How Can I Heal My Gut Naturally
Here are some things you can do to help your guts microbiome and cleanse your system naturally:
- Eat fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha.
- Eat a wide range of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains .
- Try to avoid antibiotics when possible. If you need to take antibiotics for an infection, try to supplement your bodys microbiome with probiotic supplements during the treatment and a few weeks after.
- Drink at least 8 cups of water per day.
Eat A Wide Variety Of Plant
If you want to reset your gut, start eating more plant-based foods. But dont just take our word for it!
The American Gut Project, which is the largest study ever conducted on the gut microbiome , found the number one determinant of a healthy gut to be the variety of plant foods people eat.
So, whats the magic number for restoring gut health? The study found that, during any given week, a variety of 30+ plant-based foods is ideal.
Your Gut Cleanse Needs
- Clean water and herbal teas
- Fermented foods such as kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and miso
- GMO-free, free-range chicken
- Seasonal fruits and vegetables
- Healthy fats such as salmon, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and coconut oil
- Dairy-free milk such as almond and coconut milk
- Herbs and spices, especially ginger, garlic, and turmeric
- Psyllium husk for more fiber
- Apple cider vinegar, tamari, and coconut aminos
- Super greens including BIOHM Super Greens
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The Fabulousness Of Fiber: Why Its Critical For Gut Health
While people tend to get up in arms about protein consumption, theres another nutrient thats more worrisome as far as deficiency risk: fiber.
Approximately 97% of Americans get at least the recommended amount of protein. But only about 3% of Americans get the recommended 40 grams of fiber they need per day and fiber is the most crucial ingredient for gut health.
Fiber feeds the good bacteria weve been talking about, so its vital to eat fiber-rich foods as often as possible.
Our microbes extract the fibers energy, nutrients, and vitamins, including short-chain fatty acids, which can improve immune function, decrease inflammation, and protect against obesity.
Signs Of An Unhealthy Gut
How do you know when your gut is compromised? There are some pretty obvious ways an imbalanced gut can make itself known. Symptoms to watch for include:
- Bloating and tummy distension
- Changes in bowel movements
- Heartburn or reflux
- Acne or rosacea
- Dull, brittle hair or nails
Whats more, when the gut isnt healthy and happy, all sorts of issues can arise. Keeping the bacteria balanced not only supports the immune system, it also lowers the risk for:
- Weight gain, metabolic syndrome, and obesity
- Mental health issues and depressed mood
There are around 100 TRILLION bacteria colonizing the digestive system alone, and there are some educated guesses that suggest our bodies are only 10% human. So, it may feel like an overwhelming task to reset the gut. Fortunately, with a little effort, you can begin to reset your gut for the better in just a matter of days. 2
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Importance Of Gut Flora
Our gut microbiome is a community of different microbes like fungi and bacteria. It is concluded that about 300 to 1000 types of tiny living organisms contribute to the overall functioning of your gut . In order to establish a balanced environment inside, you need to eat different kinds of foods and practice physical activities consistently. This also means eliminating certain fatty and sugary foods from your diet. Its time to control your cravings for the greater good!
Here are 8 tips you can adopt today to improve the number of healthy bacteria in your gut.
An Important Note About Eating Pickled Vegetables
Making pickled veggies, like sauerkraut and kimchi, part of your diet can be a healthy step. But pickled veggies should only be part of your vegetable consumption.
They are usually very salty. And people who make pickled vegetables a primary source of vegetables in their diet tend to get more sodium than is optimal, which can contribute to higher rates of certain forms of cancer.
So to be sure not to increase your risk of cancer, aim to make fresh, non-fermented vegetables a more significant part of your diet than pickled vegetables.
Think about eating small portions of fermented foods daily and using them as a source of salt, replacing table salt, soy sauce, or other salt sources with pickled vegetables.
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A Natural Colon Cleanse
As our body is constantly detoxifying by itself, there are many foods that we should be consuming to help our colon cleanse naturally. Our diet plays a vital role in how effective our liver and kidneys function in removing toxins. If you are considering cleansing your gut, your body is already doing just that! But the question is, how well?
While your body detoxifies itself, there are plenty of ways we can give our detoxification process a helping hand. If you have eaten a poor diet, then your body may be struggling to naturally cleanse. Here are a few ways to help boost your bodys natural cleansing.
High-Fiber Foods
G fiber is important to consume during your 7 day gut cleanse diet. It helps by regulating constipation, giving good bacteria a boost, and easing overactive bowels.
Eating high-fiber foods can help promote a healthy colon while helping gut bacteria. G fiber can be found in many foods such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and much more.
Herbal Tea
Herbal tea is a not only great for a mid-morning or afternoon pick-me-up, but it may also help digestive health. Try introducing up to three cups of herbal tea a day, however, limit any laxative herbal teas to once a day.
Laxative herbs:
While laxative herbal teas may help symptoms of constipation, it can cause harm if consumed too much. Good herbs to consume in herbal teas include ginger, cayenne pepper, and garlic, as they help to remove bad bacteria.
