GUT FEELINGS
Why taking care of your digestive system has whole-body health benefits
GUT HEALTH extends beyond the digestive system. We’re still learning about the extent to which the state of our gut impacts overall health and wellbeing. Our bodies contain roughly 39 trillion bacterial cells and 30 trillion human cells, so we’re arguably more bacteria than human. Much of this bacteria resides in our gut and is known as our gut microbiome. As well as helping digest food, our gut bacteria have many other important roles, including producing B vitamins, vital for energy production, and vitamin K, which can help keep bones healthy. A healthy gut microbiome is therefore key for many aspects of our health.
IBS
Compromised digestive health, often labelled irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), affects up to 20% of the population in the UK. Common symptoms include stomach pains and cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation. For obvious reasons, these not only impact your quality of life, but can hamper your running performance. Mild symptoms can be addressed by improving gut health; however, unintentional weight loss, rectal bleeding or severe pain can indicate more serious issues. Your doctor will be able to test for things like coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer and infections.
Eating for better gut health Focus on whole, natural foods and avoid processed foods. Your gut loves variety, so eat a range of fibre-rich plant foods – think ‘eat the rainbow’. Probiotic (beneficial bacteria that lines the gut wall) and prebiotic foods (food for the bacteria) both support gut health. Include kefir, tempeh and sauerkraut for probiotics, and garlic, onions and leeks for prebiotics.
Foods to avoid
As well as keeping processed foods to a minimum, it’s worth establishing whether specific foods worsen your symptoms. Keep a food diary, noting down everything you eat and any IBS symptoms you experience to identify triggers. Eliminating these from your diet for a time can help establish if they are the culprit. Foods containing dairy and gluten are common triggers.
Is there a pill for that? Supplements can improve gut health. If you feel certain foods are harder to digest or sit in your stomach, try a digestive enzyme supplement to aid with breakdown. If you suffer with bloating, a probiotic supplement like Symprove (symprove.com) could help. If you have constipation, avoid herbal, senna-based laxatives. Instead, try a fibre supplement like Renew Life Daily Digestive Fibre (£19.99 for 150 capsules, amazon.co.uk). Magnesium and triphala are also worth trying.
Digging deeper
If you aren’t able to tackle your IBS symptoms through diet and taking supplements, further investigations can be done. My clinic offers a comprehensive at-home gut health test that can provide insight into the issues that are causing symptoms.