How’s your gut health? If you suffer from bloating after meals, indigestion, or have mental or physical health issues, the answer may be “not so good.” But it’s more than a comfort issue; there’s growing evidence that some health issues, particularly autoimmune conditions, may originate in the gut. Fortunately, you can do a lot from a lifestyle standpoint to enhance the health of your gut.
How can you keep your gut healthy? Good gut health starts with a healthy, balanced gut ecosystem. The gut microbiome is a term that describes the sum of all the microbial organisms in the human gut and the genetic material contained within those tiny organisms. This microbial ecosystem is essential for good health and may even play a role in mental well-being because of close communication between the brain and gut.
Many factors affect gut microbiome composition, including age, body weight, whether you’re taking medications, and even whether have pets or close contact with animals. As you might expect, the composition of your gut microbiome is tied to your diet and lifestyle. Since gut bacteria feed on what you eat, it’s not surprising that what and how you eat plays a role in your gut ecosystem. It’s also amazing how fast your gut microbiome can change when you alter your lifestyle.
According to Healthline.com, the 100 trillion bacteria in your gut can shift within 2 to 4 days of changing how you eat. Talk about immediate gratification! Your gut is a dynamic system that’s quite responsive to outside influences.
What are some lifestyle habits you can put into practice to support the health of your gut microbiome?
Add More Prebiotic Foods to Your Diet
Prebiotics is a fermentable fiber that bacteria digest. Upon munching on these foods, bacteria produce factors that promote a healthy gut microbiome. So, prebiotics is food for friendly gut bacteria. Examples of prebiotic-rich food include garlic, unripe bananas, artichokes, and onions. However, you can boost your body’s prebiotic status by simply eating more fiber-rich, plant-based foods. So, enjoy a variety, including raw fruit, nuts, seeds, beans, and lentils.
Cut Alcohol Out of Your Diet
You should also decrease or eliminate alcohol consumption because alcohol can have adverse effects on gut health, according to several studies. Studies show that people who drink excessive amounts of alcohol experience changes to their gut microbiome that may lead to inflammation and other unhealthy effects. Switch alcohol for water! Hydration is important, but water and sugar-free coffee and tea are healthier choices.
Chuck the Artificial Sweeteners
People who are obese or have an elevated blood sugar level sometimes turn to artificial sweeteners to get the taste of sweet without the calories and without raising their blood sugar. However, artificial sweeteners may not be healthy for your gut microbiome. Studies suggest that non-calorie sweeteners may disrupt healthy blood sugar control, just as caloric sweeteners can, and the way they may do this is by changing the gut microbiome. So, cut back on all types of sweeteners, even calorie-free ones.
Enjoy More Probiotic-Rich Foods
Enjoy a rich array of probiotic-rich foods. These are foods that contain friendly microbes that colonize the gut and alter gut microbial composition in a way that promotes health. Examples of probiotic-rich foods include kimchi, yogurt, and kombucha. However, you can also enhance your microbiome by eating a variety of fermented vegetables. The ones you’re probably most familiar with are fresh sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) and spicier Kimchi. Yet, you can buy or make other fermented vegetables. In fact, almost any hard vegetable can be fermented to create gut-friendly bacteria.
Avoid Fast Food and Processed Foods
Modern diets are rich in processed foods that contain an overabundance of sugar and artificial ingredients. The most common ultra-processed foods are also high in salt, sugar and low in fiber, an important dietary component for a healthy gut microbiome. However, research suggests that food additives in ultra-processed foods may change the gut microbiome in a way that triggers gut inflammation.
Watch Your Stress Levels
Stress can alter your gut microbiome too, and stress has been linked to obesity through gut inflammation. So, it’s important to practice stress-reduction techniques such as yoga and massage. When you’re “stressed out,” it boosts stress hormones and can increase gut inflammation and make the lining of the gut more permeable. These changes can also alter the composition of the gut microbiome in a way that triggers inflammation.
Get More Exercise
Being physically active can improve gut health by improving your mood and overall wellness, which in turn enhances your body’s ability to absorb nutrients from the food you eat.
The gut microbiome plays an important role in human health and its influence extends beyond digestion. The type of bacteria you have in your gut affects nutrient absorption, immune health, and possibly brain health and body weight. There’s so much that is still unknown about the gut microbiome and how it affects health and well-being. However, taking these steps can improve your gut health and foster a healthier gut microbiome if you’re consistent with them.
References:
- HealthLine.com. “The 3-Day Fix to Resetting Your Gut for Good”
- Nutrients. 2019 Oct; 11(10): 2287.Published online 2019 Sep 24. doi: 10.3390/nu11102287.
- “Gut Microbiome: What We Do and Don’t Know.” pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26449893/.
- “The gut microbiome – Nature Research.” 29 Jan. 2020, nature.com/articles/d41586-020-00194-2.
- “Gut Microbiome | American Gastroenterological Association.” gastro.org/research-and-awards/gut-microbiome/.
- “Effect of Diet on the Gut Microbiota: Rethinking ….” .ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31766592/.
- Engen PA, Green SJ, Voigt RM, Forsyth CB, Keshavarzian A. The Gastrointestinal Microbiome: Alcohol Effects on the Composition of Intestinal Microbiota. Alcohol Res. 2015;37(2):223-36. PMID: 26695747; PMCID: PMC4590619.
- “Non-caloric artificial sweeteners and the microbiome ….” .ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25831243/.
- Engen PA, Green SJ, Voigt RM, Forsyth CB, Keshavarzian A. The Gastrointestinal Microbiome: Alcohol Effects on the Composition of Intestinal Microbiota. Alcohol Res. 2015;37(2):223-36. PMID: 26695747; PMCID: PMC4590619.
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