Acne and mood swings? It might be your gut
Why our gut is responsible for more than just digesting food
Text: Riyana Rupani, Shannon T
Unbeknownst to some, our gut is more than just the courage to take a risk, an inner compass to help make life decisions or indeed digest all our food. It is in fact the epicentre of our health, responsible for several of our bodily issues, including food sensitivities, skin problems, hormone imbalances and a weakened immune system. In some cases, it may even be the cause of our seemingly unexplainable mood swings, anxiety and depression.
If you’re already panicking, don’t! We got the low down from Riyana Rupani, a Certified Holistic Nutritionist (NTP), Whole30 coach, recipe developer, and creator of Healthy-ish & Happy and the Clean-in-15 program, to share her personal gut health journey and get tips on how you can do the same.
Why is gut health so important?
Riyana: Because you’re not just what you eat, you’re also what you absorb. Your gut, responsible for food digestion and nutrient absorption, needs to be in good shape in order for the healthy food you consume to actually benefit you.
We often use the term “gut feeling” to describe that specific feeling where a decision feels right, and yes, it’s a real thing. Our gut has a direct connection to our brains, affecting everything from our mood and mental clarity to our behaviour. Besides that, our gut produces many of our hormones and neurotransmitters. Fun fact — 90% of our serotonin, otherwise known as "the happy hormone", is created in the gut!
The gut also houses over 70% of our immune system. By communicating with the immune cells, the gut microbiome controls how our body responds to invaders, infection, and illness.
Do share about your own gut health journey
Riyana: Perhaps relatable to most working adults, my health suffered tremendously while chasing career goals and climbing the corporate ladder. I spent 15+ years working in Corporate America and Asia and was pretty much a “type A” workaholic who didn’t realise what I was doing until my health gave me a wakeup call.
Like a lot of the people I met, I was suffering from hormonal, adrenal, digestive and autoimmune issues — I was literally a hot mess! After many years of doctor visits, medication and feeling sorry for myself, I decided that I had enough and wanted to understand WHY this was happening to me. That was when my journey to healing began.
I started doing my own research. Slowly and gradually, I began to change my food and lifestyle, making one small change at a time. I began to understand how to listen to my body and was amazed at how real food and lifestyle changes literally transformed my life.
Top 10 signs indicating an unhealthy gut
1. Food sensitivities
2. Digestive issues (bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, reflux, heartburn, etc.)
3. Sugar craving you can't seem to control
4. Being diagnosed with an autoimmune condition
5. Weakened immune system (you are constantly getting sick)
6. Skin conditions (eczema, acne, psoriasis, etc.)
7. Chronic fatigue
8. Hormone imbalances
9. Having prediabetes or being diabetic
10. Moodiness, anxiety, depression
Are there any quick fixes to quickly get gut health back on track?
I don't like to say there are any quick fixes, but there are definitely small, simple changes we can all easily make to help improve our gut and overall health. Here are three simple things you can start doing during your meals that will definitely improve your digestion and overall gut health:
1. Be parasympathetic
Sit down to your meal and relax. Take a deep breath, look at your food, smell it, salivate over it and, most importantly, enjoy it! Relaxing while eating is important because stress hormones directly affect your digestion by impairing enzyme production and diverting blood and energy away from your digestion system.
2. Chew Your Food!
The more you chew, the better. Chewing starts the mechanical and chemical breakdown of food. Saliva stimulates is full of enzymes that start the breakdown of starches in your food.
Making sure your food is properly chewed allows your stomach to perform its “burn and churn” properly without having to deal with large food particles, which would require it to work harder to break down. Food particles that aren't properly broken down can ferment and cause harmful bacteria growth, or effect the gut lining causing "leaky gut".
3. Drink Less Water With Meals
Your stomach needs to be an acidic environment to break down and digest your food. Drinking water dilutes stomach acid and digestive enzymes, making it more difficult for the body to do that. It is recommended that you try drinking most of your water outside of mealtime.
Recipes that are particularly good for gut health
Maintaining good gut health requires eating the right foods. Here are four wonderful recipes that will do just that, without needing you to compromise on flavour and variety:
