Welcome to 3 Point Thursday!
Each week I'll send you the three most compelling ideas, facts, studies and/or products related to nutrition, health and wellness that I have to share.
Last week we began a discussion on the gut-brain connection and how important nurturing this connection is to every aspect of our health.
The result of poor long term gut health (which in turn affects brain health) is what's known as "leaky gut".
Leaky gut is a term that refers to abrasions in the cellular gut lining that allow for toxins moving through your digestive system to leak out into your blood stream, which can make us sick in many different ways that range from uncomfortable to deadly.
Today I'll cover some common indicators and causes of leaky gut and poor gut health and begin to discuss ways to maintain or improve a healthy gut-brain connection.
- consistent digestive issues (gas, bloating, abdominal pain, constipation, loose stools, etc) that worsen when you're emotionally stressed
- allergies (seasonal and food)
- acne and other skin issues
- autoimmune diseases
- hormonal health issues
- chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety
In other words, all the above can very likely be improved by improving gut health.
By far, the top two causes of poor gut health/leaky gut:
- Emotional stress
- Poor diet
Some other big ones are:
- frequent use of antibiotics
- frequent alcohol consumption
- exposure to toxic chemicals (often in household and beauty products)
- poor sleep
Note: All these causes of leaky gut are also causes of poor immune function (it's all connected!)
- First way to maintain or improve gut health:
Stress Management
The brain and the gut are in constant communication and stress is definitely one of their most discussed stimuli.
How does stress affect the gut?
Emotional stress causes a very physical and chemical reaction in the body that has real effects on our health, which includes the release of the hormone cortisol.
Cortisol diverts energy away from the gut and the attention it needs and sends it to our muscles and extremities, keeps blood sugar elevated (to meet glucose demands of the stressed brain) and retains sodium (to keep blood sugar up), all of which allow us to respond quickly and efficiently to danger.
The thing is, most stress these days isn't actually dangerous, but these primal physiological instincts can't tell the difference.
It is our job to train our mind and body to manage our internal energies and energies we're exposed to externally, from stress to bliss, in appropriate ways.
If we don't, we have chronic cortisol releasing which leads to energy being used unnecessarily to keep us "safe" instead of doing other important tasks that keep our guts and brains healthy.
This is where stress management comes in and is VITAL to our overall health.
When we find and implement practices into our life that help us manage our stress, both in the short and long term, both consistently and accutely, we can achieve strong homeostasis in our physical systems and maintain a high, light vibration in our minds and emotions.
What practices?
You know the deal: meditation, breathwork, yoga, prayer, chanting, exercise of all kinds, dancing it out, affirmations, maybe singing or playing an instrument.. the list is long.
I've found personally and with clients, the ideal recipe is usually:
some kind of stillness/going within + some kind of movement on a daily basis
+ a hobby you can engage with regularly that brings joy/peace
+ great sleep and rest as we need it
Here is an easy, go-to technique to do once, twice, three times a day or more and/or when you are feeling tense or maybe before entering into a potentially stressful situation.
Close your eyes (if possible.. if not, follow from step 2)
Relax your jaw
Release any tension in your forehead and eyebrows
Breathe in to the slow count of 4
Exhale for a slow count of 8
Repeat 5 times (though doing this even one time will signal your parasympathetic nervous system to activate)
Something like this might seem too subtle or insignificant to change anything, but I'm telling you, this stuff works..
Following this stress management recipe with a bit of discipline at first will make a huge impact on the way you feel and the overall state of your health in mind, body and spirit.
More ways to heal the gut and nurture the gut-brain connection to come!
See you next time :)
Sending loads of love to each of you! Take care of yourselves - it's never been more important.
Replies and idea contributions are always welcome and if you enjoy 3 Point Thursday, please forward to a friend who would enjoy it too or reply and ask me to add!
Do you experience day-to-day anxiety, have trouble sleeping, or are you managing an autoimmune condition? Or maybe you just want to supplement your diet and lifestyle to experience more full homeostasis in the mind and body..
I carry organic, full spectrum, medical grade CBD oil in my practice that can deeply address all these concerns and many more in a smooth and natural way.
I also provide consulting with schedule and dosing.
I will mail the oil to you free of charge and consulting is free as well.
Check out my previous bullets about CBD and reply to this email if you're interested in purchasing or learning more.
Know someone who could benefit from one-on-one health coaching to improve their life through simple and gradual changes to diet and lifestyle? Please feel free to introduce us via email and we can set up a free health strategy session!
Check out my website for information about my health coaching programs. www.wholenutritionny.com
With love,
Beth Klein
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