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How to Improve Your Gut Health

Stacks of stones representing the foundations of gut health

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Hiya Sweet Friend,

Weโ€™ve all heard the saying, โ€œlisten to your gut.โ€ And while that advice often refers to our intuition, it should also speak to our digestion.

Your gut guides your overall well-being.

Quite literally, your gut is the epicenter of your mental and physical health. Yet itโ€™s all too common to experience lots of digestive issues that make a huge impact on our strength and vitality.

If you want better immunity, efficient digestion, improved clarity and balance, focus on rebuilding your gut health.

I know it may seem like thereโ€™s always something we could be doing better. And frankly, our quest for getting well can be downright exhausting! Sometimes our health issues can feel so big and daunting. This is especially true when it comes to serious chronic diseases. I remember getting frustrated many times. I thought to myself, for gosh sake, Iโ€™m doing everything I can to heal this disease and though Iโ€™m grateful itโ€™s still stable, why wonโ€™t the sucker just go away? I give up!

Then I decided to take it down a notch and focus on healing areas of my life and my body that I actually could control. My digestion had always been really weak. I got colds every year and had a list of health problems stemming from my gut. Thatโ€™s when the light bulb went off. I decided to forget about cancer and focus my energy on my digestive health instead. Finally, improvements I could see, feel and measure!

By supporting this mighty system, youโ€™ll see chronic health issues (like fatigue, fogginess, colds, aches and pains) diminish, and youโ€™ll feel abundant energy return. I know it sounds too good to be true, but it really isnโ€™t. Iโ€™ve experienced these results, and Iโ€™ve seen thousands of participants of my 21-day total wellness program, Crazy Sexy You, do the same.

Today, weโ€™re going to cover the basics of digestive health. Youโ€™ll learn what your gut does and why itโ€™s so important to keep it healthy. Then, weโ€™ll discuss how to care for your wonderful gut so that it continues to take care of glorious you. Letโ€™s dive in!

What happens inside your gut?

Your gut holds trillions of bacteria that help process your food, produce nutrients and fight disease. In fact, there are ten times more bacteria in your gut than cells in your entire body! These little guys are super important and they need your help. Since what you eat, drink and think affects the environment in your gut, your daily choices play a critical role in whether those trillion plus bacteria help or hinder your well-being.

Itโ€™s all about balance when it comes to gut health. When your gut is in tip-top shape, about 80-85 percent of bacteria are good guys and 15-20 percent are bad guys. You feel great, your body is strong and nimble, you rarely get sick, your energy is consistent, you poop like a champ, life is good. The healthy bacteria are free to do their job with ease. They assist with digestion, produce disease-fighting antibodies, crowd out bad bacteria and produce certain hormones, vitamins and nutrients.

But when the harmful bacteria stage a revolt, all hell breaks loose. They totally gum up the works and cause painful problems like inflammation and infection, which can then lead to health issues such as constipation, candida, allergies, arthritis, headaches, depression, autoimmune diseases and more.

Medications (especially antibiotics and antacids), environmental toxins and chemicals, stress and illness greatly affect the ratio of good to bad bacteria. When bacteria is wiped out indiscriminately, the good guys get mowed down, giving the bad guys a chance to increase their ranks. Hello, chronic health issues.

The food you eat also affects the ratio of good to bad bacteria. Everything you consume is processed and either absorbed into your body or eliminated via your gut. Your gut completes the amazing task of digesting your food and pulling the nutrients, vitamins and minerals out of the food so that they can be absorbed into your bloodstream.

And your gutโ€™s mind-blowing capabilities donโ€™t stop there. Your gut also identifies invaders โ€” toxins, microbes, viruses and allergens that could harm your health โ€” and moves them through your digestive system so that they can be excreted. Buh-bye!

The key to this system working in your favor is two-fold:

1) Lend your gut a hand by feeding your body whole, plant-based, nutrient-dense foods.

2) Consistently practice a healthy lifestyle (less stress, exercise, less exposure to environmental toxins, proper rest) that supports the good gut bacteria and keeps the harmful bacteria under control.

Your mental health affects your gut health (and vice versa).

Did you know you have two brains? Yup, youโ€™re THAT smart. The central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) controls almost all voluntary and involuntary activities within your body. For example, a voluntary action would be slicing your veggies, while an involuntary action would be blinking, breathing or falling in love. The involuntary actions carried out by your central nervous system are constantly at work taking care of you. Nice, right? Thank you, central nervous system; youโ€™re a peach!

