Keeping Our Bodies and Minds Healthy Over Time… by Focusing on the Gut
There are certain biological changes that occur and impact our body’s biological functioning over time. Some general wear and tear on the body is inevitable, but it can eventually lead to an accumulation of damage. This can result in lowered physical and mental functioning if one is not actively trying to prevent this.
By 2030, 1 in 6 people in the world will be 60 years old or over. As the world’s population ages at a faster pace, it’s becoming obvious that our current medical model is not positively influencing our health span. In fact, our healthcare approach, aka managing diseases, is not only NOT producing healthier people, it’s actually decreasing life span!
I call this “sick care” and it’s much different than optimizing wellness.
To change our nation’s health trajectory, we need to stop the craziness of doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. We need to address the root cause of why one’s body and mind deteriorate in the first place.
One area to zero in on for our answers is our gut.
Why Focusing on the Gut Can Help with Better Aging
The more researchers discover about the gut microbiome’s impact on both our physical and psychological states, the more conventional practitioners are realizing how our digestive health is a hub for overall wellness and maintaining vitality. (Many integrative physicians have been touting this for years.)
Our gastrointestinal tract supports the assimilation and absorption of nutrients, excretion of wastes, contains over 70% of our immune cells, produces 90% of our serotonin, makes various neurochemicals, helps regulate hormone excretion, and communicates with our brain through the gut-brain axis to help co-manage many bodily processes. And, yes, it even impacts the skin.
So, rather than thinking of preventing aging and disease progression by “fighting” wrinkles and bandaging aches and pains with drugs, shouldn’t we really be focusing on how to keep our guts in tip-top shape as we grow older?
8 Common Issues of the Aging Digestive Tract and Integrative Solutions to Address Them
In my latest post and video, I provide an overview of eight common digestive issues that occur with aging. I then offer an overview of a personalized naturopathic and functional medicine approach to help reduce symptoms and optimize digestive health.
The interventions suggested can be taken no matter what age you are.
Topics include:
- The causes and risk factors for the eight most common digestive disorders of aging (constipation, slower digestion, lower stomach acid, lower digestive enzymes, GERD, ulcers, polyps, and dysbiosis)
- Conventional labs and imaging for these gut conditions
- Functional medicine labs to assess an aging digestive tract
- Functional and naturopathic medicine interventions to address the contributors to an aging gut (including dietary, lifestyle, herbal remedies, essential oils, and supplements)
Click here to learn more about how to keep “young at gut.”
After all, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Naturopathic Medicine and Holistic Resources for Hormonal and Mood Support
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Many blessings.
Disclaimer: This material is for information purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prescribe for any illness. You should check with your doctor regarding implementing any new strategies into your wellness regime. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.
This information is applicable ONLY for therapeutic quality essential oils. This information DOES NOT apply to essential oils that have not been tested for purity and standardized constituents. There is no quality control in the United States, and oils labeled as “100% pure” need only to contain 5% of the actual oil. The rest of the bottle can be filled with fillers and sometimes toxic ingredients that can irritate the skin. The studies are not based solely on a specific brand of an essential oil, unless stated. Please read the full study for more information.
