Podcast #7

Gut Health

All disease starts in the gut ~ Hippocrates

Your gut is the cornerstone of your health and overall immunity.

• The gut is known as our 2^nd brain
• Gut bacteria 10:1 from human cells

Why is our gut health so important?

• Gut bacteria assist in the breakdown of our food
• Without the right balance of bacteria, our digestion and assimilation is sub-optimal

All of this has powerful implications for the health and vitality:

• Immunity & protection from food allergies & intolerances
• Cognitive memory & brain health
• Natural detox pathways and so much more

Our gut acts as the frontline for our immune system and contains our amazing microbiome. What is our microbiome?

It Is the collection of microbes that live in and on the human body known as microbiota. Our microbiome refers to the complete set of genes within these microbes. These microbial genes significantly influential to how our body operates. We each have a unique microbiota and microbiome. The role of the microbiome is so central to the body’s operation that it actually acts as an organ. It impacts aging, digestion, immune system, mood and cognitive function. Research is also showing a huge relationship between the brain and the gut called the gut-brain axis. Our microbiota also interacts with our central nervous system to regulate our brain chemistry and mediates our stress response to things like anxiety & memory. We are first exposed to microbes during birth. This is why we see a difference in the gut health of those born vaginally vs. via c- section. Babies born via c- section are know being swabbed with mom’s vaginal bacteria to optimize babies all over health.

Gut bacteria is absolutely essential for proper digestion.

What does it mean to have a healthy digestive system and a healthy gut?

Your poop- How often do you go? Do you have discomfort-diarrhea, constipation, bloating, headaches, unusual cravings, or pain? These can be a response to stress or specific foods, so watch for and avoid triggers. Sometimes things might not be as noticeable but still signs of an underlying issue like a weakened immune system, trouble concentrating, mood swings or emotional upset.

Some of the common reasons that our gut health is off:

• Poor nutrition- eating more processed foods and less fresh or fermented foods
• Stress- mental, heavy metals and environmental toxins
• Modern medicine- over use of antibiotics, synthetic drugs, contraceptives, etc.

So, what do we do and where do we start?

Watch what we eat- read labels, cut out processed foods, add more fermented, raw and natural food choices. Since we know that by changing our gut health we can improve our immune & brain function, reduce feelings of sadness & anger, obesity, toxin levels in the body, fatigue, allergies, and more.

Here are some easy steps to improving it today:

• Probiotic-rich foods- kefir, sauerkraut, etc.
• Prebiotic-rich foods- garlic, onions, etc.
• Probiotic supplements- Life 9 from Young Living is amazing and works synergistically
• Cut out sugar & processed foods
• Enzymes- amylase, cellulose, lactase
• Digize essential oil- contains the blueprint for your enzymes
• Ningxia Red- fills in your nutritional gaps
• Digest & Cleanse- balances gut & supports healthy digestion
• Open windows-indoor air affects our microbiome
• Stress less- #1 cause of disease in our bodies 95% of the time
• Laugh more- improves gut flora
• Limit use of medications
• Exercise regularly
• Get enough sleep (7-8 hours recommended)
• Don’t be a clean freak
• Garden

What is one change you are going to make to improve your gut health?

Remember the 4 R’s: Remove, Repair, Restore & Replace.

All disease begins in the gut and so does your health!

Remember to be grateful & have faith!

God Bless!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Google Podcasts | Email | RSS