Simple Switches for Optimal Gut Health: Your Everyday Guide
As we've journeyed through the intricate world of gut health in our previous posts, we've uncovered its crucial role in our overall wellness.
Now, it's time to put that knowledge into practical action!
Here's your everyday guide to making simple, yet powerful, switches to boost your gut health ASAP!
Let’s get into it…
1. Say Yes to Fermented Foods
Why: They're packed with probiotics, the good bacteria your gut loves, and they taste delightful.
Examples: Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha
2. High-Fiber Veggies and Mushrooms Are Your Friends
Why: Consuming fiber helps to feed good gut bacteria while also supporting with bowel movements.
Examples: Broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, carrots, cauliflower, brussel sprouts
We can’t think of anything easier than putting a few scoops of Everyday Dose into your morning coffee or drink mix. We didn’t skimp on any part of the process when making Everyday Dose and every scoop of has potent, lab-tested, efficacious amounts of potent gut-healing mushrooms get your day started off right!
3. Reduce Sugar and Processed Foods
Why: There’s more bad than there is good in these two things and they cause BIG problems to the gut lining and the gut bacteria when over consumed.
What to Avoid: Packaged snacks, fast food, anything with seed oils (canola, soybean, sunflower seed, corn oil), sugary drinks
4. Cut Down Caffeine
Why: Depending on your genetics, you may be a slow, medium, or fast caffeine metabolizer. The average time it takes to metabolize one cup of coffee is around 8-12 hours. This is a long time to have a stimulant in our bodies affecting our nervous systems and potentially disrupting our sleep. Not to mention, most standard preparation results in high acidity that can damage the delicate balance in the gut microbiome.
5. Healthy Fats for the Win
Why: Omega 3 fats are amazing at reducing inflammation in the gut and the body. When you have enough of these in the system, they can balance out the effects of the more inflammatory fatty acids.
Examples: Avocados, sardines, small fish, extra virgin olive oil, nuts like macadamias.
1. Sleep Like Your Life Depends On It
Why: When we sleep well, just about everything gets better, but especially our gut health. The gut does most of its repairing while we are asleep and digestion has slowed down.
How: Start your process of going to sleep by avoiding eating any large meals within 2-3 hours of bedtime. If you body is digesting food, it thinks it’s daytime and you’ll have trouble falling asleep so try and avoid meals close to bedtime.
2. Get Moving
Why: Exercise and vigorous movement of the body not only helps the digestion of food and waste removal to happen, but it also reduces overall stress which we now know negatively affects our gut microbiome and lining.
Ideas: A morning and evening walk for 15 mins, jogging, weight lifting, yoga, If you’re moving, you’re doing it right!
3. Manage Stress
Why: We learned about the gut-brain axis and how mind stress can affect your gut health and vice-versa. It’s for this reason that we should look at every way we can to mitigate the amount of stressors we put on our bodies and minds.
4. Avoid Caffeine after 12pm
Why: As we said earlier, caffeine has a half-life of 5 hours in most people and even longer in slow metabolizers. That means 1 cup of coffee could remain in your system for 10 -15 hours, on average.
If you are consuming it later in the day, you’re sleep will for sure be affected and you are also keeping your nervous system revved up all day.
Dose Tip: Studies have found that the most effective time to drink caffeine is 90 mins after waking each day.
Weekly Implementation Plan
Ok - let’s look at how we could implement some of these changes week-by-week:
Week 1: Focus on adding one fermented food to your diet and some mushrooms (or some Everyday Dose!) and take a short walk each day.
Week 2: Reduce your sugar in-take by 50%. Try to each at least one meal with mostly vegetables and throw some mushrooms in if you’re feeling frisky!
Week 3: Consume coffee 90 mins after waking up and then stopping before 12pm.
Week 4: Stop eating all meals 3 hours before you plan to be in bed.
And there you have it! Simple, doable changes that can make a MASSIVE difference to your gut health and your overall health.
Remember, it's about making one small switch at a time. Your gut doesn't require any overnight miracles; it thrives on consistency over time.
Incorporating Everyday Dose mushroom coffee into your daily routine is a simple and satisfying way to prioritize your gut health. Replace your regular coffee with this nourishing blend, or get creative by adding it to your favorite smoothie and breakfast recipes. Check out our latest mushroom coffee latte recipe!
Everyday Dose mushroom coffee offers more than just a morning pick-me-up; it's a holistic approach to well-being that aims to help your digestive health. With Chaga's antioxidant properties, Lion's Mane's digestive support, collagen protein and L-theanine’s boost, this Everyday Dose blend was created with your wellness in mind. Elevate your daily routine and give your tummy the care it deserves with mushroom coffee—a flavorful journey to a healthier you. Cheers to a gut-friendly and satisfying experience in every cup!
