The gut and the brain are more connected than you know! This is why having an unhealthy gut can lead to complications ranging from mental health issues to obesity. An important thing several people fail to realize is that more than half of our immune system resides in our gastrointestinal tract! So if the gut is unhealthy, the entire body suffers the repercussions.
A common misconception when it comes to taking care of the gut is that a healthy lifestyle is more expensive than an unhealthy one. But that’s very untrue! You can maintain a healthy gut in 5 easy ways:
- Eat fruits, vegetables and legumes: Foods that are high in fiber can’t be digested by the body. These end up getting digested by the bacteria in the gut, giving them nourishment and stimulating their growth. Certain fiber-rich foods like apples, blueberries and artichokes have been shown to boost the growth of Bifidobacteria. They are essentially good bacteria that keep away myriad gut-related problems.
- Consume fermented foods: Fermented foods like kombucha, kimchi, sauerkraut, etc. are known to be rich with good bacteria like lactobacillus and bifidobacteria. These good bacteria ensure that the gut stays enriched and the bad bacteria are always lower in number, keeping stomach discomforts and other gut problems at bay.
- Take probiotic supplements periodically: Probiotics are good bacteria that can be found both in supplements and fermented foods. Research has shown that periodic consumption of probiotics helps replenish the gut flora, keeping away intestinal problems and gut inflammation.
- Reduce your daily stress: The modern lifestyle puts a lot of stress on the body, both physically and mentally. As this stress adds up, the consequences begin to reflect primarily on the gut. From irregular sleeping patterns to mental worries, a number of things can disrupt and affect the beneficial microorganisms in your intestines. Manage your stress by doing yoga, exercising and following a healthy diet.
- Don’t take antibiotics unnecessarily: Antibiotics on several occasions end up killing a lot of the good bacteria in the gut. This is why antibiotics should be taken only when absolutely necessary! Some researches have shown that upon the consumption of antibiotics, the gut has been affected to the extent that it failed to replenish a few strains of good bacteria.
The gut is your second brain. And like every other part of the body, it needs nourishment and taking care of. These simple and inexpensive tips will help you keep your gut microbiome healthy and flourishing!
