New opportunities, new year, new beginnings.  There's something refreshing and promising about starting a new year, and what lies ahead.  Beginnings stir hope and imaginative dreams, goals, and aspirations about the future.  Whether you are just beginning your gut healing journey, or if you are in "maintenance mode" from the progress you have already made with your digestive health, my tips below will help foster a healthy (or healthier!) GI tract.  As you read the list, give yourself kudos for what you already implement, and consider a new change that you can realistically add to your list of healthy habits in 2019 and beyond!
​

There is something about receiving words of wisdom from someone who has walked through adversity and come out on the other side that makes the advice so much more meaningful.  A good friend of mine was a healthy, competitive swimmer growing up as a child, and in college, where she swam for University of Maryland and earned All-American status!  After graduation, she turned to competitive triathlons, including many Ironman-distance triathlons, and placed first female overall at many of her races.  Then, out of nowhere, she was struck with a life-threatening bout of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).  She followed the advice of her doctors and after giving birth to her second child several years later, she was re-hospitalized for her second serious IBD flare.  My friend did her homework and embarked on a journey to heal her gut for good, under the guidance of her gastroenterologist and functional medicine doctor.  Now, my friend is healthy and back to her winning ways and I'd love to share some of her pearls of wisdom with you!

​By now, you've probably read many articles on gut microflora and understand how important it is to your overall health - including immunity, digestion, mood, and even your ability to absorb key nutrients from the food you eat!  Before I delve into the "meat" of this blog post, I first want to explain a bit of background information, so you can better understand how your gut microflora impacts you on an everyday basis.
​