Improving your gut health doesn’t necessarily mean taking the latest fancy, expensive probiotic or making drastic changes to your diet. While sometimes a gut healing protocol with therapeutic supplements is needed to bring your gut health back to balance, it isn’t always the case. Sometimes you can work on healing your gut by adding in a few habits or modifying some of the things you are already doing.
Simply put, bloating is just excess intestinal gas. The feeling can range from uncomfortable to pretty painful. It usually resolves on its own after a period of time after eating, but if you’ve got something going on with your digestion, it is probably coming back pretty regularly. Most of the time bloating happens because of some sort of dysfunction in the gut, but it can also happen when you have a food sensitivity or intolerance, or for women, around their menstrual cycle.
The key to starting your digestion off on the right note isn’t the latest and greatest superfood or supplement. It is chewing, also known as mastication, and it’s the first and maybe the most important step in the digestive process. The way you chew and how long your chew, can significantly impact your digestion and your health in general.
Constipation is SUPER common, but it isn’t normal. I was always told that a bowel movement every day isn’t that important, but once I learned about how digestion works and what the body’s objective is in pooping (removing waste and toxins from the body!) I realized that we really should be pooping every day, at least once a day and up to two or three times.
Collagen is one of the most abundant proteins in the human body and the amino acids that make it up are essential building blocks in supporting the integrity and structure of our skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, muscles, blood vessels, and teeth as well as the entire gastrointestinal tract lining. As we age, our body gradually produces less. It is pretty different for everyone, but genetics, stress level, diet, smoking, age, and sun exposure may all influence how much we are producing.
The health of your digestive tract isn’t just about the food and drink we are consuming. Digestion is one of the most important and resource-intensive processes our body goes through on a daily basis and requires a lot more than just eating the right foods. A lot of things have to be going right for our gut to be strong and functioning how it should.
Protein gets a bad rap these days. Some say we are generally eating too much protein and others will say that we are not eating enough. Considering how satiating protein is, I think it is pretty hard to overdo it. When it comes to my clients, I think many are generally not eating enough of this crucial macronutrient.
One of the easiest and BEST ways to improve your digestion and overall health is to consume fermented foods daily. I recommend eating fermented foods to all of my clients. Depending on what you’ve got going on digestively, you may have trouble with them at first. If this is the case for you, let’s work together to see what is going on and get you to a place where you can tolerate and enjoy these magical superfoods.
The practice of being mindful while eating allows us to pay attention not only to our food but ourselves. When we eat under stress, we are robbing our bodies of nourishment and the nutrients we need to thrive. I say this all the time, it isn't always about what we eat, but how we eat that can make a difference in your health.
We are in the middle of a global pandemic and a common theme among st my clients, friends and family is anxiety. And rightfully so! This is a tough time for everyone. We all cope with it in different ways, but there are some practices that we can do to help alleviate it and even potentially prevent it from happening. Many of these practices are also immune boosting which is a nice bonus in times like these! While this list isn’t exhaustive, I hope this resonates with you and you can take at least a few things away in these challenging times.
Meditate daily. Even if it is for just 5 minutes. Meditation is a habitual process of training your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts. You can use it to increase awareness of yourself and your surroundings. Having a regular practice can significantly control anxiety. If you want some structure or accountability to start a practice, try one of the many medication apps out there now. I like: Headspace, Calm and Insight Timer.
Practice breathing exercises. Your breath is one of the most effective, all natural anxiety management tools and it is free! Deliberate, mindful breathing in a slow and steady pattern can reduce the heart rate and activate your parasympathetic nervous system bringing a sense of calm to the mind and body.
My favorite breathing technique is called Box Breathing. Here is how it works: On the inhale, expand the belly, then the diaphragm, then the upper chest for a count of 5. Hold for 5 counts and then on the exhale, let the breath go first from the upper chest, then the ribcage, then the belly all within a count of 5. Hold for 5 counts before you inhale again. This is a great way to retrain your body to breathe deeply and eliminate an acute stress response.
Detox from unnecessary screen time and social media. While technology at our fingertips at all hours of the day has its benefits, it is definitely harmful to our mental health. Our brains were not wired to process the constant access to social media, news feeds and the constant stream of content. Checking social media or our inboxes activates the pleasure receptors in our brains (like the happy neurotransmitter dopamine), but that rush doesn’t last long. We are left feeling sad, empty and anxious. Consider a regular social media detox. Weekends can be great for this or try going for an extended period for even better results.
