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.

You can get your tickets here

The post My Gut Health Journey Halfway Through 2019. appeared first on Anna Høgh Groth.

Today, I want to share more about BLOATING, STOMACH CRAMPS & PAINS stemming from a poor gut and what you can do to help ease these symptoms by using natural remedies because, as you’d know by now, I’m not much into non-natural products, however in some areas, of course, it serves its time & place in some cases (western medicine).

But, for now, please stop reaching out for the painkillers and read this post if you want help with healing your gut naturally and gently.

So, let’s dive into it.

1. Heat-Packs:

When heat over 40 degrees is applied to the skin, heat receptors deeper down, where the pain is, are switched on. The heat receptors in turn block the effect of chemical messengers that cause pain to be detected by the body.

The heat doesn’t just provide comfort and have a placebo effect – it actually deactivates the pain at a molecular level in much the same way as pharmaceutical painkillers work.

For quicker relief of pain & discomfort caused by gas and bloating, lie down with a hot heat-pack across your stomach. Allow its heat and weight to help the gas leave your body and the pressure to subside. It also aids digestive organs with a soothing circulation boost – just lie back, preferably with a pillow under your knees, and relax for at least 10 minutes.

2. Peppermint:

Whether you have it as a tea, essential oil rubbed on your stomach or as a supplement, peppermint can be really beneficial for stomach discomfort, and help soothe your digestive system quicker.

Peppermint has relaxant and antispasmodic properties and can help relieve cramps and spasms in the gastrointestinal tract, bile duct and gallbladder. This will help improve the passage of food through the digestive tract, allowing them to go through smoothly and without pain or discomfort.

The volatile oils in peppermint also stimulate the gallbladder to release bile that your body uses to digest fats.
The flow of bile to the liver can also be increased by the compounds in peppermint tea. A well functioning liver is another key element & vital to overall digestive health and therefore reducing bloating & stomach problems.

Please buy real peppermint-tea and not a product that has artificially flavoured peppermint in it as it won’t have any benefits to your health.

3. Magnesium:

Magnesium is a mineral that is naturally found in your body, as well as in several different foods. It’s a required element of energy production, and it is also present in over 300 enzyme systems in your body. This mineral plays a vital role in almost all of the systems in your body. It helps keep your bones strong, regulates your digestive system, protects your brain from oxidative stress and stimulates energy production.

You’d have seen me absolutely rave about Magnesium before, and I’ve been a big believer in Magnesium for many, many years. However, it wasn’t up until about 6 months ago that I started using Topical Magnesium and I cannot tell you how many beneficial effects it’s had on my body and how diverse it is in its usage-methods.

You see, your muscles need magnesium to relax. Without it, you get a buildup of lactic acid, which causes cramping. This goes for your digestive system, too.

For women, magnesium spray can reduce cramps, migraines and symptoms of PMS like bloating and moodiness.

And, did you know, Magnesium Spray is absorbed better topically through the skin than it is when you take it orally? Mindblown, right?

I use Abundant Natural Health Magnesium Sport Spray & Magnesium Ache Gel on my stomach – it’s 99.9% natural, certified organic, contains Australian salt & cucumber and is Australian made.

You can try a free sample here and use my code CAROLINE15 for 15% off.

4. Digestive Enzymes:

Your pancreas can secrete up to eight cups of pancreatic enzymes each day, and these enzymes are vital in helping your body break down and process carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

Lipase breaks fat molecules down so your body can absorb them. Protease breaks down proteins and helps regulate bacteria levels. Finally, Amylase works to break down starch or carbohydrates so your body can absorb them more quickly.

And, if you’re suffering from Leaky Gut then your digestive tract experiences a lot of inflammation. Researchers performed a study that showed having adequate amounts of pancreatic enzymes in your body can help heal inflammation. It does this by taking a lot of strain off of your intestines by breaking down the nutrients so your body can absorb them better.

5. Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice (DGL)

DGL has many medicinal properties that can help you internally and I love and swear by this, especially if I have a bit of reflux and heartburn as well, I’ll pop a DGL pill (I find the chewable version best) and swallow the rest with some water.

One trial took 17 participants with various digestive issues and had them take DGL a few times a day for a period of six days. The patients that got DGL reported less pain and irritation in their symptoms. DGL is important for helping your body maintain the mucosal lining in your stomach and intestines, as well as soothing irritation and inflammation.

6. Stop Stressing:

One of the biggest factors that plays a significant role in whether you will feel bloated & with a painful stomach or nicely balanced after a meal is.. STRESS.

It can be about little or big things, but as soon as you bring further stress and frustrations into your body with every bite you take, you stomach will immediately react. I’m a big supporter and believer of the gut-brain connection and a lot of our food-patterns are grounded and rooted in our emotional subconscious mind. This can manifest itself in the stomach and cause stress-induced pain & bloating.

To soothe your stress and racing mind, try to add in some stress-reducing practices like yoga, meditation, calming herbs like Ashwaghanda, listening to a podcast, reading a book or even exercising or a walk to get your digestive system moving.

Remember, the mind-body connection goes both ways – I know that when my gut feels healthy & thriving, my mind will be a lot happier as well. This is because 90% of your overall serotonin (the happiness hormone) is found within your intestines, along with 50% of your dopamine, which is involved in your motivation.

7. ACV & Lemon:

When the body is unable to produce enough stomach acid, it is unable to digest protein molecules and key minerals. These partially digested protein molecules get into the small intestine and create significant stress on the pancreas to produce adequate enzymes to metabolise the protein effectively.

If this occurs repeatedly over time, it will wear down the pancreatic enzyme storage and cause stress and irritation to the intestinal lining.

When we digest our food poorly it leads to increased inflammatory activity which depletes key minerals and anti-oxidants throughout the body. This mineral depletion leads to an inability to form stomach acid and the vicious cycle of poor digestion and chronic inflammation continues

So, start your day, on an empty stomach, with Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother), Lemon Juice & warm water. Drink it with a straw so it doesn’t ruin the enamel on your teeth.

This will help your body to have the resources it needs to produce adequate stomach acid in the future.  When you improve stomach acid levels, it makes a huge difference on your overall health.

As I always say; we’re all different. We have different bodies, we live different lives. No human being contains the exact same cells as another human and so our diets and approach to health should be tailored to suit us.

I hope you can find inspiration to help soothe your bloating, stomach pain and cramps naturally, but please remember to go see someone about your overall gut-health if symptoms persist and you continue with pain and discomfort.

Lots of love, Anna xx

The post Stomach Cramps, Pain & Bloating? Use These Natural Remedies For Soothing & Prevention appeared first on Anna Høgh Groth.