Gut Cleanse Detox Foods
Foods to Avoid During a Gut Cleanse
Ways To Reset Your Gut For A Healthier New Year
1. Stay hydrated
While this may seem simple, it is usually overlooked due to our hectic schedules. Drinking water consistently through the day every 30-45 minutes is the key to maintaining a great gut. Depending on your activity levels and weight, your intake can range between 2-3 litres a day. Water can also be consumed in the form of herbal teas or simply some hot water with lemon in it, says Wadhwa.
Also, adding homemade juices and smoothies, along with some water-based healthy drinks can keep you hydrated throughout the day.
2. Yoghurt
Yoghurt is a simple yet good addition to your diet when . The probiotics in yoghurt help support a healthy gut and immune system. While choosing yoghurt opt for plain curd, greek yoghurt, or buttermilk and avoid flavoured and sugar alternatives, add Wadhwa
3. Fermented vegetables
Fermented veggies are a great addition to your diet. If you are not used to it, start introducing it in extremely small portions with your meal to your diet. Even oil-less pickles work well, Wadhwa tells HealthShots. The fibre, vitamin content along probiotics in fermented veggies are great for your gut. Fermented veggies dont require sugar, instead one can cure it in an acidic base with some salt. Some of the best veggies to ferment are cabbages, carrots, and radishes.
4. Smoothies
5. Whole Grains
6. Avoid processed foods and sugar
We hope that with these easy-to-follow recommendations, you can keep your gut health and overall well-being in a better state.
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Always Leave The Table A Little Hungry
It is not just what you eat but how you eat. The Japanese have a saying eat until you are four-fifths full. Islamic culture has a similar rule, and in Germany they say, Tie off the sack before its full.
Always Leave the Table a Little Hungry means that you should get in the habit of restraint and moderation and not eat too much
Expert Tips To Reset Your Gut Health
You can judge the importance of your gut microbiome by the fact that a healthy gut directly affects the working of your digestive system, immune system, heart, and brainalmost covering your entire body functions ! In a nutshell, your gut is the center of your body, and you should give special attention to keeping it healthy and thriving.
Why not reset your gut and give it a healthy break for a while? This week, try the following tips to reset your gut and experience a difference in your overall health.
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As Soon As You Wake Up
Start the morning with a glass of lemon water to wake up your digestive system. It is important to drink water before consuming any food each morning, to help stimulate your digestion.
Tip: Drink warm water as it helps your gut to digest it as it requires less energy.
Now is a good time to take any supplements that you are including in your gut cleanse diet too. Although, read the instructions before consuming any new supplements to make sure that you can maximize the benefits.
Tips For An Effective Gut Cleanse Diet
A gut flush diet is never a bad idea, more so if we think weve been feeding our bodies with junk for a significant amount of time. Just make sure you consult with a medical professional before trying any diet. Here are more tips for an effective gut cleanse diet:
1. Eliminate processed foods: Processed foods are a big no-no when it comes to a gut cleanse diet. Try to stick with whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and lean protein.
2. Eat plenty of fiber: Fiber is an important part of any diet, but its especially important when cleansing your gut. You can find fiber in legumes, beans, peas, oatmeal, and whole grains.
3. Cut back on sugar: Sugar is not good for your gut bacteriaor any other part of your body for that matter!
4. Avoid artificial sweeteners: Artificial sweeteners are bad for your gut health as well. If you need something sweet, try sticking with fruit or honey rather than artificial sweeteners.
5. Reduce your stress level: Stress is bad for your gut health and can actually cause digestive issues like constipation and diarrhea. Try meditating or doing yoga to reduce stress and improve gut health.
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Can It Restore Your Gut Health
The Microbiome Diet may improve gut health in various ways.
For starters, it promotes eating foods rich in probiotics and prebiotics two compounds essential for a healthy gut.
Probiotics are live bacteria found in foods like yogurt, kefir, tempeh, kombucha, and unpasteurized fermented vegetables, such as sauerkraut, pickles, and kimchi.
These friendly bacteria help colonize your gut and prevent unfriendly bacteria from overpopulating it (
Therefore, avoiding these medications whenever possible may contribute to a healthier gut as well.
Summary
The Microbiome Diet is rich in probiotics and prebiotics, as well as low in added sugar all of which can contribute to a healthier gut. It also warns against the overuse of certain medications that could damage your gut.
Phase : Your Lifetime Tune
This last phase of the diet is considered the maintenance phase.
It has no recommended length, as youre encouraged to follow it until you lose your desired amount of weight. Phase three is also meant to help you maintain the weight loss long term.
In other words, you can eat what you want 30% of the time equalling about one meal per day. Still, its recommended to avoid processed foods and added sugar as much as possible.
Summary
The Microbiome Diet is split into three phases. Each phase eliminates the same foods but becomes increasingly flexible with how strictly these foods should be avoided.
