This blog is basically partial summaries of two resources that I have thoroughly enjoyed. They approach gut-healing from two separate perspectives. The first is from a Steven Horne publication. We have purchased several copies of the full copyrighted material and will provide you a copy as long as they last if you come by The Health Patch and ask for one, or we will give you the address if you wish to procure multiple copies for your own use. The second is from an online website called Viome.com – a site owned by Viome Laboratories. They also do extensive work and research dealing with gut health. Both provide excellent ideas for helping you heal your gut.
Dr. Horne lists four specific practices to help you in your efforts to heal your gut.
- Improve your elimination. Your gut can’t heal adequately if you are experiencing poor bowel transit times. He references practices and products to help improve bowel elimination
- Eliminate irritants. He suggests avoiding grains containing gluten, refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup (they feed bacteria), substances that disrupt the friendly flora (antibiotics, NSAIDS, etc.), pesticides, food additives, GMOs, and other personally problematic substances such as dairy, nuts, eggs, nightshades, citrus, and shellfish.
- Balance you gut flora. Fight yeast, substances that cause belching and bloating, and take good probiotics.
- Nourish the intestines with a good variety of foods and supplements.
The Viome article lists activities which may help enlarge your access to a greater variety of microbiomes.
- Test your gut microbiome. You can contact them on their website and get a scientific test that will find exactly which foods you should eat to boost the beneficial bacteria and bring balance to YOUR microbial ecosystem. Remember, we are all different!
- Get outside and play. There are more varieties of beneficial microbes outdoors, but most of us don’t live or play outdoors these days.
- Try intermittent fasting. Certain bacteria thrive in a calorie-dense environment, while others thrive in a calorie-scarce environment.
- Get plenty of sleep. And it needs to be restful sleep!
- Exercise the right amount. Exercise has been shown to enrich diversity, and increase beneficial bacteria.
- Stick to a schedule. Many of our gut microbes run on a circadian rhythm.
- Get a pet. Microbes on your pet increase your overall microbial diversity.
- Keep your home microbiome healthy. Actually, being too clean may reduce beneficial microbe exposure.
- Choose local, organic veggies. Enough said!
Gut health is not a diet. It is not a program. It is a lifestyle!
– For more information, contact Naturopathic Doctor Randy Lee, owner of The Health Patch at 1024 S. Douglas Blvd, Midwest City, at 405-736-1030 or e-mail pawpaw@TheHealthPatch.com or visit TheHeathPatch.com. Check out our blogs and podcasts under “resources” on our website each week for related topics.
