3 Ways to Promote Good Gut Health

If we’ve learned anything from 2020, it’s that many things in life are outside our control. And this year, that realization was a bitter pill to swallow.

While you may not be able to remove the thing or things that are causing you stress, you’ve probably felt the impact of stress on your body – namely, in areas like your eating habits and digestion.

If all the changes from this past year have taken their toll on your gut, here are three simple practices that will help turn your digestion around.

1. Eat the Rainbow

Don’t go grabbing that bag of Skittles quite yet. We’re talking about eating a variety of different colored foods.

Why does this matter? Well, you have about 50 trillion bacteria from at least 500 different species in your intestines. And this is a good thing. The more species you have, the greater the health benefits. And guess what? Each of those species plays a different role in your gut health, and they each need different nutrients in order to grow and thrive.

One way to nurture our little bacterial friends is to eat a variety of foods. So, look for foods that are different in:

  • Color. Each color group has different vitamins and nutrients in it. So, when it comes to eating fruits and veggies, make sure to serve yourself up every color in the rainbow.
  • Type. To maximize the nutrients you’re providing to your gut microbes, the more diverse your diet is, the better. Eat an array of vegetables, beans, fruits, and legumes. And be sure to include gut-friendly fermented options, like kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi.

The Western diet or Standard American Diet (SAD) won’t set you up for success. Instead, consider the Mediterranean Diet or adopt a more Paleo eating style to provide the maximum nutrients for your body to thrive.

2. Eat More Polyphenols

Polyphenols are super important micronutrients that we get from plant-based foods. They’re jam-packed full of antioxidants along with other health benefits, such as lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Because polyphenols can’t always be digested efficiently by the body, they usually end up in the colon where your gut bacteria are more than happy to digest them.

Here are some great sources of polyphenols:

  • Green tea
  • Almonds
  • Onions
  • Broccoli
  • Blueberries
  • Red wine (Grapes are high in polyphenols, with red wine grapes having higher levels than white.)
  • Dark chocolate and cocoa

Food has the power to act as natural medicine, so if you’re looking to support your gut, start with your plate!

3. Stabilize Your Gut With Prebiotics

Prebiotics and probiotics get a lot of attention these days. While they sound similar, they’re actually quite different. To put it simply, “probiotics are beneficial bacteria, and prebiotics are food for those bacteria.” Prebiotics are critical because they provide the right type of food that allows your gut bacteria to flourish!

One of our favorite prebiotic supplements is GI Stability which provides amazing support for your intestinal tract by providing targeted prebiotics. These will help support a healthy gut and feed those good bacteria. This particular supplement contains a unique type of prebiotic (2’-FL) that resists digestion so it can move straight to the lower GI tract and do its job.

Follow Your Gut

Your gut influences everything in your body – from your brain to your digestion to your immune system. So when your gut is healthy, your entire body functions much better. And given what we’ve gone through this past year, we could all benefit from a little ‘gut love.’

Look for ways you can support your gut every single day. If you’re not quite sure where to start, we’d be happy to talk with you more about how you can do that. Your body will thank you!

Happy Patients

I have had back issues most of my life. Since starting treatments with Dr Greg I have had no more issues. It's such a relief to be able to be physical at the high level I want to be. I am able to maintain wellness by seeing Dr Greg on a regular basis. Thank you Dr Greg!!

Michael L.

Hello! I just want to say that you are truly a healer! After leaving your office last Monday, I was more able to breathe, truly breathe - after having suffered all weekend to take a deep breath due to a "rib out of place" OK - if you say so....all I know is that, though I continued to have a bit of pain in my upper back and neck for a day or two, I could take wonderful, glorious deep breaths thanks to your treatment. Thanks again for all you do! Even if I do make many sound affects while you are treating me - "OUCH!!! Hmmmph!! Ughhh!! Really???" I truly appreciate your healing touch....

MMW

I have had Parkinson's Disease for 8 years.  I have developed arthritis in my back and hips. The stiffness of the Parkinson's and the arthritis has caused me a lot of pain. Because of that unrelenting pain I was unable to exercise. Exercise is an important part of pain management for Parkinson's.  Since I have been seeing Dr. Krapf I am feeling much better and his care has allowed me to begin exercising again, which has improved my overall well being. In the past I have been treated by physical therapists and orthopedists. Dr. Krapf's chiropractic manipulations have had an amazing impact on my health and happiness. I highly recommend Dr. Krapf to anyone who needs excellent chiropractic care and the many alternative therapies he offers. I would say he is magical!

When my friend received excellent care from Dr. Krapf, she recommended him to me. I have had gastrointestinal problems for nearly 50 years that have recently been diagnosed with celiac disease with lactose intolerance. All that, including unrelieved stress had made me unhappy and unhealthy. Today I am a different person with the help of Dr. Greg. The Gastro issues are practically nonexistent, my stress levels have plummeted, and my body is changing. I am so grateful for Dr. Greg and his healing hands.

Mary Ann L.

Our family have been patients of Krapf chiropractic for a few decades. We have several success stories archived. The most recent event involves our youngest son who is completing his senior year of high school. He has been a patient of Krapf Chiropractic (KCA) since birth. He has been an avid soccer player since the age of four and has sustained numerous injuries over the years. Dr. Krapf has successfully assisted in every recovery.

Most recently, he began complaining of his feet hurting while playing soccer. Both feet hurt - particularly the balls of his feet while running and cutting. He came to Dr. Greg with his complaint as this was seriously affecting his game. Dr. Greg evaluated the situation and decided a foot scan should be done. The finding was dropped arches. My son was fitted for orthotics. They arrived within days and he wore these as directed. Within a few short weeks he is now playing full games pain free.

SC

I first called Krapf Chiropractic when my back was so bad that I couldn't get up off the floor. It's been a blessing to have Dr. Greg help me with my overall wellness and health! I find this to be a place where you are not a number and everyone cares. Mollie is always cheerful and reminds me to come. Erin is always smiling and helps relax me when I'm in pain. I would not be functioning if I did not have Krapf Chiropractic to keep me going. As I get older my appreciation deepens, especially when I see people around me who are suffering with back problems. If they only knew how helpful this is. I believe Dr. Greg treats the person not the symptoms. Thank you

Debbie B.

I've been lucky to have exceptional health care from the beginning. At the beginning, seventy-six-plus years ago, Hugh Rodgers brought me into the world in mother and dad's second-floor bedroom in our dairy farm home. Hugh's son, Hugh, Jr., practiced with his dad and beyond caring for my parents, he, also, cared for hundreds of others and me. Roughly forty years ago, a friend suggested I make an appointment with Richard Krapf for help with back-pain. Richard treated the pain that, often, was debilitating, and on Richard's death, his son, Greg became the second second generation to help me from one place to another. I'm grateful to Hugh, Hugh, Richard and, perhaps, most of all, to Greg.

N.C.

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