The Microbiome Diet warns against eating an array of foods, which are thought to reduce the health of your gut and microbiome.
Thus, they should at least initially be completely avoided. These foods include:
- Processed and fried foods.
In phase two of the diet, foods like free-range eggs, dairy, legumes, gluten-free grains, and certain starchy fruits and vegetables can be reintroduced.
Summary
The Microbiome Diet generally encourages eating non-starchy fruits and vegetables, fermented foods, grass-fed meat, and wild, low-mercury fish.
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Why Gut Health Is Important For Your Body And Your Mind
The gut is composed of a whole host of microbes that affect your physiology and keep your body and brain functioning as they should.
As studies tell us, these gut microbes affect the way you store fat, how you balance levels of glucose in your blood, and how you respond to hormones that make you feel hungry or satiated.
The wrong internal mix can set the stage for obesity and other health issues later in life.
Scientists have also found that gut bacteria produce neurotransmitters that regulate your mood including serotonin, dopamine, and GABA.
Researchers have also discovered that a nervous system in your gut communicates with the brain in your head. It also plays a role in certain diseases and in mental health.
In other words, the wellness of both your body and your brain depend on your gut health.
How To Break The Cravings For Fat And Sugar
The only way to break the unhealthy fat and added sugar habit is to eat less of both and to add more healthy high-fiber foods that help the gut microbiome become more diversified and shift to so-called “healthy” bacteria that feed off of fiber foods like vegetables, leafy greens, fruit, legumes, nuts and seeds as well as minimally processed whole grains.
Healthy fats from foods like avocado, olives, and nuts are a different story and can be eaten in the context of a mostly plant-based diet low in processed foods. So even if you are not “feeling” it for a salad, it could be the first step in overriding the impulse to grab the first donut you see.
“Our research is showing that the tongue tells our brain what we like, such as things that taste sweet, salty, or fatty,” Dr. Charles Zuker, a professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics and of neuroscience at Columbia’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, said. “The gut, however, tells our brain what we want, what we need.”
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Gum Arabic: Sap From The Acacia Tree
You may not have heard of this superfood, but its a prebiotic and has a substantial amount of fiber.
A 2008 study in the British Journal of Nutrition showed that gum arabic increases good bacterial strains, particularly Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli.
Also known as acacia fiber, you can stir the powder in water and drink it or take it as a supplement.
Phase : Your Metabolic Boost Meal Plan
This phase is designed to last 28 days. By the time you reach it, its assumed that your gut and microbiome have gotten stronger, allowing you a bit more flexibility with your diet.
During this phase, you still need to avoid the supposedly gut-damaging foods from phase one but only 90% of the time.
Concretely, this means that up to four of your weekly meals can include food not recommended on the food list from phase one.
In addition, dairy, free-range eggs, gluten-free grains, and legumes can be added back into your diet.
Finally, you can also start eating most fruits and vegetables again, such as mangoes, melons, peaches, pears, sweet potatoes, and yams.
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Only Eat Food That Will Rot
Or as Michael Pollan says, Dont eat food that doesnt rot. Processed foods are designed to make food last longer. More often than not the more processed a food is, the more preservatives and emulsifiers it will contain .
Preservatives and Emulsifiers are chemicals that are designed to kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria and stop food going off. This is fine for preserving the shelf life of a bottle of mayonnaise however when we eat that mayonnaise the additives perhaps unsurprisingly have a similar disruptive effect on our gut bacteria.
Look out for additives in any processed foods you buy or better still avoid processed foods and only eat food that will rot.
The Best Foods To Feed Your Gut Microbiome
- Cell Biology11 hours ago Inc Magazine – Jeff Haden 11h
Want to influence your genes to crack the longevity code? Health comes down to making the right choices and following a few simple rules. One of the most common arguments against embracing a growth mindset — the perspective that we can be what we work to become — is genetics: That we
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How To Reset Your Gut Health
The efficiency of your gut is bedrock to good health and research has begun to show that this may go way beyond digestion. In this article, Nutritionist Rob Hobson reveals his top tips to reset your gut. Whilst many of these tips may seem simple, the fact is that many people are still not doing what it takes to keep their gut healthy. Try them all for a complete gut heath reset.
The efficiency of your gut is bedrock to good health and research has begun to show that this may go way beyond digestion. Like a sorting office, your gut is responsible for breaking down food, absorbing nutrients for delivery around the body and then managing waste. In a perfect world this should be a flawless operation, but the reality is that many people experience the side effects of poor digestion which include bloating, excess wind and constipation. Diet and lifestyle also have a role to play in many gut conditions including IBS.
The microbiome
The importance of fibre
Foods high in fibre include wholegrains, pulses, beans, lentils, vegetables, nuts, seeds and dried fruit. This nutrient influences the transit of food through the digestive tract and has also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer. However, according to findings from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey it appears that most of us do not get enough fibre in our diet as only 10% of adults eat the recommended 30g per day.
