When it comes to healing your gut, it's important to know and remember that all of our healing journeys are a process, they are all different, and they are all unique.
Healing your mind, body, and spirit takes work and it takes time. Know that everything is connected. It all has to do with what scientists call the gut-brain axis. The gut-brain axis is a two-way street. The brain can send signals to the gut but the gut can also send signals to your brain so taking care of your gut may also require you to take care of your physical and mental well-being.
The gut is one of our most overlooked organs, yet it is our most vital organ. That's why we're sharing 15 ways you can heal your gut this week:
1. Take a digestive enzyme complex
A great way to start your gut healing journey is by taking a digestive enzyme complex. The Confidence Co's enzymes work immediately, providing an extra boost to break down the food we eat. However, real progress doesn’t happen overnight. The goal is to improve your digestion by supporting a healthy inflammatory response and reducing gas and bloating.We recommend you take digestive enzymes with consistency.
2. Drink more water
Water makes up more than half of the human body, and therefore it plays crucial role in your overall health, including digestion. Water and other hydrating liquids help break down your food so that can absorb more nutrients from your food. Also, water softens your stool, which can help you stay regular and avoid constipation.
3. Add more omega-3s
Omega-3 fatty acids are loaded with protein, which will stabilize blood sugar, and keep you full. You can find them in mackerel, salmon, cod, oysters, and sardines. More benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids include:
- Fight autoimmune diseases
- Fight inflammation
- Reducer of ADHD in children
- Reducer of fat in your liver
- Improve joint & bone health
- Improve sleep
- Alleviate menstrual pain
- Keep your skin healthy & prevents premature aging
- Fight of depression and anxiety
4. Cut out food intolerances
A food intolerance diagnoses can be difficult because there are many mysterious ways your body can clash with a food. One known intolerance cause comes from trouble digesting a food in the first place. Reducing or avoiding the culprit food can help heal your gut. In some cases, you can “reset” your body’s reaction to trigger food by removing it from your diet and then slowly re-introducing it, but this new food tolerance can rely on limiting trigger food intake. When intolerance comes from a digestion problem, digestive enzymes can be taken when eating culprit foods to allow for normal food breakdown.
5. Nix the processed foods
Heavily processed foods typically contain too much sugar, sodium, fat, artificial flavors, or they have been chemically altered. These foods may taste better, but they can lead to a lot of health issues like obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Further, they are high in calories and can be addicting. To reduce the amount of processed foods you eat, try cooking more meals at home. Visit your local farmers market or local grocer to get whole foods and seasonal and fresh veggies and fruits.
6. Eat more foods that contain prebiotics
Prebiotics are a form of dietary fiber that feed the gut-friendly bacteria in your digestive system. To help heal your gut, try eating more foods that contain prebiotics like:
- Garlic
- Onions
- Leeks
- Asparagus
- Bananas
- Apples
- Flaxseeds
- Seaweed
7. Lower your sugar intake
More and more research suggests that consuming lots of sugar can lead to sadness, stress, and anxiety. Further, eating sugar causes inflammation, which is known to trigger depression. Diets high in sugar may kick your blood sugar and insulin levels out of whack. There’s a relationship between depression and a condition known as insulin resistance. In this condition, cells start ignoring insulin’s message to lower blood sugar. When that happens, the body must produce more and more insulin in order to get blood sugar down. So to heal your gut, it's best to reduce or completely cut out sugar.
8. Cut back on alcohol
Ingesting too much alcohol can prohibit the production of your natural digestive enzymes in your gut, which makes it more difficult to breakdown, digest, and absorb nutrients from your food. Additionally, alcohol causes inflammation in the gut, negatively impacting the lining of your gut. There is also a whole host of other health issues that arise when you drink alcohol in excess so do you best to keep your intake to a minimum.
9. Reduce your stress levels
The gut-brain axis is a two-way street. One of the ways the gut can send stressed-out messages to the brain is through the gut microbiota. This includes both good and bad bacteria. When these little organisms aren’t balanced, it can lead to feelings of stress. To heal your gut, try reducing stress in your life. Developing a meditation practice, even for five minutes a day, can help you center your thoughts, focus on your breath, and feel less stressed.
10. Go for a walk
Physically moving your body can play a big role in healing your gut. Try going for a walk in your neighborhood as it will activate your digestive system and improve bowel regularity.
11. Call a friend or family member
It may not seem obvious, but healing your gut involves more than just your physical health. You also need to check in with your overall well-being - mind, body, soul, and spirit. Try calling a loved one or friend that you haven't spoken to in a while or someone that always brings you joy. The phone call will fill your heart and soul.
12. Take a probiotic supplement
Probiotics help to balance the gut-friendly bacteria in your digestive system. According to Healthline, "probiotics include good bacteria. These are live microorganisms that can provide health benefits when consumed. These benefits are thought to result from the ability of probiotics to restore the natural balance of gut bacteria. An imbalance means there are too many bad bacteria and not enough good bacteria. It can happen due to illness, medication such as antibiotics, poor diet and more. Consequences can include digestive issues, allergies, mental health problems, obesity and more."
13. Read a book
Reading a book, ideally not on a screen, will put your body into a parasympathetic state. Your parasympathetic nervous system controls your bodily functions when you're in a restful state. These functions include stimulating digestion, activating metabolism, and helping your mind and body relax.
14. Eat a clean meal
Skip the restaurant and try cooking a clean meal at home with as little processed foods as possible. A gut-friendly meal looks like: 2/4 veggies, 1/4 protein, 1/4 whole grains or fruit. You can also try these healthy and gut-friendly recipes.
15. Try yoga or stretching
Practicing yoga, coupled with intentional breathing, can help calm you mind, and reduce stress or anxiety. The relaxing nature of a yoga practice sends a signal to your body and mind that it is time to slow down, which calms your nervous system. Plus, twisting poses can help to promote healthy digestion. If you're struggling with IBS symptoms, try these eight yoga postures to heal your gut.
In Closing
Healing your gut is an individual process that takes time. Remember to be patient with yourself and kind to yourself. One of the best ways you can train your gut to be healthy and happy is by regularly taking your Confidence digestive enzymes.