Half of our health issues will get resolved if we take care of our gut health. It’s normal to experience heartburn, gastric problems, or diarrhea occasionally, but when these digestive issues start to trouble your daily life, it becomes a matter of concern. Fortunately, it’s in our hands to manage our gut health to a great extent. Basically, all you need to do is to make small changes in eating habits and opt for healthier lifestyle choices.
Improving your gut health is the easiest way to keep yourself away from acute to life-altering health conditions. Here are some tips that help to keep your gut healthy even while staying at home!
Table of Contents
Eat a Healthy Diet.
Fill your plate with fresh, unprocessed, and colourful foods. Instead of stocking up on canned and frozen veggies, or processed food items, formulate your diet around whole grains, fresh fruits, leafy vegetables, beans, legumes, and nuts. Ready-to-eat or packaged food are mostly unhealthy and will only break down easily into sugar, increasing cholesterol levels, reducing insulin resistance, and impacting overall digestive health. Try replacing meat with dried beans for more fiber, choose steamed or boiled foods, instead of deep fried or grilled food items.
Adequate sleep is important for maintaining balanced gut health. Not getting sufficient sleep can cause bloating, nausea, and constipation. Know that poor gut health can also trigger more sleep-related issues because your sleeping pattern and gut health are interlinked. As bodily movement is essential to regulate gut health, rest is also vital to reduce the risk of severe digestive concerns.
Manage Your Stress Levels
Too much stress impacts your health in many ways. Did you know that high stress levels can cause distress to your gut health? Often people suffer from poor digestion, diarrhoea, and abdomenal pain due to chronic stress or anxiety issues. Practice yoga and meditation, walk a mile, decrease caffeine intake, or try therapy to lower stress. A healthy mind promotes a healthy gut!
Understand The Benefits Of Probiotics
Probiotics are simply healthy bacteria, whose role is to fight off harmful bacteria in your gut. Yogurt is a good source of probiotics. Oher food items like kaffir lime, onion, garlic, sauerkraut, kimchee, and raw apple cider vinegar have a substantial amount of probiotics that provide nourishment to your gut.
Consume More Fiber-Rich Food
A rich & healthy diet contains natural fiber, which is found in various fruits & vegetables, including banana, onion, garlic, whole grains, legumes, or beans. You can add a combination of oatmeal, multi-grains, and milk with fruits in your breakfast regime. Having a fiber- rich diet stimulates the growth of probiotic bacteria that feed on non-digestible carbohydrates to keep you healthy & active and maintain a healthy digestive system.
Drink Plenty Of Water
“Start with 8-ounce glasses of water a day. It’s one of the simplest and effective ways to promote a healthy gut. Maintaining the right balance of fluids in the body has a beneficial effect on the mucosal lining of the intestine,” point out Gastroenterologists at AMRI Hospitals. You can add a pinch of salt and a few drops of lemon/lime to replenish electrolytes. Staying hydrated prevents your body from several gastrointestinal issues.
Conclusion
The condition of your gut is directly affecting your overall health. Be diligent about your gut health as it contributes to strengthening the immune system, regulating heart health, effective digestion, improved sleep, and emotional well-being. One positive lifestyle change can entirely benefit your gut health and increase your ability to fend off illness.
