Gut health is a trending topic online these days. From food hacks, expensive supplements, and unnecessary elimination diets, it can be hard to know what you should do to improve your gut health. It’s time to get away from gut health hacks that don’t work. If you truly want to improve your digestive health, you should follow evidence based guidelines.
We compiled the data on the best practices to improve your gut health below!
Why is gut health important?
There is a lot of research that still needs to be done on the gut microbiome. One thing is for certain: our gut impacts most of the important functions in the body:
- Immune System: Many studies done on mice suggest that diet plays a role in our immune system due its impacts on the gut microbiome.
- Mental Health: Did you know 95% of serotonin (our happy hormone) is produced in the gut? There is something called the gut brain axis that allows your gut to impact your brain and vice versa. This is why a poor diet is associated with poor mental health. This also why we may feel queasy when anxious or stressed.
- Cardiovascular Disease: Recent data suggests that certain types of bacteria in the gut are associated with high blood pressure, heart disease, and low levels of “good” cholesterol.
- Cancer: There is research to suggest that your gut microbiome can either help promote or inhibit cancer growth. It might even play a role in the success of cancer treatments such as immunotherapy.
How to improve your gut health
It is important to remember that gut health is complex. Something that works for you may not work for someone else. These tips are good for the general population. If you have a diagnosed digestive disease, it is best to work directly with your own healthcare team.
Eat More Fiber
Bet you saw this one coming! This is one of the simplest, yet surest ways to improve your gut health. Fiber is a type of complex carbohydrate that cannot be digested. It gets fermented by your gut bacteria. When you stop eating fiber, it can change your gut microbiome which as we mentioned before can negatively impact your health. Fiber will also make you more regular, lower cholesterol, and control blood sugar levels.
Here are some of the best sources of fiber:
- Oats and other grains like quinoa
- Apples, bananas, and pears
- Berries
- Sweet potatoes and white potatoes
- Cruciferous veggies: broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts
- Peas and lentils
- Beans: kidney beans, chickpeas, black beans
Diversify Your Diet
A healthy gut is dependent on a rich gut microbiome. That is why eliminating food groups from your diet can be so detrimental to our health. Here are some tips to increase your diet diversity:
- Commit to getting one new food each week at the grocery
- Try a new recipe once a week
- Use different herbs and spices in your dishes
- Start making smoothies with different fruits, veggies, and seeds
- Branch out from the typical protein, carb, veggie plate method to dishes like stews, soups, and salads where you can pack in lots of different foods
Eat Probiotics
Probiotics are live microorganisms that add to your good gut bacteria. Eating probiotics regularly helps prevent and treat imbalances in your gut microbiome. Here are some good sources of probiotics:
- Yogurt and kefir
- Cottage cheese
- Miso
- Kombucha
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Pickles
- Tempeh
Limit Ultraprocessed Foods
Ultra processed foods tend to be higher in added sugar and saturated fat. This can decrease the good bacteria in our gut that benefits our health. Does this mean that we should never eat these foods? Nope! It is important to be realistic when it comes to these kinds of foods. If you love a good oreo every once in a while, you should enjoy one. It is just important to be mindful when you do eat them and make sure you are getting the nutrients your body needs at other times during the day. There are also lots of brands we LOVE that are lower in added sugar and saturated fat and have better ingredients:
Bonus Tip: Get Good Sleep
Your gut impacts your sleep and vice versa via the gut brain axis. Getting poor sleep can have negative effects on your gut microbiome. Gut imbalances may also negatively affect the quality of your sleep. Focus on getting a solid 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Check out our blog for more tips for getting the best night’s sleep.
We hope this guide debunked some gut health myths and gave you the tools you need to start making positive changes in your life to improve your gut. If you want to learn more about gut health, email us at beryl@bkomplete.com to learn more about our Decoding Digestive Health Webinar.