Now guess where your second brain lives. Your gut! Yup, it has a mind of itโ€™s very own. Your gutโ€™s โ€œbrainโ€ is known as the enteric nervous system. This system is home to 100 million neurons within your intestinal wall. These cute little neurons transmit important information throughout your body. They also control digestion and send status updates to the brain, letting it know how things are going in your belly.

Your two nervous systems have an intricate relationship thatโ€™s just now being explored by scientists through the field of neurogastroenterology (thatโ€™s a mouthful!). While the enteric nervous system initiates and sustains digestion on its own, signals from the brain, such as stress and anxiety, can have dramatic effects on how well it works. In addition, the brain receives chemical messages from the gut, which can affect your mood and emotions. In fact, the vast majority of serotonin (a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, sleep, anxiety, depression and more) is actually made in your gut, not your brain! Itโ€™s all connected and sadly, few doctors ask you about your digestive health when you tell them youโ€™re feeling too blue to cope.

Your gut is a major component of your immune system.

Did you know that about 60-70 percent of your immune system lives in your gut? Meet your GALT, also know as gut-associated lymphoid tissue. Your GALT lies just below the mucosal lining of the gut wall. Itโ€™s very thin (only one cell thick!), and most importantly โ€” itโ€™s integral to your immune system. The GALT contains specialized immune structures called Peyerโ€™s patches that are filled with immune cells, such as B cells and T cells, which are responsible for recognizing and neutralizing harmful bacteria. When pathogenic bacteria visits your gut via food or your environment, the Peyerโ€™s patches trigger your immune response to prevent them from passing through the gut wall.

Another way your gut protects you from infection and disease is through an abundance of healthy bacteria. To keep harmful bacteria from overthrowing your gut, healthy bacteria need to thrive and cover your gut wall โ€” the only thing standing between everything inside your gut and your bloodstream. It helps to imagine that your gut wall is a parking lot. There are a limited number of โ€œparking spotsโ€ along your gut wall. You want good bacteria parked in those spaces, so bad bacteria is crowded out. Keep those spaces filled by adopting the following gut health tips.

 

Now that you know how important your gut health is to your overall well-being, how can you take care of your spectacular gut?

1. Take a probiotic supplement.

A daily probiotic supplement will help boost the good bacteria in your gut, keeping the bad guys under control, boosting your immune system and easing digestive issues. This is especially helpful when youโ€™re taking a medication, such as an antibiotic that has wiped out a large amount of gut bacteria. Some recommended brands: Dr. Ohirraโ€™s, Primal Defense, Healthforce Nutritionals (Friendly Force), and MegaFoodโ€™s Megaflora.

If you’ve been focusing on your gut health for a while and your symptoms persist, you may want to try additional supplements to restore balance in your belly.ย In his book Revive, my friend Frank Lipman, MD recommends taking an herbal antibiotic, which can help kill an overgrowth of bad bacteria (I’ve takenย GI Microb-x in the past).ย He also suggests taking a glutamine-based formula to repair your gut lining and digestive enzymes with meals to assist with breaking down and digesting your food. To find out which of these measures might be necessary have your stool analyzed by Metametrixย or Genova Diagnostics. This analysis will identify parasites, abnormal bacteria, yeasts and other gastrointestinal issues, which will help you create a supplement plan, ideally with the help of an Integrative MD or Naturopath.

2. Eat probiotic whole foods.

You can also eat whole foods that are fermented and contain large amounts of good bacteria. Sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, microalgae and coconut kefir are fantastic plant-based probiotic-rich foods.ย When looking for probiotic-rich foods, avoid vinegar-based and/or pasteurized varieties, since these elements kill good bacteria. You want to pick up (or make!)ย lacto-fermentedย probiotic foods (FYI–this is a plant-friendly approach, no whey is necessary). If you’re interested in making your own probiotic foods, Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz is a popular book on the subject. Word to the wise: Get educated on fermenting at home before diving in–it can be risky if you don’t know what you’re doing!

3. Eat prebiotic whole foods.

Certain foods feed and support the growth of good bacteria. By eating more whole, plant-based, fiber-filled foods, youโ€™re fueling the bacteria that support your health. Raw onions, garlic, dandelion greens, artichokes and bananas are some of the best prebiotic foods to add to your diet.

