The Gut Feeling
The cause of concern hence is how conveniently we are letting our second brain deteriorate. While entertaining your pallets to gastronomic marvels and rich delicacies, many of us fail to nourish and nurture our bodies rightfully. Rather, it is astonishing the level of ignorance that persists regarding importance of gut health, particularly in our part of the world. Don’t get me wrong, I am no qualified nutritionist, but my own battle with perpetual issues have propelled me to educate myself more and trust me the subject is like the door to Narnia.
Have you ever thought that the mood swings, sleepless nights, brain fog, cystic acne and hormonal imbalances might just be a consequence of these billions of microorganisms in your gut not behaving themselves? If not then it is high time that you should.
We tend to oversee digestive issues blaming our overeating or the cheap Chinese takeout, but that constant bloat, inability to shed/gain weight and fluctuating blood sugar levels may all have one underlying cause, your gut. When it comes to distress and stress, physical and mental aspects work like conjoined twins and no matter how much we blame our modern life and its perils for our suffering we may be our worst enemies. Therefore, loading our tummies is not the same as feeding them, we ignorantly may be infesting our bodies with toxins, harmful bacteria and parasites which can destroy our gut flora and make us vulnerable to both common and unheard of health concerns. Even a quick course of antibiotics can massively deplete these microorganisms. Imagine what rampage it would be if the heavily populated gut bacteria, 10 times more than any in other human cell, get restless and create havoc. You don’t have to be a certain body type or gender to be suffering, and I hate to break it to you, but absolutely no diet will transform your body and no beauty product will restore your skin’s radiance if your gut is out of whack.
There is an inordinate list of gut related issues including food insensitivity, GERD, IBS, yeast overgrowth, Candida, Helicobacter pylori and colon cancer. While GERD and IBS are unfortunately popular villains, I will be surprised if people actually aim to achieve a holistic cure for them and sadly so there is no fixed or quick cure. It is exceptionally important to identify any signs or symptoms that indicate an ailing gut, some of which may be:
- Acid reflux
- Diarrhoea
- Bowel irregularity
- Eczema
- Depression
- Memory issues
- Diabetes
- Autoimmune disease
If any such symptom persist, get tested right away. One DIY method to check for something like Candida overgrowth is to perform a spit test at home. So first thing in the morning before even rinsing just spit into a clear glass of water and observe for 15 minutes if hairy, jelly fish like projections appear you might be positive.
Irrespective of a digestive disorder, we must take exceptionally good care of our gut. This calls for both lifestyle and dietary changes, and more than that truckloads of discipline. It may sound absolutely absurd, but if you want to be functional in the long run you must remove all processed food from your diet and start eating more freshly prepared food, fermented vegetables, yoghurt and other sources rich in probiotics. Complementing foods like virgin coconut oil, garlic and parsley are also proven to be beneficial due to their detoxification properties. In addition to this, keep your mineral and vitamin game strong making magnesium and omega 3s your best buddies. I am really not jumping the bandwagon when I say this, but motivate yourself and go for that yoga session and meditate daily for it will help restore your immunity by way of managing your stress levels.
There is nothing wrong with going an extra mile if it means saving yourself of anxiety and uncalled for distress in the future. Simple lifestyle makeovers, a little tweak into your habits and your life will evolve into a healthier, happier and confident mode. Take my word for it.