Did you know that your gut health has a direct impact on losing weight and keeping it off, controlling appetite and cravings, fighting infection and inflammation, and maintaining hormonal and brain health1? The health of your gut has a lot of responsibility so it makes sense to take great care of it! Read on to get helpful tips on how to restore and keep your gut feeling fabulous!

When it comes to your gut health, proper care is your responsibility, but what about your personal protection? Well, that’s LifeAlert‘s job! Place their lightweight, waterproof emergency pendant around your neck or wrist and in the event of a life threatening emergency, push the button on your pendant to summon an emergency medical response fast. Plus, just like your gut, Life Alert’s dispatch team works 24/7 to ensure you have the best personal protection, every day. Trust your gut instinct and get Life Alert Protection today!

Once your personal protection is on the right tract, you can follow the five R’s, courtesy of JJ Virgin1, to get your gut back on track ASAP!

Remove. The typical Western diet is heavier in sweeteners, refined flour, corn, and processed foods than ever before. In fact, the average American eats over 5 times more sugar than just 20 years ago! It’s the perfect recipe for skyrocketing rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. One of the best choices you can make for your gut health is to find out about the 7 foods most likely to cause food intolerances. Which are sensitivity to gluten, dairy, eggs, corn, soy, peanuts, and sweeteners, so you can remove the problem foods and create a diet customized to your needs. Your gut will thank you!

Replace. Diet, medication, and stress levels often encourage the wrong kind of bacteria to grow in your gut, resulting in stomach upset and weight gain around your midsection. Imbalances in your gut microbiome can also cause infection and inflammation, and issues with mood, sleep, and sex drive. Time to call for back-up! Add fermented foods to your diet, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and homemade yogurt, to deliver more “good guys” to your gut – the microbes that keep you healthy. If you don’t have time to regularly ferment your own veggies or dairy, (Raising my hand!) you can take a high-quality probiotic/prebiotic blend like Microbiome Balance instead.

Repair. You’re learning how to care for your gut. However, it may be that old habits or daily exposure to GMOs and pesticides have already compromised your intestinal lining, a condition called “leaky gut syndrome.” Leaky gut means particles of undigested food, toxins, and waste make their way out of your gut and into your bloodstream, and the results can be painful and wide-reaching. Leaky gut symptoms include allergies, autoimmune issues, headaches, joint pain, fatigue, and rashes, as well as trouble with focus and memory.

Restore. Our lives are full and fast-paced, and the pressure of endless emails and errands can wreak havoc on your gut health. Stress decreases your body’s natural production of the digestive enzymes that help you process and absorb nutrients. Not only will you battle heartburn, gas and bloating, and other digestive upset, you can also damage your body’s natural defenses against inflammation and disease. That’s why it’s so important to address your stress! Exercise regularly, and look for activities that restore your calm, whether that’s yoga class, a trip to the dog park, or a long walk with your best friend. If you’re stressed or over the age of 35 (when digestive enzyme production naturally decreases), I recommend supplementing with Digestive Enzymes to ensure your gut stays healthy.

Relax. Sleep has a big effect on your gut health! While you rest, your digestive tract is detoxifying your body and replenishing the healthy microbes in your gut. If you struggle with weight gain, poor digestion, low energy, or moodiness, that may be your gut flora raising the white flag! Make it a priority to get 7-9 hours of quality sleep every night. That means no caffeine after lunch and no screens for an hour before bedtime. Eat a healthy dinner and then close your kitchen, so nighttime blood sugar changes don’t interfere with your rest. Still struggling to get your z’s? An all-natural supplement like Sleep Candy can help rejuvenate your body’s natural sleep cycle.

By making positive choices for your gut, you will be rewarded with a body, mind and soul that feel young and vibrant! However, even when things seem to be running well, a turn for the worse can be right around the corner. A home invasion, home fire or even serious fall is never planned, so how can you be proactive in your safety? With Life Alert Protection! Slip on their emergency pendant and in the event of a life threatening emergency, push the button on your pendant to and help will be summoned fast, 24/7! Go with your gut and ignore the imposters; get the best personal protection nationwide with Life Alert! For a free brochure on all their healthy life saving services call 1-800-513-2934.

Works Cited:

1.       “5 Steps to Build a Healthy Gut: How to Look, Feel, and Think Better.” JJ Virgin. <http://jjvirgin.com/5-steps-build-healthy-gut/ >.

---

1

1