Eating a balanced diet is the first and most crucial step to maintaining a healthy digestive tract. A diet rich in fiber, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help keep your digestive system healthy.

Fiber is particularly important as it helps promote regular bowel movements and prevents constipation. Good sources of fiber include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes. On the other hand, a diet high in processed and fatty foods can slow digestion and cause constipation, bloating, and other digestive problems.

Drinking plenty of water is crucial for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Water helps soften stools, making them easier to pass, and also helps flush out toxins and waste products from the body.

However, dehydration can lead to constipation and other digestive problems, so drink at least glasses of water daily. To stay hydrated, you can also include other fluids such as herbal tea, coconut water, and fresh fruit juice.

Regular exercise can also help maintain a healthy digestive tract. Exercise helps improve blood circulation and stimulates the muscles in the digestive system, promoting regular bowel movements. A sedentary lifestyle, on the other hand, can slow down digestion and cause constipation.

Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise such as walking, jogging, or cycling daily. Stress can have a negative impact on digestive health. When stressed, the body releases hormones that can slow digestion and cause digestive problems such as bloating, constipation, and acid reflux.

Stress can also lead to overeating and poor food choices, further aggravating digestive issues. Try relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises to manage stress. Smoking and alcohol can also have a negative impact on digestive health. Smoking can irritate the lining of the digestive tract, leading to digestive problems such as acid reflux and stomach ulcers.

Alcohol can also irritate the digestive tract and lead to inflammation and damage to the liver. To maintain a healthy digestive tract, it is best to avoid or limit smoking and alcohol consumption.

Getting enough sleep is also important for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Sleep helps the body repair and restore itself, including the digestive system. Lack of sleep can lead to digestive problems such as constipation and acid reflux. Aim for hours of sleep per night to help maintain a healthy digestive system.

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for digestive health. They help maintain a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut, which can improve digestion and prevent digestive problems. To schedule an appointment, please call our office at For more information about the services we offer, please fill out our request form , and one of our care team members will contact you with more details.

Family Medicine. Return to Parkview Dashboard Blog Share Print. What is gut health? Why is gut health so important for our overall health and well-being? What factors affect the health of our gut? While several factors can contribute to poor gut health, some of the most common can include: Stress: This increases intestinal permeability leaky gut , tipping the scales toward an imbalance of more bad than good bacteria in the gut.

Poor nutrition: Most people eat processed food and sugar, which can harm the beneficial bacteria in your gut and contribute to or cause inflammation throughout the body.

Long-term use of antibiotics and antacids — They all decrease B12 within the gut, which is essential in cell production, brain function and energy.

They also kill the good bacteria that live in your gut. What are the signs of an unhealthy gut? What steps can someone take to get a healthy gut or improve it?

Final thoughts Remember, healing your gut will take time, dedication and consistency. Next steps At PPG — Integrative Medicine , we explore a vast assortment of health concerns, including thyroid, hormones, autoimmune, blood sugar, sleep, nutrition, stress management, mindfulness and more.

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On the other hand, weight gain may be caused by insulin resistance or increased inflammation. Research indicates that an imbalance in gut bacteria may be linked to fragmented sleep and short sleep duration, which may lead to chronic fatigue.

While the cause remains unclear , it appears to be connected to inflammation, metabolic function, and mental health. Skin conditions like psoriasis may be related to the types of bacteria present in the gut. Many studies have found connections between the gut and the immune system.

An unhealthy gut may increase systemic inflammation and alter the proper functioning of the immune system. This may lead to autoimmune diseases , where the body attacks itself mistaking its cells and organs for harmful invaders.

Food intolerances are the result of difficulty digesting certain foods. This is different than a food allergy , which is caused by an immune system reaction to certain foods. Research indicates that food intolerances, like lactose intolerance, may be caused by poor quality of bacteria in the gut.

This can lead to trouble digesting the trigger foods and symptoms like:. There is also some research indicating that food allergies may be related to gut health. You may be able to improve and reset your gut health through lifestyle and diet changes.

Consider trying one or more of the following to improve your gut health naturally:. Chronic high levels of stress are hard on your whole body, including your gut.

This is because your body releases certain hormones when it experiences stress. High levels of these hormones affect your body and may compromise gut health.

A few ways to lower stress may include:. Not getting enough or sufficient quality of sleep may have serious impacts on your gut health, which can in turn contribute to more sleep issues.

Try to prioritize getting at least 7—8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. Your doctor may be able to help if you have trouble sleeping. Chewing your food thoroughly and eating your meals more slowly may lower your chances of developing obesity and diabetes while also helping you make better food choices.

