Gut Feeling: Our Best Tips for Optimal Digestive Health

Bloating, heartburn, feeling overly full after meals.

Do any of these ring true for you?

What about inflammation, persistent skin problems, constipation, low mood. Do you experience one or more of these problems?

There’s a good chance your gut health could be at the centre of it all.

Naturopaths have been addressing health problems through digestion support for decades, and in recent years the rest of the medical world has started to catch up.

Research into the role of our gut and the bacteria living inside it has grown exponentially, offering evidence-based insights into the what, why and how of disease and the links to our gastrointestinal health.

We now know that around70% of the cells that make up the immune system exist in the gut. Amazingly, our gut also produces90% of our body’s serotonin - an important neurochemical in making us feel good. Knowing this, you can start to see why some refer to our gut as our second brain!

The workhorse of the gut is ourmicrobiome - the complex balance of hundreds of different living microbes lining the large intestine, responsible for fighting disease and infection, producing essential vitamins and supporting our immunity - much more than simply digesting our food!

Problems can arise when this balance is no longer - we start to notice minor (or major) signs in our bodies of imbalance that often present in the symptoms we mentioned earlier, among many others.

The good news is that there areinfiniteways we can help our gut to rebalance and heal, many of which are super simple! All that’s often required is a little diligence and consistency.

Georgia, our co-founder and naturopath, shares here her best tips for optimal digestive health to bring your belly back into balance, naturally.

 

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Feed it well!

• It almost goes without saying that we can’t expect our digestive tract to function well if we don’t fuel it well. In fact, there are certain things that are best to limit or avoid when rebalancing our gut microbiome - these include caffeine, alcohol, sugar, processed foods, oily foods and refined grains. This is because they can often feed the ‘bad’ bugs we’re trying to reduce, or contribute to local inflammation. On the other hand, some foods are beneficial to include in your diet more often, such as turmeric (for its anti-inflammatory properties), fermented foods (for their high populations of ‘good’ bugs), whole grains, high fibre foods, and plenty of water.
  
  

Exercise

• We won’t go so far as to say exercise is a cure-all, but there aren’t many conditions that can’t be improved with movement!Exercise has been shown to support the growth of ‘good’ gut microbes, with implications for mood, weight and more. It also helps us manage stress, which is important for our gut too - keep reading for more on this.
  
  

Herbal tea

• Herbs can be wonderfully supportive for digestive complaints, providing gentle but effective support to ease symptoms and help maintain optimal function. Ourrange of organic loose leaf tea includes many options that act as a balm for your belly, such as ourInfini-tea and Beyond with soothing licorice and mint, our ultimate calming blendDalai Calma with chamomile and blue mallow flower, orLemony Ninja for a warming, tummy-settling brew.

Low tox

• There is mounting evidence that differentchemicals found in or added to our environment can have negative effects on our microbiome. These can include pesticides, food additives, heavy metals and medications. By reducing our exposure to unnecessary chemicals, such as through buying organic and spray-free food, choosing wholefoods over processed, and drinking filtered water, we can help reduce the impacts on our sensitive digestive tract with every bite.
  
  

De-stress

• Recall how earlier we said the gut is sometimes called our second brain - in fact, there’s a strong relationship between our brain and gut that goes in both directions. When we’re stressed, depressed or anxious,the physiology of our gut can actually change to reflect this (for example, our digestion might slow down or speed up). Likewise, a painful or dysfunctional gut can impact how we think and feel. Looking after our mental health is also looking after our insides! All the more reason to take time out regularly for a slow, quiet cuppa.
  
  

Personalised advice

• When problems have been present for a while, we highly recommend seeking a registered practitioner for personalised treatment. Every gut is unique. Naturopaths often approach digestive disorders with a ‘weed and feed’ technique - after identifying which microbes are too active and which need support to strengthen, natural supports are used to ‘weed’ out the unwanted bugs while feeding the helpful ones to ease symptoms and regain balance again.

Whether you’re wanting to address symptoms and settle a grumpy gut, or simply looking for ways to prevent problems down the track, there are so many ways to take good care of your microbiome, naturally.

Health note: This information is not intended as health advice or treatment. We always recommend chatting to your qualified health professional for a personalised approach.

Seeking a soothing brew for digestion that’s organic and tastes great? Check out Tea Thief’s range oforganic loose leaf tea - expertly blended by our naturopath, there’s one for every moment. Be sure tofollow us on Instagram for tea-licious recipes, special offers and much more.

Resources:

• College of Naturopathic Medicine:https://www.naturopathy-uk.com/news/news-cnm-blog/blog/2022/04/25/how-to-heal-your-gut/
• Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges:https://aanmc.org/naturopathic-news/naturopathic-approaches-to-gut-health/ 
• The Conversation:https://theconversation.com/gut-health-does-exercise-change-your-microbiome-140003 
• National Centre for Biotechnology Information:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7151736/#:~:text=Environmentally%20induced%20perturbation%20in%20the,chemicals%20exert%20their%20toxic%20effects.