Step 1. Determining Symptoms Of Gut Dysfunction
If you don’t fully understand what makes for a healthy gut, it may be harder to know the signs that your gut isn’t functioning properly. Knowing the symptoms of gut dysfunction is the first step to fixing it. “Some common signs of poor gut health include: delayed peristalsis, or constipation for more than two days paired with bloating or gas, foul smelling breath, skin issues, namely dry skin and acne (especially around the cheek area, which is associated with the colon), and increased fatigue.” Policastro says.
2. Finding Triggering Foods
The next step to healing your gut is knowing what causes it to work poorly. According to Policastro, it mostly comes down to diet. “Part of the problem is that food quality has declined—the result of growing “cheaper” varieties of crops, adding chemical fertilizers, increasing storage times, and transporting food over long distances, food additives and heavy metals added to accelerate food and beverage production. Sometimes these foods are branded as “healthy,” but changes to how food is grown, produced and transported makes them not really healthy at all. As a result, we’re exposed to infections related to poor food quality more than ever before.”
3. Main Change Needed For Your Diet: Meal Planning
When grocery shopping, how do you create a meal plan that is gut friendly? “Try to avoid processed, heavy, greasy foods. Not only does it take time and energy for the digestive system to process these types of food, which can interfere with the ability to produce “good gut flora” in your digestive system, it can cause organ fatigue too,” Policastro says, “Our gut microbiome houses the majority of our immune function and supports things like detoxification processes.” This process starts with reading ingredient labels and nutrition facts closely—shoot for short ingredient lists with words that are familiar and words you can pronounce. This is a good way to know that the food you’re buying is whole and healthy.
You should focus on what you’re adding in just as much as what you’re taking out. “In tandem with avoiding processed foods, adding nutrient-rich foods to your diet can improve gut health.” Policastro notes things like vegetables, fruits, grains and legumes, kale, collard greens, broccoli, and blueberries as great additions to your plate. Your gut health is one of the best long term investments you can make—prioritizing whole, natural foods is key for overall wellness.