Top tips for a healthier gut
Your gut is home to trillions of microbes – collectively
called your gut microbiome. It is important to feed and protect them, keeping
harmful bacteria out. When you care for your microbiome, it supports your
overall health.
Here’s how to support your gut microbiome:
- Eat a diverse diet, mostly plant
based
Many of us eat the same meals daily, but gut health thrives
on variety. The 2018 American Guy Project studied over 10,000
people across the US, UK and Australia. It found those who ate 30+ different
plant foods per week had significantly healthier microbiomes than those who ate
10 or fewer. Whole, unprocessed plant foods made the difference.
Probiotics are live microorganism that you can eat.
Fermented foods like kimchi, kefir, yoghurt (with “live” or “active” cultures)
and sauerkraut contain beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus and
Biffidobacterium, which already live in your gut and help maintain balance.
When thinking about the health of our gut we usually think
about what we are directly putting into our gut (food and drink). However,
regular daily exercise plays an important role in keeping the gut moving along
and improving blood flow to the gut.
- Limit Alcohol &
Ultra-Processed Foods
To protect the microbiome, you can reduce your intake of
both alcohol and processed foods. Alcohol disrupts beneficial bacteria and can
damage the gut lining. Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are any type of food that
has been processed with ingredients that you would not find in your kitchen
pantry. Found in up to 70% of supermarket products, UPFs include not just
snacks and sugary drinks, but also cereals, meat alternatives and ready meals.
Studies show these additives can disturb the delicate balance of the microbiome
and promote inflammation.