The gut is a large part of your body and is home to several organs. It is also responsible for getting rid of body waste and absorbing essential nutrients. Therefore, looking after your gut health is vital for keeping your general health intact since what’s going on in your gut can impact other aspects of the body and your immune system. In terms of keeping your gut healthy, it’s very much a balancing game. If there are too many bad gut bacteria present in your microbiome, then you may experience symptoms of an unhealthy gut such as bloating, constipation, and diarrhea, for instance. Many ‘super foods’ out there are great for your gut health and packed full of fiber and probiotics. To discover more, read this piece we have come up with on how improving your gut health can boost your quality of life.
Enjoy Increased Comfort
The digestive issues associated with an unhealthy gut, such as stomach cramps, can be extremely uncomfortable. Suppose you are a person who would like to lead a more active lifestyle, focus on doing more exercise and physical activity, and go out and about and enjoy yourself with family and friends. In that case, you certainly don’t want to have any ongoing problems with your gut. Having a healthy gut should give you a more optimistic outlook on life, as you will be free from spending your time worrying about your bowel issues.
Leaky gut syndrome due to poor gut health is a digestive condition whereby bacteria and toxins seep through the intestinal wall. So, make you get on top of it because if it’s not dealt with in the right way, leaky gut can be painful, uncomfortable, and a real nuisance to your everyday life. If you are interested in perhaps finding out more about how to heal leaky gut, take a look at this article by Dr. Ruscio, an expert in providing practical scientific advice to guide you on how you can take better care of your gut health.
Better Digestive Health Will Improve Your Social Life
Living with constant problems with your digestive system can be a real pain and affect your day-to-day life. For instance, having diarrhea and bowel movements that you are unable to control on a frequent basis may mean that you do not feel like you want to stay over at your friend’s house overnight. Therefore, better digestive health will also have the positive effect of meaning you are able to lead a free and active social life. We all need to see friends and family so we can enjoy ourselves and have fun creating precious memories now and then. Try and improve your gut health so you can maintain a healthy social life and avoid becoming socially isolated.
Good Gut Health Can Bolster Your Immune System
The gut is an essential region of the body in terms of its impact on your general health, given that it’s home to 70% of your immune system. Not looking after your gut health will mean that you become vulnerable to a wide range of other diseases. Harmful bacteria building up in your gut can cause you to develop severe autoimmune gastrointestinal conditions like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. So, look after your gut and follow a healthy gut diet, so you are able to benefit from a robust immune system and not be susceptible to illnesses and diseases.
You Can Still Enjoy Delicious Food Following a Healthy Gut Diet
Are you a real foodie and realize you need to start improving your gut health soonish? Well, the good news is that you can still enjoy lots of tasty foods when following a healthy gut diet. No one likes having stomach cramps, constipation, or diarrhea after eating a meal. So, to improve your gut health, you should look at making an effort to cut out foods that are exceptionally high in fat that can cause you digestive problems, such as butter, cream, fatty meats, and so on.
So, what lovely, tasty foods can you still sink your teeth into while following a healthy gut diet? You need to do your research, read all the labels, and look out for foods that contain ‘friendly-bacteria’ (probiotics) that restore the microbiota composition in the gut and prevent the inflammation of the gut. Examples of mouth-watering probiotic foods that you can enjoy on a healthy gut diet include fruits, yogurt, almonds, sourdough bread that is easier to digest than regular bread, bananas, garlic, ginger, miso, pickles, and olive oil. So, you are not really restricted that much in terms of what you can eat when following a diet that is healthy for your gut and full of probiotics, and high in fiber. Get creative with it, try and make sweet and savory foods at home full of goodness and healthy bacteria.
Your Gut Health is Connected to Your Mental Health
Looking after your mental health is just as vitally important as taking care of your physical health. There’s much more awareness about mental health conditions in 2022, and people today are much more willing to share their life issues with others than in times gone by. You may think to yourself, how is what goes on in the gut related to your mental health? The connection between your gut and your mental health is that critical neurotransmitters such as serotonin and GABA that regulate our moods are produced in the gut. Therefore, a lack of these neurotransmitters in the gut area will have the knock-on effect of contributing towards mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
Your Gut Health and Your Stress Levels are also Closely Related
Needing to contend with an excessive amount of stress in your day-to-day life is certainly never good for your health and wellbeing. Too much stress can easily cause you to develop annoying digestive problems and other issues in your gut. Try and think of some great ways you can reduce your stress levels. Practice your breathing techniques, relax, listen to your favorite music at home, take a warm bath or a shower, or do whatever helps you unwind. Think about trying something new. Why not start meditation or yoga to help you chill out a bit?
If you’re a real workaholic and you find that your work is stressing you out too much and having an adverse effect on your gut health, try to arrange a meeting with your manager to discuss your stress and the issues you’re facing at work. Hopefully, they will be able to come up with some helpful, practical ways to help you manage your stress at work that works for you and successfully manage to bring down your stress levels. You will perform to your best in the workplace when you can think with a clear mind, and you are able to think logically and put your stresses to one side.
These are a few key ways you can boost your quality of life by improving your gut health. Remember to keep your head up high and stay positive and focus on practical ways you can move forward to live a fulfilling life.
About the Author
Lucy Hudson is a lifestyle writer who loves to share her knowledge and tips for savvy parents looking to save themselves time, effort, and money.