4. Eat regularly, but not constantly (and donโ€™t eat late at night).

To give your gut a chance to clean up and clear out bacteria and waste, it needs a rest from digestion. Every 90 minutes to two hours, the smooth muscle in your intestines move and groove to keep bacteria and waste truckinโ€™ through your digestive tract. But this process is put on hold every time you eat. Can you see why snacking constantly slows down digestion and contributes to bacterial overgrowth? Iโ€™m not saying that you need to fast for long periods โ€” eating regularly helps prevent constipation and bloating โ€” but itโ€™s best to take breaks between meals.

5. Stay hydrated.

A good rule of thumb for staying hydrated is drinking half your bodyweight in ounces of water each day. For example, if you weigh 130 pounds, you should drink about 65 ounces of water. Thatโ€™s about eight 8-ounce glasses of water. Your gut needs water to keep bacteria and waste moving through your digestive system, which will help prevent constipation and bloating. When youโ€™re dehydrated, these issues can throw off the balance of bacteria in your gut and lead to inflammation. Give your gut a hand and drink more H2O!

6. Lessen refined sugar and processed foods.

When you consume processed, sugar-laden, refined foods, youโ€™re giving bad bacteria an all-you-can-eat buffet, which increases the likelihood of all the aforementioned bull crap that weighs you down and dims your shine.

7. Lessen stress.

Remember when we talked about the connection between your brain and your gut? When you experience chronic stress, your brain goes into fight or flight mode, causing your digestion and blood flow in the gut to slow down, the muscles that push along waste and bacteria to freeze up and the secretions for digestion to decrease. All of these stress responses equal a poorly functioning gut! Take care of your gut health by coping with stress through breathwork, yoga, meditation, therapy, time in the outdoors and the countless other stress reduction techniques available to you.

I hope this information inspires you to love your gut back to health.

Your turn:ย How will you help your gut today? And if youโ€™ve been down this road, what has helped you recover? Iโ€™d love to know! I’m still on the path, as are many of my readers.

Love you!

Peace and digestion,

Add a comment
  1. Sue says:

    Thanks so much for this very clear information. I am a nurse and I teach health classes at a psychiatric day treatment center and I am always looking for simple ways to explain complicated health issues. I used your information today to teach a group of six women about gut health and they got it!
    blessings!
    Sue

  2. Suzie says:

    Kris.. love, love, love your blog. Have fun at the Farmette ..breath deep..savor the amazing joy you have brought so many folks like me!

  3. CASTOR OIL tummy packs xoxoxoox heat & oil before / in bed at sleepy time with a sleepy tea xo

  4. on target with your inspiring info xoxoox I have been hit with some problems from life in that area
    and wanted to share with you that castor oil and light heat on the tummy area – after a long day when you
    dive into the sheets – use a heating pad or a hot water bottle on the area of tummy -after you apply a
    small amount of pure castor oil ( can use a t shirt ) and it is super relaxing !!!! let the self love warm you
    and your tummy xoxoox

    YOUR AN ANGEL KRIS – keep up the good work and rest now at the change of seasons –
    LOVE & LAUGHTER always xoxooxoxo

  5. Kris, I am sooo happy to hear you are taking care of yourself. You have given so much to the world, and now it’s totally ok to do some MAJOR self-care. Although we love and appreciate all the wisdom you have to share, we appreciate your good health and happiness even more. We want you around for a long time. Sending you healing energy, well wishes and positive thoughts ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. Paula says:

    Thanks Kris,
    I cannot have bananas. I have non-hodgkins lymphoma (follicular type) and cannot have anything with tryptopan.. And bananas, chicken, and turkey all have it. I will start having those probiotic foods, minus the banana, and take a supplement daily.
    Regards
    Paula

    • Wendy says:

      Hi Paula,
      How or where did you get the information about tryptophan and lymphoma?? I’d like to know more about that. I was diagnosed last year (it was incidental), but have NO symptoms so I am in the ‘watch and wait’ mode. I hear a lot from doctors and other people that it can take quite some time for the lymphoma to start causing symptoms, but I guess it all depends. I have been educating myself and changing my diet as I want to delay as much as possible the occurrence of the cancer being active. But i often find different advise as what to eat or not to eat for cancer patients. Take care.
      Thank you,
      Wendy

  7. Kathryn says:

    Dear Kris, I love your blog! It’s always spot on. When I stumbled upon your site a few months ago I have was so inspired I made the switch to a much healthier way of life – whole vegan foods in – processed sugary foods out! I feel great and have not missed any of the old way. The juicing is such an energizer and getting rid of the sugar and caffeine has done wonders for my overall health especially my joints are much, much better. I don’t wake up in pain any more and have more energy than I have in a decade which is allowing me to meet the challenges of my life as a much stronger and happier person.

