E191: Foundational Pieces of Gut Health with Kaarthika

Kaarthika is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist specializing in gut health and is on a mission to help people get to the root of their symptoms and reconnect to their energy. In this episode, Kaarthika teaches us foundational pieces of gut health, including actionable steps we can take today to make healthy improvements and feel better in our bodies.

[00:53] Valerie LaVigne: Welcome back to the podcast. Karthik, I'm so excited that you are here today for the show. I don't want to I don't want to give it all away. But I'm really excited for the topic we have today. So before we dive into all the juicy goodness, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Kaarthika Sriskantha: And yeah, so I'm so excited to be here in chat with you today. So my name is Martha and I am a certified holistic nutritionist. And I specialize in gut health. And I currently run a private practice where I'm helping people uncover what's going on inside of their bodies, and using food to feel better. So how I got into nutrition altogether, was actually because of my own journey with my own health. So when I was seven years old, I developed chronic eczema and it was pretty bad it was all over my body, including my face. And as you can imagine, for a little bit, that's a lot to deal with.

And yeah, so I'm so excited to be here in chat with you today. So my name is Martha and I am a certified holistic nutritionist. And I specialize in gut health. And I currently run a private practice where I'm helping people uncover what's going on inside of their bodies, and using food to feel better. So how I got into nutrition altogether, was actually because of my own journey with my own health. So when I was seven years old, I developed chronic eczema and it was pretty bad it was all over my body, including my face. And as you can imagine, for a little bit, that's a lot to deal with.

VL: Wow. But that's so crazy. and especially since you're so young. Why was it for you, that made you think of your food, like you're so young. How would you know, would you know that?

KS: Exactly. And I think it goes back to like, at the time like it is whatever, like, nutrition wasn't really a thing at people's like, forefront on their minds. And you know, even like my parents like they kind of did the best we could with what they knew. And it wasn't until later on until like all this information was coming out and becoming a lot more like, normalized to like talk about like food and like how it impacts like how you feel that I was like, oh, maybe this applies to me. Right? I would look so smart and good. I feel like it's also probably pretty intuitive for you too, because as I can have gone through you been trying things and it's like alright, well, I haven't tried this yet, might as well!

What I love about your journey, as tough as it sounds, I find that the most incredible healers who make the most impact or the one to really know because of their experiences and not to say that you don't you don't have to go through experiences to be a healer but I definitely feel like it brings you closer to connection with your clients. Because you understand them and you can honestly say I understand I get you I have felt what you feel and I think that's a really important part of working with people, especially in your private practice with individuals is really being able to sit with people and say like I can understand your discomfort. I can relate to this and there is hope for you just like there has been hope for me. so I get to see your beautiful face right now and I don't see any eczema.

So we're going to assume that nutrition was really the turning point for you and changing your nutrition. So tell us a little bit about this. Maybe we're not people who are dealing with our skin reacting to the foods that we're eating, but perhaps it's I know I experience bloating sometimes or a lack of energy or I feel like my sleep is restless.

KS: All of these different things, right, like food affects so many different parts of our health. So where do we start when we talk about gut health?

Right. Yeah, that's a great question and it really, really goes back to…I think something that people kind of misunderstand about the body's like, okay, food comes in and comes out. But I think we're missing a lot of the middle part of that like what happens inside of our bodies. So obviously, a big part of that is the gut. So as you like, I like to explain the gut as in it we think of it like the Amazon rainforest, right. You've got a lot of like different species, like animals and plants and like bugs, and, and flowers, and they all kind of work together to keep the ecosystem happy and healthy, and that's like exactly what's going on inside of our body. So everything is connected in a way and then there's also something unbalanced that we also want to achieve. And then when our body is out of balance then you can see some of these symptoms come up like eczema, skin issues, bloating, troubles, low energy. So these are all like signs that something is out of balance. And our gut is like the foundation for how we like how we process the nutrients that we're getting from them. It all happens in our gut and I think that's often so really paying attention to that is a really great first step for anyone who matters kind of what you're dealing with.

[06:55] VL: Oh my goodness, yeah. And it sounds like it's such an important part of the digestive process and like absorbing nutrients and shipping and or skin health and again all these different areas of our body. So I think this conversation that you and I are having even just listening to this conversation, I feel like it's gonna be really helpful too. And understanding the importance of it and that I really like that analogy of like how the ecosystem it's an ecosystem. It's part of how we function and it's true I think a lot of the reasons why people think food and food out is because the gut isn't really the we're not watching that ecosystem happen. We don't really know what's going on because it's inside and we you know, a lot of us are really disconnected to our bodies, and we can't even notice those things like I'll notice pretty quickly when I eat something that's not good.

