Our gut health is something that is incredibly complex, but it plays a really important role in our overall health. A number of studies have found that there are links between gut health and our immune system, as well as our mood, our mental health, skin conditions, and even cancer. Playing such a vital part in our life and our health, we need to make sure that we are taking steps to improve our immune system and keep being healthy. So what are the best things to do for our gut health?
By Team Savant
Image: Food Photographer | Jennifer Pallian on Unsplash
Our health can be complicated as there are so many factors that contribute to it. We all know that we should eat well and move often, but when you break it down, there are definitely some specific things that we should all be doing more. Here are some things to think about when it comes to your gut health.
Signs of An Unhealthy Gut
First of all, you need to understand what an unhealthy gut is like. Then you will know what areas you need to improve on, or if what you are doing is working just fine. When it is unhealthy, though, it means that we won’t be able to absorb the minerals that we need, as well as digest foods correctly. Signs of an unhealthy gut are things like having an upset stomach, through things like heartburn, bloating, constipation, and diarrhoea. Sleep disturbances and being fatigued constantly can also be a sign of an unhealthy gut, and autoimmune diseases, skin irritation, and intolerances to certain foods can also be an indicator.
What You Can Do To Improve Your Gut Health?
Image: Arek Adeoye on Unsplash
There are a number of things that you can do to help your gut. Of course, you can choose a diarrhoea medicine to help you, but there are other things that you can do to help your gut, such as eating a diet that isn’t high in sugar, for example. Stress is also a risk-factor for poor gut health, so finding ways to cut down your stress levels can be important. Some of the ways that could help to ease stress could be meditating, walking, practicing yoga, laughing, spending time with loved ones, consciously decreasing how much caffeine you have, and having a pet.
Getting enough sleep is something that can help in all aspects of our lives, but especially with our gut health. When you’re not getting enough sleep, or not getting sufficient quality sleep, then it can have a big impact on gut health, which can spiral to more serious issues if not dealt with. It is a good idea to aim for at least seven or eight hours of sleep each night, so if you’re not there, then it is time to do something about it.
Something that we can all do, and do so easily in our diet, is to add in a probiotic or take a prebiotic supplement as a way to improve gut health. Probiotics look after the gut bacteria, as they are important. The more there are, and the happier that they are, the healthier things will be in there.