What are the key components of gut health? Remember to listen to your body as it leaves us clues.
The gut is the cornerstone of wellness. GI discomfort is often the primary issue or a secondary result of other problems within the body.
How do you know if your gut is out of balance? Your gut is most likely out of balance if you experience gas, bloating, belching, stomach pains or soreness, constipation, or diarrhea. There can be numerous other signs but these are the most common.
GI discomfort seems to grow as changes in our environment, stress, eating and drinking habits, food supply, medications all impact the function and strength of the gut.
Balancing and optimizing gut health can be achieved through the correct dietary protocols, nutraceuticals, and stress management.
Critical components of gut health are ensuring that
- We are putting real food in the body
- We have the appropriate enzymes to break the food into nutrients
- Our pH is balanced
- We have a sufficient amount of good bacteria
It’s not as difficult as it sounds, I promise.
First, to put real food in the body, focus on shopping the perimeter of the market. Here is a sample of what I eat. Green smoothie with plant protein for breakfast, lentil soup and GF crackers for lunch, and Clean, organic meats with a vegetable for dinner or large salad with boiled eggs.
Second, add a digestive enzyme to your diet and take it with each meal. Here is a general one that uses clean ingredients to use if you haven’t tested to determine what you need.
Third, you can determine your pH with 24 Hour (UA) Urinalysis which provides insights on 17 areas of your gut and overall health. As important we can see macronutrients you aren’t breaking down such as fats, carbs, proteins, or ALL the above! This is critical as you may be eating a healthy diet and you aren’t receiving the critical nutrients to heal and repair your body. Once we know which specific enzymes you need to support with, we can recommend a specific diet and supplement best for you. Learn more about the test here.
Last, add a probiotic that also contains a post-biotic and a prebiotic. The 24 UA testing will tell us your bowel toxicity but everyone can benefit. If you’ve been taking the same one for years, it’s time to switch! Your body needs a variety of good bacteria. A good Trebiotic can be a little more of an investment than you may be making but well worth it if you are ready for a positive transformation in your health.
Want more insights, take this 3-minute Health Quiz and we will respond with more specific recommendations.
