Trust Your Gut

Trust Your Gut

 

 

In this article we are mainly going to go over the Large and Small intestine , the liver and stomach.

The gut is a long tube that starts from the mouth and travels down to the back passage of an individual (Anus), the gut is made up of many different components - i will list these below and their individual function;

        • Mouth ( “gastrointestinal tract” ) - begins the digestion process begins as we eat food.         

        • Gullet (the oesophagus) - the food passes down the gullet into the stomach

        • Stomach - from here the food is then passed into the small intestine

        • Small Intestine - once here your food will be digested and absorbed into the body.

        • Large Intestine - contains water and food that hasn’t been digested ( such as fibre)

 

Well the gut processes the food you eat from the moment you consume it until it is either;

          A) absorbed by the body or

          B) Passed aa waste

Starting off with the small intestine, the main function of the small intestine is to absorb the nutrients and minerals from the food we eat. Around 90% of the process is performed in the small intestine, the other 10% being in the stomach and large intestine.

*Extra fact; the small intestine has three sections known as the duodenum, jejunum and the ileum. the majority of food and liquids are consumed in the small intestine.

Common signs to look out for that indicate you have an unhealthy gut are;

  1.   Digestive issues such as bloating and gas
  2.   Autoimmune disease and suppressed immunity
  3.   Bad Breath
  4.   Diabetes

 

  • Crohn's disease - Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease which can cause abdominal cramps and pains as well as constipation and diarrhoea. Crohn’s Disease tends to occur more in families. Meaning if you or a close relative suffer from Crohn’s then your other family members have a higher risk of developing crohn’s disease.

the causes of it are still not understood so well however stress and diet may irritate crohn’s disease to flare up

(does NOT cause it)

  • Protein Losing Enteropathy - or PLE for short” the symptoms of this are ; diarrhoea, fever and abdominal pain.

do these symptoms sound familiar?

That is because PLE can be caused by other Inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease.

  • Note - other symptoms are lethargy, puffy legs/feet ( edema)

PLE doesn’t have a “set in stone” treatment , so usually treatment for this condition is aimed at improving micronutrient and malnutrition deficiencies .

 

A healthy gut is important as it contains billions of good bacteria that help properly digest our food and to absorb the nutrients consumed from the food along with playing a huge role in our overall immune system.

Our gut health should always be taken care of. For the individuals who suffer with digestive disorders (such as IBS – Irritable Bowel Syndrome) should look more into keeping their gut healthy.

You can take care of your gut health in a few ways.

One being taking a bacteria-benefiting supplement like a probiotic, which promote and maintain healthy gut bacteria to aid in digestion.

Probiotic+ is a fantastic gut health formula containing over 1 Billion CFU of active bifidus, Acidophilus cultures, perfect for anyone needing to increase their friendly bacteria intake.

 Secondly you can take care of your gut by changing little habits in your day-to-day lifestyle choices, such as eating more vegetables/fruit such as broccoli and raspberry these are high in fibre and will aid your gut bacteria.

 Furthermore, including fermented foods into your diet such as live yogurt will also benefit your gut as it's shown people who eat a lot of live yogurt tend to have more of a bacteria known as “lactobacilli” in their intestines these leads to less “enterobacteriaceae” which is bacteria linked with inflammation and multiple diseases.

Note* - Yogurts (especially flavoured) tend to be high in sugar so we advise to consume in moderation. We also recommend eating LIVE YOGHURTS. 

Below we will link a website that gives you 10 easy foods you can prepare yourself without spending tonnes on “already fermented” foods. The website will have a list of choices and to get to the recipe you click on whichever food choice appeals to you the most !

http://www.organicauthority.com/10-fermented-foods-you-can-make-at-home

applying simple little things to your daily life will benefit you and your well-being massively!

So here is the run down , your gut has a lot of work to do to keep YOU in check so it’s only right that we look after IT too!, we aren’t saying you need to change EVERYTHING in your life instantly but just little changes you’re happy to make , aim for organic foods as opposed to non-organic .

You don’t have to do it alone either you can search our site for supplements to help aid the process of keeping your gut in tip-top shape!

such as;

 Inulin Complex is a supplement formulated together with Inulin which is a starchy substance with many health benefits which includes promoting friendly bacteria growth in the gut, Lactobacillus which can help product lactase which breaks down the sugar in milk and much more . Finally Psyllium husk which  absorbs water in your gut making bowel movements much easier.

 Written by Brian

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