Healing your gut may be the single most important thing you do for your health. Have you ever suffered from gas and bloating? Constipation? Frequent sickness and allergies? Neurological problems and brain fog? Then you’re probably dealing with gut issues. These issues can stem from years of taking antibiotics and prescription medication, consuming additives and preservatives and a diet rich in processed carbohydrates.
The gut is a complicated system. As Ben Greenfield writes in his book Boundless “Three quarters of your immune system resides in your digestive tract. And your entire immune system is protected from the rest of the body by a thin, fragile lining one cell thick. If the lining is damaged and the barrier that is creates is penetrated, you become allergic to foods you normally would have been able to digest without a problem, you get sick more easily, and your immune system becomes hyperactive, leading to systemic inflammation." He further explains "Your gut is also crawling with critters. Five hundred species and three pounds of bacteria in your digestive tract form a giant ecosystem that produces vitamins and other healing compounds and helps you digest food, regulate hormones, and excrete toxins." Then there is the brain-gut connection which says your gut is intimately tied to your mood.
Healing your gut comes down to food. What we eat makes a huge impact on our gut health. What is even more important is that the food we eat on a regular basis, depending on how it is produced, can create long lasting damage to our gut. Even fruits and vegetables that are treated with pesticides can destroy our gut health. Ben Greebfield writes “Glyphosate is the active ingredient in many commercial, agricultural and residential herbicides, causing it to have a significant presence in many modern crops and produce, including wheat and many grains, vegetables, and anything using these types of foods as ingredients, such as pasta and salad at your favorite restaurant. A host of scientific research has implicated glyphosate exposure in various systemic disorders.” He further writes “Eating a diet rich in glyphosate and poor in nutrients and minerals while spending a lot of sedentary time indoors is one of the worst things you can do for your health. Glyphosate exposure can affect the gut microbiota by damaging or killing bacteria, which, in turn, can affect behavioral expression and lead to anxiety and depression. Research performed by Stephanie Seneff at MIT links glyphosate’s suppression of proper gut bacteria function to many modern diseases including autoimmunity, cancer, and Alzheimer’s.”
Dr. Zach Bush who owns and operates Biomic Sciences created a supplement called RESTORE to prevent gut damage. RESTORE helps protect against everyday exposure to pesticides and herbicides, antibiotics, GMO’s, gluten and toxins.
Gut issues may arise due to gluten sensitivity, too much bacteria in the gut, commonly known as SIBO, insufficient digestive enzymes and low enzyme activity, yeast fungus and parasites, insufficient stomach acid, food allergies, or mold exposure. To top it off it may be combination of a few things. To heal your gut start by eating organic whenever possible, consume real foods without any additives or preservatives, limit the amount of times you eat out and cook at home so you know exactly what goes into your food. Exercise, get adequate sunlight and a good dose of daily “grounding” where you walk on grass with bare feet and reduce your stress, since it can aggravate gut issues. All these practices will ensure your gut is the healthiest it can be for longevity and vitality.
Years ago I went on a "cleanse" but with real food. "Clean Gut" was created by Alejandro Junger, MD. It's a cleanse protocol that will not only help heal your gut but will teach you the best foods to eat for optimal health.
If all else fails and you're still having issues consider testing your gut and include supplements based on your test results. Here are a few companies that have the latest testing protocols:
Best of luck on your journey to gut health!