Do you want to incorporate gut healthy foods into your lifestyle but don’t know where to start? With this simple gut healthy cheatsheet you can heal your gut and eliminate those sluggish, bloated days for good!
What is a healthy gut?
A healthy gut is essentially a digestive system that has a well balanced microbiome. This means that the bacteria and microorganisms that live within our digestive track are thriving and doing their best work at properly digesting what we eat.
But depending on what we eat, we can easily throw this equilibrium out of balance. An unbalanced gut can cause things like bloating, fatigue, cramps, brain fog, and many other symptoms.
By using this gut healthy cheat sheet, you can easily incorporate nutritious, microbiome loving foods into your daily routine to maintain a well balanced healthy gut. Quickly find out what you need to get started!
Drink Warm Water:
- Start your morning off right with a glass of warm water to heal your gut. Water is great at keeping the body hydrated and removing toxins.
- Drinking warm water in particular has been known to stimulate the gut and increase digestion. If warm water is not your cup of tea, try adding lemon to enhance the flavor and encourage you to drink more.
- Lemons are packed full of antioxidants and are a great source of vitamin C. They also contain citric acid which can help break down food and aid digestion.
Add Probiotics and Prebiotics:
- Boost your meals by adding a serving of probiotics and prebiotics to your day. Probiotics are living microorganisms that are typically found in fermented foods like kimchi, sourdough, miso, or kombucha. They support gut health by introducing more beneficial microorganisms which aid digestion and increase your guts microbiota diversity.
- Prebiotics on the other hand pair great with probiotics. They are indigestible fibers that feed the probiotics and help regulate bowel movements. Prebiotics come from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains including bananas, apples, oats, cacao, wheat bran, onions, and garlic.
Eat More Fiber:
- Make it a point to eat more fibrous foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Fiber is excellent at feeding good bacteria and promoting regular bowel movements to support a healthy gut.
- To keep you on the right track, set a goal to incorporate high fibrous options in every meal. I like to include at least 2 options – 1 vegetable and 1 fruit or whole grain.
Reduce the Stress:
- Stop stressing and start relaxing. Practicing yoga, meditation, or simply walking barefoot in the grass can clear your mind and heal your gut.
- Your gut and brain communicate with each other through what is known as the gut-brain axis – meaning they can send signals back and forth to one another. Essentially when your mind stresses your gut stresses and vice versa.
- Gut stress can lead to an unbalanced microbiome, inflammation, and negative effects on motility (the movement of waste through our digestive tract). Giving yourself at least 15 mins daily to stretch or walk during the day can quickly calm your mind and your gut.
- I like practicing yoga in the mornings with Yoga with Adriene’s 30 day yoga journeys.
Sleep, Sleep, Sleep:
- Prioritize getting a fulfilling nights rest with at least 7-9 hours of sleep. During sleep, your digestive tract is still relatively active and continues to break down food and absorb nutrients.
- Without enough sleep, your mind is susceptible to stress and fatigue which can ultimately have a negative effect on your gut health.
- Consider drinking something warm like lemon water 30 mins before bed to relax and unwind your mind. Be sure to avoid any liquids while already in bed as this could lead to an interrupted night’s sleep with frequent bathroom visits.
Are you ready to naturally heal your gut? Save this gut healthy cheat sheet to start your healing process today!
Your Gut Health Cheat Sheet
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Thanks for sharing these tips! It might take me a minute to get on the warm water train. As I was reading this I was drinking ice water. But I can try to incorporate some warm water into my day.
Warm water took me a bit to get used to, but it’s great especially in the winter when you need something warm in the mornings! I’m glad you found these tips helpful!