8 GUT HEALTH DOS AND DON'TS

1. CONSIDER SUPPLEMENTING WITH A MULTI-STRAIN PROBIOTIC if you are training in high temperatures. A study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that supplementing with a multi-strain probiotic for four weeks improved running time to fatigue in a small group of trained male runners training in 35 C and 40 per cent humidity, possibly due to an interaction between the immune system and reduced gastrointestinal permeability resulting in improved performance. 2. EAT PROBIOTIC FOODS like sauerkraut or kefir and take a multistrain probiotic if you have taken antibiotics over the last year to replenish bacterial strains that were wiped out. 3. EAT FOODS HIGH IN SOLUBLE FIBRE such as root vegetables, legumes, bananas, chia seeds, f lax seeds and oats to feed the growth of good gut bacteria, which will help reduce overall levels of inf lammation. 4. GET ENOUGH VITAMIN D through sunshine or supplements. Vitamin d3 helps maintain the integrity of the tight junctions between cells of the gastrointestinal lining to help keep unwanted microbes from entering the bloodstream. 5. EAT IMMUNE-BOOSTING CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES POST-WORKOUT such as broccoli or cabbage. Cruciferous veggies have been shown to directly activate the immune system cells in the small intestine via specialized receptors to help target and destroy invading pathogens. 6. EAT FOODS HIGH IN OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS to reduce inf lammation of the gut lining such as ground f lax seed and wild coldwater fish like wild salmon, cod, mackerel and sardines. 7. AVOID GUT IRRITANTS POST-WORKOUT such as caffeine, ibuprofen, alcohol, fried foods, sugary foods and gluten-containing foods. These substances cause inf lammation of the intestinal lining and increase susceptibility to harmful microbes. 8. AVOID A HIGH-GRAIN DIET. Grains can irritate the gut lining and increase gut permeability, so incorporating a wide variety of complex carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes, white potatoes and beets into your diet is important to maintain gut health.