5 ways to improve your gut health

A festive occasion can wreak havoc upon your digestive system. Balance, however, is the key

Have you over-indulged on your favourite desserts? Stuffed yourself over weekend partying? Hey, we've all been there, especially during the festive season when getting back on the healthy-eating wagon can seem like the toughest task. Apart from the fact that sugary, greasy and fried foods wreak havoc on our waistlines (and our favourite clothes), the other very important system that they disrupt is our second brain - the digestive system.
With the variety of food products that damage or impair the optimal functioning of our digestive systems these days, it may seem impossible to get it back in balance, especially with our reckless work hours and on-the-go lifestyle. But it's still highly imperative to do so and certainly not an impossible task when you can convince yourself to treat your health with respect and caution.
Restoring the full health of your gastrointestinal system can have major positive effects on your entire body - from mood to memory and more. Healing your gut allows the body to build a stronger immune system and produce the right kind of bacteria that helps you feel good.

What exactly does the gut do?
The gut is a long tube starting from your mouth to your bottom, a tract entrusted with plenty of jobs to do on a daily basis. The list of its achievements is impressive - it is responsible for the breakdown, digestion and absorption of nutrients, coordinating the release of hormones that help break down the food you eat, controlling movement of all the digestive tissues, and obviously, removing unwanted waste. So, then it comes as no surprise why it's so important to take care of this main machine.

When does your gut malfunction?
There are several factors and combination of factors that could lead to a faulty functioning of the gut. To put it quite simply, the health of your gut is usually determined by the levels and types of bacteria in your digestive tract. An imbalance between beneficial and harmful bacteria results in gut troubles.
This imbalance could be the result of too many bad 'bugs' in your gut, as your grandparents probably told you, including bacteria, yeast, and, sometimes, parasites. This imbalance can cause damage to the lining of your intestines, making them permeable, allowing food proteins to enter into the bloodstream. This then activates your immune system, causing inflammation, food sensitivities and many other symptoms in the digestive tract and the rest of your body.
Research shows that when your gut is inflamed, which usually happens when the body is trying to digest foods that are overly processed, it signals the body's nervous system to trigger mood changes, too. Sometimes, poor digestive health may also affect some cognitive functions, as well as affect onset of something as chronic as Parkinson's Disease.
Imagine being meted out something so consequential because you didn't eat right.

What should you do to maintain optimal gut health?
1. Don't eat too much sugar, starches: They deplete beneficial bacteria very quickly and can consequently suppress immunity and lead to a variety of health problems.
2. Eat lots of real and organic food: Eating fresh, seasonal produce like vegetables, fruits, proteins and good fats support growth of beneficial gut bacteria.
3. Consume fermented foods and drinks: Natural sources of probiotics, such as kimchi, yoghurt, naturally aged cheeses, kombucha and more, will help get in all the beneficial strains of bacteria to your gut.
4. Stay well-hydrated: Your intestines need a lot of water to move things along.
5. Eat plenty of vegetables: A good fill of fibre means everything will move along smoothly in your gut tract and support easier nutrient absorption and digestion.
So, nurture and support your 'gut instincts' so that they can help you win the battle against the unfavourable elements. Give it a chance to flourish and thrive!
wknd@khaleejtimes.com