    I am still a stress eater though, so this reminder to not snack constantly (even if it is goji berries) is much needed. In my early 20s I met these really healthy 80 year olds and they said the key to their success was not eating at night. They gave their bodies a long rest from food each night to let the organs do their maintenance. Your post reminded me of them. Thanks for all the GREAT information you share here and for your awesome books. You have changed my life for the better. In short, YOU ROCK! ๐Ÿ˜‰
    xoxo
    Kathryn

  8. Victoria says:

    In addition to what you have said above, what are your thoughts about acupuncture? I have been doing acupuncture for 8 months since my breast cancer has returned to the bones. It helps enormously with the side effects of Zeloda. In addition I have been following your book to the tea, feeling amazing with the juicing and occasional blending. Thanks so much! I think all of this is truly boosting my immune system so that I can defend myself against the toxins of the new therapy. I know that the cancer will not go away but at least I can live in peace with my body.

  9. Natalie Bailey says:

    Thanks Kris,

    I have fallen off the wagon when it comes to my gut, so thanks for the inspiration to get my gut in check, the probiotics in the fridge are coming out right now.

    All the best,
    Natalie x x x

    • shawn says:

      I think we are all guilty of falling off the wagon once in a while, the key is recognizing it and getting back on!

  10. Lisa Longfellow says:

    This has been a huge issue for me! This season has been rough on my immune system. After 5 courses (rounds) of antibiotics in 7 months, I will now help my good gut guys! Thanks for the information!

  11. Jeanne Clark says:

    Please, rest up and feel better. I hear you, about digestive health. My nervous system hurt my esophagus, diagnosed with Barrettes Esophagus in my forties from stress and nerves, diet was pretty good, and weight is good. Been following you ever since almost all the way vegan and juicing feeling much better, working on the rest. So Thank You for your inspiration your information is a real gift, and I love the new cook book, Thanks.

  12. C says:

    Lots of love and thanks to you darling Kris.
    Glad to hear you’re taking some time out

    Xxx

  13. Rocco says:

    My goodness what an amazing post! So few people discuss just how important it is to Love our tummies! I have worked with many friends and clients who have experienced coaching and medtitation sessions with me that have learned to love every area of their bodies including their bellies. Together we will work to connect your physical body to your Spirtitual body and help you to Love all that you are! It takes work but the results are amazing!

    Kris thank you for this reminder of Self Love!
    Oxoxo Rocco

  14. Maria Foti says:

    I love that your newsletter is always exactly in sync to what I am seeking out in my life,it consistantly blows my mind!!! I was just placing a order last night for some DigestZen line of digestive health products by doTTERA.
    Its all here so I do not have to search the world over for a system but I always share your your info packed,all inspiring newsletter!!! Enjoy your peace at the farmette ๐Ÿ™‚

  15. Gail Lichtenfels says:

    I have Multiple Myeloma, was diagnosed in 2007 and had a stem cell transplant and subsequent chemo treatments beginning in 2011 when the myeloma again raised its head. Now, having been through all the current standard of care drugs with a continual increase in myeloma activity, I am going on a new drug that is paliative in the hopes that this will keep the myeloma at bay to some extent until I die in about a year. Well, this is the scenario as my doctor and the med. prof. see it and it may play out like this but I continue to try to effect my health through yoga, visualization, jungian dream work, lots of silence, and diet.
    My gut is in bad shape. I have a lot of diarhea. Any suggestions.

    Gail

    • Paula says:

      Gail, I have an aunt with multiple myeloma. The doctors at MD Anderson hospital in Houston had her on tumeric pills daily. She’s in her 70’s and doing well. I have follicular non-hodgkins, and one doctor told me that without a stem cell transplant, that I would have only 1 1/2 – 2 years to live. I’m now going on 3 years without the transplant, as my body would not yield enough cells. I stay away from sugar as much as possible, and red meat, chicken, turkey and bananas. All which have triptophan in them, which the lymphoma love. For my coffee and tea, I use stevia. The best sugar substitute I have found with no sugars in it. I use the liquid. The others alll have maltodextrin in them which is sugar. I read lots of labels. Most everything out there has high fructose corn syrup in it. I steer clear of that stuff too. It is bad for anyone. Good luck, and God be with you. We are what we eat…
      Paula

    • Roslyn says:

      Gail,

      I don’t know about Multiple Myeloma, but I do know about having a gut that’s in bad shape.

