4 Ways to Heal Your Gut Naturally

It is important to know that unhealthy gut contributes to a wide range of illnesses including diabetes, obesity, arthritis, autism spectrum disorder and depression etc. The primary factor contributing to unhealthy gut is disturbed gut flora’s (gut bacteria) which plays an important role in human health and disease. 

• Factors contributing to poor digestive health includes:
• Diet
• Food intolerance
• Lifestyle
• Hormones
• Sleep 
• Medicines intake e.g. antibiotics which can be harmful to the good bacteria of your gut. 

So, the question arises, how one can heal the gut in order to maintain a healthy life?

4 Ways to Heal Your Gut

Several ways could be followed to improve digestive health, most of these ways are simple enough to be easily incorporated in daily lifestyle. That means few simple modifications to daily routine can make a big difference in digestive health. Ways to heal your gut includes:

1. Probiotic and Prebiotics

Probiotics are good bacteria that reside in the gut while prebiotics refer to natural soluble fibers that feed probiotics. The human gut contains 10 times more bacteria than all the human cells in the entire body. This good bacterium support immune system, aid in the elimination of toxins and help to regulate metabolism. Moreover, research says that everyone is born with specific gut bacteria but depending on the diet, activity and composition of these bacteria can change. So, it is vital to consume probiotics and prebiotics on daily basis.

Probiotics can be found in fermented foods such as tempeh, sauerkraut, kimchi, cheese and yoghurt. Rich sources of prebiotics include green leafy vegetables, citrus, flaxseed and apples etc. 

2. Ginger & Green Tea

Drinking tea on daily basis could help improve gut health. Teas including ginger tea and green tea are the most effective one for this purpose.  Due to several benefits of ginger, it has been used for more than 2000 years to treat digestive issues.  It is used as a universal remedy, as it relaxes the smooth muscle of the intestines and increase the rate of digestion by stimulating digestive enzymes.

On the other hand, caffeine in green tea acts as a mild laxative to get the bowels moving in the morning. Studies shows that green tea is beneficial in reducing gastrointestinal disorders.

3. Healthy & Balanced Diet

Controlling daily’s diet and eating the right food could help you in healing your gut. Reduce fat intake because fatty foods are hard to digest and slows down the digestive system. Moreover, limit the intake of sodium, artificial sweeteners, and starches.

Fiber intake is good for gut health so eating more fiber helps the gut as well. Whole grains contain more fiber thus helps your good colon bacteria flourish. The food that makes you bloated should be avoided and increased consumption of fruits and vegetables helps in good digestive health. This is because fruits and vegetables contain fiber, minerals, enzymes, vitamins and prebiotics that keep your digestive system healthy.

4. Increase Physical Activity

Increase physical activity and a balanced body weight can help maintain a healthy digestive system. Thus, exercising can help lower the risk. Similar to other health benefits, exercise helps in speeding up the digestion and maintain a healthy weight. Those who are overweight or underweight are prone to more digestive problems.