Are you looking for a holistic approach to correcting digestive imbalances? Read on to find the solution.

Recent research has shown that your digestive system is much more complex than originally thought and is involved in nearly every aspect of your health. This includes the production of hormones, the balance of fluid and electrolytes in your body, the production of antibodies, and the function of your immune system.

If you have ever had problems with reflux, constipation, diarrhoea, or bloating, you know just how important good gut health can be in your day-to-day life.

Be prepared to get rid of bloat, constipation, and other digestive problems. Today we'll discuss some simple steps you can take to support your gut health. So let’s jump in.

Tips For Gut Health

Eat Adequate Amounts of Nutrients

For many people, a lack of nutrients can lead to poor gut health and difficulty absorbing nutrients. It is important to assess your nutrient status, dietary intake, and possibly nutrient absorption in order to determine if you are deficient. If you are deficient, you may need to supplement or boost your dietary intake. Alternatively, you can also add gut health supplements to your diet.

Include Fermented Food

If you want to enjoy good health, you should include fermented foods in your diet on a regular basis. Fermented foods are full of live cultures, which help support digestion. If you can, try to eat a source of fermented food every day.

Balance Hormones

Hormones can have a strong impact on gut function. Gut function can affect hormones, and excess hormones can lead to problems with gut motility and integrity. Prolonged stress can cause problems with these hormones, which can upset the balance of bacteria in the gut. Cortisol, in particular, affects the way the gut functions, and sometimes a naturopath may need to prescribe herbal remedies to help improve gut health and reduce stress.

Limit Alcohol Intake

There are many reasons to limit your alcohol intake, including the fact that it can lead to health problems. Drinking too much alcohol can increase your risk of liver disease and memory problems. It's also important to remember that alcohol is a drug, and like all drugs, it can have consequences if you overuse it.

Alcohol can also upset the balance of your intestinal ecosystem, so be careful if you drink it in moderation. However, we suggest trying to avoid it as much as possible.

Avoid Sweeteners

Avoid artificial sweeteners if you want to keep your diet healthy and balanced. They can reduce your calorie intake, but they can also damage your gut bacteria, leading to weight gain and other problems. 

Artificial sweeteners may not be the best thing for your diet if you consume large amounts of them. If you love sweets, it's fine to enjoy a small, 30g chocolate bar occasionally, but regularly overindulging with a big bag of sweets is never going to be a good idea.

Don’t Go Low Carb

Low-carb diets can be popular on social media, but you’ll also want to make sure you’re eating enough fibre to maintain good gut health. Rather than cutting all carbs, eat wholegrain carbohydrate foods such as brown rice, quinoa, oats, wholegrain cereals, wholegrain bread, and pulse pasta.

Some high-fibre foods, such as beans, legumes, artichokes, and Brussels sprouts, contain prebiotics, which feeds the beneficial bacteria that live in your gut. These foods are especially beneficial because they contain a type of fibre that is not readily digestible by the human gut bacteria.

Get More Sleep

Research suggests that getting a good night's sleep is imperative for overall health, including the health of gut bacteria. A circadian rhythm is maintained by our gut bacteria. If we don't get enough sleep, this rhythm can be disrupted, and the diversity and number of gut bacteria can decrease. Most people need around seven or eight hours of sleep each night, and even if you think you can function well on less sleep, beware; your gut bugs might think otherwise.

Conclusion: We recommend working with a health professional to improve gut health, but you can also improve gut health on your own by following the above-listed tips. Additionally, you can add health supplements to your routine, but only after consulting with your doctor.