Health Hotline Magazine | October 2021

HEAL YOUR GUT FOR OPTIMAL HEALTH

By Aryn Doll & Heather Pratt

We generally don’t pay much attention to our digestion (unless something goes wrong) but the digestive process is a true biological wonder. Each time we eat, our food begins the journey that will progressively break it down into its most basic parts so nutrients can be absorbed and unusable parts can be excreted. Without this complex system, we wouldn’t get the nutrients we need to constantly fuel all of our bodily processes. The digestive system is also responsible for defending the body against foreign invaders, destroying old intestinal cells and creating new ones, fostering the growth of beneficial bacteria, making certain vitamins like K and B12, and releasing hormones

that communicate with the brain and heart. But this intricate system is easily derailed by our modern lives. Stress, chemicals and pesticides, a lack of fiber, and the use of medications can all alter the functioning of the gastrointestinal system and the beneficial bacteria that reside there—and once the gut becomes compromised, the whole body su ers. Symptoms that indicate a need for gut healing are numerous but may include gas, bloating, cramping, irregular bowel movements, food allergies and sensitivities, indigestion, fatigue, brain fog, irritability, skin conditions like acne and eczema, brittle nails, and poor hair health.

Natural Grocers ® | 11