Top 4 tips for gut health gains
We wanted to shed some light on what it takes to get dem gut health gains with our top 4 tips for gut health gains. Unsurprisingly you don’t have to take internal showers or dry scoop chia seeds into your mouth every morning. In fact we strongly advise against dry scooping chia seeds, quite the choking hazard turns out. Anyway, let’s kick off!
1. Dietary Diversity- variety is the spice of life and one of the key tips for gut health gains
I’m sure being told to ‘Eat the Rainbow’ is not ground-breaking information when it comes to nutrition, but there is a reason why Dietitians keep telling you to consume a variety of colours each day. It’s one of the key top 4 tips to good gut health! Each different fruit and veggie comes with its own array of vitamins and minerals, and disease-fighting chemicals called Phytochemicals. In order to optimise our overall health, and enhance our gut health, we should aim to eat a variety of colours from a balanced diet including wholegrains, beans and legumes, vegetables, fruit, fresh herbs, nuts and seeds. Essentially – mixing up our intake of different plant-based foods is not only beneficial for our health but the more the merrier for our gut microbiome (a thriving ecosystem of bugs who live inside us!).
2. Prebiotics
Prebiotics are the types of indigestible plant fibres that act as fuel for Probiotics to grow and thrive (think of Prebiotics as the fertiliser for the Probiotics that are the ‘living’ creatures). They occur naturally in many wholefoods, especially in wholegrain-rich foods, fruit and vegetables, most notably, foods that are high in fibre. As much as we need to make sure we have a thriving array of Probiotics in our gut, Prebiotics are just as important. Think of Prebiotics underdogs of the gut health world, we need Prebiotics in order to promote the growth of healthy Probiotic bacteria and to help keep them fed so they can do their jobs efficiently! Want to learn more about Prebiotics? Head here to read more.
3. Probiotics
In our ecosystem analogy, Probiotics are the living beneficial bacteria that are found in our gut. Probiotics can also be found in some fresh or fermented food and drinks as well as in supplements. They are the microorganisms that help the body to digest food, protect against different diseases and promote a healthy immune system. Although there seems to be Probiotic supplements just about everywhere, the good news is that you can obtain your dose of Probiotics from food and drink sources – pass the aged cheese, yoghurt and kombucha please!
4. Reduce Stress
Our brain and our gut are inextricably linked – they even have their own two-way communication system called the gut-brain axis! Ever had the urge to run to the bathroom before a nerve-wracking event? This may be due to the fact that when we are feeling more stressed, the gut can respond by speeding up its normal processes – which may usually not be the most convenient experience. The good news is – reducing stress is as good for our mind as it is for our body. There are many ways we can relieve stress in the traditional sense. These include meditative breathing, gentle exercise & mindfulness based exercises.
So, there you have it. Our top 4 tips for gut health gains. If you loved this and want to learn specific ways to support your gut health through food, we built an app for that! We teach you an entirely new way of eating to support your mental wellbeing via the gut-brain axis! We even have a rainbow rating variety tracker to help you eat the rainbow! Give our 7-day free trial a spin here today!
