Your “gut” is a part of your body that includes your stomach, intestines, and about 300 million bacteria that help regulate various functions. What you eat affects your gut health.
Knowing what to eat and what to avoid helps you maintain your gut health. It allows your body to work at its absolute best.
At Gateway Gastroenterology, our team specializes in gut health and various disorders of the GI system. Our gastroenterology experts provide you with tips on what to eat to keep your gut healthy and working optimally.
You've likely heard a lot about gut health, but what does that mean? It's not simply how your stomach feels after a big, greasy burger — it's much more than that, and it affects nearly every aspect of your health.
Gut health refers to the overall health and wellness of the digestive tract. The GI tract is responsible for digestion, removing wastes from the body, and absorbing nutrients that allow the body to function.
A significant aspect of your gut is its delicate microbiome. Millions of good bacteria, yeast, and viruses live in the stomach, colon, and intestines; some are beneficial, and some are harmful.
What you eat can vastly affect the good gut bacteria, which in turn affects almost every aspect of your body. Your gut health plays a large part in each of the following body functions:
High levels of specific gut bacteria are a good indicator of your wellness and health. An unhealthy gut can lead to endocrine disorders, certain types of cancer, and some types of gastrointestinal disorders like inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome.
Signs of an unhealthy gut vary but often include uncomfortable GI symptoms like gas, bloating, and indigestion. Other signs of a subpar gut microbiome include chronic fatigue, extreme stress and anxiety, and repeated illnesses.
Although many things affect gut health, one of the most significant factors is what you eat and fuel your body with. Many processed foods contain various ingredients that your gut was never meant to digest or process, causing an imbalance.
Luckily, changing your gut health for the better may be as simple as changing your lifestyle and food. Healthy, whole foods feed the healthy bacteria and help keep your body systems working correctly. But, what foods should you eat?
If you're experiencing uncomfortable symptoms in the gut, our team recommends adding the following foods to your everyday diet:
Prebiotics are a fiber your small intestines can't digest, so they travel to the colon. In the colon, the prebiotics ferment, becoming food for the good bacteria, also known as probiotics.
Prebiotics are essential to your good gut bacteria because they require food to live on. We suggest adding the following prebiotic foods into your diet for optimal gut health:
Whole grains, bananas, and onions are other prebiotic foods to add to your diet for a healthy gut. Most foods high in fiber are a type of prebiotic and can significantly benefit your overall health and wellness.
Probiotics are another must-have in your diet. They are good bacteria that inhabit the gut and help with digestion and overall wellness. Most probiotics come from fermented foods that can be found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store.
When thinking of probiotics, think of cold foods, because heat harms and destroys both harmful and good bacteria. If you’re wondering how to add healthy probiotics to your diet, look for the following foods:
These foods contain good bacteria and nutrients that feed the microflora in the gut. Probiotics are essential for improving immune function, helping you sleep better, and improving your mood and health.
Just like probiotics, prebiotics, and dietary fiber are excellent for your gut, some foods should be avoided to keep the microflora in balance. You don't have to cut out specific foods completely, but it's always good to limit the following for a healthy gut:
An elimination diet may also be helpful if you notice GI symptoms after eating certain foods, like dairy and gluten. However, it's essential to limit processed foods and sugar, which aren't great for the delicate microbiome in the gut.
If you're still unsure what to eat, our team can help you understand your gut and specific needs for optimal health and gut bacteria.
Call one of our offices in Chesterfield, St. Louis, or Ballwin, Missouri, today to learn more about your gut health, or request a consultation through our website.