Gut health is a hot topic in the fitness industry. Which is good because we are realizing that your overall health starts from the gut. A healthy gut is the foundation – you can’t build a house on unstable foundation, can you? Of course not! And you can’t build a healthy body without first recognizing that gut health comes first. There are some buzz words circling the fitness industry such as leaky gut, FodMaps, NightShades, and elimination diet (which was previously discussed in an early blog). But, truth be told, just like gut health is the foundation of overall health, there are 3 things to check-in with first before considering other causes of digestive problems.

Common Digestive Problems:

• Gas
• Bloating
• Diarrhea or Constipation
• Heartburn

But, before jumping into food sensitivities or leaky gut, here’s the top 3 things to check-in with:

1. Micronutrients: the Vitamins and Minerals in your foods that you get on a daily basis. This comes down to food selection. Ensuring you are getting all the vitamins and minerals your body needs to function optimally can be challenging. This is the first building block to health and wellness and something that is highly overlooked. There’s a lot of nutrient-dense foods to choose from, but there’s also a lot of nutrient-deprived foods that exist and are usually easier to get your hands on. Taking a daily vitamin can really help fill in the gaps with micronutrients.
2. Macronutrients: the amount of Protein, Fats and Carbohydrates you are eating on a daily basis. We each are unique and need a different number of each of these in a day depending on our current physique and what our goals are. In addition, getting these from the right sources matters. Example: Carbohydrates from a sweet potato is better than potato chips. So, again, ensuring you are choosing the right foods each day.
3. Digestive Enzymes: are substances produced by our bodies that help us to digest the foods we eat. Some of us can be deficient in digestive enzymes, which can cause gas and bloating. There are supplements you can take to help absorption which can really help with this! If you need supplement recommendations, please reach out to me (aly.mcpherson@57q.540.myftpupload.com).

These are the top 3 things to look at first when experiencing digestion problems. Ensure your foundation is set in place before exploring other potential problems. If you have any questions – please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!