How to improve your gut health

There’s a lot of talk in the health industry about the importance of gut health. But what exactly do we mean by gut health? Why is it important? How do you know whether or not your gut is healthy? And how can you improve it if it’s not?

What is gut health?

Your body contains millions of bacteria, most of which live in your gut.  Some of these bacteria perform very important functions in the body, whereas others can be harmful, particularly in large numbers.  A healthy gut is one where there is plenty of the different types of good bacteria and less of the harmful bacteria. 

Why is it important?

Gut health can have a significant impact on our physical health in a number of ways:

• a healthy gut contributes to good digestion. If you’re digestion system is not functioning well it won’t be able to break down food properly. If this happens no matter how healthy the food you eat, you won’t be getting all of the nutrients you need.
• 70% of our immune system resides in our gut. Having a healthy gut helps build a strong immune system and can help prevent autoimmune diseases.
• a healthy gut promotes good heart health and brain health, and can also help prevent skin conditions and cancer. 
• gut health is an important factor in regulating metabolism. It can help you maintain a healthy weight and moderate your blood sugar meaning you are less likely to develop diabetes. 

There is a two way communication systems between our gut and our brain. Because of this gut health can impact your mental health. A recent Australian study by the Food and Mood Centre showed more than 30% of people with depression showed a significant improvement in their mental health when they were put on a gut boosting Mediterranean diet for 12 weeks. Only 8% of subjects who didn’t change their diet but instead received social support showed a similar improvement.

Even if you’re not suffering from depression, having a wide variety of beneficial bacteria in your gut can help your mood as 90% of serotonin, the feel happy hormone, is produced in the gut.

How do you know if you have an unhealthy gut?

Having an unhealthy gut can lead to a lot of different health conditions. If you experience one or more of these symptoms, it could be a sign your gut isn’t healthy.

Upset stomach

If you frequently suffer from symptoms like stomach pains, nausea, bloating, gas, constipation or diarrhea this can be a sign your gut isn’t working properly.   

Feeling constantly tired or difficulty sleeping

An unhealthy gut can contribute to insomnia or poor sleep, and can therefore lead to chronic fatigue.  Not getting enough sleep can also decrease the amount of healthy bacteria you have in your system, so it can become a cycle. 

Skin irritations

Skin conditions such as eczema can be related to an unhealthy gut.

Unintended weight changes

Gaining or losing weight without making changes to your diet or the amount of exercise you do can be a sign of an unhealthy gut because it can impair your body’s ability to absorb nutrients, regulate blood sugar, and store fat.

Food intolerances

Difficulty digesting certain types of food may be caused by poor quality of the bacteria in your gut.

Autoimmune conditions

There is some evidence that an unhealthy gut can lead to inflammation which affects the functioning of the immune system. This can lead to autoimmune diseases. 

How to improve your gut health

Making lifestyle and diet changes can help improve the health of your gut.

Eat a healthy diet

Diet plays an important part in your gut health. You can improve your gut health by eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, choosing whole grains and healthy unsaturated fats. Also include other high fibre foods like nuts, seeds and legumes.

It’s important that you eat a variety of foods from across the different food groups. Research has shown that people who have a restrictive diet have less diverse gut bacteria. Having a variety of gut bacteria is important for the health not just of your gut but the other organs in your body.

Limit your intake of processed foods and saturated fats.

Minimise the amount of sugar and artificial sweeteners in your diet as it encourages the growth of unhealthy bacteria.

Follow these other tips for maintaining a healthy diet. 

Probiotics and prebiotics

There are now a multitude of companies producing probiotic supplements which are heavily marketed as a way to improve your gut health. While taking a supplement to address a specific issue, for example, being on a course of antibiotics can be helpful, regularly taking a supplement is not likely to do your gut any good and may in fact be harmful. If you do decide to take a supplement do some research as to what’s the best one for your concern, what the right dose is and how you should take it.

For on going gut health, a better option is to eat fermented foods such as unsweetened yoghurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha and miso which are a natural source of probiotics. 

Tip: processing yoghurt can kill the probiotics so look for “live cultures” or “active cultures” on yoghurt packaging as this indicates the probiotics are still live.

Prebiotics are also important as they act as food for probiotics and stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut.  Artichokes, asparagus, leeks, onions, bananas, apples and oats are all prebiotics rich foods.

Get enough sleep

As well as having lots of other health benefits, getting enough good-quality sleep can improve your gut health.  Try these ideas for improving your sleep.

Avoid taking antibiotics unnecessarily

Antibiotics can disrupt the natural flora in your gut so it’s important to only take them when you need to.

Exercise regularly

Regularly exercising contributes to good heart health and weight loss or weight maintenance. 

Research has also suggested that exercise may also improve gut health. People who move their body frequently appear to have better gut health, independent of diet.

Reduce stress

Chronic high levels of stress can impact your gut health. If you are suffering from stress, try talking through issues with a friend or doing a relaxing activity like meditation, reading, listening to music or going for a walk.

Exercising regularly, sleeping well, and eating a healthy diet can also reduce stress levels. If you are really struggling with stress consider seeing a professional for advice on how to manage it.

Drink coffee

In great news for coffee drinkers, recent research has shown that drinking coffee can increase the concentration of good gut bacteria and lower harmful gut bacteria.

Other resources

If you’re interested in learning more about gut health, Doctor Megan Rossi’s website the Gut Health Doctor is a great resource.