Eating a large amount of sugar is linked to an overgrowth of bad bacteria in your gut. Processed foods , as well as alcohol , can also negatively impact gut health.

Prebiotic and probiotic foods like whole grains , onions, garlic, fermented foods, miso and yogurt feed the good bacteria in your gut. A diet rich with fiber and prebiotics ensures that the bacteria grows.

An imbalance in gut bacteria can result in psychological symptoms, like brain fog and irritability. Anything from antibiotics to antidepressants can impact gut health.

Some medication can even wipe out some bacteria, leading to an imbalance. Eating a plant-based diet that includes fermented foods and fiber from colorful fruits and vegetables, having healthy sleep habits and managing stress levels are other ways to support a healthy gut.

If you want to adopt a healthier lifestyle, start easy with small diet changes and build from there. Taking a small step toward eating healthier can be as simple as eating seasonally. Fruits and vegetables that are in season are tastier and have more nutrients. Constipation, weight gain, diarrhea, bloating and gas are signs that something is off.

Some people have bad breath or skin irritation. You may notice these symptoms affecting your quality of life. The breakdown of nutrients continues in the stomach, and most of your nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine. When should you see a doctor about gut issues?

If your bowel habits have been abnormal for a few weeks to a month, talk to your doctor. Patients undergoing cancer treatment should always tell their care team when they notice bowel changes or are experiencing rapid weight loss or gain. Healthy bacteria already exist in your gut.

But you have control over creating the environment for it to grow. Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or by calling My Chart. Donate Today. Here are some vetted products to try. My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health?

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Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. Medically reviewed by Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-C — By Jayne Leonard on May 28, Probiotics and fermented foods Prebiotic fiber Eat less sugar Reduce stress Avoid taking antibiotics Exercise Sleep Avoid disinfectants Quit smoking Vegetarian diet Summary.

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Take probiotics and eat fermented foods. Share on Pinterest Kimchi may help improve gut health. Eat prebiotic fiber. Eat less sugar and sweeteners. Reduce stress. Share on Pinterest Sleep deprivation can negatively affect gut health.

Avoid taking antibiotics unnecessarily. Exercise regularly. Get enough sleep. Use different cleaning products. Avoid smoking. Eat a vegetarian diet. Share on Pinterest By eating a vegetarian diet, a person may improve their gut health.

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Scientists discover biological mechanism of hearing loss caused by loud noise — and find a way to prevent it. Your gut is your gastrointestinal system and includes your stomach, intestines and colon. It digests and absorbs nutrients from food and excretes waste.

There is no clear definition of gut health, and it can mean something different for researchers, medical professionals and the community. Throughout this page, we refer to gut health as having a healthy gut microbiome and limited digestive symptoms. About different species of bacteria, viruses and fungi live in your large intestine.

The bacteria and other micro-organisms in your gut are known as your gut microbiome. The bacteria help to break down food, turning it into nutrients your body can use. Certain types of bacteria in your gut may contribute to some diseases. Some microorganisms are harmful to our health, but many are beneficial and necessary for a healthy body.

We are learning that the variety of bacteria in your gut is an important indicator of the health of your microbiome. Many factors, including the foods you eat, can impact the type of bacteria found in your digestive tract. What we eat can have short-term and long-term effects on our gut microbiome environment.

The importance of the gut to our overall health is a topic of increasing research in the medical community. Research is showing us that our gut microbiome can affect every organ in our body.

A higher level of diversity in gut bacteria is an important indicator of the health of your microbiome. While research is ongoing, it appears that your gut health plays an important role in your overall health. The gut microbiome is also affected by things we cannot control, such as our environment, age, birth mode and whether we were breast-fed or bottle-fed as a baby.

While we cannot use one specific measure for our gut health External Link , some signs that you may have poor gut health include:. You may be able to improve your gut health through lifestyle and diet changes.

Dietary fibre in foods can improve your gut health as it can help keep us regular, reduce the risk of bowel cancer and feed the healthy bacteria in our gut.

Wholefoods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, wholegrains and nuts, may prevent the growth of some bacteria linked to diseases and inflammation. Our lifestyle, for example physical activity , good sleep and stress reduction are also good for gut health.

Your gut bacteria are influenced by what you eat. It is important to give them the right fuel to have a balanced gut microbiome. The best way to maintain a healthy microbiome is to eat a range of fresh, wholefoods, mainly from plant sources like fruits, vegetables, legumes, beans, nuts and wholegrains.

Fibre is important for our gut health for many reasons. Fibre can affect the function of our gut, for example, the digestion and absorption of nutrients, how quickly or slowly things move through and the quality of our stools.

The breakdown of fibre by our gut bacteria can also create important products which can influence the development of gastrointestinal conditions such as bowel cancer.

Fibre has other benefits to our health apart from the gut, for example, reducing our risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Fibre is only found in foods that come from a plant.

Australian adult women should be aiming to eat at least 25g of fibre a day, and men 30g. Prebiotic fibres, which are not found in all high fibre foods, may be especially helpful for our gut microbiome, as they can act as a fertiliser for the healthy bacteria in our gut.

The diversity of food on your plate can help lead to a more diverse microbiome, which is an indicator of a healthy gut microbiome.

While almost all foods have had some kind of processing , it is best to eat foods that are minimally processed. These foods retain their nutritional value and do not usually have added sugar , salt , unhealthy fats or additives such as emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners, all of which may impact your gut health.

Unprocessed foods include fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, unflavoured dairy , eggs, seafood, poultry and lean red meat. Ultra-processed foods include deli meats such as ham and salami, many breakfast cereals, ready-made meals, sweet desserts and many packaged snacks such as chips.

Water is the best fluid to drink and provides benefits to gut health. Water assists with the breakdown of food, so that your body can absorb nutrients.

Wholefoods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, wholegrains and nuts, may prevent the growth of some bacteria linked to diseases and inflammation.

Our lifestyle, for example physical activity , good sleep and stress reduction are also good for gut health. Your gut bacteria are influenced by what you eat. It is important to give them the right fuel to have a balanced gut microbiome.

The best way to maintain a healthy microbiome is to eat a range of fresh, wholefoods, mainly from plant sources like fruits, vegetables, legumes, beans, nuts and wholegrains. Fibre is important for our gut health for many reasons.

Fibre can affect the function of our gut, for example, the digestion and absorption of nutrients, how quickly or slowly things move through and the quality of our stools. The breakdown of fibre by our gut bacteria can also create important products which can influence the development of gastrointestinal conditions such as bowel cancer.

Fibre has other benefits to our health apart from the gut, for example, reducing our risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Fibre is only found in foods that come from a plant. Australian adult women should be aiming to eat at least 25g of fibre a day, and men 30g.

Prebiotic fibres, which are not found in all high fibre foods, may be especially helpful for our gut microbiome, as they can act as a fertiliser for the healthy bacteria in our gut. The diversity of food on your plate can help lead to a more diverse microbiome, which is an indicator of a healthy gut microbiome.

While almost all foods have had some kind of processing , it is best to eat foods that are minimally processed. These foods retain their nutritional value and do not usually have added sugar , salt , unhealthy fats or additives such as emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners, all of which may impact your gut health.

Unprocessed foods include fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, unflavoured dairy , eggs, seafood, poultry and lean red meat. Ultra-processed foods include deli meats such as ham and salami, many breakfast cereals, ready-made meals, sweet desserts and many packaged snacks such as chips.

Water is the best fluid to drink and provides benefits to gut health. Water assists with the breakdown of food, so that your body can absorb nutrients. Water also assists with softening stools, helping prevent constipation. Chewing your food thoroughly and eating slowly may reduce digestive discomfort such as gas, pain and bloating.

Fermented foods External Link have undergone a process in which their sugars are broken down by yeast and bacteria. While research into fermented foods is limited, the bacteria found in some fermented foods have been linked with digestive health and other benefits.

Breastfeeding helps an infant develop a healthy gut microbiome, which may help protect against certain health conditions later in life. Regular cardiovascular exercise such as walking and cycling can stimulate the muscles of the gut to move digestive contents through the body.

Stress can impact your gut health. Manage your stress levels by exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, socialising, using relaxation techniques and eating well. Not getting enough or sufficient quality of sleep may impact your gut microbiome and may contribute to digestive discomfort.

It is best to improve your gut health through food and other lifestyle factors rather than supplements. There are many nutrients in wholefoods that cannot be packaged into a single supplement. Nutrients in foods also interact with each other in a helpful way and this cannot be replicated in a pill.

Many people are interested in taking probiotic supplements. In some cases, there is research to support taking a probiotic, however just like medications, you need to take a specific probiotic for the health condition you are trying to manage.

