Thanks to the COVID pandemic in recent years, the world has become more vigilant about immune health. With the rise in COVID cases, majorly because of lowered immunity, the world has recognized the importance of Gut Health – because both of these are highly interlinked. The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) research states that COVID-19 critical patients frequently have gastrointestinal problems.
Gut health is about the balance of microorganisms living in the digestive tract.
Maintaining the proper balance of healthy microbes in the gut is essential for physical & mental health, immunity, and other factors. According to an article published in News in Health (NIH), an estimated 60 to 70 million Americans suffer from digestive disorders each year.
When we’re talking about gut health, the “Gut Microbiome” is of utmost importance.
The term Gut Microbiome refers to the bacteria that live in the intestine.
Usually, in the human digestive tract, a person possesses between 300 and 500 distinct types of bacteria. These bacteria, yeasts, and viruses are sometimes known as the “Intestinal microbiome” or “Intestinal vegetation.”
While certain bacteria are hazardous to one’s health, many others are beneficial and even necessary for survival. According to Dr. EM Quigley’s study of gut bacteria published in The Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, having many good bacteria in the gut helps boost immune system function and thus improve symptoms. Depression aids in the fight against obesity and have a slew of other advantages.
Unfortunately, we all face digestive problems from time to time, such as indigestion, gas, heartburn, nausea, constipation, or diarrhea. When these symptoms occur regularly, they might cause severe daily interruptions. Luckily, changes in diet and lifestyle can have a positive impact on your intestinal health.
Here we have collected the six best ways to heal your gut naturally!
Like the rest of the body, our metabolism is most efficient in the morning and becomes more tired as the day goes on. Thus, making digestion more difficult and slower in the evening. When you eat a rich or substantial meal late in the day, the food might ferment or rot in your intestines for an extended period, causing gas and inflammation.
Fat makes you feel full after you eat and is often required for optimum nutrient absorption. Studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce the risk of developing inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis, but the research is still under progress.
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include flaxseeds, chia seeds, nuts, and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines. Other good fats are avocado, coconut butter, olives, avocado oil, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, nuts, and seeds.
How much water should I consume? This is the most commonly asked question. Generally, you should drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water for each pound you weigh, daily. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, that would be 75 to 150 ounces of water a day. Add an additional 12 ounces for every 45 minutes of exercise.
Also low fluid intake is a common cause of constipation, and experts recommend drinking 1.5-2 liters of decaffeinated fluids per day to prevent constipation. However, it is also recommended that water should not be eaten during mealtimes to avoid diluting the digestive juices.
In addition to water, you can also satisfy your fluid intake with herbal infusions, which are an excellent mucous moisturizer.
Another way to help absorb more fluids is to include fruits and vegetables with higher water content, such as cucumbers, zucchini, celery, tomatoes, watermelon, strawberries, oranges, and peaches.
Smoking affects the health of the intestines as well as the health of the heart and lungs. It also dramatically increases the risk of cancer.
Research has found that smoking alters intestinal flora by increasing the microorganisms that can harm and reduce beneficial levels, which may increase the risk of intestinal and systemic conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Therefore for the sake of a healthy gut, you should avoid smoking and stay away from the smoke as far as possible.
If you notice symptoms such as feeling jittery or anxious after drinking coffee, you can replace it with ginger tea or green tea for a healthier gut.
Green tea is perfect for the health of your gut. It contains polyphenols, which are beneficial micronutrients that help raise the amount of healthy bacteria in the stomach while reducing the quantity of bad bacteria. It also helps in the overall fight against inflammation.
Consuming probiotics in your diet is a necessary step in improving bowel health. Probiotics help increase the number of good bacteria in the gut while also improving digestion and nutrient absorption. It also aids in reducing harmful bacteria in the body, which aids in the reduction of toxins.
It is recommended to choose food that contains more probiotics and higher bacterial counts as much as possible. You can include food such as chickpeas, beans, lentils, bananas, grapefruit, garlic, asparagus, oats, nuts, and seeds like almonds, flaxseeds, etc.
Furthermore you can take supplements like Probiotic Complete by Nutri-Dyn, which is a premium high quality probiotic supplement. You can get a special discount of 25% after creating an account. Click here for the special order.
A healthy gut is linked to improved overall health and immune function. You can enhance the diversity and number of bacteria in your stomach by adopting the appropriate lifestyle and dietary changes.
Other positive changes you can make are following a high-fiber vegetarian diet and avoiding unnecessary antibiotics and antiseptics.
Simple lifestyle changes that a person can make include getting enough sleep and exercising regularly.
However, we recommend you should talk to the doctor before making drastic dietary changes. Because for some people, such as those suffering from irritable bowel syndrome or other medical conditions, probiotics and a high-fiber or vegetarian diet may not be helpful.
