7 ways to improve your gut heatlh

Gut health has been at the forefront of most people’s talks when it comes to nutrition and health. And for good reason. We are still learning more about the gut every day but we have learned that a healthy gut can heal and improve so many other parts of the body.

Most talk about the gut and use the term “leaky gut” For a refresher, leaky gut is an umbrella term for dysbiosis in your gut. This means your gut lining is not properly aligned and not functioning properly. Your gut is not absorbing all of the nutrients you are putting into it and it's letting other bacteria and pathogens go in places they shouldn't be. In shorter words, your gut is not running at max efficiency.

Ways to improve your gut health

1. Eat high fiber foods

   1. Fiber is crucial for your gut health. There is a lot of research going back and forth on the importance of fiber. One thing has been proven for many years, eating high-fiber foods produces more butyrate in your stomach. This chemical is the key component for a healthy digestive system and helps keep your immune system properly running.

2. Eat Probiotic-rich foods

   1. Along with fiber, probiotic foods are crucial to the health of your gut. Probiotics are bacteria that your gut uses for various functions. When your gut has a healthy mix of different bacteria in it, it's good for the gut. The more bacteria your gut has, the higher the chance that you can correct any imbalance you might have which will only help your gut run more efficiently.

3. Make one change at a time

   1. As with any health goal, people try making too many changes at one time. Doing this doesn't allow you to recognize what change actually worked. For your gut, you can start with higher fiber foods OR a probiotic supplement. Starting with just one will allow you to know what works and doesn't work. Once you know that one thing works, you can add more in if you need to.

4. Get proper sleep and hydration

   1. This goes without saying but getting your body to wake up and go to sleep at the same is crucial for your gut. When you get a lack of sleep, there is a much higher chance that your gut will react negatively and lead to stomach issues.

5. Try an elimination diet to see if anything causes issues

   1. If you are a person who has chronic stomach issues an elimination diet is for you. Normally we don't love a named diet, but for this instance, its worth trying. This is exactly what it sounds like, you eliminate a food to see how your body reacts to it. This is not an excuse to eliminate carbs or a whole food group but instead, a good way to know if your body can handle certain foods. For example, some people might get upset stomachs from eating a lunch meat sandwich.. This might cause them to stop eating bread to see if the bread was the issue, if it was great we found the cause. If not, then you know its either the cheese or the meat.

6. Manage stress as much as possible

   1. Stress has a very negative effect on the gut. It can lead to stomach ache, indigestion, lack of hunger or even help start anxiety issues. Your gut and brain are connected through part of the autonomic nervous system. They talk to each other constantly about more than just their hunger levels. Recent research has proven that anxiety can lead to gastrointestinal issues.

7. Exercise regularly

   1. Exercise has been proven to increase the microbiota of your gut. Multiple studies have proven this. This exercise does not have to be strenuous or anything crazy but a consistent 30 minutes 3-4 times a week will have compounding effects. Not only does exercise improve gut health but it also improves cardiovascular health and many other things in the body.

Relevant links

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Don’t forget to call your mom

-Mike

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