Five Gut Health Tips You May Be Missing

Hello, friends!

If you've been working with me, you know that I love all things digestion, diet, science, and lifestyle improvement. Today's list of five gut health tips will support your digestive health, mental health, and immune health. If there were a pill for that, wouldn't you take it?!

And don't forget -- while most of the research is on adults, these mechanisms are likely true for kids as well.

Here we go!

Tip #1: Combine Your Carbohydrates with Protein and Fat to Lower Blood Sugar Spikes
Controlling blood sugar is important for all of us -- not just those of us with diabetes or pre-diabetes. When the body experiences low blood sugar it interprets the low blood sugar as a stressor and dumps adrenaline and eventually cortisol into your bloodstream. Have you ever felt suddenly stressed out or anxious and you're not sure why? It may be low blood sugar. Eating regular meals can help to regulate blood sugar but it's also important to combine your carbohydrates with proteins and fats. Think of crackers with cheese or hummus; fruit with nut butter; rice dishes with a protein source and some healthy oils. Proteins and fats slow the progress of carbohydrates through the stomach and thereby lower the overall blood sugar spike experienced after carb-focused meals and snacks. Lastly, studies indicate that the order in which we eat foods matters -- blood sugars spike less when proteins and vegetables are consumed before carbohydrates. (Side note -- if you are on a fertility journey, blood sugar regulation is a key element for you to get under control.)

Tip #2: Eat Fermented Foods to Increase Microbiome Diversity and Reduce Inflammation
There are probably many reasons that most traditional cultures ate fermented foods, but thanks to research from Stanford we know that daily consumption of fermented foods improves the diversity of the gut microbiome and decreases inflammatory markers found in the blood. One of those inflammatory markers, interleukin 6, is associated with chronic stress, rheumatoid arthritis, and type 2 diabetes. Consider adding some yogurt (ideally, plain and full fat), kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, or kombucha to your daily diet. Want to support a local business in the process? Check out the insane deliciousness of Beloved Ferments here in Oakland!

Tip #3: Believe in How Filling Your Food Is
This one's fun! Did you know that what you think about your food affects your body's production of hunger hormones? Mindset researcher Alia Crum ran a study in which people received a milkshake and were either told that it was a sensible low-cal/low-fat shake or that it was an indulgent high-calorie/high-fat shake. Their levels of ghrelin, the "hunger hormone," were measured before and after consumption. As it turns out, those who thought they were eating a "light" shake saw their hunger hormones remain higher after consumption, which would compel them to seek more food afterwards, while those who thought they were really indulging had their hunger hormone levels plummet. What's the lesson? If you're looking to lose or maintain weight, think about and appreciate all the delicious fat and calories in each bite of your food so that your body can register the food intake and significantly lower your hunger hormones. 

Tip #4: Sleep
Yes, sleep! Research has repeatedly shown that sleep deprivation increases hunger and increases the drive for sweet, salty, and/or high fat foods. If you're getting less than 7.5-8 hours of quality sleep per night then you're likely to have poor food choices and eat much more than your body needs. (Also -- that's a good reason to come in for acupuncture and herbs to get your sleeping patterns back on track!)

Tip #5: Reduce Chronic Stress
Research continues to show that chronic stress negatively impacts the digestive system. Chronic stress directs blood flow away from your gut and leads to impaired gut motility (think either anxiety-induced-diarrhea or stress-induced-constipation), damaged gut lining (leaky gut), and negatively impacted gut microbes (which in turn can affect mental health, immunity, food cravings, and more). If you can't make the changes you need to reduce chronic stress on your own, come in for acupuncture and herbs, visit my favorite massage therapists, or get some help with mindset and healthy boundaries.

Did you find these tips helpful? Let me know! I love hearing from you.

With love,
Janet