Missing Key to Weight Loss – From a Nutritionist

Part 1. Introduction to gut health & what to do

Researchers have suggested that too much fast-food and other unhealthy foods can cause harm to your gut. A diet high in processed foods and animal-derived fatty goods develops high destructive bacteria levels.  

When was the last time you were successful in dieting? Of course, people define success differently, so; I will be more specific. When was the last time you actually met your weight loss goals within a reasonable amount of time and without more than moderate effort?

I am a certified nutritionist and have worked with hundreds of clients who want to lose weight. It’s a common theme – weight loss. However, it doesn’t mean the same for everyone who has that goal. I’ll be honest, that I rarely worked with someone in their 20s unless they already were obese and had health issues. Regardless of age, most people seek out a nutritionist if they have tried multiple diets and failed.

Healthy eating habits seem to be a miss for most people. When explaining how to eat, I often told my clients to eat like they imagine their grandparents did. Most people from that time ate farm-fresh foods, cooked at home, and sat down at the table. 

I mention sitting down as many people now eat on the go, maybe standing in the kitchen or front of a TV.  That is topic for another day…

Common unhealthy eating habit

Let’s take a look at a common unhealthy eating habit. Most people recognize a terrible eating habit as eating fast food and junk food. These foods are typically artificial, high in sugar, fat, salt, and calories. All these negatively affect your health. Generally, It’s not real food that leads to a higher risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, potential kidney & liver damage, and even reduces brain function. 

In fact, this isn’t the only issue; they cause addiction, overeating, weakness & fatigue, and are generally unsafe to eat.  

Researchers have suggested that too much fast-food and other unhealthy foods can cause harm to your gut. A diet high in processed foods and animal-derived fatty goods develops high destructive bacteria levels.  

Gut health

A healthy gut has a combination of more than 1,000 species and 7,000 bacterial strains. In fact, 70 to 80% of your immune system lies in your belly. Eating a lot of saturated fat, for instance, causes more harmful bacteria, which signals our brain to eat more unhealthy food. 

Another recognized issue that I have discovered is weight loss with my clientele. If your gut health is out of balance, you may suffer symptoms such as bloating, indigestion, gas, pain, bathroom issues, fatigue, headaches, and low moods. If you feel crappy, you will probably eat feel-good foods like junk food and fast food. 

Harmful bacteria also messes with your hormones, makes you hungrier, and makes you prone to weight gain. When excessive harmful bacteria live in your gut, it causes inflammation, leading to eating more, developing insulin resistance, and damaging your metabolism. 

What to do to improve gut health

1. Water.

Your body needs water for so many reasons. But, in this case, your body needs water for digestion. 

Staying hydrated helps eliminate toxins that cause damage by inflammation. Water also balances the bacteria in your guy and lowers the unhealthy bacteria in the gut.  

Another reason to drink plenty of water is it helps you poop. Water dilates food and makes it easier to process and travel out of your body. In fact, water is a natural lubricant for your colon. Water softens stool and keeps things moving.

2. Probiotics.

Foods rich in probiotics are best for feeding good bacteria. Probiotics are in fermented foods such as sauerkraut, miso, and yogurt. These beneficial bacteria help your gut and digestive tract overall and prevent health conditions like irritable bowel system, diarrhea, and constipation. 

You can also get probiotics in a liquid or capsule form. These probiotics are live helpful bacteria and yeasts that are good for you. There are different probiotics with different benefits.  

• Lactobacillus is a good bacteria typically found in human digestion and in the urinary tract. They are often taken for gut health. Different strains help with diarrhea.
• Bifidobacterium is found in some dairy products. It helps with IBS and a wide range of health benefits such as the gut, brain, metabolic and immune systems.  
• Saccharomyces boulardii  is a yeast found in probiotics. It helps with diarrhea and digestive issues.

As with any new medication, you should speak to a physician to determine what is best for you.

3. Eating habits.

As I mentioned earlier, gut health issues start with WHAT you eat. Eating less processed foods, junk foods, alcohol, and caffeine can make a difference in your gut health and lead to weight loss. Supporting your gut health with a healthy diet can also improve your overall health and increase your metabolism.  

Steers clear of inflammatory foods, such as Omega-6 vegetable oils, sugar, and artificial sweeteners. Inflammatory foods contribute to high blood sugar and encourage harmful gut bacteria growth.

4. Sleep.

Believe it or not how well you sleep has shown a link to gut health. The better the sleep, the better and more diverse your gut flora.   People that do shift work, have interrupted sleep patterns and more likely negatively affected gut health. Lack of sleep can increase stress, affects dietary choices, and melatonin (it helps regulate gastrointestinal mobility); all affect negative affects to gut microbiome. 

5. Exercise.

Moving your body is medicine for gut health.

A 2019 report explicitly lists exercise has the potential to alter gut bacteria and functionality.  Exercise also improves tissue metabolism, insulin resistance, and cardiorespiratory fitness. 

If you are trying to lose weight and are struggling, it is crucial to fix your gut health.  If you gut is unhealthy it will impede your progress.  A lot of gut issues start with an unhealthy diet.  Healthy gut bacteria affect your entire body, including weight loss.  To reverse this issue you should be mindful what you eat, drink plenty of water, take/eat probiotics, get enough rest and exercise. 

Please follow this series to learn more about gut health and weight loss.  The next posting will be: Gut Health and Food Sensitivities.