Drinking plenty of water may be linked to increased diversity of bacteria in the gut, though the source of the water also matters. One study also found that people who drank more water had less of a type of bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal infections.

Staying hydrated benefits your health overall and can help prevent constipation. It may also be a simple way to promote a healthy gut. While research is ongoing, adding a prebiotic or probiotic supplement to your diet may help improve your gut health.

People who have a severe illness or a weakened immune system should not take probiotics. Also, not all probiotic supplements are high quality or beneficial for your health. You can try eliminating common trigger foods to see if your symptoms improve.

Reducing the amount of processed, sugary, and high fat foods that you eat may lead to better gut health. Eating a diet high in fiber likely contributes to a healthy gut microbiome as well. You may also positively impact your gut by eating foods high in micronutrients called polyphenols present in:.

Diet and gut health appear to be very closely linked. Avoiding processed foods, high fat foods, and foods high in refined sugars is likely important for maintaining a healthy microbiome, as these foods may promote the growth of damaging bacteria.

You can eat certain foods that actively promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, contributing to your overall health. These superfoods for gut health include:. Research indicates that high fiber foods have a positive impact on gut health.

These foods include:. According to a study in rodents, garlic may increase gut microbiome diversity and improve gut health. A small study of 49 people similarly found that aged garlic extract increased diversity and levels of beneficial bacteria. Still, more research in humans should be done.

Fermented foods are great dietary sources of probiotics. This can cause bleeding, diarrhea, weight loss, and fatigue. Other symptoms can vary depending on the severity of the inflammation and where it occurs in the large intestine. They include:. Irritable bowel syndrome IBS. IBS is characterized by recurrent bouts of constipation or diarrhea or both , abdominal pain, bloating, and gas.

The severity and duration of symptoms vary. Some are mild and come and go, while others are severe and last several weeks. Some people can go months or years between episodes. Most people are never cured of IBS, but dietary changes, medication, and stress management can help manage the condition.

Gallstones are hardened bits of bile that form inside the gallbladder, a pear-shaped pouch that sits just below the liver. Bile makes it easier for the body to digest fat. Small stones can pass out of the body through the intestines.

However, gallstones can cause symptoms if they get caught in the narrow outlet of the gallbladder or in the ducts that drain the gallbladder. Symptoms include abdominal pain, usually high in the abdomen and often in the center or on the right side where the gallbladder is located , and can spread to the area of the right shoulder blade.

When symptoms recur or the gallbladder becomes inflamed, the gallbladder needs to be surgically removed. Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift. The Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness , is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School.

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Can watching sports be bad for your health? Beyond the usual suspects for healthy resolutions. However, new evidence suggests that babies may come in contact with some microbes while inside the womb 4 , 5 , 6.

As you grow, your gut microbiome begins to diversify, meaning it starts to contain many different types of microbial species. Higher microbiome diversity is considered good for your health 7. Therefore, there are a number of different ways in which the gut microbiome can affect key bodily functions and influence your health.

The gut microbiome affects the body from birth and throughout life by controlling the digestion of food, immune system, central nervous system and other bodily processes.

There are thousands of different types of bacteria in your intestines, most of which benefit your health. An imbalance of healthy and unhealthy microbes is sometimes called gut dysbiosis, and it may contribute to weight gain Several well-known studies have shown that the gut microbiome differed completely between identical twins, one of whom had obesity and one of whom did not.

This demonstrated that differences in the microbiome were not genetic 22 , Interestingly, in one study, when the microbiome from the twin with obesity was transferred to mice, they gained more weight those that had received the microbiome of the other twin, despite both groups eating the same diet Fortunately, probiotics are good for a healthy microbiome and can help with weight loss.

Nevertheless, studies suggest that the effects of probiotics on weight loss are probably quite small, with people losing less than 2.

Gut dysbiosis may lead to weight gain, but probiotics can potentially restore gut health and help reduce weight. The microbiome can also affect gut health and may play a role in intestinal diseases like irritable bowel syndrome IBS and inflammatory bowel disease IBD 25 , 26 , The bloating, cramps and abdominal pain that people with IBS experience may be due to gut dysbiosis.

This is because the microbes produce a lot of gas and other chemicals, which contribute to the symptoms of intestinal discomfort Certain Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli , which are found in probiotics and yogurt, can help seal gaps between intestinal cells and prevent leaky gut syndrome.

These species can also prevent disease-causing bacteria from sticking to the intestinal wall 29 , In fact, taking certain probiotics that contain Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli can reduce symptoms of IBS A healthy gut microbiome controls gut health by communicating with the intestinal cells, digesting certain foods and preventing disease-causing bacteria from sticking to the intestinal walls.

