According to the CSIRO, 50% of Australians will experience gut health problems, with 1 in 7 tending to manage their symptoms through the elimination of key foods or food groups.
Gut issues can be very distressing for people, making them feel tired, affecting their ability to concentrate, making them feel bloated or in pain etc. The symptoms go well beyond the gut and that is why it is important to try your best to improve your gut health.
If you have serious symptoms, odds are you have developed an intolerance or something else is going on so please consult a health care practitioner to assist you with a personalised plan.
Tips for improving your gut health.
- Reduce foods that are inflammatory
Eating a diet that is high in inflammatory foods and beverages is a major reason why people struggle with their gut health. These foods include ones that are high in sugar and sweeteners, high in artificial colours, flavours and preservatives, alcohol and soft drinks to name a few.
The general rule of thumb is to try to eat/ purchase food in its most natural state. When purchasing packaged products, check the back of the package to make sure that you understand what the ingredients are and that they are good ingredients. Generally the first ingredient listed is the ingredient that is the most prominent, so if canola oil is the first ingredient listed, look for another option.
2. Increase your superfood intake
Superfoods can be such a great addition to any diet as they can help your body regulate itself and even help to balance your hormones, which is essential for mood, body function, sexual function and more.
Maca is one brilliant ingredient which may assist in balancing out hormones due to its levels of vitamins C, A, B2 and BY as well as magnesium, zinc, copper, calcium and iodine. It is a rare herbal adaptogen that benefits the immune and endocrine systems.
Flaxseed is also a really powerful ingredient as it is great for digestion and for stimulating the production of Sex Hormone Binding Globulin in the liver.
Either buy the ingredients separately, or look for clever products such as the We are Wylde range that contains no nasties, but is high in protein, antioxidants and of course, superfoods!
3. Pre/ pro biotic
Pre-and pro biotics are supplements that help to support the gut microbiome. They essentially serve as “food” for your gut bacteria which can in turn support the gut to improve digestion. They are a great daily supplement to take, and they are especially important to take if you ever have to be on antibiotics
4. Reduce stress
Stress is one of the biggest culprits of poor gut heath. When your cortisol is raised high for extended periods of time, if can cause a lot of inflammation in the body which makes it harder for your body to digest food, take the nutrients out of food and it can also affect sleep
Managing your stress levels is essential for better gut health so make sure you have some practises in place for helping you manage your stress, be it a nature walk, meditation, calming exercise or even something like colouring in or drawing.
5. Exercise
Finally exercise is important for gut health. If your cortisol is high however, opt for lighter exercise such as yoga, a lighter pilates class or a walk.
Exercise is important to get the blood flowing and the endorphins pumping and is therefore essential to maintaining good gut health, but if you are struggling to manage your stress, you may want to avoid HIIT training.
Allana Frisken, is the founder of We are Wylde. If you want an easy way to boost your superfood intake, try We are Wylde, a vegan, superfood range that contains the likes of Maca and Flaxseed.
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