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Writer's pictureMary Kate Gowdy, MS, CNS, LDN

Is it Time for Gut Support and Healing?

Updated: Sep 24

When the gut needs support and healing, symptoms are not only limited to digestive distress like gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and heartburn. Your gut health is linked to so many other aspects of your health!


Your body may be telling you it’s time for gut support and healing if you experience:


  • Brain fog or cognitive decline

  • Easily sick with cold or flu

  • Chronic skin conditions

  • Digestive distress: constipation, diarrhea, IBS, bloating, heartburn or acid reflux

  • Autoimmune conditions (thyroid, RA)

  • Nutrient deficiencies

  • PCOS, infertility, irregular periods

  • Chronic fatigue

  • Chronic pain

  • Anxiety, depression, mood swings, OCD, ADHD

  • Cravings for sugar, breads and pastas

  • Overweight, obesity

  • Asthma and allergies

  • Sleep issues


At Purely Rooted Nutrition and Wellness, we follow the 5-R Program for gut restoration.


1) Removal

2) Replacement

3) Repopulate

4) Repair

5) Rebalance


REMOVE

Anything that may be negatively impacting the environment of your gut such as common allergenic or inflammatory foods, harmful bacteria, yeast or candida, and parasites. We may use the elimination diet or request food sensitivity testing to personalize protocols. We may use gentle and natural antimicrobials depending on individual cases of opportunistic bacteria, candida, or dysbiosis.


Opportunistic bacteria/yeast create something called a biofilm. This biofilm acts as a shield or barrier that helps a colony of bugs to defend themselves against antimicrobial treatments and our own immune cells. Some natural compounds target overgrowth of ‘bad’ microbes hiding in these biofilms. These natural compounds are an important part of the removal protocol to ensure persistent infections do not reoccur (UTIs, fungal overgrowth). It is also important to support natural detoxification to support toxin clearance.


REPLACE

Your gut relies on digestive secretions for proper digestion, so it’s important to ensure we’re supporting this process optimally. When the body is not digesting optimally, food sits in the gut, it ferments and then feeds unwanted overgrowth. The ability to digest your food optimally also ensures absorption of essential nutrients to boost the healing process.


REPOPULATE

Beneficial bacteria play a monumental role in your gut health, your immune system, your mental and cognitive health and so much more. Repopulating your gut with plenty of ‘good’ bacteria will help rebalance your gut flora and strengthen the communication between your gut, the immune system, and the brain.


70-80% of our immune system is within the gut! 80% of serotonin and 50% of dopamine is made in the gut. Specific healthy bacteria strains support healthy weight management and blood sugar balance. If there's a deficiency in certain strains, you can naturally feel more anxious or stressed, you may get sick more often, or you may actually extract more calories from your food. It is amazing what our gut flora does for us.



REPAIR

If the integrity of the lining of your intestines is compromised, it is called intestinal permeability or ‘leaky gut’. In this case, foods, toxins and chemicals can get through the lining of the intestines and into the blood stream where they do not belong, creating a vicious cycle of further immune activation, inflammation and chronic conditions.


So, it is important to give your gut the key nutrients it needs to repair itself. We consider zinc rich foods, antioxidants (like Vitamin C), omega 3 fatty acids, quality proteins, high fiber and superfoods like bone broths, ghee and so on.


REBALANCE

This is a holistic approach because factors like quality and quantity of sleep, stress management, intensity of exercise and your diet can all affect your gastrointestinal tract. So, making intentional choices that support a happy and healthy gut is key.


A healthy gut = a strong immune system, hormone balance, skin health, and a happy brain because everything is connected, and everything matters.


If you believe you have an imbalance in the gut, contact us for more information on what we can do to help support you. We offer an array of functional testing options to personalize your plan and bring balance back to the body.



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