5 Easy Ways To Improve Your Gut Health

If you’ve been following my stories on Instagram recently, then you’ll know that I’ve gone full-on geek mode when it comes to gut health. As someone who suffers from regular digestive problems such as bloating, cramps and uncomfortable tummy grumbles, I’ve been on the hunt for easy ways to improve my gut health.

Over the past few weeks – and months – I’ve really dug deep into the research of gut health and put my own digestive system to the test (so you can all thank me for that later). And alas, by changing a few things in accordance to my diet and lifestyle, my gut health seems to be back on the road to recovery. Hallelujah.

Why is gut health important?

So first things first, why is the health of our gut important? To put it bluntly, it’s not important, it’s crucial. You see, your body is full of trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi (not all bad) and altogether, they’re known as the microbiome.

Whilst some bacteria are associated with disease, others are actually extremely important for your immune system, overall health, heart and body weight. Without our gut microbiome, it would be very hard to survive. Starting to make sense?

What does the gut microbiome do?

We already know what the microbiome is, but what exactly does it do? Well, since birth, the microbiome affects your body in many ways. Such as, by controlling to digestion of food, supporting the immune system, controlling the central nervous system, and helping support other bodily functions.

As your microbiome grows, you’ll find the following: it controls the digestion of breast milk (digests the healthy sugars in the milk for growth), digests fibre (incredibly important for gut health), helps to control the immune system (controls how your body responds to infection) and finally, helps to control the health of the brain (affects the nervous system).

So to round things up, there are many ways in which the microbiome can help to support our health and they’re all super important for us.

The microbiome and gut health

The main role the microbiome plays when it comes to our gut health is the way it controls intestinal disease such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

So when it comes to me and my – not so lovely – experience with bloating and cramps, this is most likely caused by the gut dysbiosis. Basically, the microbes found in the gut cause too much gas and chemicals, which are therefore, the likely cause.

That’s where my hunt for the best probiotic comes in…

You see, to improve the bacteria found in the microbiome, certain probiotics containing bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, can help work towards sealing the gaps in the intestinal cells, sticking to the intestine wall and preventing leaky gut syndrome – another symptom of an unhealthy gut. These symptoms often include an upset stomach, loose stools, bloating, excessive gas, etc. So with that said, finding the right probiotic was my first call to action.

Probiotics

You could say that I searched high and low for the right probiotic and finally, after popping many pills, I can finally say that I have found a probiotic that works – like, really really works. And no, this isn’t sponsored!

You see, many probiotics out there contain 4 billion CFUs (colony forming units – this is the most common) and whilst that may appear like a lot, it really isn’t. Not if you want it to have a great impact on your digestive health, anyway.

That’s when I came across Primal Cure’s probiotic – a company whose supplements are now a regular feature in my daily diet. Yes, I really did decide to ditch the supermarket supplements.

So why this probiotic? It’s high-quality strength, strains and high Bio-tract technology – to put it simply. Compared to the common 1-4 billion strains already out there, Primal’s probiotic contains 6 billion  colony forming units (strains) that get transported to your gut via BIO-tract technology. Their patented probiotic tablets deliver up to 15 times more friendly bacteria to your intestines than capsules, powders and or probiotic drinks. 15 times!!

To top it off, Primal Cure are the only company in the UK to make such a powerful probiotic – the other company was found in the USA.

With all that said, I decided to start trialling Primal Cure’s probiotic roughly 4 months ago and in all honesty, I haven’t looked back. Whilst it took a while to kick in (this is common as it takes time to build up healthy bacteria), my gut health has improved a hell of a lot. Don’t get me wrong, I still have days where I bloat like a balloon (poor food choices), but I certainly suffer from a lot less bloating and cramps – especially throughout the day. Note: I do have to make sure I’m consistent to take it every day.

So now that we’ve covered the most important way to improve your gut health, here are four other ways I have also improved the health of my gut…

L-glutamine

Again, another possible supplement that I’ve gone full-on geek mode with, L-glutamine.

I’ve only been trialling this for two weeks so far, but when paired with the other methods/supplements in this post, I have already seen results – especially when it comes to bloating in the evening.

