By Our gut is a precious thing, with a life of its own. I’ve always assumed my gut is talking to me in more ways than one. It runs my life, including my mood, energy levels, happiness, confidence, and most importantly, my health. I’m not alone on this one; we are all the same – although some are not aware of the power of our gut.
Problems can arise when things start becoming somewhat imbalanced with our gut flora. That usually occurs when there is worse than good bacterial. Over time, this can lead to many issues such as insulin resistance, inflammation, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease and even colorectal cancer.To keep a nice balance, we need to aim for a shift within this balance, making the good bacteria abundant in our gut. There are several ways we can do this.
Five ways that you may be sabotaging your gut health
- You are not eating a wide variety of foods. A lack of diverse foods in your diet will limit recovery from harmful influences like infection and antibiotics. Eating a wide variety of whole foods like fruits & veggies leads to more diverse gut flora. Once you start alternating your nutrition, it only takes a couple of days for the positive effects to take place. It’s beneficial to make plant-based eating a high priority in every meal. You can include a piece or two of fruit daily and adding avocado to your lunch. Salads and soups are also great alternatives. I love baked veggies and use a variety of herbs to spruce up the flavour. Add yogurt for even more healthy gut bacteria.
- You are not eating prebiotics daily. People mistakenly think that prebiotics is the only way to go. Prebiotics are just as crucial for your gut bacteria. You can include oats, lentils, bananas (especially the green variety), artichokes, asparagus, garlic, leeks, onions and nuts. Prebiotics also promote the production of short-chain fatty acids. These are a rich nutrient source for your colon. They can be absorbed easily by the bloodstream, promoting metabolic and digestive health, reducing inflammation, and reducing the risk of colorectal cancer. Prebiotic fibre plays a role in reducing insulin & cholesterol levels.
- You are drinking too much alcohol. Alcohol such as gin decreases the number of beneficial gut bacteria. In contrast, a glass of red wine increases the abundance of bacteria known to promote gut health & reduces the number of harmful gut bacteria. This is excellent news for anyone that enjoys a glass or two of red wine with dinner! Red wine contains polyphenols that escape digestion and are broken down by gut bacteria. They may reduce blood pressure and improve cholesterol.
- Smoking. We all know that tobacco is made up of different kinds of chemicals. Not only can it cause cancer, but it is harmful to your organs. Those who smoke are twice as likely to develop Crohn’s disease or any other type of inflammatory bowel disease than non-smokers. Once you stop smoking, you instantly increase your gut flora diversity, increasing your gut health.
- Stress. High levels of stress can increase sensitivity to the gut, reduce blood flow and alter the gut bacteria. This can explain why we may become ill after a stressful event or occurrence. Some people may be more sensitive to gut bacteria alterations than others. It is beneficial to manage stress in the best way possible by using meditation, yoga or relaxation techniques to ease tension. It also helps to turn you back on that stressful part of your life. That may mean ending a relationship or finding another job. This stress over time can be harmful to your mental and physical wellbeing.
Although this article didn’t touch much on foods, we should keep in mind that events of chemicals can play a massive part in our gut health. As I suffer from gut problems all of my life, I find that food is just one small component – whereas stress is debilitating. I’d love to connect with you if you are experiencing many gut issues right now. I may help. I would love you to upvote it if you did. Please also join me on my various social platforms and do go ahead and download your 40 Fat Loss Tips & Portions guide. I’m also on Instagram.