Habits That Will Heal Your Gut Health
When it comes to your gut, know that it is one of the most important parts of your body in improving and maintaining your health. It is because it is responsible for getting you the nutrition in your body in order for your body to function. Without the right gut health, your body wouldn’t be able to get benefitted from the nutrition, which will affect you in a number of ways, including mental health and immunity, for starters. In this article, we will see how you can optimize your gut health for a healthy you inside out.
- Fruits and Vegetables
Consume considerable servings of fruits and vegetables in your daily routine. Start by consuming at least one plate of vegetable salad in any form you like and top it off with a healthy dressing such as Italian vinaigrette. Also, consume fruits in their whole forms instead of juice forms, so you get maximum dietary fiber. The reason is that the bacteria in your gut feed on dietary fiber and produce short-chain fatty acids in return, which help you in decreasing inflammation and chances of any pathogenicity. Also, fruits and vegetables are filled with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which protect you from a range of diseases, keep your mental and physical health on top and improve your performance overall.
- Add Fermented Foods to Your Routine
Fermented foods are one of the most friendly foods you can give to your gut on a daily basis. Miso, sauerkraut, kimchi, gherkin, and fermented foods of any culture are among the most widely consumed and popular across the world. Depending on availability, try getting a jar of fermented foods, as they are filled with healthy bacteria and short-chain fatty acids that provide optimum nutrition. If you want to save your vegetables, there is no better way than preserving them in vinegar, salt water, and oils. Get your tummy in the best state by consuming some amount of fermented foods in your routine.
- Take Warm Teas
Many studies now show that taking warm teas made of natural ingredients is the best for your health. Many people like to add ginger tea, cinnamon tea, lemon tea, honey tea, peppermint tea, coriander tea, and all kinds of other natural teas, such as flower teas, in their daily routine. This warm beverage not only soothes the gut but also provides a load of antioxidants called flavonoids that fight off any inflammation going in the gut and give you a healthy and happy gut. However, you need to first check what kind of tea will be suitable for your condition. If you have acidity, then don’t take peppermint or lemon tea; instead, opt for a more soothing combination, such as honey and cumin, to neutralize the acid in your stomach.
- Optimize Your Gut Bacteria
Your gut bacteria are one of the main drivers of your gut health. If you have a leaky gut, the intestinal wall of your gut will not provide an efficient barrier for your gut bacteria to thrive. So, you need to focus on every way through which your gut lining remains intact by avoiding sugary and refined foods. Also, take probiotic supplements upon your dietitian’s recommendation to really bring a difference. When you have more healthy microbiome in your gut, the unhealthy microbes will stay at bay, and your chances of getting bad gut symptoms, such as leaky gut, diarrhea, bloating, and IBS, etc. will be decreased substantially.
- Avoid Ultra-processed Foods
Ultra-processed foods are those that are made of already processed ingredients and have lots of chemicals in the form of additives, enhancers, and preservatives. Always check the labels of the processed foods you get. If the list sounds more like a pharmaceutical product than food, trust your instinct and let it sit on the grocery store’s shelf. These heavily processed foods cause inflammation and disturb the gut barrier. Also, these are not recommended for your gut microbiome. So, it is best to stay away from them as much as you can. These foods are not worth disturbing your health; no food is!
- Spend Time Outside
Your gut needs sun, air, earth, and water to be in its best state. Get all vitamin D and expose yourself to healthy microbes by spending some time outside. If you stay indoors sitting behind a desk or being in bed all day, you are going to disturb your gut to a big extent. Spend some time walking barefoot on the grass. Have your day started with some sunshine hitting your skin to get all vitamin D, as it is highly important for the functioning of your gut. Find a hobby that connects you to nature more, such as gardening, swimming, or just walking in a park. It will heal your stomach and bring you at ease, which is also great for your gut health. We’ll see how in the next point.
- Watch Your Stress Levels!
Believe it or not, stress is one of the biggest enemies for your gut health. It is because we have an enteric nervous system in our gut that directly connects with our mind. It is called the gut-brain-axis. If one thing is not in its balance, the other gets disturbed automatically. The frequent change of neurons and hormones between the brain and the gut changes the way how your gut health affects your mental health, and your mind affects your gut health. If you are stressed, it is obvious you are going to see many gut symptoms. So, take some time out to do meditation and exercise. Talk to people and socialize, and do anything that helps you remain calm and composed.
Final Words
As you can see, there are lots of healthy ways of living that will help you get a fantastic symptom-free, happy gut! However, most parts come down to your gut microbiome, as they are the primary driver of your gut health. Probiotics like MakTrek Probiotic come with 40 billion CFU, which helps in improving your gut colony, so you have a healthy and happy gut!