It is important to take a moment to slow down and soak it all in.
With that being said, before we dive into this post, I encourage you to participate in the following exercise with me (I know you have to get on with your day, so I’ll keep it brief!)
- Gently start to slow your breath. Take three deep breaths….Inhale for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds.
- Start to roll your shoulders back, stretch your neck, or find a movement that feels good.
- Close your eyes and continue to breathe for one more minute.
- Now raise your arms to the sky and take your last mindful breath.
- Look around your current environment and list three things that make you happy right now! (It could be your coffee, a candle, your cat snuggling up next to you, the sunshine, anything!)
Thank you for sharing the present moment with me! Another way that I like to take control of my life is through my wellness, specifically my gut. Throughout my life and specifically my Cancer journey, I learned the importance of a happy gut.
Our gut has a direct line to our minds, meaning that healing our gut goes beyond just healthy digestion. It can help your mental and physical health and help numerous diseases, sensitivities, etc.
This week we will be revisiting a previously recorded podcast to dive deep into our GUT! Trust your gut feeling and read on to learn more about this episode!
Tune into episode 5, “Trust your gut: it could keep you from getting cancer,” of Why Did I Get Cancer, to listen to Kitty Martone.
Kitty, aka Healthy Gut Girl and podcast host of “Stuff Your Doctor Should Know,” has a mission to improve gut health. Kitty believes that if you have a healthy gut (80% to 90% of your immune system is influenced by the gut), you may avoid many of the diseases of the modern world.
We had an excellent discussion about the crippling fear rocking our world and how this can impact gut health, immunity, and cancer prevention.
Tune in with the button below!
Here are my top 3 tips to maintaining a well-balanced gut: Speaking of healthy guts!
Incorporate more fiber into my meals: Not only does this lower blood sugar and help your heart, but they are also a great source of prebiotic fiber, which helps the good bacteria in your gut flourish. To maintain a healthy gut, we must balance good and bad bacteria in our stomach; however, if the bad bacteria overtake your gut, it can lead to health issues.
Try incorporating beans and lentils into your meals! They are an excellent choice for a fulfilling meal!
Reducing my sugar intake: Sugar can reduce good bacteria in our gut. YUP. Those delicious sweets come with a cost. Sugar can also increase your chance of experiencing a leaky gut, which is when the lining of your gut is no longer a strong barrier. Extreme leaky gut can present itself as sudden food sensitivity, bloating, gas, cramps, aches, poor joint health, and so much more. Leaky gut also affects your immune system, so getting your gut in check can improve your symptoms if you are battling a disorder, disease, or chronic illness!
If you have a sweet tooth, try to find candy or treats with natural sweeteners. Or, if you are a baker, try a sugar alternative or natural sweetener in your backing such as maple syrup, Monkfruit or coconut sugar, etc.
Adding fermented foods into my day: Fermented foods have been gaining attention from health experts worldwide, and for a good reason! Fermented foods strengthen your gut microbiome- which contains 100 trillion bacteria and microorganisms. They also contain probiotics which help restore balance in your gut and alleviate digestive issues.
My favorite fermented foods are kimchi, pickles, and Sauerkraut. For drinks, try kombucha, or if you are a smoothie drinker, add goats-milk kefir into your creation!
The cool thing about our gut is that simple switches can significantly impact our health. So the first step to taking control of your gut is learning about it!
With that being said, grab your headphones and click the button below to listen to my podcast about gut health. A happy gut = a happy human!
Tune in with the button below!
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