5 Easy Hacks for a Healthier Gut
Your body contains trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, collectively known as the microbiome. While some bacteria are associated with disease, others are extremely important for your immune system, heart, weight, and other aspects of health. As you grow, your gut microbiome begins to diversify, meaning it starts to contain many different types of microbial species. Higher microbiome diversity is considered good for your health.
Symptoms of an Unhealthy Gut
Interestingly, the food you eat affects the diversity of your gut bacteria. A few signs that you may need to be spending more time improving your gut health include:
- Upset stomach
- Unfamiliar changes to your stool
- Craving sugary foods
- Weight fluctuations
- Sleep disturbances
- Chronic fatigue
- Skin irritation
- Autoimmune conditions
If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s best to get checked out by a medical provider to determine if they are due to an unhealthy gut or something else. OnePeak Medical Providers can help you determine if you have any bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), yeast, or parasites that are affecting your gut health.
5 Tips for Better Gut Health
1. Prioritize Sleep
Poor quality or not enough sleep can have serious impacts on your gut health, which contribute to more issues. A good rule is 7-8 hours of sleep a night or something that makes you feel good. If you have a hard time falling asleep or staying asleep, but don’t want to take any prescription sleep medications, BalanceDocs Sleep supplement is a perfect all-natural option to give you the undisturbed rest you desire without the hangover feeling after.
2. Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated has been shown to have a beneficial effect on the mucosal lining of the intestines, as well as on the balance of good bacteria in the gut. Drinking plenty of water is the simplest and most important way to increase your gut health. Looking for an extra way to get your weekly hydration in? Try a nutrient IV infusion with vitamins!
3. Change Your Diet
Diet is a huge factor when it comes to the health of your gut. When you eat poorly, you notice weight changes, your clothes don’t fit as well, and your energy is lower. We rarely think about the consequences our gut and digestive health are experiencing. Eliminating processed, high-sugar, and high-fat foods that you eat can contribute to better gut health. Also, eating plenty of plant-based foods and lean protein can positively impact your gut. Another important factor is increasing the amount of fiber in your diet!
4. Manage Your Stress
Stress is the culprit and root cause of many diseases and illnesses. Evaluate any disease process in the world and stress will be one of the top ten contributing factors in almost every one of them. Ironically, it is one of the areas people tend to ignore the most – thinking if they can work on all the other areas of their life enough, stress won’t get them! Unfortunately, it does, and it will. Stress affects nearly every system in our body, including your gut. If you are looking to lower your stress, experiment with meditation, walking, getting a massage, spending time with friends or family, diffusing essential oils, decreasing caffeine intake, laughing, yoga, or playing with your pet.
5. Take a Probiotic
Adding a probiotic supplement to your diet can be a great way to improve your gut health. Not all probiotic supplements are high quality or provide benefits. Please consult your healthcare provider when choosing a probiotic or prebiotic supplement to ensure the best health benefit. Our top pick is Dr. Formulated Probiotics.
Why Does Gut Health Matter?
The human gut is complex and has a big impact on your health. A healthy gut contributes to a strong immune system, heart health, brain health, better mood, more restful sleep, and effective digestion. All OnePeak Medical Providers can help address any of your gut health concerns and can tailor a customized treatment plan to help repair your gut if necessary.