I am betting you did not realize most of your immune system lies within your gut! To be precise 75%. Not only does our gut determine our health but it also makes 2/3 of our happy brain chemicals. What does this mean? We can improve our overall health and mood plus much more just by healing our gut.
The immune system is the key to your total health status. Let’s unlock how to have control over our gut and health.
Many of the foods we put in our mouth are super inflammatory which over time erodes the lining of our intestine. Think of a screen. All those tiny holes let particles slip out and start a negative inflammatory cascade that damages our entire body. This damage leads to brain fog, poor sleep, fatigue, joint pains, bloating, abdominal pain, and in the long run many will develop serious medical conditions.
A healthy microbiome is a big part of the health of your GI system. When your biome is in good balance your digestion functions properly, it helps your immune system and heart health, prevents weight gain, decreases risk of diabetes and cancer, helps proper brain function and mood, and decreases abdominal symptoms and conditions such as IBS/IBD.
Practical ways to help your microbiome and gut health:
- Eat a diverse diet. We can all get stuck in a pattern of eating the same foods because it is easy. Try to have different colors of veggies and fruits each day. Make a new whole grain such as quinoa.
- FIBER!! This gives those good bacteria the fuel they need. Good sources of fiber are veggies, fruits, legumes, beans, oats, quinoa, and other whole grains. Add a good fiber supplement if you can’t get enough of these real sources.
- Fermented foods such as unsweetened yogurt and kefir or sauerkraut. These are amazing food for your good gut bacteria.
- Lower your stress- Nature is a great stress reliever. Take a quick 10-minute walk or just sit out in the sun, garden, listen to music. Whatever pause you need to reset.
- Polyphenols such as green tea, EVOO, whole grains
- Restful sleep habits that give you good zzz’s such as no caffeine past 2:00pm, a 1hr wind down with no screens, a cool dark sleep environment, and consistent bed and wake times. These are all good starting points.