Your gut is a crucial part of your body and has the power toaffect your entire health. You can improve your gut by making positive changes like adding more fiber to your diet, exercising and getting plenty of sleep. But if you're feeling overwhelmed, it may be hard to know where to start.
Maintaining a Healthy Gut
Your digestive system is home to trillions of bacteria thatwork to keep you healthy and thriving. Despite its importance, our gut is not often given the spotlight it deserves. In fact, we can negatively impact the quality of our gut by simply eating bad foods and habits.
It's important to eat whole foods and avoid ultra-processed,high-calorie foods. These can contain refined sugars, salt, and other ingredients that harm your digestive system.
Limit your intake of caffeine and alcohol, both of which areknown to disrupt your digestive process. Exercising, getting enough sleep, and consuming drink that heals the gut can also help to maintain your gut health.
Including fermented foods and drinks in your diet, such askombucha and kimchi, can help to restore the balance of bacteria in your gut. Other probiotic-rich sources include non-dairy yoghurt and Greek kefir.
Eating a variety of whole foods is key to maintaining ahealthy gut, says Megan Rossi, founder of The Gut Health Doctor. This includes fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and seeds. Polyphenol-rich foods, such as
berries, pears, plums, cherries and beans are especially helpful for maintaining the health of your gut microbiome.
Aim to get 25 grams of fiber each day, which is essentialfor a healthy gut. Foods rich in fiber, such as berries, asparagus and jicama, are particularly beneficial to your digestive system because they promote the growth of good bacteria.
Consume foods high in prebiotics, such as asparagus, garlic,onions and bananas, which can help to boost the amount of helpful bacteria in your gut. But, be careful if you're not used to these foods as they may cause gas and bloating.
Make sure you're getting enough water to stay hydrated andlubricate the digestive tract. Eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day is recommended.
Reduce your consumption of red meat, which can encourage thegrowth of harmful gut bacteria. This particular bacteria can clog your arteries, which is not only uncomfortable but can increase the risk of
cardiovascular disease.
Consider eliminating processed foods, which can containnitrates and other chemicals that harm your gut. This is especially the case if you have a chronic health condition, such as high blood pressure or heart
disease.
Try to limit the use of antibiotics, which can damage yourgood gut bacteria. Antibiotics can also have a negative impact on your immune system, lowering your defenses and putting you at risk for infection.
If you have a specific health issue or symptom that'snegatively affecting your gut, talk with your doctor about testing and treatment options. But don't let a health professional convince you to take expensive supplements or pills that can be a waste of money, as they may only provide short-term relief from your symptoms.
