The whole subject of a healthy gut is one of opinion and counter opinion. It is a complex subject that whole departments in hospitals are designated to. Huge amounts of money is spent on research and even more on remedies and tablets to try and quell the feeling of heartburn and gut ache. My understanding is that the two are very separate conditions. Heartburn and indigestion, which 40 percent of Americans suffer from, often occurs after eating when the acid secreted from the gut to break down food travels back up the lower throat which gives the feeling of heartburn.
In the western world, we eat lots of acid forming fast foods that doesn't help and generally people are deficient in the essential nutrients that promote effective digestion, in particular vitamin B.
Foods: Alkaline Rich
Food: Acid forming
Alfalfa Grass
Beef
Broccoli
Chicken
Garlic
Beer
Spinach
Coffee
Carrots
Wine
Avocado
Cheese
Tomatoes
White Bread
It is a well-known fact that eating alkaline rich foods such as vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds will give your body a more peaceful platform to digest and function. Whereas, over-doing it on the beer, coffee, microwave meals and red meat will have you grasping for the antacid tablets. It still makes me smile that people carry these around with them and look at them as part of every day life. They'd be much better off just eating properly.
Gut ache is a different can of worms altogether and triggers a whole host of other symptoms and problems. A combination of eating rubbish foods (listed above) and from experience being very stressed and not working out, contribute to a hypersensitivity to food and often-chronic symptoms. These include, bloating, sluggishness and diarrhoea. This all gathers momentum and makes people inactive and this makes thing worse. Eating a diet, rich in alkaline food obviously helps. It has been suggested that peppermint, rosemary and ginger all help sooth the digestive tract.
My experience tells me that it is not just one thing that contributes to a healthy gut. Exercising, meditation and doing the occasional fast, will all contribute towards a healthy gut. Take control and be patient, it takes time for your body to heal but heal it will. Discipline and consistency will always deliver the right results.
Steve Halsall
Steve Halsall has worked as a professional trainer for 15 years during which time he has helped 100's of people to make permanent changes. He is a Men's Health magazine celebrity trainer and The Daily Mirror's fitness expert. www.stevehalsall.com
