Helen is a qualified nutritional therapist and has been involved in health and nutrition for over 25 years. She’s an expert in health and raw foods, is a Reiki Master and has raised and educated five children.
Attaining a healthy gut takes more than chowing down on charcoal or knocking back milk of magnesia to avoid incessant windiness at both ends. Moreover, good gut health is more than a lack of bloating and indigestion.
We carry approximately 25 feet of intestinal tubing coiled inside our belly area, and given that much of what we eat is improperly digested, (poor chewing, rushed meals), it’s little wonder that trapped wind and bloating can happen.
Some millennia ago Hippocrates maintained that all disease begins in the gut and science is now proving what many in the natural health world have long believed. It has a massively important influence on both physical and mental health. The gut is involved in health issues ranging from skin problems and allergies, right through to the biggies of cancer, Alzheimer’s and autoimmune diseases.
Even on a simple level, no matter how clean and healthy a diet you eat, if your gut isn’t functioning well, you will not be absorbing the nutrients you thoughtfully ingest.
So here are 3 easy ways to add more flora that should get you on your way to improved gut health.
Increase Consumption of Fermented Foods
Unfortunately, simply sliding a tray of bio yoghurts into your supermarket trolley just won’t hack it.
Dr Joseph Mercola points out that commercially available yoghurts are widely promoted as healthy because they contain added probiotics but the rest of the ingredients counteract these to the point of rendering them useless.
Instead, look out for kefir – or better still, make your own from a kefir grain culture. It has a similar taste to yoghurt but it is higher in probiotics and contains 10 – 34 strains of bacteria compared to just 2 -3 strains in yoghurt. In yoghurt the bacteria are transient, meaning they travel through, cleaning up as they go, but don’t stay to colonize, whereas the bacteria in kefir cling on and multiply.
Sauerkraut and miso are also excellent alternatives to ring in the changes with.
Supplement with Soil Based Organisms (SBOs)
These little goodies bring together both pre and probiotics, so are a one stop shop.
Pro and prebiotics each have a different purpose so if you supplement with SBO’s you will be getting them combined.
Soil based organisms, “consist of a mixture of eight species of naturally occurring probiotic organisms embedded in a matrix of fermentation end products and fulvic acid.” They prevent build up of toxic matter in the gut, increase absorption of nutrients, normalize bowel function, and reduce intestinal gas. They increase resistance to harmful bacteria and inhibit an overactive immune system.
Taking these good bacteria will quickly sort out any low level digestive issues but if you want speedier or deeper results, up the ante with DE.
Clean Up Your Colon
If you have never done a colon cleanse, you will have decades of impacted gunk lining your intestines, built up over years of poor elimination.
There are various colon cleanse kits available for this, but one simple, cost effective and painless way is to use human grade Diatomaceous Earth aka DE.
This greyish white powder sweeps debris from your intestines by attracting and absorbing bacteria, viruses, fungi, pesticides, heavy metals and drug residues, whilst also destroying parasites and worms, allowing you to eliminate these naturally.
Both DE and SBO’s can be used alone but alternated or combined they have a much greater effect. DE is also an excellent source of silica, so side effects of usage will be better nails, hair and skin. Use DE first for 2 – 3 weeks then add on the SBO’s making sure you take the two at least an hour apart.
By investing in your gut flora not only will you be sashaying around showing off your flat belly, but you will be insuring yourself against future problems with chronic inflammatory conditions that lead to ill health, disease and an unhappy old age.
