Gut Health is an important part of your overall well being, affecting both physical and mental health..
Gut health is a trending topic of interest lately, and with good reason.. Research is showing us that our gut microbiome can effect every organ in your body..The gut breaks down food, and absorbs nutrients that support our bodily functions. The bacteria that lives in your gut is called your microbiome. We have good and bad microbiome. These include bacteria, fungi, and viruses. We want to keep our microbiome happy, so it is important that we make choices that support good bacteria.
Gut health is influenced by many factors, lets get into it ways we can support our good microbiome and lead healthier lives..
Tip #1 - What you eat...
This should seem obvious.. When we think of our gut, we think of what we put into it.. food. Eating a wide variety of fruits and veggies is incredibly important for your gut health. Remember the old Skittles commercial from the 90's, their slogan was "taste the rainbow" - well they had it right.. except instead of eating a bag of colourful sugar think of a rainbow of fruits and veggies . The more colours you eat in a day the better! If you can, aim to get in 30 different vegtables and fruits each week. Now I know at first that sounds like a lot but, realistically its not hard to achieve. You can make a salad with at least 6 or 8 types of veggies easily. Stir frys have unlimited potential to add tons of veggies. It can take a bit of planning, but, once you start it gets easier and you really notice a difference in how you feel when you are feeding your gut properly. Fermented foods like saurkraut, kimchi, kombucha and yogurt are all wonderful probiotics which your gut loves!! Garlic and onion make everything taste better are serve us as an amazing prebiotic! With a little love and effort you can whip up some amazing meals that will be great for your gut!
Tip #2 - Hydration
We are aware that our bodys are composed of about 60% water. Water is the answer to so many things related to our health- gut health included. Drinking enough water helps to keep your gut flora balanced by breaking down food and preventing digestive issues such as constipation. Staying hydrated can increase the diversity of gut bacteria and decrease bacteria that can cause infection.
Tips to stay hydrated;
Aim for 1oz of water / lb of body weight daily.
Drink water with every meal, starting your meal with a large glass of water helps you to reach your water goals while also helping you to fill up faster which can aid in weightloss!
Eat foods with a high water content- back to fruits and veggies!!
Tip #3 - Bone Broth
Bone broth is kind of a big deal in my household. Drinking a cup of bone broth a day gives you a collagen boost, contains the nutrients glycine, glutamine and glycosaminoglycans ( which all help to promote a healthy gut health) Bone Broth is easy to digest and can be beneficial for healing a leaky gut since it contains gelatine which can seal the gut. The wonderful nutrients in bone broth can help to restore the intestinal lining as well as reduce inflammation in the body! Bone broth is a powerhouse when it comes to gut health!
Tip #4 - Fasting
Intermittent fasting has a lot of buzz around it, some good some not so good. I myself did intermittent fasting for years and loved it! Fasting gives your gut a chance to heal, to rest, which allows for repopulation of good bacteria. There are many options to choose from if you decide fasting is right for you. 16:8, 12:12, 18:6, 24 hour fasts or even 3 day fasts. I personally was a big fan of 16:8. This means you have an 8 hour eating window and fast for 16 hours. Fasting has many benefits- to many to list here, I'll be making another blog post just for fasting in the near future.
Tip #5 - Exercise
Exercise can be a great tool for improving gut health. Movement boosts circulation which can in turn improve digestion. When your digestive tract is functioning better it better ables it to maintain a balance of good bacteria. Exercise also contributes to healthy sleep and metabolism, both are important factors when it comes to gut health.
Take care of your gut health..
Gut health has been linked to immunity, metabolism, proper digestion, auto immune disease, inflamation and many more physial ailments. It's also connected to our metal health, making it of even more importance. Fixing your gut could be key in preventing brain disorders such as anxiety and Alzheimer's disease. I think by now you can understand just how important taking care of your gut is! Keep you eyes open for blog posts to come including gut friendly recipes and exercises to help you on your gut health journey!
Love,
Celeste
Related Posts
