Why You Should Be Paying More Attention to Your Gut’s Health and How to Do So

Gut health is something everyone needs to pay more attention to. “There’s a lot of focus on gut health,” explained nutritionist Jacqueline Alwill, “The gut is the seat of our health and is responsible for our overall health and wellbeing.”

So what exactly is gut health?

Gut health, explained

According to nutritionist Rebecca Reynolds, “in your large intestine, you have trillions of bugs (or microbiotia), and that’s called the gut microbiome”. Problem is there are good and bad microbiotia, and when the bad ones outnumber the good ones your gut falls into a state of dysbiosis, which simply means your gut becomes unhealthy.

An unhealthy gut has been linked to various adverse medical conditions. A Time feature on gut health details how poor gut wellbeing is associated with diabetes, lowered immune function, and heart disease. Gastroenterologist Terry Bolin goes a step further, noting how dysbiosis might play a role in neurological disorders and some cancers. “We believe [gut bacteria] do have a potential role in mental disease, psychological problems, anxiety, depression,” says Professor Bolin. “They do have an influence on weight gain. And they may have a potential influence in preventing cancer and possibly disorders of the colon like colitis.”

Keeping your gut healthy

The good news is that keeping your gut healthy is relatively simple and these three tips can help:

1. Eat more vegetables

In a post on ‘6 Ways To Start Improving Your Gut Health Today’ dietician Chloe McLeod recommends eating more vegetables. “Vegetables provide our body with the nutrients it needs on a day-to-day basis and helps to maintain general health,” explains McLeod. “They also provide fibre to keep the gut healthy and help our body’s systems run more effectively.”

2. Consume prebiotics

You must also consume fibre-rich fruits, like apples, bananas, berries, onion, garlic, and whole grains. These are non-digestible fibre, otherwise known as prebiotics. They are important because they “provide food for the healthy bacteria which are found in our gut.” (For health tips 1 and 2, you might want to get some ideas from the food suggestions we gave in our ’10 Healthy Snack Ideas Perfect For Weekends’ post. The kale and potato chips are easy to make, while the Cinnamon Dusted Apple Chips makes for a delectable dessert.)

3. Take probiotics

An effective and easy way to get more good bacteria in your gut is through probiotics. A guide to probiotics by Parsley Health, describes them as living microorganisms that “can maintain and help restore the balance of power in the gut”. They are especially important if you are suffering from general digestive issues such as diarrhoea, gas, bloating, and constipation, and from more severe gastrointestinal disorders like Crohn’s disease, pouchitis, and irritable bowel syndrome. Probiotics are readily available and should be a regular part of your diet.

Mind your gut health now

While there is still more to be discovered about gut health, there is more than enough science for you to start eating right. Follow the above steps so you can keep your gut healthy.

Keeping your gut healthy

The good news is that keeping your gut healthy is relatively simple and these three tips can help:

1. Eat more vegetables

In a post on ‘6 Ways To Start Improving Your Gut Health Today’ dietician Chloe McLeod recommends eating more vegetables. “Vegetables provide our body with the nutrients it needs on a day-to-day basis and helps to maintain general health,” explains McLeod. “They also provide fibre to keep the gut healthy and help our body’s systems run more effectively.”

2. Consume prebiotics

You must also consume fibre-rich fruits, like apples, bananas, berries, onion, garlic, and whole grains. These are non-digestible fibre, otherwise known as prebiotics. They are important because they “provide food for the healthy bacteria which are found in our gut.” (For health tips 1 and 2, you might want to get some ideas from the food suggestions we gave in our ’10 Healthy Snack Ideas Perfect For Weekends’ post. The kale and potato chips are easy to make, while the Cinnamon Dusted Apple Chips makes for a delectable dessert.)

3. Take probiotics

An effective and easy way to get more good bacteria in your gut is through probiotics. A guide to probiotics by Parsley Health, describes them as living microorganisms that “can maintain and help restore the balance of power in the gut”. They are especially important if you are suffering from general digestive issues such as diarrhoea, gas, bloating, and constipation, and from more severe gastrointestinal disorders like Crohn’s disease, pouchitis, and irritable bowel syndrome. Probiotics are readily available and should be a regular part of your diet.

Mind your gut health now

While there is still more to be discovered about gut health, there is more than enough science for you to start eating right. Follow the above steps so you can keep your gut healthy.

Gut health is something everyone needs to pay more attention to. “There’s a lot of focus on gut health,” explained nutritionist Jacqueline Alwill, “The gut is the seat of our health and is responsible for our overall health and wellbeing.”

So what exactly is gut health?

Gut health, explained

According to nutritionist Rebecca Reynolds, “in your large intestine, you have trillions of bugs (or microbiotia), and that’s called the gut microbiome”. Problem is there are good and bad microbiotia, and when the bad ones outnumber the good ones your gut falls into a state of dysbiosis, which simply means your gut becomes unhealthy.

An unhealthy gut has been linked to various adverse medical conditions. A Time feature on gut health details how poor gut wellbeing is associated with diabetes, lowered immune function, and heart disease. Gastroenterologist Terry Bolin goes a step further, noting how dysbiosis might play a role in neurological disorders and some cancers. “We believe [gut bacteria] do have a potential role in mental disease, psychological problems, anxiety, depression,” says Professor Bolin. “They do have an influence on weight gain. And they may have a potential influence in preventing cancer and possibly disorders of the colon like colitis.”

Keeping your gut healthy

The good news is that keeping your gut healthy is relatively simple and these three tips can help:

1. Eat more vegetables

In a post on ‘6 Ways To Start Improving Your Gut Health Today’ dietician Chloe McLeod recommends eating more vegetables. “Vegetables provide our body with the nutrients it needs on a day-to-day basis and helps to maintain general health,” explains McLeod. “They also provide fibre to keep the gut healthy and help our body’s systems run more effectively.”

2. Consume prebiotics

You must also consume fibre-rich fruits, like apples, bananas, berries, onion, garlic, and whole grains. These are non-digestible fibre, otherwise known as prebiotics. They are important because they “provide food for the healthy bacteria which are found in our gut.” (For health tips 1 and 2, you might want to get some ideas from the food suggestions we gave in our ’10 Healthy Snack Ideas Perfect For Weekends’ post. The kale and potato chips are easy to make, while the Cinnamon Dusted Apple Chips makes for a delectable dessert.)

3. Take probiotics

An effective and easy way to get more good bacteria in your gut is through probiotics. A guide to probiotics by Parsley Health, describes them as living microorganisms that “can maintain and help restore the balance of power in the gut”. They are especially important if you are suffering from general digestive issues such as diarrhoea, gas, bloating, and constipation, and from more severe gastrointestinal disorders like Crohn’s disease, pouchitis, and irritable bowel syndrome. Probiotics are readily available and should be a regular part of your diet.

Mind your gut health now

While there is still more to be discovered about gut health, there is more than enough science for you to start eating right. Follow the above steps so you can keep your gut healthy.