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Gut health refers to the health of the digestive tract, or intestines, which help the body digest and absorb nutrients from food to fuel your body. But your digestive tract has a lot to do. It also plays an important role in maintaining mental and physical health. This is why you want your gut to thrive and flourish. Most doctors believe that gut health is critical to overall health, especially in terms of disease prevention.
It is estimated that 80% of diseases can be linked to an imbalance of gut bacteria – a condition called dysbiosis. When the gut is out of balance, the wrong types of bacteria multiply and crowd out the beneficial species. The result is inflammation, which can affect other parts of the body. That’s not what you want. Let’s look at some ways to heal and keep your gut healthy.
Identify food sensitivities
Many people have special feelings about food. However, food sensitivities are different from food allergies. A food allergy is caused by an overactive immune response to a specific protein in food and is usually inherited. Food sensitivities are caused by an intolerance to a food due to a lack of enzymes in your body. For example, lactose intolerance can cause digestive problems when consuming dairy products. It is caused by low levels of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose in dairy products.
To improve digestive health, identify foods that trigger symptoms and eliminate them from your diet. You can do this by keeping a food diary. Write down everything you eat and how you feel after each meal and look for patterns. Do certain foods cause indigestion, brain fog, fatigue, anxiety, or other symptoms? Note that. Another approach is to do an elimination diet. It’s where you cut out all the foods that trigger your symptoms and add them back in one at a time to see if each one triggers your symptoms.
Note that certain foods are more likely to trigger symptoms. For example, sugar alcohols are common culprits. These sweeteners in some sugar-free candies, drinks, and other products are poorly digested and can cause gas, bloating, and cramping. It usually ends in -ol, for example, maltitol, xylitol, erythritol, mannitol and sorbitol.
Add more fermented foods to your diet
Bready foods like kimchi and sauerkraut are rich sources of probiotic microorganisms that help maintain a healthy balance in your gut. Cornmeals have been around for thousands of years, and have been used for food and medicine throughout history and are still enjoyed by people today. You can buy these foods or prepare fermented foods at home to create a healthy gut balance. Examples of bread foods include:
- Sauerkraut (Sauerkraut)
- Kimchi (spicy pickled vegetables)
- Kefir (a yogurt-like drink made from milk)
- Tempeh (cooked soybeans)
- Miso (soybean paste used in soups and stews)
- Yogurt
- Boiled vegetables
Even a few spoonfuls of fermented foods every day can help restore intestinal balance.
Use more prebiotic foods
The term “prebiotics” refers to a food that contains indigestible fiber that promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria in your gut. These bacteria help maintain gut health and regulate your immune system in your gut. Prebiotics are foods that contain fiber and encourage the growth of good bacteria in your gut, such as plants, fruits and vegetables. Research shows that prebiotics can help improve gut health.
Prebiotics help promote the growth of healthy bacteria that are critical to maintaining good digestive health. Not all foods are created equal when it comes to probiotic activity – some are better than others. Here is a list of some great resources:
- banana
- Oatmeal
- White garlic
- Onions
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
If you have irritable bowel syndrome, be careful about adding prebiotic foods to your diet. (IBS) Some studies show that prebiotics may worsen symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In one study, researchers found that participants who took prebiotics for 3 weeks experienced an increase in abdominal pain and inflammation compared to those who did not take anything during that period.
Find better ways to manage stress
Stress is a natural part of life, but that doesn’t mean you have to let it rule your life (or your gut).
When you feel stressed, your body releases cortisol and other hormones that trigger inflammation and damage the lining of the gut and the gut microbiome. The American Heart Association estimates depression is one in seven deaths in America! Try the following tips to manage stress and reduce your risk of heart disease and other health problems.
- Get enough sleep – this is important because lack of sleep increases cortisol levels in the body.
- Exercise regularly – Exercise releases endorphins into the brain and improves mood.
- Meditation: You can meditate anywhere (even while walking).
- Write in a gratitude journal
- Talk about what’s bothering you—If something is bothering you, talk to someone close to you (or a stranger). Sometimes just talking the problem out loud can help you feel better!
Stress affects all areas of functioning and also disturbs the intestines. Make sure you have a way of managing that works for you.
Check your medications
Sometimes, medications are necessary to manage your health. However, they can also disrupt your gut ecosystem.
Antibiotics kill the bad and good bacteria in the gut, which can affect how much nutrients you absorb from food. This can lead to malnutrition and overall poor health. In addition, some drugs can cause constipation or diarrhea, which affects health and well-being.
One study found that more than 1,000 drugs disrupt the gut microbiome. These include statins (used to treat high cholesterol), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and proton pump inhibitors (used to treat high blood pressure).[{” attribute=””>acid reflux), and others.
If you’re concerned about the effect of your medications on your overall health and gut health, discuss these concerns with your doctor or pharmacist.
The Bottom Line
Gut health is an important factor in overall well-being and happiness. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to improve your gut health through diet and lifestyle changes. However, if digestive symptoms persist, see your healthcare provider.
References:
“Effects of Common Medication on Gut Health – Global Gut Health Check.” globalguthealthcheck.pantheryx.com/medications-gut-health/.
“The gut microbiota shapes intestinal immune responses during health and disease” by June L. Round and Sarkis K. Mazmanian, May 2009, Nature Reviews Immunology.
DOI: 10.1038/nri2515
“Prebiotics in irritable bowel syndrome and other functional bowel disorders in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials” by Bridgette Wilson, Megan Rossi, Eirini Dimidi and Kevin Whelan, 4 April 2019, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqy376
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