10 Ways To Improve Your Gut Health

Did you know that your gut is responsible for regulating 70-80% of your immune system? And Over 70 per cent of serotonin, the happiness hormone, is also produced in the gut? No wonder why this has become the ‘trendy’ topic that most influencers and health enthusiasts keep talking about and promoting.

The term ‘gut health’ can become slightly tricky to understand, even though you must have heard it 100s of times already! So, Before you start wondering about it, let us first explain what we mean by gut health and ways for gut health improvement.

A healthy gut means having the optimal amount of micro bacteria that can effectively strengthen your immune system and heart health, absorb the nutrients from your food, regulate blood sugar, and of course, result in glowy skin and a better mood too!

Now that you know the ‘why’ for gut health improvement let’s quickly jump into the ‘how’ of gut health improvement in 10 easy yet effective ways.

Related Article – Pre & Probiotic – The Natural Way to Promote Gut Health

1. Befriend the fermented foods

Fermented foods have probiotics that play a massive role in your gut health improvement. They are rich in a lot of vitamins and aid the process of digestion and boost up your immunity. Some of the fermented foods that come in handy are:

• Yoghourt
• Kombucha
• Kimchi
• Pickled Vegetables for meals
• Tempeh( fermented soybeans)
• South Indian cuisine

2. Eat foods rich in flavonoids

Junking on refined carbohydrates and consuming spicy and salty food, carbonated drinks, etc., can sometimes result in inflammation combated by foods rich in flavonoids resulting in gut health improvement. They have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Foods that are rich in flavonoids are:

• Berries
• Legumes
• Red Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Apples
• Cherry tomatoes
• Green tea

3. Slow down to distress

As naive as it may sound, there is nothing as crucial that can catalyse the process of your gut health improvement like this. Research suggests that stress significantly hampers gut health, and it influences the gut microbiota as well, which results in an improper bowel movement as well. So the next time you have a tiring day, don’t forget to distress and indulge in the gut health improvement process.

4. Consume Prebiotics

Prebiotics are the foods (mostly carbs and fibres) that your body can’t digest, but your gut bacteria can! These foods also aid the process of gut health improvement and some that you can find right in your homes! Some of them to count on are:

• Beans and legumes
• Bananas
• Onions and garlic
• Oats
• Asparagus
• Berries etc

5. Limit popping Antibiotics

Sometimes when suffering from the flu or a headache, a prescribed antibiotic is something we cannot avoid. But popping them now and then can create severe disruption to the process of gut health improvement. Research suggests that antibiotics have components that reduce the good bacteria in your gut and lead to chronic health problems.

6. Reduce smoking and alcohol consumption

Innumerable blogs and articles talk about reducing this, but here we want to throw some light on the damage it does to your gut. Smoking and drinking deplete the anti-inflammatory bacteria in your intestines, leading to gastric cancer or chronic intestinal harm. This will create damage in the longer term and hinder the process of gut health improvement.

7. Exercise and move your body

8. Running out of time to do these? Consider a supplement like Apple cider vinegar

10. Sleep well and let it heal