The Importance of a Healthy Gut
Being healthy begins in your gut. Your gut is made up of many parts, starting in your mouth, all the way to your small intestine. The microorganisms in your gut are all part of your gut microbiome. Taking care of your gut microbiome not only helps you feel better overall (more energy, reduced inflammation, stronger immune system, etc.) but can also prevent chronic disease!
Many chronic diseases are associated with a decreased diversity of microorganisms. Cancer, diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease are just a few examples of chronic diseases that are connected to your gut health. You can’t control the virus, but you can control the host, and keeping your gut healthy is the first step.
The key to a healthy gut microbiome is diversity and abundance. Diversity is having multiple types of bacteria, whereas abundance is having A LOT of each bacteria. In other words, the more bacteria the better. Let’s talk about some ways to improve your diversity & abundance.
Eat a diverse range of foods.
A diet consisting of different food types can lead to a more diverse microbiome. Including a lot of fruits, veggies, beans, and legumes in your diet is the best source of nutrients for your microbiome.
Increase probiotic intake.
Probiotics are live microorganisms, usually bacteria, that provide health benefits when consumed. Increase your intake of probiotics by including foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, and yogurt. You can also take a good probiotic supplement (ANMC can help find the right one for you).
Take care of your dental hygiene.
This one might seem unrelated, but as I mentioned earlier, your mouth is part of your gut microbiome. Brushing your teeth with a good toothpaste (or tooth powder) and flossing twice a day is important to maintain a healthy microbiome.
If you’re not sure where to start, ANMC can point you in the right direction. GI Map testing can help you understand where your gut health is right now, and what we need to do to get you one step closer to a healthy gut. Give us a call, or set up an appointment to start your journey to better health.
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