The Health of Your Gut Bacteria = The Health of You!

There are so many things we "should" be doing to take care of our health....where to start? What matters most? It can be very overwhelming, I know! Health coaches can be a great place for these questions because everyone is unique and it can make all the difference to have a professional take a close look at your life to make help you make a personalized plan. That being said, I can give you one fail proof answer: start with your gut.

By "gut" I mean the ecosystem within your intestines made up of good and bad bacteria, yeast, mold, and fungus- also called the microbiome or gut flora- that can help or hurt you in nearly every aspect of your mental and physical health. Name any condition- chronic inflammation, mood disorders, skin, digestion- and your gut probably plays a role. Over the last decade scientists have discovered that the bacteria in your gut control serotonin levels, most of your immunity, and food cravings to name a few! They are still discovering this world within so stay tuned for more big discoveries.

Bacteria has gotten a bad rap, but we now know there are good and bad strands. The bad strands cause disease, inflammation, cravings for the food you know you shouldn't eat. The good ones do the opposite. That's great news! Every wonder why you don't crave the foods you know your body needs and wants? There's more than one reason (psychology, primitive instincts, societal influences, etc) but if you can use your friendly bacteria to help tip the scale in your favor it's a no-brainer! They have direct communication with your brain and have major influence in many bodily functions.

So, who's really running the show? Of course "we" have the final say in what we eat, when we go to bed at night, how we choose to feel and act, but we are not acting alone here... we have to learn to embrace the fact that "we" are not just human, We are living symbiotically with many other organisms. If fact 90 percent of the cells in your body are non-human! So, if all this talk of bacteria is grossing you out...well, it's time to get over it and start embracing it.

To learn more about how to care for this inner world, come join me for my next class on Wed March 20th at 6:30 in Malden. RSVP is requested. Click this link for more details: www.melrosehealthcoaching.com/blank-9, or click the classes page if you're already on the website.

Hope to see you there!