No really, a healthy gut is great for a healthy mind
We’ve all been there - our gut is causing noises and discomfort that definitely don’t fit in with the picture of a “happy life”. And it’s true. If we have an upset gut, life can be pretty grey. But that’s not actually what we’re talking about today!
We’ve mentioned the gut-brain link before, and how scientists believe your gut is your second brain. If the gut is the second brain, then it stands to reason that it is a vital part of your mental health and overall happiness. An unhappy gut can cause fatigue, skin problems, poor mental health, and a whole host of other unwanted issues.
With the world the way it is lately, we figured we could all do with a little more positivity, and while a blog full of cute kitten photos might help some people in the short term, we’d like to help by giving you some tools to help in the long term.
Step 1: Is your gut happy?
Your gut is pretty outspoken, so if it’s unhappy it’s going to let you know! Although identifying it isn’t always the most picturesque adventure. Here are some ways your gut might tell you it’s unhappy:
Loud gurgling or grumbling noises
An “upset” stomach either with pain, discomfort, or bloating
Irregular or overall unusual stools (painful, extra bad smelling, at different times, or strange consistencies)
Heartburn or reflux
These are just a few of the ways your gut might tell you it’s unhappy, but at the end of the day it’s your body and you’ll be most familiar with it - you’ll know when something isn’t right.
Step 2: What is causing the unhappy gut?
They don’t call it an “upset stomach” for nothing - there’s always something you have done to put it in a bad mood, so it’s time to figure out what. Here are a few things you could have done to cause the unhappiness:
A high sugar diet
Lack of exercise
An imbalance of gut bacteria
Poor fibre intake
Again, these are only a few of the potential causes, but if something in your routine really stands out to you as different to your normal - and let’s all be honest here, lockdown hasn’t been great for sticking to healthy routines - then that might be a great place to start!
Step 3: Make things right again
This is really easy if you identified in Step 2 what the issue might be, as the answer is almost always clear. If it’s caused by a high-sugar diet, then your course of action should be to lower your sugar intake. If you’ve been exercising less, then start going out for walks.
If nothing jumps out to you however, then it might be time to start going the extra mile to make your gut happy. Like bringing home flowers to your significant other, eating the right foods is a real mood-improver for your gut. Here are a few things you can do to make it happy:
Drink more water (yes, really)
Include more probiotic-rich food in your diet (like our sauerkraut and kimchi!)
Try cutting down your caffeine intake (sorry)
Meditate to reduce stress (which affects your gut)
Talk to your doctor
If you have serious concerns about your gut, then talking to your doctor should always be your first course of action, but if it’s just a little unhappiness, or you’re looking to perk up your positivity, then these 3 steps are a great way to get on track.
No matter what, let’s be kind to one another - and our guts!