Easy ways to boost your gut health
increases the bulk and softness of your stool. When bacteria ferments fibre, it produces short-chain fatty acids, which are a source of energy.
They also slow the breakdown of sugars found in carbohydrates, to help stabilise your energy levels.
Both types are important for preventing constipation. Eating a variety of fruit and veg is key as they have different benefits. A diet high in fibre can also reduce the risk of developing high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes and bowel cancer. ■■TOP TIP: Increase fibre slowly to reduce temporary digestive symptoms. Swap refined white products for wholegrain and include plenty of veg and fruit – in that order.
Some of these contain substances such as artificial emulsifiers, flavourings, colourings and preservatives which can wreak havoc on your beneficial gut microbes. ■■TIP: Swap artificially flavoured drinks for sparkling water infused with fruit or herbs.
You have trillions of bacteria in your gut and they thrive on different foods. Variety is key to making them happy.
The recommendation is to eat 30 different types of plant-based fruit and veg a week, including nuts and seeds. This may sound like a lot but try adding nut and seed mixes to your smoothies or cereal, and use a variety of veggies to make simple stir-fries. ■■TOP TIP: Cook with olive oil. It’s high in polyphenols, which gut bacteria love.
The action of chewing physically breaks food down into small pieces, and the enzymes in saliva help break it down further.
Smaller pieces means there is less work for the rest of your digestive system to do, reducing the chance of excessive gas, bloating and pain. ■■TOP TIP: Chew each mouthful 20 to 30 times before swallowing. Make sure you are sitting when you eat.
A study investigated the effect of a six-week exercise regime on the composition of different microbes in the gut. After exercise, previously sedentary individuals had increased levels of beneficial gut bacteria and short-chain fatty acids, which you need for good gut health. However, these levels returned to baseline when exercise was subsequently stopped. ■■TOP TIP: Exercising outside will expose you to a greater number of bacteria that are only found in nature.
Stress, anxiety and depression can have a direct effect on the microbiome. Research has shown that people suffering from anxiety or depression have a less diverse range of gut bacteria than those without.
Prolonged periods of stress may increase inflammation. Over time this can damage cells in the intestinal wall, resulting in a more permeable gut membrane that allows substances to pass through that shouldn’t.
This can increase susceptibility to diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and depression. ■■TOP TIP: Take three deep breaths before you eat in order to switch your body into “rest and digest” mode.
They do different things. A probiotic is a living micro-organism that is beneficial to health. They can be found in food or supplements but different strains have different effects. Some may have no effect.
Probiotics do their job in the gastrointestinal tract, where they may influence the bacteria already there. A probiotic supplement helps when things get tougher, for example after illness or a course of antibiotics. Foods that contain probiotics include live yogurt, kimchi, kefir, miso, sauerkraut and kombucha. Prebiotics are a specific type of fibre and are food for good bacteria. ■■TOP TIP: Great sources of prebiotic food include onions, garlic, leeks, chicory, bananas (the unripened green ones), asparagus, artichokes, olives, plums, apples, bran and almonds.
Avoid ultraprocessed foods
Eat a varied diet
Chew your food
Get moving
Keep calm
Prebiotics vs probiotics
Polyphenols explained
A polyphenol is a natural chemical found in some plant-based foods that is packed with antioxidant and disease-fighting properties.
If something has antioxidant properties, it has the power to combat the negative effects of free radicals, which can cause stress-related cell damage to the body, including ageing.
These superheroes sweep up the free radicals that your body naturally produces, as well as those you are exposed in everyday life. Your microbes need polyphenols to thrive and make them more effective.
Only five to 10 per cent of polyphenols are absorbed in the small intestine, meaning the rest travel on down to the large intestine, where your gut microbes break them down into more useful components that are beneficial to our health.
Polyphenols are also a prebiotic. They support beneficial microbes and keep the less helpful ones under control. Polyphenols also help microbes produce short-chain fatty acids, which act as fuel for our gut cells and support immune function.
Polyphenols can be found in brightly-coloured vegetables and fruit, dark chocolate, red wine and green tea. ■■TOP TIP: Swap milk chocolate for good quality dark chocolate to enjoy the gut-loving properties it contains.