Gut Instinct… Restoring the balance
As the weather warms and the silly season nears, stress levels can rise and with them an increase in digestive issues – most commonly effecting women.
An excess of bad bacteria in our gut – such as candida – can make us feel tired, bloated, foggy and anxious. Gastro health is not something we first consider – particularly when Christmas hype abounds. Yet, gastrointestinal disorders affect 35% to 70% of people at some point in life – more often females – reports the Harvard Medical School.
“Gut health is influenced by what we eat and by stress. Women especially are on the go to look after everyone and can forget themselves,” explains Monika Vincent, director of Raw Balance, Taupo. “Studies show a mother’s gut health at time of conception impacts baby’s gut health. Therefore, balanced gut health before getting pregnant is essential.”
It’s all in the gut
Not all bacteria are created equal. “Good” gut bacteria aid our digestion, strengthen our immune system and produce the vitamins our body needs. “Bad” gut bacteria can cause digestive troubles and lead to serious health issues like leaky gut syndrome and IBS.
How does stress impact on our microbiota? The mind-gut connection is a topic that’s been readily explored in the past decade. The Enteric Nervous System, a roadway of nerves connecting our brain and digestive system – the ‘brain-gut axis’ – streams messages between the two. 95% of our body’s serotonin – the hormone that helps control mood, sleep and appetite – is found in the gut, not the brain.
When stress hormones flood our body, the digestive system effectively shuts down, causing muscles to contract less – or more – frequently, prompting gastric excretions and stomach acid levels to increase or decrease, resulting in changes to healthy bacteria composition.
Biotic balance
When on the amongst the festive flurry eating foods that sustain our body’s functions is key. However, instinctively we may reach for sugar, fat, caffeine or alcohol which can worsen digestive issues. Eating probiotic and prebiotic foods that target and support our good bacteria can help to restore balance.
“Prebiotics both directly and indirectly modulate the immune system and reduce the risk and severity of bowel infectious and inflammatory conditions,” reports Michael Conlon in his article ‘The Impact of Diet and Lifestyle on Gut Microbiota and Human Health’. However, you don’t need to consume huge quantities to reap daily biotic benefits.
“Try to eat something fermented daily. For example, sauerkraut in a sandwich or coconut yoghurt for breakfast. Seaweed added to meals is rich in prebiotics which are essentially food for probiotics,” says Monika. “Our favourite probiotic is coconut kefir. A bottle will last you a number of days and the impact is amazing!”
Exercising the mind and body is also essential for a happy gut.
“Yoga is great for gut health, it strengthens the body, stretches muscles and promotes better breathing. Conscious deep breathing – just a couple of minutes – is relaxing, de-stressing and a fantastic way to oxygenate the body.”