5 Ways to Ensure Your Gut Heals

If you are reading this, you might be similar to the clients we work with. Maybe you tried everything, just like them, and still feel bloated. Elimination diets, supplements, cleanses, antibiotics, and the list goes on! You might feel fearful that you will never find relief, or that you will have to live in fear of your stomach forever. 

PSA: you don’t have to live your life in fear of your digestive issues!

When addressing digestive issues, you have to approach them from all angles. It’s like how a stool needs all 3 legs to stand on – your digestive journey needs support and attention from all angles. 

We find that many of our clients focused ONLY on diet or ONLY on supplements in the past, and that’s part of the reason that they feel trapped on the symptom merry-go-round. You cannot rely on nutrition or supplements alone to fix your bloat!

In the gutTogether program, the “3-legged stool” for healing consists of: 

1. Optimizing nutrition
2. Building lifestyle habits to support your digestive health 
3. Using targeted supplements to address underlying root causes  

In the past, which number have you skipped over? For the most part, I find my clients have skipped over #2. #2 is often the hardest part for our clients, because these habits take consistency and time. 

To get you started on the right foot – or, in the case of our metaphor, the right leg – here are 5 ways to support your gut healing and ensure that you find symptom relief: 

1. Address the underlying issues. Your gut is mad for a reason. The symptoms you are having are a “check engine” light going off alerting you that you need some extra TLC. Instead of band-aiding your symptoms with short-term fixes, address the real reasons WHY you are feeling bloated. For example, is your bloat caused by low stomach acid? Is it caused by bacterial overgrowth in your gut? Is it caused by stress? Dig into the reasons WHY your body is giving you a check engine light with the guidance of a professional, and develop a plan to address the underlying issues so you can find long-term relief.
2. Spend 5-10 minutes each day on stress management. Sounds easy, but this is hard to put into practice. I find that for 90% of my clients, stress is the #1 root cause for their bloat and constipation. They rush from obligation to obligation and find themselves burning the candle at both ends. Over time, this stress impacts their stomach acid levels, their motility (leaving them constipated), and their bacterial balance. It can honestly be said that stress is the root cause of all other root causes. Stress management could look like going on a nature walk, calling a friend, taking a bath, meditation, doing yoga, or anything else that helps you to unplug. 
3. Get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Your body needs to “rest and digest” in order to get rid of bloat. If you are not sleeping enough, your body will continue to function in a state of stress (see tip #2). Getting to bed early, having a bedtime routine and prioritizing sleep are game-changers for our clients. Rest and digest to find relief from your constipation!
4. Drink 75-100 oz of water each day. Most people are dehydrated and, subsequently, they are constipated. Focus on drinking enough water! You will notice better bowel movements, more energy, less bloat, and overall improved digestion.
5. Be kind to yourself. Don’t skip this step! Healing from digestive issues is HARD. It’s easy to feel at war with your body but at the end of the day, you are on the same team! You have to learn to work WITH your body versus against your body and have compassion for where you are at, no matter how hard it is. Start your day by writing down all the things your body does FOR you versus what it doesn’t. Once you are able to flip this script, you will feel less overwhelmed by where you are right now. 

Pick one of these 5 points and make a goal to work on 1 thing next week. Daily habits that support your digestion will ultimately carry you farther than a fad diet, crazy supplement routine or anything else! 

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