How to Improve Your Gut Health Today

 

Bloating, gas, and indigestion aren’t just uncomfortable and annoying - they could be signs of poor gut health. And when your gut is unhappy, you’re unhappy!

Two key things can cause unhealthy gut symptoms: an imbalance of gut bacteria, and a damaged gut lining. Here’s a quick overview of how each of these work. 

Your gut bacteria: Your gut is made up of a community of bacteria called microbiome that helps break down the food you eat, produce vitamins and minerals, and also supports your immune function. Up to 70 percent of your immune cells live in your gut, which means your microbiome is intimately connected to immune function. 

Your microbiome is affected by everything you put in your mouth, and also by your daily environment. Poor diet, antibiotics, stress, illness, and even pollution can allow “bad” bacteria to grow, preventing the good guys from doing their job properly. 

Your gut barrier: This physical lining of your gut is naturally permeable, like a net that allows good things (like vitamins and minerals) into your bloodstream while keeping out the bad things (like diseases and toxins). But if this gut lining is damaged, it becomes less efficient. This is often called “Leaky Gut Syndrome” because harmful material can pass through the lining and enter your body, resulting in digestive problems, illness, or an immune system reaction. 

Check yourself for these common unhealthy gut symptoms

• Bloating and/or excess gas 
• Indigestion or heartburn
• Abdominal cramping
• Sluggish bowels or constipation
• Overactive bowels or diarrhoea
• Skin problems such as rashes, eczema, or psoriasis
• Low mood 
• Cravings for carbs or sugar
• Weight gain
• Frequent colds or other infections

A healthy gut isn’t just about keeping bloating and gas at bay. It’s about getting the nutrients you need and keeping your immune system strong. And we know how important that is right now! 

Here’s a quick guide on how to improve your gut health today.  

Feed on fermented foods 

Foods that have been naturally fermented are often rich in “friendly bacteria” also known as probiotics. Probiotics can help support your gut microbiome by boosting the numbers of resident bacteria already in your own gut. Eating fermented foods regularly is an easy and delicious way to support gut health. 

Kefir, miso, natural yoghurt, kefir, and sauerkraut are all great examples of fermented foods that you can find at the supermarket. Mix it up by trying different foods every day or making your own! Just remember to check the product labels and avoid anything with added sugars or artificial sweeteners. These may make foods taste better, but they can cancel out most of the health benefits. 

Pop a probiotic

Not into sauerkraut? A daily probiotic is another great way to top up your gut bacteria. Probiotic supplements contain concentrated strains of beneficial species such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, which have been shown to support gut function and help maintain healthy digestion. Probiotics work by adding to the community of healthy microorganisms already living in your gut, which can help “crowd out” the not-so-healthy ones. They also 

Taking one or two capsules a day is especially important after a stomach illness or a course of antibiotics.

Try Radiance Probiotics 100 Billion - a daily capsule that contains 15 strains of healthy bacteria and 100 billion colony forming units to replenish and support digestive function.

Or Ethical Nutrients Inner Health Advanced, a probiotic formula designed to reduce stomach upset and maintain good gut flora during and after antibiotics.

Fill up on fibre

Fibre is a kind of ‘fuel’ for your gut microbiome. It supports the bacterial communities that colonise your digestive tract and also helps to keep waste moving through your intestines. Unfortunately, most people don’t eat anywhere near enough fibre each day! You can boost your fibre intake by eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, wholegrains, nuts and seeds. 

You can also get creative with Nothing Naughty Fibre Syrup, which adds a yummy shot of fibre and prebiotics (nourishment for gut flora) to your smoothies or raw desserts. 

If you’re really struggling to put the right foods on your plate, get a daily dose of fibre, prebiotics and probiotics with LifeStream Bowel Biotics Fibre, available in either powder (for your smoothies and beverages) or handy capsules. 

Get active
Exercise is one of the best ways to keep your microbiome healthy and your bowels regular! Research has shown that daily exercise may help to increase the colonies of ‘good’ gut bacteria that maintain your digestive function. 

Exercise also promotes the growth of the specific bacteria that produce butyrate, an important fatty acid that helps rebuild the gut lining and reduce inflammation. This can help reduce your risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease.

As an added bonus, improvements to gut microbiome can boost metabolic function and help to counteract the ‘bad’ bacteria that cause bloating, indigestion, and inflammation. 

Nourish the gut lining

Bloating, itchy skin, and food intolerances or allergies can be a sign that your gut lining needs extra support. 

That’s where glutamine comes in. Glutamine is an important amino acid that helps in repairing and strengthening the intestinal barrier while also managing inflammation and protecting cells from further damage. Bone broth is a great source of both glutamine and collagen, which also helps in rebuilding gut tissue. You can make your own bone broth at home, or you can cheat by grabbing Nature’s Way Collagen Bone Broth. 

Plants such as aloe vera, slippery elm, or marshmallow are also great for an inflamed gut. They’re known as mucilages because they become a soothing gel that coats the stomach and intestines, helping to relieve inflammation and encouraging regular bowel function.  

LifeStream Gut Soothe or Nutra-Life Gut Health Powder both contain mucilages, along with prebiotics to feed your good gut bacteria and curcumin to keep that inflammation at bay. 

Beat the bloat and feel better! Check out Bargain Chemist’s fantastic range of gut health supplements available online and in-store.

 

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3002586/ 

2.  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29902436/ 

3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5357536/ 

4. https://joe.bioscientifica.com/view/journals/joe/243/2/JOE-19-0122.xml 

5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4369670/ 

 

Vitamins and minerals are supplementary to and not a replacement for a balanced diet. Always read the label, use only as directed. If symptoms persist, see your healthcare professional. Weight management products should be used with a balanced diet and exercise.