For most people, paying attention to your gut means following your intuition and letting your informed self let you know if there are red flags you need to mind. However, the idea of following or paying attention to your gut has more meaning when you understand just how important your gut is to your physical health.
You and Your Gut
Your gut is your digestive tract, described in broad terms. It runs the entire length of the eating and food processing part of your body, from your mouth to your rectum. Your gut has a wide variety of both healthy and unhealthy bacteria in it that contribute to gut health. Problems with the digestive tract have been associated with a large range of health problems, from psychiatric illnesses to immune system disorders to behavioral problems.
Numerous researchers are now focusing their attention on dietary habits of people with chronic health conditions that are difficult to explain. One explanation for the dramatic increase in chronic illnesses, particularly immune system disorders and food allergies, is the significant shift in diet over the past four to five decades. Instead of eating family farm grown foods, more and more Americans depend on highly processed foods which contain refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup and high levels of antibiotics.
Common symptoms of an unhealthy gut include feelings of listlessness, depression, bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, inflammation and difficulty with concentration, just to name a few. The best approach to maintaining a healthy gut is to eat foods high in probiotics, organically grown foods, free range chicken and beef and fermented foods, such as yogurt and fermented vegetables. When you pay attention to your gut, you will feel better overall, making it much easier to tap into that informed intuition we keep hearing about!
– The Alternative Daily
