However, stress and anxiety can also cause digestive problems or exacerbate other medical symptoms. A troubled gut can also send signals to the brain and produce anxiety, stress and depression. Your gut is filled with bacteria and other microscopic organisms.

In fact, there are thought to be 40 trillion of these tiny lifeforms in the digestive tract alone! The more diverse these organisms are, the better and the healthier we tend to feel.

Having a variety of good bacteria helps protect the lining of our gastrointestinal tract, metabolize food, and absorb nutrients. But sometimes imbalances occur, and an overabundance of bad bacteria develops. An altered gut, which favors bad bacteria, can create unfavorable connections that can contribute to medical conditions including irritable bowel syndrome and certain infections of the intestine.

Evidence is accumulating that the gut bacteria may also impact other health conditions such as: cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders. Future research may show how to manipulate the gut bacteria in order to improve these conditions.

There are small changes we can all make to improve our overall health. Here are five tips to keep your gut happy. I encourage my patients to not to be shy about their symptoms as most can be relevant. About 75 percent of my patients are women and autoimmune diseases can be more common, so it is important to look out for that.

Stress, hormone and diets play a major role in digestive symptoms as well and can range from bloating, abdominal pain, weight changes, constipation, and diarrhea. Oftentimes, the patient may have irritable bowel syndrome and we need to work closely together to try and modify changes over time.

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.

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?

We are continually learning that this emerging area of research has a dramatic impact on the entire body and can affect how we feel on a daily basis. It is well known that the brain and gut communicate frequently with each other.

In positive ways, they can lead to the release of neurotransmitters like serotonin that impact our mood and help our digestive tract feel well. However, stress and anxiety can also cause digestive problems or exacerbate other medical symptoms.

A troubled gut can also send signals to the brain and produce anxiety, stress and depression. Your gut is filled with bacteria and other microscopic organisms. In fact, there are thought to be 40 trillion of these tiny lifeforms in the digestive tract alone!

The more diverse these organisms are, the better and the healthier we tend to feel. Having a variety of good bacteria helps protect the lining of our gastrointestinal tract, metabolize food, and absorb nutrients. But sometimes imbalances occur, and an overabundance of bad bacteria develops.

An altered gut, which favors bad bacteria, can create unfavorable connections that can contribute to medical conditions including irritable bowel syndrome and certain infections of the intestine.

Evidence is accumulating that the gut bacteria may also impact other health conditions such as: cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders.

Future research may show how to manipulate the gut bacteria in order to improve these conditions. There are small changes we can all make to improve our overall health.

Here are five tips to keep your gut happy. I encourage my patients to not to be shy about their symptoms as most can be relevant. Fiber nourishes your gut bacteria and promotes a balanced microbiome.

Prioritize probiotics. Include fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi in your meals. These goodies introduce beneficial bacteria to your gut, aiding digestion and immunity.

Limit processed foods and added sugars. They can disrupt the harmony of your gut flora and lead to inflammation. Choose natural sugars from fruits and honey instead.

Don't forget to hydrate. Drinking plenty of water supports digestion and helps maintain the mucus lining in your gut, protecting it from damage. Lastly, listen to your body. Pay attention to how different foods make you feel. Consider experimenting with what works best, as individual food responses could vary.

Incorporating these habits into your daily life can lead to a happier, healthier gut, boosting your overall well-being. A gastroenterologist enhances gut health by diagnosing and treating various digestive disorders. They employ cutting-edge diagnostic tools like endoscopy and colonoscopy to identify issues such as irritable bowel syndrome IBS , Crohn's disease, or ulcers.

Once diagnosed, they develop personalized treatment plans, often incorporating dietary and lifestyle adjustments. Gastroenterologists may prescribe medications or recommend supplements to alleviate symptoms and promote gut healing.

Additionally, they advise maintaining a balanced diet rich in fiber, probiotics, and prebiotics, which fosters a healthy gut microbiome. Regular check-ups with a gastroenterologist can help prevent and manage digestive problems, ultimately improving overall gut health.

Please explore our website to learn about the conditions we treat and the services provided. Don't let digestive discomfort control your life.

Consult our experienced gastroenterologist today and take the first step towards a healthier, happier you. Would you like to switch to the accessible version of this site? Go to accessible site Close modal window. Don't need the accessible version of this site? Hide the accessibility button Close modal window.

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