The gut is like our second brain. When we feel nervous or anxious it can completely shut down our appetite, give us butterflies or even make us feel sick- all from what we are feeling in our brain. As well as having chronic bloating, abnormal stools, a gut in poor health can also weaken your immune system, leaving us catching colds and viruses all the time and feeling fatigued. It can affect our moods, disturb our sleep and be mentally draining, as your body is in a constant state of inflammation. Good gut health is key to living a happy, healthy life.
My gut health story
I started having gut health issues when I was a teenager. I had, what they called- anxiety and stress pains, which used to disturb my sleep and leave me curled up like a ball because of the pain and discomfort. It eventually subsided (was prescribed daily painkillers to cope) after a few years. When I was in my early 20’s I was diagnosed with an infection and had to take antibiotics and unfortunately the infection kept coming back, which resulted in me having to take antibiotics on and off for a year. From then on, by the time I hit my mid 20’s, I started suffering bloating daily, not your normal bloating you get after you eat and feel full- it was bloating that caused me pain, and uncomfortable stools. I could not understand why it was happening, as I was healthy, started going to the gym and ate clean, wholesome foods. My stomach had become so sensitive to nearly everything I ate- well, that was what I thought was the only cause of my chronic bloating at the time.
Gut health on a budget (especially for busy mums!)
I have watched many YouTube videos and read lots of blog post in hopes of finding tips and advice I could apply to my life but found most of them to be of younger, single people living a completely different lifestyle- same problem but different situations. I have spent a good chunk of the past 5 years trying to learn more about how the gut works because it has been exhausting living with chronic bloating. It even affected my social life in the past and so, since becoming a mother of 2, working and now in my 40’s, I want nothing more than to feel my best! One thing I have learned along the way is that, it is not just food that causes bloating, it is also the lack of sleep, stress and at times lack of movement: basically your lifestyle, physically and mentally. I will share all the things I have tried and tips that are realistic for busy mums. I feel that I am still learning about how to best serve my gut as I enter mid 40’s. We can all build better health for ourselves without spending lots of money. Everything we do is a habit and habits can be changed. I believe that if you have your health, you have everything.
Here are some tips to get you on your way to better gut health:
- One step at a time (nothing works out when we overwhelm ourselves)
- Consistency (anything you do over time will make a difference, so be patient)
- Make time for yourself (even if it is just 15mins)
- Sleep (mums, we need to prioritize sleep!)
- Meal plan and always write a food shop list (best way to save time and money)
Last thing I want to add is- trust the process. We often give up because we do not see results straight away and lose faith in the process. If our body has been functioning in a certain way for such a long time, it will also take a long time for it to get better. Be kind to yourself and know that we can change the way with live.
