5 WHY’s and 5 HOW’s to take simple steps TODAY to alleviate pain, gas and bloat!

Leah Isaacs, January 2022

As someone who has previously grappled with abdominal pain stemming from IBS, I can understand the frustration of getting ready for a busy day ahead and feeling irritated by the gas pains building up and the anticipation of knowing it will get worse before it gets better.  Some weeks would be better than others, but those bad weeks were bad, and it took a very long time for me to actually do anything about it.   Please don’t follow my lead and wait too long to address the root cause of your stomach pain.  You don’t need to be a martyr and you CAN feel better. 

Here’s WHY- if your baby were crying you would exhaust all efforts to figure out what is going on- are they hungry, do they have a dirty diaper, are they tired, do they need their binky?  You’d do everything you can to find the source of their distress so why treat your vital gut any differently?

Other than the fact that you deserve to live symptom free and feel good ALWAYS, below are the top 5 reasons to get your gut(t) in gear:

  • A healthy gut is needed to support your immune system- if you’re tired of being sick or having autoimmune flare-ups, look no further than your gut.  70% of our immune cells live in the lining of our gut so we need to keep those healthy- proper digestion and an environment filled with balanced bacteria are the keys to decreasing susceptibility to illness.

  • A healthy gut is needed to keep you happy- 90% of the body's serotonin (that’s our happy hormone) is made in the digestive tract so we need to care for the good gut bacteria in our microbiome to elevate our mood!

  • A healthy gut is needed for clear and healthy skin- If you’ve been dealing with acne, psoriasis, eczema, then look no further than your gut.  That same inflammation that’s causing discomfort in your stomach is showing up on your skin.

  • A healthy gut supports symptoms of PMS, fatigue and hot flashes- inflammation from the gut can interfere with estrogen, progesterone and testosterone levels, contributing to those pesky hormonal symptoms and even low libido.  Stop blaming your female hormones and look to gut healing for help. They are interconnected and supporting both is key.

  • A healthy gut can support weight loss- gut bacteria and inflammation can be the source of both your intestinal discomfort as well as difficulty in losing weight- an imbalance of good vs bad bacteria as well as malabsorption of nutrients can slow metabolism and hinder your otherwise diligent efforts to lose weight.

HOW to get started:  

  • Eat slowly, mindfully and undistracted-  I know, it’s easy to grab that granola bar on the run, type up that email while eating lunch, or scarf down that sandwich while on the way to school pick-up.  But your digestive system needs you to sit, taste and thoroughly chew your food.  Believe it or not, digestion begins in the brain and if you aren’t able to get into “rest and digest” mode, nothing else down the system will function properly. You deserve it and your digestive tract will appreciate the ability effectively break down food and absorb all of those amazing nutrients feeding your cells- ultimately reducing the chance for undigested particles to create inflammation and feed unwanted pathogens.

  • Sleep- I cannot stress enough the importance of giving yourself adequate QUALITY sleep, anywhere from 7-9 hours/night.  This is the time for your body to do some major tissue repair which your digestive system may need quite a bit of.  Allowing your body to properly rest and repair changes the microbial balance in your gut and allows those good microbes to produce healing nutrients. 

  • Manage stress- Much easier said than done but here is why it is such a critical step in supporting your intestinal tract- as I noted, getting into a “rest and digest” mode is critical to digestive function, but how can you do that if you’re constantly tensed up, in a tizzy, and reacting to the daily stressors that life presents?  It’s impossible to eliminate all stressors (and in fact, some stress is good!) but using tools to manage our body’s perceived threats, will allow the nervous system to re-prioritize proper digestion and prevent the gut lining from becoming impaired which is causing that pesky discomfort.

  • Move- This doesn’t mean an hour of HIIT cardio 7 days/week- in fact I would advise against that as over exercising can have detrimental effects to all of your body’s systems.  HOWEVER, any type of daily natural movement releases endorphins that can reduce anxiety (remember the importance of stress management?), reduces inflammation, supports better sleep (remember that is key!), and helps get the digestive system moving (think bowel movements!).  So whatever you find enjoyment in, and for however long you can manage to fit it in weekly, don’t make excuses and prioritize movement.

  • Reduce inflammatory foods- Everyone has different reactions to foods and what causes inflammation to one may not impact another; however, one common denominator is that real, whole foods including a variety of fruits, vegetables, quality grains and proteins are the key to maintaining a low inflammatory gut environment.  Don’t immediately go scouring through your pantry and throw away everything in the trash that you suspect is inflammatory producing, but start thinking about minimizing refined sugars and processed carbohydrates.  When that mid afternoon snack attack comes on, opt for some trail mix, an apple with nut butter, carrots and hummus, instead of that bag of chips, crackers, or “healthy” granola bar with too many ingredients you can’t pronounce.  Controlling inflammation through food choices minimizes damage to your gut and supports good bacteria, thus creating a healthy environment- one that allows you to feel good!

BOTTOM LINE-Gut health is far too important to both your physical and mental health to ignore it. Take action today- feel free to email me if you want to dig into this deeper with 1:1 counseling.