Why Gut Health? 

Gut health is one of the topics I read a lot about these days with our ability to get our gut microbiome tested and analyzed readily. The importance of maintaining a healthy gut microbiome has been highlighted in the wellness community in the past years as we shift our focus to maintaining our health.

All sorts of things have come to the attention of health-minded people such as bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi, and the effect that they can have on your health if left unchecked. Issues such as bloating, gas, stomach discomfort, constipation, brain fog, and chronic fatigue are some of the major reasons people have decided to take a deeper look at what is going on inside their gut. 

My Story

I went to a naturopath doctor for what I thought could be thyroid autoimmune issues based on how I was feeling. I explained that I had frequent body temperature changes, chronic fatigue, brain fog, heavy anxiety, mood swings, acne (small bumps), and most bothersome the pain I felt in my stomach after eating every meal. The doctor ran some tests including a blood test and a stool test to see what shape my microbiome was in, and what could be causing the issues I was having. 

After the stool test results came in the only thing that was clearly out of balance was an excess amount of a fungus called Candida Albican. Candida is a fungus that grows in the body such as in the mouth and gut, at a normal rate it is beneficial, but an overgrowth can cause the symptoms I listed above and more (I experienced some not all of the symptoms).

 Immediately after learning this, I took a look at what I could do to decrease this overgrowth of candida in my gut. I learned that candida feeds on carbohydrates (gluten) and sugars, basically anything that spikes your insulin levels; so the journey of the candida diet began.

 I am already vegetarian and had a relatively healthy diet before the candida diet, so this transition was not super difficult, but took a lot of research to make sure I was eating foods that did not fuel the candida for 3 months.  I take the not-super-difficult part back because it made me realize how much sugar is in the foods we eat and the cravings were extreme after completely cutting it out for the first month.

After the 3 months passed on the diet, I went back and got a blood test that indicated that the levels of candida within my body had decreased, and I was feeling so much more energized naturally. My symptoms cleared up by the end of the 3 months. Although, it was quite difficult at times I felt the candida hungry for sugar and most foods containing gluten. After this process, I realized how many people are probably suffering from similar symptoms as I was, and how awareness and acting on it can really change the quality of your life. 

Learning more

If you have bloating and discomfort after eating you should get a microbiome test ordered by a doctor and analyzed. After learning more about candida and the kinds of foods it thrives on I was surprised to see those foods being the majority at the supermarket. The isles filled with inflammatory foods became very apparent, and so did the link between obesity and candida overgrowth in the gut.

I am grateful that I practice bodily awareness so I could impact change before the issue got out of my hands, and I encourage everyone to do the same. I know when I first learned of this I was reading as many personal testimonials as possible to get more familiar with the subject. For more on the topic of gut health and everything wellness related subscribe to our newsletter located at the bottom of the home page. As always thanks for tuning in and I hope this helped you on your journey to a healthier happier self.