You no longer need to worry about purchasing the priciest probiotic supplements on the shelf to maintain a healthy gut. It is now as simple as making a few minor adjustments to your daily routine.
What is Gut Health and Why is it Important?
Gut health refers to both the balance and function of several parts of the gastrointestinal tract. In an ideal world, all the organs working together to help us digest such as the stomach, oesophagus and intestines all function together seamlessly to allow for digestion with no discomfort. This, however, is not commonly the case with a number of adults experiencing digestive issues.
It is important to pay attention to your gut health as all food we eat is broken down in the gut to a simple form so that it easily enters the bloodstream and the necessary nutrients can be delivered to the rest of the body. A healthy digestive system is vital for this to happen optimally. A healthy gut contains lots of healthy bacteria and immune cells that fight against infectious agents like viruses and fungi. A healthy gut also lets your brain know everything is going well through various nerves and hormones, helping maintain your general health and well-being.
We have put together 6 easy ways to help improve your gut health while increasing metabolism and decreasing inflammation.
- Whole foods are your best friend
Aside from the number of health benefits gained from incorporating fresh whole foods into your diet, they are one of the best ways to improve the bacteria in your gut. Foods such as oats, quinoa, and barley are just a few of the whole grains that aid in bulking up our intestines and help in moving things along for better digestion.
Consuming more whole grains into your daily diet has also been linked to increasing the types and quantity of bacteria in your gut. This is also the case for nuts, so filling your diet with pecans, walnuts, almonds and pistachios is a massive bonus.
Whole, fresh vegetables and fruits also massively serve as nutrition for the bacteria present in the gut!
- It starts in the teeth
Brushing your teeth on a regular basis is important for several reasons, one of which is ensuring that bacteria from your mouth doesn’t get into your stomach and cause any problems.
This is especially important if you are consuming foods with high sugar content as it has been shown that sugar can cause yeast to grow in your system, throwing off delicate gut balances. So get brushing and flossing at least twice a day to maintain a healthy gut!
- Fermented foods aren’t all that bad
Fermented foods may not be an obvious part of your daily diet, but they contain more good bacteria to improve your gut than several other foods. They contain a high level of lactobacilli bacteria, which is very beneficial for gut health. This bacteria is great for converting sugar to acids and alcohols, some of which are:
- Kimchi
- Tempeh
- Sauerkraut
- Kombucha
- Natural, plain yogurt with low sugar content
- Eat more chocolate!
Yes, you heard right, eating more chocolate, specifically dark chocolate, can significantly improve gut health! This is because it is rich in fibre and contains plant-based molecules known as polyphenols which travel into your intestines where microbes use them for fuel. Foods that have high polyphenols content, such as dark chocolate, contain anti-inflammatory properties, which in turn help in decreasing blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Here is a list of other foods that are rich in polyphenols, helping to improve gut health:
- Green tea
- Blueberries
- Almonds
- Onions
- Red grapes
- Cacao
- Broccoli
- Get those spices blended in
A little extra ginger, garlic or turmeric never hurt anyone. In fact, blending in these spices, and other delicious favourites, help get rid of harmful bacteria in your gut. They are also beneficial for the good bacteria contained in the gut too!
If you would like to learn more about the lifestyle and dietary changes you can make to help improve your gut health, then get in touch with us today for a free consultation!
