By Kristin Neusel, MS, RD, LD, CDCES, NASM-CPT
I always say it’s not about what you eat between Thanksgiving and New Year’s—it’s more about what you eat the other 11 months!
Every year, at the beginning of January, people make New Year's resolutions—the majority of which focus on improving their health.
If you want to make health changes, get creative and get your gut health in order!
Make measurable goals
The first thing to do when making any health change is to determine 2-3 goals you would like to achieve.
The most common resolution or goal I hear from people is that they want to lose weight. In order to be metabolically healthy—and for overall health—there are other clinical markers we should look at in addition to weight loss.
Here are some commons goals I hear from people aside from losing weight:
- I want to work on lowering my after-meal blood-glucose spikes
- I want to lower my A1C
- I want to improve my gut health
If managing your A1C and after-meal blood-glucose spikes is a priority, consider taking Pendulum Glucose Control, which is the only medical probiotic on the market that—when taken with metformin—has been clinically shown to help with the dietary management of Type 2 diabetes.
If managing your gut health is the order of the day, consider taking Pendulum Akkermansia, which contains Akkermansia muciniphila—a beneficial bacteria of the gut microbiome that regulates the mucus lining of the gut.
Butyricum is another powerful new probiotic packed with a butyrate-producing strain that can help relieve occasional:
- Gas
- Bloating
- Diarrhea, and
- Constipation
It needs to be noted that—unlike Pendulum Glucose Control—Pendulum Akkermansia and Butyricum are not indicated for the management of Type 2 diabetes.
Whether you take Pendulum Glucose Control, Pendulum Akkermansia, or Butyricum, be sure to follow a gut-microbiome-friendly eating plan that has plenty of foods that are high in fiber—especially soluble fiber.
Just say no to a quick fix
New products or programs that promise quick-and-easy weight loss are big red flags to me!
Always remember—if what you are doing is not sustainable, the results won’t be sustainable either.
Sure, you may see quick results by depriving yourself of food or following a “shake” program, but that isn’t something most people can do long-term.
Try and find something that gives you the tools to help you reach your goals. Whatever it is you end up doing, make sure it is something with which you are confident you can stick.
Realize you are human
Understand that the process of improving your gut health is not going to be perfect.
It’s easy to have a “bad weekend” and get off track. This happens, and we are human!
You are going to have ups and downs. The important thing is to get right back up and stay the course.
Perhaps you need an accountability partner—like a friend or family member who will participate with you. If you want to increase your walking, try finding someone with whom you can regularly walk. That accountability partner will help motivate you on those days when you “just aren’t up for it.”
Don't forget about movement
Notice I didn’t talk about “exercise”?!
Following a gut-microbiome-friendly eating plan is important, but another piece of the puzzle is movement—or physical activity.
I’m not saying you have to run sprints for an hour every day, but think about your current routine and how you can add movement to it.
If you walk once a week now, try upping it to 3 times per week. Or, try an at-home workout or a video-yoga class.
Find something you enjoy and get up and move! Not only will it help you feel better, but exercise also helps your muscles to absorb glucose—which helps with the management of blood-glucose levels.
Add ... Don't subtract
In order to meet their health goals, a lot of the clients with whom I work automatically think they have to restrict, restrict, restrict!
When I ask them to share with me what a typical day looks like, I like to focus on what is missing from the diet.
More often than not, it’s fiber.
Fiber helps:
- Manage your blood-sugar levels
- Lower cholesterol
- You feel full longer
- Feed your gut microbiome
With fiber, you are not only nourishing your body, but also the probiotics that are in your gut. This helps to diversify your gut microbiome.
Take a look at what you are currently eating, and see if you are missing:
- Fiber
- A certain nutrient, or
- A food group
Small changes add up to big results
Start small, and slowly add new healthy changes to your life over time.
By the end of 2022, you will have made many small changes that have added up to a big lifestyle change that won’t seem as daunting had you made all the changes at once.
Need extra help getting and staying on track? Check out our available nutrition offerings, with your next purchase of PGC!
With the help of a gut-microbiome RD, you can stay on track in the New Year and learn how to nourish your gut health through nutrition and Pendulum Glucose Control—the only medical probiotic used for the management of Type 2 diabetes.
And don't forget to get encouragement, the latest health tips, and updates from the Pendulum community on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
Cheers to you and yours, and have a great and “healthy-gut-microbiome” year!
Before you consider any of these gut-health solutions, talk to your healthcare provider.
The FDA has not approved or evaluated these statements. Pendulum products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.