According to new research, less than 5% of the gases your baby’s stomach produces when it’s first born actually end up in your baby’s bloodstream, and only about 1-2% of that gas makes it to the rest of your body. What’s left over in your gut—what you refer to as ‘baby gas’—is designed to help your baby grow, and help you adjust to life as a new parent. But for a lot of people, this gas can be a source of discomfort during pregnancy, or even after it’s over.
So, how can you fix your gut and make your health better? The answer is simple: a healthy diet. To really get to the root of the problem, you need to look at the food your body is using to feed itself. When you eat healthily you get all of the nutrients your body needs and then some, and your health improves.
For nearly a decade, researchers have been proving that an unhealthy gut is the root cause of many health issues. These issues include gastrointestinal problems, food intolerances, and even autoimmune diseases. Many people have tried to fix their digestive system through diet, but a balanced diet isn’t necessarily enough to fix the issues of the gut. Instead, it’s recommended that you take steps to improve the health of your gut by taking supplements and eating a balanced diet.
What we consume has an impact on how we feel, think, and act. The gastrointestinal tract is often referred to as the “second brain.” “Gut sensation” is a phrase you’ve probably heard before. In fact, we rarely feel our intestines until it’s too late. Here’s how to spot common gastrointestinal problems and what to do about them.
“Death begins in the colon,” declared Nobel Laureate and microbiologist Elie Metchnikoff.
In the early 1900s, he came to the conclusion that disease and aging are mostly caused by harmful bacteria in the gut, based on his years of research.
While that idea may seem far-fetched at first, if you comprehend the havoc a malfunctioning gastrointestinal system can cause, his views become far more feasible.
101 on the digestive system
The gastrointestinal tract is vital for overall health and well-being, yet it is sometimes considered as the body’s red-headed stepchild, unappreciated, mistreated, and overlooked unless it causes a lot of disturbance.
Take a look at the following facts about the digestive system:
- The immune system of the body is made up of 75% of the gastrointestinal system.
- The tiny intestine has more neurons than the entire spinal cord.
- The enteric nervous system is the only system in the body with its own, freely operating nervous system.
- The entire gastrointestinal system would cover the surface area of a regulation-sized singles tennis court if extended out.
- There are more bacteria in your gut than there are known stars in the sky, with over 400 types of germs totaling over 15 pounds of mass.
To put it another way, if the body devotes this much attention to one system, it must be vital.
In fact, whether we want to lose weight, increase muscle, or improve our overall health, we should start treating our stomach with caution.
A gut instinct
Actually, we don’t feel our guts at all. We don’t commonly experience stomach pain or other sensations. This is due to the fact that our stomachs lack pain receptors (known as nociceptors).
Nocioceptors detect unpleasant stimuli and transmit signals to the brain. The word “pain” is used to describe these messages.
For example, thank your nociceptors the next time you tread on a nail or a sharp object. They’re the ones that had you take your foot off to avoid additional injury.
Our gastrointestinal systems, on the other hand, do not have this type of pain sensing system, as previously stated. As a result, we are often unaware when our gastrointestinal systems are malfunctioning. Instead, we must wait until things have gotten bad enough for us to notice signs.
If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms…
- gas
- bloating
- after a meal, burping
- insufficient digestion (feeling like you have a brick in your stomach after you eat)
- food in your feces that hasn’t been digested
- stools with a bad odor
- constipation
- diarrhea
- stomach discomfort
- stale breath
- nausea
…you almost certainly have some sort of gastrointestinal issue.
Surprisingly, many additional symptoms are rarely seen in our gastrointestinal systems. Hormonal imbalances, migraines, allergies, dermatitis, and autoimmune illness are all frequently linked to GI system issues. Isn’t it intriguing?
However, as previously said, there are a slew of other symptoms that might be linked to stomach issues. We’ll get to those in a moment.
Guts gone crazy
Because there are so many systems that might be harmed by a malfunctioning gastrointestinal system, I made a short film to highlight how vast the gastrointestinal system is and how many systems can be affected.
Take a look:
Over 150,000 health & fitness professionals certified
Save up to 30% on the leading nutrition education curriculum in the market.
Gain a better grasp of nutrition, the authority to coach it, and the capacity to transform that knowledge into a successful coaching business.
Find Out More
What should I do?
Almost everything can be linked to gut issues, from a weakened immune system to a difficult stress hormone situation, an altered sex hormone system, and blood sugar anomalies, as seen in this video. These issues can even feed back on themselves, causing more digestive issues.
Controlling inflammation and identifying dietary sensitivities are two of the most effective methods to break a vicious GI cycle. We do this in my clinic by following a strict elimination diet for 3-6 weeks.