Oh my goodness, yeah. And it sounds like it's such an important part of the digestive process and like absorbing nutrients and shipping and or skin health and again all these different areas of our body. So I think this conversation that you and I are having even just listening to this conversation, I feel like it's gonna be really helpful too. And understanding the importance of it and that I really like that analogy of how the ecosystem it's an ecosystem. It's part of how we function and it's true I think a lot of the reasons why people think food and food out is because the gut isn't really the we're not watching that ecosystem happen. We don't really know what's going on because it's inside and we you know, a lot of us are really disconnected to our bodies, and we can't even notice those things like I'll notice pretty quickly when I eat something that's not good.

KS: So there are a couple of different ways to tell if your gut is imbalanced or if it's just something that you want to pay attention to. The common things to look out for is if you're having constipation, diarrhea or even alternating of those.

If you have, like you said, bloating like stomach pain, upset stomach, upset stomach troubles, even excessive gasping, burping and stuff like that. Those are all kinds of signs that there's something going on inside that we just need to pay a little bit more attention to.

VL: Oh, wow, okay. So that seems like a lot of different signs and I'm assuming that they will mean very different things like my bloating could mean something different from your bloating or just like all bloating, eat the same thing?

KS: Yeah, so you're right. They're they, they have different reasons behind them. But the good thing is that there are a couple of foundational pieces that if everyone kind of works on them, they'll kind of resolve a bunch of different issues.

VL: So let's talk about those.

KS: Yeah.

VL: I’m getting my pen and paper out. I need to write this down.

KS: For sure. So I guess kind of going into like the first like foundational piece is, even before we even talk about food, it's really taking a look at how we're eating. So something that a lot of people don't know is that the gut is connected to your brain.

So when your brain picks up on stress, whether that be a boss that has given you a project at the last minute, or you have a presentation coming up, your brains, notices that stress and it actually shuts your cut down.

So it shuts down digestion and shuts down the gut. And then this is just so that you can have the energy to deal with whatever is stressing you out at the moment.

VL: So I'm gonna pause you right there. So whenever I have conversations like this with people, and I'm sure that other people listening will feel this to you. It's like you think about someone you know, if it's not yourself, you're thinking about someone else. So I know someone who is incredibly stressed out who was clearly having problems with their gut. And what you're probably already gonna see this but what are maybe like one or two things that we can do to help us be less stressed. Is this like right before eating? Are we meditating before every meal? Because like, obviously, we can't wipe out the stress but we can definitely manage it better. Exactly. It was I wait for your next point?

KS: Yeah, so yeah, so I think like the first step is just notice like notice what your patterns are with at mealtimes Are you eating at your desk in front of your computer while working or you like on the go or you're driving while you're having a vehicle or something like that?

So first noticing your patterns and if you can't, for whatever reason, get away from work or having to work at lunchtime. Then taking a few deep breaths. Right before you start eating can really just tell your your body and your nervous system that like everything is okay. You can focus on digestion and like moving things along.

So a couple of deep breaths even just before taking the bite will be a huge help.

[11:50] VL: And that's so doable. We can practice a few deep breaths beforehand. Okay, that's our first foundational piece is how we're eating. What's next?

KS: So, going back to the idea of like our gut being a whole ecosystem, right? Something to keep in mind is that we have actually like critters inside of our gut. So all of these friendly bacteria that actually keep like this ecosystem, this rainforest, strong and healthy. So we want to keep feeding that ecosystem what it needs. So we can do that by bringing in foods that are rich in probiotics. So you know, sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, all of these foods have natural probiotics in them and getting them into our diet, even if it's like a teaspoon of sauerkraut with every meal. That will do wonders for our gut. Overall.

VL: I love that. My mom's side of the family has polish so they eat a lot of sauerkraut, but I don't like the taste of it. However, I could be convinced knowing that it would help like okay, so we can like that you're saying this because it's like supplementing with whole foods right? and being able to just incorporate this into each of the meals. okay. What other types of things are part of our ecosystem, but the probiotics, is there something else that we should be eating with every meal?

KS: Yes so now that we've kind of brought in those like helpful bacteria from like the chemistry or the Tarkir that you're eating, we also want to make sure that then we're feeding like those, those those bacteria, right, we're giving them what they need to continue growing and thriving and keeping our gut happy. And they obviously love fiber. So making sure that we're getting enough fruits and veggies at every meal In order to keep them happy as well.

[14:00 ] VL: Excellent. Now this is a whole other topic, “fiber.” I feel like there's so much information about fiber and like how much should we be getting? How much do we eat with each meal? Is this something that we can kind of calculate or aim toward a certain amount of fiber every day? Because then I can donate too much fiber, but I don't know if it's very, it's very confusing.

KS: Oh, yeah, definitely. I agree with you. it's definitely confusing out there. It is also very important to note that even with all like the device, and even the recommendations I'm making right now it's really important to tune into your body. So even if someone else is eating, like this much fiber, you might not make someone else feel so good, and vice versa. So I think part of it is tuning into your own body and seeing how you feel. But as a general rule, you want to be getting like four to six servings of fruits. and veggies per day. And that's about like four to six like handfuls. So what I tell my clients is to focus on getting like two large handfuls of fruits and veggies per meal.

And then to have a really good intake of fiber and then they can kind of play with and see which types of fiber they like to eat, which types like to make them feel good. and then they have a little bit of free rein to play around with that.

VL: I imagine it would be very specific to the person. It's also like what kind of so here's the thing, right? I have supplemented myself before and I noticed that I would get more bloated when I started taking it because my body is just not used to it yet. and then the nutritionist that I was working with at the time was like keep trying them. if it's very uncomfortable, then you can stop, but we just had to play with the dosage a little bit as well.

So I can imagine you're introducing all these new foods. Well, maybe for some people, it's all new foods, it's gonna start to change the ecosystem a little bit so can we expect to have instant relief or instant energy right away or is this something that like he's kind of playing with and seeing what works, what doesn't?

KS: It does, it does take time one to like, reset that ecosystem and and bring back a balance like that does take time and also depending on, let's say how long you've been out of balance too, right? That plays a factor. So there's that then there's also times where it's so individualized, something like a probiotic that works well with someone may not work for someone else. So there is a lot of things that we can do to individualize that. So something that I do with all my clients is really just tuning into how you feel and just introducing one kind of thing at a time so that you can kind of isolate what's working and what's not.

VL: Oh, yeah, totally. That's a great idea. We're learning so much. Okay, so we've got how our eating and our stress are feeding the ecosystem when it needs probiotics, and we're feeding those probiotics when it needs fiber. What's next for our foundational gut health?

KS: so the piece that I think is most important and that a lot of people overlook is actually diversity. So we want to be bringing in a lot of different diverse foods into our diet.

Because if you think about that rainforest, the reason that it's so strong and resilient is because it does have a lot of different types of plants and species going on. So we want to make sure that we are building a strong gut so that if something does disturb it, it'll bounce back and it will be stronger. So again, like we are, humans are like a creature of habit. So typically, like if we like a certain food, we'll eat it all. the time, like our age when you want to live our historical kind of pick up the same things. So something that I recommend doing is just picking up one new fruit or vegetable When you're at the grocery store. So if you typically pick up spinach and broccoli, maybe it's arugula and cauliflower.

VL: Yeah, I could definitely get better at this. I feel like I'm laughing at myself right now. So I tend to pick eight to 10 types of fruits and vegetables. And I will look at things and you know, the very primal part of us is like, oh, that's stressful. Like, that takes extra work. I need to look up how to even have you prepared this like what is this even called? And then like I remember buying something one time where I thought I bought enough and then it was like oh my god this one got so smile by the time I finish preparing it and it was just, it's such it's so funny, but it really it does take a little bit more discipline and practice to kind of pull in different things especially if you're not someone who's like really comfortable in the kitchen cooking and things like that. I will say we started doing meal delivery like meal kits and even though we get to pick what meals come that week from the selection they have, I will say it has encouraged us to try a couple new things. Which has been really great because it's like we didn't really need to think too much about it. They already gave me the instructions.

But yeah, that's definitely again, it's so doable. We're just not doing it right. It's so simple. We can take action on these things. We just need to start doing it. You know what? Saying that here you're hearing me say that we are trying a new vegetable next time I go to the grocery store this weekend, so let's see what I pick!

[20:04] KS: I think that's a really important piece to touch on is like when we're building these habits. At the beginning it isn't easy like it is extra work to be like okay, I'm gonna try this new vegetable and figure out how to cook it and then bring it into my regular rotation. So I think it's important to normalize that but yes, like it does take a little bit of effort. So in that case, I I like to choose. Again, I like to start small, like I like to do something maybe I just haven't eaten in a while and I already know how to prepare or something that's already like pre chopped and ready to go. And as long as if there's ways that we can make it easier on ourselves, I think I think it's important to take advantage of those.

VL: Because that's something to write. It's like you just want to you don't want to add more to the plate. We're trying to breathe before meals. We're trying to add probiotics and we have to do all these things.

However, I have recently admitted that I have an addiction to buying cookbooks and not using them.

So I made something last week, which I didn't find being honest. But I tried. And then this week I'm actually going to make something new. And it's not necessarily that I haven't eaten these foods before but they are being prepared a little differently, which I also think is kind of nice too because it changes a little bit of the flavor or I wouldn't have thought to have combined one thing with the other. You know, it's interesting. So I am trying to push myself out of that comfort zone a little bit and stretch that out.

And I think just to your point of habit building is just like not letting it be so structured and just allowing it to be fun. Like, oh, that vegetable looks cool. Let's use that. And not being okay, we need all new foods this week. It's like no, no, just include one extra thing. I always do that. I see at the store and I never buy it and I'm like oh my god I love like, figure that out. I like eating it.

KS: Yeah.

VL: Okay, so we're trying a new vegetable every week we are diversifying our food. I like to try to make a rainbow on my plate or eat the rainbow of some sort. I feel like that's a little bit of diversity to get different colors there.

Are there any other parts of that foundational kind of health that we need to know?

[22:31] KS: Yeah, I'm actually really glad that you mentioned the rainbow and this goes back to like the whole diversity piece. Because you know, like when vegetables and fruits have different colors. They actually have different nutrients. And especially like the gut and our gut bugs they love things that are red and blue and really vibrant. The Colors they actually feed on are called polyphenols and they actually help our gut stay strong and healthy. So it's really important to bring in as much color as you can. Even if it's just one a week like you bring in strawberries one week, blueberries the other week it's it will be a good habit to have for sure.

VL: Yeah, I'm glad you said that because I do practice as much as possible cycle syncing.. I think the last part of syncing with my hormonal cycle was the food part of it. So I did the productivity and I scheduled things in around a certain time. And then I also did it with my activity. So doing different workouts throughout the month nicely. It's like a different workout every week, or a different routine every week. And then the last part of it that I introduced was the bringing in a new fruit or vegetables. So I looked at like what are the best foods to have during this part of my hormonal cycle? And just that alone encouraged me to not eat berries every day. I was having citrus fruits one week and then I was having berries the next week. And then I was, you know what I mean? And I think even what you said, it's like, you're gonna like the foods you cannot beat the foods before you can ever use those fruits and vegetables. Just change it up each time. Right?

[24:25] KS: Totally. Another person who eats the same freakin fruit Yeah, it really goes back to like bringing back the things that you actually like, like eating right? Like I don't really like to talk about what foods to avoid and when it comes to cut out I really like talking about bringing in groups that like that, that you're comfortable with and that you like and that you can have regularly.

Another way to kind of change it up is actually looking at what's in season because that wherever you are in the world like that will also kind of force you to change what you're eating because we find that strawberries are in season right now so bear with me as well pick that up and and like incorporate that and that's also another great way of like a prompt to help you diversify that.

VL: Okay, so we are less stressed when we're starting to eat or be or ecosystem we're diversifying our foods. And then how long are we doing this for before we start to notice some of the changes, some of the benefits and all these things?

KS: It again depends on the person and like what they're experiencing and like the severity of their symptoms, but something to pay attention to is like your bowel movements so you'll typically notice a difference in your bowel movements. Maybe within a week or so. And then that's just kind of the starting point of when things start to shift in terms of that balance within your gut and then you'll see like your energy levels start to change as well as things on the outside of your skin. So just paying attention to your gut is really like the first piece of the puzzle and then everything else kind of starts to fall away.

[26:11] VL: It's like it's so important. It's such an important part of our whole body ecosystem, this ecosystem. And often you hear people's will at least now start to become more mainstream. Your Guide is like your second brain. And some people argue that it's your first brain so it's pretty incredible. And again, just coming back to like making more of a practice of connecting to those things and noticing how you're feeling when you're feeling bloated. Just getting to know your body more. I think that's going to be a huge, huge help for anybody listening and just look at these like really amazing combinational tips. Are there any more pieces of these foundational parts that we need to know about?

KS: That’s all.

VL: Yeah, like those. I think this is like honestly the best starting point anywhere.

KS: Yeah.

VL: Yeah, this is so great and again, actual steps. I'll just kind of summarize them. So it's how we're eating and taking a few breaths before we eat. It's feeding the ecosystem and those little critters in our body need probiotics of fiber four to six servings of fruit and vegetables per day and then diversifying those foods and trying new vegetables, each having a diverse store of fruits and then eating the rainbow or needing different colors, mostly vibrant colors to really get those different nutrients. And to help us You said the prompt was to eat what's in season. I think that's a great idea because oftentimes that's what's the freshest. That's what's local, and it's also usually on sale. So there you go! Three bonuses.

Is there anything that hasn’t been said that you really want to make a point of?

[28:00] KS: with gut health and I think something that I like want to mention is even when I was at the start of my journey with gut health, like I did kind of what anyone else would do is you go on Google, you start searching maybe like I felt comfortable Instagram and just started kind of copying what they're doing. I think it really is important, like you said is to tune into your own party and to start to pick up on patterns and maybe even like writing them down.

I think that's really the best starting point instead of automatically like doing what other people are doing and comparing yourself. I think it's a really good practice just to come back to yourself and to other people out and about what they're doing and just notice how you feel first.

VL: Oh yeah. Actually, I say this all the time. When I teach Pilates. I say you know your body better than anyone else. Like when I teach a class. I know what muscles do, but I can't feel exactly what you're feeling. So if something doesn't feel good in your body, you need to communicate that to me. So that's kind of how I do it in physical fitness class. However, that really does apply to your nutrition as well. So I'm really glad that you made that point. You shared so much amazing information with us today. So many takeaways. If someone is listening and they want to work with you or find you or follow you, how can we do that? Where can we find you and how can we support your business as well.

KS: So I do run a private practice and right now I have a one on one program called NOURISH where we use functional testing actually to get to the bottom of what's going on within the gut and then creating a unique to you plan nutrition plan that's also manageable as well. so that's what I did kind of practice. and there's I also share lots of like free information on Instagram, that's kind of where I hang out. @nourish.with.kaarthika

RAPID FIRE ROUND

[30:28] VL: Okay my dear, we have one more segment to the show, which is the Rapid Fire Round, are you ready?

KS: I think so.

VL: What are you currently reading, or what is your favourite book?

KS: I’m currently reading this book called The Mind-Gut Connection actually. So there’s a lot of science on how the gut affects the brain and the brain affects the gut.

VL: This is so on brand for you.

KS: I know right?

VL: Question number two is what does empowerment mean to you?

KS: I think what empowerment means to me is like making your own decisions, and I think that goes with food as well. Like being able to make your own decisions for your own body. And I think that's really empowering because you know what makes you feel good and you know what, it doesn't make you feel good and that's kind of the driving force of like what you decide to eat and not eat and I think that's the answer.

VL: Question number three is what is your longest standing habit?

KS: I would say my longest standing habit is journaling first thing in the morning. That's kind of when I have a lot of just my mind goes crazy in the morning. So I love to just let that fall down on the first thing in the morning. So that I can go on with my day clearheaded.

VL: So I used to journal more than I do now, but I have recently 17 which was not that long ago. But do you ever look back on those and you're like, it's like embarrassing, but also endearing.

KS: Yeah, exactly. There will be times when I'm like, oh, exactly. Oh, that's really directions required to that. Oh, God, no, we need to.

VL: Okay, final question for today, which is what are you currently working toward?

KS: on I'm currently working toward bringing like this, this message to more people just about really like individualized health before to get people kind of understanding their bodies more I think I'm like really honored that this is something that I get to do and I'm working towards like bringing that especially after you've been through with your own health journey, and then being able to say like, yes, you can feel better. I feel better.

VL: That's so powerful. I'm so glad you came on the show today. And it's so great to chat about gut health.

Podcast Host

Valerie LaVigne

Valerie is the creator and founder of Valerie LaVigne Life and the Women's Empowerment Show. She helps busy and empowered women create healthy habits so that they can become the best version of themselves and transform their lives. Learn more about Valerie here!