What they don't tell you about healing your gut

Healing your gut has become trendy in the recent decade. People have been adopting crash detoxes, juices, supplements and regimes which claim to heal the gut and get that quick fix.

Even though it is great we are all becoming more health conscious, when we look at healing the gut, it's not all about getting the best green juice, or fanciest powders you can get your hands on.

Healing your gut is actually a bit more complex. Our gut aka our digestive system, has lots of layers, systems and processes which all function differently and can cause different symptoms. This collaboration all comes together to help the proper absorption and distribution of our nutrients. 

The intestines, particularly our small intestine, is where we break down and absorb a lot of our nutrients. The intestine is made up of layers including villi which create more surface area in the gut and are the absorption point for nutrients to pass into our circulatory system. 

We then have the mucosal layer which is our protective layer in our intestine. 

Our intestines also house our enteric nervous system which helps control our mood and nervous system reactions. 

When our digestive system is damaged this can cause symptoms such as bloating, change in stool time, consistency odour and colour and sometimes pain. The damage can be caused by a range of things including: 

  • Bacteria

  • Parasites

  • Inflammation 

This occurs due to the foods and fluids we ingest and other environmental factors. 

We can also have symptoms appearing in other parts of our body including: 

  • Eczema

  • Acne

  • Headaches

  • Anxiety

So when we are thinking about healing our gut we need to take into consideration all of these factors that could be contributing to the gut dysfunction. 

Overall, it is about ingesting diversity and variety with our food that is suited for our bodies needs while also sustaining a happy and balanced ecosystem. 

And everyone's ecosystem operates differently, so one regime won’t work for everybody. 

However, there are some things to consider to keep in mind which can help keep your gut happy. 

Below are only some nutrients which can support your gut function include: 

  • Protein: supports healing and cell turn over

  • Fibre: supports the healthy ecosystem 

  • Glutamine & Collagen: supports a healthy mucosal layer 

Herbs can be a great asset in the healing of the gut. 

What we use are demulcents which help coat and heal the gut lining such as:

  • Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

  • Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra)

  • Marshmallow root (Althea officinalis)

We also can use carminative and spasmolytic herbs which support the intestines in their process of moving the food throughout the digestive tract such as:

  • Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)

  • Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) 

Other lifestyle factors you need to consider in the healing of your gut include: 

  • Keeping your stress levels low (check out our free yoga & meditation classes) 

  • Having enough water 

  • Limiting alcohol 

  • Exercising regularly 

If you need further support in the healing of your gut, we have 1:1 consultations available online and in person to discuss further. 




NutritionKelsey Petherick