Gut Health, Soothing IBS is Key!

Gut Health is linked to so many Auto-Immune conditions like Irritial Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Psoriasis, Eczema , Food Intolerances, ADHD, Chronic Fatigue, Insomnia and more! If you don’t,  it is likely that someone you care about has one of these chronic illnesses.  A few years ago I didn’t know a thing about gut health.   Wow!  I am not a doctor, nor a holistic practitioner.  I am not diagnosing or making any claims- you need to see your practitioner.   What I am sharing with you are some things that I have learned personally, as a mom, from friends and practitioners.  

After I had my daughter I came home weighing more than when I went in.  I’m sure I am not the only one that has experienced that, but it didn’t go away.  Fluid retention.  Even if I ate “like a bird”, or super healthy I could not drop the weight.  I felt horrible, burning in my belly, bloating, pressure, tight chest, stiff neck, psoriasis came- what is that?  Then… the worst hit… Insomnia!  (I can hear the sound of the Psycho music playing now!).  Not sleeping is horrible.  I would go as far as to say- painful.  Let’s talk about some of these conditions from a Mom’s Point of View and What I Did Personally. 

If you don’t have those symptoms, but do need some ideas of sleep promotion tools I have a post on that you can CLICK HERE to Read 31 Best Sleep Products to Sleep Better Every Night.

Auto-Immune Conditions Related to Gut Health:

Autoimmune conditions like IBS, Celiac, Hepatitis, Diabetes, MS, Lupus and More.

Multiple diseases may arise or be exacerbated due to a leaky gut, including autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, autoimmune hepatitis, type 1 diabetes (T1D), multiple sclerosis, and systemic lupus.- Frontiers in Immunology.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS):

 Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder that affects the large intestine. Signs and symptoms include cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea or constipation, or both. IBS is a chronic condition that you’ll need to manage long term.- Mayo Clinic

Manage long-term sounds like you will live with this condition forever, right?  Here is another point of view from the Integrative Perspective.

The good news is you can identify IBS symptoms and then treat them naturally through lifestyle changes and an IBS diet treatment plan. So what are the common symptoms of IBS, and what can you do about them?- Dr. Axe

 

IBS, A Natural Approach:

Before we start taking a look at a Natural Approach to IBS, let’s talk about Food Intolerances vs. Food Allergies.

A true food allergy causes an immune system reaction that affects numerous organs in the body. It can cause a range of symptoms. In some cases, an allergic food reaction can be severe or life-threatening. In contrast, food intolerance symptoms are generally less serious and often limited to digestive problems.- Mayo Clinic

How do you identify what your food intolerances are?  Journaling is helpful- I am a huge fan of it!  Writing down what you ate, or using a phone app can be helpful.  I like this video from a group in Australia- Click Here for Food Intolerances.  This page (Click Here) has “10 Food Allergy Apps”.     The App “Cara” is a great tracker for Food, Mood and Poop.  Sounds gross- but the goal is for you to feel better and to notice changes in how you feel with the foods that you eat!

For those that have a hard time with the elimination diet there are some at-home test kits available, and others available via your practitioner. 

• Everly Well:  offers a Food Sensitivity Test Kit (Click Here)  Be sure to check for a 10% First Time Visitors Coupon! 

Our Food Sensitivity test measures your body’s IgG immune response to 96 foods that are commonly found in western diets.

• Oxford Biomedical: Select Practitioners can order other tests like the Oxford Biomedical LEAP Test.  You can contact the company at (888) 669-5327 to ask for assistance in finding a provider.  If you are in the Houston area feel free to comment and I can guide you to a practitioner.

Still Lost?  Three common inflammation trigger foods are Processed, Non-GMO & Unclean: Grains, Dairy and Sugars.  Begin removing those as you get ready to start on your food journal, testing or locating a practitioner.

The World of Probiotics- Diving into a shelf of which one works? 

Not all probiotics are the same- they all contain different strains of bacteria and they all serve a different purpose.  Some that I have sued personally are: Metagenics, Pharmax, VSL #3, Jarrow, Renew Life and more…  Although you can buy these on Amazon, I recommend finding a local shop for those that are “over the counter”.  Why?  If you save your receipt, many shops will offer credit or refund your money if they don’t work or if they don’t agree with you.   It is frustrating to have a refrigerator full of probiotics that don’t work.  Finding an Integrative-Minded Gut Specialist can help point you in the right direction. 

I was introduced to Microbiome Labs- Megaspore and RestorFlora and those are what worked for me!  Hands down, the most effective.  They are spore-based, survive the stomach acid and help create a healthy balance.  They have clinical research that supports their claims and that speaks volumes!  I would encourage you to discuss this product with your practitioner, as they are only available from practitioners with established accounts.  Visit Microbiome Labs for more information.  Locals Comment below to be directed to a practitioner.

Wishes of Wellness,