I love working with twenty something’s! I love their energy, their optimism, and once they buy into it, their commitment to getting healthy. Yet, the greatest common thread I see in young adults is that everyone is bloated! The term “gut health” is definitely all the rage, but actually learning why the gut is so important and what you can do to improve it is how we start seeing less bloat, better skin and an overall healthier you.
Gut health impacts almost every system in your body, and if something is “off” chances are your gut has something to do with it. Reflux, heartburn, fatigue, acne, eczema,constipation, diarrhea, and of course bloating can all be symptoms of poor gut health. And since over 70% of your immune system resides in your gut, if you are someone who picks up every cold or stomach bug that comes around chances are your gut isn’t as healthy as it could be. And here’s a big misconception- just popping a probiotic won’t fix the problem! But here are some tips that may….
*Drop the bubbly water for awhile. Overindulging in carbonated beverages can definitely make you feel and look as if your stomach is extended. Take a break and see how you feel.
*Do you eat and drink a lot of things that contain sugar alcohols (protein bars, canned alcoholic beverages, diet soda, gum)? If so, that could be doing you more harm than good. Take those out of your diet for a few days and see if you are less bloated.
*Add in raw apple cider vinegar (1 to 3 Tbsp a day with 8 ounces of water), drink more water with lemon juice, and eat your veggies, including fermented ones like sauerkraut.
I like to look at gut health as a puzzle, and my job as a coach is to help you find all the missing pieces. Until you start paying attention to your food,exercise,sleep,stress, and overall lifestyle it is hard to know what is causing your symptoms, but make no mistake about it, bloating is a sign that something isn’t right. Luckily, it's usually the first thing we can work together to fix, and with time and attention, all the pieces will fall into place.
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