The trillions of microbes that live in your gut have been likened to “little pets that live in your intestinal tract.” Or at least that’s how Cleveland Clinic microbiome expert Gail Cresci describes it. But they do much more than help you digest food. They also support your immune system, regulate inflammation, and produce essential compounds like vitamins and hormones that keep your body running smoothly.
Because your gut plays such a big role in your overall health, it’s important to recognize when it might be a struggle. Changes in digestion, immunity, or even mood can sometimes be linked to an imbalance in your microbiome. The good news is that there are ways to get those microbes back on track.
According to Cresci, simple lifestyle adjustments can restore your gut health and strengthen your microbiome. Here’s how to spot the warning signs and what you can do to give your gut the support it needs.
Signs of an unhealthy gut to watch out for
“If you’re bloated or have a lot of gas, you probably have a disrupted gut microbiome composition and function,” Cresci said, adding that the only way to know for sure that you have it is to get it measured in the field.
Other signs of an unhealthy gut may include:
- Vomiting or stomach upset
- Fatigue
- Difficulty sleeping
- Food intolerance
- Skin irritation or problems
Research has linked skin problems like acne and psoriasis to the gut. Research is also looking at how the gut biome affects reproductive health and hormone levels.
How to maintain gut health
It’s important to see a doctor to determine the root cause of your health problems and rule out other conditions. A good first step is to make changes to your diet or routine that can improve your gut and overall health.
Cresci also said that there’s no exact standard for a perfectly healthy gut microbiome because everyone’s composition is so different. With that in mind, here are four things you can do to help keep it on track.
1. Eat gut-friendly foods
The gut microbiome prefers foods that we can’t digest. This includes foods high in fiber, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts; foods that we already know we should eat because of their nutritional properties.
According to Cresci, foods high in sugar and fat and low in fiber should be eliminated from the gut or eaten in lower amounts. “These are all associated with the consumption of a Western diet, which is also associated with a disrupted microbiome,” she said.
Beyond a gut-healthy diet, which doesn’t quite align with a heart-healthy diet, eating fermented foods can help replenish good microbes and their metabolites. Cresci lists yogurt, kombucha, and kefir as examples.
2. Note on medications used
Tas ir plaši pazīstams fakts, ka lietošana antibiotikās Vismaz īslaicīgi izjauc “labu” baktēriju ģimeni plaukstošs jūsu ķermenī. Kaut kā Parastās blakusparādības Antibiotiku lietošana ir slikta dūša, caureja un rauga infekciju attīstīšana. Ja jums ir izrakstīta antibiotika vai ir atkārtotas infekcijas, kurās jūs bieži lietojat antibiotikas, jautājiet savam ārstam par to, ko varat darīt, lai palīdzētu samazināt mikrobioma traucējumus.
Citas zāles, kas var izjaukt mūsu mikrobiomus, saka Cresci, ietver tos, kas maina kuņģa pH un atņem skābi. Piemēri ir protonu sūkņa inhibitori, pazīstams arī kā PPI un histamīna H2-receptoru antagonisti vai H2 blokatori, kurus izmanto, lai samazinātu skābes refluksa simptomus un varētu būt pieejami ārpus letes.
Sekojot līdzi lietotajiem medikamentiem, varat palīdzēt precīzi noteikt simptomu cēloni un (ar parakstu no ārsta) veiciet atbilstošus pasākumus vai aizstāšanu, ja problēma ir zarnu veselība.
3. Atrodiet taisnība probiotikas vai piedevas
Papildus vairāk jogurta vai raudzētu ēdienu iekļaušanai uzturā, daži cilvēki var meklēt probiotiku cerībā līdzsvarot viņu zarnas, kā tās ir paredzētas atdarināt neskartu mikrobiotuApvidū Ja apsverat lietošanu papildinājumu, ieskaitot probiotikas, Cresci teica CNET, ka ir svarīgi zināt, ka probiotikām ir specifiska celmam un “katram celmam ir sava darbības metode”.
Piemēram, dažas probiotikas ir izstrādātas, lai palīdzētu cilvēkiem ar antibiotiku izraisītu caureju, bet tas nedarbosies personai, kas viņus ved uz zarnu regularitāti.
“Jūs vēlaties ņemt to, kas ir izpētīts, lai arī kāda tā būtu jūsu problēma,” viņa sacīja.
Tāpat paturiet prātā, ka probiotikas pilnībā nepārsniedz to, ko jūs ēdat.
“Ja jums ir slikts uzturs un jūs vēlaties turpināt ēst sliktu uzturu, bet vēlaties uzlabot mikrobiomu, probiotika jums nepalīdzēs,” sacīja Ksi. “Arī jums ir jādara otra daļa.”
4. Pārvietojiet savu ķermeni katru dienu un prioritizējiet miegu
“Get Labāk miegs” vai “vingrot vairāk” varētu izklausīties kā noguris padoms, bet miega higiēnas uzlabošana un saspiest vairāk fizisko aktivitāšu ir izmēģināti un patiesi veidi, kā uzlabot savu veselību, ieskaitot zarnu veselību.
Vingrot palīdzēt savai zarnai dažādos veidostostarp uzlabojot savu cirkulāciju, palīdzot jūsu metabolismam un palīdzot gremošanas muskuļiem, saskaņā ar Klīvlendas klīniku. Ja jūs baidāties skriet vai jums nav laika doties uz sporta zāli, neuztraucieties: ir mazi veidi, kā jūs varat iegūt savu ķermeni ieradums pārvietoties katru dienu vai vismaz biežāk.
Getting good sleep is another general wellness tip that directly relates to our gut health. According to Cresci, our microbiome follows a circadian rhythm as well. So if we eat when our gut microbiome isn’t ready, we won’t be set up to process nutrients properly.
Lack of sleep also increases stress and cortisol, which has negative mental and physical effects.
“There’s a lot going on with the gut-brain interaction, so it signals back to the microbiome, and vice versa,” Xi said.
Perhaps the biggest is the fact that when we’re exhausted, we don’t have the energy to check out many of the things that keep us healthy, including exercising or finding a nutritious meal — both of which affect our gut health.
“When you’re sleepy, tired, exhausted, you tend not to do the things that we know are good for the microbiome,” Xi said. “So it perpetuates itself.”
