Happiness from Within – How to Build a Healthy Gut

Do you know that all food you eat is broken down in the gut to a simpler form that can enter the bloodstream and be delivered as nutrients throughout our bodies? But this is only possible with good gut health. A healthy gut possesses healthy bacteria and immune cells that will immediately ward off infectious agents like bacteria, viruses, and fungi. A healthy gut also communicates with the brain through nerves and hormones, which helps to maintain the health and well-being of an individual.

Digestive problems such as abdominal pain, bloating, loose stools, constipation, heartburn, nausea, or vomiting are quite common. When these symptoms persist for long, it may be a sign of an underlying problem that needs medical attention. These health problems can be a sign of an unhealthy gut that can be treated effectively by slight lifestyle modifications and diet change. Read to know ways to improve your gut health in a hale and hearty way:

• Eat a healthy diet: You should consume mostly fresh, unprocessed, and clean foods. Processed foods are broken down more easily into sugar, which can negatively impact your digestive health and lead to an unhealthy gut.
• Manage your stress levels: Too much stress can also negatively impact your gut health. Yoga, meditation, therapy, or even journaling have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety drastically.
• Exercise: Physical activity helps your colon moving, which leads to more regular bowel movements. Exercise can also help manage irritable bowel symptoms effectively.
• Get adequate sleep: Not getting sufficient quality of sleep can have serious impacts on your gut health, which can, in turn, contribute to more sleep issues. Try to get at least 7 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep daily. If you have trouble sleeping, consult a doctor.
• Keep your body hydrated: Drinking plenty of water has been shown to have a beneficial effect on the mucosal lining of the intestines, as well as on the balance of good bacteria in the gut. Staying hydrated is a simple way to promote a healthy gut and you can even add lime and a pinch of salt to your water to replenish electrolytes.
• Look out for food intolerances: If you have symptoms such as cramping, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, rashes, nausea, fatigue, and acid reflux, food intolerance might be the reason. You can try eliminating common trigger foods to see if it improves. Avoid spicy and high flavoured foods as these might pose a problem too.
• Go for high fibre foods: Fibre helps to regulate bowel movements and focuses on a healthy gut environment. High-fibre foods such as legumes, beans, peas, oats, bananas, berries, asparagus, and broccoli have shown a positive impact on gut health, so include them in your diet.
• Take or eat probiotics: Probiotics increase the number of good bacteria in your gut and improves the digestion process. Yoghurt, kefir, fresh sauerkraut, and kimchi are all good sources of probiotics that can be consumed.

Over to you:
Now, you must know the importance of good gut health. Eat plenty of fresh produce, consume whole grains, fibre-rich foods, and avoid highly processed foods, excess caffeine, alcohol, and fatty foods since it can control symptoms of acid reflux and promote your healthy gut.