Connect in real life. This seems odd coming right after I tell you do do a social media and screen time detox, but even if you can’t physically touch others, you can still be in touch with them, see them in person or over a phone call or video chat. Genuine friendships and relationships with your family or people in your community are key to feeling grounded, connected and fulfilled. Don’t be afraid to talk to the people closest to you about how you are feeling. Sharing thoughts, stories, giving and receiving advice and encouragement can reduce anxiety and be so rewarding long after you finish the visit. You may find comfort in knowing that many people are going through similar experiences, feelings and thought processes.
Start a gratitude practice. Gratitude may be one of the most overlooked tools that we all have access to. It doesn’t cost money, it takes little time and it can have tremendous benefits. Not only is gratitude a super powerful and positive emotion, it is easy to manifest. Try writing down 3 things you are grateful for at the end of each day. Doing this can help turnaround negative thinking and reduce anxious feelings. It is also a great to drift off into restful sleep. There is a lot of conclusive research about the mental and physical health benefits of a gratitude practice including positive changes to mental, physical and psychological heath.
Spend time in nature. Spending intentional time in nature restores balance and a sense of grounding and calm to the body. It wakes up the senses and gets those neurotransmitters working to help support anxiety. Even if you don’t have access to regional or state parks or trails, you can visit local parks, try gardening or a meet up that spends time outside. Speaking of getting outside….
Move your body every day. Movement delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and help your heart and lungs work more efficiently providing you with more energy to go about your day. It also stimulates the neurotransmitters in our brain to help us feel happier and more relaxed. It can help to boost confidence and reduce stress and anxiety. Even if you can’t get to the gym every day, our bodies are meant to move. Even 20 to 30 minutes of walking can provide you with the physical and mental benefits. If you don’t love it and it isn’t easy to fit into your life, you likely won’t stick with it so find a way to move every day that not only works in your schedule and lifestyle, but that you enjoy doing.
Eat to nourish and support your gut. Gut health and anxiety are closely related through the gut-brain axis. Science on this topic is relatively new, but we do know that many of the bacteria in your gut make chemical messengers called neurotransmitters that regulate feelings of fear, anxiety, and stress. These neurotransmitters include serotonin, dopamine and GABA, all of which play a key role in anxiety and mood. It is estimated that 90% of these neurotransmitters are produced in our digestive tract. When your microbiome is out of balance, the production of these neurotransmitters may be affected, resulting in a tendency towards anxiety. While stool testing (I offer this!) is the gold standard in really determining what might be going on in the gut (i.e. dysbiosis/imbalanced flora, pathogens, viruses, and parasites), there are some ways you can better support your microbiome (and brain) without necessarily going that route.
Here are some great ways to nourish and support your gut:
Consume fermented foods and/or supplement with a probiotic. Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha, and kimchi are all probiotic-rich foods which have been shown to significantly lower levels of stress and anxiety. Aim to eat or drink something fermented 2–3 times per day as a condiment. Try my easy sauerkraut recipe to get started. If these foods just don’t sound appealing to you or you would like some additional probiotic support, a high quality probiotic supplement can be great too.
Consume plenty of fiber. Properly prepared grains, nuts, seeds fruits and vegetables all contain prebiotic fibers which feed the good bacteria that live in your gut. Not only will they support the good gut bugs allowing your body to make healthy amounts of neurotransmitters, they are also known to be supportive of your body’s stress response.
Consume polyphenol-rich foods like in-season berries, stone fruits, apples, beans, nuts, cocoa, green tea, extra virgin olive oil and coffee all contain polyphenols, which are plant chemicals that are digested by your gut bacteria. Polyphenols can help to increase the healthy gut bacteria which are supportive of neurotransmitters.
Consume Typtophan and Vitamin D rich foods which can support serotonin production. These foods include fatty fish like salmon and sardines, along with eggs, turkey, spinach, nuts and seeds, and fruits like pineapple.
Nourish the gut with bone broth and/or gelatin and collagen peptides. Bone broth is incredibly nourishing to the gut. The gelatin it contains can help to repair intestinal lining and reduce inflammation in the digestive tract improving the gut lining. When you can’t make it yourself and don’t have access to it, gelatin and collagen peptide products can be a nice substitute.
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Our immune systems are complicated and directly tied to diet and lifestyle factors like stress and sleep, given their relationship with our adrenal, digestive, and hormonal systems. Here are some easy strategies to support your immune function throughout this season both before you are sick and when you have already come down with something that don’t involve taking another supplement, and won’t break the bank!
