Do not Neglect Your Gut Health

The gut, also known as the gastrointestinal tract, is a crucial part of the human body that plays a vital role in overall health and well-being. Here are some reasons why the gut is important:

Digestion:

The gut is responsible for breaking down the food we eat into nutrients that our body can use. The process of digestion begins in the mouth and continues in the stomach and intestines.

Absorption:

The gut is also responsible for absorbing the nutrients from the food we eat and delivering them to the rest of the body. This includes vitamins, minerals, and other important compounds.

Immune function:

The gut is home to trillions of bacteria, collectively known as the gut microbiota. These bacteria play an essential role in regulating the immune system and protecting the body against infection and disease.

Brain function:

The gut and the brain are connected through the gut-brain axis, which allows them to communicate with each other. This connection is essential for regulating mood, behavior, and cognitive function.

Hormone production:

The gut also produces several hormones, including ghrelin and leptin, which play a role in regulating appetite and metabolism.

In summary, the gut is essential for many aspects of our health, including digestion, nutrient absorption, immune function, brain function, and hormone production. Maintaining a healthy gut through proper nutrition, exercise, and stress management can help promote overall health and well-being.

Leaky Gut: Intestinal Hyperpermeability

Presents as bloating, food sensitivities, thyroid conditions, fatigue, joint pain, headaches, skin issues, digestive problems and weight gain.

Leaky gut syndrome is a condition where undigested proteins like gluten, toxins and microbes can pass into the bloodstream. It is also known as intestinal hyperpermeability, where the tight junctions that are the gateway between the intestinal wall and bloodstream are compromised, allowing undigested particles to pass through the intestinal wall.

If leaky gut is not healed, it can lead to food sensitivities, allergies, asthma, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, skin issues like eczema, hypothyroidism, adrenal fatigue, depression, anxiety, ADHD, migraine headaches, nutrient malabsorption and a variety of autoimmune diseases.

What causes bad gut health?

Poor diet: especially a diet that includes allergens and inflammatory foods such as un-sprouted grains, added sugar, GMOs, refined oils, synthetic food additives and conventional A1 casein dairy products.
Chronic stress
Toxin overload: including antibiotics, steroids, pesticides, tap water, aspirin and NSAIDS.
Bacterial imbalance: Gut microbiota are important in supporting the epithelial barrier and preventing autoimmune reactions
Smoking and alcohol

What are the risk factors of a bad gut?

A unhealthy gut is not supported, it can lead to food sensitivities, allergies, asthma, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, skin issues like eczema, hypothyroidism, adrenal fatigue, depression, anxiety, ADHD, migraine headaches, nutrient malabsorption and a variety of autoimmune diseases.

How to support your gut health?

Maintaining a healthy gut is essential for overall health and well-being. Here are some ways you can support your gut health:

Eat a healthy diet: Eating a diet rich in whole, nutrient-dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats can help promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria.

Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of water can help keep your digestive system functioning properly and prevent constipation.

Exercise regularly: Regular exercise can help reduce inflammation in the body and promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria.

Manage stress: Chronic stress can disrupt the balance of healthy gut bacteria and increase inflammation in the gut. Finding healthy ways to manage stress, such as yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises, can help support your gut health.

Get enough sleep: Sleep plays an important role in regulating the immune system and promoting the growth of healthy gut bacteria. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

Avoid unhealthy habits: Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, as these can disrupt the balance of healthy gut bacteria and contribute to inflammation in the gut.

Consider probiotics and prebiotics: Probiotics are live bacteria that can help promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria, while prebiotics are fibers that feed the healthy bacteria in your gut. Consider adding probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut, and prebiotic-rich foods like garlic, onions, and asparagus to your diet, or taking a probiotic or prebiotic supplement.

Liver & Gut

The liver and gut are closely related as they work together to process and eliminate toxins from the body.

The liver plays a critical role in detoxification by filtering and breaking down toxins that enter the bloodstream from the gut. The liver metabolizes these toxins into forms that can be excreted through the urine or feces, effectively removing them from the body.

The gut also plays a crucial role in the detoxification process. The gut microbiome, which is made up of trillions of bacteria that live in the digestive tract, plays a key role in breaking down and eliminating toxins from the body.

In addition, the gut and liver communicate through the portal vein, which carries blood from the digestive organs to the liver. This allows the liver to monitor and regulate the levels of nutrients, hormones, and other substances in the bloodstream.

When the gut is unhealthy, it can lead to an imbalance of gut bacteria and a buildup of toxins in the body. This can put extra strain on the liver, which can lead to liver damage and disease over time.

Conversely, when the liver is not functioning properly, it can lead to a buildup of toxins in the body, which can contribute to gut inflammation and other gut-related issues.

Therefore, maintaining a healthy gut and liver is important for overall health and well-being. Eating a healthy diet rich in whole, nutrient-dense foods, exercising regularly, managing stress, and avoiding unhealthy habits like smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can all help support gut and liver health.

Acne & Gut Health and Omega 3’s

Non Cystic Acne has been linked to gut health issues. It is important to ensure that you manage your gut health as irrespective of your skincare routine you will have a breakout. It is also linked to vitamin A & D deficiencies.

Cod liver oil is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as vitamins A and D. These nutrients have been shown to have a number of health benefits, including supporting gut health as well as supporting non cystic acne.

Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help support overall gut health. In addition, omega-3s have been shown to support the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, which can help maintain a healthy gut microbiome.

Vitamin A is also important for gut health, as it helps support the health and function of the intestinal epithelial cells that line the gut. These cells play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of the gut lining and preventing the leakage of harmful substances into the bloodstream

Vitamin D has been shown to have immunomodulatory effects, meaning it can help regulate the immune system and reduce inflammation in the gut. In addition, vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a number of gut-related disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease.

Stress & Gut Correlation

Stress can have a significant impact on gut health. When we experience stress, the body responds by releasing a hormone called cortisol, which can affect digestion and the balance of bacteria in the gut.

Stress can cause a number of digestive issues, including:

Abdominal pain and cramping
Diarrhea or constipation
Nausea or vomiting
Loss of appetite or overeating

In addition, chronic stress has been linked to an increased risk of gut-related disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Stress can also disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut. The gut microbiome plays an important role in digestion and the immune system, and an imbalance of bacteria can lead to inflammation and other health issues.

To support gut health and manage the impact of stress, it's important to practice stress-reducing techniques, such as: