The Birds, the Bees and Your Healthy Gut

Spring time is well upon us. Our noses are filled with floral scents, our eyes are lit up by sunshine and blue skies, our ears are filled by the chirping of the birds and the sounds of the bees buzzing around, our skin is tingling with the warmth of the sun rays, and we have shaken off the winter blues to embrace and celebrate life, joy and happiness, which resonates from our healthy gut.

 

Spring is a time for new beginnings, growth and life. As I look at the trends in society, spring marks new beginnings in nature and human nature. The wedding business has grown considerably, with so many beautiful couples rejoicing as a unity to embark on a new chapter of their lives together. New life is born each second of the day, with an increase during spring time with a baby boom (must be all the summer lovin’ at the start of the year), and the world is blessed with these little cherubs ready for us to guide them through life as we know it.  

 

‘The birds and the bees’ is a common phrase when referring to human courtship and reproduction. The significance of the birds is due to most birds being monogamous. Birds commonly court in spring, incubate their eggs for a period of time, and then the baby birds are hatched. In society we are mostly taught from an early stage about monogamy (for those that have a different belief this is also very acceptable with no judgement), to find a mate for life and reproduce (for some that is). The significance of the bees within this metaphor relates directly to human reproduction as there are similarities between the need for male and female sex organs and the fertilisation of the eggs inside the female (just a little sex ed and background for you all).

 

Your wedding day is one of the most memorable and happy days. It is a day of celebration with your family and friends to share your love and devotion to your partner, which transcends into a potential future family. The lead up to and planning of a wedding can be very emotional, fun, and stressful (I am also speaking from experience). The lists seems endless from finding a venue, deciding on the wedding guest list, deciding which amazing people will be part of the bridal party, buying the wedding dress, floral arrangements, photographer…and the list goes on and on (you are normally quite stressed and exhausted after just reading the to do list…and probably just about to reach for that bar of dark chocolate).

 

On every wedding plan that I have viewed, I have never come across a section that is dedicated to the health and wellbeing plan for the bride (I am not talking about your dental work, although, it is nice to have nice clean white teeth for your wedding photos). I am talking about looking after your gut (colon) health in particular. This is the life-centre of the body, being one of the main organs distinctly impacting the rest of our bodily functions and mental wellbeing.

This is where I step in to assist these brides-to-be that come to me. In the initial consultation it is very important to assess each person’s individual health concerns and what they want to achieve through these sessions. I also help my clients in identifying other areas which they were not aware of prior that are important for their overall health. For my clients I create an individual plan based upon what their body requires to be aligned and the time frame for which this is to be achieved.

 

Each case is individual and I love working with brides-to-be as not only do I get to hear about all the exciting plans, but I also attribute to their special day through my various services. Whether this be the use of colon hydrotherapy, juice detoxes, probiotics, herbal teas, or a combination of a few natural therapy remedies. I have the pleasure of assisting one bride-to-be currently with our sessions addressing her stress induced constipation (never fun in any form). I have devised a nutrition/fitness plan for her plus utilising colon hydrotherapy and a juice detox by Detox Delivered. Part of the special treatment provided to these lovely ladies is monitoring their skin regime for the big day using products from The Beauty Chef and doTerra, as there is nothing that makes a bride shine bright then glowing skin and clear eyes. I also refer them to the best skin therapist I know, Eliska at Beauty and Balance, we often work together with brides to make sure they are extra radiant for the big day. 

 

As the gut is our second brain, and how we are on the inside shows up on the outside, I recommend that my clients start to incorporate probiotic supplements into their diet. This is dependent upon what they need, their health, diet, and what actually comes up in the treatment as probiotics assists in balancing the gut flora. One of my personal favourites is Prodophilus by Bioceuticals as this is not only dairy -free but packed full of “ highly viable strains of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria for nutritional support to assist healthy digestive function and immune health” (Bioceuticals, 2015).

 

Research conducted by Isolauri, E has shown that during the pregnancy the mother’s health (nutritional status and immunological health) are crucial as this can influence the long-term health of an infant into their adulthood (Isolauri, E, 2012). This has been further supported by Roth, M as the development of the health gut microbiota within the mother will be “the first microflora to colonize a baby’s system were those the newborn was exposed to via the mother’s skin and genitourinary tract during and immediately following birth. More recent research, however, seems to show that a baby begins to acquire his gut bacteria in utero from the mother’s digestive system. These bacteria are affected by the maternal diet and lifestyle” (Roth, M, 2015).

 

Researchers have long believed that babies are born with “virgin guts”, which are sterile gastrointestinal tracts and therefore care should be taken during this crucial time at the start of their existence. As from the moment that they exit the womb into this big world they are exposed to different bacterias and microbes, which unfortunately as parents you can not shield and protect your children from entirely (unless you bubble wrap them in a cocoon for the rest of their lives). As a mother-to-be it is your responsibility to harbour a safe environment as “the nutritional environment, influences the maturation, structure and function of our immune system, metabolic health and microbiological programming” (Isolauri, E, 2012 and Fitzsimmons, H, 2015).

 

As a potential mother-to-be, we intrinsically have a nurturing and caring nature, whereby we would only want to bring our baby into a safe world, and provide all the opportunities that we can. This is an amazing gift and power to have. To create a sacred and robust environment, which will play host to our future generation. Starting from the moment that the sperm inseminates the egg, the first cell divides into two, the two into four, etc as they go in search for a protected place to grow, the time when you  view your first sonogram and your fetus resembles a mung bean…and soon enough you feel your unborn baby growing inside you. AH the miracle of birth.

 

If you would like to know more about this topic or book a consultation (not just for brides-to-be) please drop us a line at info@exhale.net.au and I would love to assist you through your health journey.

References:

1. Bioceuticals, 2015, “Prodophilus”, Available from: https://www.bioceuticals.com.au/product/preview/Prodophilus 
2. Fitzsimmons, H, 2015, “Gut Instinct: Stomach Bacteria linked to overall wellbeing”, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Available from: http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2015/s4266603.htm 
3. Roth, M, 2015, “Building a Healthy Gut for Baby”, Tummy Calm, Available from: http://tummycalm.com/building-a-healthy-gut-for-baby.html
4. Isolauri, E, 2012, “Development of Health Gut Microbiota Early in Life”, Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, vol. 48, issue s#, pg 1-6, June 2012. Available from Wiley Online Library, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1440-1754.2012.02489.x/full