You can’t be much healthier than your gut is.
It’s only been recently discovered just how important gut health is to overall
health.
You have a lot of cells in your body - roughly
37.2 trillion! But you actually have far
more bacteria: about 10 times as many. You have more bacteria in your body
than you do human cells. These bacteria are predominately in your digestive
tract.
The health and composition of these bacteria
are pivotal to your overall health. These bacteria are necessary to digest and
absorb nutrients. They also synthesize vitamins and provide some immunity from
the flu virus and other unwanted invaders.
What you choose to eat and drink has the greatest impact on the flora, or gut bacteria, in your body.
These strategies will help you
heal your gut and your body:
- Consider taking probiotics.
Much of your digestive system consists of the flora, or bacteria, that
live in your gut. There are foods that contain these healthy bacteria, but
you can also consume them in pill form. Probiotics are a great way to
improve your gut health.
- Chew your food thoroughly.
The more you chew your food, the easier it is to digest. When you chew
your food thoroughly, you increase the amount of surface area your
digestive juices are able to attack. This creates far less stress for your
digestive system to deal with.
- Eat a healthy diet. Eating
unhealthy food is bad for every part of your body, including your gut.
Maximize your health by eating the healthiest possible diet.
- Adjust your fiber intake.
While most people need to eat more fiber to have a healthier gut, there
are a few people that would do well to eat less. The recommendation from
the medical community is 25-35 grams per day.
- Relax! Stress is hard on
every part of your body, and that includes your gut. Minimizing the amount of stress in your life can do wonders for
your overall health. Either remove the sources of your stress or learn
how to relax in spite of the stress in your life.
- Sleep. Your overall health,
including your gut health, improves when you get enough sleep. Most people
in our society could stand to get another hour or two of sleep each night.
If you’re not getting at least seven hours each night, you need more
sleep.
- Reduce sugar intake. Sugar
is considered by many scientists to be a toxin. It can be damaging to all the cells of your body. Artificial
sweeteners aren’t a great substitute. Certain types of bad bacteria in
your gut are able to consume various artificial sweeteners and become too
prevalent in your body.
- Eat fermented foods.
Fermented foods are essentially probiotics in food form. Yogurt and
sauerkraut are two of the most common examples. Miso, kefir, tempeh,
pickles, and kimchi are other options. Eat more fermented foods, and your
gut will thank you.
- Try a plant-based diet.
Many people struggle with meat and dairy products. You might find that
your digestive system feels and behaves better when you focus on
plant-based foods.
- Consume bone broth. Bone
broth is made by boiling bones and connective tissues. You can purchase
bone broth in the store, but the best broth is made at home. There are
plenty of recipes available online. It’s very easy to make, but time
consuming. It can be quite tasty if seasoned properly.
If you haven’t been paying attention to your
gut health, you’re not as healthy as you could be. What you eat and drink has the greatest impact on your gut health.
Not only does the food you eat impact the health of every cell in your body,
but it also affects the bacteria in your digestive tract.
When your bacteria are healthy, you’ll be much
healthier, too!
Disclaimer:
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this blog are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this blog is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this blog. No guarantee is provided or implied. Results may vary based on each patient’s physical health and adherence to the care plan designed by the provider. These statements have not been evaluated by the United States Food & Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease.
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