How to maintain healthy gut health

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Did you know that your gut houses the majority of the cells that make up your immune system? That explains why inflammation happens in your stomach when you aren’t feeling well. Maintaining gut health is essential to a whole body approach to healing. 40185967_M

Having a healthy gut means having a healthy body, and a strong immune system. But how do you get there? It’s easier than you may think.

First, start with food. Your gut is largely affected by the foods you eat, so identifying food intolerances might be a good place to start your journey towards healing.

Typical culprits: sugar, dairy and gluten.

No matter what you discover, a diet rich in fiber and plant-based foods is usually a really good idea. Leafy green vegetables provide vitamin K, which is linked to multiple health benefits, including the prevention of inflammatory diseases and the proliferation of good bacteria. Eat more and your gut will thank you.

To continue to make your gut happy, consider taking a probiotic. Probiotics work to help your gut maintain equilibrium and a microbial balance. Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to take a supplement to get your dose of probiotics (although you could!); you can also supply yourself with some of the good stuff by eating fermented foods. One of the most common fermented foods is yogurt, or you can try kimchee, pickles or kombucha.

The key to maintaining great gut health doesn’t just lie in the gut itself, but in your habits and lifestyle. Are you stressed? Are you getting enough sleep? Feeling stressed can trigger immune responses that cause inflammation in your gut, among other body organs, and potentially cause immune diseases. So, lower your stress for strong gut health and keep your microbiome happy.

When it comes to sleep, studies show that having insomnia or a broken sleep cycle can affect your intestinal microbes, making them unhappy and prone to inflammation. Getting consistent sleep can create a nice balance.

Because whole-body health is largely impacted by our gut, maintaining a healthy gut is critical. Follow these steps and see the wonders that is complete gut happiness.