Ways to Improve Gut Health
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The gut is the gastrointestinal (GI) system or digestive tract. It digests food, absorbs nutrients and water, and expels waste as faeces. It also hosts bacteria known as the gut microbiome, which play an important role in digestion and overall health.
The condition of your gut can influence a wide range of aspects, including your body weight, emotional state, and the effectiveness of your immune defences.
Here are some of the ways to improve your gut health.
Improving your gut health
Eat a wide range of foods
Consuming a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds ensures an intake of multiple vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that support gut health. A diverse diet helps nurture a more varied gut microbiome, which is strongly linked to better digestion. Aim to eat at least 30 different types of plant-based foods weekly to promote microbiome diversity.
Limit ultra-processed foods
Foods that are heavily processed often contain added sugars, unhealthy fats, salt, and artificial additives that can negatively affect the gut bacteria and digestion. Minimally processed foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and unflavoured dairy maintain more nutritional value and are preferred to support a healthy gut environment.
Drink plenty of water
Hydration is essential for digestion, as water helps break down food so nutrients can be absorbed efficiently. It also softens stools to prevent constipation and may support a diverse bacterial community in the gut. Drinking sufficient water daily is a simple and effective step to better gut health.
Eat fermented goods
Fermented foods like yoghurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, and tempeh contain live beneficial bacteria that can support better gut health. Despite the need for further research, the probiotic content of these foods has demonstrated positive effects on gut bacteria and digestion.
Manage stress
Chronic stress negatively impacts gut health by slowing digestion, causing inflammation, and disrupting the balance of gut bacteria. Techniques such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing, exercise, and spending time in nature can help reduce stress and can be a good way to improve gut health.
Signs of poor gut health
Poor gut health can manifest in several ways, including digestive discomfort such as frequent gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, and heartburn. These symptoms indicate that the gut may be struggling to process food and eliminate waste effectively.
Unintentional weight changes, either gain or loss, can also signal an imbalanced gut, as it affects nutrient absorption, blood sugar regulation, and fat storage.
Mental health issues, including mood swings, anxiety, and depression, have also been linked to gut health due to the gut-brain connection.
If you are experiencing gut health issues, seek help from a healthcare professional.
