Today we are going to talk about a phrase popularly thrown around but one that isn’t accurately understood: gut health. Everyone says you need to fix your gut health but there is so much information out there you don’t know where to begin. We will start with learning about how your gut microbiome came to be, the three “Rs” of holistic gut restoration, and how to prevent your microflora from being depleted.
At birth, your body receives a majority of its microbiome through the birth canal, skin-to-skin contact, and breastfeeding. It takes many years for your body to build its optimal microflora. However, many things may disrupt this microflora as you grow. Although sometimes necessary, maybe a round of antibiotics killed off a majority of your microbes. Maybe you have toxicity, bacteria overload, or other pathogens. Luckily, your appendix does store a little backup colony to help repopulate your intestinal and stomach flora should you just get over a bad infection or antibiotics. However, it is far from being enough to keep your gut healthy.
So what is the deal with your gut health? Why is it important? There are four components to your gut: digestion, microbiome, the enteric nervous system, and the immune function of your gut. One of them often overlooked is the gut-brain axis. Many claim your stomach houses your “second” brain. Why? Because your enteric nervous system has as many neurons as your spinal cord. It functions independently of your central nervous system. Your enteric nervous system is responsible for 95% of your body’s serotonin. It is produced in the gastrointestinal tract. It regulates sleep, appetite, your emotions, and more. The gut-brain axis is bidirectional. This means your gut sensations go to your brain and gut reactions go from the brain to your gut. Have you heard the famous phrase “gut feeling”? It’s a real thing. For instance, during stress your amygdala portion of your brain is activated. This is the area responsible for fight or flight type emotions. The stress-induced gut reaction then impacts the composition of your microorganisms.
Our digestive tract is filled with microbes. We have them in our stomach, our small intestine, and our large intestine. A healthy microbiome plays a key role in autoimmune disorders, mood disorders, and inflammation. The majority of your gastrointestinal microbiome is housed in your large intestine.
How do we keep our gut microbiome as optimal as possible after illness, antibiotic usage, or poor, heavily processed diets? We will visit the first “R” in the healing process of our “3-R Gut Restoration”. The first “R” is “Replace”. After an illness or antibiotics your mucosal barrier often gets destroyed. You will want to replace gastric acid, enzymes, and mucosal lining. I do have a gastric tea that contains demulcents which are herbs that help repair and replace the mucosal barrier. Bitter herbs also stimulate gastric acid and enzymes.
The next “R” is “Re-inoculate”. This means you will be re-seeding your gut’s microbiome. How? First of all, there are many Inulin-rich herbs to help feed and restore your gut microbiome. Dandelion, Burdock, and Chicory are all wonderful options. Next, you should ensure you are eating a healthy diet with lacto-fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, kimchi, etc. A quick option is also to take probiotics. Probiotics are live microorganisms. When shopping, note that the best probiotics don’t have the highest milligrams but the highest number of organisms. Also, take note of the CFU’s or “Colony Forming Units”. The Lactobacilli is a good organism to look for that is found in the gut, small intestine, and large intestines. Prebiotics will work to then feed those newly introduced microorganisms.
Our next “R” is “Repair”. There are many herbs that aid in the healing of gut mucosal lining. Astringents, anti-microbials, and demulcents are all helpful. However, on your part, eating a healthy anti-inflammatory diet is key as well.
In summary, you can supplement gut issues with herbs but you can also take matters into your own hands by following some key “healthy gut” suggestions:
-Chew your food well
-Do not stress eat (remember that gut/brain connection)
-Nourish your gut microflora with fermented foods
-Eat organic food when possible
-Eat a diet rich in fiber (to feed your micro flora)
-Throw bitter herbs into your mealtimes to help with digestive function
-Eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to help calm inflammation in the gut.