trust your gut + everything will be ok
Your gut is so thankful, and so am I, for you sticking around for the final email in our series of 3 regarding the growing topic of gut health! If you can feel the butterflies, it's your gut telling you that you are on to something and why you have made it to this final email.
Just to recap, remember the mention of hundreds of trillion microbes in our gut (reminder: The gut is comprised of the esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, and colon) in our previous email?
The gut also has over 100 million nerve endings constantly communicating with the brain, sending messages every microsecond through the vagus nerve. The microbiome in our gut is an ecosystem responsible for breaking down foods to process nutrients and harness good bacteria, eliminating toxins, and governing your mental makeup and emotional well-being.
It is the gateway to a healthier life.
"Make food your medicine, not medicine your food ."
Here, I dive into what led me on this gut health journey. I will share the information I have gathered in my journey over the last (almost) two years that has made me feel the healthiest and happiest I have ever felt!
I was struggling more and more with reflux issues about two years ago. I had experienced it in the past, but it was gradually getting worse. After trying over-the-counter meds, I decided there had to be a better way. I've also never been a fan of medicine unless it was non-negotiable. An author I will reference below said,
"When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is not needed."
That led me to understand what causes reflux and how to remedy it more naturally; I wanted to understand the root cause. This is what led me to give up coffee (caffeine) and alcohol, two significant contributors to reflux and my routine. That also meant donating my "but first, coffee" and "coffee and mascara" shirts. I actually had no problems with these "sacrifices," and I really started to feel a shift.
I also began to cut out sugar in ways that cut back my dessert intake, easily my favorite part of any (and every) meal. This remains my most complicated struggle, but my gut thanks me when I stay clear of packaged anything, over-processed protein bars, desserts, and sweets.I later found out that refined sugar has the same impact on your brain as hard drugs and is a fuel for bad bacteria. No wonder it makes me feel terrible to overindulge!
Keep in mind that I wasn't focused on GUT health at this time. About a year ago, however, I felt more bloated than I ever remember. I started walking regularly with a friend and immediately fell in love with it! It gets me sweating and feeling fit and in nature, so I'm lacing up my Brooks and getting it in whenever possible! Walking seemed to help my bloat, which didn't really register until I heard the correlation in a recent Mel Robbins podcast that walking and exercise, in general, makes the microbes in your gut very happy! It immediately started making more and more sense. The universe continued to send me messages through all the avenues: people, visions, social media, and gut feelings.
At this time about a year ago, through a friend, I learned about a product that I then incorporated into my routine. It consisted of a greens-collagen-gut health combo that promised three days to no bloat, more or less but with tons of other benefits. I tried it. I loved it. I've never looked back! It's a clean, environmentally conscious, and vegan option that includes greens and veggies, probiotics, and prebiotics and supports healthier-looking skin.
Then, slowly and instinctively changing my lifestyle led me to rarely experience reflux, omitting medication, exercising regularly, and feeding my gut microbiome effectively, all leading to me feeling the healthiest and happiest I have ever felt. So basically, I noticed that through my reflux issues, I needed to nurture my gut the entire time.
But why the happiest? To be clear, just because you're happy doesn't mean you are without challenging times. But as a general way of being, I mostly feel happy. Full circle, now I know why. Over 95% of serotonin, the feel-good hormone that plays a key role in fighting anxiety and depression, is produced through the enzymes in the cells of your gut. When the gut is healthy and happy, it sends positive signals to the brain. The gut responds to the quality of the ingredients and cooking methods and releases serotonin accordingly.
I believe in telling your story. There was no way I could have predicted having a story on gut health. It was like a journey I never knew I was on, but then again, do we really ever know? But here we are, and it all started with my gut in all the literal and scientific ways. Indeed, I examined the root of my health problem and paid attention to the signs I was sent about gut health along the way. Suppose any of this resonates with you, congratulations! It caught your eye for a reason. You are here for a reason, you honored your gut feeling!
There is growing research and evidence on gut health and how it contributes to your body, mind and emotions, so I will give you some great resources below that have helped guide me.
Here are some additional practical ways to start improving your microbiome immediately!
Honor the spring equinox ( March 19th) and any change in the season. Engage in spring cleaning of the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and energetic spaces! ( Keep your eyes open on your inbox for more details and tips on how to hone in on the benefits of the spring equinox).
Good bacteria in your microbiome aid in the digestion of food. You can improve good bacteria with healthy probiotics, fresh fruit, and fermented foods. I also support my gut regularly with a powder form of probiotics and prebiotics, greens, and fiber, as I briefly mentioned earlier (link below). Remember, good bacteria aid in relieving symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression and enhance your mood.
Did you know that a diet with fresh, organic foods can give you healthy, glowing skin, while a diet filled with excess alcohol and sugar can cause your skin to be more dull? A diet of apples, berries, cherries, strawberries, and hummus reduces oxidative stress in the body, tightens the collagen, and reverses the aging process. Research, Ayurveda: you will go down the rabbit hole!
"God made dirt, and dirt don't hurt."...If you have heard of this, you will now possess the full circle meaning of why dirt doesn't hurt. First, we must understand that microbes were the first settlers on the planet and will outlive humankind. Don't stress if you can't wash your hands after a hike in the park; some dirt filled with the essential microbiome will not hurt you. Even gardening, rinsing, and eating directly from the earth in real-time is preferred over store-bought. Growing up on a farm with a garden, picking raspberries directly off the bush was the best thing I could have done and created such nostalgic memories! Create a connection with environmental microbe.
Another tip from my children's retired pediatric doctor is, "You don't have to sanitize everything." A sterile environment can negatively impact us by shielding us from important microbes. Pets and animals are a great way to get microbes from other species. Growing up, I lived on a farm surrounded by kittens, dogs, cows, pigs, bunnies, and the occasional field mouse. I never realized farm life was so beneficial to my microbiome!
Fermentation is a significant contributor to a healthy gut microbiome. Kimchi is a fermented superfood that can be enjoyed alongside most dishes. Sourdough has grown in popularity for many reasons, one being the long fermentation process. It's richer in nutrients, less likely to spike your blood sugar, contains lower amounts of gluten, and is generally easier to digest. This is one trend I can be on.
Exercising early in the morning or any time will make your gut happy! It also helps to reduce stress; stress can cause a decline in beneficial gut bacteria. We know that our digestive health plays a role in our outer beauty, including clear, glowing skin, a healthy weight, good moods, and immunity. Yoga after a meal, even just a few poses, can bring circulation to your core, where digestion occurs. It can also help to relieve gas and bloating while giving a massage to your organs to aid in waste movement.
Remember one small change daily to live the healthy life you want and deserve! Supplementing when needed from trusted brands is never a bad idea to aid in our healthy journey. I have been using products to support my gut health for a year. It has been tried and tested in my household and sold on the shelves at my beauty studio. This top-tier product significantly influenced my turning point to a healthier gut.
Some scientists say the continued information being gathered and discovered about the gut's complexity and intricacies is a scientific revolution. I'm so excited to testify to how it has led me to be where I am in my journey and how I can implement my knowledge into my and my children's lives and hopefully yours, too!
Be good to your gut.
—A S H L E Y
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Mel Robbin’s podcast on Gut Health
Additional Resources
—“Heal your Gut, Mind, & Emotions” —Dimple Jangda (link for this book can be found on Ashley’s Favorite Things page on website)
—Gut Health series on Masterclass.
*Disclaimer: we are not medical doctors or trained beyond our own research in the field or topics spoken of. We simply have a passion about gut health and all things beauty and want to share our tried and true (for us) insight, tips + tricks with others experiencing the same interests.