вторник, 29 июля 2014 г.

My Favorite Tools for Gut Health

My Favorite Tools for Gut Health

It’s no secret that I’ve been battling digestive issues since a young age. My journey with gut disfunction has changed as I’ve gotten older and while many aspects of it improved after I adopted a paleo diet, lingering issues after coming off of birth control are what I believe trigged my hormonal issues and my 5 year battle with hormonal acne.


After developing such debilitating hormonal issues, I decided to treat those issues first before jumping into testing my gut and tackling whatever problems remain head on. Why? First of all, gut issues and hormonal issues normally go hand in hand. But when you’re hormones are in really bad shape, it’s much more difficult to treat gut issues than if you’re hormones are doing what they’re supposed to. Thankfully, through the Healthy Hormones Group Program (which I plan to do a Facebook Live video on soon so be sure to follow my Facebook page), I was able to truly address my hormone issues and have now begun doing a variety of gut testing.


Having said all that, there are a ton of general tools for gut health that are incredibly powerful, regardless of what specific issues you might be dealing with. Especially if you feel you are struggling with hormonal issues, supporting your gut can be imperative to healing your hormones.


Here are some of My Favorite Tools for Gut Health that can be used to address any gut issue, hormone issue or to support overall health and wellness.


Bone Broth


Bone Broth is one of the most powerful tools when it comes to gut health and something I’ve worked into my regular routine. When I first begun my hormonal protocol, I would try to have a couple of glasses of bone broth each day. I imagine that when I get the results back from my gut tests that this is something I will continue to integrate regularly. Bone broth is very high in minerals and contains collagen, profile, glutamine and glycine which are all incredibly important for gut health. You can make your own broth and home or buy it pre-made. My favorite is Bare Bones Broth.


Megaspore Probiotic


This probiotic was recommended to me via the Healthy Hormones Group Program. Although I was already taking Prescript Assist (more on that below), I decided to integrate Megaspore into my routine as well. Megaspore contains 5 pharmaceutical grade bacillus spore strains which are not just beneficial for digestive health, but are also important for immune function, immune stimulation, digestion of cholesterol, neutralizing toxins and managing populations of dangerous bacteria. I buy Megaspore directly from Megan of ZestyGinger.com.


Prescript Assist Probiotic


In addition to Megaspore, I am also still taking Prescript Assist. I don’t aways take both probiotics but in preparation for doing some intense gut healing after my test results come back, I wanted to do as much as I could to prepare. Since most probiotics are different, it’s never bad to double up or vary what you’re taking to provide your body with a variety of probiotic strains. Prescript Assist is formulated to mimic the natural flora found in Paleolithic diets and is easy to order on Amazon!


Licorice Tea


For the first month of my hormonal protocol, I was using an alcohol-free licorice tincture. This is a powerful compound and should not be taken if you suffer from high blood pressure, but it can be an incredibly powerful tool for dealing with hormonal issues and adrenal fatigue. For me, it absolutely boosted my energy and minimized the amount of sleep I used to need. Having said that, after a month of taking it and feeling a lot better, I decided to stop as it can become detrimental if you take it too long. By the end of the month I could tell it was beginning to make me feel a little like I was on speed. Ha! Other than its hormonal benefits, licorice is also great for gut health. I now love having some licorice tea as an alternative to the tincture. I still get the benefits without the high concentration. My favorite licorice tea is from Pukka.


L-Glutamine


L-Glutamine is something I mentioned above as it’s present in bone broth. Glutamine is not just beneficial for gut health, but also immune function and muscle recovery, making it a great post-workout supplement. Glutamine is particularly beneficial for leaky gut, but can help with all different types of gut disfunction. I take one capsule per day of the Jarrow Formulas L-Glutamine.


Collagen & Gelatin


Both Collagen and Gelatin are integral to gut health and I make sure to include both into my routine regularly. Of course both can be found in bone broth, but since I know it can sometimes be tricky to include bone broth in your routine everyday, taking it as a supplement or in powder form is a helpful alternative. My favorite way to enjoy gelatin is by making gummies and I add pasture-raised beef or marine collagen to my morning beverage every day. It is flavorless so you can really add it to anything. Not only that, but it contains protein which I live since I am not always super hungry in the morning. My favorite brand of collagen and gelatin is Vital Proteins.


Fermented Foods


Fermented foods are an amazing way to support your gut health and come in a wide variety of options. Everything from kombucha to pickles, kimchi, sauerkraut or any pickled vegetable is extremely beneficial for gut health. I have recently been loving the new fermented veggies from Farmhouse Culture but really any fermented food will provide your body and gut with healthy bacteria to support digestive health.


Original article and pictures take anyaseats.com site

Комментариев нет:

Отправить комментарий