Why You Should Care About Gut Health

Gut health feels like a huge buzzword in the wellness world these days, but why is it so important? A healthy gut is crucial to overall health and wellbeing for so many reasons. The gut plays a key role in so many different aspects of health. Many times if something feels off, you can trace it back to an imbalance in the gut.  Here are all the ways that gut health plays a role in overall health:

1. Mental health and brain health

Ever noticed that a stressful day sometimes comes with nausea or bloating? The gut is deemed our second brain for a reason- with a huge correlation between gut health and the brain. The brain is connected to the gut through millions of nerve endings. The gut also produces 95% of your serotonin-chemicals in your brain that keep you happy and feeling good! Serotonin also controls how fast food moves through your system, and how sensitive your stomach is to pain and fullness from eating. The gut microbiome also plays a role in the functioning of your central nervous system. If you’re struggling with mental health issues, it’s worth taking a look at your gut.

2. The immune system

Keeping our immune system in tip top shape is always important, but especially during a global pandemic. 70 percent of the immune system lives in the gut! A healthy digestive system is essential to making sure your body is able to fight off illness. The balance of bacteria in the gut plays a crucial role in keeping the immune system in check. Healthy bacteria in the gut can help fight off illnesses, and also helps in developing t-cells, which help your body tell what cells are your body’s and which are intruder cells.

3. Digestive health

This one is a no brainer- but a healthy gut is critical when it comes to the health of the digestive system. A well balanced, healthy gut, keeps you regular, makes digestion a breeze, and keeps your tummy feeling good. A healthy balance of bacteria in the gut also helps to maintain a healthy weight and keep you feeling good and balanced.

4. Hormone health 

When the gut is in check, the body has an easier job of regulating hormones. The body does an amazing job of keeping hormones balanced- but when things are out of whack, the gut has a hard time regulating how much estrogen is metabolized and eliminated, and hormone levels can become unregulated. Elevated or suppressed estrogen levels can cause mood swings and issues with your cycle. 

A happy gut translates over to a healthy body in so many ways: mental health, immunity, digestion, and hormonal health are all directly correlated to gut health. A girl with a well balanced gut and a happy tummy is unstoppable!

Xx,

My Girl