Eat a nutrient-dense whole foods diet. Make sure to include multiple servings of colorful fruits and vegetables which can be great sources of prebiotic fiber that feed the healthy bacteria in our gut. Garlic, onions and leeks, asparagus, bananas, plantains, apples and seaweed are all great sources of prebiotic fiber. Aim to eat a variety of greens, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower), peppers, sweet potatoes, and squashes which are high in vitamins C, A, and phytonutrients that support the immune system. Aim for 2 servings of fruits and 8 or more servings of vegetables.
We can’t forget about mushrooms! Not exactly a fruit or a vegetable, mushrooms can provide a great natural, nutrition boost to improve your immunity, energy, and longevity. You can’t go wrong with any type of mushroom but some will give you more bang for your buck. Packed with antioxidants, Chaga mushrooms are one of the most potent immune boosters that we can consume. I love Four Sigmatic’s chaga elixer and their 10 Mushroom Blend. Turkey tail is strong immunity booster and is one of the most nourishing mushrooms for gut health. It’s also a powerful prebiotic which supports the microbiome by feeding the good bacteria in the gut which relates back to our immune system. Reishi and Cordyceps are also wonderful mushrooms with immune boosting properties. Cooking with medicinal mushrooms like shitake is also helpful.
While most Americans eat adequate amounts of protein, some do not such as the elderly and vegetarian/vegan populations. Protein is critical for immune function and protein malnutrition is a big risk factor for death from infections. A good rule of thumb is to eat a minimum of approximately half your body weight in grams of protein a day of organic, clean protein, or about two four-ounce servings. Animal proteins including seafood, contain abundant immune supportive vitamins including vitamin A, B6, B12, D and E and minerals like iron, copper, zinc and selenium. Plant-based proteins like organic tofu and tempeh contain the most plant-based protein but legumes, nuts and seeds will suffice if consumed in enough quantity.
Minimize refined sugars. According to a 1973 study by Loma Linda University, Eating or drinking too much sugar reduces the ability of your white blood cells to kill germs and bacteria (possibly up to 50%) for at least a few hours after you consume it. White blood cells need vitamin C to destroy bacteria and viruses and sugar impacts this process by competing with vitamin C for space in those cells. The more sugar in your system, the less you will uptake vitamin C into your white blood cells. Consuming sugar inhibits your body’s ability to fight off infection and keeps your immune system from doing its job. Try to eat mostly natural sugars in the form of fruits, vegetables and properly prepared grains and legumes. Consume natural sugars such as honey and maple syrup in moderation.
Drink bone broth and warm beverages. Broths have been used in traditional cuisines around the world for thousands of years. Properly prepared meat broths are extremely nutritious – containing minerals, electrolytes and gut healing gelatin from animal bones, cartilage, marrow and vegetables. Researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, found that the amino acids produced in the making of chicken bone broth reduced inflammation in the respiratory system and improved digestion. It is known to support normal immune system function (probably as a link to reduced inflammation in the gut) and reduce symptoms of allergies, asthma, and arthritis. Homemade is best, but Kettle and Fire makes an excellent shelf stable bone broth and Bonefide Provisions is distributed nationwide and can be found in the freezer section of some grocery stores. Teas with turmeric, ginger, mushrooms and other immune-boosting herbs are all great and make sure to drink plenty of water! Add a squeeze of lemon for an extra kick of vitamin C.
Eat fermented foods. Fermented foods go through a lactofermentation process where natural bacteria feed on the sugar in the food, creating lactic acid. The fermentation helps to preserve the food while creating beneficial enzymes, vitamins and various probiotic strains. Probiotics not only introduce beneficial bacteria into your digestive system and help the balance of flora, they are also known to support the immune system by secrete antibacterial peptides, capable of killing off harmful bacteria in the gut. They also help strengthen the barrier function of the intestinal lining, lowering the chance of bacteria in the intestines entering into the blood stream. This function may decrease infections and immune related reactions, therefore supporting the immune system. I like to eat my probiotics through eating foods like sauerkraut and kimchi, but a high quality grass fed or coconut milk yogurt can be helpful too as are fermented drinks such as kefir and kombucha (watch the sugar content).
Get outside / Move your body. Not only can getting some sun help to naturally boost your vitamin D levels which supports the immune system, but physical activity may help to flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways thereby reducing your chances of getting sick. Moderate exercise also causes more activity and circulation in antibodies and white blood cells which may allow them to detect illnesses earlier. Some anecdotal evidence shows that the brief rise in body temperature during and after exercise may prevent bacteria from growing or may help fight infection better (similar to how a fever works). Mild to moderate exercise or activity such as walking, yoga and light movement may be good for you when you are sick, but listen to your body and do not overdo it. Too much exercise and too extreme could actually cause more harm than good and can lower your immune defenses.
