Your gut dictates a lot from your mood to your immunity.

I learned this the hard way.

I’ve been doing personal development and spiritual work for over a decade and I’m usually in a good mood but I noticed that whenever I am having indigestion, my mood and patience plummet and I have to put in a lot of effort with mindfulness to bring it back to baseline.

I had optimal health and digestion since I began my wellness journey at 20 but it all went out the window in the fall of 2020 when my body literally shut down from stress (chronic stress, car accident, emotional trauma, work pandemic, etc). \

I used to eat 2 bowls of pho and still have a flat stomach after a couple of hours but those days, I may have a salad and bloat up like a balloon. I’m not implying a ‘flat stomach’ is a sign of good health but optimal digestion is crucial for your well-being.

My healing journey has been long yet interesting because I am learning so much about my body!

When I started, I DECIDED to not play victim. I told myself I was going to make the most out of this journey and turn it into an adventure.

Your gut is the main defense of your immune system so I am not surprised that this happened. It wasn’t the best situation to be in however since I was already in it, I decided I was going to make the most out of it! Why waste a learning opportunity? I saw improvement over time and was thankful to be going through this now in my early 30s when I have a lot of time freedom than later, when I may have more stressors and responsibilities.

Disclaimer: Remember, what worked for me may not work for you! My symptoms, history, genetics, and lifestyle are NOT the same as yours. It’s only in your best interest to consult with your doctor before trying something new.

How I am healing my gut from bloating and indigestion:

Minimizing Inflammatory Foods

Eliminating all inflammatory and processed foods is standard practice when you have any digestive issues. I didn’t eliminate but mindfully decreased my consumption of inflammatory foods containing refined & processed grains, processed sugar, and dairy. I wasn’t too strict so this was perhaps why my healing is slow but I had to maintain balance for my happiness which includes my social life and other factors. And alcohol in moderation! If only life was straightforward.

Addressing Low Stomach Acid

Many people don’t realize they have low stomach acid. I improved digestion by limiting liquids, especially around meals so my stomach can produce efficient stomach acid needed to break down food. I also used betaine HCl supplements or sometimes apple cider vinegar to aid in digestion. *As with many “holistic solutions”, there aren’t enough clinical studies to prove its efficacy so you need to try it to see if it works for you!

Acupuncture

I have a desk job and an extremely active lifestyle — and I was also in a head-on collision before the pandemic. Because of the accident, my neck and back would tighten up with the smallest movements. My TCM (traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner) taught me that many cases of bloating are caused by tight back muscles which causes tension in the front. This makes sense because if my stomach was restricted, it wasn’t able to produce enough stomach acid to break down food so everything I ate would ferment in my stomach, causing problems all the way down to the rest of the digestive tract.

After months of other treatments, this was the one thing that significantly gave me results and sent me on a path to true healing. I see my chiropractor, and physiotherapist and do a craniosacral massage once a week but I try to squeeze in as many acupuncture appointments as I can. There are so many benefits and it feels so good. Check out my blog post on the benefits of acupuncture.

Supplements

Digestive enzymes (before and during meals help your body absorb nutrients from food). Probiotics (for a flourishing microbiome). Prebiotics (to feed beneficial gut bacteria). Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) and lemon balm tincture (repair and soothe stomach lining). Just to name a few! *note consult with your health practitioner before starting any new supplements!* Click here for my comprehensive post on gut health supplements I take.

Mindful Eating Habits

Simple shifts in eating habits can improve digestion. Chew your food properly because digestion starts in the mouth with your enzyme-rich saliva. Eat smaller meals. Don’t eat 3 hours before bed. A growing body of research suggests that our bodies function optimally when we align our eating patterns with our circadian rhythms so it may be better to eat larger meals during the day.

Movement After Meals

Not only does taking 20-minute walks after meals bring down your blood sugar but movement will get things ‘moving.’ If I’m unable to get outside, I’ll clean my kitchen immediately so at least I’m moving around and doing some simple yoga stretches. I also love stretching and rolling my stomach with a lacrosse ball.

Lifestyle Changes

As with anything, diet, exercise, sunlight, and quality sleep plays a huge role in overall well-being. Healing from anything requires an optimized lifestyle and environment. In fact, changing your environment may be your first step in healing: purging toxic environments, habits, and especially people. You need to be in a positive growth environment that promotes love, understanding, and healing.

Eat when you are happy!

This is extremely important! I experienced firsthand how my body will not digest food properly when I’m not in a good mood. When you are sad, angry, or stressed, your body activates its sympathetic system (fight or flight mode) and as a result, digestion shuts down. Your body shifts its energy resources toward fighting off a threat or ‘running from the lion.’ We live in a society that has programmed us to be in this state chronically so it is crucial to have tools to shift back into rest-or-digest mode. This brings us to our next point…

Meditate

Meditation and breathwork activate your parasympathetic nervous system (rest or digest mode) so your body can function and heal optimally. Stress is a silent killer and the root cause of many issues. By tackling this and combining it with your toolbox of healthy lifestyle habits, you can significantly improve your symptoms and get well on your way toward healing. I am obsessed with meditation!