Gut Health and The Scoop on Poop
Your body is adjusting to your new, nutrient-dense diet, killing off the bad bacteria and building good bacteria.
Obliterating Obstacles
Did you set up your plan for obliterating obstacles? Cravings will happen, and distractions will usually make them go away within 3 to 5 minutes. Yep, that's all it takes.
Drinking water will usually make a craving go away. Effervescent water is also a good trick. Here are some more ideas:
take a short walk
phone a friend
dust, clean, or tidy up (this also makes your space calmer, which helps settle your mindset)
love your pets
write an affirmation Post-it note
chop some vegetables and use your knife skills to take out frustrations (How to Dice an Onion video)
journal how you're feeling
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Remember, your gut is your garden. Do you want to grow flowers? Or weeds? 70-80% of your immune system is in the gut. You're giving the good bugs nutritious food and limiting the bad stuff that causes intestinal permeability, or leaky gut. Let the healing happen, and this too shall pass. (I know, enough of the potty puns).
Are you keeping track?
Have you been journaling? Use the app to track meals and how you feel. Sleep and energy levels may not be at optimum levels yet, but tracking your progress will pay off by the end of the 21 days. Even if you don't think it's significant yet. 1% better is enough. And, it will continue to increase. Sometimes sticking to something, then seeing the benefits, is how motivation develops. Give yourself credit for every little step.
The Scoop on Poop. Yep, we're going there!
Use this chart to keep track of the types of stools you have. You could have more than one type each day, so see if there is a pattern. Keep track in your Food and Mood journal.
Here's an important term: FODMAP stands for "fermentable oligo-, di-, mono-saccharides and polyols". These are short-chain carbohydrates that are resistant to digestion. Instead of being absorbed into your bloodstream, they reach the far end of your intestine, where most of your gut bacteria reside. If you're finding these first few days troublesome with some vegetables, perhaps they are in the FODMAP category. Cruciferous vegetables; broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, etc. Simply cooking them and eating them warm will make them easier to digest. Legumes, grains, and pseudo-grains are also included, but we've already eliminated those.
Eggs are a good thing for upset bellies if you can tolerate them. Scramble an egg in some ghee for the extra fat, and top it with some avocado.
Drink bone broth; the collagen is an excellent stomach soother. Add a slice of lemon, fresh ginger, or fresh turmeric.
Mint teas are especially good for digestion. Or try the Golden Milk recipe or Greek Mountain Tea.
Stress can really mess up your bathroom habits. Use relaxation and breathing techniques to help focus and center.
Have you considered taking a probiotic? A probiotic will give your system a little push towards promoting good bacteria and perhaps alleviate some of the symptoms.
NOTE: With any supplement, read the labels. You still want to avoid non-compatible ingredients. Many supplements have rice powders or starches, sugars and other cheap ingredients. Avoid buying those. And be sure to check with your doctor before adding any supplements.
