If you are in the know about the foods you eat that support good gut health, but still aren't reaping the benefits you think you should...you'll want to keep reading. Don't want to spend money on a probiotic? You don't have to.
Picture this: you've done your research. You've even signed up for the free guide I share on How To Pick Your Probiotic Without Going Broke. You've made the firm decision that you don't want to drop your hard-earned income on a probiotic.
Have you stopped wasting your money on probiotics by downloading the FREE guide yet?
Yes, and it's changed my life!
No, I need to download it.
I totally get it- a probiotic isn't for everyone. It's not the first port of call when I work with IBS clients, and it certainly isn't going to help you grow wings and fly to the top accolades of success and achievement. Influencers won't tell you that, because they're too busy trying to share the benefits of the probiotic they're currently in brand partnership with (ps- don't forget the discount code for 10% off)!
Yet...you feel like you're doing yourself a disservice. You're missing out on potential gut benefits which could in fact resolve the lunch time belly bloat, the mid-afternoon gas/ wind, and the stomach cramps you can get after eating too much of your favourite takeaway.
It seems a bit hopeless- what can you do? When your insides are threatening to revolt on a daily/ weekly/ monthly basis.
Keep reading. I'm going to share with you five impacting factors on your gut microbiome that are not food. If you don't want to spend money on a probiotic, fear not: you can still work towards having a positive impact on your belly's good guys.
You don't handle stress well.
There are endless situations where you're constantly in a state of stress. You could be:
the sole provider for your family
a single parent
working towards a promotion
balancing multiple sources of income
studying for higher education
The list goes on! All of these situations are so different, yet they do have a common underlying factor: you are always "a bit stressed" about it. Even when you log off for the day, finally crawling into bed, your mind is reeling with the day's events and tomorrow's to-dos. Your body's ability to rest and digest is prevented from the constant cortisol stimulus, and so your body is less likely to put proliferating good guy gut bacteria at the top of the list.
PRO TIP: incorporate some midday mindfulness, such as through this breathing technique.
You're not exercising correctly.
I'm not here to give feedback on your squat form (although, I do that for Empowered Fitness clients all the time- video feedback and guidance is one of the many ways that Empowered Fitness takes you from gym newbie to pro). What I'm saying is, you may or may not be utilizing exercise frequently enough. Regular exercise provides cardiovascular benefits, and also stimulates digestion regulation. This happens through the increased blood flow around your digestive tract, and the gentle massaging of food down the digestive tract.
However, you could also be over exercising, which plays into that chronic cortisol stimulus discussed above.
PRO TIP: switch up your exercise routine. Incorporate both high impact and low impact modalities of exercise (such as running and pilates), and always have at least one rest day in your week.
You're using medication such as NSAIDS, steroids, or oral contraceptives.
Certain medications can injure the gut mucousal lining which can have similar impacts on your overall comfort and quality of life that a gut microbial imbalance can. With a damaged gut lining comes the potential for food particles to cross the gut barrier and into the bloodstream- allowing a now pathogenic particle into the bloodstream and throughout the body. Moreover, if you're taking a steroid/ course of antibiotics, these medications don't discriminate. They will wipe all bacterial balance in the body- good, or evil.
PRO TIP: if you're on a course of medication, incorporate fermented foods into your day, twice per day. This can include: plain yogurt, kefir, tofu, tempeh, kimchi, and miso products.
You aren't chewing your food thoroughly.
How many times should you chew one mouthful of food? At least thirty-two times, according to current statistics. Pretty wild huh? You may feel like your food has worn out its welcome, but chewing your food thoroughly decreases the risk of whole food particles escaping into the bloodstream and causing a potentially pathogenic reaction (such as inflammation, bloating, cramping, and foul gas/ wind).
PRO TIP: next time you're sitting down to a meal, try eating with zero screens in front of you.
Your liver is over worked and under paid.
Your body is an intricate system, and your liver is the part of the system that sorts the recycling from the general rubbish. Your liver links to the gallbladder, which produces bile to aid with digestion in the small intestine. If your liver is inundated with its sorting job, bile production in the gallbladder decreases and so- you guessed it- your small intestine is put under pressure and can result in painful cramping, upper abdominal bloating, and general maldigestion.
PRO TIP: decrease your alcohol and caffeine consumption. You don't have to cut it out completely, but it could be very helpful to keep this consumption to a minimum.
Is this new information to you? Is it sparking new/ recurring questions?
If so, it's ok. As they say, every day is a school day and staying on top of learning the latest research on various areas of your health is (understandably) overwhelming.
You can download my free, four minute guide on how to pick your probiotic by tuning out the influencer B.S. below. The guide gives you insight into what to look for in a probiotic, how to read the label, specific strains that can support things such as energy or immunity, and even includes how to pick one that suits your lifestyle.
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