Gut Health is one of the biggest wellness trends to surface in a while, and rightfully so. Achieving and maintaining a healthy gut microbiome aids in the digestion of the foods you eat, absorbs nutrients, and uses it to fuel and maintain your body. So, if your gut is imbalanced and your immune system isn't working properly, your serotonin and hormones won't either, making it more challenging to stay healthy.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult for us to know what to believe amidst the ever-mounting new gut health findings as well as misinformation and myths online. From bloating to stomach ulcers, to beans and alcohol, read on as we separate the facts from the fiction when it comes to gut health.
MYTH
Bloating is a sign of poor nutrition
TRUTH
The truth is there is no single cause of bloating and there are many different triggers of it. Outside of conditions like IBS and food intolerances, it's rarely the case that specific foods alone cause bloating. Common contributors of bloat include stress, wearing tight clothes all day and lack of movement and how we eat. Easy ways to avoid bloating is to check for common food intolerances, splitting your food intake into smaller meals, chewing well, avoiding tight clothes and rewiring the gut-brain connection (find out how on our blog here). Remember that bloating is totally normal, especially after a heavy meal, extra fibre intake or just in the evenings after a full day of eating. It still means your inner community of microbes are well-fed and doing their job.
MYTH
Always go to bed on an empty stomach
TRUTH
Whilst we certainly shouldn’t eat too close to bedtime, for some, going to sleep hungry can also disrupt sleep. You might feel fine after skipping dinner, but when you finally fall asleep, hunger pangs keep the brain mentally alert, causing you to not get enough deep sleep at night. It's best to stop eating about three hours before going to bed. That allows plenty of time for your body to digest the last food you ate so it won't disrupt your sleep, but leaves a small enough window before sleep that you won't go to bed feeling hungry.
MYTH
Stress can cause stomach ulcers
TRUTH
Whilst stress can irritate an ulcer, it is not the cause. Ulcers are instead, a result of an infection with the bacterium H. pylori. This can break down the stomach's defense against the acid it produces to digest food. The stomach lining then becomes damaged causing an ulcer to form. Stress becomes a problem because our body's natural response to stress also increases stomach acid, a source of ulcers.
MYTH
Too much fibre can irritate the gut
TRUTH
This isn’t true. We should be eating around 30g a day and most of us don’t manage even half of that. As well as helping to keep you regular, an increasing amount of evidence has linked fibre with reduced rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and bowel cancer. A great way to supplement your diet with plant-powered fibre is with Klean+ Prebiotic Gut Powder. Ingredients include flax seed, apple fibre and inulin, which are all fantastic sources of this key micronutrient. Shop Klean+ here.
MYTH
Cooked food is easier on the stomach
TRUTH
Cooking food breaks down the fibres within grains and vegetables which means we can assimilate nutrients more easily. It’s important to note that overcooking food can lead to a drastic reduction in certain nutrients including water-soluble nutrients such as vitamin C and the B vitamins. Most people should be able to break down both cooked and raw food as part of the normal digestion process.
MYTH
Alcohol promotes poor gut health
TRUTH
Here’s the best news you’ve heard all week: red wine is actually full of polyphenols which are great for your gut. There’s no denying that hard tack leads to leaky gut, decreased gut absorption and increased production of bile in the liver - all of which can lead to diarrhea and one hell of a headache - but research has shown that moderately drinking red wine can boost gut health. A study found that when red wine passes through the gut, it leaves behind compounds that protect neurons from getting damaged or killed off, potentially protecting the brain from future degenerative conditions!
MYTH
Beans are the most gas inducing food
TRUTH
Beans are rich in fibre and starches called oligosaccharides which are poorly digested and therefore fermented by gut bacteria. A side effect of this fermentation is the production of intestinal gas. However, beans aren’t the only food groups rich in these starches. Other foods including raw garlic and onion can be particularly uncomfortable to digest to some, lentils and wheat-based products such as bread can be an issue for others. Excess gas, regardless of the food you eat, is often a symptom of chronic intestinal conditions so have a chat to your GP if you suffer with this.
MYTH
Gut health supplements don’t work
TRUTH
Yes, a thoughtfully formulated, targeted gut health supplement does work. Especially those like Klean’s Nourish Probiotics. Nourish is a gut health supplement that functions over everything else because its formula is 4 times more effective than any other probiotic you can find on shelves. Unfortunately, while most probiotics in the market are full of the same standard ingredients, it's highly likely that these supplements don't know how to operate within your body and may not be all that beneficial in terms of function or effects.
Nourish is different because it is a comprehensive blend of 20 billion beneficial probiotic species that include:
// Lactobacillus acidophilus
// Lactobacillus casei
// Bifidobacterium lactis/animalis
// Lactobacillus plantarum
// Bifidobacterium longum
// Lactobacillus paracasei
// Lactobacillus rhamnous
// Bifidobacterium bifidum
Nourish Probiotics truly promote homeostasis throughout your body and mind. Invest in real gut health supplements that actually work to fight dis-ease from the inside out and give your body the tools it needs to carry you through life.