Spring Into Better Health With a Gut Reset

Spring Into Better Health With a Gut Reset

March 12, 2024

Our good daily habits can easily get off track as life throws us curveballs, especially if the curveballs are sweet, creamy or shaped like a box of chocolates!

No one can eat perfectly all the time (that would be boring!), and while most of us can bounce back fairly quickly from some deviations, others have body types that are sensitive to any change at all. Maintaining a good healthy bowel is a delicate balance, and changes to our diet and lifestyle, including medications, sleep habits, alcohol, stress, sugar intake, various sweeteners, processed oils, hormone fluctuations and dairy as well as a lack of "good whole foods" can throw things off and trigger a lingering problem.

Even once we improve our habits we may still feel off. This 'off feeling' can be hard to pinpoint, and hard to shift.

This is why it's important to start at ground zero and reset the gut.

Here are some tips from Dr. Hilary for Healthology:

  • Drink more water: There is no exact science to the amount of water each person needs but aim for at least 2 liters of water daily, and more if you’re sweating, in hot weather, or with exercise10. A good indication that you’re well-hydrated is if your urine is a light straw colour throughout the day. Try setting reminders on your phone or computer to remind you to drink water or herbal tea.
  • Increase fibre: Our daily requirement for fibre is 25g for women and 38g for men10. High fibre foods include chia, flax, whole grains like brown rice, quinoa and oats, legumes like beans and chickpeas, and vegetables like avocado, broccoli, beets, artichokes, and dark leafy greens.
  • Physical activity: Exercise helps to prevent and relieve constipation because it stimulates the natural contractions of the intestines and decreases the amount of water that is reabsorbed from the stool into the body, making stools softer and easier to pass10. Even gentle exercise, such as walking for 20 minutes daily, can improve digestion.
  • Manage stress: When we’re stressed, we’re in a “fight or flight” state, meaning our body shifts blood flow to vital organs like the heart, lungs, and large muscles and this can contribute to indigestion and constipation. When we’re relaxed, we’re in a “rest and digest” state, meaning our body sends blood flow to the digestive system. Meditation, deep breathing, and prioritizing sleep are effective ways to manage stress and improve digestion.
  • Treat the cause: A slow metabolism caused by an underactive thyroid can cause constipation, so it is important to screen the thyroid through bloodwork if you’re experiencing frequent constipation. Eating inflammatory foods like gluten and dairy, or having an unhealthy gut flora, can also contribute to constipation in some people.

Healthy bowel movements are the body’s way of eliminating toxins and waste. If we have infrequent, difficult to pass or incomplete bowel movements, we are not adequately detoxifying the body. This can lead to fatigue, hormonal issues, acne, pain, bloating and inflammation.

It is important to identify and work toward improving the cause of constipation through ensuring proper hydration, fibre intake, physical activity, stress management, and addressing any underlying functional or metabolic issues. Even when we’re doing all the right things, we sometimes need extra support to have healthy, fully evacuated daily bowel movements.

Healthology's GO-LAX provides a gentle, effective solution for occasional constipation. GO-LAX works to hydrate and soften the stool, promote peristalsis, soothe the gut lining and improve the microbiome. GO-LAX promotes healthy bowel function, without cramping or pain, to support your body’s natural ability to eliminate waste and maintain good overall health.

Spring is the perfect time to 'spring back to health' and we hope you found this information valuable and useful for your own wellness journey.

Our Wellness Advisors are available at the store should you need help determining the right products for your individual needs.

Stay well!

Written by Sita Huber, BHsc (Nutritional Medicine) for Edible Island in partnership with Healthology.

We respectfully acknowledge that we are living and working in the unceded traditional territory of the K’omoks First Nation, the traditional keepers of this land.