Suffering from low energy levels can be linked to many causes however, a commonly overlooked root cause is the health of your gut.
Our gut lining has two functions, it allows for the absorption of nutrients and also acts as a barrier to harmful substances.
When our intestines become irritated or inflamed it can lead to increased intestinal permeability which causes the gaps in the gut wall to widen. This means that it is easier for bacteria, toxins and undigested foods to get through into our bloodstream and cause problems. This is usually caused by things like poor nutrition, chronic stress, antibiotics and alcohol (to name a few).
Your gut is the body’s first line of immune defence and therefore will respond to these invaders with an immune reaction, which leads to inflammation. To make matters worse, an inflammatory response in your gut causes even more permeability, which worsens the inflammation, and the cycle continues.
When your immune system is needing to work overtime to fight these harmful toxins, it requires a lot of energy, your digestive system will have a hard time breaking down and absorbing foods which can lead to a B vitamin deficiency – which is also needed for energy.
This all has a huge impact on how you feel physically and mentally on a daily basis.
It is important if you think you have gut and digestive issues to seek advice from a medical professional, however, there are also some changes you can make to improve your gut health.
Here are 6 suggestions:
- Eating a healthy diet
- Exercising regularly
- Introducing probiotic and prebiotic-rich foods
- Limiting alcohol
- Managing stress
- Managing sleep
The first stage to improving your gut health is to pay attention to your mindset and/or mental state. Try following these tips to boost your mental health.
