Gut Health is such an important topic, with the gut being the root cause of most health conditions. Just by addressing the health of the gut the most common health complaint experienced by mums, can dramatically be improved.
When our gut is healthy we are better able to cope with feelings of stress and anxiety, we feel more emotionally balanced, we have better immunity and stop picking all the colds and flu’s that our children bring home from daycare and school, we can sleep better, we have better digestion, we have less bloating, we have healthier bowel movements, our hormones are more balanced, we are better able to absorb our nutrients from our food, we are better able to maintain a healthy weight and we feel more confident in ourselves and our ability as a mum. A healthy gut is the foundation for achieving the healthiest version of ourselves!
So what are some simple tips that busy mum’s can do today to start improving the health of their guts?
Eat More Plants:
We could all do a little more vegetables in our diet. This is one of the best things you can do for your health. Include fruit and vegetables (mostly veg) in every meal. Diversity is key. Make sure you are eating a wide variety of different fruits and vegetables. The more diverse the diet, the more different species of beneficial gut bacteria in the gut
Avoid Eating in a Rush or On the Run:
When we do not sit down to be present, we do not chew our food properly and this is when our body recognises it as a stressed state. Your body can not determine the difference between running from a tiger or running out the door stressed because you are now late as the kids didn’t want to get off the PlayStation. Eating in a stressed state shuts off digestion much the same way as if you were in a life or death situation running from a tiger.
Make Time for a Nutritious Breakfast:
As a busy mum who is constantly on the go, we often complain of being time-poor. I find this the case particularly throughout the day when you are trying to get things done before the school pick up, There is no time to sit down for a meal and quite often than not, you also have had no time for breakfast, so you have either skipped it all together or just got something quick like a piece of toast. I can’t stress enough the importance of a good nutritious breakfast to start the day. This is so important for busy mum’s.
Make time to be able to sit down to a good nutritious breakfast and on days time is poor, a smoothie is a great option as you can easily slip a good amount of fruits and vegetables and they are also easy to digest, making them a good choice for an on the run breakfast that won’t play havoc on digestion.
Adequate Water Intake:
Aim for 2 litres of clean filtered water a day, more if you are drinking coffee, alcohol or exercising.
Stress Management:
Stress and the gut have a strong connection. When we are stressed, this can cause disruption in the communication pathways between the gut and the brain and as mentioned above when we are under stress, our digestion shuts down. Here stress can be a major player in digestive issues including bloating, diarrhea, constipation. Some great ways to reduce stress and slow down may include incorporating just 10 minutes of a guided meditation into your day, practicing yoga, going to the gym and working up a sweat, going for a walk in nature, just making some time for your own self-care, whatever self-care may be to you
Avoiding unnecessary antibiotic use:
Think twice next time you go to the doctors for a coarse of antibiotics. Ask yourself do you really need them? Or can you just let your body do its thing and heal naturally? In the western world, antibiotics are being overused way too often unnecessarily. The impact this has on your gut health is huge. Antibiotics not only kill the bad bacteria but also the good bacteria at the same time. When the good bacteria are killed off and the bad bacteria become dominant over the good, we then become more susceptible to infections, illness and a number of other health conditions including weight issues.
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Heres to good health and happiness
Sarah x
