Gut health is incredibly important for our overall health and the state of our gut plays a huge role in how we respond to foods and the environment, how we absorb nutrients, hormone health, our energy and mood, systemic inflammation, and so much more.

But instead of finding the root cause of gut issues, symptoms are commonly addressed with band-aid treatments.

If you have heartburn, you are prescribed an antacid (which further lowers your stomach acid levels). If you have IBS this is treated with fiber, laxatives and sometimes an antidepressant. If you have food sensitivities, you are told to remove this food … but none of these Band-Aids fix the root cause of the issue.

We have to understand why the gut got to where it is right now — what lifestyle and dietary choices led us to the current state.

But What Even Is Good Gut Health?

Given that we are all in different environments, have different pasts, eat different foods, and have different day to day activities — there is no one single way to define a 'good' gut health. But in general, with a properly functioning digestive system you should have …

• Daily poops (at least 1 time a day, ideally 2-3), solid structure, easy to pass. The more we can poop, the better we will feel! You should be pooping at least 1X a day.

• Minimal skin or acne issues.

• Relief from bloating or stomach discomfort after meals.

• Enjoy a wide range of food, within reason, without experiencing severe issues. You shouldn't have to extremely restrict your food in the long run. Having a lot of food intolerances is a sign of a sluggish digestive system.

Just like every system in the body, digestion is energy dependent.

"Systemic metabolic problems make local problems worse" ~ Dr. Ray Peat