It was scary day in paradise.
We were enjoying another epic day in Puerto Vallarta in February when my husband Wes hit a wave...hard.
The tide was super rough.
He hit his head and pulled muscles in his chest.
It was awful and terrifying to see my hubby take a hit like that and it made my heart ache.
But he couldn’t have been in better hands.
Since we were on our yearly doTERRA incentive trip, we were surrounded by friends who are amazing doctors, chiropractors, acupuncturists and osteopaths.
And of course, we had all the oils...Deep Blue, Copalba, Aromatouch, Frankincense, Wintergreen…
We were lucky.
But the first person to greet Wes as he came out of the ocean, banged up and bruised, was our good friend, Dr. Darren Taylor.
This guy is so amazing, I need to list his skills in bullet points.
He’s a:
⭐️ Certified Chiropractic Sports Practitioner
⭐️ Member of the American Chiropractic Rehabilitation Board
⭐️ Former professional hockey player
⭐️ Inductee to the Alberta, Canada Sports Hall of Fame
⭐️ Applied Anatomy, Physiology and Neurology for Yoga Presenter
⭐️ International Educator and Speaker, AND
⭐️ An expert in gut health.
He is brilliant and he’s been working with professional athletes and patients over 20 years.
I could gush about him forever but what I really want to focus on is that last gold star… gut health.
It literally affects every aspect of our lives...I’m not kidding.
From sleep and tissue healing to mental health and your overall well being… look to your tummy.
Nevermind cancer, heart disease, arthritis….there are trillions of microbes, or what scientists call your microbiome, in your digestive system that are influencing your health.
Trust your gut… it may have the answers you’re seeking for your health problems.
There are a few factors that affect your own personal microbiome including diet, environment and use of antibiotics (these deplete the good bacteria in your gut!).
And when we look at the things you can control, diet is a big one.
Basically, whatever you put into your body either feeds the good bacteria or the bad.
The diet so many people have grown accustomed to is full of processed “food”, sugars and unhealthy fats.
These feed the bad guys.
Stress, alcohol, gluten also feed the beast.
Instead, eating a plant-based diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, fermented foods (like kimchi, kefir, and sauerkraut) plus eating whole grains and taking a probiotic supplement can feed the good gut guys.
Many of my clients suffer from sleep issues… and what I tell them is the culprit could be their gut health.
You may be like Hayley… what does gut health have to do with la la land?!
A lot.
Most of you have heard of taking melatonin as a supplement to help you sleep but did you know melatonin is actually produced in your gut as well as the brain?
Your microbiome also produces other sleep neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.
Say whaaaaa?!
Yup.
And your microbiome can be affected by poor diet, stress, antibiotics and so much more.
So if you’re not getting enough sleep…. cuz you’re burning the candle at both ends...it’s affecting your gut.
A few things you can do to sleep better is make the changes we just talked about to your diet...and be careful of what and how much you eat before bed.
Eating close to bedtime amps up your digestive system when your body is ready to stop working and start resting. Try not to eat two hours before your bedtime.
Exercise is also key.
Having a healthy active body improves your health in so many ways, including falling asleep easier, staying asleep and guess what… we are learning exercise directly affects your microbiome.
Sleep? Yep….once again… trust your gut.
Now, back to my hubby Wes.
After the accident, he needed to heal his tissues.
And guess what… an injury can quickly change your gut microbiome.
Research is just ramping up in the study of injuries and gut health but I believe if you have a healthy gut, you may be able to heal faster from a traumatic injury.
Your gut is your best friend.
Treat it with love (deal with stress), put healthy things into it (eat a healthy diet) and help it relax (sleep is key!)... And I guarantee you’ll start seeing massive changes in your overall health and well-being.
What do you do for your gut on the daily to live your best life? Let me know in the comments!