Although good nutrition – with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains – is always a key part of healthy digestion, many other factors influence what goes on in your gut. Sleep, hydration, and stress can all play a role in how well the digestive system functions. Learn how to have a healthy gut with these six gut health tips.

1. Take your time eating a meal

Chewing food thoroughly is an often-overlooked aspect of healthy digestion. But spending more time chewing every bite can improve digestion, as well as nutrient absorption.

Chewing food breaks it into smaller pieces, allowing it to better mix with digestive enzymes in saliva.

Chewing kickstarts the whole down-line digestive process, telling the brain to begin releasing enzymes from the pancreas so the small intestine is ready and waiting for the food coming from your stomach. The better digested your food is, the more nutrients your body will extract from it.

On the other hand, swallowing food with minimal chewing gives the stomach a lot more work to do, which can lead to digestive problems, such as bloating, cramps, gas, and indigestion.

How much time should you spend chewing each bite? That depends on the type and texture of the food. Although the most common advice is to chew each bite 30-40 times before swallowing, you should really be chewing until food has a soft, smooth texture similar to applesauce or thick soup.

2. Stay hydrated

Water is critical to the digestive process – it keeps food moving through the digestive tract and benefits the mucosal lining of the intestines.

Not only does water help the digestive process, but it also supports healthy gut flora – the beneficial microbes that live in the gut.

These microbes support several essential functions in the body, including nutrient absorption, waste elimination, and immune function. Poor hydration is a common cause of constipation, so keep up your water intake to help your whole system run smoothly.

3. Get some exercise 

Exercise is another factor in maintaining a balanced and healthy gut microbiome. Studies show that regular exercise positively changes the quality and quantity of the composition of the gut microbiota.1 

Regular workouts contribute to a more toned and efficiently functioning gut. This is believed to be due to better blood flow, improved nutrient absorption, and healthy elimination.

One caution: overtraining can actually cause gastrointestinal problems, so moderation is important when it comes to exercising and the gut.

4. Manage stress

Managing stress is easily one of the most important gut health tips on the list. That’s because chronic stress is hard on the body; it can adversely impact your health in many ways, including your gut health. Frequent high stress levels can decrease the beneficial types of bacteria in the gut, such as the Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus species, while allowing the levels of pathogenic bacteria, such as E. coli and Enterobacteria, to increase.

Stress can also alter the communication pathways between your gut and your brain, sending signals that can weaken gut immunity and motility.

Finding ways to reduce stress is one of the most important things you can do to keep your digestive system healthy. To find out if your stress level is too high, consider taking Thorne’s at-home Stress Test to gain insights into the status of your two adrenal hormones – cortisol and DHEA. Your test results will include the levels of these two hormones, along with actionable steps you can take to improve your body’s response to stress.

5. Get enough sleep

Poor sleep habits hinder the health of your gut, specifically the gut’s microbiome. Some studies indicate that adults who have poor sleep quality also have a less than optimal gut microbiota.2

We know that insufficient, inconsistent, or low-quality sleep are linked to an increased risk for chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and depression. These adverse health conditions are also linked to an imbalance of microbes in the gut known as gut dysbiosis.

To best support the health of your gut, get 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night.

If you have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep, then try testing the biomarkers related to sleep to determine why you are experiencing difficulty.

6. Use supplements that support gut health 

In addition to the above gut health tips, taking high-quality nutritional supplements helps promote good digestive health.* If you are looking for an easy place to start, Thorne’s Gut Health Bundle contains a trio of supplements that promote healthy gastrointestinal function.* Bacillus Coagulans, a shelf-stable probiotic, promotes digestive and intestinal health.* FiberMend®, a prebiotic fiber formula, helps maintain regularity and a balanced gut flora.* And EnteroMend®, an innovative botanical and amino acid formula, helps maintain a healthy inflammatory response in the gastrointestinal tract, soothes the gastrointestinal tract’s mucus membranes, and supports regularity.*

How to keep a healthy gut for a healthier you

The human gastrointestinal tract is a complex system that affects practically every other area of your health. By practicing these six gut health tips, not only are you supporting your gastrointestinal health, but you are also building a foundation for better overall health and wellness.

References

  1. Monda V, Villano I, Messina A, et al. Exercise modifies the gut microbiota with positive health effects. Oxid Med Cell Longev 2017;2017:3831972.
  2. Anderson J, Carroll I, Azcarate-Peril M, et al. A preliminary examination of gut microbiota, sleep, and cognitive flexibility in healthy older adults. Sleep Med 2017;38:104-107.