Today’s podcast guest, registered dietitian Dr. Heather Finley, joins Molly to have a discussion about gut health. As a result of learning about the connection between the gut and other parts of the body and mind, Dr. Finley was able to overcome the chronic bloating and constipation she experienced for 20 years. Towards the beginning of her healing journey, there was little knowledge about how the gut works and no one was able to pinpoint the cause of her symptoms. Our understanding of digestive health has evolved and we now understand how nutrition, lifestyle, and mindset have a direct impact on it. When we talk about the gut, we need to consider the whole body.

Our narratives about the foods we should consume to maintain a healthy gut have led many of us to resort to restrictive diets. However, as we’ll discuss in this episode, gut health is not about what you shouldn't eat, it's about what you should. Your microbiome benefits from a diverse diet, and there’s a lot more to gut health than your food choices.

This episode will explore the gut-brain connection, how anxiety influences the gut, the myths surrounding the gut, what normal bowel health looks like, and what the gut actually does. As Dr. Finley explains, a healthy gut is much less about doing more and cutting out foods, but rather about getting back to basics and creating a solid foundation for optimal gut health.

You can pre-order Dr. Finley’s upcoming book The Healthy, Happy Gut Cookbook here.

Key Highlights:

• Heather's origin story and how she healed her gut
• Gut-brain connection
• How bacteria helps us fight illnesses
• Improving your gut health can make generational change
• How stress and anxiety affect your gut health
• What is normal bowel health?
• Bloating: Causes, what is normal, and what is not normal
• Gut health requires a solid foundation
• What impact does water consumption have on gut health?
• The impact of alcohol and sugar alcohols on gut health
• How functional health can more efficiently heal your body

Episode Quotes:

By improving your gut health, you actually can create generational change. - Dr. Finley

Taking supplements could help you, but if you’re not sleeping, if you’re not eating and balancing your blood sugar, if you’re not hydrating optimally … if you’re not doing all these things then the supplements, everything you’re doing for your gut health is not going to be as effective. - Dr. Finley

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