Your gut is home to bazillions of bacterial cells, mainly the friendly little guys 😉 These are vital to keeping your body functioning and you healthy and well. These bacteria, along with fungi and viruses make up your gut microbiome. When there’s an imbalance in the gut and more harmful bacteria than friendly appear, dysbiosis can occur. This can mean your body is out of sync and can dramatically affect your energy levels, weight, skin and even your mental health. There’s a lot going on in the gut that when not managed well affects our everyday lives.
Do you have a happy gut?
A happy gut is all about balance. If the gut has been exposed to too many microbes there’s an increased risk of inflammation and disease. There are signs to look out for that your gut might be sending you an SOS and your gastrointestinal system is not functioning how it should be.
Watch out for:
- Bloating and wind
- Constipation and diarrhea
- Low energy
- Headaches
- Muscle pains
- Inability to focus
The Immune System partners with the Gut
70-80% of our immune system resides in our gut. It’s this beautiful, complex system and when it works well it sings! A healthy gut supports the development of immune cells and the immune response against pathogens. It is vital to keep the gut healthy to keep you healthy.
The Gut and Brain are talking
The gut and the brain are connected physically through millions of nerves. And they communicate. When you’re hungry and you think about food, your gut starts producing digestive enzymes before you’ve even pulled into the drive through. And it works both ways, the brain sends signals to the gut and you get emotional responses in your tummy like butterflies or when you feel sick at the thought of something or excitement – it’s your gut speaking.
The messages that are responsible for your mood are produced in your gut, that’s why digestive disorders, even mild inflammation in the gut can make you feel low.
How to support Gut Health
There’s two ways to keep your gut, and you, healthy and happy; prebiotics and probiotics. These will both increase friendly bacteria by feeding gut bacteria. They improve gut function and the immune system and keep inflammation to a minimum and aid digestion.
So, how do you get your hands on these magic-biotics? It’s Easy.
- Eat Prebiotic foods – these include onion, broccoli, garlic, asparagus, high fibre foods including whole grains, fruit and vegetables.
- Introduce Probiotics – find them in foods like natural yoghurt, miso, kombucha. Or take a supplement, a tablet or a powder that you can sprinkle into your morning juice.
The Power to Change
Making simple positive changes like including more fiber, taking a daily supplement, enjoying a natural yoghurt will all make improvements to your gut health. And pay attention to your body, it might be sending you a message that you need to change something. And you can, one step at a time!
