Co Antrim woman Sarah Piper’s top tips for good gut health and less stress

Our guts are a complicated system which need constant love and attention to ensure all areas of our health and wellbeing are functioning as well as possible.

An unhealthy balance in the microbiome (microorganisms residing in the gastrointestinal tract) can directly lead to a myriad of health issues from skin conditions to diabetes, IBS, poor digestion, constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, sleep issues, heartburn and allergies, to even more dangerous illnesses such as cancers, heart disease and liver disease.

Stress also plays havoc with our guts’ ability to function properly and is actually creating a physical toll on our digestive system which may potentially lead to a number of short, or indeed more serious long term health issues.

So what can be done? Sarah Piper of Regul8 health supplments, said its three-step Digestive Tune Up, a pre and pro-biotic is designed to improve the health of your gut, by cleansing, restoring and maintaining the digestive system and providing our guts with all the nutrients they need to flourish.

The Crumlin woman said said: “Imagine your gut as a garden, the weeds are overgrown – how can you ever expect beautiful plants and flowers to grow?

“Our guts are just like this, and while many pro-biotics, though well-meaning, are simply not able to fight the weeds, to feed the soil and to therefore provide the perfect environment for a stunning healthy garden to grow.

“The Regul8 Digestive Tune Up (www.regul8ireland.com) is a great kick start to help you on your way to a healthier life.

“But there are of course many other things we can all be doing to help us along the way.

“First of all, let’s address the connection between stress and a healthy gut. This is huge and one of the most impactful areas of gut health.

“It’s why, alongside the Digestive Tune Up we have a wonderful supplement called ‘Relax’ this is a herbal stress relief formula, made with a number of wonder ingredients designed to restore your adrenal function, reduce levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), it contains adaptogens to make sure your hormonal pathways are functioning, ultimately helping you sleep better, calming the mind, reducing brain fog and decreasing anxiety.

“Stress has a physical impact on our guts’ ability to function properly, and when you consider that a staggering 70 per cent of our immune system is produced in the gut, it is vital that we all do what we can to reduce our stress levels.”

Sarah added: “Learning to manage our stresses is a non-negotiable for gut health in my eyes, it’s finding whatever works for you - delegating work, taking up a hobby, going for a walk in the fresh air, playing board games with the family or reading a good book – you can’t be your best self without a little time to work on you.

“Our guts produce 90 per cent of the serotonin in our body, that’s the happy hormone that makes us feel great, so it’s worth considering the fact that depression, anxiety and mood problems may actually be stemming from your gut!”

Sarah’s Top 10 steps to a Healthy Gut….

*Exercise every day, walk, run, gym, swimming, dancing, whatever floats your boat – your gut will thank you both physically and mentally.

*Regular sleep patterns – try to go to bed and get up at a regular time each day, your body will feel better for it.

A natural stress relief formula such as Regul8’s Relax will also help promote positive sleep.

*Eat a well-balanced diet with plenty of vegetables, eat slowly and mindfully and most of all enjoy feeding your body the nutrients it deserves.

*Keeping hydrated is a must for a healthy gut, keep a bottle handy at all times, staying hydrated will have a beneficial effect on the mucosal lining of the intestines.

*Invest in a really good pro-biotic, the Regul8 Digestive Tune Up has a unique delivery system that delivers all the goodness to the gut, exactly where it is needed so your guts get all the benefit.

*Keep a food diary, you’ll be surprised at the quantity and quality of the food you are eating and this will help you to make better choices.

Cut down or even better, cut out…

*Cut down on meat (especially red), red meat is known to increase the risk of bowel cancer, heart disease and stroke and it causes an enzyme to be created in the gut that can cause inflammation, by all means enjoy the odd steak, but don’t make a habit of it!

*Sugar, can eliminate the good bacteria in our guts causing an imbalance, it can also cause cravings for more sugar and this downward spiral can leave our guts badly damaged.

*Aim to eat whole foods, whether plant or animal based as our bodies are better equipped to break them down, the less processed foods you eat, the less sugar and saturated fats you will consume.

*Reduce alcohol as it inhibits the production of digestive enzymes and juices making it difficult for your body to breakdown, digest and absorb the nutrients from your food.