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Gut health refers to how well your gastrointestinal (GI) tract functions. The health of your gut can influence your overall health. Research suggests that a balanced gut microbiome—the environment of bacteria in your GI system—can affect sleep, immunity, mental health, and more.
Changing your diet, lifestyle, and environment can often improve your gut microbiome and overall health.
The trillions of microorganisms that make up your gut microbiome include a balanced mix of harmful and beneficial bacteria.
This balance is thrown off when there’s an overgrowth of harmful bacteria, medically known as gut dysbiosis. Gut dysbiosis creates an inflammatory environment—and an unhealthy gut.
This can manifest as multiple symptoms that affect digestive and overall health. Bacteria and inflammatory substances in the gut can be absorbed from the GI tract into the bloodstream. An unhealthy gut can trigger illness, full-body inflammation, and an increased risk of chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), asthma, depression, and anxiety.
Some common digestive-related signs of an unhealthy gut include:
Other symptoms, including headaches, mood changes, fatigue, and skin irritation, can also develop when there’s an imbalance in your gut’s bacterial environment.
Multiple factors appear to contribute to gut health—including genetic, dietary, lifestyle, and environmental influences.
Diet and nutrition are important contributors to gut health. Studies show that a diet rich in fiber and fermented foods can positively impact the gut microbiome, while a diet high in fat, sugar, and processed foods might have the opposite effect.
Certain medications you consume can also play a role, with classes of drugs like antibiotics able to alter the microbiome environment.
Lifestyle habits like stress levels, sleep hygiene, and physical activity affect the mix of microorganisms in your gut. Environmental factors, including exposure to pollution and pesticides, can also impact the gut microbiome.
Research also suggests that the makeup of your microbiome may be passed down through your family, though specific genes have yet to be identified.
What you eat—and don’t eat—strongly influences your gut health. Research has shown that a person’s dietary habits are closely linked to the composition of their gut microbiome. Some studies have found that adjusting your diet can significantly affect gut health in as little as 24 hours.
To start healing your gut, experts recommend adding these types of foods to your diet:
The Western diet, which is high in processed foods, is linked to poor gut health. Here are a few foods to limit if you’re aiming for a healthier gut:
Daily lifestyle habits like exercise, sleep, medications, and stress influence your gut health.
Incorporating regular exercise into your daily routine may benefit gut bacteria. Adequate physical activity seems to improve the diversity of bacteria in the gut.
Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule also contributes to a healthier gut. Recent research shows even slight differences in sleep timing can affect the makeup of the gut microbiome.
While medications are important for managing certain health conditions, some drugs interrupt the balance of gut bacteria. Evidence has found that taking antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) can affect this bacterial environment over time.
High levels of stress, especially long-term, have also been shown to negatively affect healthy bacteria in the gut.
Taking a supplement can sometimes be helpful for restoring gut health.
A few of the most popular options for gut health include probiotics, which are live microorganisms that contribute to the amount of “good” gut bacteria, and prebiotics, which help support the growth of current beneficial bacteria in the gut.
While taking one (or both) of these supplements has been associated with improved gut health, people with a weakened immune system should check with a healthcare provider before trying either because they may interact with immunity.
Digestive enzymes are another supplement that can support gut health. They contain proteins that help the digestive system break down food, though these proteins also occur naturally in the body. Digestive enzymes have been shown to help improve GI-related symptoms, like gas, bloating, and stomach pain, in people who have difficulty fully digesting food.
Not everyone requires a gut health supplement. People with no GI-related symptoms who already eat a fiber-rich diet can likely take steps toward a healthier gut through diet and lifestyle tweaks.
While you may notice improvements in gut health shortly after implementing some of these tactics, several lasting strategies can help keep your gut healthy long-term:
An occasional upset stomach or bout of bloating is likely not a cause for concern. If you’re experiencing persistent symptoms that mirror the signs of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), it may be time to check with a healthcare provider. They can review your symptoms and, if needed, refer you to a GI specialist known as a gastroenterologist.
Symptoms that may merit a trip to your healthcare provider include:
Depending on the diagnosis, a healthcare provider can prescribe an individualized treatment plan, including medication or other dietary changes specific to your gut health situation. They may also help identify any food sensitivities you may have that could negatively affect your gut microbiome.
Your gut health reflects how well your digestive system is functioning—which can affect your overall health. Eating a nutritious diet, avoiding processed foods, getting enough sleep, and incorporating a probiotic supplement can all help boost your gut microbiome and improve gut health.
See a healthcare provider if your digestive-related symptoms persist or if you have an underlying health condition.
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