus more…..

 Having a healthy gut is absolutely essential if you want to achieve optimum health.

 Why is your gut is so important?   

 Your entire immune system is only protected from the outside world (toxins, viruses etc.) by a very thin and fragile lining – only one cell thick. If the delicate lining of the gut is damaged and the barrier penetrated, your immune system goes onto high alert to ‘fight’ these foreign particles, this is what can make you allergic to foods, easily sick and produces inflammation.

 Your gut also has an ecosystem of its own, with billions of essential bacteria that digest food, regulate hormones, remove toxins and produce vitamins to keep you healthy. If this ecosystem goes out of balance with too many of the wrong kind of bacteria, like parasites and yeasts, you may have what is known as dysbiosis.

 Your digestive system is sometimes referred to as your second brain it’s also created out of the same type of tissue and has more neurotransmitters than your brain. Messages constantly travel back and forth between your gut-brain and the brain in your head, any disruption to these messages will affect your health.

 Neuroscience shows promising research in an area called ‘brain-gut’ interaction. indicating that our ‘gut instinct’ is a physical reality based on an intricate system of feedback, originating in the digestive region. Chronic stress (and other negative emotions like anger, anxiety and sadness) can trigger symptoms and disease in your gut.

 As Harvard researchers explain: the connection works both ways, meaning that while stress can cause gut problems, gut problems can also wreak havoc on your emotions.

 If your gut is not eliminating efficiently and if you’re not very ‘regular’ then toxins produced by your body build up and as you can imagine it’s going to impact your health.

 You may be able to change your chronic symptoms, simply by fixing your digestion.

 9 Essential Questions To Help You Get Your Gut Healthy: 

1. Are you eating enough fibre? Like vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and whole grains.
2. Do you have any food sensitivities? These are usually caused by gluten, dairy, yeast, corn, soy and eggs.
3. Are there any irregularities in your gut? Wind, bloating, loose stools, discomfort, constipation-check for parasites, bacteria and yeast.
4. Have you had any antibiotics? You may need to repopulate your gut with good bacteria.
5. Do you need to boost your digestive enzymes? You may need digestive enzymes to convert food to what your body needs.
6. Do you need to rebalance your gut bacteria? Take probiotic supplements.
7. Do you have inflammation in your gut? You may need omega-3 to reduce any inflammation.
8. Has your gut lining been compromised? You can heal your gut lining using healing nutrients.
9. Are you often stressed or anxious?

Getting your digestion back to normal can be done and it’s essential if you want to achieve vibrant health. 

Is it possible that something like eczema starts in the gut?  Yes, if there is a leaky gut – when the one-cell lining has been compromised and food particles enter the blood stream, the body reacts as if it’s fighting foreign invaders. 

Possible solutions – take probiotics and glutamine to rebalance the ecosystem and heal the lining of the digestive system, this will prevent food particles from going where they shouldn’t. 

Probiotics can be in pill form, or you can get them right through your diet. Excellent sources of probiotics include kefir and fermented or cultured foods and beverages. 

 Keeping a healthy gut in check will help you to digest food properly, absorb vital nutrients, and maintain a healthy state of mind aka your mood. 

 What steps have you taken to fix your digestion? How have they worked? Work on the inner tube of your body using the steps above and watch as your symptoms stat to disappear.

As a Naturopath I can help you address your digestive issues that may be affecting the quality of your life, formulating a personalised treatment plan to suit each person depending on their needs. 

To get the support you need to manage your weight, hormones, skin, digestive issues, stress, anxiety or energy levels please contact [email protected]

You can make use of my Complimentary 15 minute phone call to get your questions answered.