Every so often a new buzz word takes over, at the moment, gut health is all the rage but do you know how a happy tum can improve your life?
What Is Gut Health?
It might not be the most glamorous of topics but according to health experts, the key to a healthy life sits in your stomach. There are around 40 trillion bacteria in your body, the vast majority of those reside in your intestines. Basically, you want to have more healthy bacteria in your body than bad bacteria and there’s more to it than just taking your inner health plus every day. So, what are some of the signs your gut microbiome might not be in tip-top shape? Well if you experience bloating, frequent upset stomachs and food intolerance it might be down to an unhappy gut.
Fun Facts About Your Gut:
– Did you know that 90% of your body’s serotonin (the hormone that makes you happy) is made in your digestive tract?
– Food really can change your mood, during studies when a person consumed fat there was a release of dopamine whereas when they had carbohydrates there was a release of serotonin.
– Your gut is also home to 70% of your immune cells so it can actually help you fight of a cold.
– Were you breastfed? Well then your microbiome might be better than someone who wasn’t. Apparently a baby’s gut health is drastically impacted by whether or not they were breastfed.
Tips to Improve Your Gut Health
The best thing you can do to improve your gut health is to eat a diverse diet that consists of a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts and healthy fats. Including prebiotics like bananas, garlic and onion as well as probiotics like yogurt, sauerkraut and tempeh will help balance the good and bad bacteria living in your stomach. There’s also some research that shows the relationship between sleeping and your gut is an important one. Essentially, better quality sleep improves cortisol levels which can in turn help your gut heal. The foods you want to avoid consuming too much for optimal gut health are alcohol, foods high in saturated fat and animal protein.
How’s your tummy LiveTribers? Do you have any tips on improving gut health?
