Gut health is essential to our overall health and wellness. I’d like to believe that everyone these days is aware of the importance of ensuring their body is properly fueled and nourished for the long-term. As we find ourselves hunkering down indoors with our families due to the unfortunate COVID-19 outbreak, it can be difficult to find the right foods in the grocery store. This can lead some of us to lose sight of our health goals by going with something simple and faster — fast food.

Don’t get us wrong; we all enjoy a good cheat day (toxic day) or two. But too much of a “good thing” could cause you to feel less like yourself.

What do we mean by gut health?

Gut health is more than just your tummy. It refers to the balance of microorganisms (good bacteria and bad bacteria) that live in the digestive tract. When we eat more healthy foods (fruits and leafy green vegetables, fiber, etc.) than bad ones, we are maintaining the right balance that our bodies expect. When we don’t, such as consuming a diet high in processed foods and added sugars, our gut health can get out of whack and cause a lot of physical and mental imbalances. Just a few you might recognize include:

  • Heartburn and upset stomach
  • Bloating
  • Depression
  • Inflammation
  • Anxiety
  • Low energy
  • Sleeping issues
  • Gas
  • Unintentional weight changes
  • Autoimmune conditions
  • Headaches

A body that is improperly fueled, overweight, or undernourished cannot sustain health over the longterm and will act out in a variety of ways that sometimes chiropractic adjustments alone can’t fix. We go beyond chiropractic care by offering complete nutritional counseling to all of our patients. From helping you switch to an anti-inflammatory diet to sitting down to go over food diaries one-on-one, offering supplements for different health issues, and being a representative for Juice Plus. The goal is to leave no stone unturned in your journey to a healthier and pain-free life. Here are a few ways to improve your gut health:

  1. Change your diet — Reduce the amount of processed, high-sugar, and high-fat foods that you eat. That can be easier said than done when grocery store shelves are empty, but make a list ahead of your next trip and don’t just settle for getting everything at one store. Choose plant-based foods, anything that is high in fiber, and lean protein.
  2. Take a prebiotic or probiotic — If a person doesn’t feel well, most of the time they will leap straight to the medicine cabinet and take an antibiotic. This is not a good idea, as antibiotics tend to wipe out all the good and bad bacteria in your body. Instead, get on a prebiotic or probiotic to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.
  3. Stay hydrated — Drinking lots of water is probably the simplest way to promote good gut health.

Call Brain-Body Connection Chiropractic today!

Remember, the goal at Brain-Body Connection Chiropractic is to continue offering all your chiropractic and wellness needs under one roof. This allows us to treat everything from a backache to poor posture, range of motion issues, post-injury management, a herniated disc, scoliosis, and more. Sometimes, all you need is a quick adjustment from a chiropractor, but Dr. Twila Henderson and her growing team will always do a complete evaluation to see if more techniques are needed to help your brain and body function properly.

Call us today for your next chiropractic appointment.