Everything that goes into your mouth is reflected inside and outside your body. Every habit and physical activity you take up shows up on your body. That is why it is important to stick to a healthy lifestyle for a healthy living.
Your gut health is important not just for better digestion but also for your mental health. It is time you paid some attention and care to your gut health. It could be the reason why you experience a brain fog and feel less productive at work!
So, to take care of your guts, you need to know what can possibly cause it trouble. Let’s examine the trouble-makers that your gut should be able to overcome.
1. Food
The food you eat is definitely one of the main factors that can determine your gut health. Processed foods like pizza, pastas, burgers, etc promote inflammation in your gut as well as your body. Inflammation is the cause of many chronic illnesses like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and depression. If your gut is inflamed, it may not be able to absorb the nutrients even if you eat the right foods.
Therefore, it is important to stick to foods that can fight inflammation. Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines; green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, and collards; nuts like almonds and walnuts; vegetable oils like olive oil, fruits like oranges, strawberries, blueberries, and cherries can fight inflammation. In addition, have plenty of fibrous foods because fiber is important for digestion and proper bowel movements. Probiotic foods like plain yogurt and kefir can feed the good bacteria in your gut and can help maintain your gut health.
2. Stress
Your stress levels have a direct impact on your gut health. This is because the amount of stress you take affects the gut flora that consists of a good balance of both good and bad bacteria. Many individuals today do not understand the value of self-care. For some people, it is because they do not have the time while for others, it is because they do not find it necessary. There are studies that are conducted to explain the effects of stress on the gut health.1 It brings down your gut health and, in turn, your overall immunity.
Therefore, take some time off from work or any other daily activity that may be causing you stress. Give your mind and body a way to relax. Practicing yoga, listening to music, taking a walk in the park, are a few ways you can beat everyday stress.
3. Sleep
Insufficient or interrupted sleep can affect your gut health. In fact, if you are sleep deprived it may cause you to eat starchy and sugary foods to substitute for the energy your body lost from the lack of sleep. The connection between the gut and brain is enough to explain how poor-quality sleep can affect your gut health. Therefore, the opposite is also true. If you do not have a healthy gut, it can become difficult for you to sleep peacefully at night without interruptions.
4. Medications
When you fall ill or even have a small headache, you know you reach out for a pill that can solve the issue in less than an hour. However, reaching out for medicines may not always be doing your body good apart from giving you some temporary relief. Antibiotics, for instance, are prescribed for most infections. However, every time you take antibiotics it is messing up with your gut bacteria as well. Altering your gut bacteria and not consuming the right foods can cause a serious bacterial imbalance in your gut leading to more serious health issues like dysbiosis (also called dysbacteriosis).
Therefore, if you are able to find alternative methods for your common illnesses like ginger tea for cough and cold, it would be a healthy move. But, if you have a severe health condition and the doctor has prescribed you medications, do not discard them. Just don’t go overboard with the medications; stick to the required dosage.
5. Toxins
There are poisonous substances everywhere you go. The air you breathe has pollutants that can mess with your respiratory system and bring down your immune system. There are preservatives added to your foods and drink. If you do not wash your fruits and vegetables in clean water, your body is consuming pesticides, too. All of these toxic substances can cause a negative impact on your gut lining, causing an imbalance in the gut bacteria, bringing down your body’s immunity.
So, avoid a leaky gut or an irritable bowel by eating the right foods and leading a healthy lifestyle. Don’t take your guts for granted. It can protect you from illnesses only if you take care of it.
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