Episode 224: Gut Health for the Holidays

doTERRA: We have all felt what days of holiday eating can do to our gut and it isn't fun. But there are plenty of things you can do to help support your healthy gut this holiday season.

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Today we're excited to talk to Tracey Smith about how you can support your gut during the holidays.

Tracey, thank you so much for being here with us today.

Tracey Smith: Thank you for having me.

What is a healthy gut?

doTERRA: We are so excited to talk about this topic because I think it is one that comes up a lot, especially around the holidays. So, to start off with, can you explain what we are talking about when we say gut health?

Yeah, absolutely. So gut health really refers to a healthy gastrointestinal tract and that leads to healthy digestion and absorption of proper nutrients, things like that. So, gut health doesn't just impact our digestion, though. It also impacts our immune function, our hormone balance, our brain balance, and even our respiratory health. So, it really deals with a lot of things.

doTERRA: Wow. It's always so amazing how our bodies are so interconnected that we think it's just one thing, but it really is affecting so many different areas.

Tracey: Yes, absolutely.

Holiday Gut Health

doTERRA: And why is it that the holidays can be so challenging for our gut health?

Tracey: Yeah, I think there are several reasons, but there are two big reasons that I feel are kind of the biggest, which are stress and then unhealthy diet. So, both stress and certain foods disrupt the microbiome of the digestive tract, which is an integral part of our gut health. So, when we're stressed and then on top of that, we're eating unhealthy, our microbiome gets disrupted and our gut health starts to go down.

doTERRA: Absolutely. And we can't avoid all the holiday foods or anything like that. But what are some things we can do to help encourage a healthy gut through the holidays?

Tracey: There are definitely some things that we can do in order to really encourage that gut health throughout the holidays. We can work to reduce stress. We can resist the pressure to overbook, to overcommit and really overextend ourselves. Because that reduction of stress is going to be the first step to helping our gut health.

We also can be really intentional about the foods that we eat. Choose healthier options. If you have a pie and then you also have maybe a smaller portion of a dessert that has less sugar, choose that less sugary or that smaller portion of food.

Don't overeat. Don't have too much of those more unhealthy foods that are rich in sugars and rich in carbohydrates. Make a choice to eat a lot of vegetables first. Drink lots of water instead of sugary drinks or sodas. And don't overindulge in alcohol or those desserts. So, making healthier choices when it comes to food is another aspect.

Also, try to get in exercise. Just moving. Moving is really important. It's get your heart rate up every day and that is really going to help with lowering stress and improving your gut health as well.

doTERRA: Absolutely. And I love that piece about lowering stress because I think on top of what it can do for our healthy gut, I'm sure all of us would love to have a more relaxing holiday season.

Tracey: 100%.

Tracey’s Favorite Products

doTERRA: Now, what are some of your favorite products doTERRA has to mix in with those lifestyle choices to help support a healthy gut.

I think for me, the top three products that are a must for health and your gut is the Lifelong Vitality Pack, doTERRA's LLV, our TerraZyme, which has digestive enzymes, and PB Assist our probiotic.

So, those are my top three favorite products for gut health. I will say that those are products on top of things like our DigestZen, our Peppermint Beadlets, our Peppermint Softgels, and our DigestZen Softgels.

All of those are also things that are absolutely phenomenal for gut health as well. But my top three, LLV, TerraZyme, PB Assist.

doTERRA: And those ones are so incredible. I think anyone who's used them can speak to a personal experience of how they have helped.

Tracey: Absolutely.

Daily Healthy Gut Routine

doTERRA: Now, those are quite a few different products. What does your kind of daily routine look like to mix some of those in and make sure you're supporting that healthy gut?

Tracey: I definitely use my LLV every day. I try to take it over two or three separate times throughout the day and then I add in at least one PB Assist. If I know that I'm in a time where my gut health is being more stressed or more challenged then I would add that in maybe twice instead of one time, I'd up that.

Also, the TerraZyme is something that I not only try to take before each of my meals, but I also try to take it upon waking and then at the end of the day as well. I really find that helps my gut health a lot as well.

doTERRA: And that all sounds pretty simple, pretty easy. And not like too much to remember, which we love when introducing some new routines.

Tracey: Absolutely.

doTERRA: Tracey, it has been fantastic to talk to you today to learn a little bit more about how we can support our gut health, especially around the holiday season.

Tracey: Well, thank you so much for having me. I've really enjoyed.

doTERRA: Thanks for joining us and congratulations on living a healthier lifestyle with essential oils. If you want to try any of the products you learned about, click on the link in the episode description or find a Wellness Advocate near you to place an order today. And remember, if you liked what you heard today, rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.