20 Ways to Improve Your Gut Health

Table of Content

• Why is Gut Health Important?

• 20 Ways to Improve Gut Health

• What are Diseases Related to The Gut?

• Take Home Points

• FAQs on Gut Health

Introduction

You might be not clear why gut health is said to be essential. Believe it or not your gut microbiota is the foundation for your healthy being.

Your gut includes your stomach, intestine and colon. It absorbs nutrients from food. The bacteria in your gut are directly linked with your body’s immunity, mental health, sleep and digestion. Hence it is essential to improve your gut health.

Why is Gut Health Important?

Gut microbiome plays an essential role in human health, as it influences the development of chronic diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, colorectal cancer and many more.

More than 200 varieties of bacteria make the gastrointestinal health, known as gut microbiome, helps in digestion and nutrient absorption. Hence your diet is what determines the gut microbiome and entire health.

Your metabolism is dependent on your gut microbes, which is a direct link with risk of obesity and metabolic syndromes. A healthy host-microbe balance must be maintained for healthy immune function. If your gut is not healthy, your metabolism, sleep, nutrient distribution, immunity, etc is disturbed completely.

20 Ways to Improve Gut Health

Now you know the importance of gut health, you also need to know the proper ways to improve your gut health.

The gut microbe is a changing ecosystem with trillions of bacteria continuously shaped by various factors like lifestyle, diet, diseased state, etc.

1. Manage your carbs consumption

There are 2 types of carbs digestible and indigestible that contribute to the microbiome. Digestible carbs as glucose, fructose, and galactose are rapidly released into the bloodstream.

Dietary fiber is indigestible food that remains in the gut for a long time and gives the feeling of fullness.

2. Increase Prebiotics intake

These are basically non-digestible food ingredients that benefit through selective metabolism.

Foods like garlic, onion, chicory root, banana, barley, oats, apples, etc are good sources of prebiotics.

3. Balance the protein intake

The effect of protein on gut composition varies with the type of protein. The animal-based protein that is red meat and dairy products increases bile tolerance if consumed in large quantities.

The plant-based protein as pea protein increases gut health. Soy protein is the best plant-based protein for gut health.

4. Eat healthy fats

The PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) found in sunflower, soybean, corn oil, nuts and seeds. These are called essential fatty acids that the human body can’t synthesize.

Therefore, the PUFA and its subdivision omega-3-fatty acid need to be included in your diet.

5. Avoid high salt intake

WHO has recommended a maximum of salt intake of 5g/day. High salt diet is a major risk factor for hypertension, kidney injury and heart diseases. A high salt diet can increase the risk of gastric cancer.

6. Avoid artificial sweeteners:

As per the studies artificial sweeteners could alter the microbiota and lead to many adverse effects, such as glucose intolerance.

Therefore, try to avoid all types of artificial sweeteners and switch to natural sweeteners.

7. Avoid artificial emulsifier

Dietary emulsifiers such as lecithin, triglycerides can promote the gut inflammation, alter the microbiota composition. Hence reduce the emulsified food intake.

8. Eat more Micronutrient

Micronutrients play an important role in regulating energy metabolism, immune function, etc.

Other vitamins such as carotenoids, which are responsible for the color of food and vegetables influence gut health. One important key element that influences gut health is notable.

9. Eat foods with polyphenols

Food with abundant polyphenols like fruits, tea, seeds, vegetables, cereals, and coffee gives immense benefits to gut health.

Phenolic compounds have the ability to extract prebiotic activity. It also stimulates pathogenic bacterial growth.

10. Opt for a gluten-free diet if you are a celiac patient

People with celiac disease find difficulties with diet and gut health. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease. Therefore, a gluten-free diet is recognized as a potential cure for the celiac patient.

11. Reduce sugar intake in your diet

The point to be noted here is that in a short time sugar intake does not trigger inflammatory responses in the gut. Rather high sugar intake markedly leads to erosion of the colonic mucus layer.

12. Avoid antibiotics during pregnancy and lactation

As per the studies antibiotics taken during pregnancy potentially alter the microbiota which affects the infant’s developing gut health.

It is also linked with an increased risk of asthma and allergies to the infant. It can also alter your immune system.

13. Stop alcohol for the good gut

Higher intake of alcohol leads to disturbance in the gut microbiota balance. This develops alcoholic liver diseases, gastrointestinal inflammation, etc.

14. Avoid fast food:

Overeating fast food could potentially affect your gut health. It leads to stomach cramps, indigestion, fatigue, headache and also fluttering anxiety. Hence always opt for healthy food.

15. Follow a healthy lifestyle:

The impact of lifestyle on gut health is largely ignored. Lack of exercise significantly impacts the gut, as they are a major risk factor for heart disease.  

Give at least 20 minutes of your day for exercise and feel the change.

16. Smoking leads to significant changes in gut health

Smoking is anyways advised to avoid, specifically with gut health it changes the gut microbiota competition along with the degradation of the lungs.

Airborne toxic particles reach the gut and change the permeability, increasing the risk of inflammatory bowel disease.

17. Don’t be stressed out, it influences your gut health

Stress has a major impact on the gut bacteria, the circulatory system carries the distress signals to the gut.

Major depressive disorders have shown a direct impact on the gut. It increases the gut permeability which leads to a leaky gut leading to inflammation.

18. Eat more fermented food

Eating fermented food improves the bacterial colony. Foods like yogurt, kimchi, kefir, dosa, chaos, dhokla, etc. Many fermented foods are rich sources of lactobacilli which improve the gut.

19. Have a good sleep cycle

Changing your life cycle will not only affect your brain functioning but also your gut health.

It leads to indigestion and acidity problems.

A good sleep schedule is having 7 hours of sleep per day.

20. Stay hydrated:

Drinking plenty of water is linked with the diversity of bacteria. It helps with detoxification and prevents constipation.

What are Diseases Related to The Gut?

The diseases related to the gut range from mild to moderate severity.

This includes-

Cancer

Irritable bowel syndrome

Lactose intolerance

Gallstone

Hemorrhoids

Celiac disease

Crohn’s disease

Ulcerative colitis

Malabsorption

Gastrointestinal reflex disease

Peptic ulcer

Hiatal hernia and many more to mention.

All these diseases are the result of disturbed gut bacteria, digestion problems, and disturbed sleep patterns. Another major factor that affects your gut is your diet which is directly linked with your brain.

To prevent all these diseases and have a healthy gut you must have a balanced lifestyle. Eat healthy and fresh food. Avoid alcohol, fast food and fried food.

Take Home Points

1.  Your gut health is what determines your entire health status.

2.  All the gut health problems are linked with change in your gut microbiota hence gut microbiota is the essential factor in the gut health.

3.  Maintain a healthy lifestyle and follow it consistently, you will see the change.

4.  Smoking has huge impact on the gut health. Do not take risk with your health, avoid smoking at all costs.

5.  Stay hydrated it helps to detox and cleans your gut naturally, while promoting the growth of good bacteria.