If you are like me and have suffered from gut issues, I feel your pain, and I know firsthand how uncomfortable and debilitating it can be. I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2019 and told by doctors that the only solution would be to take medication for the rest of my life. Deep down, I knew this surely couldn’t be the only option, so I set out to research as much as I could into natural ways to treat the body and heal the gut. I came across many holistic approaches to health that all contributed to a healthy gut and would also improve many other aspects of living day to day.
Here are 5 things that you can do today that will put you on the right track to getting your gut health back to full digestive health.
- PREBIOTIC & PROBIOTIC FOODS: Eat a mixture of prebiotic and probiotic foods - Prebiotic foods are the foods that probiotics consume to grow, and probiotics are the good microbes that live within our gut and contribute to a whole range of functions within our body, including the immune system, digestion, and how we think and our emotional responses. It’s extremely important for the healing process to consume the right probiotics and prebiotic fibres to keep our microbiome intact and out of a dysbiosic state.
- MEDITATION: specifically Vedic meditation, is an extremely effective tool that allows the mind to become calm and shows us our true baseline state of being. This allows us to become aware of what might be affecting us and gives us a clearer picture of how to respond effectively
- ADEQUATE SLEEP: Sleep is when our body gets a chance to heal itself the most. Make sure you are getting enough sleep each night; at least eight hours per night of uninterrupted sleep will ensure your body has enough time to work its magic.
- DECREASE YOUR TOXIC LOAD: During the healing process, we want as much of your body's energy going into healing your gut lining as possible. Decreasing your toxic load will allow your body to focus on just that instead of trying to process toxins from cigarettes, alcohol, or processed foods. Eat clean organic food where possible, stay away from processed foods, stop drinking alcohol or smoking, and drink clean, filtered, or spring water.
- MASSAGE: Through Abhyanga, lymphatic drainage massage or light exercises such as bike riding or walking massage is an extremely effective tools for soothing the gut. It also stimulates lymphatic drainage to promote the removal of toxins from the body. It stimulates digestion through movement, aids in the expelling of gas, and promotes the proper elimination of waste. All these things make you feel less bloated or uncomfortable in the gut.
These five things are a great place to start when you are trying to get your digestive system back to a natural state of being. Of course, there are many more ailments that you can do daily that work together with the 5 I have already mentioned; these are all covered in the Holistic Guide to IBD book that’s available now via our online store. This book is a comprehensive, easy-to-follow guidebook that aims to get you back to feeling your best with perfect digestion as quickly as possible. Click the link below and check it out!
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Thank you and I wish you all the best on your journey to full health :)
