A healthy gut is critically important for our overall mental and physical health, with new research and knowledge being produced all the time to vouch for the crucial role it plays in our wellbeing. Our gut is our gastrointestinal system, which includes the stomach, intestines and colon. It exists to digest and absorb nutrients from food, and to produce and excrete waste.
A range of factors impact gut health, so we caught up recently with Jacqui, one of our knowledgeable WholeLife nutritionists, to debunk a few myths and get the latest on how you can get the most out of your gut.
Jacqui, why is gut health so important?
The gut impacts all different areas of the body. The digestive tract is a gateway for our health; it interacts with our immune system, our moods and our ability to sleep well, and it’s a part of the human body that’s really susceptible to influence because we’re always eating, which means we’re always adding new material to the gut. This impacts the gut microbiome, or the bacteria, that lives in the gut so when we’re eating healthily, we feed it good bacteria and, similarly, if we eat unhealthily, the gut microbiome can be negatively impacted.
When we provide our gut with healthy foods, particularly fibres, our good bacteria is kept alive which is important because it helps us maintain a healthy bowel, reduces inflammation—which can be important for joint health and for combatting a range of other illnesses—and lowers rates of illness such as bowel cancer.
What are some of the signs of poor gut health?
We’re learning more everyday about the ways the gut is linked to other parts of the body, but generally, a few common symptoms of poor gut health include irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, gas and bloating, brain fog, mood swings, joint pain, and poor immunity.
What lifestyle habits might be contributing to poor gut health?
Smoking, alcohol, a lack of fibre, and too much refined sugar leads to an increase of harmful bacteria in the gut which, in turn, can increase inflammation.
In addition, getting enough sleep, relaxation time, and exercise are all incredibly important to keep your gut happy and ticking along. With some of these elements it can be hard to tell what’s impacting what! For instance, if you aren’t sleeping well, your gut microbiome will be adversely impacted, but those adverse impacts may also decrease your ability to sleep.
How can we improve gut health?
Exercise is a really important means of stimulating microbiome diversity, and limiting stress, or increasing your relaxation time, will help motility in the digestive tract.
In addition, diet is incredibly important. We need to go back to basics, eating a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables, and wholegrains, which contain different fibres that feed bacteria in the gut. The key here is variety: even if your diet is healthy, if it’s limited it’s likely you aren’t providing your gut bacteria with a big enough variety of fuel.
We have also lost a lot of the ceremonial practices that used to surround food and eating, which I think have contributed to rising rates of poor gut health. Traditionally, we would sit down to eat three times a day, at the table, and we didn’t rush but now, in the busyness and chaos of our modern lives, we’re prone to mindless eating which means we aren’t paying as much attention to what we’re putting into our bodies.
Are there any superfoods you’d recommend to boost gut health?
There isn’t really a distinct food you can eat to fix all gut problems. For people looking to improve their gut health, I’d recommend starting with a range of fresh fruits, vegetables, and wholegrains. Cutting down on refined sugars and alcohol is also important, and to boost gut health further, there are a range of pre, and probiotics, in supplement form that people can try.
How can a naturopath or nutritionist help to improve gut health?
Gut health is different from person to person, so seeing a naturopath or nutritionist can help individuals get more targeted suggestions, tailored to them specifically. When you work with a professional they can help you come up with an analysis for the causes of your gut health issues—they can help you to identify your triggers, whether those are foods, stress, anxiety, poor sleep, medications, or any number of other things.
Additionally, there’s a tendency for people with poor gut health to start restricting their diets. They feel that, by cutting out certain foods or food groups, their gut health will improve. While refined sugars and things of that nature can be minimised, restrictive diets are not long-term solutions as they limit your microbiome and really, optimal gut function relies on a diversity of bacteria. If restrictive diets are recommended, they need to be conducted in a supervised setting where you work with a professional to find your minimum tolerable level to various foods, rather than cutting them out completely, or permanently.
When you work with a naturopath or nutritionist you can progress towards finding the right interventions that work for you—which may be very different to what works for the next person!
Are there any supplements or vitamins you’d recommend to improve gut health?
There are a range of pre and probiotics, as well as herbal liquids, available which can help to boost gut health but it’s important to receive professional medical guidance before trying these. There are different tests individuals can do as well, to find more out about their microbiome and to find appropriate solutions.
***
Thank you, Jacqui, for sharing your expertise in regards to all things gut-health! This area is a particularly interesting, emerging area of research, with new discoveries being made all the time in medical communities.
For now, get your rest, minimise stress, eat a variety of fibre-rich fruits, vegetables and wholegrains, limit refined sugars and alcohol, and speak to a naturopath or nutritionist if you have any concerns. You’ve got this—we have a gut feeling!
Reference
Better Health Channel (2023) Gut health, Better Health Channel, Victoria State Government. <https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/gut-health>.