6 easy ways to support your gut health

Did you know that you have about 100 trillion bacteria in your body?

That might sound a bit scary at first, because we often associate the word bacteria with something negative. However, bacteria are actually essential for our survival and take over important tasks in our body. Most of these bacteria are found in our intestines, more specifically in the colon. The term intestinal flora or gut microbiota describes the totality of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, etc.) that colonise the intestine.

We distinguish between good and bad bacteria: The good bacteria are enormously important for health, while certain types of bacteria in your gut can contribute to various diseases. In fact, studies have found that an excess of negative bacteria can increase your likelihood of suffering from intestinal diseases such as Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Interestingly, the food you eat has a significant impact on your gut flora. Below, we’ll share some tips on how to keep your gut flora healthy. But first, let's explore why gut health is so incredibly important and how you can tell if something is wrong with your gut.

How to know if your gut is out of balance

Your gut contains over 500 different types of bacteria that help digest food, regulate hormones, eliminate toxins, and produce vitamins along with other healing compounds that maintain both gut and body health. This ecosystem of healthy gut bacteria must be kept in balance for you to stay healthy. On the other hand, the negative bacteria can have serious adverse effects on your health. Additionally, 70% of all immune cells are located in the small and large intestines, and nearly 80% of all immune reactions occur in the gut. This makes the gut an enormously important part of our immune system.

If the intestine is healthy, we are better protected against many different diseases. The brain also communicates with the gut, which has its own nervous system. Scientists agree that the intestine influences our life, feelings, decisions, and health much more intensively than we currently know or assume.

But how can you tell that your gut is out of balance?

Factors like medication, stress, and an improper diet can throw your intestines out of balance, leading to symptoms like flatulence, diarrhoea, or constipation. What many people don’t know is that conditions such as neurodermatitis, rheumatism, immune deficiency, fatigue, allergies, and depression can also result from a disrupted gut microbiota.

Therefore, intestinal health should never be underestimated. Here are some tips to improve digestion naturally and maintain a healthy gut microbiota balance.

1. Make sure you eat a balanced and varied diet

There are up to 500 different types of good bacteria in your gut, and each type needs different nutrients to grow. A diverse microbiota is considered very healthy, and the more different types of bacteria you have in your gut, the better. A diet rich in variety can lead to a more diverse microbiota, which in turn supports healthy gut bacteria.

2. Eat lots of vegetables, legumes, beans, and fruits

Fruits and vegetables are the best sources of nutrients for a healthy microbiota. They are rich in fibre, which cannot be digested by the body, but helps the growth of bacteria in the gut. To improve digestion naturally, try incorporating these high-fibre foods into your daily diet:

• Raspberries
• Artichokes
• Green peas
• Broccoli
• Chickpeas
• Lentils
• Beans
• Whole grains

3. Add fermented foods to your diet

Fermented foods are altered by microbes, typically through a process involving bacteria or yeasts that convert the sugars in the food into organic acids or alcohol. Fermented foods are rich in lactobacilli, a type of bacteria beneficial to health. Examples of fermented foods include:

• Natural yoghurt
• Kimchi
• Sauerkraut
• Kefir
• Kombucha
• Tempeh

4. Eat whole grains

Whole grains are packed with fibre and non-digestible carbohydrates, such as beta-glucan. These carbohydrates are not absorbed in the small intestine but enter the large intestine, where they are broken down by the microbiota, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria. Whole grain products not only provide a feeling of satiety but can also reduce inflammation and risk factors for heart disease.

5. Follow a vegetarian lifestyle

A number of studies have shown that a vegetarian diet can keep the gut microbiota in balance, likely due to its high fibre content. Vegetarians naturally consume more vegetables by avoiding meat, which helps reduce disease-causing bacteria. Plus, vegetarians often follow a healthier lifestyle than meat-eaters. If you’re not ready to give up meat completely, consider limiting your meat consumption and increasing your intake of vegetables to support a balanced gut microbiota.

6. Take probiotic supplements

Probiotics are living microorganisms, usually bacteria, that can influence your gut health by altering the overall composition of the microbiota and supporting your metabolism. To effectively improve digestion naturally, we recommend choosing a probiotic supplement that contains a sufficient amount of health-promoting bacteria. Many products on the market contain only a small number of bacteria or bacterial cultures, meaning that taking them might not have a significant impact.

The human gut is the most densely populated place in the world, and diversity is crucial for its health. For example, Aavalabs has developed Premium Probiolac - 30 Bacteria + Zinc, a supplement containing 30 different strains of bacteria, each with a unique function in the intestine. With 120 billion colony-forming units per daily serving, Premium Probiolac is one of the most effective and diverse bacterial complexes available today.

The intestine is the centre of health and well-being

It’s truly fascinating how much influence intestinal health has on our overall well-being. An intestinal flora that is out of balance can lead to various diseases, such as flatulence, constipation, neurodermatitis, rheumatism, and immune deficiency. Ensure you have a robust population of bacteria in your intestines by following a balanced diet. A vegetarian diet, fermented foods, whole grains, vegetables, legumes, beans, and fruits all provide a strong foundation for a healthy gut flora.

Want to make sure you have enough different bacteria in your gut? Then check out Aavalabs Probiotics supplements and enjoy the numerous benefits of a healthy gut!