Your gut affects your overall health. Links have been found between gut health and mental health, gastrointestinal disorders, cardiovascular disease, endocrine conditions, autoimmune diseases, and even cancer. Poor gut health may also manifest as upset stomach, fatigue, skin conditions, food intolerances, and other health issues. To have a healthy gut, it needs to have a high diversity of gut bacteria that are properly nourished. Keep reading to find out how to improve gut health with these simple tips:
1. Eat Probiotic-Rich Foods
If you want to know how to improve gut health, one of the easiest things you can do is eat probiotic-rich foods. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that add diversity to your gut microbiome. Examples of probiotic-rich foods include yogurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, apple cider vinegar, pickles, and other fermented foods. You can also try taking probiotic supplements to support your gut health.
2. Add Prebiotic Foods to Your Diet
Prebiotic fiber feeds and nourishes the good bacteria in your gut, allowing them to flourish. Adding prebiotic-rich foods to your diet is a great way to improve gut health so the probiotics you consume can thrive. Some examples of prebiotic-rich foods include onions, bananas, oats, apples, flaxseeds, avocados, seaweed, asparagus, and barley. Make sure you eat a variety of other types of fiber as well, as this can help keep things moving and improve gastrointestinal symptoms.
3. Stay Active
It’s no secret that exercise is good for you. What you may not know is that it’s also great for your gut. One of the best tips on how to improve gut health is to stay physically active. Research suggests that exercise is linked to a more diverse, healthier gut microbiome. Exercise also increases butyrate, a fatty acid produced by bacteria that helps cells in the colon grow, divide, and stay healthy. Higher levels of butyrate are associated with reduced inflammation, less severe inflammatory bowel disease, lower risk of colon cancer, and improved immune health.
4. Manage Stress
Stress can affect a number of areas of your health, including your gut health. Chronic high levels of stress hormones have been shown to contribute to a poorly functioning gut. A great tip on how to improve gut health is to find healthy ways to lower your stress levels. Some techniques to manage stress that you may find helpful include meditation, deep breathing, massage, exercise, artistic hobbies, and spending time with a pet.
5. Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water may help increase the diversity of bacteria in your gut, leading to better gut health. Additionally, a study performed in 2022 found that people who drank more water had less of a bacteria that contributes to gastrointestinal infections. Hydration can also prevent constipation and keep things moving regularly to promote a healthy gut.
6. Sleep
Not getting enough quality sleep can have a serious impact on your health, including the health of your gut. If you want to know how to improve gut health, try prioritizing quality sleep. It’s recommended for adults to get seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. If you struggle to fall or stay asleep, try sticking to a sleep schedule, avoiding alcohol and caffeine close to bedtime, keeping your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet, and turning off screens an hour before bed.
These are some of the simplest, most effective tips on how to improve gut health. If you have any questions about lifestyle changes, diet, or supplements for your gut, please reach out to Midtown Express Pharmacy today and our pharmacy team will be happy to help!
