Hey Friends! We have a big topic to discuss today, and one that many people dedicate their entire lives to studying! But I'm going to give you the 30,000 foot view today, as a starting point! We have to start somewhere, right?
There are MANY factors that can contribute to inflammation in the gut, and many conditions that inflammation in the gut can contribute to.
We've all heard of IBS, right? This used to be an acronym for "irritable bowel syndrome", but now, as we understand the mechanism of it a bit more, IBS stands for "inflammatory bowel syndrome".
And let's talk about what a "syndrome" is. A syndrome is basically just a grouping of symptoms that don't fit into a disease diagnosis. It's a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning, when all of the tests have been done, and everything else has been ruled out, you'll get a diagnosis of a "syndrome".
SO WHAT CAUSES INFLAMMATION IN THE GUT?
A number of factors may contribute:
-viruses
-bacteria
-antibiotics
-alcohol
-food/food ingredients
-pesticides/herbicides/fungicides
-stress
-mold
-parasites
-And more!
At the root of all of these is gut dysbiosis, meaning, an imbalance of the bacteria in the gut. All of the above listed triggers can cause this imbalance, which can lead to chronic inflammation.
Is there ANYONE here who is not subject to one, if not many of those triggers? I'm guessing no, and that's why we would all benefit from being mindful of our gut health as a LIFESTYLE, not a one and done deal.
Symptoms of gut inflammatory issues often start out with stomach aches, digestive pain, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, bloating, and cramping, but longer-lasting, chronic inflammation can lead to problems that extend beyond the digestive tract.
In fact, all systemic inflammation STARTS in the gut! And if inflammation is at the core of disease, then we would all be wise to learn to care for our gut health intentionally. Can I get an AMEN?
SO HOW DO WE REDUCE INFLAMMATION IN THE GUT?
1. Diet- this is twofold. This means elimination or reduction of inflammatory foods, and incorporating anti-inflammatory foods. Gluten is the biggest as well as seed oils in food and cooking. DAIRY is another one worth looking at. Simply eliminate it for 7 days and then reintroduce it for 3 days straight and see how you feel. I have a friend who's nutritionist told her that it takes a minimum of 6 months to reverse damage from dairy in the gut.
2. Manage your stress. These are some items I use....Click Here.
3. Probiotics can help. They are not the end all, be all solution for everyone. However, there are times that they can be VERY helpful. I do take probiotics, and I rotate a couple of different types in. Young Living makes an excellent probiotic called Life 9. Learn about that here --> https://bit.ly/3rP4h00
4. Avoid the triggers I listed at the top of this post to the extent that it doesn't cause undue stress. Obviously, it is IMPOSSIBLE to avoid all of those triggers at all times. Just do your best, and let grace cover the rest!
I'm always available to answer any questions or give you more specific information. Please feel free to contact me!
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