Day Twelve: Healthy Digestion

Today is day 12 in our 22 day Healthy Foundations Challenge! I am happy to introduce my friend, Betsy Vedder, who specializes in holistic nutrition and digestive health, to create the challenge for us today! We warmly welcome her expertise and knowledge! You’re going to learn a lot on the importance of gut health through this post today by Betsy!

Hey friends! I’m thrilled to be here with you today chatting about daily habits that you can do to have better health! I’m a huge fan of daily wellness habits because these are the habits that compound over time and I’m loving all of Catherine’s daily habit tips to follow!

I’m Betsy Vedder, Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Certified Lifestyle Educator, proud graduate of the AFPA, a program accredited by American Association of Drugless Practitioners and American Naturopathic Medical Accreditation Board.

Many know me as the girl who makes a lot of healthy food. Many have come to me for health advice or for a recommendation for an awesome chiropractor. Or for how to help their kids with their dry or flaky skin. Or how to support their immune function because they are so tired of being sick. Or maybe they wanted to know which essential oils can help their babe with their ear discomfort. I field a lot of these questions almost daily and everything that these questions have in common are people looking to take their health into their own hands - to be an advocate for their own health.

Let’s talk about gut health today!

Good gut health (and good health in general) is the result of a multitude of daily decisions. It’s not found in a pill or shot or even one supplement, but compounded from daily choices that add up to long term health.

It comes from choosing what goes into your mouth, how often you move your body, getting to bed on time, stressing less, drinking water, and other daily choices that you have control over.

If you feel lost, start with the basics! Then once you master them, add in more.

Gut health. It’s a topic that has burst onto the scene recently for so many important reasons. But for me, it was a personal reason that I started researching gut health in depth 8 years ago. Developing Ulcerative Colitis was like a wake up call for me. One day, my whole world changed. I changed my entire lifestyle overnight to reverse the damage I had done so far. With dedicated work, a lot of tantrums, perseverance, and commitment – I’ve been able to reverse my symptoms, experience vastly improved digestion and absorption, and encourage an enormous amount of healing.

Why is gut health so very important?

– 70 million people suffer from digestive issues.

– An estimated 15 million Americans have food allergies…whether they realize it or not (and most don’t).

– Your gut health makes up 70% of your immune system; therefore, if your immune system is chronically compromised, it’s likely due to poor gut health.

– Your gut is referred to as your body’s second brain— The “second brain” in our gut, in communication with the brain in our head, plays a key role in certain diseases in our bodies and in our overall mental health.

– Poor gut health causes auto-immune diseases, hormonal imbalance, mental illness, diabetes, weight gain, skin issues and countless other problematic conditions.

What daily habits can you do for better daily gut health?

Ingesting a drop of Copaiba under the tongue is one of my favorite wellness upgrades to recommend because it’s packed with amazing benefits!

I love using Copaiba for better gut health for three reasons:

– Copaiba supports the health of the cardiovascular, immune, and digestive systems when ingested.

– Copaiba helps calm, soothe, and support the nervous system.

– Copiba also helps to support a healthy inflammatory response.

Talk about a powerhouse of an oil!

Let’s talk about that science behind why Copaiba helps in these areas.

Copaiba oil contains the highest levels of β-caryophyllene (BCP) among currently known essential oils. An irregular cannabinoid and sesquiterpene, BCP is a potent constituent within copaiba essential oil. BCP selectively binds to CB2 receptors in the endocannabinoid system (ECS)—a signaling and regulating system comprised of enzymes, receptor sites throughout the body, and endocannabinoids produced by the body. With cannabinoid receptors found widely in the body and all major organs, the ECS acts as a major regulator of human health. The CB2 receptors in this system are of particular importance because they are mostly found within the immune system and intestinal tract as the CB2 receptors are expressed in the enteric nervous system and on immune cells in the normal gut.

So not only does Copaiba help promote better digestive health in and of itself, it also helps to support your nervous system (calming down that stress response!) which heavily influences digestion and also promotes healthy inflammation which can be a root cause issue for many with digestive problems!

I encourage you to try this easy, maintainable habit for better gut health.

I’ve got a few more tips for you in my free guide, 5 Steps to Fabulous Digestion, which includes my favorite gut healing soup recipe! https://bit.ly/3tqRyza

Thanks for reading today, stay well friends and be empowered!