How can Fixing your gut can Save your Life

​The gut, or gastrointestinal system, is an incredible gateway to optimal health. The gut microbiome is an ecosystem of organisms including bacteria, yeasts, fungi, viruses, and protozoan throughout the digestive tract. Far beyond just your digestive health, the following organ systems are also closely related to your gut health: Immune, endocrine, nervous, 

​circulatory, integumentary, respiratory and reproductive systems. Some of the major functions of the gut include:

• Digestion
• Immune response
• Nutrient absorption
• Hormone regulation
• Vitamin production
• Detoxification
• Mood management
• And many other

​Gut health in the United States is declining and costing people their lives due to its important roles as the first line of defense, second brain, and emotional center within our bodies. Unfortunately, most Americans are suffering from some sort of gut-related issue and are not being treated appropriately. 

Some of the health issues that can be traced to an unhealthy gut are digestive distress, respiratory problems, heartburn, rashes, water retention, constipation, acne, migraines, congestion, fatigue, irritability, depression, brain fog, and many others.

The current medical model has failed to recognize the impact gut health has on the entire body’s well-being. This epidemic can be reversed, however, with natural medicine principles, herbs, comprehensive diagnostic testing, and individualized care.

The gut is powerful, yet delicate. Many different factors inhibit the gut’s ability to maintain its bacterial balance, structural integrity, and absorptive qualities. A few of the most common enemies to gut health include:

• The Standard American Diet (SAD). A diet rich in sugar and chemicals and lacking in nutrients and fiber contributes to an unhealthy ecosystem within the gut.
• Excessive Medications. The over-prescription of antibiotics, steroids, anti-inflammatories, and acid-blocking drugs significantly disturb the gut’s microbial balance.
• Inadequate Digestive Enzyme Activity. Enough digestive enzymes are needed for the breaking down, absorption, and use of nutrients in our bodies. The absence of them can lead to a host of digestive problems.
• Toxic Exposure. Toxins found in our air, water, foods, and personal care products all damage the gut’s ability to function correctly.
• Infections. Infections are invasions of the body by pathogens such as bacteria, yeasts, viruses, fungi, parasites, or prions.
• Chronic Stress. The gut is vulnerable to stress-induced changes in many of its crucial functions such as absorption, digestion, and bacterial normalcy.

While everyone’s dietary needs are incredibly different, there are general guidelines that everyone can benefit from adhering to. Unless you are aware of any specific nutritional needs or your doctor has advised otherwise, the ideal diet for someone looking to prevent gut imbalances, heal from gut dysfunction, and reverse gut damage includes eating:

• Whole, unprocessed, unrefined foods
• Plant-based fiber
• Plenty of fruits and vegetables
• Beans and legumes (soaked overnight before cooked)
• Whole grains soaked overnight, (if allergic to gluten eat non-glutenous grains only)

• Nuts and seeds
• Non-dairy fermented foods
• Dairy Substitutes (almond milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, rice milk)
• Organic, Lean and Clean Animal Protein – in moderation (beef, lamb, organic chicken, fresh fish)
• High-Quality Oils (coconut, avocado, cold-pressed olive)
• Herbal Teas
• Sweetener Alternatives in Moderation (honey, blackstrap molasses, brown rice syrup)
• Spices

Try to eat organic as much as possible.

To determine what you are allergic to or is currently causing you gut problems, it is recommended to follow through with an elimination diet. Elimination diets are incredible diagnostic tools to determine food irritants, sensitivities, and allergies that are contributing to a compromised gut. 

An elimination diet is administered in a way that removes common food irritants that could be sabotaging your health. The foods to eliminate from your diet include:

• Dairy
• Gluten
• Soy
• Corn
• Eggs
• Refined Sugar
• Peanuts
• Red Meat
• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Hydrogenated Oils
• Packaged/processed foods 

​This exclusion lasts at least 21 days to allow time for the adverse food-related immune reactions to disappear. Once you have waited the proper amount of time, you will begin to reintroduce each food group individually while paying close attention to how each food makes you feel. If any food starts to bother you, remove it again, and continue reintroducing the remaining food groups. 

​If you have gut issues or have developed food sensitivities, I will also recommend working on restoring the lining of your gut with the help of herbs. Especially in the form of teas. I will be speaking of these herbs next week, so stay tuned.

Until next week
Toni