Minimize stress. Stress can create physiological stress in our bodies, lowering our immune defenses and making us more vulnerable to illness. Stress is known to lower our white blood cell’s ability to kill germs which may also inhibit your recovery. When you are feeling under the weather, aim to get plenty of sleep and try to take some time away from work and other daily stressors. Meditation, breath work, yoga taking a hot bath or a short walk may help to reduce stress and allow your body to heal faster. This is the time to catch up on your reading or podcast list or to veg out with your favorite Netflix show. I know that this is easier said than done, especially if you have a demanding job or are a parent, but your ability to rest will directly correlate to how quickly you are feeling better and back on your feet.
Get sufficient sleep. Sleep restores and heals the body and helps to keep our immune system strong. There are many studies that show that insufficient sleep weakens our immune response and makes us more susceptible to viruses and illness. Aim for seven to eight hours a night whenever possible.
Sources/Resources:
I recently wrote a blog post How to Naturally Support Digestive Function where I discussed natural ways to help support the start of your digestive process and your body’s stomach acid production. For some people, these strategies can be very helpful, but for those suffering from heartburn and/or acid reflux, we usually need to take a few steps back. Most people think that heartburn and acid reflux are “normal”. While these symptoms and conditions are typical, they are actually NOT normal and a functional nutritional therapist (like me!) can help you to heal your digestive tract and determine the proper supplementation to improve your hydrochloric acid production, overall gut health, and ensure that your symptoms resolve for good.
Let’s start from the beginning. Stomach acid (also known as hydrochloric acid or HCL) is a necessary part of the digestive process and not only allows us to digest our food properly, it is our body’s first line of defense against all kinds of pathogens.
There are many reasons why our bodies don’t produce the amount of stomach acid needed for optimal digestion. Age is definitely a factor, but other factors include alcohol consumption, a diet high in processed foods, nutritional deficiencies, and more. When stomach acid production is too low, the pyloric sphincter – the valve that releases the broken-down food from the stomach into the small intestine – doesn’t want to open. This leads to food sitting in the stomach for much longer than intended and if it sits too long, the stomach eventually sends the food back up the way it came, forcing its contents back up. Ironically, because the food has been sitting in stomach acid, it burns when it comes back up the esophagus.
In simple terms, heartburn is caused by too little stomach acid. This may be shocking to some as conventional wisdom has taught us that it is too much stomach acid that causes these symptoms. If you are taking acid blockers or proton pump inhibitors (PPI), you likely know that these medications lower the acidity in the stomach, so when the food starts to come back up, you don’t get the burning sensation. This doesn’t fix the problem or even the root cause of why it is happening, the acid blocker simply masks the symptoms of a bigger issue. The way to eliminate heartburn is to actually increase the amount of stomach acid produced by the stomach. This may seem radical, but it is true!
Whether or not you are taking a PPI to quell your symptoms, it is important to work with a practitioner to eliminate your heartburn or reflux before it becomes a bigger issue because. Low stomach acid is linked to many other problems and symptoms including nutritional deficiencies, food sensitivities, stomach pain, gas, bloating, constipation or diarrhea, parasites, or dysbiosis of the gut farther down the line. When stomach acid is too low, the body won’t be able to digest and utilize the nutrients in your food to its maximum ability – which leads to those nutritional deficiencies, overgrowth of harmful bacteria and inflammation, and “leaky gut” or intestinal permeability. Healing your gut and enabling your body to produce the stomach acid that it needs can truly improve your health.
Unfortunately, it isn’t as simple as just stopping the PPIs or taking HCL. You first need to heal your upper gastrointestinal tract with gut-healing nutrients and dietary changes, slowly wean off of the PPIs and then slowly bring back up your HCL in a safe manner with specific nutrients and supplements. Whether you are on a PPI and are looking to get off of it or are experiencing these symptoms regularly and want to get your digestion back on track I can help! Feel free to set up a FREE discovery call with me here.
If you are struggling with these symptoms, but are not currently on a PPI, here are three strategies to begin the healing process. Keep in mind, it still might be worthwhile to seek out help from a skilled practitioner.
Practice mindful eating. This includes eating in a calm, relaxed state. You’ll want to sit down, take some deep breaths before eating, chew your food well and slow WAY down.
Reduce the inflammation in your esophagus with healing foods and teas like slippery elm or Traditional Medicinals Throat Coat, bone broth, and pure aloe vera juice.
Track your food intake and reduce your triggers for some time to give your body a chance to heal. They may include spicy foods, acidic foods, refined sugars, chocolate, coffee, and alcohol.
