Do you ever wonder why you get frequent loose stool and/or constipation? Why you get tired after eating? Are you looking for ways to clear up your skin? Well the stomach and intestinal lining, much like a castle wall, are our main barrier against the harsh and dangerous outside world. The intestinal lining houses the majority of our immune system, which protects the body against a host of threats that lead to disease. Outside of this lining, healthy bacteria influence our immune cells and help to keep the intestines strong. However, the overgrowth of unhealthy bugs, like certain bacteria and yeast, poor diet and stress can destroy the intestinal lining and the immune defences that guard that lining. A damaged intestine or imbalanced immune system can result in virtually every type health concern.
Common conditions that affect the eosophagus, stomach and intestines are;
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases – Crohns Disease, Celiac Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
Good guts start with removing foods in the diet that may be causing damage to your digestive system. People may consider an IgE/IgG blood allergy test to provide a specific list of foods for them to eliminate. It is also important to avoid abrasive foods, for the first few weeks, such raw fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds as well as harsh fibre supplements such as psyllium husk. Removing these foods from the diet will allow the intestinal lining to repair and weaken unwanted bacteria and yeast that may be living in your guts causing symptoms such as bloating, gas and nausea.
A diet consisting mainly of lightly cooked fruits and veggies, lean proteins such as chicken, fish and turkey along with healthy fats such as coconut oil and olive oil will help to eliminate unwanted bacteria and yeast while providing nourishment to repair the intestinal lining. Using a variety of herbs including turmeric, garlic and sea salt to flavour your foods will also help to clear out unwanted guests from the gut. Green tea plays an important role in repairing a leaky gut lining and may be used to replace coffee during the first few weeks. These steps allow your guts to repair before restoring and replacing healthy bacteria.
Once you feel that you have sufficiently taken back control of your intestines, functional foods such as natto, kimchi, tempeh, kefir, sauerkraut and yogurt may be introduced into the diet in large amounts to increase the number of healthy bacteria. If you have done an elimination diet, you may also carefully reintroduce one food group every two days to determine if you have any food reactions. Reactions may come in the form of abnormal bowel movements but may also cause problems with concentration among many other symptoms. Be aware of any unwanted symptoms and immediately eliminate that food group again until that symptom subsides. Along with stress reduction and deep breathing practices to increase blood flow to the intestines, you can virtually take control of any health condition and get your life back!