The Power Of Gratitude for Gut Health
Gratitude is one of the most powerful medicines we can give ourselves, both body and soul. In recent decades new research has emerged on how the mind can heal the body or create dis-ease in the body, that we find gratitude as a daily practice can bring health back to our lives.
Gratitude is found in the Bible, in traditional spiritual practices and many other places. I began to focus on gratitude more myself, after reading the book ‘The Secret’ where the universal law of attraction is discussed. The idea suggests that if you give gratitude you will have more gratitude to give. This begins with being grateful to wake up each day and even for a warm shower.
Gratitude may not come easily in every season of life. I am especially reminded with the last garden harvest of the season and frosty morning, that I have many things to be grateful for in my life. I encourage you to make a list of 100 things you are grateful for in your life, from the smallest things like a morning coffee or hot water to larger things in your life. This is an exercise I do with my VIP health coaching clients when we start working to repair their gut health. This simple exercise can be done in a single sitting or over the course of 1 week. The results are transformative for my clients. I have seen that when they focus on gratitude for things in life, their bodies begin to respond with improved digestion, hormone balance and eventually healing the body.
Forbes recently published an article stating that gratitude had physical health benefits. An excerpt from them here, “Numerous studies have examined the relationship between gratitude and physical health markers such as cardiovascular health, stress and inflammation, pain perception, and sleep. One study found that keeping a gratitude journal improved diastolic blood pressure. Another study found that focusing on things to be grateful about before bed each night increased pre-sleep calmness. Yet another study found that people who kept a gratitude journal for 14 days reported fewer headaches, clearer skin, less stomach pain, and reduced congestion.”
In my own health journey from overcoming infertility, to recovering from a ruptured colon and resection, I used gratitude to bring increased healing. I would say prayers of gratitude, write 3 things I was grateful for each day in my journal, express gratitude to others each day and feel gratitude in my body through my heart chakra.
This season GF Mom Certified had the wonderful experience to partner with allergy friendly brands and donate gluten free items to our local food pantry. I am extremely grateful to Jovial Pasta, Sandhill Coffee and Wilde Chips for their generous donation to our community.
In the spirit of reflection and gratitude, here are 3 questions to journal about as we welcome Thanksgiving and the winter season.
- What are you grateful you have received this year?
- What is no longer serving your life? Send gratitude to each item and release them with love.
- What do you want to amplify in the coming season? Write these in past tense as if they have come true and you are truly grateful. Feel free to read this list each day and express gratitude out loud.
Forbes article link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/traversmark/2020/11/27/expressing-gratitude-has-physical-health-benefits-as-well-as-emotional-benefits/?sh=53de135b2559
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