A healthy gut is an indispensable component of good health, with Dr. Mark Liponis pointing to new studies showing how critical it is to wellbeing. Specifically, the microbiome in your gut, which we discussed previously in ‘The Great and Powerful Microbiome‘ can affect, among others, your emotions, behavior, mood, cardiovascular function, metabolism, and appetite.
Maintaining a healthy gut, though, can be quite a challenge, but it is something that you can overcome if you follow these 5 health hacks:
Eat Fiber-Rich Food
Men’s Journal contributor Joseph Hooper and nutritionist Kathie Madonna Swift collaborated on ‘The Swift Diet’ which outlined pointers for healthy microbiome, which, when healthy, can keep you lean, reduce muscle and joint pain, and clear the skin. One practical way to keep them healthy is to load up on fiber by eating lots of veggies, fruits, and legumes. Lack of fiber can make your gut go haywire, with bad bugs, parasites, and fungi entering rather easily. Worse, they can leak into the bloodstream, which can then cause inflammation everywhere and even insulin resistance.
Watch What You Eat
Unhealthy eating is a problem, and poker pro Sorel Mizzi admitted that much in an interview with PartyPoker. “I used to eat anything and everything,” confessed the successful poker pro as he looked back on those days when he used to order Pho at 3 in the morning. But those days, said Mizzi, are long gone, as he is now more mindful of the food he eats. In fact, he considers eating healthy, along with regular exercise, as a natural drug that keeps him in the pink of health. Mizzi never mentioned his exact diet in the aforementioned interview, but it is safe to surmise that he avoids too much fat and sugar, both of which can harm your gut in a variety of ways. Constant sugar overloads will make it harder for your body to burn calories. Even worse, they can cause a spike in blood sugar levels, which can lead to type-2 diabetes. Lots of fat, on the other hand, can damage the gut lining, and thus allow undesirable chemicals released by certain bacteria to seep into the bloodstream. Once this happens, you will experience inflammation in various parts of your body.
Get Your Fill of Probiotics
Registered dietitian and US triathlon coach Kim Schwabenbauer swears by the health benefits of probiotics, which include enhanced recovery from fatigue, a boost in immune function, and yes, a healthy gut, although he won’t guarantee that they will help you become a better athlete. For your daily fill of probiotics, include in your diet some yogurt, kefir, sour pickles, and miso. You can also take probiotics supplements.
Cut Down on or Avoid Gut Irritants
Gut irritants, as the name suggests, can adversely affect your gut’s health and even undo all the positives gleaned from a healthy diet. It is thus imperative that you avoid these gut-impairing products according to health coach and nutritional therapy practitioner Laura Kraber. Antibiotics is number 1 on the list, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take it when the need arises. Other gut irritants include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), alcohol, coffee, birth control pills, gluten, and processed food.
Exercise!
Writing for the Observer, personal trainer Theo Brenner-Roach advocates exercising for a healthy gut. Citing various studies, the Lift Learn Grow founder notes that exercising can increase certain types of bacteria—collectively referred to as “gut flora”—that improve your gut’s overall health. Brenner-Roach particularly cites a study that shows rugby players having a more diverse set of gut flora, which according to researchers, is indicative of the positive impact of exercise on gut health. (For more on the beneficial effects of exercise on your gut, check out the previous post Exercise Affects Gut Bacteria.)
These health hacks are actually quite simple, and if you follow everyone of them, you will be well on your way to having a healthy gut.
