15 Science-Based Ways to Improve Your Gut Health
Gut health influences many facets of your body, from your immune system to your digestion of food. When the bacteria in your gut are balanced, your body performs as best it can. Change your daily life in accordance with science to help your gut be healthier.
- Tricia Quitales
- 5 min read
Gut health is important for your health, from digestion to immune system. New studies have shown that keeping your gut microbiome healthy can give you more energy, improve your mood, and even keep you from getting some diseases. This article talks about 15 scientifically proven ways to improve the health of your gut. It focuses on diet, exercise, and other habits that help gut flora.
1. Eat a Diverse Range of Foods
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A varied diet helps keep the gut microbiome diverse, which is important for gut health. Fruits, vegetables, and different kinds of fiber all help good bacteria grow in the gut. To ensure you’re feeding your microbiome right, try to eat many different plant-based foods.
2. Consume Plenty of Fiber
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Fiber is very important for gut health because it feeds good bacteria. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains are all high in fiber, which helps good bacteria grow in the gut. A diet high in fiber can help your body digest food better and keep your microbiome in balance.
3. Eat Fermented Foods
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Probiotics are live bacteria that help keep your gut healthy. Fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut contain them. Adding these foods to your diet can boost the good bacteria in your gut, which can help your digestion and immune system. Adding fermented foods to your diet can help your microbiome become more diverse and balanced.
4. Take Prebiotic Foods
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Foods like garlic, onions, bananas, and asparagus have prebiotics and can feed good bacteria in your gut. These foods help good bacteria in the gut grow and do well, improving digestion and general gut health. Adding prebiotics to your food helps keep the balance of microbes in your body healthy.
5. Avoid Excessive Use of Antibiotics
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Antibiotics help fight infections, but too much of them can hurt the microbiome in your gut. They can kill good and bad bacteria, which can throw off the balance in your gut. Always do what your doctor tells you about antibiotics, and try to avoid using them when you don’t need to.
6. Exercise Regularly
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Being active regularly helps good bacteria grow and keeps the gut healthy. Microbial diversity can be increased through exercise, which has been linked to better digestion and health in general. Most days of the week, try to do at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise. This will help keep the microbiome in your gut in balance.
7. Stay Hydrated
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Drinking a lot of water is important for digestion and the health of your gut microbiome. Water breaks down nutrients and helps your body absorb food, which is good for your digestive system. Additionally, drinking water helps the gut keep its mucosal lining, which is important for a healthy digestive process.
8. Reduce Stress
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Stress lasting for a long time can hurt your gut health by changing the connection between your gut and brain and reducing the variety of bacteria in your gut. Using relaxation techniques, such as yoga or meditation, to deal with stress can help your digestion and keep your gut healthy. Getting rid of stress is a big part of keeping your gut healthy.
9. Limit Sugar and Processed Foods
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Bad bacteria can grow in the gut when you eat a lot of sugary and processed foods. This can throw off the balance of the microbiome. Diets high in sugar are linked to health problems like obesity and inflammation in the gut. Reducing processed foods and sugary drinks can help your gut stay healthy.
10. Get Enough Sleep
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Getting enough sleep is important for keeping the balance of the microbiome in your gut. Not getting enough sleep can mess up the normal functions of the gut and change the types of bacteria that live there. Get at least seven to nine hours of sleep every night to improve your gut and overall health.
11. Consider Probiotics
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Probiotics are supplements that contain good bacteria that can help your gut microbiome get back to normal. They can be especially helpful after taking antibiotics or if you’re having stomach problems. If you want to know if probiotic supplements are right for you, talk to your doctor or nurse.
12. Eat More Polyphenol-Rich Foods
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Polyphenols are plant chemicals found in nuts, seeds, berries, and other foods. They help good bacteria grow in the gut. On top of that, they help keep the lining of the gut from getting hurt or angry. Eating foods high in polyphenols can help keep your microbiome healthy and diverse.
13. Avoid Smoking
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Smoking is bad for your gut health because it lowers the variety of bacteria in your gut and worsens digestion. It can also make you more likely to get diseases that affect the gut, like Crohn’s disease. Quitting smoking is good for your health all around, not just your gut.
14. Chew Your Food Thoroughly
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Chewing food helps your digestive system break it down better. It also helps your stomach and intestines break down food properly, which is good for a healthy gut. For better digestion, chew each bite and eat slowly.
15. Monitor Your Gut Health Regularly
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Keeping track of your gut health can help you spot problems early. Your gut microbiome can be monitored through regular checkups with a doctor or tests like stool analysis. A big part of improving and keeping your gut function is monitoring its health and making changes as needed.