Gut health
The gut or the gastrointestinal tract is a
group of organs that includes the esophagus, mouth, stomach, small intestine,
large intestine and rectum. There are many factors that lead to damage to gut
health like not eating a diverse range of foods or eating too much junk food, lack
of Prebiotics in the diet, drinking too much alcohol, excess use of
antibiotics, lack of regular physical activity, smoking, not getting enough
sleep and stress.
Signs of
unhealthy gut
Signs that indicate that you might have an unhealthy gut are as follows-
1. Upset stomach
Frequent feelings of discomfort, gas,
bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and heartburn indicate that your gut is finding it hard to digest food and eliminate the waste from your body.
2. Fatigue
You feel tired and exhausted to do
your daily work. Studies have found that people with chronic fatigue may
have gut-related problems leading to slow assimilation of food. Lack of
nutrients in the body due to poor gut health often results in feeling weak and
tired.
3. Sleeping trouble
You may face trouble sleeping
generally. An unhealthy gut can cause insomnia or poor sleep which leads
to mental and physical fatigue. The majority of your serotonin hormone, which
affects mood and sleep, is produced in the gut. So, when there is a problem in the
gut, you may face problems sleeping as well.
4. Food intolerance
You can become intolerant to some
foods. Food intolerance is caused by the poor quality of bacteria in the gut.
Food intolerance may make you struggle to digest certain foods leafy
vegetables, milk, eggs etc. This may lead to bloating, gas, diarrhea, nausea,
and abdominal pain.
5. Food craving
You may find yourself craving food
items, especially sugar. Eating too much sugar can cause too many bad
bacteria in the gut. High amounts of sugar are often linked to inflammation in
the body and put you at risk of other gut problems like ulcers.
6. Weight gain/loss
You may face unexpected weight gain or
loss. When your gut is unhealthy your body may find it hard to absorb
nutrients, store fat and regulate blood sugar. Weight gain or loss may be
caused by bacteria overgrowth or lack of nutrients in the body.
7. Skin problems
Often people have unhealthy gut face
skin irritations. Some skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis
may be related to gut issues.
8. Migraine
There can be a link between your
frequent headaches and your gut health. You may feel migraine-like symptoms.
Sometimes you may also experience nausea or vomiting with migraines. Studies
suggest that people having migraines or frequent headaches might be having
gastrointestinal disorders too.
9. Autoimmune issues
You can have autoimmune problems if
your gut health becomes extremely serious. Some bad gut bacteria may
trigger autoimmune conditions like thyroid issues, rheumatoid arthritis,
multiple sclerosis, and type 1 diabetes.
10. Frequent mood changes
A person's stomach or intestinal distress can be the cause or
the product of anxiety, stress, or depression. In fact, there is a deep gut-brain
axis and hormones secreted in the gut and neurotransmitters set messages to the brain
when there is distress. Various gut problems like inflammation can lead to mood
swings, anxiety and other mental health issues.
How to make your
gut healthy?
Probiotics
Add probiotics to your
diet. Probiotics promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut. You
can take these in vitamin form or, preferably, from natural sources like yogurt.
Eating a plant-based diet that
includes fermented foods and fiber from colorful fruits and vegetables, having
healthy sleep habits and managing stress levels are other ways to support
a healthy gut. If you want to adopt a healthier lifestyle, start easy with
small diet changes and build from there.
Eat a diverse
range of foods
Your food must include different kinds of eatables to keep your gut healthy. You need to keep in mind that you need to eat different types of food and bring variety to your everyday menu to keep your gut healthy.
- Eat lots of vegetables, legumes, beans, and fruits as they are full of fibers that are good for gut health.
- Try eating fermented foods like yogurt, raw cheese, pickles and kombucha.
- Eat prebiotic foods like garlic, onions, bananas, apples and flaxseed.
- Whole grains and a plant-based diet consisting of leafy vegetables can help you improve your gut health.
- Foods rich in polyphenols are beneficial if you have gut inflammation, so you can liberally eat food items like broccoli, carrots, spinach, lettuce, onion, strawberries and raspberries.
