How To Improve Gut Health Naturally

It is well known poor gut health impacts our overall well-being and health. Just like 1000's of others I have suffered from poor gut health and have been searching for ways on how to improve gut health naturally. 

My search for answers led me to read Clever Guts Book by Dr Michael Mosely and a lot of personal research and reading, find out how to improve gut health naturally. In todays blog I'm going to share some of the simple solutions and products I have discovered to help you feel like the real you again, you know the one… full of energy, vitality and fun!

Yeah, let’s bring that version back!!

Keeping your gastrointestinal tract, your microbiome or gut health on point is critical to so many areas of your health and wellbeing.

The small intestine, or small bowel, ranges anywhere from 3 to 10 metres long. This is where your gut begins to really work on the food that has been turned into a creamy ‘chyme’ of partly digested food and gastric juices.

The tight folds on the small intestine wall churn this ‘chyme’ as digestive enzymes from the gall bladder flood the gut. These enzymes break down the food (just like the enzymes in washing powder break down dirt), to help your body absorb the nutrients.

As we age, our body makes less of these digestive enzymes, which are so very important to our digestion and gastrointestinal (GI) health.

The small intestine is covered with lots of villi, millions of finger-like protrusions that make the inside of your small bowel look like a fluffy towel. Their purpose is to increase the gut's surface area, maximising the area available for the absorption of nutrients.

The importance of the villi becomes crystal clear if you unfortunately suffer any of the following diseases.

Another common gut disease, IBS affects around 1 in 5 people at some point in their lives and often gets worse when people hit their 30’s.

Symptoms like stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea or constipation. Sometimes people can experience weight gain and reflux, where acid from the stomach leaks up into the gullet. Not at all pleasant.

IBS - WHAT TO CUT OUT

Some simple lifestyle changes can have a huge impact on IBS, such as cutting down on alcohol, taking time for lunch and not eating late at night. Be in bed by 10.30pm at least 4 nights a week.

For the next 4 weeks, remove wheat from the diet and switch to grains that are browner and less easily digestible, reduce carbs that cause bloating (bread, pasta, cereals, cakes, biscuits and processed foods) and cut out all dairy.

IBS - WHAT TO INCREASE TO IMPROVE YOUR GUT HEALTH

Take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with water before each meal.

Dried herbs, cocoa, olives, dark chocolate, tea, coffee and red wine are all rich in polyphenols and also recommended, within reason.

Increase the amount of colour in your diet - phytonutrients are concentrated in the skins of fruits and veggies and are responsible for their colour, scent and flavour. Increase yellow, orange, red, blue and purple fruits and vegetables.

Probiotics, science backed, multi strain, with pre, pro and post biotics.

Alkaline your body and reduce inflammation to reduce the chances of disease and illness.

Phyto Greens, Golds & Reds
Delivers 44 carefully selected, highly bioavailable and bioactive ingredients including marine and leafy greens to help support alkaline diets, digestion and a balanced microbiome. Fermented turmeric and fermented ginger with black pepper to help optimise antioxidant intake and support anti-inflammatory diets and polyphenol-rich berries, red fruits and vegetables to help optimise antioxidant intake and vitality.

Axis Trebiotic:
First of its kind, Pre, Pro and Post Biotic. Think Immune system function, gastrointestinal health, grows good bacteria in the gut, supports healthy gut function including regular laxation and maintenance of gastrointestinal health.

Natural Mineral Drink
A rich and easily absorbed source of naturally occurring minerals and trace elements essential for our body’s chemical and electrical processes. A simple and effective way to include plant-based phytonutrients (powerhouse cell protection) in your daily diet.

Fibre
Get things moving! Fiber helps you feel fuller for longer and encourages fatty foods to move through your system more quickly. This blend of soluble and insoluble fibre will help keep things regular.

Aloe Vera Support
Say Aloe to your new digestive tonic! This Aloe is a unique blend of ingredients to soothe the stomach and support digestion and gut wellbeing.

Modere Digestive Enzymes
Enzymes in our digestive system spark the biochemical reactions that transform the food we eat into substances that nourish human life.

Problem is, our body's digestive enzyme production decreases with age, the food we eat in our modern world can be far less nutrient-rich than days gone by and our food preparation with a fast-paced lifestyle can deplete nutrients further.

Digestive Enzymes + supplement your body's own enzymes to help you digest food and get the maximum benefit from it, with six different enzymes to target, and break down fats, proteins, carbs and fibre.

To learn more about how you can start to improve your gut health right now, Download our My Free Gut Health Guide packed tips you can use right now in your regime to help, like secret bio hacks & things that will make a difference to what you’re currently doing.

According to Dr Michael Mosely, this approach works for most people who have mild IBS but if yours is more severe, you may need to try something more extreme.