Guide for gut health: Tips for a healthier and happier gut
Do you know what your gut is? It’s the place where all of the nutrients go before they are absorbed by your body. Your gut actually makes up about 70% of your immune system so it is essential for keeping your body balanced! It has a hand in many important functions of the body, so it’s critical to keep it healthy. The good news is that there are many things you can do to keep it healthy and happy.
To start, it’s important to understand why gut health is so integral for the body. The first reason is that most of your immune system is located in your gut! So when you have a happy and healthy gut, chances are you will be less sick throughout the year. Another reason it’s super important to keep your tummy healthy as it absorbs all of the nutrients you eat before they can be sent off to do their jobs around the rest of your body. The last reason why keeping a happy and healthy tummy is so important, but definitely not least, is because if you have poor gut health it can cause some serious health issues including autoimmune diseases.
Ok, now that we know why gut health is so important let’s talk about what you can do to keep your tummy healthy and happy!
There are hundreds of species of bacteria in your intestines, each with a specific role to play. Eating whole foods is the best way for you to ensure that they will get what’s needed to thrive and grow stronger. A healthy microbiome contributes numerous health benefits including improved immune function, decreased inflammation due to its anti-inflammatory properties, weight management etc., which can boost overall wellbeing too.
They contain high amounts of fiber, which certain bacteria in your gut can digest to stimulate their growth. Beans and legumes also have very high levels of fiber as well as other important vitamins that help feed good bacteria colonies as much as possible.
We all know that sleep is important for our physical and mental health. However, did you also realize it’s not just how much we get but the quality of sleep? Many people who suffer from digestive issues like bloating or constipation report getting less than 7-8 hours per night. All these factors come together and leave us feeling sluggish during the day while making it difficult to fall asleep at night simultaneously! Try your best to prioritize getting a full 8 hours every single night in order to avoid this.
A prebiotic or probiotic supplement added to your diet could be a great way to improve gut health. Prebiotics provide food for the good bacteria in our guts while live bacterias, called probiotics, can help out too if you have bacterial overgrowth such as SIBO. Not all supplement brands are created equally nor do they offer similar quality when compared against one another; therefore, consulting your healthcare professional before making a choice would prove most helpful.
A healthy gut has been linked to a proper diet. Processed food is high in sugar and fat, which can negatively impact our microbiome as well as how we feel after eating it. A plant-based diet with lean protein sources such as nuts or legumes have the benefits of fiber that help us digest foods more easily while also promoting good bacteria growth within our stomachs.
Drinking lots of water could be really beneficial to your gut. Drinking enough fluids helps out the lining inside our intestines, and it also keeps a healthy balance between good bacteria in there too!
Gut health has many positive effects on your immune system, heart-health, brain function and improved mood. You can make lifestyle changes to positively affect gut health which will then impact other areas of the body like digestion and sleep quality.