A healthy gut is paramount for overall health. Your gut, the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, contains trillions of bacteria which can affect how your food is digested and even influence your immune system and mental health. Called the gut flora or microbiome, these microorganisms are a huge part of our system and critical to keeping it in balance. But a healthy gut can do the important work of absorbing nutrients and battling bad bacteria. On the other hand, an unhealthy gut can contribute to a wide variety of issues — from bloating and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) to mental problems, deteriorating your immune system and even leading up to chronic— or even life-threatening— diseases.
Being focused on your gut health means incorporating and changing eating, living, and mental well-being habits that promote better digestion due to the development of good bacteria. Scroll down for 10 real, everyday tips to have your best gut health.
1. Eat More Fiber-Rich Foods
Dietary fiber is critical for good gut health because it serves as food that the healthy bacteria in your gut can feed on. Fiber can help you keep your digestive tract on the move and prevent constipation leading to gut-related problems. Soluble and insoluble fiber: Eat these dietary fibers — found in foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes — to help you feel full longer after eating.
Insoluble fibers, such as the kind found in whole grains and veggies, do more than aid digestion–they can also reduce inflammation and help control how much of a certain type of bacteria grows in your gut, finds recent research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. You should have at least 25-30 grams of fiber every day to help your gut bacteria.
2. Add Probiotics to Your Diet
Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health. Prebiotics are specific natural dietary fibers for beneficial bacteria that the flora can metabolize, and they also promote balance in the gut flora – vital to help intestinal conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or when one is taking antibiotics and facing antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Fermented foods — Yogurt, Kefir, Sauerkraut, Kimchi, Miso, and Kombucha are examples of foods high in probiotics.
According to a study published in Frontiers in Microbiology, taking probiotics as part of your daily nutrition can be beneficial for gut health and digestion. There are also probiotic supplements, but whenever possible, aim to get these live bacteria from food sources.
3. Consume Prebiotics
Prebiotics are food for these beneficial bacteria while the probiotics introduce healthy bacteria into your system. Prebiotics are indigestible fibers in foods like bananas, onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, and oats. They then travel through your digestive system and into the colon, where they get fermented by your gut bacteria.
Research published in Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology)indicates that prebiotic compounds can be used to support the functions of beneficial microorganisms, mechanisms likely mediated by enhanced metabolic/biosynthetic activities and improved gut health. When you pair Prebiotics with Probiotics, it creates the perfect environment for your gut microbiome to thrive.
4. Stay Hydrated
Digestion and absorption of nutrients require water. It can help your digestive system work better, which helps you empty waste from the intestines. Dehydration may result in slower digestion and either constipation or discomfort from digestive issues.
The Institute of Medicine suggests that men should get at least 104 ounces (13 cups) of water daily, while women ultimately get a minimum of 72 ounces (9 cups), but in truth, these numbers are just averages. Some days might be more or less depending on your activity level and the climate you live. In addition to water, other ways to enjoy water include eating water-filled foods like cucumbers, watermelon, and oranges.
5. Limit Processed Foods
Processed foods, especially those high in sugar and unhealthy fats can be detrimental to gut health. These foods disturb the levels of good and bad bacteria in your gut, creating inflammation and making you prone to digestive disorders. 23 Specifically, a diet high in refined sugars and artificial ingredients can lead to the over-proliferation of unhealthy bacteria.
Whole food diets are associated with a richer, healthier gut microbiome; having therefore more beneficial bacteria that constitute a diverse! It also means avoiding snacks full of processed and fast foods for good digestive health.
6. Avoid Antibiotic Overuse
Antibiotics are important in the treatment of bacterial infection; however, they can affect your gut microbiome negatively since they tend to kill good and bad bacteria. Given that the gut houses 70% of the entire immune system, imbalances in gut bacteria can lead to common digestive challenges such as diarrhea. Regular use of antibiotics has been associated with a higher risk of chronic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and fatness.
Research out of Cell Reports suggested that even though antibiotics clear the harmful bacteria, it can take months for your gut health diversity to recover — not to mention, that some of that good stuff might never return. Antibiotics should be taken only as prescribed by an HP and the full course should always be completed otherwise problems like the above can occur.
7. Get Enough Sleep
How your sleep impacts your gut health? This in turn can negatively affect the gut microbiome as well as increase inflammation, which may disrupt digestion and create poor conditions for overall health. Sleep deprivation has also been associated with a greater likelihood of getting ailments such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gassiness, and constipation.
Sleeping regularly can help maintain the diversity and balance of gut health bacteria according to a PLOS One publication. Shoot for 7-9 hours of high-quality sleep each night to promote a healthier gut and soon thereafter, well-being.
8. Manage Stress
Stress can be particularly devastating for your gut. Your gut-brain connection, also called the gut-brain axis is going to come into play in terms of how stress impacts your digestion. Digestive disorders such as constipation, diarrhea, and bloating are also common responses to stress. But it is also a cause of symptoms in IBS and other digestive disorders.
Meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises are great mindfulness practices that allow you to respond to stress by going for your gut rather than kicking it in the teeth. A 2017 study written up in Neurogastroenterology & Motility found that stress may exacerbate Secundarium symptoms and practicing some relaxation methods can also help keep your gut healthy.
9. Exercise Regularly
Just like physical activity is good for your heart and your muscles, it is good for the bacteria that live inside of you too. Help keep your gut microbiome in balance by exercising, which can better control the amounts of good bacteria and bad bacteria you have. It can also reduce stress and help you stay trim since those are other significant keys to gut health.
A Gut Microbes study discovered that the gut microbiomes of sedentary people were significantly less diverse than in regular exercisers. To improve your gut health and all over fitness be sure to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week.
10. Chew Your Food Properly
The method of chewing your food thoroughly is one habit for gut health we often overlook. Digestion also starts in the mouth, and if you chew properly your food can be much better digested in your stomach due to being partly processed already. Chewing also stimulates the production of saliva, which contains enzymes to help digestion.
Harvard Health explains that chewing your food slowly can help lower your risk of digestive issues such as gas, bloating, and indigestion. Mindful eating helps our bodies digest food properly and will keep us from overeating.
Conclusion
Therefore, several dietary changes and more advanced lifestyle habits can reduce such influence on transforming our gut into a state with better health. Including a substantial amount of fiber-rich foods, probiotics, prebiotics, and water in your diet contributes to having a healthy gut microbiome. In addition, minimizing stress, exercising regularly, and getting adequate sleep are also essential elements for a healthy gut and overall health. Applying these tips can help you with digestion and gut health, immunity, and long-term health of the gut.