5 Tips Helping To Maintenance The Gut During The Diet

Gut bacteria, also known as gut microbiota, are core elements that build up our immune system. It might sound surprising but according to the numerous researches dedicated to this topic, gut bacteria have a significant influence on digestive system as well as overall health.

The thing is that gut microbiome help human organism process the food with the maximum benefit. In other words, gut bacteria produce vitamins and antioxidants while breaking down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

The state of gut microbiota is determined by two factors – genetic and environmental. That’s why if you want your gut bacteria to function properly and protect your body, paying close attention to your diet is the first thing to do.

Below, we’ve prepared several pieces of advice based on scientific research works that will help you maintain healthy gut condition.

#1 The simplest way to ensure gut health is by using probiotics. These are the beneficial bacteria that help your digestive system function properly.

When you decide to start taking probiotics, you want to remember that the recommended daily dosage is 1-2 pills. However, if you suffer from stomach diseases and need the strongest probiotic supplement, the dosage can be increased but it should be agreed with your physician.

One more question you want to discuss with your doctor is the formula of the probiotics you’re going to take. Dr. Liping Zhao, Professor of Applied Microbiology at Rutgers University, claims that the same bacteria can be beneficial to some people while harmful to others, so make sure you choose the remedy that isn’t contrary with your organism peculiarities.

#2 Include more fiber in your diet, especially the one rich in prebiotics. Prebiotics are another group of bacteria that are essential for your gut health.

They serve as an engine for probiotics ensuring their growth and, as a result, improving their efficiency.

Nutritionists have prepared the list of ingredients full of prebiotics that includes dandelion greens, garlic, onion, asparagus, bananas, and more fruits and vegetables that are not only tasty but also healthy. Moreover, such a plant-based diet reduces the risk of diabetes.

#3 Reconsider your eating habits and refuse unhealthy food. By telling “unhealthy food” we mean not only crisps, French fries, fizzy drinks, and other foodstuffs that obviously ruins beneficial bacteria in our gut.

The danger to our gut flora also hides in food items we eat every day but never think whether they are really healthy. Thus, the scientists have created a list of foods that harm our gut.

You’ll definitely find saturated fats, animal products (red meat in particular), artificial sweeteners, food stabilizers like carrageenan (that is often found in ice-cream, milk, cheese, and even bread) in this list.

In addition to controlling your eating habits, it’s important to pay attention to other spheres of your life.

#4 Take antibiotics with caution. If you have a closer look at the words PRObiotics and ANTIbiotics, you’ll notice that they are absolute antonyms, and the effects they have on your body are completely different.

Moreover, it’s a scientifically proven fact that antibiotic use alters gut microbiome. Although these medications are widely applied in modern medicine to treat a great number of diseases and numerous inflammation processes in the human body, their use has its disadvantages.

Yes, antibiotics kill harmful bacteria preventing them from growth but they kill beneficial bacteria, too. That’s why antibiotics and probiotics are usually subscribed to be taken together to keep some kind of flora balance in the human body.

If you don’t want to take antibiotics because of their negative influence on your gut microbiota or any other personal reasons, ask your doctor whether it’s possible to substitute them with other kinds of treatment.  

#5 Give up bad habits if you have them, in particular, limit alcohol consumption. Almost every person in the world has experienced the way alcohol influences human health. If it makes people feel sick and can change our consciousness, just imagine how harmful it can be.

The results of a scientific study aimed at discovering the link between alcohol intake and gut microbiome showed that long-term alcohol consumption destroys beneficial bacteria in our gut.

This very effect weakens immune systems and becomes a basis for the development of numerous diseases including liver dysfunction, coronary heart disease, cancer, and more life-threatening conditions.