Gut Health – 5 Simple Ways To Improve It

Your gut health is important for your overall health. This part of your body covers your gastrointestinal (GI) system, which includes your stomach, intestines, and colon. A healthy gut contains microorganisms or gut flora that aid digestion, maintains immune system function, regulates blood sugar, and impacts mental and physical well-being.

Therefore, knowing how to keep your gut healthy is crucial. This article explores five ways to maintain a healthy gut.

Kindly read along!

How To Maintain A Healthy Gut

A healthy gut is key to overall well-being. Here are five easy ways to keep your gut healthy;

1 – Eat Healthy Gut Foods

You are what you eat; the type of food you expose your digestive system to plays a big role in its health. For a healthy gut, eating fruits and fibre is essential. With a nutritious high-fibre diet, you can improve bowel movement and prevent constipation. High-fibre foods also help to reduce the risk of colon cancer

2 – Cutdown On Processed Food

Chronic consumption of heavily processed foods like processed red meat, microwave-ready meals, pizza, etc, can increase the risk of bowel diseases like cancer. Although it might be difficult to steer clear of processed foods in these modern times, regulating your intake of such foods is possible.

You can do this by being deliberate about your diet and ensuring that the bulk of your meals comprises fresh, natural, and locally sourced foods.

3 – Limit Alcohol And Cigarette Use

Alcohol can cause gut inflammation, nausea, constipation, and diarrhea. Drinking large amounts of alcohol can affect the balance of the healthy bacteria in your intestines. Similarly, tobacco use can disrupt the gut barrier and alter gut microbiome.

In addition, alcohol and tobacco use have been linked to various cancers in the body, including cancers of the digestive tract. As much as possible, limit your exposure to these toxic substances.

4 – Mind Your Antibiotic Use

The gut naturally contains many helpful microorganisms like lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. These healthy microbes perform many important functions in the intestines, including maintaining a healthy gut. In addition, they condition the microenvironment of the intestines, making it unfavourable for harmful microbes to thrive.

When you use (oral) antibiotics carelessly and for a long time, you slowly wipe out the helpful bacteria in your gut and jeopardize your gut health in the long run. Remember, not every illness requires antibiotics. Do not self-medicate.

Also, if your antibiotics are prescribed by a doctor, ensure you complete your dose. This helps prevent the growth of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms in your body.

5 – Drink Water

Staying hydrated has too many health benefits for it to be ignored. Water is good for your gut health. When you are well hydrated, you are unlikely to struggle with hard stools and constipation. Your digestive system needs water to function optimally.

Keep yourself hydrated at all times. You should aim for 8 glasses of water a day. However, you may need to drink more depending on the climate, your activity level, and your overall health.

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A Word From HealthFacts

We hope you have learned how to keep your digestive tract healthy. Remember, eat gut-healthy foods, limit processed foods, and limit your alcohol and cigarette use. Also, mind your antibiotic use and stay hydrated. Following these tips can help you maintain a healthy gut and improve your wellbeing.

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Yours,
Dr Ezinne Ejele