The Love Your Gut: Part 2

Healing The Gut, Holistically

For a healthy, happy gut it is important to follow an anti-inflammatory lifestyle inside and out. An holistic approach for long term gut health comprise of adequate sleep, stress management (incl. breathing and relaxation), anti-inflammatory foods (foods rich in micronutrients, digestive enzymes, probiotics, and amino acids), mindful movement, conscious eating behaviours, listening to your gut feelings (aka intuition), herbal remedies and nutraceuticals (or food supplements) if necessary. 

Nutrients and Gut Health

Nutrients can be subdivided into macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are nutrients we need in large quantities and are converted to energy to keep all the body systems working. Macronutrients include carbohydrates (used for fuel/energy), protein (for growth, hormones and repair of the body), fats (for fuel/energy and to provide essential fatty acids) and water (to maintain body fluid and regulate body temperature).

Micronutrients are nutrients needed in small quantities, including vitamins, minerals and herbs. Functions of micronutrients include assisting in:

• Energy production
• Blood clotting
• Growth/developing body tissue
• All organ system health (digestive, bone, heart, immune, nervous, muscle, skin, reproductive & respiratory)
• All metabolic processes

Anti-inflammatory Foods

Anti-inflammatory foods include foods that are whole, raw and superfoods that are unprocessed, organic, unrefined, fresh, plant based. The best is to get organic produce or grow your own.

Anti-inflammatory superfoods (foods that contain high quantities of micronutrients and antioxidants) include berries, nuts, seeds, pulses/legumes, cereal grains, grasses (wheatgrass, brown rice, oats), plant oils, algae (e.g. spirulina), raw honey, bee pollen, garlic, mushrooms (e.g. shiitaki, maitake, porcini), sprouts, aloe ferox (great for lazy gut), seaweed (e.g. nori found in sushi dishes) and raw cacao (beans, nibs, powder, butter).

High fibre foods may exert its anti-inflammatory effects by helping control blood glucose, insulin, fat and cholesterol levels. Be careful with high fibre foods if you have IBS. Fibre is also essential for a healthy gut, to soften stool and for optimal bowel movement.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are great sources of fibre and wholesome, raw, super foods. Eat the rainbow, i.e. different colours and textures, also make seasonal choices as this ensures that the food is fresh. In order to get in enough micronutrients and fibre we need to consume 5 to 9 portions of fruits and vegetables per day. Antioxidants found in fruit and vegetables are crucial for gut health.

Omega-3 is an essential (meaning our bodies can’t make it) fatty acids and include oily fish such as salmon/trout, snoek, sardines, anchovies, which activate anti-inflammatory genes. Unsaturated fats (in plant oils) including nuts, seeds, avocado and oils (incl. olive, coconut, grapeseed and flaxseed).

Red meat and alcohol can cause inflammation, therefore limit these foods in your diet. 

Complex carbohydrates that are gut friendly are wholegrains including rolled oats, seed crackers, basmati, brown/wild rice, cold potato, sweet potato, barley, lentils, spelt, 7 grains, quinoa and split peas.

Consume food that is rich in digestive enzymes if you struggle with low energy levels, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, heartburn, cramps/pain after meals, reflux, IBS or lactose intolerance. Foods high in digestive enzymes and that can enhance the production of your own enzymes include paw paw, pineapple, avocado, kiwi, bananas, raw honey, kefir/kombucha, fermented food, mango and ginger.

Pre- & Probiotics

We also recommend taking pre- and probiotics to aid digestion, heal the gut and to restore the balance of healthy bacteria in your gut (microbiome). This will reduce gut inflammation and improve gut health.

Prebiotics (fibre that feed friendly gut bacteria) include asparagus, onion, artichokes, garlic, ginger leeks etc.

Probiotics (beneficial bacteria) that are found in the gut includes lactobacillus acidophilus (mostly small intestine) and bifidobacterium bifidum (mostly large intestine). Probiotic food examples: yoghurt (live, cultured), kombucha, kefir, fermented foods or a probiotic supplement. Benefits of probiotics:

• Supports immune system and reduces allergies
• Reduction in yeast and other infections; i.e. balances gut flora
• Reintroduction of healthy bacteria & inhibition of disease causing organisms
• Improved digestion, increased nutrient absorption and vitamin synthesis
• Detoxification and protection from toxins
• Prevention of diarrhea
• Reduces the risk of IBS
• Cancer-protective effects
• Improves mental health
• Promotes weight loss

Help From Nature’s Pharmacy to Support Gut Health

Herbs:

Boswellia serrata, aloe, ginger, bromelain (pineapples), papain (paw-paws), devil’s claw, licorice root, buchu, fennel, , yarrow, black pepper, rosemary, basil, cardamom, chives, cloves, garlic, parsley, peppermint, cancer bush, rooibos.

Anti-Inflammatory Spicy Hot Toddy:

Click here for Dr Arien’s Hot Toddy Recipe

Essential plant oils:

Arnica, thyme, rose, orange, clove, eucalyptus, bergamot and fennel oil.

