Hello Dear One!

How IS your tummy??

Does it feel and function wonderfully?  Or do you struggle with sluggish (or rapid!) digestion issues, constipation, gas. bloating, or frequent distress??

If so, please know that you are not alone.

Actually you’re in the majority.

With food sensitivities growing and the search for assistance with bloating being in high demand – it’s clear MOST of us need support.

This is a HUGE topic with many intricacies, BUT there are some basics that you might wish to employ in order to put yourself in solid standing AS WELL as consider based on your own personal situation.

SUPPLEMENTAL GUT SUPPORT:
 – probiotics
 – fish oil
– prebiotics (inulin+)
– collagen powder
– digestive enzymes
– activated charcoal

(This is MY OPINION of the order of importance as well.)

Why all these things? 

Bacteria is the name of the game with gut health, and the truth is we have a LOT of gut aggressors in our environment and food supply.

Overeating particular foods that reduce the variety of health bacteria in our gut creating a less balanced microbiome, CHEMICALS in food, GMO’s in food, INFLAMMATORY foods, SUGAR, ALCOHOL…

The list could go on, so support to a lesser or greater degree, is WISE.

Probiotics are generally embraced as GOOD by the general public.

They are good bacteria for your gut.  Many people are quite particular and loyal to what they’re taking, and it if WORKS – KEEP TAKING IT.

If it does NOT make a marked difference in your comfort and function (if you are in discomfort and feeling out of wack) – please reconsider.

I will vouch heavily for USANA’s probiotic (that has MANY hat tipping high marks – find out more about it here) because it both SAVED MY LIFE when I developed leaky gut years ago (from eating too much peanut butter, chocolate, and wine), and frankly it CONTINUES to save my life when I overdo it with a surprise OR KNOWN gut offending substance.

Fish oil is also another widely accepted supplement due to the awareness that Omega 3’s are an ANTI inflammatory substance, which are great idea for MANY reasons – including supporting your gut.  Fish oil is quite helpful for gut lining health and repair.

PREbiotics are FOOD for the good gut bacteria or even the PRObiotics that you’re deliberately taking.

You can get this in the form of resistant starches (read the blogpost here) which can range from “pasta” to powder.  There’s one I love (Fibergy) that I add to a pudding I make almost daily, as well as collagen, that I’ll share the recipe for below.

Collagen powder is also GREAT for gut repair and gut health.  Collagen is NOT a complete protein (just be clear on that), but it is wonderful added to shakes, puddings (like me), or anything else liquid that you might wish to use as a delicious delivery system.

Digestive enzymes are WONDERFUL as they can eat up the BAD gut bacteria!  AND if there’s something you typically struggle with that you might wish to eat anyway (ahem, dairy), but they can be a super useful, “use as needed”,  approach to handling foods that might be loved and supportive for health in general (ex fiber), but feel a little harder to digest.

And lastly I’ll mention Activated Charcoal as this can help with general detoxification (like in the hangover helpers post) as well as GAS!  It’s another great supplement to have on hand and use as needed.

So that’s CLEARLY more than a mouthful, but if you do nothing else TAKE A PROBIOTIC, and then add more as you see fit.

If you’d like to learn more about a dietary and lifestyle approach where the main fuel is ANTI-inflammatory = FAT, please check out the 5 parts of Fat Burning, or the Fat Burning Mastery program.

If you’d like assistance with mindset coaching or training programs, please give them a look here.

If you’ve yet to listen to the Unbound Podcast where we talk fat loss, fitness, and freedom please give that a listen here.

And if you think even strict gut healthy (AND FAT BURNING) foods have to be boring or not delicious, please check out this tasty pudding I eat basically daily.

SEXY AND GUT SUPPORTIVE PUDDING
– 1/2 can full fat Organic Coconut Milk
– 1 TBS Fibergy (fiber + PREbiotic)
– 2 scoops Bulletproof’s PLAIN Collagen Powder
– 2 TBS Hershey’s Unsweetened DARK cocoa powder
– several dashes of Cinnamon/Vanilla Extract/Stevia to taste

– Mix well and IDEALLY refrigerate for 30 min+++

Then before eating top with:
– 2 squares Ghiradelli 100% cocoa Unsweetened Dark Chocolate (broken)
– 1 *banana (cut up, and PS: the GREENER the better = more RESISTANT STARCH and less SUGAR)

*1/3 c of fruit/day or less is best for fat burner’s in their first month plus.  After that, 1 piece/day is usually completely fine and I’d encourage most to not go over that as a rule.

(And you can obviously reduce the coconut milk to make the pudding thicker, or shift the amount of any other ingredient based on your tastes and desires.)

Would love to hear if you do check it out!

 

To getting you clearer on how the body works, and how to make it work for you.

xox, M