PLANT MEDICINE SECTION
TRUST THAT GUT INSTINCT by J. Garnet
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ost people have had gut instincts, or a gut feeling. It’s a knowing that something is about to happen or that something is right or wrong. Some people call the gut an epicenter for intuition. An employer has a gut feeling that this person should be hired or not, a hiker has a gut feeling that the adventure should be cancelled for the day, or we may be thinking of a friend when the phone rings and it’s that same person. The gut is talking all the time, and sometimes it’s not just intuition that comes into play. When the gut talks, the body and mind usually hear it, but are they listening to what it’s saying? If something from the previous evening’s meal didn’t sit just right, the gut might be asking, “What was 32
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in that quiche Lorraine?” The body has a wonderful way of giving signals when it’s out of sorts. A grumbling belly lets people know that it’s time to eat. A rolling, thunderous gut could be telling the body to get to the bathroom in a hurry. The gut sends out signals and messages on a regular basis. But are we listening to them? The gut is an interesting thing. The word itself has multiple meanings, both figuratively and literally. It certainly isn’t the most eloquent of words, but gut has been used since the fifth century. The first usage of the word was similar to the definition that is still used today. Guts are usually referring to organs within the body. The intestines, stomach, liver, pancreas, liver, colon, gallbladder, rectum and
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mouth are all organs that help with the digestion of food. The guts are commonly known as the digestive tract, but through research it has been shown to be far more than just the system that processes food. The guts of a person are integral for overall health and defense against illness and disease. The gut is continuously sending messages and talking to the brain. According to Dr. Lisa Ganiju, a professor at NYU Medical Center, the guts of the human body are intricately connected to the brain and central nervous system. Although used figuratively when speaking of intuition, literally, the guts are giving updates on overall body health and alerting people that something might be out of balance. The best way to remain in good health is to have a healthy gut. There are many natural ways to maintain an optimally functioning gut. Diet is the most effective way. Everything that is eaten must be processed through the gut, so it’s obvious that the better the food, the better the gut health. A gut detox is beneficial because clearing away build-up allows the body to heal from subpar eating habits. An unhealthy diet causes inflammation in the body, which brings on stress and anxiety, causing emotional lows, imbalances and fatigue. Increased mood can be achieved by fighting off inflammation, and a gut detox is a natural way to do just that. Microorganisms are prevalent throughout the gut. Unfortunately, some of the organisms can bring about illness and disease. The gut is closely related to the body’s immune system. A gut detox will sweep away the bad organisms and allow the good ones to flourish. This strengthens and regulates the way the body fights off sickness. One of the most noticeable benefits
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