Epsom salts

Take a bath with Epsom salts, add an essential oil for aromatherapy and relax to activate the parasympathetic nervous system (“rest and digest” nervous system).

Basic Nutraceutical Food Supplements for Gut Health

Antioxidants & Free Radicals

In short, antioxidants are molecules that can neutralise free radicals (the main cause of disease in the body). Free radicals are created by our metabolic reactions and oxidative stress. If our own antioxidant enzymes cannot handle the load, the free radical can cause cell damage and cell death.                    

Antioxidants also improves the abundance and composition of the microbiome. If you do not consume your 5 to 9 portions of fruits and vegetables, then we recommend our:

Basic 3 (‘Insurance Premium’)

1. Heart-Brain-Body Support – super antioxidant.
2. Calcium and Magnesium – ratio & chelated, Vit D, C, boron, potassium
3. Omega – 3,6,9

Neuro Balance

Ingredients: Lion’s mane, Gingko biloba, Ashwagandha, L-theanine, B-Complex, Vit C

• To improve gut and brain connection – Vagus nerve/parasympathetic NS
• Calms the nervous system
• Anti-inflammatory & antioxidants
• Stress relief, Vagus nerve support, immune modulation

Liver Support/Balance

Ingredients: Milk thistle, Kudzu extract, N-acetyl L-Cysteine, Alpha lipoic acid, Dandelion & Green tea extract.

• To support the liver with detoxification to promote gut health
• Improves blood sugar management
• Promotes healthy nerve functioning

Innercise & Exercise for Gut Health

 Innercise – Relaxation

Learn to keep your mind, emotions and body quiet or silent with relaxation or meditation practices. You do not have to be an expert, start with simple breathing practices. Breathing is the only quick fix when it comes to your health.

Deep, slow breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as your rest and digest nervous system. To promote gut health and optimal digestion and absorption of food, you need to be in a calm and relaxed state. So many of us experience gut related issues (stomach pain/discomfort after eating, bloating) because we are in a stressed state.

Belly Breathing

Belly breathing is a great way to calm down your body. Put your hand on your belly and take a deep inhale, while feeling your belly expand. Take 5 to 10 deep breaths, making the exhale longer than the inhale and you will already feel the calming effect. Do it as often as possible, while driving, before eating, any chance you get!

Reflexology points

Massage your feet over the instep, as this entire region represents the digestive system.

Gut Massage

Massage your gut from right hip upwards towards the right ribs, then across and down the left towards the left hip and back to the starting point. This is excellent to stimulate peristalsis (or gut motility), if you experience a lazy gut. The direction is important, as this is how the colon or large intestine flows.

Exercise

Regular fun fitness (swimming, walking, dancing, yoga) changes the gut microbiome:

• Reduces inflammation and neutralizes the effects of stress in the gut
• Several weeks of exercise showed an increase in butyrate (fatty acid that keeps our guts happy) that reduce inflammation and produce energy
• Results in a more diverse gut microbiome
• HIIT (high intensity interval training) increase probiotics in your gut
• After 6 weeks of exercise, the gut makeup turned from abnormal to normal
• Strength training: beneficial for gut cells and reduces inflammation
• Yoga is a great exercise to promote gut health

The Science Behind Gut Feelings

There is a deep neurological basis for intuition. The gut is known as the second brain, because there are more than 100 million neurons that innervate the gut. There is also a complex connection between the gut and the brain (refer to Part 1).

Intuitive decision making is when the brain and gut works together to assess memories, past learnings, personal needs and preferences in order to make the wisest decision for you. In this way, intuition is a form of emotional and experiential data.

Even if you don’t listen to it regularly, you still benefit from it daily, e.g. choosing to take a different route home (due to a gut feeling) and then later finding out you missed a 2 hour traffic jam, experiencing that pit in your stomach feeling when you feel you made the wrong decision or that butterfly sensation in your gut when you just know that you’re in alignment or made the right decision.

Starting to follow you gut can make your life easier! So how can we do this?

Intuition is a muscle and it takes practice, patience and perseverance.

5 ways that you can start to exercise your intuition muscle:

1. Discern Gut Feeling/Intuition from Fear (know the difference):

• Fear = pushy/forcing energy, constrictive, panicky desperate, dominated by self-critical thought & overthinking
• Gut feeling/intuition = pulling energy, your best interest, excitement, feelings of ease/contentment, causes the body to relax

2. Start small

• To make you comfortable with your intuition
• Take quick, decisive actions that have little consequences
• Examples: choose an outfit that calls to you (without weighing options), raise your hand in a meeting without censoring yourself. Then work up to larger decisions.

3. Test drive choices

• Don’t overthink it, role play it
• Choose option A and test it for 2-3 days, then option B
• End of the experiment = reflect on your thoughts, emotions and reactions of option A & B and choose the one that feels the best.

4. Try snap judgement

• Ask a question and right down the first answer that comes to mind and do that. Don’t overthink it!

5. Fall back on your values

• Identify your top values
• Ask yourself: ‘What action or decision brings me closer to my core values’

BONUS: Anri’s Practical Mindful Movement and Munchies Guide

Click here for Anri’s eGuide and Worksheet. Here is a summary: