Gut Health
Women’s gut health is vital self care.
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What Women Need To Know About Gut Health
Overview
How should you feel when your gut is healthy? While the specifics can vary from person to person, some clear indicators of optimal gut health exist. You should feel comfortable after meals, experience regular bowel movements, and avoid excessive bloating or gas. Ideally, you won’t notice systemic issues like skin breakouts, brain fog, mood swings, or frequent illnesses, as these can signal an imbalance in your gut.
In today’s fast-paced world, maintaining gut health is becoming increasingly difficult. The term “exposome” refers to the countless environmental exposures we encounter daily, which can significantly impact gut health.
Factors such as ultra-processed foods, preservatives, antibiotics, plastics, and “forever chemicals” disrupt our microbiomes. Women often bear the responsibility of planning meals and shopping for their families, making it even more challenging to navigate grocery aisles, where over 70% of products are ultra-processed and detrimental to gut health. We know that women eating the traditional “Western diet” can develop abnormal gut permeability (e.g., substances pass through the gut barrier), which proceeds the onset of inflammation in the bowel [10]!
Defining women’s gut health in simple terms is tough, as it encompasses much more than just digestion. On a microscopic level, it involves balanced gut microbes, a robust mucin layer, tight junction integrity in the gut lining, and microbial diversity. On a broader scale, gut health directly impacts glucose metabolism, gut motility, subclinical inflammation, and nutrient absorption. Ultimately, gut health reflects how you feel every day.
When symptoms arise, dietary changes are often the first line of defense. However, well-intentioned restrictive or elimination diets can backfire, reducing microbial diversity or introducing additives from processed “hypoallergenic” foods. For women, vitamin deficiencies and insufficiencies are common during critical life stages such as menstruation, pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeeding. Additionally, the intricate link between gut and hormonal health makes women vulnerable. For example, metabolic syndrome affects one in three Americans, and its effects—such as abdominal weight gain, PCOS, acne, and infertility—disproportionately impact women.
Women’s Gut Health Disruptors
This is a women-centric list of gut health disruptors. This list does not encompass all the causes of gut health disruptors or represent the differential diagnosis of any disease.
- Additives
- Antibiotics
- Artificial sweeteners
- Color dyes
- Emulsifiers
- Forever chemicals in cookware, food, toilet paper
- Hormones
- Infections
- Medications
- Pesticides
- Plastics
- Preservatives
- Sleep problems
- Stress
- Sugar
- Sugar alcohols
- Ultra-processed foods
- Western diet
Poor Gut Health Signs & Symptoms
- Abdominal discomfort
- Aches and pains
- Bloating [LINK to APB Concern]
- Brain Fog
- Constipation [LINK to Constipation]
- Diarrhea [LINK to Diarrhea]
- Evacuation issues
- Excessive flatulence (we all have flatulence)
- Food intolerance or food reactions
- Inflammation
- Irregular bowel movements
- Low energy
- Metabolic syndrome
- Moodiness
- Skin issues
- The urgency to use the bathroom
- Vitamin deficiencies [LINK to Vitamin Shop]
- Weight issues
GutsyRx Treatments For Gut Health
What is GutsyRx? GutsyRx is a dedicated gut and rectal health marketplace for women, offering integrative wellness products and personalized compounded prescriptions tailored to your unique gut challenges. Whether you prefer self-directed guidance as a guest or choose to join our membership, we provide support for your gut health using the latest research and clean, effective products. Membership consultations include personalized lifestyle-oriented protocols, optimization of medications, supplements, vitamins, and a gut restoration program. Every GutsyRx product is thoughtfully crafted, free from allergens, dyes, preservatives, and irritating FODMAPs, ensuring a gentle yet powerful approach to improving your well-being. Start your journey to better gut health with GutsyRx today!
14 Sources
GutsyRx is committed to providing high-quality, reliable information to support women facing gut and rectal health challenges. Our content is curated and reviewed by women doctors to ensure it is accurate, trustworthy, and relevant. We strive to be a dependable resource, empowering women with the knowledge they need for better gut and rectal health.
1.Koliada A, Moseiko V, Romanenko M, et al. Sex differences in the phylum‐level human gut microbiota composition. BMC Microbiology. 2021/04/30 2021;21(1):131. doi:10.1186/s12866-021-02198-y
2.Dao MC, Everard A, Aron-Wisnewsky J, et al. <em>Akkermansia muciniphila</em> and improved metabolic health during a dietary intervention in obesity: relationship with gut microbiome richness and ecology. Gut. 2016;65(3):426-436. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2014-308778
3.Schoonakker MP, van Peet PG, van den Burg EL, et al. Impact of dietary carbohydrate, fat or protein restriction on the human gut microbiome: a systematic review. Nutr Res Rev. Apr 11 2024:1-18. doi:10.1017/S0954422424000131
4.Depommier C, Everard A, Druart C, et al. Supplementation with Akkermansia muciniphila in overweight and obese human volunteers: a proof-of-concept exploratory study. Nat Med. Jul 2019;25(7):1096-1103. doi:10.1038/s41591-019-0495-2
5.Henning SM, Summanen PH, Lee RP, et al. Pomegranate ellagitannins stimulate the growth of Akkermansia muciniphila in vivo. Anaerobe. Feb 2017;43:56-60. doi:10.1016/j.anaerobe.2016.12.003
6.Nabeh OA. New insights on the impact of gut microbiota on premenstrual disorders. Will probiotics solve this mystery? Life Sci. May 15 2023;321:121606. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121606
7.Jiang Y, Greenwood-Van Meerveld B, Johnson AC, Travagli RA. Role of estrogen and stress on the brain-gut axis. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. Aug 1 2019;317(2):G203-G209. doi:10.1152/ajpgi.00144.2019
8.Chen MN, Lin CC, Liu CF. Efficacy of phytoestrogens for menopausal symptoms: a meta-analysis and systematic review. Climacteric. Apr 2015;18(2):260-9. doi:10.3109/13697137.2014.966241
9.Guo Y, Qi Y, Yang X, et al. Association between Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Gut Microbiota. PLoS One. 2016;11(4):e0153196. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0153196
10.Adolph TE, Zhang J. Diet fuelling inflammatory bowel diseases: preclinical and clinical concepts. Gut. 2022;71(12):2574-2586. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2021-326575
11.Zhang L, Wu X, Yang R, et al. Effects of Berberine on the Gastrointestinal Microbiota. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2020;10:588517. doi:10.3389/fcimb.2020.588517
12.Costantini L, Molinari R, Farinon B, Merendino N. Impact of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on the Gut Microbiota. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2017;18(12):2645.
13.Impellizzeri D, Cordaro M, Campolo M, et al. Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Effects of Flavonoid-Rich Fraction of Bergamot Juice (BJe) in a Mouse Model of Intestinal Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury. Front Pharmacol. 2016;7:203. doi:10.3389/fphar.2016.00203
14.Farré R, Fiorani M, Abdu Rahiman S, Matteoli G. Intestinal Permeability, Inflammation and the Role of Nutrients. Nutrients. 2020;12(4):1185.
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Hey Lady, GutsyRx Is Made For You
65% of US women experience at least one gut or rectal issue a week.
Almario, C.V., et al., Burden of Gastrointestinal Symptoms in the United States: Results of a Nationally Representative Survey of Over 71,000 Americans. Am J Gastroenterol, 2018. 113(11): p. 1701-1710.
40% of Americans’ daily lives are disrupted due to gut issues.
Almario, C.V., et al., Burden of Gastrointestinal Symptoms in the United States: Results of a Nationally Representative Survey of Over 71,000 Americans. Am J Gastroenterol, 2018. 113(11): p. 1701-1710.
Many women’s concerns are dismissed by doctors when seeking care, which could explain why 2 in 5 women delay seeking care until their symptoms are urgent.
MDVIP, New Study Finds Alarming Gaps in Women’s Health Knowledge and Healthcare Experiences. 2021, MDVIP Women’s Health Survey.
Women patients are less likely to die when treated by women doctors.
Harris, E., Patients Treated by Female Physicians Had Better Mortality Rates. JAMA, 2024. 331(22): p. 1884.
Women doctors are better doctors!
Harris, E., Patients Treated by Female Physicians Had Better Mortality Rates. JAMA, 2024. 331(22): p. 1884.
Female patients prefer female gastroenterology doctors.
Harris, E., Patients Treated by Female Physicians Had Better Mortality Rates. JAMA, 2024. 331(22): p. 1884.
People would rather discuss politics with a relative or reveal their weight than discuss gut symptoms—even with their doctor!
AGA, Trust Your Gut survey. New survey finds forty percent of Americans’ daily lives are disrupted by digestive troubles. 2022.
Women’s rectal symptoms are often left untreated and overlooked.
Cross, M., Shame Buster. Marcia Cross De-stimatizes Anal Cancer., in American College of Gastroenterology Magazine. 2023.
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GutsyRx
- Consultations with an integrative lifestyle approach
- 24/7 Gastroenterologist access through portal text
- Compounded clean prescription to your doorstep
- Woman-to-woman medical conversations
- Consideration of your preferences and lifestyle (hi there, mamas)
- Complements conventional medical support
Traditional
- No gaslighting or minimizing
- No unnecessary prescriptions with unnecessary side effects
- Goodbye commute
- No more phone tree nightmare
- See ya FORCED appointments
- Bye-bye, medical establishment barriers
Meet Your Lady GI MD
Hi, I’m Dr. Emily Ward. I’m a board-certified gastroenterologist with 20+ years of professional experience and 30 + years of personal gut and rectal challenges. I am a mom of 2 kids with food allergies and a working mother navigating the everyday work-mom-life spectrum. With GutsyRx, I’m here to make sure you feel heard, seen, and cared for.
Meet Dr. Emily