GUT HEALTH BASICS

Gut health is complex, very complex, but you can see improvements just by checking off the basics below 👇

Sitting down, taking a breath, smelling your food.

The digestive process starts here.

Chew your food to a paste.

It’s going to be a lot harder on the digestive system trying to break down chunks of food over a paste. Inhaling/eating too quickly can lead to undigested food sitting in the digestive tract leading to gas and bloat.

Staying hydrated while limiting water around meals.

I typically recommend a minimum of 1/2 bodyweight in oz and more if you’re training. Being hydrated is crucial for all bodily functions, including digestion.

But keep in mind that too much fluid with a meal can dilute stomach acid and cause bloating.

Managing stress.

Simply put, when we are highly stressed/chronically in fight or flight mode, digesting food isn’t going to be a top priority for the body and digestion/motility can slow down.

We need to be tapping into the “rest & digest” to help optimize gut health.

Prioritizing quality sleep.

This ties into stress. Poor sleep = increased stress/cortisol = Slow digestion/motility.

Getting in enough fiber. (From whole sources).
There are so many benefits to fiber, but it’s essential for digestive health. Everyone’s sweet spot is different and how much they can tolerate varies. Keep in mind that too much fiber can cause issues as well. Typically, the 25-40g range is good for most people.

Addressing food intolerances.

If you’re consuming foods that you’re sensitive to, it can cause inflammation in the digestive tract.

This can be addressed through an elimination/ reintroduction process. I.e remove for a few weeks, then reintroduce and see if symptoms occur.

This is more complex and something I encourage you to seek help with.

As I mentioned at the beginning, gut health is complex and although these do need to be in place, sometimes it’s not enough as there may be underlying issues and further testing may be needed!