When it comes to your digestive health, you are what you eat!
Junk foods, unhealthy eating habits and a lack of nutritional education result in a lot of pressure on the digestive system. Bloating, acidity and constipation plague an ever-increasing number of people. While these might not be life-threatening conditions, poor gut health can cause a lot of discomfort. Moreover, they can also be the starting point for many complicated, and even life-threatening ailments.
Ignorance may be bliss, but knowledge is power. People who really care about their health recognize the importance of keeping the gut happy and healthy. Others among us may need a little guidance, and that’s okay!
The significance of healthy digestion
Ever wonder why we say “trust your gut”? In many medical circles, the gut might as well be considered a second brain. The significance of healthy digestive organs can never be overstated.
Do not underestimate the vitality of a healthy gut not only for digestion, but for the overall well-being of your body. After all, your GI tract makes up the majority of your digestive system.
Good gastrointestinal health also has a positive effect on your mood and memory.
Recent research suggests that the health of your gut has a strong connection with your mental health, as leaky gut syndrome or intestinal appear to be on the rise.
Irritable bowel syndrome, leaky gut syndrome, and celiac disease alongside increasing rates of depression, anxiety and autoimmune disorders draw an intriguing parallel between an unhealthy gut and mood.
Symptoms of an unhealthy gut can include bloating, abdominal pain, flatulence, or reflux, but there could be less evident signs such as fatigue, headache, weakness of the immune system, and joint pain.
How to Start Working on a Healthy Gut
Where do you start if you want to make a change in your digestive health? How can you avoid uncomfortable conditions like constipation, bloating, acid reflux and other complicated bowel disorders?
The answer: start eating healthier foods. Easily digestible, non-irritating foods generally work well for positive gut flora.
This in no way means that you must ban yourself the foods you love, completely. Aim to strike a balance. If 75% of the time your diet consists of food high in minerals, vitamins and fibers, then go ahead and occasionally treat yourself. A diet closer to 25% gut-healthy foods will likely pronounce your symptoms. Remember, an unhealthy gastrointestinal system does not just affect your digestion, it affects your overall health.
7 Foods for a Healthier Gut
There are 100 trillion bacteria that reside in your gut at any given point in time. Microbial cells make up 90% of the cells in your body. As your diet impacts the growth, survival and types of microbes, you very much “are what you eat”.
Luckily, changing your gut flora does not need to be a huge undertaking to be successful!
Add these 7 foods to your diet plan to improve your gut flora:
Eat Fermented Foods
Fermented foods are probiotic in nature, which helps improve your digestion by promoting good bacteria. Add Tempeh, kefir and miso to your diet to improve the presence of good bacteria in the gut.
The probiotic properties of fermented foods enhance the well-being of intestinal cells while strengthening your immunity. Probiotics also help in treating diarrhea, reducing the chances of colon cancer and decreasing allergic reactions.
Decrease Inflammation with Chia Seeds
Though tiny in size, chia seeds have immense nutritional benefits, including the ability to keep your gut in excellent condition. Chia seeds provide fiber, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and minerals. All of which regulate your bowel movements, increase your good cholesterol levels and decrease inflammation.
As an excellent source of magnesium, chia seeds help increase muscle movement. Magnesium helps the intestinal wall relax during . (That’s the constriction and relaxation of the muscles of the intestine that pushes contents forward.)
Two teaspoons of these tiny seeds provide ten grams of fiber, or one third of your daily recommended value. Soak the chia seeds in water to remove the outer shell before eating.
Use Turmeric for Indigestion
Traditional medicine in India and China uses turmeric to treat numerous digestive problems, such as indigestion. Turmeric stimulates your gallbladder to release bile.
Turmeric can also help rid you of gases by calming your stomach. Plus, it helps improve the intestinal flora and increases intestinal absorption.
Turmeric also contains curcumin, a potent natural anti-inflammatory. Research suggests that turmeric could help treat inflammatory bowel disease, which affects approximately 1.4 million Americans.
Bananas Fight Constipation
The FDA officially recognizes banana as a fruit capable of lowering your blood pressure, working to prevent potential strokes and heart attacks. The benefits of bananas cannot be overstated. Bananas have high concentrations of pectin, which help digestion and help to remove heavy metals and toxins from your body.
Bananas fall under the category of prebiotics. They help promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in your gut and facilitate the process of digestion. Bananas also yield digestive enzymes, which help nutrient absorption.
If you suffer from constipation, you need high amounts of fiber to maintain regular bowel movements. Bananas have a significant amount of healthy fiber that will assist in the fight against constipation.
Bananas replenish your lost electrolytes and soothe your digestive tract, making them an excellent choice after suffering from diarrhea.
As a natural antacid, bananas provide relief from uncomfortable conditions like heartburn, acid reflux, and GERD.
Banana also helps people suffering from stomach ulcers, as it provides a protective covering to your stomach lining, against corrosive acids.
Improve Digestion with Beets
This rich source of fiber can help ease digestive problems. It normalizes bowel movements and cleans your gastrointestinal system, which enhances colon and digestive health.
Red beets also contain folate, also known as vitamin B-9, which lowers the chance of colon cancer.
Since beet stops fatty acid build up, it detoxifies your body while simultaneously boosting your energy levels.
Try bone broth to improve digestion
Since bone broth breaks down completely as a food, it works wonders on digestion. Bone broth contains gelatin and collagen, which help repair the potentially damaged state of the intestinal lining.
Adding bone broth to your diet may also assist in fighting wheat and dairy sensitivities. It produces good bacteria in the gut and improves immunity of the intestinal tract.
Include Greek Yogurt to promote probiotics
Creamier, thicker, richer and healthier than traditional yogurt, Greek yogurt makes for a great addition to your gut-friendly diet. Greek yogurt contains 40% less sugar, 38% less salt and two times more protein than the customary yogurt. Greek yogurt promotes beneficial bacteria, which helps you keep a healthy gut.
Presence of good bacteria or probiotics prevents you from having diarrhea. Furthermore, it can help sufferers of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and ulcerative colitis.
The high levels of protein in Greek yogurt help to keep you full for longer, often leading to successful weight loss.
Taking charge of your gut health can lead to a healthier and leaner life. Incorporating these foods in your diet will help to promote a healthy digestive system. For more information on healthy living, visit our weight loss and wellness facility– Solutions Weight Loss in Orlando, Florida.
Contact Solutions Weight Loss for a diet plan that helps your gut stay healthy. A healthy gut not only keeps you in shape, but the effects on energy and mood will change your life.
Have a happy gut!