My 5 daily do's and don'ts for a healthy gut
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Looking after my gut health is something I do day in day out because your daily habits are what determines the rest of your life.
A little back story: So I began suffering with my gut at around 15/16 years old which coincided with my eating disorder recovery (linked? I think so.) I had unfortunately spent around 3/4 years completely neglecting my health which, alongside gut problems existing in my family lineage already, led to the development of my IBS.
Fast forward to today, my IBS is under control, my hormones are under control, my mind is clear, my inflammation is gone and I have a healthy, balanced relationship with food and life itself.
So, without further ado, here are my 5 do's and don'ts for a healthy gut.
My everyday do's:
Start my day with a fermented, live culture drinks after around 10-12 hours fasting. Fasting quickly became something that eased my gut symptoms by simply allowing my body time to digest the food I have already eaten. Simple enough, right? After my fast I then hydrate with a live culture drink. This ensures that first thing in the morning my good bacteria is receiving lots of nutrients that will prepare me for the day ahead, and they are delicious and sooo refreshing.
Practice daily movement, first in my morning routine and then throughout the day. Our bodies are designed to move so when we aren't moving our bodies aren't doing what they should. Movement is not just for the muscles or mind but it is also for the gut and plays a very important role in digestion. I start my morning with yoga and breath work and can instantly feel my digestive system begin to wake up after a long night sleep.
Eat foods that I know my body likes and can tolerate, with an emphasis on whole natural food sources. This is something that takes time but becoming aware of your bodies signs and symptoms of distress, inflammation and just that something isn't right feeling will go a long way in creating a healthy gut. Our bodies haven't evolved that much when it comes to food, so keeping it natural and whole food focus was a real game changer for my gut health.
Keep myself hydrated as this is good for your health all round. Being properly hydrated allowed my body to begin to work optimally and has helped to rid my body of toxins, illness and disease.
I keep my cortisol levels low through my lifestyle choices. This was probably the hardest one for me as i'm not someone who necessarily feels stressed but instead my body will show it. For me, this meant cutting my weight training down from 6 days a week to 2-3, incorporating daily meditation and journaling, gentle daily movement everyday and getting myself outdoors come rain or shine.
Your gut absorbs everything you eat and everything you do, so mindful practices can go a long way in restoring your gut microbiome.
Now, my every day don'ts:
I never start my morning rushing, stressed and panicky. This, in my opinion, will only set me up for failure as this spikes my cortisol first thing in the morning which is something I try to avoid where possible. Instead, I have a well balanced morning routine that sets me up for my day.
Eat processed foods full of sugar or artificial preservatives, colours or flavours. For me, these are my biggest triggers so I have removed them from my life as much as physically possible. This doesn't mean I can't enjoy a treat every now and again but I am much more mindful about its affects on my body.
I drink alcohol probably around 2 x a year and caffeine never. Both of these things, when consumed in large quantities begin to damage your gut by throwing your body out of whack by increasing inflammation and cortisol, both of which are very big no no's for a healthy gut.
I always aim for between 8-9 hours sleep because for me, this is what has me feeling and performing at my best and I never choose to have less than 7.5 hours a night. When you're tired you're much more likely to reach for sugar or comfort food to keep you going so a poor night sleep is never on the cards when I can help it.
I never rely on supplements or meal replacements (even protein shakes or bars) for my nutrition. For me, these are full of my triggers and actually contain very little nutritious content (usually only high protein). They are very often hidden with lots of gut harming substances for everyone, so for me I avoid these at all costs.
Everyones bodies are different, and what works for me might not work for you but these are my 5 daily go to's and my go to nevers.
My top tip: learn your bodies cues. Learn to understand what it is telling you and then work backwards. Remove foods slowly from your diet and observe how your body reacts when you reintroduce them.
*I am in no way a doctor or gut specialist but I have lived with life dictating digestive problems for around 10 years now and have found what works for me and what may or may not work for you. *
Lots of love, Abi x
