Time for a Gut Check
by Christina Meyer-Jax, Tastemaker in Residence
Find one of my Favorite Gut Check Recipes at Quinoa + Beans Southwest Skillet
I recently saw a quote on Instagram that said, “80% of yoga is holding in a fart”. Whether you do yoga or not, I think most of us have felt the struggle of being in a tight space with gas and bloating. At the very least it’s embarrassing, and on the other end of the spectrum digestive issues can be painful and debilitating.
A recent estimate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that digestive disease complaints comprise approximately 51 million emergency room visits annually and 37 percent of consumers consider themselves to be managing some type of digestive health issues.
In my own nutrition practice, the consults and questions related to gut health have steadily increased and at times outpace weight loss concerns. Ultimately the big questions emerge: how do I know if I have an unhealthy gut and what is the optimal diet for a healthy gut? Here are some general rules of the road for understanding digestive health:
Digestion should not hurt! I’m not talking about periodic stomach problems that are a normal part of life caused by stress, food poisoning, or other environmental factors. But if more often than not you find yourself feeling digestive discomfort or pain, your gastrointestinal tract is trying to tell you it’s not in a healthy place. This could be an indicator that it’s time to see a health care provider who specializes in digestive health to help uncover the root cause of your issues.
There isn’t a one-size fits all diet approach. While research is getting closer to understanding what feeds a healthy gut, each individual can react differently. Most recommendations on probiotics, types of fiber, and supportive supplements are guesses at this point.
The gut is smart. The enteric nervous system (ENS) in our gut acts like a second brain with as many nerve cells as our entire spinal cord. With almost as many microbial cells in our body as human cells, our ultimate health is very intertwined with the health of these gut bacteria. So the goal is to support feeding the optimal balance of bacteria.
General Diet Strategies for Gut Health
Since there is always individual variation in dietary outcomes, recommendations tend to be based on the best of what we know from the current research. It’s a pretty complex system, so each year we continue to add to our knowledge and thus recommendations. For now, here are some good approaches and targets to optimize digestive health:
Consume a variety of plant-based foods, which may encourage the growth of “good” for you bacteria (probiotics) and prevent the growth of harmful strains.
Increasing plant-based foods also helps in upping your fiber intake. Certain fibers act like food (prebiotic) for the probiotic bacteria. Fiber can also help food waste move effectively through the digestive tract and decrease constipation. Great sources of fiber are: beans, seeds, lentils, fruits, and vegetables.
Increase water consumption! Plant and higher fiber foods will need to have its best friend water to help with moving the waste from your gut. Too much fiber and not enough water can lead to more digestive discomfort.
Decrease processed and high sugar foods. Foods that are filled with additives, preservatives, and refined carbohydrates tend to support the growth of harmful gut bacteria.
Current research is showing the relationship between healthy sleep and stress management supporting positive gut health. While the research in this area is still growing, getting good sleep and decreasing stress is a no-brainer for health in general.
Be mindful of food sensitivities and environmental triggers. I have my clients who are working on digestive health issues keep food journals. This is not to track calories or macros, but to discover what foods or situations might be causing the digestive distress. There are also diagnostic tools health practitioners can use to help uncover foods that are causing inflammation. An irritated gastrointestinal tract is always going to scream out some problems.
Be active! It doesn’t have to be yoga, but moving in general helps keep the digestion moving in the right direction!
Avoid using prolonged antibiotics unless medically necessary. These medications have a huge impact on your gut bacteria. Taking probiotics during or after has been met with mixed results, so the best bet is to avoid taking unless really needed in your treatment.