5 Reasons Why Having a Healthy Gut Is More Essential for Women

Ladies, it's time to give your gut the attention it deserves! After all, science tells us that having a healthy gut is essential to overall health and well-being.

But what many people don't know is that having a healthy gut is especially important for women. From digestion to fertility, scroll down to learn more about the specific reasons why having a healthy gut is extra essential for women. 

How a Healthy Gut Affects Overall Health

Ah, the gut—a mysterious place inside of us filled with bacteria and other hidden wonders. We may not understand it, but we all know that it has a huge role to play in our overall health. For women, having a healthy gut is even more essential since it can help support some vital functions such as:

1. Better Digestive Function: When your gut is filled with healthy bacteria, it can help ease digestion, so you don't feel bloated or have stomach issues after every meal.
2. Immune and Heart Health: Studies show that having a good balance of bacteria in your gut can help boost your immune system and promote heart health.
3. Balanced Hormones: Having an abundance of “good” bacteria in the gut helps keep hormones balanced, which can benefit your mental and physical well-being.
4. Reduced Stress Levels: Healthy gut flora helps reduce stress hormones, so you don't feel as anxious or stressed out throughout the day.
5. Weight Management Support: Healthy gut flora can help improve digestion and reduce cravings for unhealthy foods to support weight management goals.

Women Are Prone to Heartburn and Indigestion

Women, you know the struggle. We're more prone to indigestion, heartburn, and other digestive issues than men. Paint us as victims all you want, but science backs it up: turns out our hormones make us extra vulnerable to stomach problems.

But here's the good news: a healthy gut helps us be better at dealing with those pesky issues (it's like armor for your stomach). When your gut is in tip-top shape, it has an army of helpful bacteria ready and waiting to take on the baddies.

A balanced gut can also help keep our hormones in check - because a healthy gut means more consistent levels of serotonin and other feel-good chemicals. So make sure your trusty gut bacteria's got your back.

Women Have a Longer Digestive Tract Than Men

The female colon is 10cm longer than a man's! Meaning that some of the colon resides in the pelvis and must share space with the bladder and reproductive organs.

This also means that food stays in women's digestive system longer and will take longer to digest, leading to constipation and other digestive problems.

The Links Between Gut Health and Fertility

While the link between gut health and fertility is still being studied, researchers have already identified several key factors that can make a difference for women.

• More Stress Hormones: It turns out that women produce more stress hormones than men, which can lead to an imbalance in their gut microbiome—and subsequently, a decrease in overall fertility. That's why managing stress levels is paramount when it comes to keeping healthy reproductive systems.
• Estrogen Reception Sites: Estrogen is an essential factor for reproduction, but too little or too much can be problematic. That's where these pockets of bacteria come in—they help to regulate hormones by absorbing excess estrogen, minimizing any fluctuation in levels, and helping to keep things balanced.
• Dietary Immune System Regulation: Your immune system isn’t only responsible for fighting infections—it’s also essential for creating and maintaining a favorable environment for conception. If the gut microbiome is unbalanced, it can lead to inflammation that reduces fertility. To maintain its balance, women need to make sure they get enough fiber and prebiotic-rich foods like asparagus, bananas and garlic.

Women’s Hormones Influences on Gut Health

It's no secret that hormones play a huge role in the health of a person's gut. But did you know that women have it particularly rough when it comes to their gut health? That's because female hormones can make the digestive system more sensitive and vulnerable to environmental changes.

Moreover, as women age and go through menopause, hormonal changes (lowered levels of estrogen) can cause affect gut bacteria and increase the risk of conditions like osteoporosis and heart disease.

Any kind of disruption in their diets or lifestyle can take a toll on women’s gut health, which then impacts other areas of their body like their immune system and even brain function.

But don't worry! There are ways to help combat this hormonal imbalance. Here are 4 simple tips:

1. Eat prebiotic-rich foods: Focus on whole grains, vegetables, beans, legumes, and fruits. You can also take supplements such as our ACV Gummies. Made with prebiotic formula, these easy-to-snack gummies promote healthy gut bacteria to give your gut health a boost.
2. Get enough fiber: Fiber helps regulate the gut by promoting healthy bacteria growth and reducing bloating. One serving of our Original Ultra Fiber Cereal will get you 82% of your recommended daily fiber intake. It’s a great low-calorie option that will make you feel full for longer.
3. Take probiotics supplement: probiotics assist with digestion and absorption of nutrients.
4. Reduce stress: stress can increase cortisol levels which, in turn, affects the balance of bacteria in your gut and depletes your energy levels.

Effects of Poor Digestive Health on the Female Reproductive System

It may come as a surprise, but the health of your gut has a great bearing on the health of your reproductive system (which is probably why they call it “gut feeling”). Unfortunately, women are more likely to suffer from digestive issues than men, whether it’s Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), bloating, or a sensitive stomach. But what does this mean for their reproductive health?

1. Poor digestion affects your immune system and can increase inflammation in the body. This can lead to a weakened immune system which then increases the risk of bacterial infections in the reproductive organs.
2. Poor digestion restricts absorption of essential nutrients for healthy fertility such as Vitamin B6, folate and Vitamin D – all of which are vital for healthy eggs and ovulation.
3. Chronic digestive issues can also lead to an imbalance in hormones, resulting in irregular menstrual cycles which also affects fertility.
4. Stress plays an important role in female gut health and is closely associated with fertility problems such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). The long-term effects of stress on the female body can cause disruption in hormones and other physiological processes including digestion and ultimately affect fertility negatively.
5. Digestive issues also put a strain on organs such as the liver which are essential for detoxifying harmful compounds that can interfere with successful conception, implantation, and maintaining pregnancies to full-term.

So ladies, if you want to be the healthiest version of yourself, make sure you pay attention to your gut as it’s the core of our physical and mental wellness. Whether you’re pregnant, post-menopausal, or just want to be healthier, the key is to keep your gut in check!