Are you destroying your gut from the inside out?  Or rather from the outside in?  It’s so easy to get into a routine, or a “rut”, that could be impacting your overall health.  Our habits create our routines, and if we are not mindful, these habits can wreak havoc on our bodies. 

1. Alcohol.  I get it.  Cocktails by the pool or lunching with girlfriends is super fun, but overdoing those early afternoon Aperol Spritz with the girls can lead to some serious energy lows!  Alcohol is broken down in the liver, which is our main detoxifying organ.  Think about it like this: the liver is at work 24/7 scoping out toxins and removing them from our system.  When we add additional stress to the liver’s load, there is only so much it can work on at a time. Additionally, alcohol increases bad gut bacteria, which leads to dysbiosis (or imbalance) of our good and bad bacteria.  This imbalance along with the increased toxins, contribute to increased inflammation of the system.

2. Stress.  This little guy is the good, the bad, AND the ugly.  Stress is killing us slowly by messing with our cortisol levels, inhibiting our body’s ability to sleep well, and affecting our hormone levels.  Daily stress relief can be as simple as a 30 minute walk/exercise routine, a 10 minute meditation, or practicing breath work throughout the day.  Check out my guide on stress management here!  Getting control of how your body manages stress can help you to increase energy and improve your mood with friends and co-workers.  It will also help your digestion to run more smoothly each day.

3. Antibiotics.  There is a definite time and place for antibiotics, but our society tends to have an overuse relationship with them.  So often, a sniffle or sore throat sends moms and dads straight to their local walk-in clinic for a “quick fix” with a dose of antibiotics.  The fact is, the majority of upper respiratory illness (our common cold symptoms), are caused by a virus, not bacteria. So taking an antibiotic to treat a viral infection will do nothing to help resolve symptoms, but will kill off our good gut bacteria.  Antibiotics cannot tell the difference between the body’s good and bad bacteria, killing off our healthy strains and causing microbiome imbalance which leads to digestion issues and long term health issues.  

4. Poor sleep.  Sleep and stress are closely linked.  Not getting enough quality OR quantity of sleep will have a huge impact on cortisol levels, causing an increase in this “stress” hormone.  Poor sleep will also affect our serotonin levels (created in the gut), and melatonin levels.  This will directly impact your ability to focus/concentrate, not to mention your ability to handle stressors without becoming emotional or frazzled.  Aim to get 7-8 hours each night, and be sure to set yourself up for success by turning off electronics an hour before bed, and creating a nighttime routine that signals the brain that it is time to rest.

5. Refined grains.  Like it or not, gluten and other refined grains will contribute to inflammation in the gut.  In persons who are already in a state of inflammation, including these foods into your diet are contributing to bloat and low energy.  Stick with complex carbohydrates like brown rice, quinoa, and potatoes to satisfy your desire for these foods.  

6. Artificial sweeteners.  Created in a lab to trick the brain into thinking you are eating something sweet, these are chemicals that are added to our foods to be a “healthier” option than consuming cane sugar or table sugar.  The problem is, these are not only contributing to digestive inflammation, but are also contributing to hormone imbalance.  Instead of using sucralose or aspartame, try eating some fruit (like berries or cantaloupe) for your sugar fix.  If you are going to use a sweetener for coffee or your oatmeal, use pure maple syrup, coconut sugar flakes, or Manuka honey.  These are natural sources of sweet, will be properly metabolized in the body, and not contribute to further inflammation!

To give your gut the best possible chance to do its job properly for you, try making the above adjustments to see how they may be impacting your health.  As your body starts to adjust, you may initially notice headache, wavering energy, and changes in your stool, but these will begin to settle down once your body starts to reset.   Let’s get intentional about how we are treating our body, so that thriving is the only option available!

If you are interested in learning more about gut health, message me below any questions. I promise, I will answer!

-Krissy