By Gut health, is linked to the gastrointestinal tract which is vital to human health. It transports food from the mouth to the stomach, converting it into absorbable nutrients and stored energy, and eventually converts the waste back out of the body. The stomach and intestines all work together to allow us to eat and digest food without discomfort. So, if you do not properly nourish yourself, you can not sustain a normal healthy lifestyle. Your gut health is directly linked with you living a healthy lifestyle.
Times magazine, cites scientists who have uncovered the impact of gut-health on a human body – ‘it’s been linked to numerous aspects of health that have seemingly nothing to do with digestion, from immunity to emotional stress to chronic illnesses, including cancer and Type 2 diabetes.’
Bad gut-health can cause digestive problems such as abdominal pain, bloating, loose stools, constipation, heartburn, nausea or vomiting. If you are experiencing these symptoms on any degree, chances are your gut health is not the best.
To improve your health and bring you one step closer to that holistic life, we asked the experts what you can do to improve your gut health – keep reading!
Make Fibre Your Best Friend.
What you eat isn’t just nutrition for you, it also feeds the trillions of bacteria that live in your gut. Most people eat less fibre than they should. Legumes (e.g. chickpeas, red kidney beans, borlotti beans, four bean mix) and lentils are one of the highest sources, with others including onions, garlic, leeks, wheat and nuts. Try to incorporate more fibre in your food as it plays a major role in digestive health. Fibre is the fuel the colon cells use to keep them healthy.
Say Goodbye To Processed Foods
Avoid highly processed foods – they often contain ingredients that either suppress ‘good’ bacteria or increase ‘bad’ bacteria.
Eat More Yoghurt
A popular and all-encompassing desi medicine, for generations has been yoghurt. Nanis and Dadis alike for years, have instilled the magical properties of yoghurt deep within us. They weren’t wrong. Yoghurt is a fermented food that has undergone fermentation, a process in which the sugars are broken down by yeast or bacteria. Fermented foods like plain yogurt can benefit the microbiome by enhancing its function and reducing the abundance of disease-causing bacteria in the intestine. Yoghurt is also a natural probiotic!
Hydration is key
Loading up on water daily has a beneficial effect on the mucosal lining of the intestines. Water can also promote the balance of good bacteria in the gut, which essentially improves your gut health.
Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is known to reduce stress, and there have been studies conducted to prove good-quality sleep can improve mood, cognition and gut-health. Doctor Shah at JPMC, claims irregular sleep habits and disturbed sleep can have negative outcomes for the gut flora, which may increase the risk of inflammatory conditions.
Exercise Regularly
Regularly exercising contributes to good heart health and weight loss or weight maintenance. Exercise has also improved gut health, which may, in turn, help control obesity.
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