While antibiotics can be very important and useful, they can also have a negative impact on your gut microbiome. Antibiotics aim to kill the harmful bacteria when you have an infection or illness, but in doing so they can remove some of the beneficial bacteria in your gut.

Research into gut health is relatively new and understanding of this complex topic is developing. Be careful of non-evidence-based information about gut health.

Focusing on eating healthily with the tips suggested on this page is the best evidence we have so far. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional.

The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website.

All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances.

The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website.

Skip to main content. Healthy eating. Home Healthy eating. Gut health. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. What is gut health and gut microbiome? Why gut health is important Signs of an unhealthy gut How to improve your gut health Gut health and diet Gut health and breastfeeding Gut health and exercise Gut health and stress Gut health and sleep Gut health and probiotic supplements Gut health and antibiotics Myths about gut health Where to get help.

The health of your gut can impact both your physical and mental health. It is understood that there are links between gut health and: the immune system mental health autoimmune diseases endocrine disorders — such as type 2 diabetes gastrointestinal disorders — such as irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease cardiovascular disease cancer sleep digestion.

Signs of an unhealthy gut Your gut microbiome can be affected by: stress too little sleep lack of physical activity eating too many ultra-processed foods smoking and drinking alcohol taking antibiotics. How to improve your gut health You may be able to improve your gut health through lifestyle and diet changes.

Gut health and diet Your gut bacteria are influenced by what you eat. And some studies have shown that better sleep is linked to increased gut bacteria diversity. One study — in mice — suggests that sleep disruptions can change which bugs are present in the gut. These changes were associated with increased inflammation in fat tissue and poorer blood sugar control.

Exercising is one of the best strategies for a healthier gut and may increase microbiome diversity. Studies show that even low-intensity workouts can help maintain a healthy gut. Sign up for fresh insights into our scientific discoveries and the latest nutrition updates.

No spam, just science. Research into the effects of meal timing and intermittent fasting on the gut is still limited, but some evidence suggests that the microbiome may have its own circadian clock. Spector recommends limiting snacking and not eating late in the evening to allow your gut time to rest during the night.

This keeps the lining of your gut healthy, which is important for the health of your gut, its microbiome, and your immune system. Antibiotics save lives. But they can also impact your microbiome , and these changes can last.

So, take antibiotics only when necessary and always as directed by your doctor. Whether its psychological, physical, or environmental, stress may disrupt the structure and function of your gut microbiome.

Here, find some useful tips for managing stress. For a happier, healthier gut, try to eat a "rainbow" of plant-based foods, ideally around 30 types a week. A diverse diet supports a diverse microbiome. At ZOE, we follow the "everything in moderation" philosophy — no food should be off limits.

You can still have a healthy, balanced gut with a diet that occasionally includes ultra-processed foods or a glass of wine. Discovering which foods and behaviors will create the best environment for your gut begins with understanding which microbes make up your unique microbiome.

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Scientific Reports. Consumption of fermented foods is associated with systematic differences in the gut microbiome and metabolome.

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Exercise and Sports Sciences Reviews. Exercise modifies the gut microbiota with positive health effects. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity.

Gut microbiome diversity is associated with sleep physiology in humans. PLoS One. Gut microbiome-Mediterranean diet interactions in improving host health. High intake of sugar and the balance between pro- and anti-Inflammatory Gut Bacteria.

High-level adherence to a Mediterranean diet beneficially impacts the gut microbiota and associated metabolome.

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Food Frontiers. Low-dose aspartame consumption differentially affects gut microbiota-host metabolic interactions in the diet-induced obese rat.

PLOS One. Mediterranean diet intervention alters the gut microbiome in older people reducing frailty and improving health status: The NU-AGE 1-year dietary intervention across five European countries.

Microbiome connections with host metabolism and habitual diet from 1, deeply phenotyped individuals. Nature Medicine. Microbiota imbalance induced by dietary sugar disrupts immune-mediated protection from metabolic syndrome.

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Alcohol Research: Current Reviews. The gut microbiome modulates the protective association between a Mediterranean diet and cardiometabolic disease risk. The gut microbiome stability is altered by probiotic ingestion and improved by the continuous supplementation of galactooligosaccharide.

Gut Microbes. The impact of dietary fiber on gut microbiota in host health and disease. Cell Host and Microbe. Your body needs macronutrients in large amounts, and these consist of carbs, fat, and protein.