Gut health is all about the balance of microorganisms that live in our digestive tract. Maintaining a healthy gut is vital for mental and physical health as well as immunity. There are trillions of bacteria, yeasts and viruses which are called the gut microbiome or gut flora. Most of these microbiomes are healthy and benefit us and some are even essential for us to live how we do. Others can be harmful, when they multiply, this is when you start feeling poorly. In this article, we will go through some simple ways in which you can improve your gut.
Take Probiotics & Eat Fermented Foods
As we discussed, we already have bacteria in our body which we need, to improve our health and boost this bacteria, people will often take a probiotic supplement. You can find these in most health stores or pharmacists as well as online. Research suggests that taking a probiotic tablet each day can help to support a healthy gut microbiome. It can also help to prevent gut inflammation which causes you to be bloated. There is an alternative that some may try, fermented foods. This is a natural source of probiotics and consuming these can help to improve your gut health.
These include:
- Kefir
- Kimchi
- Kombucha
- Miso
- Tempeh
Eat More Dark Chocolate & Foods With Polyphenols
This is going to be a favourite for some people. Who needs a reason to eat more chocolate? Dark chocolate is rich in fibre and plant-based molecules known as polyphenols. These go to your intestines where the microbes use them for energy. Foods rich in polyphenols have inflammatory properties as well as help to decrease blood pressure and cholesterol.
Other Foods Include:
- Red Grapes / Red Wine
- Almonds
- Onions
- Green Tea
- Blueberries
- Broccoli
- Cocoa
Exercise Regularly
Regular exercise is good for your mind and body, it really is the answer to most problems. It contributes to your heart health, weight loss, anxiety and much more. Research shows that improving your workout can improve your gut health. This can increase the species in the body which shows that athletes have a larger variety of gut flora than those who don’t exercise regularly.
Avoid Smoking
Smoking affects not just your lungs, but also your gut health and your heart as well as increase the risk of certain illnesses. A study was done about how smoking affects your gut and they found that those who smoke over a 6 year period had altered the flora in the body which increased the more harmful bacteria and decrease the healthy ones which show that if you stop smoking, you will be helping your gut health.
Eat A Vegetarian Diet
Those who eat meat have a considerably different microbiome than one who eats a vegetarian diet. A vegetarian diet can help to improve your gut health due to the high levels of prebiotic fibre that it contains. If you are struggling to fill your boots with lots of vegs, there are alternatives such as supplements that can help your flora in the body which will also help you feel much better.