Did you know that we are more bacteria than we are human? Those little critters outnumber us 10 to 1! Within 2 inches of your intestine, there is more bacteria than there are people in this world. We know! Mind Blown! Now you can understand how important having healthy gut bacteria is.
Often when we think of gut health we automatically think about digestion and whilst that is an integral part of having a healthy gut microbiome, it's not the only important function that bacteria plays. Over 80% of our immune system is located in our gut and over 70% of the serotonin in our body is made in the gut.
According to Dr Josh Axe "poor gut health contributes to leaky gut syndrome and autoimmune diseases and disorders like arthritis, dementia, heart disease, and cancer, while our health, fertility and longevity are also highly reliant on the balance of critters living within our guts." Our old mate Hippocrates also said "all disease begins in the gut". As you can see, our overall well being critically relies on us maintaining a strong, healthy & diverse gut microbiome so let's dive in and take a look at what can lead to us having a disrupted gut.
1. FOOD- Poor food choices, highly processed 'foods', excessive sugar, gluten, poor quality vegetable oils, artificial colours, flavours & preservatives.
2. ANTIBIOTICS & PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS- Antibiotics are at times absolutely necessary but the ongoing and inappropriate use of these bombs out both the good and bad bacteria and it's important to ensure we are repopulating the gut with good bacteria following this. Prescription medications, NSAID's (like neurofen etc), birth control pills, anti-depressants, asprin, painkillers etc all cause increased permeability of the gut lining also known as 'leaky gut'.
3. STRESS- Thi s also leads to leaky gut & over growth of bad bacteria.
4. TOXINS- These can be environmental toxins like pollutants, bleach, heavy metals etc, as well as things like the toxins in our personal care products (think aluminium in deodorant), mercury fillings, synthetic fragrances in perfumes, skin care, chlorinated water.
So that's the bad news BUT the good news is that our bodies have an innate ability to heal provided we give them the right foundations to do it. Avoiding the things mentioned above, reducing stress, getting good quality sleep, ensuring we are supporting our gut with good bacteria, and eating great food can start the journey to healing! Below are some of our favourite things to support gut health.
1. BONE BROTH- Broth is loaded with amino acids & collagen which are amazing for supporting gut health. We love the Meadow & Marrow brand if you don't want to make your own.
2. COLLAGEN POWDER- Collagen is the building blocks for our gut lining, hair, skin, nails & joints. Make sure you source your collagen from healthy free range animals. Our picks are Great Lakes Collagen and Dr Axe Multi Collagen Protein.
3. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY HERBS- Like ginger, garlic & turmeric that assist in decreasing any inflammation in the gut.
4. GOOD QUALITY FOOD- Lots of fresh fruit and veggies, free-range or organic meats, good quality fats like grass-fed butter, coconut oil, macadamia oil, olive oil, hemp seed oil, nuts & seeds & quality paleo-friendly products.
5. FERMENTED FOODS- Depending on the state of your gut, you may not be able to tolerate fermented foods until you do some gut-healing. Fermented foods are a fantastic way to introduce potent and diverse good bacteria into our gut microbiome and each type of fermented foods contains different strains of beneficial bacteria. Try things like organic coconut yoghurt, kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, beet kvass and plenty more.