Gut Health

Most people don’t draw any kind of connection between their mind and their stomach, apart from listening to their body’s cues regarding hunger and fullness. In truth, the brain and the gut have a much stronger relationship than many realize. If you’ve ever felt the sensation of “butterflies in your stomach” or felt like you had a “gut feeling” about something, you’ve experienced the gut-brain connection firsthand.

The system of communication between the gut and the brain is referred to as the gut-brain axis. This connection suggests that the health of the brain may directly affect the health of the gut, and vice versa. The axis is made up of both biochemical and physical connections within the body, mostly related to the nervous system.

The Gut-Brain Axis and the Nervous System

The average person’s gut contains around 500 million neurons, which are directly connected to the brain by the nervous system. Several animal studies have shown a connection between stress and gastrointestinal issues, and human studies have also shown that those who suffer from conditions affecting the gut, such as Crohn’s disease or IBS, have reduced vagus nerve function.

Antibiotics are commonly prescribed for bacterial infections. When you take antibiotics, they work to treat the infection by killing off the bacteria or stopping the bacteria from reproducing. Unfortunately, while antibiotics help get rid of the infection-causing bacteria, they also kill off the good bacteria in your gut. 

Balancing Good and Bad Gut Bacteria

There are around 300 to 500 species of bacteria in your digestive system. Some of these gut bacteria are necessary for the function of your metabolism and digestive system and protect you from some infections and diseases. A healthy gut also contributes to the health of your heart, brain, and immune system while helping to regulate your mood and even your quality of sleep. 

You’ve likely heard that the health of your gut can impact your overall wellness, but did you know that gut health can also affect your ability to lose weight? It’s true — a healthy gut can support weight loss efforts, while poor gut health may be stopping you from shedding extra pounds. 

What’s the Connection Between Gut Health and Weight Loss?

Many factors connect gut health to your body’s ability to lose weight, including:

The health of your gut makes an impact on far more aspects of your life than you might think. Your mood, the quality of your sleep, and the health of your brain, heart, and immune system are all intertwined with your gut. So for those experiencing a leaky gut, the health ramifications can be significant. Thankfully, treatments designed to boost the health of the gut at Body Flow Wellness can help people with a leaky gut find relief. 

Defining a Leaky Gut

A leaky gut may also be called increased intestinal permeability. Awareness of this gut health concern has been increasing in recent years, but it remains a fairly mysterious condition among medical professionals. People with a leaky gut often have trouble receiving a diagnosis, making it even more difficult to achieve optimal gut health. 

Colon cleansing isn’t a new concept, and people have been doing a “colon cleanse” using various products for decades. However, colon cleansing procedures administered by a licensed medical professional can be very beneficial. Here’s how.

Colon cleansing increases the effectiveness of the digestive system.

When your colon is unhealthy, it will eventually lead to an unhealthy gut. All kinds of bacteria can get into your digestive system in this way. When the colon is cleansed and your microbiome is restored, your digestive system will work more effectively, reducing the risk of future problems.

Do you have a healthy gut? If you frequently have digestive or bowel issues, you may have some unhealthy bacteria in your gut. Like the bacteria that live on your skin, your gut should have healthy bacteria, but harmful bacteria can also enter into the mix. Most people have more bad gut bacteria which causes bloating and gas. And when that happens, you need to take measures to protect your gut health.

Probiotics

Probiotics are the best way to balance gut bacteria. Probiotics are available as supplements, or you can get them from Greek or fortified yogurt, as well as a other fermented food sources. Adding probiotics to your diet will balance the bacteria in your gut and improve digestion.

Constipation can happen for a number of reasons.. Constipation can be caused by anything from a change in diet to a new medication. Regardless of what is causing your constipation, you need to resolve it before it becomes a more serious blockage. Here are some natural ways to relieve constipation.

Increase fiber intake.

This is a good rule to follow even if your constipation isn’t frequent. Getting enough fiber in your diet can be difficult at times, especially when fresh fruits and vegetables are out of season. You can get fiber from whole grains like oats and granola, or you can get fiber from some protein sources like beans. Recommend 25-30 grams a day.  A good way to increase is to blend fruits & veggies in a smoothie. Juicing veggies extracts the fibrous pulp from the vegetables. 

Most people don’t realize that a healthy gut is vital to your overall health. A healthy gut has been linked to immune system performance, mental health, improvement of autoimmune disorders, diabetes, and even cancer. If you want to improve your overall health, improving your gut health is a good first step. Here are a few ways that you can do that.

Changing the Way You Eat

Your gut is impacted not just by what you eat, but how you eat. It is best to take small bites and chew slowly. The slower you eat your meals, the easier it will be for your gut to digest them fully. This can promote the absorption of nutrients while reducing gas and discomfort. Reducing the amount of sugar, high-fat, and processed foods can also improve gut health.