Simple Gut Health Diet & Lifestyle Tips To Try Today
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Simple Gut Health Diet & Lifestyle Tips To Try Today
A healthy gut equals a healthy body and mind. But where do you start when it comes to taking care of your gut? You don’t need to take expensive supplements or completely overhaul your life – the best place to start is with simple daily habits.
Eat more plants
When it comes to foods that nourish your gut, the top of the list is plant foods – think fruit, veg, nuts, seeds, wholegrains, beans, legumes, herbs and spices. These ingredients contain fibre and antioxidants that support a healthy microbiome (the colony of microbes that live in your digestive tract).
But the trick here is not just to eat more of one or two plant foods – but to increase the variety along with the quantity. For example, you might want to:
Start off with a veggie-packed breakfast like these Rainbow Chard Breakfast Pancakes
Add in a plant-based meal or two each week – give this Tempeh Stir Fry a go
Switch up your go-to options for a different variety – alternate between brown and red onions, spinach and rocket, or rotate between red, yellow and green bell peppers
Need some ideas for how to eat more veggies? Try these tips.
Stick to set meal & snack times
Do you find yourself grazing constantly throughout the day? It may be doing more harm than good, particularly for your gut.
If you eat too frequently throughout the day, it interferes with something known as motor migrating complex, or MMC. This moves material from the stomach and small intestine down into the large intestine, including undigested food. This helps to prevent the overgrowth of bacteria and small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
The MMC is only activated when you’ve fasted for a little while. So it’s best to space your meals and snacks out by at least 3 hours. You also want to give your gut a rest for at least 10-12 hours overnight, so avoid eating too much food close to bedtime.
Take your time to eat
Hands up if you find yourself eating on the run or gulping down your meals as fast as possible? Sometimes, it’s unavoidable. But if you find yourself regularly eating while distracted or in a rush, your gut and body will face the consequences.
Eating too quickly or while distracted can have a few negative side effects, including:
Reduced production of digestive enzymes, leading to fewer nutrients being absorbed
More undigested food particles that can ferment and lead to symptoms such as bloating
More air entering the digestive tract which also contributes to bloating
Feeling less satiated after a meal, which means you’ll end up eating more later on than you might actually require
So rather than eating on the run or giving yourself the smallest lunch break possible, try setting aside enough time to sit and eat your meals properly. Even if you can only do this for 1-2 meals per day, it will help to look after your gut and overall wellbeing.
Prioritise good sleep
Did you know that your sleeping habits could be influencing your gut health? When you sleep, your body is busy repairing and resetting to prepare for a new day. This includes fixing up any damage that occurred to the gut lining and digesting vital nutrients from your dinner.
Research has found that people who get a great sleep have a more diverse and healthier microbiome compared to those who struggle to get a good night of rest. So by optimising your sleep routine, you can also give your gut some much needed TLC.
Is a good night of sleep a struggle for you? I’ve got 6 simple tips to help you here.
Get your stress under control
Everyone experiences stress from time to time. But chronic, unchecked stress can have some serious implications for your gut health. This is because your nervous system and gut are closely linked, so when one is under pressure, the other will feel the effects.
Research has found that stress changes the microbes in your digestive tract by increasing inflammatory strains and reducing helpful strains. This has a knock-on effect across your entire body, not just your gut.
Need some ideas to manage your stress? Start here.
Switch to natural personal care products
What you put into your body is often the focus of gut health. But something just as important is what you put onto your body – including the products you use daily. Many common personal care products have ingredients that have negative health effects, including effects on the gut.
Need some tips on how to switch over your products? I’ve listed my top recommendations here.
Looking for nutrition tips and healthy hacks to help you feel better?
Hey there, I’m Rachel!
NUTRITIONIST, PERSONAL TRAINER, WELLNESS COACH
Here I share healthy recipe ideas, training plans, and nutrition & wellness advice you need to know.
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While we make every effort to make sure the information in this website is accurate and informative, the information does not take the place of medical advice.