Gut health requires a complete lifestyle approach. What this means is, no single specific tip or trick will provide long-lasting results.
You can picture your gut as a garden that needs tending to. You cannot overhaul a garden overnight, and you cannot plant a seed and expect to come out to a plant the following morning.
A plant needs water, sunlight, the correct temperature, moisture, air, nutrients, and patience.
Patience in particular.
So, what are the key elements to healing your gut? The big two are:
Nutrition: Eliminate/moderate alcohol, refined foods (especially refined carbs and sugar), trigger foods, and anything artificial - specifically sweeteners. The best place to start with trigger foods is common allergens and sensitivities. Consume foods to help rebalance your gut: garlic (although you may have to moderate it due to bloating), pumpkin seeds/linseeds, coconut oil, etc. Also consuming probiotic and prebiotic food sources.
Supplementation: The key objectives with supplements are to improve digestion, regulate bowel movements, rebalance the good and bad gut bacteria, reduce deficiencies, and facilitate gut healing. My most highly recommended supplements are magnesium, zinc, digestive enzymes, and l-glutamine - I provide a full detailed supplementation guide for a range of benefits and issues in my coaching plans.
These two alone will go a long way! But here are a few rapid-fire tips to go with them:
1. Find ways to reduce flare-ups/bloating - mint and fennel tea, apple cider vinegar, and peppermint oil are good places to start.
2. Intermittent fasting - provides your gut with time to process, digest, rest, and heal, and improves the diversity of gut microbes (check out my book for a complete guide).
3. Low-moderate intensity exercise - walking, low-intensity resistance training, yoga, etc.
4. Manage stress and tackle your mindset - meditate for 10-15 mins per day, reduce day-to-day stressors, limit coffee consumption (ramps up cortisol, the stress hormone), and finally understand and accept the situation you're in and stay positive.
If you need that extra level of support, and want the thought and weight of this process taken off your hands, feel free to join us at live. on our coaching plan The Gut Reset - which is the most comprehensive and accessible personalised gut health plan you'll find.