True wisdom never goes out of fashion.  The naturopathic approach has, and still is that our GUT or digestive system is central for optimal health.  If your digestive system is out of balance, this will affect your overall health and wellbeing.

 

This is the case for every area of your health:

• energy levels
• hormonal imbalances
• skin conditions – acne, eczema, psoriasis
• your immune system
• emotional wellbeing
• how you deal with stress
• cognitive function, memory and concentration

We are what we eat, digest and assimilate.

You could have the best diet in the world and be taking the best supplements.  However if your digestive system is not breaking down those foods/supplements you are not getting the benefits.  Good digestion provides energy to your body and also the nutrients that “build and repair” your healthy, fit body.

So you can see how important it is to take care of this one very precious body system.  Symptoms should not be over-looked as being irrelevant.  Symptoms such as

• Indigestion or bloating
• constipation or diarrhoea (or alternating from one to the other)
• If you get a “tummy bug” make sure you treat it properly.  All too often the bacteria/fungal infection has been treated only symptomatically and the pathogen is still in your system wreaking havoc with your health.

Have you ever heard of “The 4 R’s for Gut Health”?

1.Remove

• any pathogens  (bacteria, parasite, fungal infection)
• any food sensitivities, allergens affecting the digestive system – The affect on your digestive system will be effecting the rest of your body and health
• foods that could be worsening your symptoms – eg sugar, alcohol etc.

2.Replace

• With the good guys – probiotics,  Bifidobacterium and lactobacillus – available from good quality yoghurt or supplement form
• Enzymes so you can digest all your foods effectively

3.Re-inoculate

• Again these are  the good guys – probiotics
• Also prebiotics – soluble fibres such as plenty of fresh salads and veggies, good fibres such as psyllium husks, wholegrains

4.Repair

• With specific nutrients to help heal the GUT wall, and reduce inflammation to stop what is called “leaky gut”

Leaky Gut is where the wall of the digestive system has become permeable and toxins are leaching back into the blood stream.  This will contribute (or further contribute) to allergies and will overload our good friend, the liver.

The liver, as you are probably aware, detoxifies everything in our body and repackages up the nutrients to go off to do the “heal and repair” jobs.  This can be any or all of the body systems I mentioned above.

Take care of your digestive system; it plays a major role in your long term health and well-being.