If your gut isn’t right then you can’t absorb nutrients it’s as plain and simple as that- well not really! Unfortunately the gut micro biome is a complex thing and we are really only just starting to understand a lot of it recently.
Focusing on your gut in terms of pregnancy, postpartum and just about anything to do with your health is vital to your wellbeing, mental health, sleep, immune system and hormones.
Most of us have some sort of leaky gut or malabsorption issues to a degree. But when this gets out of control our gut is unable to absorb the nutrients from what we eat into our systems and where it needs to go.
So essentially you could be eating healthy and if your gut isn’t absorbing it properly then you could be missing out on getting a lot- and this is why gut health is so crucial!
I’m always going on about gut health in terms of everything to do with health- pregnancy and postpartum is no different.
Did you know that most people who suffer from gut issues like IBS also suffer from mental health issues? It’s clear the gut and mental health go hand in hand. Most of your serotonin (happy hormone) is made in the gut so if it’s not functioning right then this gets blocked and doesn’t make it to your brain.
As for pregnancy and postpartum, your body goes through the biggest shift in hormones in your life. Not only having a growing baby and the needs for giving them the optimal amount of nutrients, but absorbing nutrients properly is so vital here, because the baby will get everything and you’ll get nothing and bam postpartum depletion/ depression.
When your body is in a state of depletion (which is extremely common in postpartum) then our system isn't functioning properly and then this is how postpartum depression and anxiety can happen. Looking at your gut health is the first and most important thing you can do if your suffering from Postpartum depression. I have a 6 week gut health e - book that is easy to follow (for a busy mum- or anyone really) it has lovely nutrient dense foods and even lots of healthy treats. It has an array of gut health information so you can better understand the functionalities of the gut and how it impacts our over health - mental & physical find it below.
Looking after you - starts in your gut!
Hannah x
