Through modern nutritional research, we’ve learned that how you think and feel is often a product of what you eat—largely thanks to the connection between your gut microbiome and the rest of your body. In fact, the gut microbiome is connected to the most important systems in your body, which means you truly are what you eat!
Conditions from chronic inflammation to depression have links to the gut microbiome, and imbalances in gut flora have major ramifications for just about every aspect of your health. Over time, problems with your gut microbiome are a major contributor to everything from how you feel physically to how you cope mentally. Safe to say, it’s important to monitor what you’re eating.
As inflammatory diseases, mental health issues and other persistent health problems become common byproducts of a Western diet, more and more people are turning to Keto to cure what ails them—starting with their aching gut.
Nutrition matters for everything
Gut problems aren’t always present in the form of gastrointestinal stress. More often, an imbalance of gut flora manifests in other ways. You might feel anxious for no real reason. Your joints might ache. You might have a headache or a foggy brain. These aren’t necessarily problems: they’re symptoms. This is your gut telling you that something is out of balance.
The balance of good gut bacteria vs. bad gut bacteria is an important one to keep. Good bacteria make it possible to break down food and scavenge essential nutrients. Even bad bacteria are vital: they serve important roles in neutralizing harmful microbes. But if there’s imbalance, you might have too much of a good thing (or too much of a bad thing). The result is an inability for the gut to do its job and a body that suffers from lack of nutrition.
The role of Keto in balancing the gut
The Western diet is a major problem for gut health because it’s filled with sugars, carbs and starches. These all break down into simple sugars, which are what bad bacteria feed on. In eating a Western diet, you’re effectively feeding bad bacteria, while good bacteria starve. And while eating more fruits and veggies helps, it’s not always enough to rebalance things. Keto is a hard reset for your gut.
Without carbs, sugars and starches to break down into energy, your body enters a state of ketosis. The liver produces ketones by breaking down fat, which force the body into a survival state. Without sugars, bad gut bacteria starve, while good gut bacteria have a chance to flourish. The more time you spend on Keto, the easier it is to realign and rebalance the gut microbiome.
Experience whole-body benefits
A happy gut means a happy mind and body. A healthy gut microbiome fueled by Keto has been linked to everything from reduced inflammation, to better cognition, to better mood and even weight loss and physical improvements. It all starts with the gut, with benefits that span the entire body, inside and out.
Reserve your spot for our next Keto Challenge!