The digestive system is a tricky part of the body. You might feel as though it’s impossible to appease or control. It’s true that the gut can be easily thrown off balance and react with the intensity of a toddler-worthy tantrum. But there’s no need to fear — there are many ways to keep it in check. Keep reading for tips to better support your gut’s health.
1. Take a Probiotic Supplement
You’ve probably heard this one before, but it really is in your best interest to regularly take a probiotic. These supplements are jam-packed with the good bacteria your gut’s microbiome needs to balance itself out. This will lead to fewer digestion troubles, such as bloating, gas, or diarrhea.
There are even supplements out there designed with specific types of people in mind. For example, if you need extra help with immunity, there are probiotics enriched with vitamin C and zinc. Probiotics for women and for men also exist, each designed with emphasizing particular benefits. For example, women’s probiotics usually have added probiotic strains to support urinary and vaginal health. There are also probiotics designed for adults over 50 years old, which usually support cholesterol as well.
Another idea to keep in mind when looking for a probiotic supplement is whether or not it has prebiotics added. Prebiotics are basically the ‘food’ for the probiotics, helping them work harder and more effectively. This isn’t a necessary ingredient, per se, but it can amp up the supplement’s usefulness.
2. Note Food Sensitivities
Every time you go out for ice cream, you find yourself bloated and uncomfortable later, but you brush it off as a coincidence or assume it’s normal. Does this sound like you? Food sensitivities might be causing you digestive upset. Many times, people don’t realize a specific food is to blame for their discomfort, and it continues to go on. However, living uncomfortably is no way to live, so you should take the effort to find out if a sensitivity is the culprit.
One of the easiest ways to detect a trigger food is by keeping a food diary. This is where you write down everything you eat every day for a certain period of time. Two to four weeks of recording this data is often recommended to get an accurate picture. Food can affect the body for several days, so it’s important to get an accurate reading by recording at least a couple weeks. Additionally, make sure to document every day you have some sort of digestive upset, whether gas, bloating, or bowel movement issues.
When you start to see patterns in what foods you’ve eaten and when you get a reaction, you can conduct an experiment. Take the suspected foods out of your diet for a few weeks, and note any changes in your gut. Are you feeling better after a week? If you have more than one suspected food, do some more experimenting by introducing one into your diet at a time. Just remember to give each experiment at least two weeks to fully and accurately process in your gut.
3. Increase Your Fiber Intake
Fiber is one of the magical nutrients that benefits your body in so many ways, from your heart to your gut. In terms of digestive health, makes you feel full and bulks up and softens waste for an easier journey out. However, according to the National Institute of Health, 95% of Americans don’t get enough fiber on a regular basis. To improve your gut health, you might want to consider upping your fiber intake.
And good news — getting enough fiber doesn’t have to involve drinking prune juice. Fiber is present in more foods than you might realize. Whole grains, avocados, nuts, bananas, apples, broccoli, and black beans are just a handful to name. Try to switch around ingredients for a higher-fiber alternative, like swapping white rice for brown rice. Or, try eating fiber-rich fruits as a snack instead of chips. You can even consume a few of these foods just from ordering a burrito bowl at Chipotle!
4. Get Moving and Get It Moving
It’s pretty clear that exercise is good for your body, and in several ways. Turns out, it’s also beneficial to your digestive tract to keep yourself in shape. Exercise stimulates the intestines because of your increased heart rate and blood flow. It also works the muscles in this region, strengthening them and encouraging them to kick into gear.
When your gut is stimulated to do its own ‘exercise,’ it starts moving what’s stuck inside. The less time waste sits in your intestines, the quicker and more easily it will pass through. Additionally, spending less time in the gut means it can’t sit there and absorb more water, making your intestines less lubricated. This is why taking walks is a proven and recommended way to ease constipation.
It Takes Effort
Taking time to ‘listen’ to what your digestive system is telling you can be the first step to improving its health. Conduct experiments, note changes, cut out trigger foods, exercise regularly, eat more fiber, and take probiotic supplements. These are just a handful of ways to begin your journey toward improved gut health, and they’re a great start. Stay mindful of your body and respond accordingly — you’ll start to see and feel the results.