If you're looking to help your metabolism lose weight, good gut health is key. You probably already know that a "healthy gut" is an important: you might take a probiotic, or have heard that you should eat fiber or you might avoid certain foods because they cause gas or bloating. You might even have heard about the transplant of poop as an experiment to aide weight loss!
A strong metabolism is our goal at Nora Shank Nutrition. A strong metabolism means you're always ready to handle another pizza night, a vacation or holidays without gaining weight!
My clients get this result in the Wellness Cohort program-- they stop having cravings for sugar, they sleep better and have all-day energy, and they stop gaining weight even when they indulge.
This isn't about taking special probiotics or eating more yogurt--this is because they have a strong metabolism and they know exactly what to do to stop weight gain, rejuvenate their metabolism when it slows and how to restart weight loss.
This series is about strengthening your metabolism with better gut health.
There is a different set of genes that are encoded in the bacteria in our gut that respond to weight-loss interventions," says Dr. Diener. "The gut microbiome is a major player in modulating whether a weight loss intervention will have success or not. The factors that dictate obesity versus nonobesity are not the same factors that dictate whether you will lose weight on a lifestyle intervention." Christian Diener, Ph.D. Institute for Systems Biology
Let's define why the gut microbiome is key to a healthy weight. As we study the microbiome (the types, amount and variety of bacteria that live in our intestines), we have learned that it has a magnificent influence on weight management.
When the billions of bacteria in your gut are balanced, they work to metabolize nutrients, regulate your immune function and provide a natural defense against infection. If they become dysregulated (or out of balance) it creates an environment that trigger systemic inflammation-- which is linked to risk of having diabetes, bowel disease, heart disease and obesity.
The metabolites from these bacteria influences sleep, appetite, total calorie intake, mood, skin, and most importantly, protecting our bodies from inflammation that lead to disease. When we feed our microbiome with healthy food, these bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), which are known to powerfully lower risk of disease.
How to know if you have a healthy gut microbiome:
1) You eat a variety of plants daily (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds)
2) You have consistent bowel movements without medications
3) You don't experience regular gas, bloating or excess burping after meals
4) You don't experience constipation or diarrhea
5) You have healthy skin
6) You don't have systemic inflammation
The Dramatic Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Your Gut Health
Let's talk about how just one key area of your metabolism is affected when you don't sleep well. Maybe you have interrupted sleep, or struggle with early waking or have a hard time falling asleep. Maybe you don't get a lot of hours of quality sleep and you're tossing and turning all night. Here's how it impacts gut health and your weight almost immediately.
When you don't seep and how it results in a shift from a healthy balance of bacterial in our gut to dysbiosis.
The Waterful Effect of Sleep Deprivation In Your Microbiome to Weight gain
1) Lack of sleep is correlated with higher hunger hormones.
2) Sleep deprivation is linked to overall higher caloric intake.
3) Cumulative sleep deprivation depletes beneficial bacteria
4) Depletion of the gut microbiome results in further sleep fragmentation
5) Chronic insomnia creates permanent bacterial dysbiosis (overgrowth of bad bacteria)
6) Dysbiosis lower serotonin production which supresses mood and relaxation hormones. 8) Dysbiosis weakens the immune system and inflammation creates risk for chronic disease
8) Sleep deprivation is linked to a higher BMI and shorter lifespan
That's why weight loss is less successful without a personalized, caring approach to each unique metabolism.
Paying attention to our gut microbiome is the foundation of my 3 step process that has helped my clients lose 2200+ pounds together so you can stop weight gain, rejuvenate your metabolism and restart weight loss.
The types, amount and variety of bacteria that live in our intestines have a powerful influence on our metabolic ecosystem: they influence the seven key areas I focus on with my clients-- sleep, stress, supplements, mood, digestion, meal satiety and modulating genetic expression.
Wondering about your gut health and how it influences your weight? I offer two starting places: first, to schedule a Metabolic Mini Session and then to seek gut health testing through Diagnostic Laboratory Solutions, which counts the type and balance of bacteria that are in your gut so to diagnose H.Pylori, bacterial dysbiosis, accurate gluten sensitivities and leaky gut.