While I am a huge advocate of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being and holding space for our highest self, this comes through making conscious choices to support our inner world. Being dedicated to a lifestyle that involves the body, mind and soul it only makes sense to be mindful of what one feeds themselves – literally and figuratively. Being able to physically strengthen ourselves from the inside out in our thoughts and actions comes from our core. Our core values guide us in the decisions we make and our gut supports our minds in the clarity it seeks. Being clear in the ways in which you show up comes from a healthy integration of the whole.
What’s cool is the more and more we show up for ourselves the more we know the ways to support those we love. Being able to live with a little more balance grounded in clarity fueled by love isn’t just a pretty way of putting it, it’s how I choose to live – every day and encourage clients both those that show up on the mat and those the choose to trust me as a guide on the side.
Our life impacts us, stress is real, no one is immune to the challenges of being human. All that I have studied reminds me again and again how connected everything is so making healthy lifestyle choices influences not just my experience but my health and longevity as well.
From a physical stand point diet and exercise is essential. What science is demonstrating is that real health starts in our gut. Then there is the emotional piece. You know that feeling in your belly, that heaviness in your heart, the enthusiasm for the season, the joy we love to spark, and the peace that keeps us steady. We are wired to respond to our environment and when our mind is clouded by stress, relationships and poor habits we can find ourselves misguided and exhausted. Our emotions are influenced by our hormones and our hormones are informed by the chemistry of our gut. All the more reason to focus on Core Health.
These 10 little tips (inspired by my friend Eric Stoneberg) are regarding probiotic and microbiome benefits that come from supporting your gut. By changing your diet to eat foods with probiotics and prebiotics you will begin to support the flora, bacteria and microbiome. You will also want to cleanse the GI track to fully absorb the nutrients. What’s exciting is that it is totally possible! Even better, while the evidence is still building, the risk to try it for yourself is incredibly low. Committing to your health at a deep level is a commitment to your light. The world wants you to radiate your light!
1: Winter Blues
Taking a daily probiotic has been shown to increase vitamin D levels – well known to be low during the winter months (by more than 25%) and to modulate the area of the brain responsible for mood. While spring is on her way as I write this, winter is guaranteed to return again so being proactive for a good mood next winter has even more benefits. Improving gut health especially through a microbiome you help reduce depression.
2: Mood
Are you aware of how well connected the brain and the gut are? Research indicates that maintaining a healthy gut flora can help to reduce anxiety and lower levels of brain activity linked to emotional pain while increasing activity associated with decision making. Your gut is home to your second brain that has a direct line to your main brain called the gut brain axis. This communication highway can be improved to heal digestive issues associated with mental illnesses like anxiety and depression and when the bacteria is good your mood is too. This won’t make it easier to balance your bank account but it can help you make choices that support your bank account. Clarity in the brain to make daily lifestyle choices supports our overall enjoyment of life and mental health.
3: Fatigue
A lack of energy arises when you aren’t getting the vital vitamins and nutrients from your food needed to keep you functioning at your best. If your digestive system is sluggish or even over active our energy levels are directly impacted. Carrying around extra shit just isn’t motivating and slows us down. A multi-strain probiotic helps to sustain healthy levels of good bacteria, which in turn helps you absorb the goodness from the food you’re eating. It’s like your gut thanks you for eating healthy by supporting you with more energy. A healthy gut flora also aids in the production of extra B vitamins, which are essential for energy production throughout the body.
4: Sleep
The gut is largely responsible for the production of the ‘happy hormone’ serotonin, which is needed to make the ‘relaxation hormone’ melatonin. Taking a multi-strain probiotic can boost the production of these hormones to help you sleep more soundly. Hormonal balance layered with solid sleep is a win win!
5: Weight Loss
Cutting edge research shows that dysbiosis (more bad than good bacteria in our guts) plays a significant role in weight gain. 70% of adults in the USA are thought to have dysbiosis. Ensuring that you are getting lots of good bacteria alongside a healthy diet and fitness regime can help to reduce excess weight.
6: Allergies & Your Immune System
Allergies are said to be a malfunction of your immune system or a sign that your immune system needs some love. With 70% of the immune system lying in the gut, maintaining healthy gut flora can help to manage the various symptoms of allergies. This is where we fight viruses and molds. Our autoimmune system can also attack our bodies rather then support our system, riding the bad bacteria that inhibits healthy gut flora creates a healthy optimal environment. To keep us healthy we need to keep the bacteria healthy.
7: Stress
Stress disturbs the mixture of bacteria in our gut and increases production of bad bacteria. Stress has been shown to irritate or aggravate a range of diseases. Probiotics encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria which support healthy immune functions. Layer this with having a more clear mind you quickly begin to reduce stress more effectively.
8: Bloating
It is the bad bacteria in the gut which produces gas (stinky toots) and cause bloating. Sugary and processed foods feed this bacteria, helping it to multiply. Eating fermented foods and taking a multi-strain probiotic tops up the beneficial bacteria to prevent an imbalance in the gut and reduce the effects of bloating. Yogurt, kambucha, pickle juice, sauerkraut all help this as they are fermented as does adding a powerhouse system that includes an anti fungal and digestive enzyme.
9: Sex
Serotonin is the primary neurotransmitter that determines if you feel happy, have energy and yes—if you’re in the mood to have sex. Serotonin is involved in controlling and enhancing blood flow to different regions of your body, especially the genital regions, which further explains its vital role in libido. And while we may automatically think neurotransmitters such as serotonin that “turn on” sexual arousal are produced in the brain, research shows closer to 90% of serotonin is, in fact, produced by gut microbes.
Overall happiness, energy levels and sex drive begin with a healthy digestive tract. Reducing and eliminating pathogenic yeast from the gut can rebalance beneficial gut flora to improve sexual function for all genders.
10: Irritable Bowl Syndrome
About 60 million people — that’s 20 percent of Americans — have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). They struggle with miserable, often disabling symptoms like bloating, cramps, diarrhea, constipation, and pain.
The surface area of your small intestine, where food is absorbed, is about the size of a tennis court. That area also houses about 70% of your immune system.
This sophisticated gut-immune system is just one cell layer away from a toxic sewer; that is, all of the bacteria and undigested food particles in your gut. When that lining breaks down, your immune system will be exposed to foreign particles from food, bacteria, and other microbes.
Simply put, your gut microbial ecosystem must be healthy for you to be healthy. When your gut bacteria are out of balance — when you have too many pathogenic bacteria and not enough healthy bacteria — you get sick. In addition to making healthier food choices, repopulating your digestive tract with good bacteria while eliminating pathogenic bacteria can reverse the symptoms of IBS. Reducing anxiety is also a way to reduce IBS, leaving a strong connection to how everything is connected.
Physical and mental health go hand in hand. Our decisions literally come from our core both physiologically and energetically. Trusting your gut energetically and physically will only improve your experience of life giving you a heightened appreciation and supporting your over health and well being. If you want to learn more or are ready to take action to feel better from the inside out CONTACT ME. Bellow are some links to back up the statements above. Evidence is still building but there is little risk to conduct your own research CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5641835/
https://www.mindful.org/meet-your-second-brain-the-gut/
https://plexusworldwide.com/sunnyshare/trust-your-gut/improve-gut-health-meet-weight-loss-goals
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