Some aspects of health and wellness — like taking care of your skin, getting plenty of sleep, and doing mental health check-ins — get lots of attention. Gut health is one part of wellness that we often forget to take into account, but it's one that we shouldn't skip out on.
Gut health is connected with other parts of your body, like your skin, your sleep, or how you function during the day, and working to improve it can help you feel better. We talked to Salvo Health physician and functional medicine practitioner Erin Hendriks, MD, for everything you need to know about how to improve your gut health and why it's important in the first place.
Why Is Gut Health Important?
At its most basic level, gut health helps your body digest food, absorb the nutrients it needs, and communicate with the rest of the body. The gut is also where you find the microbiome, which has the power to promote health or lead to chronic disease.
"Disruptions in the [gut] microbiome have been associated with inflammatory conditions, autoimmunity, and even some cancers," Dr. Hendriks says. "Increasingly, the microbiome appears to play a facilitating role between how we respond to stress and the emergence of anxiety and depression."
Since the microbiome connects the gut and the brain, it plays a role in regulating your hormones, which means that if your gut health is off-kilter, it can leave you feeling more anxious or physically uncomfortable than before. But there are steps you can take to improve it.
"Interventions that focus on calming the connection between the gut and the brain, such as diaphragmatic breathing, can improve symptoms for people struggling with chronic gut issues, such as IBS," says Dr. Hendriks. "The gut is intricately connected with all body systems, so focusing on nutrition, movement, restorative sleep, and stress management can all improve your gut health as well."
The Best Supplements + Probiotics For Gut Health
"When it comes to gut health, fiber is your friend," Dr. Hendriks says. It helps fuel your gut's good bacteria and produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) that strengthen your gut's cell lining. "Increased levels of SCFAs have been associated with lower inflammation in the gut and may even decrease the risk of certain digestive disorders, such as colon cancer."
"While most of your fiber should come from high-fiber plant foods, it can also be helpful to add in a fiber supplement, such as psyllium husk." If you need some extra fiber, B+C recommends checking out supplements like Supergut The Gut Balancing Fiber Mix or Natalist's Psyllium Fiber Supplement Capsules for Pregnancy.
The Best Foods For Gut Health
Image via Nathan Cowley/Pexels
We know how difficult it can be to live with frequent stomach issues, but we also know that cutting things out of your diet can help. "A simple process of elimination and symptom tracking works well for most people. Some of the most common triggers for gastrointestinal symptoms include dairy, gluten, high-fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners."
Even if you don't entirely cut out those common triggers, there's a good chance that swapping them for fruits, veggies, and nuts throughout the week will leave you feeling much better than before. We can attest to that!
"High-fiber foods, such as raspberries, quinoa, and chia seeds, are excellent foods to promote gut health as are foods that are high in resistant starch, [like] green bananas, potatoes, and steel-cut oats," Dr. Hendriks says. "Probiotic-rich foods, which contain a combination of live bacteria and yeast are also great choices. Probiotics can be consumed in foods, such as yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut."
Recipes To Improve Your Gut Health
Raspberry Cacao Chia Seed Pudding Recipe
Add chia seeds and raspberries to your diet with a one-bowl recipe that will make your morning tastier. That fiber will help strengthen your gut, but mixing in a bunch of different fruits ensures that it tastes good. We love adding some cacao, too! (via Brit + Co)
Cinnamon Pear Baked Oatmeal
Foods that are high in fiber, like oatmeal, bananas, and apples, help clean out your gut, and get you feeling good. If you want some extra protein, try mixing in some peanut butter or Nutella, so you don't feel as hungry throughout the day. (via Brit + Co)
Halloween Avocado Toast
Healthy fats are always a good thing to add to your diet because they help your gut's good bacteria multiply, and avocados are at the top of our list of favorites. The best part about this toast is that it'll put you in the Halloween spirit! (via Brit + Co)
Watermelon Grilled Cheese Bites
Since water helps your body break down food and absorb its nutrients, any food with a high water content gets a thumbs-up from us. These watermelon bites are delicious and will give you some extra hydration with lots of flavor. (via Brit + Co)
Homemade Sauerkraut
Fermented food and drinks will help your gut produce good bacteria, and DIY sauerkraut is a great addition to any tailgate cookout. Put some on your vegetarian hot dogs, or you can just drink sauerkraut juice if you're feeling adventurous. (via Culinary Hill)
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