Gut Check
I know what you’re thinking. I thought it too. Gut health? By far THE LEAST sexiest topic to write about. Once I blow your mind with WHY gut health is important however, you’re going to wish you learned about this sooner. I grew up with a lot of health issues. Nothing serious, just random issues that a normal child shouldn’t have. It felt like I was always in the doctor, always sick and always tired. If you follow me on social media (which if you don’t, you should), you know I preach all the time about holistic health and all things biohacking. Talking about living a healthy lifestyle has become a passion of mine because of what I learned about my own body. Your health is everything. Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths out there around the topic of what’s healthy. I would be doing a disservice to you if I didn’t share the truth along with my story and how I went from being sick to Limitless.
First things first. Your gut is responsible for over 70% of your immune system. Yes, 70%!! Why we didn’t learn to take probiotics and prebiotics instead of emergen-C I’ll never know! Your gut also has more nerve endings than your brain. This is why the connection between our health of our gut is directly related to our mental health. Your gut also has good bacteria and bad bacteria. An imbalance of these could be the reason you can’t digest certain foods, could be the reason behind inflammation, and could be the reason behind none of your diets working and also a gateway to understanding why your skin isn’t clear. What I learned is that we have to get to the root of the issue. Not just mask it over with short term, instant gratification quick fixes.
For the longest time, It didn’t matter what I was eating, I would get a stomach ache immediately after. I started keeping a food journal in college (prior to my knowledge about gut health) to try to pinpoint what made my stomach hurt. Turns out, it was everything. Healthy foods, fatty foods, acidic foods, rich foods, you name it! I was overly cautious all the time about what I was eating because I knew I had to be prepared to be in pain afterwards. What a life to live!? If you know me, you know I LOVE food! I’m a foodie. I love to cook, try new restaurants, travel and eat cuisine specific to that region. Getting sick after every meal took the pleasure out of those things. I went to doctor after doctor and not one could tell me what was wrong. Not one mentioned to me the importance of a good probiotic and prebiotic. And more importantly, not one mentioned that my mental state could be a direct correlation to my poor gut health. It was a few years ago when I started to do my own research behind gut health that I started to find staggering research behind poor digestion and mood, poor digestion and hormone imbalance, poor digestion and inflammation, poor digestion and low energy. The list goes on and on.
The good news is there are things you can do to balance out the good and bad bacteria and start living a life of vitality. I have listed here some of the most important things you need to do not only to feel better, but to treat your body like it deserves to be treated. Our bodies are constantly saving us. Healing wounds on its own, recovering after hard workouts, fighting off illness. Our bodies are miracle bodies, they just need the right input and the right activation. Quick disclaimer: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. I’m not even a specialist. I’m simply a walking testimony who has discovered the key to a healthy gastrointestinal system and who has been completely transformed from a health perspective because of what I have learned. You deserve to feel good too!
What you need to know:
Yogurt is just an ‘ok’ probiotic. While it is an easily digestible food, it doesn’t provide any good bacteria to your gut because it is digested in the stomach. It is also killed by the stomach acid. Therefore, never making it to the large and small intestines where it needs to be. I love yogurt! But now I know, the nutritional purposes are few to none despite what the ads tell you and despite how many strains of bacteria the yogurt has. If it can’t bypass the stomach, the beneficial bacteria is pointless.
You need a prebiotic to feed your probiotic. Think of a plant. In order for the plant to grow, we need to create the right environment. The right environment consists of the perfect amount of sunlight, the perfect amount of water, and the right fertilizer. Same goes for your gut. Healthy bacteria need to be able to flourish to optimize great gut health. The probiotics are the seeds. The prebiotic is the fertilizer, water, and sun. Plants cannot grow with only seeds, they need the fertilizer as well. Check out some of the benefits from taking a prebiotic.
Promotes a healthy balanced relationship of bacteria by allowing beneficial bacteria to thrive*
Promotes a balanced gut microbiome and healthy gut environment to receive probiotics*
Helps maintain balanced blood sugar levels already within a healthy range*
Promotes bowel regularity*
Helps suppress appetite*
Most probiotics die in the stomach acid. There are thousands of great probiotics out there. It can be overwhelming when it comes down to which ones to buy. I’m victim to great packaging so I know what it’s like to buy things just because the bottle is cute. What I have found is that most probiotics die in the stomach acid. On average, only 4% of good bacteria makes it all the way to the large and small intestine. One way to ensure your probiotic is functioning and targeting the most important areas of the gut is if it has Biotract. A patented technology that allows 60% of the good bacteria to reach the small and large intestine. Otherwise, chances are, you’re probably only seeing 4% of the benefit and spending money on a product that only works some of the time. That’s no fun.
Check out this probiotic that has changed my gut health by clicking here.
Slow metabolism=Imbalance in your gut. Did you know the average person can hold up to 21 pounds of waste in their intestines? 21 Pounds!! A healthy digestive tract supports an efficient metabolism. A good prebiotic offers fiber so that you feel less hungry. Imagine losing 21 pounds just from releasing toxins from your body.
Glowing skin starts within. Our skin lets us know what is going on inside our bodies. Topically, we try to invest in the best skincare (which is important), but internally, we need to be taking care of ourselves and investing just as much. Your gut is the epicenter of all imbalances…including your skin. Learn how to heal from the inside out.
Brain fog and mood swings are real….if you aren’t nourishing the bacteria in your gut. Gut brain connection or gut brain axis is a fascinating concept. Majority of the serotonin (the neurotransmitter that regulates our mood) is made in the gut.
Put down the chips, carbs, and sweets. Food cravings are in direct correlation with gut imbalances. Most of the time when we are craving something, it means we are deficient in a nutrient within the body. For example, low levels of magnesium have a direct correlation with sugar cravings. When your gut flora is balanced, you absorb necessary nutrients from nutrient dense foods. The healthy bacteria thrives off of nutrient environments.
Poor digestion=Poor sleep. I’m the 8hr queen. Everyone knows this. Maybe the reason behind your lack of vivid dreams and inability stay asleep throughout the night is due to an unhealthy microbiome in your gut.
Gut health isn’t just a trend. It’s a necessity. Gut health is beginning to take on the form of a buzzword, but its so much more than that! If over 70% of your immune system is housed in your gut, if you have more nerve endings in your gut than your brain and if your gut has central communication to your brain…I’m pretty sure a healthy gut is THE MOST IMPORTANT topic when it comes to how we take care of our bodies and what we put inside.
Happy Gut, Happy Life. When I tell you my life has been forever changed since learning this information, I mean that with all my heart. That’s why I’m so passionate about it! I didn’t just wake up one day and decide I wanted to educate people on gut health and biohacking. It’s because of the difference these components have had on my health. Your health is EVERYTHING! I will shout from the rooftops for the rest of my life the importance of taking care of your body because of what taking care of my body has done for me.
When you’re healthy, you thrive. You live a life of vitality. You LivLimitless.
My go to gut health products that I swear by linked here
If you have any questions or if you need recommendations, Please do not hesitate to reach out to me via email
olivia@oliviagoolsby.com