Featured Article: 7 Ways to Manage Gut Health

Gut health is essential for our bodies to function properly. If we don’t control what goes in and out, it can lead to uncomfortable symptoms like bloating and digestive upset that disrupt our daily life. Fortunately, there are ways you can alter your diet and lifestyle habits to maintain your gut health.

Here’s how you can do it:

Eat Foods Rich In Probiotics

One of the most effective ways to achieve good gut health is to consume probiotics-rich foods. Probiotics are living microorganisms, such as bacteria and yeasts, found naturally in certain foods. Eating probiotic-rich foods can support a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut, which is essential for healthy digestion and absorption of nutrients. Studies have suggested probiotics can help prevent inflammation and other intestinal diseases ^[1].

Some probiotic-rich foods that can help to manage your gut health include Greek yogurt, kefir, tempeh, miso, sauerkraut, kimchi, natto, and pickles. Many of these foods are also fermented, which means they contain beneficial compounds such as lactic acid and acetic acid that can help to support a healthy digestive system. If you are unable to acquire enough probiotics from your diet, you can always turn to supplements for optimal results. Rucir’s probiotics offer you a one stop solution for all your body’s probiotics need.

Reduce Stress

Stress is something we all experience, and it can greatly impact our gut health. Chronic stress can lead to upset stomach, constipation, nausea, cramps, and more. Furthermore, stress can disrupt the microorganisms in your intestines ^[2].

The good news is that there are many ways to help manage your stress levels to protect your gut health. Here are some tips:

1. Make time for relaxation: Relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises can help to reduce stress. Try to make time for a few minutes of relaxation each day.
2. Get regular exercise: Exercise can boost mood and reduce tension in the body, which helps the gut to function more optimally. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise at least three times a week.
3. Get enough sleep: Aim for seven to nine hours every night to help reduce stress hormones.

Avoid Taking Antibiotics Unnecessarily

Antibiotics should be used as a last resort when managing your gut health. Antibiotics can have long-term effects on the balance of bacteria in your intestines and can lead to digestive issues such as diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea ^[3]. Even if you are taking antibiotics prescribed by a doctor, some alternatives may be more effective for managing your gut health.

Studies have suggested that even six months after the use of antibiotics, your gut still lacks a large variety of essential microbes ^[4]

Exercise Regularly

Regular exercise can help you manage your gut health. It helps reduce inflammation, a major cause of digestive disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Exercise also improves digestion by increasing circulation and stimulating the production of beneficial bacteria in the intestine. Regular physical activity can also improve mental health, which is important for managing stress-related digestive issues.

Exercising doesn’t have to be intense or time-consuming. Walking or riding a bike for 30 minutes most of the week is enough to get your heart rate up and improve digestion.

Get Enough Sleep

For many, getting adequate sleep is a challenge. But new research suggests that quality and quantity of sleep are important to maintaining good gut health. While we all know that getting enough sleep is essential for the overall health of our body and mind, it turns out it’s also key in balancing the microbes that live in our gut.

Studies have found that disrupted sleep can affect the gut microbiome, leading to an imbalance in the types of bacteria that inhabit it ^[5]. This disruption has been linked to several conditions, including obesity and gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Poor sleep quality is also associated with low levels of beneficial bacteria in the gut, which can lead to digestive problems.

Eat a Variety of Foods

Eating a variety of foods is important for managing your gut health. Whole grain foods, vegetables, legumes, beans, and fruits are all great sources of fiber, vitamins, and minerals that can help keep your digestive system functioning properly.

Whole grains include oats, brown rice, barley, quinoa, and buckwheat. These contain high amounts of fiber, which help to keep your digestive system running smoothly. They also contain B vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, iron, and selenium, which are important for gut health.

Fruits and vegetables are also an essential part of a healthy diet for managing your gut health. They provide high amounts of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Eating a variety of vegetables can help to keep your digestive system running smoothly. Studies have shown that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can prevent the growth of disease-causing bacteria ^[6].

Eat Less sugar

Maintaining good gut health is essential for overall health and well-being. Eating less sugar can help to promote healthy gut bacteria, which can, in turn, improve digestion, brain function, and even mood.

Studies suggest that reducing your consumption of added sugars can positively affect the composition of microorganisms in the intestines. Sugar intake has been linked to an increased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

Contrary to popular belief, artificial sweeteners are as adorable as normal sugar. Studies have suggested that artificial sweeteners harm your blood glucose and gut flora ^[7].

Why does your Gut Health Matter?

When it comes to your overall health, your gut plays an important role. Your gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the gateway for nutrients and helps protect you from harm by filtering out harmful toxins and bacteria. But beyond that, the microorganisms in our guts play a vital role in maintaining our physical and mental well-being.

Gut health has been linked to a range of physical and mental conditions, such as obesity, diabetes, asthma, depression, anxiety, and even autism. This is because the microorganisms in our guts produce chemicals that can affect how our bodies and minds respond to certain situations. Thus, maintaining a healthy gut can save you from a variety of conditions.

Conclusion:

Managing gut health is essential to maintain overall health. And it can be done through simple lifestyle changes such as consuming probiotics, minimizing stress, and exercising regularly. All these practices have a beneficial impact on the gut microbiome, reducing inflammation and preventing gastrointestinal issues.

Additionally, cutting down on sugar intake is important to prevent dysbiosis of the digestive system. So take the time to eat right and get moving. Your digestive system will thank you for it.

References:

1. Hemarajata P, Versalovic J. Effects of probiotics on gut microbiota: mechanisms of intestinal immunomodulation and neuromodulation. Therap Adv Gastroenterol 2013;6:39–51. https://doi.org/10.1177/1756283X12459294.
2. Galley JD, Nelson MC, Yu Z, Dowd SE, Walter J, Kumar PS, et al. Exposure to a social stressor disrupts the community structure of the colonic mucosa-associated microbiota. BMC Microbiol 2014;14:189. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2180-14-189.
3. Dudek-Wicher RK, Junka A, Bartoszewicz M. The influence of antibiotics and dietary components on gut microbiota. Prz Gastroenterol 2018;13:85–92. https://doi.org/10.5114/pg.2018.76005.
4. Palleja A, Mikkelsen KH, Forslund SK, Kashani A, Allin KH, Nielsen T, et al. Recovery of gut microbiota of healthy adults following antibiotic exposure. Nat Microbiol 2018;3:1255–65. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-018-0257-9.
5. Voigt RM, Forsyth CB, Green SJ, Mutlu E, Engen P, Vitaterna MH, et al. Circadian Disorganization Alters Intestinal Microbiota. PLoS One 2014;9:e97500. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0097500.