5 Ways To Improve Your Gut Health
The gastrointestinal tract (GI) is the largest and most vulnerable organ in your body. It is the place where all food is processed, the center for processing the world around us and home to the gut microbiome. A compromised or imbalance gut can affect the whole body.
The power of food to create a healthier gut can be summed up by Hippocrates’s famous quote “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food”. The foods you choose to eat have a significant impact on your gut bacteria, which in turn affect your gut health in the long-term.
If you are ready to improve your gut health, start with these five changes today. They are the easiest changes to begin with – be sure to make one change at a time and take note of how each change makes you feel. Making too many changes at once will most likely lead to disappointment.
5 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR GUT HEALTH
Keep hydrated: you need to be drinking about 8 cups of water a day.
Eat 1-2 tablespoons of probiotic foods with meals everyday. Some good examples are sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir or plain unsweetened Greek yoghurt.
Add prebiotics to your diet. Prebiotics are dietary fiber that feed the good bacteria in your gut. Artichokes, asparagus, apples, bananas, garlic, leeks and onions are good sources that are easily available.
Reduce sugar. Sugar feeds bad bacteria so keep it to a minimum, apply the 80/20 rule and substitute with healthier alternatives where possible.
Eat more whole food plants such as fruits, vegetables and plant protein (beans, lentils etc).
Remember that your gut is always communicating with you. Make sure you are listening. Everyone’s gut is unique – like a fingerprint – if something doesn’t feel right, it may not be the right option or food for you.
Additional reading: