How to improve your Gut Health Naturally

The modern diet is brutal on gut health. Sugar, processed foods, and seed oils are not good for our guts, and if our guts are not healthy, then our bodies are not healthy.

Our gut microbiome, or the beneficial bacteria that help you process food, relies on certain foods in order to stay healthy, just as we do. We have a symbiotic relationship with these probiotics in our gut. If we take care of them, they take care of us.

And yet, many of us suffer from numerous gut ailments.

Taking a probiotic supplement is often not enough. It is akin to throwing our beneficial gut bacteria into a cesspool where they most certainly do not survive, let alone thrive.

If we want a healthy gut, we have to cultivate it. The benefits are numerous. We feel better, we have more energy, our skin looks healthier, and we have more freedom and flexibility in a varied and fun diet when establish a baseline of healthy diet that supports our gut.

There are several ways you can improve your gut health naturally:

1. Eat a varied diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fermented foods such as yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut. These foods are rich in fiber and other nutrients that support the growth of beneficial bacteria in your gut. In fact, these fermented foods supply a rich stream of new probiotics to take up residence in your gut as long as you’re feeding them well.
2. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Water helps to flush toxins out of your body and keeps your digestive system functioning properly. When you’re dehydrated, it usually shows up in your gut first.
3. Reduce your intake of processed and sugary foods, as these can disrupt the balance of bacteria in your gut and lead to inflammation. The processed foods so many of us turn to when we’re stressed or busy are terrible for us, and they’re terrible for those healthy microbes that make our gut feel better.
4. Consider taking a probiotic supplement, which can help to restore the balance of beneficial bacteria in your gut. Don’t take the same probiotic supplement all the time. We need a varied supply of probiotics, and different strains have different effects. These should be taken as supplemental to fermented foods not in place of them. And, if you’re not changing your diet, chances are these probiotics rarely have a chance of establishing a stronghold in your gut.
5. Eat foods that fight inflammation. Krill oil, turmeric, healthy fish like wild salmon, green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, collard greens, healthy nuts like almonds and walnuts, and low-glycemic fruits like strawberries, blueberries, cherries are amazing to keep inflammation at bay while supporting gut health.
6. Avoid process foods. Process foods feed the malicious bacteria that make us ill rather than the helpful microbes that make us feel better.
7. Practice stress management techniques such as meditation or yoga, as stress can have a negative impact on gut health. Stress can also cause us to turn to sugar, alcohol and other substances that harm our probiotic balance.
8. Get regular exercise, as physical activity can help to improve digestion and overall gut health.
9. Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, as these habits can harm the delicate balance of bacteria in your gut.

By following these tips, you can help to improve your gut health and maintain a healthy digestive system.