Here’s To Your
Gut Health
By Stacie Rose
C hances are people have been telling
you for years to “listen to your
heart.” It’s a soulful sentiment but,
what about your gut? You may also have been told
or have been encouraged by others to "trust your
gut,” notably less poetic than anything having to do
with the heart. How often do we actually trust our
guts or nurture our innards or even think before
we eat or react?
So many catch phrases refer to the guts. Guts
and glory. They got me right in the gut. I felt gutted.
Gut instinct. To spill one’s guts. Gut response. Gut
feeling. Blood and guts. The list goes on. When one
utters the word “guts” it’s a visceral thing. Despite
the weight of the topic, gut health often gets tragically
overlooked when it comes to our well-being.
There has been significant research to suggest
that our overall sense of well being has a lot to do
with the health of our guts. Let’s break it down a
bit. That’s what is supposed to happen in our tummies
after all. We have tons of bacteria in our system,
both good and bad. This is actually a positive
thing. We need both for balance. Bacteria make up
our microbiome. Our micro-what? You might be
saying. Microbiome is the new black! Well, that may
be a bit of a stretch, but it is certainly one of the
new medical buzzwords, and for good reason. Microbiome
basically refers to the complex ecosystem
inside your gut. It’s a magical thing. But can turn
into a tragical thing if you do not pay mind to what’s
happening.
For the most part, you are the custodian of your
microbiome. How’s that for poetry? It is up to you
to eat the foods that make you feel good and eliminate
the ones that make you feel lousy. Here’s
where “trusting your gut” comes in. If you are eating
gluten and feeling lethargic and bloated and
38 BC Health, Beauty & Fitness
awful, your gut may
not be appreciative
of that gluten.
In fact, it might be
pleading with you
to lay off the
stuff. There are
many foods that
are quite inflammatory
like vegetable
oils, refined
carbs, added sugars,
trans fat, etc.
I’ll distill this. Sugar, white
flour, fried foods, highly processed
foods, dairy, alcohol and too many refined
carbs can actually be making you sick. These
foods could very well be affecting your complexion,
your composure, your sleep and just about everything
else. It’s serious business.
On the other hand, there are amazing edibles
that can contribute to a greater sense of well-being
all starting in your gut. Veggies, fruits (especially
berries and citrus), sea vegetables, green tea,
turmeric, ginger, probiotics, fish oil, coconut oil,
legumes and fermented foods. The list goes on.
There are so many ways to improve gut health
where food and supplements are concerned.
If you knew that poor gut health could contribute
to some of the worst health issues, wouldn’t
you take your gut more seriously? Of
course you would. Today is
great time to start.
But, there’s another
very weighty component
here. That’s the
philosophical, metaphorical