All disease begins in the gut.
-Hippocrates
Whether you have acne, a dairy allergy or get chronic yeast infections, these are all symptoms of a damaged digestive system. And it’s not just allergies or infections that are indicative of a damaged gut; IBS, constipation, reflux, heartburn, etc. are all indications. And considering more than 100 million Americans suffer from digestive upset, there’s a whole lot of gut healing that needs to happen.
Think of your gut as a barrier. When that barrier becomes damaged, or leaky, undigested food particles enter the bloodstream which causes allergies, inflammation, acne, arthritis, eczema, depression, constipation, IBS, anxiety and even, if left untreated, a more serious disease like cancer and schizophrenia.
You’ve probably heard the 90% of the immune system is in the gut, but if your gut is damaged, your defenses are down, leaving you more susceptible to viruses, bacteria, pathogens and the basic ability to maintain a healthy body. If you suspect you suffer from a damaged gut, here are some great ways to heal it.
Bone Broth
“Heals and seals!”
If you’ve ever worked with me one on one, I’ve likely screamed this at you before. I just get so excited about the benefits of bone broth. That’s totally normal, right?
Bone broth is rich in gelatin, which not only attracts digestive juices but helps repair proper gut function. Gelatin is rich in glycine (which is necessary for proper detoxification), proline and lysine, which are amino acids. These amino acids are highly anti-inflammatory.
Bone broth is also rich in calcium and magnesium, making it great for bone health. To make bone broth, I highly suggest investing in a slow cooker. I add grass-fed beef bones, onion, carrots, and celery, cover it with water and cook on low overnight.
Fermented Foods
Fermented foods are full of naturally occurring probiotics, or the friendly, beneficial bacteria. Our ancestors used to consume a great number of probiotics, from the soil, from ferments, but they also didn’t come into contact with the number of antibacterial we come into contact with today. Nor did they eat the food that allows bad bacteria to thrive – wheat, sugar, vegetable oils, processed food.
Fermented foods are a great addition to any diet. They help digest food, are full of beneficial enzymes and increase the nutrient absorption of food.
Example of fermented food:
- kombucha
- kefir
- water kefir
- sauerkraut
- beet kvass
- pickles
- fermented jalapenos
- yogurt
Probiotics
Not everyone needs probiotic supplements, and not everyone agrees that they are beneficial. I encourage the use of probiotics (only good brands, some brands are useless), especially when healing the gut.
If the gut is damaged in the first place, it’s almost guaranteed that the gut flora has been negatively impacted – meaning that there is a lack of beneficial bacteria and an overgrowth of the harmful bacteria. The key to healing this imbalance is first through diet, then through probiotics. Remove the foods that allow bad bacteria to thrive and multiply while adding in the beneficial bacteria.
Enzymes
Supplementing with a digestive enzyme is particularly helpful when trying to heal the gut. They aid the digestion process and make it easier on the body both to digest food and absorb nutrients from food. Without enzymes, the food we eat would be useless.
Over time, we produce less and fewer enzymes. Some enzymes are present in food, but most of us have eaten the Standard American Diet, rich with white sugar, white bread, and processed vegetable oils. Not only do these foods lack enzymes, the body has to produce more enzymes to digest it. This is why it’s helpful to take a digestive enzyme while healing the gut.
I take this digestive enzyme supplement, you can also find digestive enzymes here.
A Healing Diet
A healing diet is the most important aspect of healing the gut. You can’t expect to eat the same way you’ve always eaten and heal. I recommend getting an allergy test to see which foods you are sensitive to and eliminate them. It’s also necessary to eliminate:
- wheat
- all grains
- dairy (not permanently)
- vegetable oils
- sugar
- processed food
- soy
- MSG
- fast food
Bone broth and fermented foods are amazing additions to a healing diet. doTERRA’S Cleanse and Restore Kit is the perfect blend of supplements to help heal the gut.
It comes with:
- probiotics
- digestive enzymes
- GX Assist – helps purify and cleanse the digestive system
- an antioxidant blend
- a food-based multivitamin
- an omega-3 fish oil supplement
- lemon, to drink in water each morning to stimulate the liver and detoxify the body
- Zendocrine, to assist the eliminatory organs and manage any possible die-off symptoms
Plus, if you order this kit – you can get my 21 Day Lifestyle Transformation FOR FREE.
