SIX POINT PLAN TO IMPROVE YOUR GUT HEALTH
Written by Emily Hohler, BA(Oxon), dipION, Registered Nutritional Therapist and Nature Doc practitioner
Gut health is profoundly important when it comes to overall health. There are many reasons for this. For a start, the gut houses an estimated 70-80% of the body’s immune cells and a healthy microbiome trains and shapes our immune system as well as modulating our immune response to pathogens. Gut bacteria are also essential for extracting nutrients from our food and synthesizing certain vitamins. Imbalances in the microbiome, known as dysbiosis, can affect our mood due to bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain, and there is an emerging body of research linking dysbiosis with depression, anxiety and even conditions such as bipolar disorder. Dysbiosis can lead to chronic low-grade inflammation, which is a contributory factor to many diseases, and the microbiome also has a significant effect on how the body processes and stores lipids, which has implications for weight gain and cardiovascular health.
Although the foundations of a healthy microbiome are laid during our early years, the good news is that there is still much we can do to influence its composition throughout our lives.
1. Eat a diverse range of plants
Aim to eat at least 30 different kinds of plant foods a week. This is the golden number arrived at by the American Gut Project, which carried out research on the microbiomes of 10,000 participants. This can include whole grains, nuts and seeds as well as fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices. Supercharge your diet by eating plenty of ferments such as kefir and sauerkraut. Ferments not only contain lots of probiotics, the nutrients in them are more bioavailable as the fermentation process breaks down complex compounds making it easier for us to digest and assimilate them.
2. Cut out ultra-processed foods (UPFs)
UPFs are often full of additives, preservatives, high levels of salt or sugar substitutes, unhealthy fats and little or no fibre. You can use an app such as Yuka to scan supermarket labels, but the simpler option is not to buy any packaged food that contains ingredients that you don’t recognise. Buy wholefoods and cook from scratch. Riverford Organic has a brilliant recipe finder for pretty much any vegetable you care to name.
3. Focus on quality
The Pesticide Action Network (PAN), which has analysed 12 years or residue data, has identified 123 different pesticide residues in our food, some of which have been linked to hormonal disruptions and cancers. The ‘cocktail’ effect of all of these chemicals is unknown. Organic food is expensive, and PAN publish an annual list of the worst offenders (The Dirty Dozen) so that you can avoid them, but ideally buy food that is organic, local, seasonal and fresh.
4. Embrace the microbes
The modern Western lifestyle minimises our exposure to microbes. City living, desk jobs, hyper-sanitised environments and a lack of contact with nature and animals has led to reduced microbial exposure which is linked to a loss of diversity in our microbiomes. The original formulation of the so-called ‘hygiene hypothesis’ dates back to the work of epidemiologist David Strachan in 1989. It follows that we should be doing all we can to mitigate these effects. Spending time outside, gardening, getting a pet, ditching the sanitisers and only using antibiotics when strictly necessary are all ways to do this.
5. Exercise and stress management
Exercise stimulates gut motility, reducing the time harmful bacteria have to colonise the gut, as well as enhancing blood flow and so creating a more favourable environment for the growth of beneficial bacteria. Exercise also alleviates stress, which can cause chronic inflammation in the gut, and improves insulin sensitivity and therefore blood sugar control. Because exercise increases the abundance of good bacteria, it can indirectly boost the production of short chain fatty acids, metabolites produced by bacteria which play a vital role in gut and overall health. Try to move your body as much as possible, in as many different ways as possible, and adopt a daily meditation or breathwork practice. Just ten minutes a day can make a big difference over time. Strong social connections make a big difference to stress levels, so enjoy time with friends and family.
6. Sleep
The connection might not seem obvious, but getting enough high-quality sleep is essential for good gut health. Studies have shown that poor sleep alters the composition and reduces the diversity of gut bacteria, impacting the microbiome’s ability to function optimally. Sleep and stress levels are intimately connected and poor management of both can lead to chronic low-grade inflammation and intestinal permeability. A regular sleep routine, avoiding screens and blue light for at least two hours before bed and making sure your bedroom is cool, quiet and dark can all have a big impact on sleep quality. Some people will need to avoid caffeine for six hours before bedtime, sometimes more.