Written By: Marci Clow, MS, RDN
Chances are you have read about or heard the buzz on gut health? Well, what does it really mean and why does it matter? This article will break down the basics of gut health and explore its impact on overall wellness.
Key Takeaways
Gut health affects more than digestion. It can influence how you feel day to day.
Your gut microbiome plays an important role in digestion, immune support, and overall wellness.
Common discomforts like bloating, gas, or irregularity may signal imbalance.
Diet and lifestyle matter. Fiber, hydration, sleep, and stress management can all support gut health.
What exactly is gut health?
Before diving into the health of the gut, it helps to understand what the "gut" is. The gut refers to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, or digestive system that starts where your food goes in and ends where it comes out. It includes organs like the stomach and intestines that help digest food and absorb nutrients.
Gut health is a catch-all phrase used to describe how well your digestive system works and how you feel day-to-day. While there hasn't always been a clear definition, an international panel of scientific experts recently proposed defining gut health as "a state of normal gastrointestinal function without active gastrointestinal disease and gut-related symptoms that affect quality of life".
Why does gut health matter?
You may have heard good digestion described as the foundation of health, and there is good reason for that. Your gut does far more than digest your food, it plays an important role in how you feel every day. A healthy gut also supports immune function, blood sugar balance, cardiovascular health, energy, and communication between the gut and brain may even influence mood and mental well-being.
Your gut is home to trillions of microorganisms, known as the gut microbiome. When this microbial community is balanced and working well, it helps support digestion, nutrient absorption, and overall gut health. In short, gut health matters because it can influence how you feel every day, from digestive comfort to overall wellness.
Did you know? More than 70% of all immune cells reside in the gut, which is why gut health is linked to a stronger immune system. This is why it makes sense that individuals with poor gut health may be more susceptible to infections. The chemicals produced by good bacteria in the gut provide barrier immunity to prevent bad bacteria from entering and taking hold.
Ways gut health can influence everyday wellness
When your gut health is out of balance, your body may send subtle signals that something isn't quite right. Roughly 40-50% of Americans have gastrointestinal troubles, so if you are experiencing any of these issues you are not alone. Occasional discomforts can include bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, and heartburn, as well as sensitivities to certain foods, low energy, changes in mood, and skin flare-ups. Because the gut is connected to many aspects of overall wellness, these concerns may sometimes point to a gut microbiome that could benefit from additional support. Occasional gut health issues are generally nothing to be alarmed about, but if they persist or interfere with everyday life, it may be time to visit a healthcare professional to identify potential underlying causes.
Fun Fact: The average person passes gas 10 to 20 times per day; it is a natural sign of a healthy gut microbiome.
Factors that can affect gut health
Many everyday habits and lifestyle factors can influence gut health. What you eat plays a major role. Regularly eating processed foods, excess sugar, unhealthy fats, and too few fiber-rich fruits and vegetables will disrupt the balance of beneficial gut bacteria.
Beyond diet, stress, poor sleep habits, lack of physical activity, certain medications (including antibiotics), food sensitivities, illness, and environmental exposures can also affect the gut microbiome. Shifts in digestion attributed to the natural aging process, such as less stomach acid and digestive enzyme production and less efficient food transit, are also contributors to occasional gut health discomfort in older individuals.
Simple ways to support gut health
Supporting gut health doesn't have to be complicated. Everyday habits can play an important role in maintaining gut health. Prioritizing a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans, peas, lentils), nuts, seeds, and whole grains can help nourish beneficial gut bacteria and support regular digestion. Some specific dietary and lifestyle considerations to support gut health include:
Fill your fiber gap: A healthy gut depends on fiber-rich foods, which nourish beneficial gut microbes. Foods such as oats, bananas, garlic, onions, legumes, and whole grains naturally contain prebiotic fiber, a type of fiber that helps feed and keep the beneficial gut bacteria happy. Over 90% of Americans fall short on fiber intake!
Add fermented foods: Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, kimchi, kombucha, sauerkraut, tempeh, sourdough products, and miso may also help support gut balance by introducing beneficial microorganisms.
Cut back on processed foods and added sugar: Too many packaged snacks, sugary foods, and unhealthy fats can throw off the balance of good bacteria and negatively affect gut health.
Stay hydrated: Adequate hydration is critical to optimal gut health. Drinking plenty of fluids helps keep things moving for efficient waste elimination and helps maintain the delicate environment that the gut microbes thrive in.
Manage stress: Stress relief techniques such as meditation and yoga, or whatever it is that you find relaxing, can help reduce the likelihood of digestive discomforts caused by stress. When someone is stressed all the time, gut bacteria balance can be disrupted.
Get your Z-z-z's: Adequate and quality sleep can do far more than prevent tiredness, it also helps reset your gut health. The amount of regular sleep needed may differ for everyone, but research suggests that the average person needs at least 7 hours per night.
Stay active: Find ways to work increments of physical activity into each day. Regular exercise helps keep food moving through the gut, it is also known to lift one's spirits and help with sleep at night. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 150 minutes of activity per week, which is just over 20 minutes of moderate activity per day, such as brisk walking, gardening, or going for a slow bike ride. You might be surprised that achieving 20 minutes per day is quite simple, even if you prefer your couch to the gym.
For some people, dietary supplements may offer additional gut health support alongside a healthy diet and lifestyle. Because individual needs vary, it's always a good idea to talk with a healthcare professional before starting a new supplement routine.
Prebiotics: As mentioned above, prebiotics are fermentable fibers found in a wide variety of plant foods; they are needed to fuel healthy bacteria. A wide variety of supplemental prebiotic fibers can help enhance gut health of individuals who may under consume prebiotic-rich foods.
Probiotics: Beneficial bacteria that can help support the gut microbiome are also known as probiotics. Probiotic supplements are taken for the purpose of supporting gut microbial balance. The functional benefits differ amongst probiotic species and strains.
Digestive enzymes: There are a wide variety of digestive enzyme supplements, they are designed to help break down food so the body can absorb nutrients and to ease occasional digestive discomforts like gas and bloating.
The Bottom Line
From digestion and immune support to mood and overall well-being, your gut plays an important role in how you feel every day. The good news is that small changes, practiced consistently, can make a big difference over time. Gut health isn't about being perfect, it's about making simple choices that add up like eating more fiber-rich foods, keeping your body moving, staying hydrated, managing stress, and prioritizing sleep to help support a healthy gut and contribute to overall good health.
If you're looking to add targeted support to a healthy diet and lifestyle, our best-selling gut health supplements are a great place to start. We always recommend connecting with your healthcare provider before starting supplementation, as each individual is unique and may react differently.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Sources:
Benefits of Physical Activity | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Most Americans Are Uninformed About Gut Health and the Microbiome | IPSOS
Gut Microbiota and Cardiovascular Disease | International Journal of Molecular Sciences
The Connection Between Diet, Exercise, and Sleep | Sleep Foundation