Many people know that maintaining a healthy GI tract is one of the best ways to increase your overall health and wellness and anyone who has faced gut issues in the past knows the impact they can have on your body. The reason behind this is simple. Your gastrointestinal system serves as the main portal for your body’s ability to process the nutrients that your body needs. With more than 80% of your immune system and the majority of your body’s serotonin, it also acts as a disease fighter and communication center connecting your immune and nervous systems.
What is gut health?
While it is easy to see why gut health is really important when maintaining your overall health, it may not be exactly clear what gut health actually is. Gut health is considered to be a balance between the good and bad bacteria in your digestive system and is the foundation of your overall health. The trillions of bacteria, fungi, and viruses in your body are known collectively as the microbiome or the gut flora and although some of these bacteria are linked to diseases, others are extremely important for your heart, weight, and immune system.
When things begin to go awry in your gastrointestinal tract, you can quickly begin to experience fatigue, inflammation, nausea, and stomach pain. While some of the most common digestive diseases amongst Americans are gallstones, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis, an unhealthy gut can also lead to chronic pain, mental health issues, migraines, and diabetes.
How to maintain a healthy gut
Since gut health can have a tremendous impact on how you feel each day and your overall well-being, it is essential to do whatever you can to protect and promote a healthy GI tract. One of the easiest ways to do this is by following a healthy diet. This generally includes eating ‘green’ with lots of fiber, fresh produce, and foods rich in prebiotics and probiotics.
Prebiotics are substances found in foods such as oats, bananas, berries, and asparagus that the beneficial bacteria in your gut feed on. Meanwhile, probiotics are live bacteria that are naturally found in certain food and nutritional supplements. Probiotic foods include plain yogurt, and fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and pickles.
It is also very important to drink plenty of water as this makes it easier to break down and process food. This allows your body to absorb the nutrients that it needs to feel its best. As an added bonus, your small and large intestines absorb water which then moves into your bloodstream. Your large intestine then changes your stool from liquid to solid, making it easier to pass through your digestive tract.
Another important part of maintaining gut health is to make sure that you are limiting the amount of “bad” foods that you consume. Diets high in sugar and fat have a negative influence on gut bacteria and can actually lead to insulin and leptin resistance. These are driving factors for diabetes and obesity and may cause fatty liver disease.
If you are eating a healthy diet but you still suffer from stomach discomfort, you may also want to consider taking dietary supplements that are designed to help you maintain a healthy gut. However, it is important to talk to your doctor before starting any supplements to decide whether or not this is the right choice for you.
Still need help?
Maintaining a healthy GI tract can have a positive impact on your health in numerous ways. Luckily, some of the most common gastrointestinal issues can be relieved by focusing on eating a healthy diet. However, if you are still struggling with discomfort, please do not hesitate to give us a call to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.