Interestingly, the gut microbiome may even affect heart health Certain unhealthy species in the gut microbiome may also contribute to heart disease by producing trimethylamine N-oxide TMAO.

TMAO is a chemical that contributes to blocked arteries, which may lead to heart attacks or stroke. Certain bacteria within the microbiome convert choline and L-carnitine, both of which are nutrients found in red meat and other animal-based food sources, to TMAO, potentially increasing risk factors for heart disease 34 , 35 , However, other bacteria within the gut microbiome, particularly Lactobacilli , may help reduce cholesterol when taken as a probiotic Certain bacteria within the gut microbiome can produce chemicals that may block arteries and lead to heart disease.

However, probiotics may help lower cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. The gut microbiome also may help control blood sugar, which could affect the risk of type 1 and 2 diabetes. One recent study examined 33 infants who had a genetically high risk of developing type 1 diabetes. It found that the diversity of the microbiome dropped suddenly before the onset of type 1 diabetes.

It also found that levels of a number of unhealthy bacterial species increased just before the onset of type 1 diabetes Another study found that even when people ate the exact same foods, their blood sugar could vary greatly. This may be due to the types of bacteria in their guts The gut microbiome plays a role in controlling blood sugar and may also affect the onset of type 1 diabetes in children.

First, certain species of bacteria can help produce chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. Therefore, the gut microbiome may also affect brain health by helping control the messages that are sent to the brain through these nerves 42 , A number of studies have shown that people with various psychological disorders have different species of bacteria in their guts, compared to healthy people.

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.

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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. Eat a high fibre diet Fibre is important for our gut health for many reasons. Foods that are high in fibre include: vegetables beans and legumes fruit bread and cereals nuts and seeds.

They are found in some types of: vegetables — for example leek, onion and garlic legumes — for example chickpeas, beans and lentils wholegrains — for example rye bread, barley and oats nuts — for example pistachios, cashews and almonds. Aim to eat at least 30 different types of plant-based foods a week.

Limit ultra-processed foods Eat foods that are as close to their natural state as possible to support your gut health. Drink water Water is the best fluid to drink and provides benefits to gut health. Drinking plenty of water may also be linked to increased diversity of bacteria in the gut.

New research shows little risk of infection from prostate biopsies. Discrimination at work is linked to high blood pressure. Icy fingers and toes: Poor circulation or Raynaud's phenomenon? If you want a healthy gut, you have to feed it well. This nourishment should include both probiotics and prebiotics — two dietary components that are increasingly being recognized as essential to your intestinal and overall health, says Teresa Fung, adjunct professor in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.

Chan School of Public Health. Probiotics add to your gut microbiota, the collection of trillion or so bacteria and other critters living in your gut. Having a healthy microbiota may help foster a healthy immune system and reduce damaging inflammation in the body.

Eating probiotics regularly may also help to prevent the intestinal environment from being overrun by unhealthy bacteria, which have been linked to everything from mood disorders and obesity to diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. But probiotics are much like pets, says Fung.

This means feeding the population of microorganisms with prebiotics — foods that will help all of these desirable gut bugs grow and thrive inside your digestive tract.

Everyone has a unique mix of microorganisms living inside them. Some of these come from your mother, conferred during pregnancy, delivery, and, potentially, breastfeeding.

Others are introduced by the foods you eat, and your environment. Probiotics found in fermented foods and drinks — such as yogurt, cheese, kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut — can add desirable organisms to your gut. But not all varieties of these foods have probiotics; it depends on how they are processed.

Sometimes foods that naturally contain probiotics are then cooked or heated, killing the microorganisms and any potential health benefits along with them, says Fung. Try adding them into one or more daily meals for the biggest benefit. Sip a yogurt smoothie for breakfast, or put a forkful or two of sauerkraut alongside your sandwich at lunch.

Research has shown that a traditional Western diet — heavy on fat, sugar, and animal meat — creates a toxic environment for healthy microbes and can even change the proportion of different types of bacteria inside your body, she says. In short, your healthy gut microbes will suffer on a diet of hot dogs and French fries.

What beneficial bacteria love, says Fung, is fiber. When fiber enters your digestive system, enzymes from the microbiota help to break it down, producing substances called short-chain fatty acids.

Experts think that having more of these fatty acids changes the pH inside your colon, making it less hospitable to some damaging types of microorganisms.

Vegetables and fruits also contain healthy fiber. Other good prebiotic sources include garlic, bananas, onions, asparagus, and seaweed. Over all, the goal should be to make sure your diet contains a good balance of probiotics and prebiotics.

If you feed your gut well, it may repay you in better health. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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