I should have realized how powerful my gut was… as my “gut” instincts are almost always spot on. Even so, I doubt them often.
The first time I discussed my family’s gut health was when we were figuring out my then 4 year old son’s behavior issues and related food sensitivities in 2017. I remember being so confused when the pediatrician excitedly exclaimed “it is a gut issue!”
I soon learned everything seems to connect one way or another via the gut. For Jack, chemicals in food cause his gut to send messages to his brain ultimately resulting in inflammation. When he gets too much for too long, we see it in his behavior. For me, the inflammation hits my joints as an autoimmune response. I feel it in my body, but I also get brain fog and fatigue.
So for the past 4 years, I have learned, experimented and learned some more. I am happy to report that I am not the only one seeking to understand the relationship the gut and it’s microbiome play in our wellness. Medical experts are also intrigued and investigating!
THE WHO, WHAT AND WHERE OF IT
Gut generally means the place where our food is digested, metabolized, and absorbed. It includes the large intestine, colon, esophagus, stomach and small intestine. It is a critical part of our body and is most famous for breaking down and absorbing nutrients and removing waste. We now know that these two processes either support good our health and/or cause inflammation and disease.
We learn about all of these digestive body parts in school, but the most important part of the digestive system is likely the gut microbiome. This is made up of the billions of bacteria that live in our digestive tract. When balanced, we feel pretty good. Serotonin is produced, the immune system is supported, our brain is functioning well and we find it easy to maintain a healthy weight.
GUT SELF CARE
As great as it can be when our microbiome is in sync, it can be pretty bad when the individual’s microbiome is not balanced. We all have a formula for our microbiome based on age, genetics and other factors, and the effects of an imbalance may look different for each of us.
Back when people canned and grew their own food, gut health likely stayed pretty stable and microbiomes did their thing. However, now we have many more options of food prepared and grown by others with added chemicals to give them a longer shelf life, more color and flavor and to help them grow despite pests or other environmental challenges.
Additionally we have antibiotics. They save lives but cause major disruptions to the gut microbiome if left to work alone. Just as they kill disease causing bacteria, they kill our good bacteria, often resulting in months of gut microbiome rehabilitation. Most of us don’t even know that our bodies are struggling to recover.
Finally, not only can our gut affect how our brain and moods work, our brain and moods can cause disruption to the gut microbiome. Stress has been shown to cause bacterial overgrowth and reductions in good bacteria.
OFFERING SUPPORT
The good news is that we can support good gut health and reduce our intake of the things that cause disruption of our microbiome.
Here are some ways you can support good gut health:
Take prebiotics and probiotics via food or supplements (more to come in future posts)
Avoid processed foods containing man-made chemicals
Know you farmers and buy organic produce as much as possible
Grow your own food organically to avoid chemicals
The Learning Continues
In the last 4 years I have learned so much about the the gut. When we eat the things that cause disruption, we see it in how we interact with each other, and how we feel mentally and physically. It literally can make or break our relationships, vitality, and sanity.
For us, cutting chemicals out of our food and taking a daily pre and pro-biotic had an amazing impact on our entire family. There was a time when rage and yelling were a part of every day. I felt so helpless and hopeless. Not only did we deal with stress, anxiety, crazy moods and depression, but my autoimmune disease flared.
Since this is such a big part of our family's health and wellness journey, we will be sharing more ways to support good gut health here in the LooM! Be on the lookout for recipes and ways that we like to keep ourselves in check while also enjoying ourselves along the way!
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