Did you know that being chronically fatigued, gaining weight and having skin irritations are all signs of an unhealthy gut? Taking care of your gut will greatly improve your overall health.

Your lifestyle plays a major role in maintaining a well-balanced gut. Everything from what you eat to your daily activities affects how well your gut functions. To promote a healthy gut, aim to stay hydrated, incorporate probiotics and fiber into your diet, eat small portions of food frequently throughout the day, reduce stress levels and exercise regularly. When you add these simple practices into your daily routine, you’ll notice a positive shift in how you feel.

Keep hydrated

Being hydrated is essential for your body to absorb nutrients. Water works as a middleman, carrying nutrition from your digestive tract to your bloodstream. Additionally, it generally helps everything run smoother in your digestive system.

The amount of water one should drink to stay hydrated will vary from person to person and depend on your activity level, medications and any medical conditions. However, an easy guideline to remember is four to six cups of water a day. Try to avoid adding additional flavorings or sugar.

Mind your diet

Your gut health starts in the kitchen. Everything you put into your body will have a positive or negative effect on it. Be wise with the food you choose to include in your diet. Incorporating foods that are high in fiber and probiotics can help maintain a healthy gut.

Fiber

Your gut microbiome uses fiber to properly regulate. Fiber also works in your digestive tract to reduce the chance of constipation. You can receive fiber from the following foods:

• Strawberries.
• Avocados.
• Beets.
• Pears.
• Oats.
• Apples.
• Raspberries.
• Bananas.
• Carrots.
• Broccoli.

Set a goal to eat at least 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day to attain a healthy gut.

Probiotics

Probiotics are vital to reduce and restore any unwanted bacteria in your gut. Try to implement a serving or two a day. The following foods are great sources of probiotics:

• Yogurt.
• Pickles.
• Sauerkraut.

Additionally, taking probiotic supplements can help you achieve the same benefits.

Eat small, frequent meals

Did you know that it is easier for your gut to absorb nutrients and digest food when it is being fed small portions frequently throughout the day? You can do this by simply eating half of your meal when you usually would and eating the other half two to three hours later. This is also a great way to reduce cravings since your blood sugar will experience fewer drops.

Reduce stress levels

Are you feeling stressed? Taking a step back to relax is vital to gut health. Being stressed can cause inflammation due to an abnormal amount of gut barrier permeability. So, the next time you are feeling overworked or anxious, take a few deep breaths and try to relax.

Exercise

Exercising is a fantastic way to improve gut microbiota. It does this through energy homeostasis, which is a process that takes place in your body to manage energy and food intake. Motivate yourself to exercise by getting creative with your physical activities. You can even get a good workout from the comfort of your home with the help of the following online classes:

• Ballet Beautiful.
• Nike Training Club.
• Y7.

Plan to exercise for about 75 to 150 minutes weekly, depending on intensity level, to promote energy homeostasis.

Your gut health is an important contributor to how you feel overall. By staying hydrated, incorporating fiber and probiotics into your diet, eating small portions more frequently, taking a step back to reduce stress levels and exercising, you can better maintain the health of your gut.

Lindsey Certonio is a project manager at Fullcast, a Silicon Slopes-based, end-to-end RevOps platform that allows companies to design, manage and track the performance of their revenue-generating teams.

Newsletter