How is your stomach feeling? How is your energy? Do you get heartburn often? Headaches? Feel puffy? Allergies? Are you bloated all the time and now so used to it you do not even notice it? Do you even notice when you have a stomach ache?
More and more awareness and information is coming regarding our digestive tract – our gut – with regards to our mental and physical health. Articles in the last few months have been revealing research regarding the health of our gut with mental health (click here), weight loss (click here)and Michael Pollen wrote a lengthy feature on the microbiome that just rocked my world (click here). The microbiome is insane and as we learn more about all this bacteria and how it is affecting us I think we will be shocked at what a significant role this plays in our weight, long term health, mood and overall wellness.
It makes for a really important discussion in understanding why you are doing what you are doing. If you are eating in a manner to promote weight loss but it is causes you to feel sick – what is the point? Or if you eat in a way that makes your digestion work and your energy improves – so what if you do not eat some foods that many consider “healthy”. Or are you committing to an exercise regimen or a daily routine that is causing you to feel exhausted?
Your digestion, your energy levels, your sleep – if these are off then your body is trying to tell you something! Take a good look at how you are doing and feeling and assess if you are where you want to be. And if you are not – what do you need to do to get there? The answer isn’t always eat less and exercise more…what is going to work for you?
I guess the question is not whether or not your gut is talking to you, but rather, and more importantly – Are you listening?