      The two best diet-driven resources for gut healing I’ve found are “Breaking the Vicious Cycle” by Dr. Elaine Gottschall (The Specific Carbohydrate Diet) and “Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment for Autism, Dyspraxia, A.D.D., Dyslexia, A.D.H.D., Depression, Schizophrenia” by Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD (The GAPS Diet).

      They follow a similar protocol and diet that helps control diarrhea, starve out bad bacteria, and give your gut a chance to heal. The diets are strict and cheating won’t get you anywhere, but if you are dedicated they work like a charm. In my experience, things worked best when I spent a week on the GAPS bone broths, then a week on the SCD intro diet, with very slow introduction of things from there.

      In addition to those diets, it’s always a good idea to work with an open-minded GI or gut-focused Naturopath who will work with you to get stool tests done, etc. They may be able to identify pathogens that are contributing to the problem.

      Good luck.

      • Amy says:

        Thank you so much for this post! Do you have experience with healing crohns? My IBD dr wants me to start Humira – I’m concerned it may wreak havoc on my system…

  16. Brenton says:

    Take a wonderful well earned rest Kris. Your work will continue through your books and blogs. Namaste

  17. Melissa says:

    Kris,
    You continue to be such an amazing source of inspiration for me. My friends led me to your website recently, as my story of my chronic illness challenging me in every essence sparked parallels to your story and reminded them of you. As a “recovering overachiever” I have a deep admiration for your Event Update. While some will miss hearing you speak at the Hay House event, you living your values and taking the time to rest and rejuvenate speaks far more loudly than that single appearance could. Rest up, and keep spreading your powerful message of self-care and commitment. <3

  18. Jo says:

    Kris, this really brought home to me about practice what I preach! I have been picking up every bug going around (which is really unusual for me). So I’m going to go back to basics and follow your advice to get some good gut health going on. Stress is a BIG one for me. As soon as I feel myself getting overwhelmed, I feel the tightness in my stomach. Right, off to down my probiotic supplement and get started with getting better gut health. Jx

  19. Oh Kris….. I can’t tell you how much I love and appreciate your insights, the lessons, learnings and blessing you share!! You really area an inspiration and help me to focus, refocus and learn and grow with each and every day. I soooo love that!! ๐Ÿ™‚ That in and of itself is a blessing and I can’t thank you enough. This article is perfect timing as my gut has been telling me I need to focus more on my gut…ironic ๐Ÿ™‚ and a reminder of how true it is that everything happens for a reason… life truly is grander with your presence and inspirations!!

    big hugs
    Catherine @AlmostRawVegan xox

    • Nancy Moody says:

      Kris this information is so important and will help so many as it is not information that most MD’s give their patients. I do Digestive Enzymes and Probiotics now but the big difference in my over all health came when I started taking Juice Plus+ eight years ago. It is a wonderful nutritional concept that I now distribute because as a RN it is my moral and ethical duty to help families improve their diet through education and Juice Plus+ to fill the gap of what we don’t get from our food today. It is a widely researched product throughout the world. The research is what make me look at it. Thank you for all that you do to educate others so that they can overcome or avoid becoming ill. Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food!

  20. Mark Buban says:

    Hi Kris,

    Great article! I’ve been taking a probiotic for many years now and believe it’s one thing that really helps to keep me feeling great. I did get sick for the first time in 3 years after being around someone that really had a nasty case of the flu. I kicked it fairly quickly though and was back to normal. The probiotic I use is called Optiflora by Shaklee.

    I’ve used their products for nearly 20 years and their cleaning products were featured as one of Oprah’s favorite things. If not for Oprah, I don’t know if I would have ever seen “CrazySexyCancer” after you appeared on her show drinking green juice. All the best to you!

    Mark

    • Lisa says:

      I know it has been a few years after your post and maybe by now you have realized the additives in Shaklee products are something to reconsider. Soy Lecithin, Glycerin, Maldextran, Fructose etc. Ther are much better organic probiotics out there to take! Do the research and make good choices. Be well!

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