To improve gut health is not a matter of just one action, it combines a lot of aspects of taking care of our body. Only with the overall improvement of the body can gut health be improved. Some of us will require medications while others can just add a few fruits and vegetables to our diet and improve gut health.
What is Gut?
It is the tube of the digestive system. It starts from the mouth and continues to the anus. To Improve gut health includes all the aspects of health because the gut includes all the major organs of our body. The gut is also known as the digestive or gastrointestinal tract.
Bad Gut
Bad Gut is a situation when the digestive tract of our body is infected or is not performing properly. A bad gut can be very harmful to the overall health balance of our body. In this situation, the gut is infected by bad kinds of bacteria. These unwanted bacteria are linked to cholesterol, heart diseases, kidney diseases, and brain health which includes mental health
Gut Microbiome
The gut contains certain bacteria that help our body to digest food. These bacteria are responsible for the overall health of our body. So, in order to improve gut health, an adequate quantity of these bacteria has to be maintained. These bacteria are called the gut microbiome. The main function of the gut microbiome is to help the body to digest food and help the body absorb all the nutrients. Chia Seeds are one best way to produce good gut microbiome.
Probiotics
These are those good bacteria that have got benefits and improve gut health when consumed. They will maintain the level of bacteria to the required level and keep everything in balance. The probiotics can be found in vegetables that are fermented, sprouted seeds, and onions.
Prebiotics
While the probiotics are themselves good bacteria, the prebiotics is the food items that improve the growth of the microbiome and thus are responsible to improve gut health.
Signs of Unhealthy Gut
Reduced levels of Microbiome, and irregular and bad eating habits are the reasons why the following signs may show up
Skin Irritation
As the lower level of the microbiome affects the immune system of the body, therefore the skin diseases like psoriasis may be connected to bad gut health.
Insomnia
With bad gut movement comes a disturbance in sleep and even insomnia. This further leads to an increase in stress and fatigue. For good Sleep Hygiene practices, read our short and crisp article. Do you know Pumpkin Seeds also help to counter insomnia as well.
Reduced or increased weight
If you have lost or gained a considerable amount of weight then it is a warning sign. More so if the change in weight is without a change in diet or exercise. This is due to the reduction of the good microbiome in the gut. This affects the ability of digestive system to juice and absorb nutrients. While weight gain may be caused due to excessive fat storage by the body, weight loss may be caused by the reduced no microbiomes which are not absorbing enough nutrients. This less absorption is called malabsorption.
Disturbances in the Stomach
This is due to an unhealthy gut and the symptoms may further include bloating, diarrhea, and stomach burn.
Ways to Improve Gut Health
Just with a certain lifestyle and dietary changes overall gut health may be improved. The overall aim to improve gut health must be to increase the amount of good intestinal bacteria. Less quantity of which may lead to bad guts. So the ways to improve gut health can be:
Drink Lots of Water
Drinking an adequate amount of water directly affects the diversity and quantity of bacteria in the gut. According to a recent study conducted in 2022, people who drink lots of water had fewer chances of gastrointestinal infections.
Use Prebiotics or Probiotics
Including the intake of these supplements may help to improve gut health. As brought out earlier prebiotics are the food that helps the microbiomes to grow. And probiotics are the living good types of bacteria. These supplements should however be taken after consultation with a doctor. In any case, there are a lot of prebiotics and probiotics available online.
Healthy Eating Habits.
There are a whole lot of eating habits that can be beneficial to improve gut health. These include:
- Slow Eating
- Not having water immediately after having food.
- not having too spicy or too oily food.
- Chewing the food properly before swallowing.
Have Adequate Sleep
It is usually advisable to have 6-7 hours of sleep every 24-hour cycle. Adequate sleep helps to improve gut health. Not having adequate sleep usually leads to a bad gut and then further to increased stress levels. If you face difficulty while sleeping then you may like to consult your doctor.
Reduce Stress
Gut microbiomes and mental health are often interlinked with each other. The increased levels of stress are hard on the whole body and on gut also. Lowered levels of stress often helps to improve gut health. Some of the methods can be
- Yoga
- No Alcohol
- Having a pet
- Meditation
- Time with friends and family.
These are some of the ways to improve gut health. It is needless to say that better gut and better health.
FAQs
Question 1. How to improve digestive system naturally?
Answer. To improve the digestive system, have lots of vegetables in your diet, plant-based diets, fruits, and above all these things manage stress levels.
Question 2. What exactly is gut health?
Answer. It is the healthy digestive system having adequate levels of microbiomes and immune cells. It is a condition in which the body is able to absorb the maximum of the nutrients from the food.
Question 3. What is the food for gut health?
Answer. To improve gut health, include high-fiber food like almonds, legumes, vegetables, and nuts in your diet. Garlic and fermented food should also be included.
Question 4. What causes poor gut health?
Answer. Bad eating habits, poor lifestyle, reduced sleep, alcoholism, and lethargy are some of the reasons for poor gut health. Removing these factors will definitely improve gut health.
Question 5. Does fasting affect gut health?
Answer. The overall purpose of fasting is to relax the ever-running digestive system. So fasting can prove to be one of the ways to improve gut health.
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