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Did you know that you have 2-5 pounds of bacteria in your gut? In fact, we actually have more bacteria in and on our bodies than we do human cells! When I first learned this my mind was completely blown.
In the last decade, we have learned how incredibly important these bacteria actually are to not only our digestion, but also our overall health. The bacteria in our gut have a say in so many facets of our health including:
- Our mental health
- Our digestive health
- Our skin health
- Our hormone balance
- And more!
Most of the bacteria on and in your body are GOOD and helpful bacteria. These bacteria do so many things for us including:
- Neurotransmitter production
- Digestion of fiber
- Metabolism
- Hormone regulation
- Gut motility
In addition to our probiotic (good) bacteria, we can also have “bad” or pathogenic bacteria.
The overall goal is not to have zero “bad” bacteria, we just want our good bacteria to outweigh the bad. Probiotic bacteria act as your little digestive army, helping to ward off any offenders that try to invade protect you from illness.
Dysbiosis can be triggered by a variety of things including:
- Chronic antibiotic use
- Certain medications (like chronic PPI usage, birth control or Accutane)
- Mismanaged stress or nervous system dysregulation
- An overly restrictive diet low in prebiotic fiber
- Slow gut motility
- Low stomach acid
When the “bad” bacteria overtake the “good” bacteria, you can experience symptoms such as:
- Bad breath
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Bloating
- Chest pain
- Upset stomach
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Brain fog
- Fatigue
- Rashes
In addition to looking at your medical history and your symptoms, you can utilize a GI Map test to look for dysbiosis.
The treatment for dysbiosis can vary based on symptoms and presentation, but some of the recommendations that may be included would be:
- Focusing on blood sugar balance
- Adding in prebiotic fiber to feed your good gut bacteria
- Working on stress management
- Getting lots of sunshine
- Potentially adding in specific and targeted probiotics
- Utilizing herbal supplements or antibiotic treatments to help “kill the dysbiotic bacteria
Working with a professional to help you identify the exact triggers of the symptoms you are experiencing can help you utilize the proper interventions and rebalance your gut bacteria.
If you want to learn more about your specific root causes, how to address them and find long term relief, be sure to check out the bloat free blueprint self-paced course! This course will teach you how to identify your underlying “root causes,” how to address them specifically with nutrition, lifestyle and supplements, and how to maintain your results long-term so that you can finally beat the bloat for good!
