Want to improve your gut health? We could all use a little boost in that department because it impacts so many aspects of our lives! Here are some expert tips to help you improve your gut health and start living a healthier life today.
When things start to go wrong, your gut is usually the first to sense it, and for good reason – it’s often called a “gut feeling.” Think of your gut as the control center of your health. It’s packed with countless good and bad bacteria that play a huge role in your overall well-being. Your gut affects both your physical health and your mental health. Keeping your stomach in good shape is the first step in dealing with various gastrointestinal issues, managing your weight, and maintaining stable mental health.
You can achieve the right balance of bacteria in your digestive tract, but here’s one key thing to remember: You are what you eat.
One of the toughest decisions in eating healthy is cutting out sugars from your diet. It’s important, though, because this applies mainly to refined sugars, added sugars, and artificial sweeteners found in processed foods.
As mentioned before, your gut houses both good and bad bacteria, and your health depends on which ones you feed. Bad bacteria thrive on these sugars, allowing them to grow. The same goes for starches, which are made of glucose molecules – a type of sugar. If your body doesn’t need all that glucose, it stores it in your liver, muscles, and fat deposits.
Good fats are essential, and your body needs them for solid brain function and healthy cell building. A good mix of omega-3 and omega-6 fats can be found in foods like fatty fish – such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel – and also by adding nuts to your diet. Almonds, cashews, and walnuts are rich in these healthy fats and can help protect against heart disease. Try to cut back on butter and use unsaturated oils like vegetable, canola, and olive oil.
Homemade soups and stocks are excellent for your health, combining many different minerals in one easy meal. Ingredients like animal bones are full of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and other nutrients that help with digestion, boost bone density, and allow your body to use meat proteins efficiently. No wonder chicken soup is often a go-to remedy when we’re feeling unwell.
Living foods, which still have live enzymes, are also key. These include raw and fermented foods that aid in digestion and nutrient absorption. Essentially, they help you get the most out of what you eat. These living foods include uncooked fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouted grains, and unpasteurized dairy like sour cream, yogurt, or buttermilk.
Good bacteria in our bodies are known as probiotics. Filling your system with these healthy bacteria can sometimes be challenging through diet alone, which is why probiotic supplements come in handy. Additionally, fermented cod liver oil is a great addition to your nutrition regimen because it’s rich in vitamins A and D and omega-3 fats.
Balancing your diet can be tough, especially with all the studies and mixed messages about what’s good or bad for you. However, these nutritional tips can help you maintain a healthy gut, leading to better overall health. Personally, I follow the SCD Lifestyle diet, or Specific Carbohydrate Diet, which avoids processed foods and eliminates sugars, starches, and grains.