Gut health is incredibly important when it comes to your overall health. A good level of gut health is something that often gets overlooked when deciding to take control over your health and fitness. The state of your gut often will impact not only your results, but various other areas of your life such as mood, energy levels and the immune system. Below are some tips as to how you can improve your gut health.
“Maintaining a healthy gut is important as a means of helping reduce the risk of a range of conditions from bowel cancer and diverticular disease through to indigestion and constipation, and given that poor digestive health can affect anyone, it’s important to look after your gut,” says dietician Boris Kazakov.
“Symptoms of poor gut health include abdominal bloating, wind, pain, diarrhoea, poor nutrient absorption and a general unwell feeling.”
The most common causes include a poor diet (think lots of processed food and not enough fresh produce), a sedentary lifestyle, and stress overload. Taking initiative and proactively healing your gut allows the body to build a stronger immune system, improve vitamin absorption and produce the right kind of bacteria. This then all feeds back through the body, telling the brain that it is ok to feel good again.
Allowing this change to occur will only provide ongoing benefits, if you start to follow the below tips, and decide to take control over your gut health, these benefits will not be far behind.
Cut Back on Raw Cruciferous Vegetables
Raw vegetables, particularly cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, cabbage, brussels sprouts although healthful, can cause major stomach discomfort for many people. BUT cruciferous vegetables that are raw do provide many nutrients and potential health benefits so instead of cutting them out completely, try to cut back in amount and try cooking before eating. When cooked, cruciferous vegetable may be slightly more tolerable, but there are also plenty of other healthful vegetables that can be swapped.
Add a Probiotic
One of the more commonly recommended tummy-tamers, probiotics, have been found to help restore and provide healthy bacteria to the digestive tract that may help to promote healthier digestion- and for many, reduced stomach discomfort.
Drink Plenty of Fluids
Fluids are key for maintaining regular movement through the digestive tract and preventing constipation (dehydration alone can cause constipation). Additionally, whenever bumping up fiber intake it’s key to bump up fluid intake to prevent constipation. Drinking adequate fluids can also help to prevent overeating, which can also help to ease stomach discomfort.
Eat Consistently
One piece of advice that we always give is to eat regular, consistent meals. Consistent healthy nutritional intake is one of the most important aspects of not only weight loss, but also regularity and preventing/improving acid reflux. When it comes to acid reflux specifically, one of the major contributors is having an empty stomach. You will find with regular nutritional intake that these symptoms will subside.
Cut Back on Acidic Foods
Acidic foods can be hard on the stomach, particularly when it’s empty (and also for anyone with heartburn). If you want to include acidic foods make sure to have something along with your food that will balance it out.
Eat More Orange Vegetables
Orange vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes contain powerful anti-cancer nutrients including powerful antioxidant vitamin C and beta-carotene that may help to prevent cell damage; sweet potatoes also contain potentially anti-cancer caffeic acid that may help to prevent blood supply from reaching
These are just a few hints and tips designed to improve your knowledge on gut health and how to get in tracking in the right direction. Please know that we are not nutritionists or experts in the area, if there are any specific issues that you do have, it is always recommended to get in touch with your local professional!
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