Why gut health is important for overall wellbeing

Hippocrates said, ‘all disease begins in the gut’, and increasingly we know that our gut plays an integral role in our overall wellbeing. You’ve heard the phrase ‘gut feeling’ - well it takes on a whole new meaning when you talk about gut health. Grayshott Spa has long been a champion of programs that focus on this area. Here they explain why.

The gut is the foundation for all of your health…

The hub of the wheel. We’re a bit geeky at Grayshott, and the big thing at the moment is the gut/brain axis; if you have inflammation in the gut you will have inflammation in the brain - that’s the theory. If you have a head injury you can develop a condition called a leaky gut, but nutritionists have found that if you apply electrical stimulation to the brain the gut will also start to repair as well, so they are really connected. The gut is known as the second brain.

Gut health is underpinned by probiotic bacteria…

We try to point out that we can feed you the best food but if you can’t absorb it, it’s not helping you. So it’s the absorption we want to improve. Cells can be damaged by western lifestyles, but they renew every four days, so there’s scope to make them a lot healthier very quickly. You can do it through food but also goes hand in hand with gut flora that nurtures the cells and brings them up like parents.

Improving gut health helps all areas of wellbeing…

It gets rid of things like foggy brain and memory loss, and there are even links with Alzheimer’s. Poor gut health will prevent parts of the brain from working properly, which can lead to sleep problems and depression. Neurologists are leading the way in gut health because they are finding that even in schizophrenic patients they see positive changes by getting diet right. Even Hippocrates said the gut was the foundation of health, and in the 1700s they believed that mental health problems start there.

It works differently for everyone…

One lady with really high cholesterol came to us when her GP wanted to put her on medication and it really helped her! We also have clients with Type two diabetics who are getting amazing results, and those with joint problems and IBS.