Gut health is so important. Here’s what you can do each day to better it.
Thanks to an increasing awareness to all things gut-health-related in the media today, gut health is enjoying a renaissance that is here to stay.
Our microbial diversity is declining every decade and the latest science is suggesting that the disorder of microbial ecology may well be a major contributor to the modern epidemics of allergy, auto-immune disease, obesity and diabetes.
A multitude of factors have been suggested to contribute to the decrease of diversity of species of gut microbiota. Hygiene hysteria, excessive antibiotic pill-popping, and supermarkets stocked up with increasingly processed and fibre-poor foods has possibly had its toll.
Sadly, with our modern climate, this means, for some of us, our guts are struggling. By being more aware and searching for answers to these problems, we can improve our gut microbiome with diet and lifestyle, and ultimately our health as a whole with some very achievable lifestyle choices.
Our guts are unique to us; our lifestyle should mirror that
Our guts are totally unique to us, and our diets and lifestyle choices should mirror that. Gut health is all about the individual and, in time, we will discover what our bespoke microbial blueprint is and how we can influence it.
You are a cloud of microbiome, being affected all the time. Start getting to know yours and pay attention – it has a wonderful way of communicating with us every day!
Your gut could impact your mental health
We are also beginning to understand that gut health affects multiple other factors; hormone health, immunity, age, environment and another very trending subject – mental health!
Research is slowly revealing how much our gut health affects so many other systems in our bodies. The most widely discussed connection of 2017 being IBS and stress; a classic gut health conundrum, which will hopefully be recognised much more in medical circles in 2018.
One of the most encouraging discoveries of 2017 is the complexity of the microbiome. The gut is more than just one mechanism within us; it is striving to perform for you on a daily basis. If we treat our gut well, we are giving our bodies a helping hand to let your body start healing itself.
Top tips:
Following an evidence-based approach can help to improve your health based on facts – something Gutsy is here to help with.
Keep it simple – hooray, no need for any complicated diets here. You don’t have to buy expensive superfoods, just simple changes can make all the difference.
Variety – Having a wide range of different types of foods, like wholegrains, vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts and seeds, can all contribute different nutrients to nourish your whole body, titillate your taste buds and encourage the ecosystem of your microbiome.
Get to know your guts – Have a look at the Bristol stool chart, listen out for when it makes noises, or fill out a Gutsy food+mood diary and start to join the dots together.
Make a small change today – So much about gut health is simple, and free. Just take one small step that suits you. Try out something new; that could be new food choices to include more fibre. Perhaps trying to include a wider variety of vegetables each week, or making a probiotic at home like kefir. Even something as simple as just chewing your food more than you currently do. Aim to chew 30 times and see if your digestion works differently after that.
Remember – If you do think you may have more serious issues with your gut health then it is always advisable to seek further assistance. Ask your doctor to refer you to a gastroenterologist or a dietitian.
