Gut Wellness: The Blueprint
You are constantly choosing your next move, including the thoughts you decide to entertain.
Without predicting the future, there is no telling what would happen if you choose tomato or tomato. If an action feels right to you at the moment and aligns with your values, that is a form of showing up for yourself. More often than not, we second-guess ourselves in the decisions we make. Growth-oriented individuals frequently overanalyze in an attempt to figure out what they would do if and when presented with the same options again.
Making the right call is more about listening to our second brain - our gut. Gut instincts are more than just a metaphorical expression, they are indicative of our overall well-being. We can be our own worst critics while striving to become a better version of ourselves.
Make No Mistakes
There are no mistakes you can make when the “mistakes” have been yours to make. Every experience results in a domino effect that transcends what we know to be true thus far. Your gut communicates what your body is asking for, at any given moment. While your circumstances may vary throughout time and space, your soul is an ever-present energetic power. You deserve to be treated as lovingly as possible. The process of doing so starts from within.
Feminine energy has historically been tied to placing more of an emphasis on physical appearances, as opposed to masculine energy. Each one of us carries a mix of the two. After all, the existence of intersex people is proof that these energies are fluid. The energetic forces we put out there and attract create an equilibrium that makes our lives what it is today. When we sense a balance within, we are destined to have more harmony.
Local and Federal Intervention
Leaders have been encouraged to step up and become more transparent about their agendas. Attention shifted toward how seemingly divided we are based on varied beliefs. It’s click-bait, gets the people going, drives engagement, and has historically rolled in the cash.
Money can and should flow in directions that uphold shared values. Investments favor the stories people buy into, which is why consumers are becoming better researched. Sometimes, those stories fall out of alignment with sustainable development goals. Those with a vested interest in dividing groups of people have fallen into the habit of torturing themselves while they’re at it.
While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially banned certain artificial chemicals, companies find loopholes. As a consumer, the responsibility to recognize what you are consuming lies in your hands. Manufacturers are permitted to continue selling Red 3 (a food dye) until 2027, to give them time to reformulate products. Profitability on their margins increases when using filler, additives, etc. Stretching a dollar for the sake of capital gains led to an uptick in individuals struggling with obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and more.
Processed foods have been on the rise ever since innovators figured there was more experimentation that could be done to add perceived value. It is not all as horrible as some health gurus have described. After all, cooking food is also a form of processing. Nonperishables provide essential nutrients and are a staple pantry item when it is difficult to access fresh food. Options on the market vary widely - feel free to choose those with little to no added sugars, sodium, or preservatives. Consulting with a doctor or registered dietitian is highly recommended, this blog post serves as a tool to help navigate what those conversations may look like.
The Science Behind It
Inside the walls of your digestive system, the enteric nervous system (ENS) creates signals for the rest of your body. The ENS is comprised of two thin layers with over 100 million neurons and produces 90% of the body's serotonin.
Those with sensitive stomachs are more likely to develop depression and anxiety. Researchers are starting to find evidence that mood changes can occur due to irritation in the gastrointestinal system, whereas for decades it was believed to be the other way around. These diagnoses tend to be an accumulation of time, habits, and letting the survival mode mindset overcome an individual and/or community. The ENS-CNS connection is commonly referred to as the gut-brain axis, TurtleTree does a great job of describing this in depth.
Over the past 15 years, we have discovered that microbiota actually has turned the axis into a trifecta. Your microbiota can impact metabolism, the structural integrity of the gut barrier, and protection against pathogens. Infants can experience life-altering changes in their central and enteric nervous system based on the microbiota. This occurs after encountering stressful experiences.
Key Takeaway:
The gift of life is too precious for us not to uphold strong family units in the highest regard. It is up to us to cultivate less stressful environments for the sake of future generations to come.
Let Your Gut Do The Talking
The ENS-CNS connection explains the effectiveness of IBS and bowel disorder treatments such as mind-body therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and medical hypnotherapy. Researchers say our two brains ”talk” to each other. Therapies that help your gut may help your brain, and vice versa. By soothing the second brain (your gut), you are also soothing the rest of your body.
As much as your brain is processing emotions, intuition, and critical life cues, your gut is too. Gastroenterologists (doctors specializing in digestive conditions) are like coaches looking for ways to soothe the second brain. When you come across a gastroenterologist who takes the time and energy to provide customized plans catered to your ideal lifestyle, rest assured you are in good hands. There is still much more information to be explored and learn from.
Moving Forward, Holistically
A new wave of accountability has been taken since the 1930s when agrochemicals became widely used in the United States. We are starting to see more celebration around whole foods and ingredients that is naturally found in agricultural lands. Our population stems from generations of people who lived as hunters and gatherers. Purchasing prepared foods makes sense for the times we are in a pinch.
No hard and fast rule applies to all. My best piece of advice is to practice mindful and intuitive eating. Here are some quick tips to consider:
Ensure that you sit down for every meal or snack to properly digest, making it easier to dial in on the experience.
Fully chew your food, depending on the texture of it the range may be 10-40 chews per bite. Slowing down allows your body time to assess hunger levels to reach a range that feels sustaining and adds to your overall energy levels.
Prepare for the day(s) ahead of you as best as possible, to not end up in making choices that are not aligned to your goals. Meal prep looks different for everyone, stock up on essentials and snacks when you are on the go.
If you experience stomach pressure, butterflies, discomfort, or a lack of desire to eat, pause and continue when the feelings are more neutralized.
Eat when you are in a state of mind that feels satisfactorily content, at a bare minimum. If and when you are not there and would like to be, use resources to help overcome the temporary hump.
Stay hydrated, many hospitalizations begin with dehydration. Drinking lots of water is best about 30 minutes to 1 hour after eating for better digestion.
Reflecting upon your eating experiences helps identify what you would like to recreate and change for future reference.
There is a growing list of studies done on rats to how their eating habits impact their quality of life, paralleling to what we see among people. Those who eat addictive junk food wind up making poorer decisions, creating a cycle that becomes harder to break out of. As the Japanese proverb goes, the longer you stay on the wrong train, the more expensive the return trip becomes. Train conductors and riders alike share the same free will to hop on and off the predestined drives. By making sustainable practices towards growth a priority, we are bound to experience more abundance.
Your cravings are always valid. Below you’ll find alternatives to the addictive processed foods we may desire. I do want to preface this by stating that there is nothing wrong with having bread, chocolate, coffee/tea, etc. However, too much of anything is a recipe for preventable diagnoses.
Food chart from PreventDisease.com to use as a guide.
My 5-Day Gut Healing Journey
After coming back from Ukraine in mid-September 2024, my hair started thinning and my nails had weakened. Mentally, I had a lot to process while rushing to regain a sense of stability again. Spending less time with family to focus on my career took a toll on my body that I hardly felt prepared to manage. Days became long and simultaneously too short to get my ducks in a row.
Knowing I like to take leaps, it was tough to figure out details of paths that have not yet been done. Ready for miracles, recording myself completing a 5-day gut healing journey held me more accountable to focus on what I could control. I gained a deeper appreciation for what is meant to be. Growth is not always as linear as I would prefer. There is value in letting go and trusting in God’s timing.
Here, you’ll find a video overview of what that was like. Please note that editing content is not my forte, I simply like to create it and make data-driven decisions. Each day, I rated the following categories on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the best: Digestion, Energy, Skin, Mental Health, Appetite/Weight. Self-love is often more conditional than the love we have for others. Documenting my journey allowed me to witness this in real-time.
Our souls seem to be everlasting and our bodies have kept score of the choices we make. To put things into perspective, Ukraine is geographically much smaller than Russia with about 100 million fewer people. Many doubted that Ukrainians would be able to defend their territory for as long as they had. The invasion was expected to be over in days, they have defied the odds for years.
“Underdogs” are not to be underestimated, particularly the times you personally identify as one. Your mindset can be game-changing during moments that require active participation. Ukrainians and defenders worldwide share the same sense of resilience that is necessary, in order to persevere. Having faith restores the vote of confidence I have in the direction humanity can take.
We could all benefit from being kinder to ourselves and others around us. The healing journey usually becomes a focal point when inner wounds appear externally (physically and/or within relationships). My hair had thinned and my nails weakened. Something had to give, I began taking vitamins to supply the lack of nutrients I incorporated into my lifestyle.
My ego shattered left and right after seeking the kind of help I never planned to see the day of as an adult. Funnily enough, it’s exactly what I needed. For the first time, I experienced a level of stress that impacted my body in ways I never considered. Talking about that part of my life was challenging, especially when I was in the thick of it.
I spent enough time wondering about how people wind up in the holes they struggled to get out of. Getting a taste of what may push someone to the edge and identifying what fuels and drains the light within, helped me get through my darkest days. Prioritizing all that adds value to the lifestyle, I am excited to continue building upon has been the natural evolution of my path.
Main Takeaway:
The present, past, and future versions of you are worthy of unconditional love. Create space to reflect upon the direction you are going in. Go at your own pace, to ensure every step feels right for you.
Remembering that we are worthy as is, can be easier said than done. As a chronic overthinker, I have been down a rabbit hole of considering how powerful it would be if everyone applied themselves toward overcoming their challenges. With a heavier dosage of discernment in the mix now, I am blessed to say my hair is thickening and my nails are getting stronger. Breaking out of patterns that defy the goals I have committed to becomes easier, as I pick up new norms.
Let me know your thoughts, would love to continue this conversation. Thank you for your patience, if you have been keeping your eyes peeled on my blog posts. Looking forward to continuing the holistic development conversation with more research. Updates appear in my Instagram stories (linked in the site header above).
Sources: Hopkins Medicine, PubMed, TurtleTree
