Hello friends!
A quick recap on the Timeline of Health series. I named this mini series “Timeline of Health ” because depending on the degree of damage to your gut other health issues are created as time goes on. Symptoms/conditions that have developed are great indicators that your gut health is in need of some repair.
It also gives us an idea on how long your gut health has been in disarray. Earlier stages typically see similar symptoms such as stomach aches, gas, and bloating related to food sensitivities. If you want to get caught up, hop over to the first part of this series here.
SIGN OF GUT HEALTH ISSUE IS DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING WEIGHT
The next common sign that there is an issue with your gut health is maintaining your weight. This can be difficulty either gaining weight or losing weight.
For example, before I knew I had Celiac Disease I was so sick from my diet, unable to nail down the actual problem, I had difficulty maintaining my weight and was losing weight rapidly. Each time I ate I felt like crap, so losing weight can be an issue for some just as gaining weight is an issue for some.
What people hear most frequently is “I just can’t lose the weight”! Have you ever been in the position where you are doing ALL the right things like eating appropriately and exercising, yet have seen no results? You have tried things such as intermittent fasting, keto, or any other ‘diet’ and NOTHING is working?
This is a huge red flag that there is an issue with your gut health!
What we really need to figure out is the root cause of your gut health imbalance.
What we really need to figure out is the root cause of your gut health imbalance. It could be something simple like you aren’t eating enough fiber to keep your digestive system moving, and you have an excessive amount of stool backed up. While that sounds gross, you will usually have a good amount of stomach discomfort to indicate that issue.
IT’S NOT ALWAYS DIET, BUT HORMONES OR STRESS
Other people have issues such as PCOS or Endometriosis, a hormone issue that is more difficult to find. Another big issue that can cause weight gain or loss is stress. Stress has a very interesting impact on our health. It can cause inflammation and raise our cortisol levels.
Side Note: Inflammation and raised cortisol levels are necessary in the right scenarios. For example, if you sprain your ankle it swells, or becomes inflamed, to create a localized protection so it can heal. If you are getting chased by a bear your cortisol levels shoot through the roof, heart rate raises, and your adrenaline gives you a surge of energy to save your life. In these scenarios our body is doing exactly what it needs to!
Aside from the above mentioned, when we are not in life-saving scenarios or injured, if our body stays in a constant state of stress it takes a toll on our gut health. Inflammation begins to damage our gut lining, gut motility, and inhibits our ability to absorb nutrients. These issues typically cause us to hold onto weight.
If our body stays in a constant state of stress it takes a toll on our gut health.
DETOXING IS NECESSARY AND YOUR NEXT STEP
We also have environmental factors to consider. Our liver is the detox center for the body. If we overwhelm it, having it process too many toxins, it will store the excess in fat cells.
In turn it makes us hold on to fat cells because they are being used for something. This is why when we detox we do it with water, because we are flushing toxins being stored in fat cells. When doing this minor symptoms can occur and it is something we go over in the 12 Week Gut Reset Program I run.
Of course we all know the calories in and calories out concept. If you want to gain, eat more calories than you burn, to lose you burn more than you eat. But, if you are eating well and have the correct portions and the scale is still not moving the direction you want it too, it is a good sign that your gut health needs some attention.
In my 12 Week Gut Reset Program we are resetting the gut and rebuilding it for optimal performance. We don’t calorie restrict. We don’t focus on weight loss. There are three phases that we go through during the program.
12 WEEK GUT RESET PROGRAM
The first phase is a detox phase. During this phase we temporarily eliminate foods that contribute to toxins, this is only for a few weeks. But there is no portion control, no eating x amount of this or that, we aren’t doing that. The idea of the gut reset is not to focus on weight loss, but it is a natural result to cleaning up your diet and getting your body to function properly.
The idea of the gut reset is not to focus on weight loss, but it is a natural result to cleaning up your diet and getting your body to function properly.
Typically students don’t come to me for weight loss. It is usually wanting to feel better, heal conditions, or reduce stress all over the body and weight loss just happens.
But if you are trying to lose weight and nothing is working, whether it is a hormone issue, stress related, or anything else I have discussed, then the 12 Week Gut Reset Program is still going be a great option for you!
Go ahead and check it out. Let me know if you have questions. Or keep going through this series of gut health issues and you’ll know when the time is right. 🙂
