5 Steps to Optimise Gut Health
Gut health is pivotal to our immune system, mood, sleep cycle, ability to detox and remove wastes from the body. A sluggish or reactive gut can leave us with poor mood, inability to consume ‘healthy foods,’ low immunity, hormone processing issues and a generally higher level of oxidative stress and toxicity.
People underestimate the link between gut health, nutrition and the feeling of wellness, so we’ve created the following 5 tips on how to optimise your gut health.
*Please note these are general guidelines which may need to be altered for specific gut pathologies such as IBS/IBD/GORD.
Choose a Varied Diet
Eat the rainbow, the more variety of colour in your foods (not including artificial colours) the more varied your phytochemical consumption, which is where a lot of the health benefits from vegetables comes from. The more varied your food choices the more varied your gut flora which is associated with better health outcomes across a multitude of areas.
Daily Fibre
Eat around 30-40g of fibre a day. Some great easy to introduce options are dhal, vegetarian shepherd’s pie, curry, artichoke dip, chia cups, overnight oats, and chill con carne with beans instead of meat.
Eat Polyphenols
Polyphenols are a super food to increase and modulate gut flora due to their action to increase beneficial species as well as down regulate problematic species. On top of that they reduce oxidative stress. Our favourites are dark berries/fruits (skins on,) grapes, purple cabbage and carrots, green tea, cacao, raw nuts, and spices.
Exercise Regularly
Exercise helps your gut flourish- studies show regular higher intensity exercise reduces gut permeability and promotes gut diversity.
Practice Mindfulness While Eating
Eat mindfully. Your gut is innovated by your Vagus nerve so how you feel when you eat matters. To help innovate your gut with blood flow and up regulate your digestive enzymes follow these steps:
- Remove distractions (TV/Phone)
- Use your senses
- Take 10 deep belly breaths before eating
- Chew slowly
Consult A Nutritionist
If all of the above steps are still not helping you feel yourself, it can be worthwhile to consult a local nutritionist or even, in more severe cases, one that is a specialised gut health expert.
Improve Your Gut Health with the Complementary Health Experts at Cellf GP and Wellness Clinic in Mosman Park, Western Australia.
Curious about how to optimise or re-balance your gut flora? Book in today or drop by to talk to our friendly staff at Cellf GP and Wellness Clinic.
