As children or teenagers, people can normally eat most types of food without any gastrointestinal irritation. As we reach beyond our early twenties, the stomach and intestines can have difficulty processing foods with additives and other chemicals. This can cause an upset stomach that may develop into different conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or leaky gut.
In the past few years, the term “gut health” has gotten more attention. Many people may have heard that gut health is key to overall health, but what does “gut health” entail and what steps does one take to improve their gut health?
What is Gut Health?
The “gut” refers to the microbiome of microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts, and viruses living in your intestines. Having these microorganisms is essential for breaking down food properly, but there are some that are actually harmful to your health. These harmful microorganisms can affect inflammation, immunity, and even mental health or mood. Keeping a balance in “gut flora” can aid in weight loss, heart health, and a plethora of other health benefits. If there is an imbalance, it can manifest in other ways other than just gastrointestinal symptoms. Other symptoms can include skin irritation, frequent unintentional weight fluctuation, trouble sleeping or fatigue, and even food allergies.
How to Improve Gut Health?
1. Eat prebiotic and probiotic foods and/or take supplements
- Prebiotic foods help to promote the growth of good bacteria in your gut while probiotic foods contain the good bacteria.
- Examples of prebiotic food are garlic, artichokes, bananas, asparagus, apples, and onions.
- Examples of probiotic food are anything fermented such as kimchi, yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, and kombucha.
2. Consume less sugar and sweeteners
- In a 2014 study, researchers found that aspartame, a commonly used sweetener in diet soda, promotes the growth of some bacterial strains that are detrimental to metabolic systems and may contribute to the development of diabetes.
3. Reduce stress and get enough sleep
- According to the American Psychological Association, stress can increase pain associated with bloating. It can affect how quickly food moves through the body and can cause either diarrhea or constipation and it can cause painful muscle spasms in the bowels.
- Disruption of the circadian rhythm has been linked to unfavorable changes in the microbiome, also known as dysbiosis.
4. Take antibiotics sparingly
- Antibiotics, although used to treat conditions caused by bad bacteria, kill all bacteria in your microbiome causing a big shift. These effects can be observed for up to six months after the course of antibiotics.
- If antibiotics are absolutely necessary, remember to also take a probiotic supplement with it to replace the good bacteria that is lost.
Focusing on gut health can improve many other parts of one’s life. Maybe losing weight has always been difficult, or there is a rash that keeps affecting the skin, or an ongoing feeling of sluggishness and moodiness that has affected day to day life. Taking steps to improve gut health can be a way to improve all of these symptoms. There are so many other parts of health that are connected to the gut. Keeping it healthy can improve issues that one might not even be aware of. In the aging process, many may write off symptoms as “normal” and feel like it’s something they just have to deal with, but there are easy steps to start the journey of greatly improving the quality of life. This is essential during the golden years!
WellPath Partners is your senior resource referral guide. Follow us on ALL social media platforms and join us weekly for more content and public health discussion.
By: Leila Lagandaon
Placement Coordinator at WellPath Partners
B.S. in Health Science, California State University, Long Beach
