I will tell you what one of my favorite words is…POOP! It is a part of my every day conversations, and I feel like it should be. The first question I would hope every doctor would ask is…”Do you poop every day?” The goals I have for my children include: that they are kind to everyone, they are happy most of every day, and that they poop often. I will be frank…I poop every time I eat, about 4 times a day. Too much information for you?!?! Get over it, and start paying attention to what is going on in your own bathroom.
More and more things are coming out about poor health, and the link to gut flora (the good bugs that live there). A combination of processed foods and stress have created a change in the flora that live in our digestive tracts, and things grow that should not. Unfortunately, it is difficult to adequately test gut flora in a normal office visit, so let’s focus our attention on how we can attempt to fix it.
The most recent studies have shown links between gut flora and depression. Mental health has skyrocketed around the world, and children are being diagnosed with depression at younger and younger ages. I am not placing the blame all on the gut, however I think focusing on keeping such a large organ healthy, should always be a priority. Researchers are in the early stages of pinpointing beneficial bugs that can be used in the treatment of depression and anxiety. They are called psychobiotics. These studies have found that when people used these psychobiotics daily for a month, they more calmly reacted to stress, and reported reductions in their depression and anxiety. This is related to findings that the brain and gut strongly communicate, and research has suggested that probiotics tell the brain to secrete oxytocin and serotonin that make you feel relaxed and happy.
Another major issue related to an unhealthy gut involves your immune system. In fact, 70 percent of the cells that are in charge of your immunity, lie in the lining of your digestive tract. A big part of it’s functioning is related to how well it is able to rid of your body’s toxins. Unfortunately, due to chronic poor eating, and the lack of beneficial flora, those toxins are not going to be excreted properly, thus affecting your immune system. Therefore, people’s health can be greatly affected by something they are completely unaware of.
Immunity and mental health are areas everyone should find extremely important for daily living and a quality life. Therefore probiotics and gut health should be a priority. To change your gut, and stress the re-establishment of beneficial bugs, it is important to focus on clean eating, and foods high in probiotics. For instance, the basis of all diets should be fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains. This will increase fiber intake and help the good bugs do their job. It is also important to focus on fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, and kimichi. I am honestly not a huge fan of any of those foods, so I take a high quality probiotic daily, and drink lots of kombucha and apple cider vinegar.
If you were to take any form of supplements, I would highly suggest investing in a quality probiotic. It is so important to your health, and a probiotic will never be a waste of money (unlike other supplements, where benefits are often unclear). Look for ones that say “live active cultures,” which in most health food stores, are found in the refrigeration section of the supplement aisles. I have been taking one with 100 billion cultures, and it has been amazing for my body and my digestion. I have not been sick in years, and I largely believe it is due to my attention to my gut. My girls also take probiotics daily, and even as babies, were given probiotic powder in their milk.
With all of the healthy things I have incorporated into my daily lifestyle, I really do live off a basis of how amazing our bodies can function if we allow it to. Anatomy and pathophysiology were my passion in nursing school, and I really focus on incorporating a simple approach…your body wasn’t made to handle things that are not wholesome and real. So try your best to eat, drink, and move in a way your body needs and desires. It is the only body you have. Treat it well, and it will treat you well.
Strong mind. Strong heart. Strong body.
Val