Sources:
Why Stomach Acid Is Good For You by Jonathan Wright
Nutritional Therapy Association FNTP curriculum
A lot of factors influence the amount of stomach acid and digestive enzymes our bodies produce. As we grow older, our bodies naturally produce less stomach acid and digestive enzymes, but this is also a function of our diet and lifestyles as well. Digestion can become impaired due to a number of different issues including stress, excess sugar and alcohol consumption, nutritional deficiencies, or allergies and food sensitivities.
HCl is a critically important part of digestion. It is a gastric secretion originated in the stomach that enables the body to break down proteins (into amino acids to be used for neurotransmitters), activate important enzymes and hormones, and acts as the first line of defense against pathogens, parasites, and bacterial overgrowth in the gut. Given that HCl is such a critical part of the process at such an early stage, not having enough can really wreak havoc on the entire digestive chain.
You might be surprised to know that symptoms of low stomach acid include heartburn, indigestion and bloating. Conventional wisdom has led us to believe that these symptoms are caused by too much stomach acid and doctors commonly provide us with prescriptions for antacids, H-2 receptor blockers, and proton pump inhibitors all of which are designed to reduce or block stomach acid. Most of the time, people with these symptoms actually have low stomach acid, and not high. These drugs end up masking the problem instead of actually trying to help it and often make the problem even worse.
Other symptoms of low stomach acid and other digestive aids may include a desire to eat when not hungry, a sense of fullness after meals, flatulence, constipation and diarrhea. Our body also produces bile to break down fat, which originates in the gallbladder and other digestive enzymes which are produced by the pancreas. So how do we best support our bodies to allow them to naturally improve your body’s ability to get this digestive fire going?
Here are my suggestions to naturally and easily stimulate your digestive juices and get the process working like it is supposed to without adding another supplement to your diet.
Prep your body for digestion. This will stimulate the production of gastric juices and send signals to your digestive tract to know that food will soon be coming down the hatch. Here are some good options:
Drink warm water with lemon. Half a cup of warm or room temperature water with a squeeze or two of lemon should do it.
Drink apple cider vinegar. Take one to two teaspoons diluted in about a half cup of room temperature water. The key here is, raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (preferably organic).
Take bitters before meals. Bitter flavors stimulate the digestive flow, increasing the production of saliva and salivary amylase and triggering stomach acid and other digestive juices. Take about ¼ teaspoon of bitters before your meal (or suggested serving size) straight or diluted in a half cup of water. Make sure to use real bitters (my favorite is Urban Moonshine) that are made from organic ingredients and don’t contain fillers or additives. These days I keep the travel-sized bitters in my bag and use it on the go. Instead of the dropper, it is in a convenient spray able bottle. I use my larger bottle to refill the travel bottle when it runs low
Breath. If you are stressed out, you will not properly digest your food. Aim to always sit down to eat, with minimal distractions. Try taking 5 deep belly breaths before you eat can help to switch your body from a sympathetic “fight or flight” mode to a parasympathetic “rest and digest” mode.
Chew, chew, chew. Digestion is a very demanding task for the body and actually requires a great deal of energy. Saliva contains digestive enzymes, so the longer you chew, the more time these enzymes have to break down your food, making digestion easier on your stomach and small intestine. Shoot for about 30-40 chews per bite. This may seem like a lot, but your food should be liquid before it goes down to the small intestine.
Put that fork down. Between bites that is. This will encourage you to slow down and keep calm. It also makes for more mindful eating where you will be able to taste your food better, enjoy the process and also check in with your hunger cues to avoid over-eating.
Keep water drinking to a minimum. Drinking too much water or other beverages with your mail can dilute your stomach acid and other gastric juices. Aim to take small sips and aim to drink more water away from mealtime.
These strategies are great for supporting your digestion and will allow the process to function in the way that it is meant to. Try these out for a few weeks and let me know how it goes! Many of my clients notice big changes in their digestion by incorporating these habits. You might see less bloating and gas and better (and more consistent!) bowel movements.
If you’ve tried these strategies, but continue to struggle with digestive symptoms, let’s do a deeper dive into the root cause of your discomfort. Schedule a session with me and let’s get started!
Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gerd/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20361959
https://nutritionreview.org/2018/11/gastric-balance-heartburn-caused-excess-acid/
Why Stomach Acid Is Good For You by Jonathan V. Wright
Nutritional Therapy Association FNTP Curriculum
We are busy and most of us don’t have the time to dial up our health another notch. Here are four simple ways to help you on the journey to feeling your best without a huge time or resource commitment.
Sources:
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sdd/why
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_K
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/31/chewing-foods.aspx
