5 Gut Health Habits That Will Keep Away the Bloat
Are you looking for tips to support your gut health?
When your gut isn’t healthy, it can affect your entire body. You don’t feel great physically or mentally. Gut problems are surprisingly common, affecting up to 70% of people.
Your gut and your brain are constantly communicating. They’re like two besties, passing information back and forth, letting you know about physical and emotional situations. This communication protects us and gives us valuable information.
There are many ways you can easily injure your gut, from what you eat and drink, to how you respond to stress.
Luckily, there are some simple habits that you can adopt and implement daily for a happier gut microbiome and a healthier you. Even better news, if you’ve had bad habits in the past, you can heal your gut in a short amount of time.
5 Gut Health Habits to Reduce Bloat
1. Eat Mindfully
It’s no surprise that what you eat can affect how you feel in your gut. But it also can affect how you feel emotionally and mentally. Use a mindful (or intuitive) approach when considering what you’re eating and how you’re eating it.
Slow Down Your Eating
One thing that you can do for a healthy gut that takes nothing but a little time, is to simply eat more slowly. We know there’s lots to do, and it can be tempting to just scarf down your meal and move onto the next task. However, take your time and enjoy your food.
When you eat slower, you can chew your food more intentionally, improve digestion, and reduce bloating. People who eat slower can notice when they feel full and regulate their portions, instead of overindulging, which is the most common cause of bloating.
What Should You Avoid?
● Processed Foods
Food can be medicine or food can be poison. Processed foods are generally more like poison. They’re high in preservatives, salt, fat, sugars, and additives, all of which can negatively impact your gut microbiome.
● Refined Sugar
Too much sugar can damage the protective lining of your gut and lead to unwanted inflammation. Another of the top culprits when it comes to unwanted bloat is sugar. Reducing refined sugar can help heal your gut immensely.
● Alcohol
If you think about it, alcohol in a medical setting is used to sanitize and kill bugs and germs. It does the same thing inside your stomach. The problem is, drinking alcohol can kill the good bugs and irritate your gut lining.
2. Incorporate Prebiotics and Probiotics
Having a healthy gut doesn’t have to be all about elimination. There are plenty of delicious foods that you can focus on adding to your diet, including foods with prebiotics and probiotics.
Prebiotics
Prebiotics often fly under the radar when it comes to popularity, but they shouldn’t! They’re the food source for the good bugs in your gut microbiome. Prebiotic foods are carbohydrates, often high in fermentable soluble fiber.
12 Prebiotic Foods You Should Eat
- Garlic
- Onions
- Leeks
- Asparagus
- Bananas
- Oats
- Barley
- Flaxseed
- Seaweed
- Avocado
- Jicama Root
Eat a variety of prebiotic foods, because different microorganisms require different prebiotics. Gradually introduce more of these foods into your diet to avoid excess gas and bloating.
Probiotics
Probiotics are the good bacteria in your gut. You can get them from fermented foods or dietary supplements.
Good Food Sources of Probiotics
- Kimchi
- Sauerkraut
- Tempeh
- Kefir
- Kombucha
- Yogurt
- Miso
- Pickles
If you want extra support than what you’re consuming with your food, you can get your probiotics from dietary supplements. They should be taken daily to reap all the benefits. You can take them morning or night, just choose a time that you can remember to take them consistently.
When choosing a probiotic supplement, consider selecting a high quality, multi-strain probiotic. Additionally, be aware that some probiotics need to be refrigerated, while others are shelf stable.
3. Move Everyday
It can be as simple as a daily walk or an at home workout. Whatever you do, focus on moving your body for at least 20 minutes every day.
Exercise improves gut motility, meaning it helps your food move through your digestive tract more quickly, which can lead to a healthy gut.
Research shows that exercise can also improve your immune system and increase your antioxidant levels.
Exercise can help boost circulation and tone your digestive muscles. These muscles are important for helping you to digest your food efficiently, without discomfort and bloating.
Exercise should not be all-or-nothing. Do what you can and be flexible with your exercise.
4. Stay Hydrated
Drinking water is important for your general health, but did you know that staying hydrated is essential for healthy gut function? It’s true! Water lubricates your digestive tract, as well as helps ensure that the nutrients from your food are being absorbed.
Adequate hydration helps with the entire digestive process. On the flip side, being dehydrated can lead to constipation, discomfort, and bloating.
A quick way to get a general idea of how much water you need daily is to aim for the number of ounces for every 2 lbs. of your weight. Basically, divide your weight in half, and that is how many ounces you should get.
5. Manage Stress
Because the brain and gut are so closely connected, a stressed brain can lead to stress in your gut. Those butterflies when you’re nervous, or the pit in your stomach when you’re worried, are prime examples of this gut-brain connection.
If you want to help out your gut, and reduce discomfort and bloat, work on managing your stress.
Easy Ways to Lower Stress
- Meditation and breathing
- Spending time outside
- Prioritizing social connections
- Yoga
- Spending time in your hobbies
The Takeaway
You’re not stuck with your gut.
If you’re looking for ways to support your gut health and reduce discomfort and bloating, there are a number of fairly easy habits that you can implement today. They are many of the same tips that will lead to better overall health, including things like exercising, drinking water, and managing stress.
At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest quality supplements to improve your physical health and overall well-being. For more information about our full list of brain healthy supplements, please visit us at BrainMD.
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