When people talk about gut health, they're usually referring to the digestive system. But the gut is a lot more than just your stomach and intestines. In fact, it's sometimes called the "second brain" because it's home to trillions of microbes that play an essential role in overall health. If you're wondering how to support the trillions of microbes that call your gut home, keep reading to find out our 15 gut health hacks.
These microbes help with everything from digestion to immunity to mood. Microbes produce compounds that the body can use, like vitamins and enzymes, and help to protect the gut by keeping harmful bacteria in check.
So when people talk about "feeding your gut bacteria," they're talking about feeding the beneficial microbes that live there.
Table of Contents
- Reasons To Focus On Your Gut Health
- 15 Easy And Natural Gut Health Hacks
- 1. Take Probiotics
- 2. Eat fermented foods
- 3. Drink hot water with lemon every morning on an empty stomach
- 4. Take CBD Oil
- 5. Add Prebiotic Rich Foods To The Diet
- 6. Get Rid Of Frankengrains
- 7. Get rid of inflammation
- 8. Add bone broth and collagen
- 9. Take supplements
- 10. Relieve adrenal fatigue and reduce stress
- 11. Get plenty of sleep
- 12. Drink a lot of water
- 13. Listen to your body
- 14. Eat slowly and mindfully
- 15. Make healthy lifestyle choices
- 6 symptoms that demand your attention from your digestive system!
Reasons To Focus On Your Gut Health
Most people think of gut health as something that only affects their digestion. But the truth is, your gut health can impact your overall health in various ways. That's why it's essential to focus on keeping your gut healthy and happy. Here are a few good reasons to do just that:
1. Gut health is linked to a robust immune system.
2. A healthy gut can help you better absorb nutrients from your food.
3. Gut health is linked to a healthy weight.
4. A healthy gut can help reduce inflammation throughout your body.
5. A healthy gut can help improve your mood and mental health.
So as you can see, there are plenty of good reasons to focus on your gut health! You can keep your gut happy and improve your overall health by making simple changes to your diet and lifestyle.
15 Easy And Natural Gut Health Hacks
1. Take Probiotics
Most of us have heard that probiotics are good for gut health, but what exactly are they? Probiotics are live microorganisms (usually bacteria) that have a beneficial effect on our gut flora. Probiotics can directly increase the amount of that beneficial bacteria in the stomach.
Here's a gut health hack: search for a probiotic supplement containing at least 10 billion CFUs (colony-forming units) and diverse live bacterial strains. You can be confident that you will get the most from probiotics in this manner.
2. Eat fermented foods
Fermented foods are an excellent source of probiotics since the fermentation process creates an ideal environment for bacterial growth. This gut health hack can help restore the balance of gut bacteria, improving digestive health, boosting immunity, and even improving mood and cognitive function.
So next time you're at the grocery store, pick up some sauerkraut, kimchi, or yogurt—your gut will thank you!
3. Drink hot water with lemon every morning on an empty stomach
Look no further than hot water with lemon if you're searching for a quick and easy approach to improving your gut health. This gut health hack is easy to do and only requires two ingredients: hot water and fresh lemon juice. Mix them and drink them on an empty stomach first thing in the morning.
The combination of hot water and lemon is a powerful detoxifier that can help to cleanse your digestive system and promote regularity. Lemon is also high in Vitamin C, which is necessary for gut health. Vitamin C helps to protect your gut lining from damage and promotes the growth of healthy gut bacteria.
4. Take CBD Oil
Your gut is responsible for your overall health and well-being, so it makes sense to give it the attention it deserves. CBD oil is a gut health hack that can help to improve gut function and reduce inflammation. A few drops of CBD oil daily can make a big difference to your gut health. Plus, it's easy to take and completely natural.
5. Add Prebiotic Rich Foods To The Diet
Now that you know probiotics are essential for gut health, you may wonder about prebiotics. Prebiotics provide a nutritional foundation for probiotics.
Plant fibers, known as prebiotics, are a type of food that helps promote healthy gut bacteria. (We're talking about FOS and inulin.) Fiber provides food for the beneficial bacteria in our digestive tract.
To sweeten the deal, the byproducts of prebiotic digestion by beneficial bacteria benefit the gut lining even if they're not directly ingested.
Foods that are abundant in prebiotics are listed below:
- Chicory Root
- Jerusalem Artichoke
- Dandelion Greens
- Garlic
- Leeks
- Onion
- Shallot
- Asparagus
- Jicama
- Under-ripe Banana
6. Get Rid Of Frankengrains
The word "frankengrains" alludes to the mad scientist approach taken to genetically altering wheat and other grains throughout time.
If you want a healthy digestive system, you will want to stop consuming too much of the following:
- Bread, cereals, and anything else made from wheat
- Everything that contains gluten (be aware that gluten can hide well; and is found in products like soy sauce, marinades, spice mixes, and more)
- GMO cereals are completely ubiquitous nowadays (do not forget about corn, which is so often genetically modified)
Select low-glycemic grains if you must eat them. Organic quinoa, buckwheat, or a palatable substitute like cauliflower rice are also suitable substitutes.
7. Get rid of inflammation
When it comes to good gut health, inflammation is the enemy. The digestive system is a delicate balance of beneficial bacteria and other cells that work together to keep the digestive system running smoothly. However, when inflammation occurs, this delicate balance is disrupted and can lead to a whole host of problems, including bloating, gas, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.
Sugar, grain, and saturated fat abound in the typical American diet, but vitamins, minerals, fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants are in little supply. Unfortunately, this is a perfect formula for high inflammation.
