3 ways to improve your gut health

Struggling with gas, bloating or constipation? Feeling tired or anxious? Suffering from inflammatory skin conditions like eczema? All these could be signs of an unhealthy gut.

According to Bianca Jonischkeit, FUTURELIFE® dietitian, if the bacterium in your gut is unbalanced, you could experience several symptoms that can disrupt your everyday life. “What we consume in a day not only directly impacts our gut bacterium but affects our overall health, too; unbalanced gut bacterium can lead to all kinds of health issues. That’s why supporting your gut by focusing on what you eat needs to be a top priority.”

As we gear up toward World Digestive Health Day on 29 May, Jonischkeit shares valuable insights into how simply making some smart nutrition choices can pave the way for a healthier gut and improved overall health and wellness.

She recommends focusing on three key elements:

1. Nourishing with fibre: Fibre-rich diets may help reduce cholesterol, manage weight, alleviate constipation and lower blood pressure. They also promote a diverse gut microbiota, which is essential for a healthy digestive system. It’s not always easy to meet your daily fibre goals, so here are some tips for increasing your daily fibre intake:

  • Include beans, peas and lentils in your meals.
  • Aim to eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day, keeping the skin/peel on.
  • Choose wholegrain options like brown rice, wholewheat bread, pasta and crackers.
  • Enjoy nuts, seeds and dried fruit with no added sugar, as snacks or salad toppings.
  • Try high-fibre breakfast options like the FUTURELIFE® Bran Flakes, providing you with 39% of your daily fibre requirements.
  • Remember to consume enough water throughout the day (fibre and water work hand in hand).

2. Fuelling with prebiotics: Prebiotics are the food for the good bacteria that are already in our gut. They help create a healthy gut environment and support our overall health and well-being. Many of the FUTURELIFE® products, including the new FUTURELIFE® Granola Crunch Zero, contain prebiotics such as inulin.

3. Balancing with probiotics: Completing the trio is the well-known probiotic. Probiotics are beneficial in restoring and maintaining the balance of ‘good’ bacteria in our gut. They can be consumed via probiotic supplements, or foods such as those that are fermented, which naturally contain probiotics. FUTURELIFE® Granola Crunch Vitality has added probiotics, making it a good breakfast option or anytime snack. The benefits of probiotics extend into various domains of health. They assist in improving gut health, our immunity as well as our mental health. In fact, it is estimated that 90% of the ‘feel good’ hormone serotonin is produced in the digestive tract.

“A good balance of bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract can help your body effectively absorb nutrients from the food you eat and provide other health benefits. By simply making small changes to your diet and subtly incorporating fibre-rich foods with prebiotics and probiotics into your routine, you can take a big step toward better health,” Jonischkeit concludes.

Image credit: wayhomestudio/Freepik

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