Natural Health Alternatives Blog

The gut micro biome consists of trillions of bacteria and a huge community of fungi that are present in every corner of your gastrointestinal system. It has an influential role in controlling the functioning of your immune system, appetite, mood regulation, and metabolism and has the power to control your body weight and the tendency of getting ill. These microbes reside on the lower intestine and outnumber even the number of cells in your whole body! According to new researches, the richer and more complex your gut microbe community is, the better thte chances to avoid disease risks and allergies. There have been a 

Signs of an Unhealthy Gut

How to find out that your gut health needs improving. Here are some obvious signs that your gut health needs a healthy boost:

i.   An upset stomach

ii.  Unintentional sudden weight changes

iii.  High-sugar diet

iv.  Skin irritation

v.  Constant fatigue and having trouble sleeping

vi.  Food intolerances

vii.  Autoimmune diseases

So, how to improve the microbial community in your gut and give your gut health a considerable boost? Here are some proven tips.

1.  Eating a diverse range of food from different food groups can help you develop a diverse microbial community. A diverse micro-biota is considered to be a healthy one, due to which people from rural region of Africa and South America have a better gut than people in western countries, whose diet is rich in fat and sugar.

2.  Your diet should consist of mainly fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes which are considered best sources of healthy microbes. A diet high in fibre can be digested by specific types of gut bacteria which can stimulate their growth. According to a new research, a diet rich in vegetables and fruits kill disease-causing bacteria.

3.  Include fermented food such as Sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, Kombucha, kefir and tempeh in your diet. The fermentation process converts the sugars in food to alcohol or organic acids due to microbes. Most of these yeast based food are rich in lactobacilli that is beneficial for your health.

4.   Avoid consuming artificial sweeteners as a replacement for natural sugar. According to a research, an artificial sweetener aspartame reduced weight gain but also increased the risk for impaired insulin response and increased blood sugar.

5.   Add prebiotic food in your diet that consist of rich fibres and complex carbs that human cells are unable to digest on their own. Instead, human body needs the help of certain bacteria to break down and use them for energy consumption. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains contain prebiotics as well as resistant starch.

6.  Breastfeed your baby for at least six months as the baby’s micro biota start to develop at birth and continue to multiply at an immense rate for two years of their lives such as Bifidobacteria, which digest sugars in breast milk.

7.  Eat whole grains which contain fibres and non-digestible carbs which consist of beta-glucan.

8.  Opt for a plant-based diet, as vegetarian diets are considered to help develop important gut bacteria. According to one study, vegetarian diet can help reduce inflammation, and lower weight and cholesterol levels.

9.  Eat food that are rich in Polyphenols, such as cocoa, dark chocolate, grape skins, red wine, green tea, almonds, onions, blueberries and broccoli which contains lactobacilli, Bifidobacilli which can change the microbial community in your gut that can lower triglycerides and C-reactive protein.

10.  More than 63 studies found evidence that gut health can be bolstered by consuming probiotic supplement which has live microorganisms. Now that you know the top 10 ways to improve your gut health, ensure to make it a part of your life.