Wow, I cannot believe that we’re almost halfway through 2019. Am I the only one who feels like this year has gone super quick? It feels as if the older I get, the quicker time goes? Maybe it’s because we get busier and busier, which isn’t necessarily a good thing if we forget ourselves a long the way and forget to stay present in the moment.
Seeing we’re now mid-way through May, I wanted to update you all on my Gut Health Journey so far. You can read about my beginning right here if you haven’t read it already.
For the last 6 months I’ve focused on healing my gut the natural way. I could take the ‘easy’ way out and go on antibiotics to ‘kill’ the bad bacteria in my stomach, but western medicine and treatment are part of the reasons as to why my gut has been ruined in the first place, so it hasn’t been an option I’d like to take.
My motto has been “Food is Medicine” and in the last few months I’ve really realised how true this is. Coming from a past of disordered eating, this has really helped me understand even further that what we put in and on our bodies plays a massive role in how we feel – emotionally, psychologically and physically.
Through this journey, I’ve been confirmed even further in the fact that the gut is the epicentre of our overall health and wellbeing. Everything originates from there, and chances are, if you have anything wrong with you, whether it’d be eczema, psoriasis, cystic acne, hormonal imbalances, mood swings, PMS, arthritis etc., there will be a link back to you gut microbiome and the state it’s in.
My first step has been an elimination diet to starve the bad bacteria in my gut and introduce foods that would promote good bacteria + a 500 billion/day prescribed probiotics treatment. Again, you can read more about that here.
I was following this diet strictly for 8 weeks. Which, in the beginning was easier than what it became. As I wasn’t ‘allowed’ starchy vegetables, grains, dairy, gluten, fructose (fruit) or any sugar at all, it made it very hard to be social and eat out. As you all know, I’m a huge foodie and I eat out multiple times a week. I did find myself retracting quite a lot, and so I discussed these symptoms with my Nutritionist Katherine Hay to come up with a solution that would work for me and my gut, but without being so compromised.
It was important for me to catch this early, as I do come from a disordered eating past and it can still play mind-tricks on me from time to time.
Instead we agreed on that a little bit here and there was better than ruling it out completely for my mental health. It just meant that my gut-healing would take a little longer, but in the overall grand scheme of things, it didn’t matter.
I genuinely cannot express how amazing I felt on this ‘diet’. Cutting down on starchy vegetables, grains & bread (in particular), sugar and fructose made me feel a million bucks. I also quickly realised how addicted I was to sugar and this would go for most people. Without the bread and grains and heavy carbs my energy levels would rise and I wouldn’t feel so sluggish and tired like I used to.
I want to summarise really efficiently what I’ve focused on the last few months:
- Eating a varied, mainly, plantbased diet with the addition of fresh fish & sometimes chicken.
- Keeping starchy vegetables to a minimum and only having grains once or twice a week. Best options for me is quinoa, a bit of brown rice, and sprouted bread.
- I’ve had a bit of fruit here and there and have tried to keep it at berries, pineapple and low-fructose fruits.
- No gluten and dairy – if I have this, I can feel it the next day instantly. I’m either on the toilet all the time or I can’t go at all.
- Taking the right strain of probiotics is so important for your gut. If you take the wrong one, you could add fuel to the fire if that’s the wrong strain for your gut health.
- Supplementing is necessary for healing. I can’t rely on food only although it’s my approach. Natural supplementing has to take place and in the right manner in order for my gut to heal and function properly.
- Current supplementing includes: Calcium D-Glucarate, Digestive Enzymes, Probiotics, Zinc, GI Powder, Collagen, Adaptogens, Medicinal Mushrooms.
- Topical Magnesium from Abundant Natural Health has been a lifesaver when I’ve been bloated or had stomach cramps & pains. It’s also helped rebuild my gut-lining, making it stronger when it’s come to viruses and bad bacteria. I’ve been using the Gel, Spray & now Bath Soap Bar that is so convenient and easy to carry with me.
- Aloe Vera Juice is amazing for soothing the stomach if I have a stomach-ache.
- Stress is a massive culprit in my life and I know when I let stress get to me, my gut suffers, so remembering my self-care routines like meditation, time alone, walks in nature, cuddles with my dog Archie, intimacy with Pash and so on, is really important for my presence and mindset.
I’m doing another assessment round with Katherine Hay (clinical nutritionist) soon to see what we now need to focus on.
As I’m currently sick with the flu & a chest-infection, I’ve had to succumb to antibiotics as it just wouldn’t budge for 2,5 weeks. Because I’m doing antibiotics and they kill everything in you (unfortunately it doesn’t just pick the bad bacteria), I’m doing another round of the intensive 14-day 500 billion strain probiotics treatment to help my gut recover from the antibiotics.
For me, my goal this year is to continue working on my gut-health, I’ve just started studying Health & Nutrition and am excited about helping others heal. Another goal of mine is also to keep challenging my thoughts and ideas around food and clean out in old thought-patterns around diets and health.
I am so passionate about gut-health and helping others feel their very best selves. I know, from my own journey, that it’s not easy figuring out what’s wrong with yourself and sometimes you wonder if it’s all in your head.
I’m telling you this; it’s not all in your head and if you are questioning your health and if you’re feeling okay, chances are you are not. Don’t delay seeing someone about this, because a happy gut is a happy body.
The average Australian sees about 8-10 specialists and spends thousands of dollars before they’re diagnosed. I know this and my friend and clinical Nutritionist Katherine Hay knows this, so to help you in your journey and getting to the bottom of the root-cause of your health issues, we’ve created a GUT HEALTH EVENT that’ we’d love for your to come along to.
It will be a very informative & intimate 2 hours with Katherine & myself, so that you can walk away feeling supported and knowing how to tackle your gut-health issues moving forward.
We also have an amazing goodie-bag lined up for you worth over $350.
