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Gut Health=Total Health

April 22, 2020

Why is Gut health so Important?

By now you have probably heard, if not read, information on the importance of gut health. We here at REAL Wellness want to help you better understand your gut and ways to repair and improve your overall gut health as part of your wellness regimen!

Our gut is considered our second brain, and just as you take great strides to ensure you protect your brain, we must do the same for our gut. Your intestinal wall naturally has some cracks/gaps which are essential to allow water, healthy nutrients & proteins to enter the body and blood stream. Our high-sugar, low-fiber diets mixed with our "on-the-go" & often highly stressful lives creates a not so happy mix for our guts. When our bodies are under a lot of stress, or we have ingested contaminated foods with GMO's and other toxins, our lining becomes agitated and these gaps increase causing more permeability. Another culprit is taking aspirin, acetaminophen, and antibiotics. Frequent use of these go-to products causes irritation in the gut lining that can disturb a healthy gut flora (normal bacteria in our gut).

When the gaps or holes occur, it allows for undigested food particles, toxins and unhealthy parasites to "leak" into the bloodstream. The body senses danger as these are foreign invaders. Your body will start to produce antibodies which can trigger an immune response like diarrhea, headaches, fatigue, brain fog, gas, and joint pain.

There is a reason we have seen such a rise in autoimmune diseases (which literally is your body being at war with itself). So how do you know if you have been suffering with symptoms of unhealthy gut balance?

Signs:

Chronic diarrhea, constipation, gas or bloating; Nutritional deficiencies; Poor immune system; Headaches, brain fog, memory loss; excessive fatigue; Skin rashes (problems like eczema, acne, rosacea); Cravings for sugar and carbs; Arthritis or Joint Pain; Depression, Anxiety, ADD/ADHD; Autoimmune Disorders (Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Celiac Disease, or Crohn's).

The benefit is that the gut can heal. Here's what you can do.

Foods to Avoid
Wheat-based products like bread, pasta, cereals, wheat flour & couscous.
Gluten-containing grains like barley, rye, bulgur & seitan.
Processed meats like cold-cuts, deli meats & hot dogs.
Baked goods like cakes, muffins, cookies, pies & pastries.
Junk food like candy, pop, chips made with more than 2-4 ingredients or with ingredients you cannot pronounce.
Refined oils like canola, sunflower, soybean & safflower (even in organic forms).
Artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose & saccharin.

Foods to Enjoy
Vegetables: Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Arugula, Carrots, Kale, Eggplant, Beetroot, Swiss Chard, Spinach, Ginger, Mushrooms & Zucchini.
Roots & Tubers: Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Yams, Carrots, Squash & Turnips.
Fermented Veggies: Kimchi, Sauerkraut, Tempeh & Miso.
Fruit: Coconut, Grapes, Bananas, Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Kiwi, Pineapple, Oranges, Lemon, Limes, & Passionfruit.
Sprouted Seeds: Chia Seeds, Flax Seeds & Sunflower Seeds.
Ancient Grains: Buckwheat, Amaranth, Sorghum & Quinoa.
Healthy Fats: Avocado, Avocado Oil, Coconut Oil & EVOO (extra virgin olive oil).
Fish: (always wild-caugt) Salmon, Tuna, Herring & Cod.
Meats and Eggs: (always grass-fed) beef, bison, lamb, chicken & eggs.
Herbs and Spices: ALL! But Turmeric, curry, ginger, cumin, Himalayan Sea Salt & Pepper are AMAZING!
Dairy: Grass-fed full fat milk, Grass-fed cheese (Kerrygold is a good brand) & Kefir.
Beverages: Bone Broth (BEST GUT HEALER!!), teas, Nut Milk, Water & Kombucha (be careful of added sugars).
Nuts: Almond, Cashews, Macadamia Nuts, Brazilian Nuts, Pecans & Walnuts.