What you eat reflects on your well-being. The health of your gut is very important for your overall health, body and mind. A healthy digestive system with good gut flora acts as a secondary immune system. The intestinal flora plays a crucial part in the health of a person. Eating the right kind of food will stimulate their growth. They are also responsible for the efficient digestion of food and the mineral absorption capacity.
First off, you need to clear the toxins from your system and then start a healthy vegetable intake; to set the environment for the gut flora to flourish. Let’s look at the types of food which helps in making the gut healthy.
What to Eat?
There are two types of food that you can eat - Prebiotic and probiotic foods – both excellent for gut flora.
Probiotic food, includes all the dairy products that you eat, including yoghurt. The term ‘probiotic’ refers to the live bacteria content. They are great when it comes to treating gastrointestinal infections and are often complemented with the use of antibiotics by doctors.
Probiotic foods are rich in fiber, and when they undergo fermentation by the gut bacteria, they yield by-products which give long lasting health.
• Fermented vegetables
• Yogurt
• Buttermilk
• Apple cider vinegar
• Fermented grains
A healthy gut is not subjected to a single flora. It requires diverse species. New friendly flora is added to the gut by eating these foods.
Unfortunately, they are not temperature proof, and the heat from stomach acid can kill them.
Prebiotic foods, on the other hand, are not affected by temperature changes. They are in essence dietary fiber that can help the good bacteria in your stomach acting as a fertilizer. They can be pretty useful when it comes to controlling chronic digestive disorders or even inflammatory bowel disease.
Prebiotic food includes the likes of:
• Bananas
• Mushrooms
• Almonds
• Artichoke
• Oats
• Asparagus
• Cereal grains
• Pulses
• Onions
Additional foods that can be added for better gut health are:
• Greens and fresh vegetables
• Coconut Oil
• Olive oil
• Nuts and seeds
• Berries
All of these are a huge help in having a healthy gut which in turn helps to maintain the hormonal balance in our body. They help to curb your appetite and reduce cravings for food.
What Foods to Avoid
High-fat diets weaken our gut. They might be good to taste, but if you take them, day in and day out, it really isn’t going to be good for you. Some of the foods which you need to avoid are:
• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Sugar drinks
• Artificial sweeteners
• High carbohydrates
• Rich dairy products
• Rice
Tips:
• Eat smaller portions
• Early breakfast and dinner gives enough rest to the gut
• Chewing properly stimulates release of acids and enzymes
• Eating lots of vegetables is a good gut eating habit
The good gut diet not only helps you in losing weight but also improves your immunity, mood, skin and hair health. It is never too late to start the good gut diet. You can rejuvenate and replenish your gut and its flora by starting these practices. Repair your gut and lay the foundation for healthy eating habits.
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