The gut is the foundation of our overall health. The digestive tract breaks down the foods we eat so that it can absorb the fuel, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals that the body needs in order to function and thrive.
What we might not realize though, is that the gut is responsible for so much more than just digestion and nutrient absorption! The gut assists with detoxification by eliminating waste from the body via the colon. It acts as the control centre of our immune system, as 70% of our immune system is found the gut. The gut also produces and stores many of the hormones, including 90% of our serotonin and 50% of our dopamine, which impact our mood, sleep, appetite, and the nervous system.
Symptoms of digestive upset, gas, bloating, heartburn, and irregular bowel movements are signals that we may have an unhealthy gut environment. There may be damage to the integrity of the gut lining, inflammation in the digestive tract, or unhealthy bacteria living in the gut. These three factors can profoundly impact the ability of our digestive system to function, and in turn, also impact our overall health.
Prolonged issues with our digestion often lead to whole-body symptoms, including fatigue, anxiety, depression, food sensitivities, frequent cold and flu, acne, joint pain, and autoimmune diseases like eczema, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
If you are experiencing digestive symptoms, or suspect you may have leaky gut, there are many things we can do to support our gut health.
- Eat slowly: Digestion begins with chewing! Chew slowly, put down your fork between bites, and enjoy your meals. This helps you break down foods better in the stomach so that it is more well-received by the flora living in the gut.
- Eat prebiotics: Prebiotics are foods containing soluble fibre, and they feed healthy gut bacteria. Great sources of prebiotics include oats, artichokes, bananas, apples, asparagus, and flax.
- Avoid inflammatory foods: Refined sugar, processed foods, trans fats, and artificial sweeteners are all inflammatory and can negatively impact the gut. In some people, foods like gluten and dairy can also trigger or worsen digestive upset.
- Reduce stress: Make sure your body is in rest-and-digest state when eating, not in fight-or-flight mode. Try taking three deep breaths before you start each meal to promote calmness, avoid being in front of screens during meals, and remember that digestion functions best when stress is low.
- Take a supplement: Choose a supplement that sooths digestive symptoms, repairs the gut lining, reduces inflammation, and replenishes healthy gut flora.
GUT-FX targets and supports the three key elements of a healthy gut environment. It provides building blocks and mediators to heal the digestive lining, herbs to soothe digestive symptoms and limit inflammation, and probiotics to replenish healthy gut flora.
L-Glutamine, at an effective dose of 5000mg daily, is the most abundant building block in the gut lining, and it helps to rebuild the integrity of the intestinal wall. N-Acetyl-Glucosamine boosts the release of mediators that rebuild gut, so it acts like a construction worker who uses L-glutamine building blocks to repair the digestive tract.
Marshmallow Root, Aloe Vera Leaf Gel, and Slippery Elm Bark are three herbs that are soothing to the digestive lining. They improve symptoms of heartburn, digestive upset, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). These herbs also have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, so they heal and protect the gut lining from damage.
Probiotics are helpful for the prevention of future flare-ups of digestive issues. Lactobacillus acidophilus (Whole Cell LA-14) colonizes the small intestine, and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. Lactis (Whole Cell B-04) colonizes the large intestine. Together, they support a healthy gut microbiome and protect against the growth of unhealthy bacteria in the digestive tract. These probiotic strains also balance the immune system, support regular bowel habits, and reduce bloating.
Gut health is integral to our overall health. Digestive symptoms like bloating, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, and indigestion are the body’s way of telling us that the gut may not be functionating in an optimal way and would benefit from support. GUT-FX is uniquely formulated to soothe symptoms, heal and restore the gut lining, and colonize the digestive tract with healthy gut flora to prevent future flare-ups. GUT-FX supports digestion to support our overall health!
