A healthy gut is essential to being a healthy person overall. This is a very large topic of discussion, but in this article I will give a brief overview and summary of the best ways to keep your gut healthy to promote better digestion and prevent an array of diseases. Unhealthy, dysregulated guts can lead to diabetes, obesity, depression, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and more.
The gut houses 100 trillion microorganisms; this glut flora promotes normal gastrointestinal function, protects against infection, regulates the metabolism, and compromises more than 75 percent of the immune system. There are many things in a person’s life that can cause unhealthy gut flora, such as: antibiotics, birth control, NSAIDs, chronic stress, chronic infections, diets low in fermentable fibers, diets high in refined carbohydrate, sugar, and processed foods, and dietary toxins that can lead to leaky gut.
Although it’s not always possible to avoid the causes above, there are ways you can restore gut flora. Some ways include: removing toxins from your diet, try to manage stress, and treat any intestinal pathogens. A person’s diet is also a big step in promoting and restoring gut health.
Proper fiber intake helps prevent against constipation and gastric cancers. Good-for-you probiotic bacteria help reduce inflammation, burn body fat, and reduce insulin resistance. Foods include: Kimchi, sauerkraut, fermented vegetables, cultured dairy products (buttermilk, yogurt, kefir, cheese), fermented grains and beans, fermented beverages (kefirs, kombuchas), raw cider vinegar, miso, tempeh, sweet potatoes, yams, yucca, and more.
Prebiotic foods are also essential for proper gut health. Prebiotic foods usually have a lot of fiber that guy bacteria feed on. Here are some high-prebiotic food to add to your diet: Almonds, oats, onions, bananas, asparagus, mushrooms, garlic, legumes, kiwi, and leeks.
Having a healthy gut is proven to be key in being a healthy person overall. By adding more probiotics, prebiotics and fermented foods and fibers into your diet, you are creating a diverse and healthy “garden” in your stomach and GI tract for the microorganisms to exist in. To stay healthy and slim, it’s a great idea to make sure some of these foods are in your daily diet. To learn more about promoting a healthy stomach or if you’re currently experiencing GI issues, contact Dr. Kordonowy at Internal Medicine, Lipids, and Wellness of Fort Myers at 239-362-2005, Ext. 200.
