Well, having just finished up another successful batch of home brewed kombucha, I felt inspired to sit down and write this post about gut health. The topic of gut health is gaining interest and momentum as an important factor in a persons overall health and wellbeing. And there’s a reason why! A healthy gut maximizes the absorption of nutrients into your body while effectively fighting off harmful toxins from entering the blood stream. It is not only beneficial to healthy digestion, but also has been shown to balance hormone levels, promote healthy cholesterol levels, improve mood, reduce stress, boost energy levels, help prevent yeast infections, promote urinary tract health, reduce appetite & weight gain as well as prevent bloating, indigestion and heartburn, to list a few. Additionally, the majority of our immune cells reside in the gut, therefore a healthy gut is essential in fighting off infection and illness.

So how does this work?

The communities of microorganisms in your gut (the gut flora) are mostly made up of bacteria- trillions of bacteria actually, both good and bad. This bacteria is concentrated mostly in the colon (the large intestine). What happens in the intestines largely depends on the balance and diversity of the bacteria. Think of the good bacteria as an army fighting against the bad bacteria. There is power in both numbers and diversity e.g. having a range of soldiers/weapons for different battle needs. When the army of good bacteria overpowers the army of bad, the body is healthy. But when the bad overpowers the good, toxins get produced that can weaken the immune system, reduce the absorption of nutrients into the blood stream and damage the protective lining of the intestines that prevents toxins from entering the body. This can cause digestive issues, inflammation, leaky gut, yeast infections, skin conditions, weight gain, increased anxiety and depression and a lack of energy, motivation and strength.

So what causes this imbalance to occur?

An imbalance of bad bacteria can be caused by factors such as having a low fiber & highly processed diet, taking antibiotics (as unfortunately antibiotics do not have a moral compass, so kill both good and bad bacteria), consumption of preservatives, additives and other harmful chemicals in food or drinks. Also, bad bacteria in the gut loooove sugars- it is their food of choice. Particularly, the consumption of refined sugars and high fructose corn syrup can feed these little buggers, making the bad bacteria stronger and more armed in their war against the good bacteria. This also can lead to sugar cravings, making it difficult to stop eating sugar and therefore furthering the growth of bad bacteria. A vicious cycle. Basically, if the bacteria in your gut is sick, so are you. Ok, I know this is getting a little depressing so lets more on to a more positive note...

How can we enhance the environment of the gut to reduce the bad and increase the good? One interesting technique growing in popularity is stool transplants. That’s right- transferring another persons ‘healthy, full of good bacteria’ stool into your colon to enhance your own supply of good bacteria. Now, thankfully, that is not the only way to go about improving your gut health! Here’s some other ways:

1) Probiotic capsules

Probiotics contain live bacteria that can help add more of those good guys into your system. Note though that not all probiotics are effective. The bacteria may start out live however many die before even reaching your gut. If you are going to take them, research ones that have been shown to have a survivability rate- not just reaching the small intestine but also ones that can reach your colon where the majority of bacteria resides. Here are a couple of capsule brands I have found to have good survival rates:

Inner Health Plus (Australia)

Silver Fern Brand (United States)

2) Prebiotics (oligosaccharides)

Prebiotics are not as widely discussed as probiotics, however they play an essential role in enhancing gut health.

The small intestine is where most of the nutrient absorption and food digestion takes place (a small amount also occurs in the stomach). What reaches the large intestine is fluids and undigested foods. Prebiotics, or oligosaccharides are a type of non-digestible fiber. The fact that they cannot be digested in the small intestine plays an important role in gut health as it means they are able to reach the colon and get to work. And what do they do? Ultimately they act as food for the probiotics. When the good bacteria feed on prebiotics they can grow and increase in strength. They are a wonderful fertilizer for your good bacteria. Here’s a list of some of the foods high in prebiotic fiber:

Raw chicory root

Wheat germ

Whole grains and legumes

Root vegetables

Bran

Acacia gum (Can dissolve in water and drink)

Dandelion greens

Garlic

Onions & leeks

Jerusalem artichoke

Apple skin

Seaweed

Flax seeds

3) Adjust your diet

- Pay attention to the food you are buying by reading labels. Avoid foods that have been over processed or contain harmful chemicals and additives and instead add in more plants and wholesome clean, fibrous foods as well as fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha and tempeh.

-As mentioned above, minimize intake of sugars, particularly refined sugars and products containing corn syrup (Which unfortunately is used in so many store bought products in the US- even in places you wouldn’t expect it, like bread, nuts, crackers and soup).

-Antibiotics are not only found in drugs to take when you are sick, they are also rampant in the conventional meat industry- animals are pumped with these antibiotics as well as growth hormones. Additionally toxic chemicals are often used in the processing and packaging of meat. I try to avoid meat in general because I feel healthier when I eat mostly plant-based meals. However if you choose meat as a regular part of your diet, I would encourage both reducing the quantity and avoiding non-organic meats.

-Eat a range of healthy nutrient rich foods of all different colors- your greens, reds, yellows etc to ensure a diversity of nutrients enter your body

4) Manage stress

Stress and gut health go hand in hand. Chronic stress can contribute to an unhealthy environment for your gut. An unhealthy gut can cause increased anxiety and stress… and so the wheel spins round and round. Stress really is inevitable when ‘adulting’, so telling you to never get stressed is not that helpful. But pay attention to how you are managing stress. If you are feeling tense, anxious or over-wired try to find a moment to close your eyes and take some deep breaths. Journal. Get some exercise. Even if you don’t have the time for a run or walk, maybe take a bathroom break and do some squats or star jumps/jumping jacks. Pray. Find someone to talk to. Sniff some lavender. Try to get enough sleep. Prioritize learning to be mindful of your stress levels and developing techniques of self care and stress management.

Above all, whatever steps you take on your journey to health, take them out of an awareness of your value and worth, having them rooted in love for yourself and your body.