Aug. 29, 2024—Your gut is home to trillions of microbes that play a big role in your overall health. Together they make up your gut microbiome. They help with digestion, boost your immunity and can even influence your mental well-being.
Here's how to support your gut health and recognize when something might be wrong, according to the American Medical Association and other experts.
Eat gut-friendly foods
What you eat affects your gut health. Try:
- Fiber-rich foods. Whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds are packed with fiber. So are certain fruits (like apples and berries) and certain vegetables (like broccoli and cauliflower). Fiber aids digestion and promotes regular bowel movements. Eating these foods also keeps you fuller longer. That can reduce the temptation to indulge in unhealthy snacks.
- Fermented foods. Add fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha to your diet. Research shows that eating these foods can lead to more diversity in your gut microbiome.
- Adding variety. Try some veggies you don't usually eat. Turns out, people who eat 30 or more different types of produce in a week have a more diverse gut microbiome than the folks who eat 10 or fewer types.
Adopt healthy habits for a healthy gut
In addition to eating the right foods, certain lifestyle habits can further support your gut health.
Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water aids digestion and helps prevent constipation, which can lead to discomfort and other gut issues.
Take antibiotics exactly as prescribed. These medicines can upset the balance of microbes in your gut—they don't know the difference between good and bad bacteria.
Limit certain foods. Turns out that the same foods you should consider limiting for overall health—sugary, high-fat and processed foods—can hurt your gut microbes as well. Artificial sweeteners, like aspartame, sucralose and saccharin, can also disrupt gut health.
Spot the signs of gut issues
It's important to be aware of the signs that might indicate a problem with your gut health. Early recognition can help prevent more serious conditions. Watch for:
- Changes in bowel movements.
- Sudden or intense stomach pain.
- Blood in the stool.
- Unexplained weight loss.
Any of these can be a red flag that something might be wrong. If you experience any of these symptoms, it's important to call your healthcare provider.
Sources
- AARP. "6 Gut Health Hacks That Work." https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2021/how-to-improve-gut-health.html.
- American Academy of Family Physicians. "Optimizing Your Gut Health: Tips, Myths, and the Gut-Brain Connection." https://familydoctor.org/optimizing-your-gut-health-tips-myths-and-the-gut-brain-connection.
- American Gastroenterological Association. "Trust Your Gut." https://patient.gastro.org/trust-your-gut.
- American Medical Association. "What Doctors Wish Patients Knew About Improving Gut Health." https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/what-doctors-wish-patients-knew-about-improving-gut-health.
- National Institutes of Health. "Your Body's Bugs." https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2021/08/your-body-s-bugs.