Eat food that
repairs the Gut
You need to take self-care steps to
improve your gut health. It will take at least 3-4 weeks to heal your gut. To
improve as well as repair gut lining you can include food items like pineapple,
onion, apple cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, yogurt, almond and olive oil.
Limit processed and sugary foods
Processed foods taste good but usually contain
ingredients that could be harmful if consumed in excess. These ingredients are
saturated fats, added sugar, and salt. These kinds of foods also contain less
dietary fiber and fewer vitamins than whole foods.
It is better to avoid processed
junk foods, alcohol, sugary beverages, refined oils, and artificial sweeteners as
this may aid the growth of healthy gut bacteria. Cutting out foods containing
gluten or common stimulants of digestive symptoms may also help. Instead, get
nutrients from plant-based foods and lean proteins. A diet high in fiber can
promote a healthy gut.
Eat slowly
If you chew your food for a longer duration, it will break down more, which will help your stomach to digest it easily. In fact, when you eat your food slowly, you give your brain a signal that your stomach has started doing its work of digestion.
So, taking time to chew food and eating slowly will
satisfy your appetite and improve the efficiency of your gut. So, chew thoroughly
and eat slowly to fully digest your food and help your body absorb all its
nutrients.
Eliminate food
intolerance
The three most common food intolerances are lactose, a
sugar found in milk, casein, a protein found in milk, and gluten, a protein
found in grains such as wheat, rye, and barley.
If these or certain other foods are troubling
you and always cause cramping, nausea, or acid reflux, you may have a food
intolerance. Try an elimination diet to find out your trigger foods, then
remove them from your diet completely.
An elimination diet is actually an eating plan that removes
a particular food or group of foods that is causing food intolerance and then reintroduces them during
a “challenge” period,
Drink water
Staying well-hydrated improves your body’s overall health. In
fact, drinking water during or after a meal helps in digestion. Water is
vital for good health. Water and other drinks help break down food so that your
body can absorb the nutrients. Water also makes stool softer, which helps
prevent constipation.
One 2022 study also found that people who drank more water
had less of a type of bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal infections.
Exercise
regularly
Moving your body improves the healthy
microbes in your body, keeps your bowel movements regular, and prevents disease
while improving your overall health. Walking is one of the best
all-around exercises for good health and improving digestion. Cycling is one of
the most efficient techniques to speed up digestion in your body.
Get enough sleep
Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each
night. Better sleep helps to
balance your hormones and prevent situations that can negatively impact
your digestive health, like stress or eating too close to bedtime. You need to
follow proper sleep hygiene and relax your mind to get quality sleep.
Reduce stress
Some studies show that people who
have early life stress are more likely to develop gut-related problems. Finding
ways to manage your stress can help manage your gut.
Meditation along with deep breathing techniques may help you lower gut inflammation. Learning to
manage stress can help reduce or relieve symptoms
of gastrointestinal diseases and disorders and increase your quality of life.
Avoid or quit
smoking
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Smoking can harm your digestive system
in many ways. Smokers get heartburn, peptic ulcers, liver
disease and cancer more often than nonsmokers. Smoking makes those conditions
harder to treat. It also increases the risk of gallstones. If
you smoke, try to quit. Try counseling or therapies for help if you need
it.
Limit Your
Alcohol Intake
Drinking too much may negatively
affect your gut microbes. Repeated alcohol use is linked to
gastritis, an irritation of the gut in which it becomes inflamed. Such
inflammation can lead to heartburn, chronic discomfort, ulcers and bacterial
infections.
Talk to your doctor
It is better to understand that there’s no better person than
the doctor to talk about gut health. Tell your doctor about your symptoms, problems
you are facing, recent changes, and health goals.
A healthy gut means you have a stronger immune system, a better mood, effective digestion that’s free of discomfort and a healthy brain and heart. Gut health affects different aspects of our well-being, from our mood to our immunity. So, it is extremely important to care for your gut and keep it healthy.
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