Health Begins In Your Belly

Tuesday, February 28, 2017. Today I’m sharing with you how you can banish your bloat for good! Discover how you can reduce belly bloating, increase energy levels and stay healthy over the winter. 

If you hadn’t heard my story before, I was sick all the time growing up. Colds, ear infections, sinus issues, you name it and I had it. Every time I wasn’t feeling well I was put on antibiotics. I loved the bubble gum flavored penicillin the best, it tasted just like candy.

Flash forward to when I was 28 years old living in New York City and trying to heal my body of chronic sinus infections. The holistic doctor made the connection between my weak immune system and my years of consuming antibiotics. My doctor introduced me to probiotics and fermented foods as a way to initiate the healing process of my gut.

If you have ever been on antibiotics as a child (or if you are today), the antibiotics are actually destroying both the healthy and unhealthy bacteria in your belly. Without replacing the healthy bacteria in your belly, your immune system can weaken, hence why you keep getting sick. You may feel bloated or moody and this can also cause a hormonal imbalance in your body.

According to hormone expert Alisa Vitti our gut is part of our elimination system that helps get rid of hormones in our body. When this process is working it helps to keep our hormones balanced. This healthy bacteria also known as gut flora, makes up our microbiome which is the main player in regulating our hormones. The hormonal regulation affected the most is our estrogen level. When this is not balanced properly this can lead to all kinds of hormonal imbalance; PMS, cramps, low libido, infertility, PCOS and heavy bleeding.

A poor diet, stress, exposure to chemicals and or toxins, and years of antibiotics will suppress the good bacteria, promote the bad bacteria and creates a toxic buildup of hormones as well as other signs of inflammation.

Here are some signs that your gut may be imbalanced

• Bloating
• Poor Digestion/Bowel Movements
• Acne
• Headaches
• Stubborn Weight Loss
• Frequent Illnesses (colds, sinus infections, yeast infections)
• Foggy Brain/Headaches

The more stress we have in our lives, the less time and attention we usually place on our health. Because of the fast paced society and lifestyle that we live it is vital to take care of our health and pay more attention to our gut. By beginning these small steps today you will start to feel more energized, focused and hormonally balanced.

Look At Your Diet Very Closely

You will feel like a new, healthy person just by taking out all of the white stuff in your diet. Start by taking out sugar for a week, do away with dairy the next and gluten the following. If you can eliminate all three at once, you can do that as well.

Add In Fermented Foods

They might not be your favorite foods now, but the more you eat fermented foods such as kimchi, saurkraut and coconut kefer water, your taste buds will start to change. You will enjoy having these as a side dish to your meals or even taking a few tablespoons a day to help bring in healthy bacteria into your diet.

Take A Probiotic

I take this every morning about 30 minutes before I have my breakfast. If you are not a morning person you can take it in the afternoon or even before dinner just as long as it’s about 30 minutes before you eat. Try to find a probiotic that doesn’t have any fillers in it. A lot of supplements have dairy, sugar and gluten in them and we are trying to avoid that right now so we can help heal our gut. Here is my favorite probiotic and just for you use code KBR50 to get 50% off of your first purchase. Also make some ginger tea, you can use hot water, fresh ginger and lemon or I like the Lemon Ginger Yogi Tea.

Make Some Bone Broth

One of the many warming and nourishing foods I have been adding more into my diet for about a year now is Bone Broth. Even during the summer I was making this healthy broth. Now is the perfect time to make a bunch and freeze it for anytime you are feeling under the weather this fall and winter. This broth will help to heal your gut so you will feel less bloated and improve your immunity. Get the recipe here. 

If you’d like to explore more ways to gain more energy, reduce belly bloating and feel more comfortable in your body, join me on Sunday, March 12th at 3 p.m. at The Green Yogi in Manhattan Beach for my Banish Your Bloat workshop. It’s a complimentary workshop but you must sign up ahead of time via this link to save your spot. After our nutrition workshop stay after for a yoga class focused on twists and other yoga poses to help you further detox and decrease bloating.

Big Hugs & Health,

 

 

 

 

 

Sources: Alisa Vitti, Woman Code