Trending digestive wellness and healing your gut naturally

Every health care provider knows how crucial digestive wellness is to patients’ health. So why does healing your gut naturally seem to be trending now?

Jim Collins, PhD, Gerontologist with Sapphire Essentials LLC and author of the new book Living Longer and Stronger with CBD, took time to explain how DCs in wellness can recommend to patients.

Our interview, which follows, has been edited for length and clarity.

What can chiropractors who concentrate on wellness recommend and/or do for their patients to help with healing your gut naturally?

I do believe that regular adjustments are important for multiple health reasons, especially gut health, because all systems are interconnected. In addition, the use of CBD has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects and the gut houses numerous CBD receptors that would work with CBD to reduce inflammation.

Why is digestive health in vogue right now? Does it have anything to do with COVID-19?

The interest in gut health, the gut-brain axis, and others have been in focus for a few years now, even before the pandemic. Having a healthy gut and immune system may be our best bet from becoming infected with the next virus.

What have been some of the recent discoveries regarding the gut-brain connection? 

Some experts are calling the gut the “Second Brain” and still others are referring to it as the “Main Brain.” The gut has more species of bacteria and flora that there are brain cells in the brain. Some believe the gut influences the brain more than the other way around. There are studies reporting that Alzheimer’s, depression, and other illnesses begin in the gut.

What are the most important actions that patients can take (and DCs can tell them to take) to get their digestive wellness in the best shape possible? 

If an individual is suffering from GI problems, it may be due to their food and diet choices. I believe in the “Elimination Diet” in which the individual eliminates one food or beverage for several days and assess how they feel. Start with deep-fried foods, alcohol, or acidic foods. Over time, the gut should heal itself without the inflammatory effects of the trouble-making foods.

Is there anything that people do that can interfere with digestive wellness and/or make their digestive health worse?

Living a stationary lifestyle is terrible. Eating or drinking anything excessively is not good. Not paying attention to emotional or mental issues will exacerbate GI problems. Living a stressful life or working in toxic cultures can lead to trouble.

What are the biggest mistakes people can make when it comes to healing your gut naturally?

Fad diets are not indicated. Not getting enough clean and raw foods into their diet is a mistake. Not drinking enough water daily — half of one’s body weight is optimal. Smoking is not good. Too much stress is bad.

Your gut is an amazing house that carries millions and millions of bugs — some good, some not so much. Give the good bugs what they need to eat, and they will make you happy. Feed them what they don’t, and you’ll pay the price.