I was super into the arts and humanitarians in high school.
English. History. Psych. It was my jam.
But science? Anything math related? It was just NOT my jam. Except for Biology.
I was so fascinated by the ways our bodies worked and I related to it because it felt applicable to me — ya know, ‘cause I have a body.
So when I started learning more about nutrition in my journey to becoming a health coach, I became FASCINATED by the gut.
Gut health has become a super trendy topic as of late — you know, all those fancy yogurts and kombucha supporting that gut health all the wayyyy. Right?
But supporting our gut health is SO MUCH MORE than having a kombucha every day…(which for the record, I don’t recommend). And having a healthy gut is KEY to having a healthy body…and here’s why…
The gut is largely responsible for putting our body into working order.
As our food gets broken down, the microbiome (aka the bacteria in our gut) absorb the nutrients from the food which, in turn, supports things like hormone balance, mental health, healthy waste elimination (aka GOOD POOPS) & even skin health.
The craziest thing that totally blew my mind?
The gut and the brain are directly connected.
Which, in turn, means the food you’re ingesting and being absorbed by the gut impact your mental health/anxiety in profound ways.
How do you know if your gut needs some extra love? Here are some symptoms you may be experiencing…
Anxiety - Around 80% of serotonin, the neurotransmitter that impacts mood, sleep, social behavior etc is produced in the gut. So when the gut isn’t healthy, you’re getting less serotonin, which can negatively impact your mood.
IBS/ bowel movement issues — these have been directly linked to an imbalance of the microbiome
Exhaustion/Brain fog - this is also linked to lack of seratonin, as having lower levels of it can cause insomnia or trouble sleeping
Acne or skin issues — the main cause for acne/rashes is an imbalance in the gut
Cravings — if there’s an overgrowth of yeast in the system, you can crave more sugar
If you’re like AHHHHH I HAVE ALL OF THESE or even SOME of these, then GIRLFRIEND, you can do something about it right fucking now.
The microbiome in our gut can be reset in as little as 3 days. Isn’t that incredible? Which means with some mindful practices, we can take agency over our health, mind body and soul.
BEST WAYS TO SUPPORT GUT HEALTH
QUICK RESET & GUT OVERHAUL
I’m not a proponent for quick fixes in life. Especially when it comes to our health. But sometimes, our body needs a reset to be able to give us a healthy base to launch into new shifts.
And that’s why I love the 3 day refresh. A 3 day plant based gut detox which focuses on eating real foods & supporting your gut health through supplements.
I’ve rocked this particular program three times now (about once per year) and every time I do it, I’m astounded by my results. And this time was no exception.
I weighed myself out of sheer curiosity and I’m down 7.6 lbs (my husband who also rocked it alongside with me this time was down 7 lbs) and we both have maintained that loss a week later.
I’m feeling SO energized and refreshed in a way I haven’t felt in months — YASS GUT HEALTH.
WINS?
bloating GONE
slept better than I have in months
feeling so lean
brain alert and focused
poops are on point
eczema cleared up
SPEEDBUMPS
felt a little hungry the last night of the 3 days but tea helped
my energy was lower overall through the 3 days but it’s back tenfold
I am so glad I dove into this even when I felt like I didn’t “have the time” for it. And I’m so proud of my LYFYL wellness community for rocking it out too, especially my 2 gals who did it while traveling for work. MF ROCKSTARS and proof that you CAN put yourself first no matter what season of life you’re in. And if you’re looking for a quick way to shift your body’s composition, this is 100% what I would recommend.
EAT MORE VEGETABLES
Big ol’ duh, I know. But seriously, gut check yourself (ha, see what I did there?) and check in with how many vegetables a day you’re actually getting in. They are the best way to add more healthy nutrients in your day to support gut health.
EAT HIGH FIBER FOODS
Fiber doesn’t get digested in the body until it gets to the gut (which stimulates bacteria growth!) so it’s the healthiest thing you can ingest. Some of my favorite high fiber foods include: raspberries, broccoli, chickpeas, artichokes, lentils.
TAKE A PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENT
This can be a bit tricky because many probiotics on the market are actually not beneficial to your gut health at all because the casing they’re encapsulated in aren’t made to withstand the acidity in the stomach and break down before they even make it to the intestines (which is where they are needed to do their job!). I take my probiotic in form of powder in my daily smoothie because I know it has the correct casing (shoot me a message if you want more info!) so whatever you do, just be sure to do your research on which ones you can snag that will actually do the job intended!
And there you have it! GUT HEALTH FOR THE WIN.
Do you have any symptoms listed above? What has been your biggest struggle with gut health?
Let me know in the comments!
Xo Amanda