L-glutamine is one of 20 amino acids found in your body. It’s also known as a conditionally essential amino acid because of the roles it plays in your body. If you didn’t know already, then amino acids are commonly known as the building blocks for your bodily functions and healthy growth. Therefore, they’re pretty dang important. Out of the 20 amino acids present in your body, L-Glutamine is the most prevalent one and this is why it should be seen as an essential amino acid.

When it comes to gut health, l-glutamine is seen as a powerful and most importantly, natural supplement that can help to heal a leaky gut. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties and its ability to repair cracks and fibers, it’s hardly shocking to hear that l-glutamine is slowing rising in popularity when it comes to good gut health.

After a little research, I came across this article which states the importance of dosage and when to take l-glutamine. According to Happy Mammoth, too many people take the incorrect dosage and therefore, don’t see any benefits. So with that said, I make sure that I take 15g (powder) each day on an empty stomach.

I know this isn’t the 30mg I should be taking for my body weight however, I’m currently working my way towards 30g to see how my body responds to the dosage.

• 

Less snacking

This would be my second most important point when it comes to improving your gut health and if I’m honest, I’m pretty bummed that I didn’t think of this sooner.

My problem when it comes to my gut health is that I bloat – a lot. And unfortunately, the reoccurring theme seems to be that a lot of my bloating occurs after snacks and main meals. Basically any time I bloody eat! And yes, whilst this is normal for many people – looking 9 months pregnant however, is not!

According to social media, it’s healthier to graze and live by ‘small light’ meals than opposed to bigger ones. The problem with this? 1) it’s actually a load of bullshit and 2) it can cause havoc with your digestion system. Let me explain the latter…

You see, grazing (although we all love it), may actually increase the risk of bacterial overgrowth which all in all, upsets the microbiome of the gut. When the body hasn’t eaten in a while (aka fasted), the muscles in the small intestine produces a cleansing wave and it’s this cleansing wave that is a housekeeping function that helps to stop the bacteria that’s passing through from settling down.

In order for the routine cleansing waves to happen, the intestines need to be fasted for at least 90 minutes at a time. That’s 90 minutes of no grazing. So if you’re an obsessed grazer, snacker and light eater like me, then there’s a possible chance that you’re never going a full hour and a half without food passing through your bowel – no matter how big or small your grazes might be! Uh oh.

So, with that implemented into my brain, I put it to the test. No grazing, no snacking, just bigger meals that would keep me full and happy for at least 2 and a half – 3 hours. Oh yes, I was going more than the hour and a half! And guess what? It worked! Leaving my digestive system to rest, recover and ‘sweep’ for at least 2-3 hours every day worked a treat. And as easy as it may sound, it really does work – in my opinion.

For more info about less grazing check out this article.

Peppermint tea

Whilst I’ve always been a bit sceptical about peppermint tea in regards to bloating, I’ve recently switched out my regular green tea for peppermint in order for it to help aid my gut health. And, over the past few weeks, it certainly feels like it’s working. My stomach definitely feels more… settled.

I particularly love this as a ‘go-to’ option when my belly flares up and, as a hot drink throughout the day. Not only has my caffeine consumption decreased, but my stomach seems a lot happier. Whether this has anything to do with caffeine or not, I’m happy to stick to peppermint tea. You never know, it may be worth giving a go!

Taking probiotics at the right time of day

Please, for the sake of your gut, don’t make the same mistake that I did and take your beloved probiotic at the wrong time of day.

Unfortunately, many supplement companies will misinform you and tell you to take your probiotic in the morning. There are two things wrong with this: 1) you shouldn’t be buying from a company that misinforms you about their own product and 2) it’s completely and utterly pointless. The acid from your stomach will kill the bacterial strains before they even have a chance to multiply and grow. Not good.

We’ve already covered that probiotics are living organisms and therefore, they need warmth, food and water in order for them to survive and multiply in the gut. When you take probiotics in the morning, your stomach is simply not in the ideal condition for the bacterial strains. Not to mention the fact that your stomach is incredibly acidic in the morning, meaning that the acid could kill the delicate bacterial strains.

So to put it bluntly my friends, have your probiotic in the evening after your dinner where the conditions of your digestive system will be perfect – warm, full of yummy food and homely to bacterial strains. Lovely jubbly.