How can you tell if you’re “healthy”?

Some people think health is about how fit you are – your strength and endurance levels, how much you weigh and what your pant size is.

Others think health is about how strong your immune system is and how frequently, or infrequently you get sick.

Others correlate health with what their numbers are – things like cholesterol levels, blood panel work ups, blood pressure read outs, and the like.

Honestly, you could make arguments for all of the above.

But three of the most telling signs of health have to do with your digestive tract.

1. How well you digest your food – meaning how well your digestive tract breaks down the food you eat so that your gut can take in the nutrition and nourishment you are consuming.
2. How well you assimilate the nutrition and nourishment that is in the food you eat – meaning how well your body can actually take in, absorb and utilize what you are eating.
3. How well you eliminate the things your body isn’t using for fuel or nourishment – how efficiently and regularly your digestive tract moves waste products out of your body.

If you take into account that 70%+ of your immune system lives in your gut, the health of your gut will tell you a lot about how healthy you are.

If you consider that what you eat can affect both your weight and your energy levels throughout the day, this will also tell you a lot about the health of your body.

The health of the gut can affect brain, heart, skin, liver, hormone and immune health, as well as blood sugar regulation, detoxification processes, and energy levels. So, all of your “numbers” will be affected by the health of your digestive tract, too.

Many health challenges might seem unrelated, like brain fog and constipation, poor memory and gas or bloating. Things like anxiety, depression, abdominal pain, skin issues and diarrhea can all have a common cause, too.

This is because the gut, the brain, and the hormone system are all in constant communication with each other. So, poor gut health and function can also lead to poor hormone balance and brain function, too.

There are many things that can disrupt gut health – persistent stress, a diet that is high in processed foods, smoking, alcohol consumption, unhealthy bacterial overgrowth, and more.

But one of the incredible things about the gut is that it is very responsive to nutrition and lifestyle changes.

When you care for your gut through dietary improvements, supplements and healthy eating practices, and you learn to support your nervous system to reduce the effects of stress on your body, your gut health can improve immensely.

And a lot of seemingly unrelated symptoms and body challenges can begin to come into balance again, too.

Many of my own health challenges in my late 20’s and 30’s were related to a deeply imbalanced gut and the effects of long standing trauma and stress. I learned first-hand how to heal myself with food, diet and lifestyle. One of the simplest things I learned to do was to get more leafy greens and vegetables into my diet every day.

If you’re dealing with digestive distress, you may not be excited to eat a big salad, or a lot of fiber because you might bloat up and look like you’re 3 months pregnant at the end of the day, or some other unwanted result.

This is where blending your greens can make a huge difference in your body’s ability to digest and assimilate the leafy greens. It’s quicker than making a salad, too!

I have a go-to Green Smoothie recipe that I share with my private clients who are dealing with digestive upset, constipation, and/or embarrassing bloat. I use it myself whenever my digestion gets off track, or if I indulge in foods I don’t normally eat.

It helps get things moving fast, and I always feel better.

You can grab my free guide here!

My own personal health journey began almost 25 years ago.

I had a laundry list of niggling health issues, environmental allergies and food sensitivities that were creating a lot of uncomfortable and embarrassing symptoms.

So many of my issues were cleared up when I cleaned up my diet and my lifestyle, and started addressing my gut health.

After nearly 25 years of walking my own health journey, and15 years of working with private clients I can honestly say that when your gut is healthy and balanced, so many other body issues heal, too.

If you’d like to grab my Go-To Smoothie recipe to get things moving, plus 9 other recipes to help clear up constipation, afternoon energy slumps, and embarrassing bloat, go here!

There are some great tips and bonuses, too.