o you feel bloated after you eat? Maybe you’re tired after meals, craving sugar all afternoon, dealing with constipation, or noticing that certain foods just don’t agree with you anymore.
A lot of us get so used to these things that we start thinking they’re normal. But sometimes they’re signs that it’s worth paying a little more attention to your gut.
Your intestinal system does much more than digest your food. It’s where most of the nutrients you eat are absorbed, and it’s also home to trillions of microorganisms that make up your gut microbiome. These bacteria play an important role in digestion, nutrient absorption and immune function.
When things aren’t working as well as they should, you may notice:
- Bloating or gas
- Constipation or irregular bowel movements
- Feeling uncomfortable after eating
- Sugar cravings
- Feeling tired or sluggish
- Certain foods becoming harder to tolerate
The tricky part is that there isn’t one simple explanation for these symptoms. Two people can have the exact same complaint for completely different reasons.
That’s also why grabbing a random probiotic or supplement off the shelf isn’t necessarily the best place to start.
Sometimes we need to go back to basics. Are you getting enough fibre? Are you drinking enough water? Are you eating foods that support beneficial gut bacteria? Are you getting enough nutrients such as magnesium, zinc, B vitamins and omega-3s? What does your diet look like day to day? How is your stress? How are you sleeping?
These things may seem simple, but they can make a difference in how we feel.
This is also what I love about holistic health. Instead of looking at one symptom and trying to make it disappear, we take a step back and look at the person as a whole.
When I work with a client, I want to know what’s actually going on in their everyday life. What are you eating? When do you feel your worst? What are your bowel habits like? What foods seem to bother you? When did your symptoms start? What else has changed?
From there, we can look at nutrition, lifestyle and natural approaches that may help support your body and digestive health.
You don’t need to become an expert in probiotics, supplements or gut health to start feeling more in control of your wellness. Sometimes you just need help figuring out where to start.
If you’ve been dealing with bloating, digestive discomfort, irregularity or simply feeling like your gut isn’t quite right, I’d be happy to sit down with you and look at the bigger picture.
By Agata Jagielska, Holistic Health Practitioner