Improve Gut Health with Simple Lifestyle Habits
9/15/2022
Maintaining a healthy digestive system, or gut, could be the key to better health. When healthy, the gut absorbs nutrients from food, eliminates waste, communicates with the brain and supports a healthy immune system and nervous system function. If the gut is unhealthy, it can cause digestive diseases which affect 60 - 70 million Americans according to the National Institute of Health.
Signs of an unhealthy gut include an upset stomach, sudden weight gain or loss without changes in lifestyle, disrupted sleep and constant fatigue. If left untreated, an unhealthy gut can lead to chronic conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Optimal gut health is achieved when the bacteria inside of the gastrointestinal tract, made up of the esophagus, stomach and intestines, work together without causing discomfort.
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“Because gut health can be so complex, it may seem overwhelming to many,” says Emily Dalton, PA, at Moberly Rural Health Clinic. “However, there are many simple lifestyle habits to help maintain a healthy gut.”
Dalton recommends these lifestyle habits to maintain a healthy gut:
- Consume probiotics: Eat probiotics from naturally fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut to help create a healthy balance of gut bacteria.
- Eat well: Avoid highly processed foods and eat more fruits, vegetables, lean protein and fiber like apples, broccoli, salmon and quinoa.
- Exercise regularly: Regular exercise can help improve gut health by increasing beneficial microbial species and helping to reduce stress.
- Hydrate: Drinking enough water is a simple way to improve gut health and prevent constipation.
- Reduce stress: Try walking, meditating and spending time with loved ones to help reduce stress and decrease inflammation in the gut.
“By implementing healthy habits like these to maintain a healthy gut, one can potentially avoid digestive problems such as heartburn, gas, bloating and constipation,” Dalton said.
For more information on how to maintain a healthy gut, visit moberlyphysicians.com or call 660-263-9095 to schedule an appointment with a primary care provider.
Moberly Regional Medical Center offers a free e-newsletter with a monthly dose of health and wellness inspiration sent directly to your inbox from a trusted medical source. Visit moberlyregionalmedicalcenter.com/enewsletter-sign-up to sign up.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health/digestive-health/maintaining-a-healthy-gut#key-tip
https://www.everydayhealth.com/digestive-health/surprising-symptoms-of-an-unhealthy-gut/
https://www.wellandgood.com/signs-healthy-gut/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/whats-the-connection-between-the-gut-and-brain-health
https://www.forbes.com/health/body/how-to-improve-gut-health/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5357536/
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/exercise-improves-your-gut-bacteria#Microbiome-sensitivity
https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults
https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2017/05/keeping-your-gut-check
https://badgut.org/information-centre/a-z-digestive-topics/stress-management/
https://www.healthline.com/health/gut-health#signs-of-an-unhealthy-gut
https://www.healthline.com/health/10-ways-to-relieve-stress#takeaway
https://www.healthline.com/health/four-ways-to-improve-your-gut-if-youre-stressed
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