A good elimination diet involves eliminating foods that many individuals are allergic to, such as:
- foods containing wheat and gluten
- soy
- dairy products in general
- corn
- citrus
- Vegetables in the nightshade family (i.e. onions, tomatoes, eggplant)
- pork
- eggs
- anything else we believe is causing you problems
“What’s left to eat?” you might wonder. That is an excellent question. Rice, turkey, salmon, lamb, green vegetables, and certain fruits will be plentiful (i.e. blueberries, apples).
This may appear restricted, but I guarantee you that those who are willing to commit to such a program will be glad they did. The results of a well-followed elimination diet can be nothing short of miraculous at times.
Finally, the stricter you can be as a general rule, the better. I frequently advise individuals not to go on such a diet without medical supervision. It’s simply too difficult and necessitates far too much specialized knowledge.
Reintroduction
We begin reintroducing foods to assess which ones cause issues after participants have followed a strict exclusion regimen for three weeks.
To reintroduce a food, we stick to the elimination diet but include one thing we previously avoided. We’ll see what happens if we maintain it in our diet for two days.
After three weeks, for example, we might consider reintroducing eggs. For two days, we might eat eggs a couple of times a day.
Joint discomfort, headaches, sinus troubles, fuzzy thinking, exhaustion, nausea, skin concerns, and/or poor sleep are all signs we pay close attention to. Almost anything that had vanished in the previous three weeks can reappearance.
If you have any “positive” reactions to a food, which means specific symptoms have returned, the food is a concern and must be avoided for at least 6 months.
I understand that this procedure appears to be straightforward. But don’t dismiss it because it’s simple. I’ve noticed significant results in my clinic. While there are a variety of food sensitivity tests available, an old-fashioned elimination diet is still the gold standard in immunology.
If you have an adverse reaction,
If you have an allergic reaction to particular foods, stay away from them.
You might not have to avoid them for the rest of your life. It’s possible that your gastrointestinal system is inflamed, causing you to react to meals you wouldn’t normally react to. However, you should wait at least 6 months before attempting them again.
In the interim, speak with a doctor who is familiar with gastrointestinal function and can prescribe gut-repair nutrients like glutamine, marshmallow root, gamma oraznol, slippery elm, and others.
Another alternative is to find a doctor who uses the MetaMetrix lab to perform the “GI Effects Test.” It is now the best test of gastrointestinal function I am aware of, and it can assist discover a variety of gut disorders, including infections that most people are unaware of.
Conclusion
One of the most unappreciated systems in the body is the gastrointestinal system. It has a significant impact on our health, function, and well-being, all of which have an impact on our capacity to reach our fitness goals.
Many of us will experience poor GI function at some point in our lives. Prepare for it and have a strategy in place in case it occurs.
“Your gut instinct is always correct.” —Ozzy Osbourne’s wife, Sharon Osbourne
Author information
Dr. Bryan P. Walsh is a Naturopathic Doctor that focuses on nutritional biochemistry, functional laboratory testing, and natural medicine. He is currently an advisor to the team and a guest lecturer at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He has also presented at national conferences. Click here for additional information.
If you’re a coach or wish to be one…
It’s both an art and a science to coach clients, patients, friends, or family members through healthy food and lifestyle adjustments in a way that’s tailored to their individual body, tastes, and circumstances.
Consider the Level 1 Certification if you want to learn more about both.
A healthy gut is a foundation for good health, but a healthy gut can be damaged by poor dietary choices, insufficient exercise, and other factors. This post will show you how to support the health of your gut by creating good gut bacteria through diet and lifestyle choices. First, let’s take a look at how gut bacteria affect our health.. Read more about how to get rid of bad bacteria in the body naturally and let us know what you think.
{“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”FAQPage”,”mainEntity”:[{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”How can I repair my gut health?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”
The best way to improve your gut health is by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. You should also drink plenty of water and limit the amount of sugar you consume.”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”How long does it take to heal an unhealthy gut?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”
It takes about two weeks for your body to heal an unhealthy gut.”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”How can I improve my gut health 2023?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”
The best way to improve your gut health is by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.”}}]}
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I repair my gut health?
The best way to improve your gut health is by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. You should also drink plenty of water and limit the amount of sugar you consume.
How long does it take to heal an unhealthy gut?
It takes about two weeks for your body to heal an unhealthy gut.
How can I improve my gut health 2023?
The best way to improve your gut health is by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.
Related Tags
This article broadly covered the following related topics:
- fix your gut
- how to heal your gut naturally
- how to heal your gut
- how to heal gut lining
- how to heal your gut lining
