A Guide to Flourishing Gut Health
Most of us have heard the term “gut health” and know that it’s important to keep it functioning optimally. But did you know that 80% of your immune system is in the gut and the majority of the body’s serotonin too? Ensuring the gut is healthy is usually my first priority as a practitioner. Ensuring we are extracting nutrients from our food is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to gut health. The digestive process also regulates aspects of immunity, inflammation and detoxification. Our gut is home to 100,000 billion organisms.
Here are my top tips to keep your gut functioning optimally:
1 - Chew Your Food
The entire digestive process starts in the mouth. When we chew our food this stimulates the production of our own digestive enzymes and gastric juices and will ensure that food is broken down adequately. Often, we are rushing and racing to eat and gulping down our food which can cause bloating and discomfort immediately after eating.
2 - Fibre is Your Friend
Foods rich in fibre include fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and legumes. Fibre ensures that bulk is formed which helps waste to move through the body. It also feeds our microbiota and helps us to feel fuller for longer.
3 - Include Probiotic Rich Foods
Include live natural yoghurt, kefir, miso, tempeh, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha and sourdough bread and apple cider vinegar. These foods can boost the ‘good’ bacteria in the gut which can aid digestion and metabolism. Go easy when you first introduce fermented foods, especially if you are not used to a fibre-rich diet, you may experience symptoms such as bloating and flatulence. It’s best to start with very small amounts.
4 - Practice Mindful Eating
Stress hormones can impair digestive function and reduce the production of digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid. Take a few moments to breathe and centre yourself before you start eating.
5 - Reduce Processed Foods and Alcohol
Eating too many sugary snacks and ultra- processed foods and binge drinking may cause an imbalance of bacteria in the gut which may cause bloating, heartburn, constipation or diarrhoea.
6 - Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Lack of sleep can increase stress levels which can have a negative effect on gut health. Recent studies suggest poor sleep may lead to changes in our gut microbiome. Feeling tired and low in energy can also lead to an increase in appetite and poor food choices.
7 - Keep Moving
When we move, our intestines naturally contract and move waste out of the body. Exercise and movement has been shown to boost the levels of ‘good’ bacteria in the gut, especially the microbes that produce butyrate—a short chain fatty acid that has a whole variety of benefits, from preventing inflammation in the gut to supporting the lining of the gut as well as supporting brain function.
