Gut health has been a hot topic lately. More and more people are realizing how beneficial a good gut is to your overall health. But are you aware of the signals that your body sends to alert you that your gut health may be deteriorating? It all starts with your gut microbiome, which is linked to everything from digestion to mental health, your skin, and much more.
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The microbiome refers to the trillions of microorganisms (also called microbes) living in your body, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The gut microbiome, specifically, refers to the microbes in your intestines – specifically the large intestine. It helps you digest food you can't digest, boosts your immune system and controls inflammation. These microorganisms also produce metabolites (substances that your body uses to break down food), according to Gail Craisky, a microbiome researcher and registered dietitian in Cleveland Clinic's department of pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition. Are.
You should think of your gut microbiome as “little pets that live inside your intestinal tract,” Kresky told CNET in 2023. What we eat feeds them, and our internal environment determines how well they thrive.
As we learn more about the gut microbiome, there are some basic tips you can use to keep it as healthy as possible.
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symptoms of unhealthy gut
“If your stomach is bloated or you have a lot of gas, the structure and function of your gut microbiome may be disrupted,” Crasky said, adding that the only way to know for sure is to measure it.
Other symptoms of an unhealthy gut may include vomiting or stomach upset, fatigue, sleeplessness, food intolerances, and other symptoms. Skin irritation or problems may be a particularly visible sign, as some research links skin problems like acne and psoriasis to the gut.
Researchers are also looking at how it affects reproductive health and hormone levels.
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How to help your stomach
It is important to visit a doctor to get to the root cause of your health concern and rule out other conditions. Making changes to your diet or routine that improve your gut and your overall health is a good first step.
It's also important to note that there's no exact standard for a perfectly healthy gut microbiome, Craisky said, because everyone's composition is so different. With that in mind, here are four things you can do to help keep it on the right track.
1. Eat these gut-friendly foods
The gut microbiome prefers foods we can't digest. This includes foods with lots of fiber, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts; Foods we already know we should eat because of their nutritional properties.
According to Kresky, foods to eliminate from your stomach, or eat in less quantity, include foods high in sugar and fat and low in fiber.
“These are all linked to consumption of a Western diet, which is also linked to a disrupted microbiome,” he said.
beyond a gut-healthy diet, which not coincidentally coincides with a heart-healthy dietEating fermented foods may help replace good microbes and their metabolites. Kreisky lists yogurt, kombucha and kefir as examples.
Here's our full list of the best probiotic foods for gut health.
2. Pay attention to the medicines you are taking
It is a well-known fact that taking antibiotics, at least temporarily, disrupts the family of “good” bacteria that thrive in your body. Some common side effects of taking antibiotics include nausea, diarrhea, and developing yeast infections. If you have been prescribed antibiotics or have frequent infections that cause you to frequently take antibiotics, ask your doctor what you can do to help minimize disruption to your microbiome.
Kresky says other medications that can disrupt our microbiome include those that alter the pH of the stomach and take away acid. Examples include proton pump inhibitors, aka PPIs, and histamine H2-receptor antagonists, or H2 blockers, which are used to reduce acid reflux symptoms and may be available over the counter.
By keeping track of the medications you're taking, you can help determine the cause of your symptoms and (with sign-off from your doctor) make appropriate steps or replacements if gut health is an issue. Can.
3. Search Correct probiotics or supplements
In addition to adding more yogurt or fermented foods to their diet, some people can Look for Probiotics In hopes of balancing your gut, as they are designed Mimic an intact microbiotaIf you're considering taking any supplements including probiotics, Craisky told CNET it's important to know that probiotics are strain-specific, and “each strain has its own method of action.”
For example, some probiotics are designed to help people with antibiotic-induced diarrhea, but it won't work for a person taking it for bowel regularity.
“You want to take one that has been studied for whatever problem you have,” he said.
Also, unfortunately, keep in mind that probiotics won't completely dominate what you eat.
“If you have a bad diet, and you want to keep eating a bad diet but want to improve your microbiome, a probiotic isn't going to help you,” Kresky said. “You have to do the second part too.”
4. Move your body every day and prioritize sleep
“Sleep better” or “exercise more” may seem like tired advice, but improve your sleep hygiene. forcing more physical activity These are tried-and-true ways to improve your health, including your gut health.
According to information from the Cleveland Clinic, exercise can help your belly in a variety of ways, including improving your circulation, helping your metabolism, and aiding your digestive muscles. If you're afraid to run or don't have time to go to the gym, don't worry: There are small ways you can get your body into the habit of running every day, or at least more often.
Getting good sleep is another common piece of health advice that is directly related to the health of our gut. According to Kreisky, our microbiome adheres to circadian rhythmVery. So if we are eating when our gut microbiome is not ready, we will not be prepared to properly process the nutrients in our food.
Lack of sleep also increases stress and cortisol, which is negative mental and physical effects.
“There's a lot going on with gut-brain interactions that lead to signals to the microbiome, and vice versa,” Craisky said.
Perhaps the most basic fact is that when we're tired, we don't have the energy to check out many of the things that keep us healthy, including exercising or finding nutritious food — both of which are detrimental to our gut health. Have an impact on.
“When you're sleepy, tired, fatigued, you don't do the things that we know are good for the microbiome,” Kresky said. “So it kind of perpetuates itself.”