Conscious Gut Health – What You Need To Know

Posted on Feb 3, 2020 | 0 comments

I’ve shared this secret with you before!

It’s a good one, one that might unlock a whole lot of answers for you.

So let’s get down and dirty and talk about it again…

Current studies show an extensive network of neurons lining our guts that is so integral to our health and wellness has been nicknamed our “second brain”. It is known as the enteric nervous system and is the driving force behind your gut feelings, and basically every function of your body.

Our gut health has been closely linked in these studies to our immune systems, moods, mental health, autoimmune diseases, endocrine disorders, cancers, allergies, choices and skin conditions to name a few. Sounds important right?

What is Our Gut Health Responsible For?

Our gut health is what puts our body into working order. Our guts break down the foods we eat, then absorbs the nutrients so our body can produce energy, keep hormone balance, keep our skin and brain healthy, even help with toxin and waste elimination to protect us.

70% of our immune system is located in our guts. Ever heard of the book You Are What You Eat? It is one of my favorites and right on point with how important our gut health is, meaning we need to be conscious of how food effects our guts as we awaken. What we eat turns into our energy, is absorbed into our bodies becoming us, our skin, our hair etc. Make sense?

If we eat a ton of crisps and greasy cheap fast food all day every day, we are going to be sluggish and heavy from all the oils. If we eat salads, gorgeous vegetables and fruits, we will feel lighter and ready to take on the world. Try it, listen to your body when you eat these things and focus on how you feel after.

Our guts are filled with thousands of live microorganisms that keep us in balance called probiotics. These little things are what keep us balanced, healthy, making good choices and looking great.

How Do I Keep My Gut Health Balanced?

And here is where we get to the secret:

You, we, can control what goes into our guts! We can balance our own gut health by listening to our bodies. By being conscious and aware, we can help our guts, and ourselves, be as healthy and successful as possible.

Here is a list of 6 Things I Do To Keep My Gut Health Balanced.

6 Things I Do To Keep My Gut Health Balanced

Listen to my body. It speaks volumes when you slow down for a moment and check in with yourself. At the end of the day take 5 minutes to check in with yourself, thinking about how your belly is feeling, and if anything is off with yourself. Awareness is key.
Get enough sleep.Sleep is super important; you can read more about it here. Sleep is when your immune system kicks on. Considering more than 70% is in your gut, you need to sleep to let your gut get the immune system going to repair and balance your body.
Eat right, eat clean. Eating healthy is essential. The right foods produce good results, the wrong foods wreak havoc on our bodies both mentally and physically. Period. Memorize it, live by it, breath it. You are what you eat! Read more on clean eating here.
Include probiotics in my food. Here is what you need to know about Probiotics Anyone?! Please see it for a full list of healthy foods containing probiotics and why I choose to use natural probiotics vs lab made probiotics. However it is best for you, start including some probiotics in your diet as they will provide balance.
Lower my stress levels. We are only beginning to understand the effects of stress and anxiety on us. But isn’t one of the first signs of stress and anxiety an upset tummy?! Makes sense why now, doesn’t it? Exercise, talking with an inspirational loved one or friend, meditation/prayer and cleaning a space out all help to lower my stress levels so when I am experiencing anxiety, I try one of these.
Stay hydrated. I try to drink a LOT of water. We need it, another simple fact. Life is better when we drink lots of clean water!