Remove these inflammatory foods from your diet immediately:
- Sugar
- Artificial Sweeteners
- Processed foods (Particularly processed meats, which are carcinogens)
- Saturated fats (Commonly found in processed foods)
- Dairy
- Trans fats (Often found in butter replacements and some baked goods)
- Non-organic, grain-fed meats
- Fast food
- Gluten/frankengrains
8. Add bone broth and collagen
Regarding gut health, bone broth and collagen are two of the most buzzed-about ingredients. But what exactly are they, and how do they benefit your gut?
Bone broth is made by simmering bones in water for an extended period of time. This process extracts minerals and other nutrients from the bones, which are then released into the broth.
Collagen, on the other hand, is a protein in animal tissues. It's often sold in powder form and can add to soups, smoothies, or other recipes.
Both bone broth and collagen are rich in nutrients that support gut health, including amino acids, minerals, and gelatin. Gelatin promotes healthy digestion and helps heal the digestive tract. Bone broth also contains glucosamine and chondroitin, which can protect the intestinal lining. In addition, collagen can help improve gut motility and reduce inflammation.
9. Take supplements
For many people, taking a daily supplement is essential to maintaining their health. But what about gut health? The gastrointestinal tract is home to a complex and diverse ecosystem of bacteria, and these microbes play a crucial role in our overall health.
However, poor diet, stress, and antibiotic use can disrupt the delicate balance of the gut microbiome, leading to digestive problems and other health issues.
Fortunately, this gut health hack of taking several vitamins and minerals can help to support gut health. For example, vitamin A is necessary for developing and maintaining the intestinal lining, while zinc plays a role in immune function. Including these supplements in your daily routine can help keep your gut bacteria healthy and happy.
10. Relieve adrenal fatigue and reduce stress
Stress is another deadly enemy of your gut health, in addition to poor dietary choices and overuse of antibiotics.
Find out what relieves stress and helps you relax to improve your gut health. It may be yoga and meditation sessions, or it might be running and weightlifting. Whatever it may be, schedule time for it and do it often.
11. Get plenty of sleep
The quality of your sleep significantly impacts your digestive health, and just as having a healthy gut may affect the melatonin in your body, the opposite is also true. When you are sleep deprived, you have a greater risk of making decisions about food that have a bad influence on the health of your gut. These gut health hacks prioritize obtaining more than 7 hours of sleep each night.
12. Drink a lot of water
You've heard it before, "drink eight glasses of water daily," but how much does water help our bodies? The truth is water does a lot for us. Not only does it keep us hydrated, but it can also improve our gut health by maintaining a healthy gut microbiome and protecting the intestinal mucosal lining. When we drink enough water, it helps to keep our digestive system moving smoothly.
13. Listen to your body
Most of us have been told at some point to "listen to our bodies." But what does that mean? Regarding gut health, it means paying attention to your body's signals about what it needs - and doesn't need. For example, if you eat food that doesn't agree with you, you may experience gas, bloating, or other digestive discomforts.
These are indications that your body is attempting to communicate with you. By listening to these signals and making changes to your diet accordingly, you can improve your gut health. And when your gut is healthy, your whole body will be more beneficial. So next time your stomach is grumbling, take a moment to listen. Your belly will thank you for it.
14. Eat slowly and mindfully
Eating slowly and mindfully gives your body time to signal when you're no longer hungry, helping you to avoid overeating. In addition, eating slowly and mindfully can help improve your gut health. When you eat too quickly, your body doesn't have time to register that you're full, which can lead to overeating. When you eat quickly, you tend to swallow more air, which can lead to bloating and discomfort. Slowly chewing your food can help get rid of this problem.
15. Make healthy lifestyle choices
Making healthy lifestyle choices can significantly improve your overall health and well-being. One crucial way to do this is to move your body and spend some time in the sun daily. Exercise makes it less likely that you will get a long-term illness like heart disease, stroke, or diabetes. Spending time in the sunlight also helps your body create vitamin D, which is necessary for strong bones and a healthy immune system. These simple changes to your daily routine can significantly impact your overall health, especially your gut health.
6 symptoms that demand your attention from your digestive system!
1. Lack of tolerance for some foods. Likely, your body can't effectively digest certain foods if eating them causes pain and discomfort. Having this problem is a strong indicator of poor digestive health. Lactose intolerance, gluten sensitivity, caffeine intolerance, etc., are prevalent dietary intolerances.
2. Problems with digesting. Improving your gut health is essential for proper digestion, so pay attention if you have digestive issues like bloating, constipation, or persistent diarrhea.
3. Can't sleep. Suppose you have trouble sleeping and feel tired all the time. In that case, it may be because you aren't receiving enough nutrients your body needs to produce the sleep hormones serotonin and melatonin or because your digestive system isn't processing the nutrients you are eating correctly.
4. Rapid changes in body mass. Unhealthy guts may cause abrupt weight loss or increase because of problems with blood sugar regulation and nutrition absorption.
5. Skin conditions. Unhealthy gut bacteria have been related to skin conditions, including rashes, acne, and irritation. Inflammation is caused when proteins that should be broken down and eliminated in the digestive tract instead of seeping out into other body parts. Acne and eczema are two skin diseases that may result from this inflammation.
6. Autoimmune diseases are another sign of dysfunction in the digestive system. A weak immune system is only one of the many ways that inflammation caused by gastrointestinal problems may manifest.
Today is the day to begin promoting gut health! What gut health hacks are you going to try out first? Let us hear from the comments below!