The saying goes, “You are what you eat”, and as soon as your gut feels out of sorts, you don’t quite feel yourself. To remain in equilibrium, you must ensure your gut remains healthy. But how do you identify the issues, and what can be done to help improve your gut health? Here are four ways to help!
Understand your Microbiome: what is it?
Your small and large intestines are home to trillions of microbial cells, which form your microbiome. Your microbiome is what helps your body to function properly by enabling your body to:
- Protect against infections
- Make vitamins
- Manage your metabolism
How does inflammation affect your gut health?
This may surprise you, but scientists estimate that 70% of a person’s immune system lives in their gut microbiome. This means that 70% of your body’s ability to protect itself from pathogens, illness, and bacteria all comes from your gut. As you can imagine if the gut is compromised, so could your immune system.
When our immune system detects that there is an “invader” in the gut, it kicks into action, developing the necessary defence to do away with it. When this response happens too often, it can cause inflammation in the gut, which can cause inflammation.
What are the symptoms of gut inflammation?
Gut inflammation can reveal itself in many ways. Often associated with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, gut inflammation can have the following symptoms:
- Pain in the abdominal area
- Cramping
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Blood in the stool
- Loss of appetite
Four ways to naturally improve your gut health and reduce inflammation?
Thankfully, there are several ways in which you can improve gut health through exercise, stress management, and a healthy diet comprised of protein, healthy fat, and healthy carbohydrates from fruits, grains and vegetables. Here are some methods that you can use to improve your gut health:
1. Eat probiotic food
One of the major benefits of eating probiotic foods is that they have live bacteria in them. Thus, when you eat them, you’re essentially stocking your gut with microorganisms that support it. Here are a list of probiotic foods that you may want to introduce into your diet:
- Fermented pickles
- Kimchi
- Kombucha
- Apple cider vinegar
- Yogurt and kefir
If you can, try your best to stay away from sugar, as it’s known to impair healthy bacteria from working well in your gut. Alternatively, some probiotic supplements can also help support your gut health. A simple yet effective meal alternative is plain Greek yogurt with no sugar. To offset the lack of sweetness, mixing some tasty berries can be a tasty solution.
2. Practice stress management
Stress can also have a significant impact on your gut too. Usually, when you experience high-stress levels for extended periods, it can result in your gut operating poorly. The vagus nerve, our body’s longest nerve, runs from the gut to the brain. In certain studies, research has shown that having high-stress levels can have a similar effect on the vagus nerve as if you had lots of toxins in your environment. The result is that your gut struggles to function as it should.
The solution here takes discipline and consistency. Practising stress management techniques like meditation, deep breathing, mindfulness, or simply getting a good nights sleep can be a helpful solution to getting rid of stress.
3. Stay active
In addition to relaxing and getting enough sleep, staying active can also be a great way to relieve stress and can be beneficial to your gut health and weight management. Moderate exercising like walking, swimming, or jogging can all have a positive effect on the microbiome in your gut.
4. Add prebiotic food to feed your gut microbiome
Lastly, it’s also important to add some prebiotic foods to your diet that actively feed your gut microbiome. This usually includes foods that are high in prebiotic fibre, for example:
- Chia seeds
- Flax
- Legumes
- Whole grains like oats
- Vegetables like garlic, onions, asparagus, or artichokes
Remember, we always need to try to do things in moderation. So, don’t suddenly consume an excessive amount of garlic and onions. Trust us, the people around you won’t be pleased. You need to include these foods in a balanced diet, along with other essential nutrients.
Who can you go to for help?
Going to a nutritionist is one of the best ways to help you take the right steps to healing your gut and reducing inflammation. The Shift Clinic is a Brisbane-based naturopath clinic that can help you on your journey to improving and optimising your gut health by focusing on holistic nutrition and using other treatments like hypnotherapy and acupuncture. Why not start today?
Final Thoughts
Never underestimate how your gut can affect your quality of life. If you are struggling with digestive and other health issues and need to restore balance to your gut’s microbiome, then go for a consultation with a naturopath like those at The Shift Clinic.
