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. As the saying goes, "you are what you eat", and this same principle applies to your ability to concentrate.

The quality of the food that you source and include in your diet, has a significant impact on your overall energy, gut health and mental performance.

However, eating for high performance requires an extra level of consciousness, because it not only means being wary of your sources of food, but also paying special attention to the foods that help to cultivate a healthy gut.

Fermented foods are one of those food groups that are extra vital if you suffer from brain fog or lack the ability to focus or concentrate. In other words, you could be eating what you believe is a healthy diet, but if you're not including foods that help feed and nourish good bacteria in the gut, you may wonder why you're still struggling to concentrate.

Probiotics are live bacteria that are good for you and nurture a healthy gut microbiome. While you can take a probiotic supplement, the best way to get probiotics is from a real fermented food source. Learn more: 6 Probiotic Rich Foods for a Healthy Gut.

Not only will getting outside help you reduce feelings of anxiety and stress, but by connecting with nature, you will also help to ensure a healthy gut, particularly when you practice deep breathing and intentionally bring fresh oxygen into the body.

Aim to get outside in the early morning and take in at least 10 minutes of fresh air. Go for a walk along the beach, amongst the trees, or do some light stretching on the back deck and deep breathing at the same time.

At least once or twice per week more if you can , try to escape from your immediate environment and go and connect with nature. It could be a hike in the bush, mountain biking, or a long walk by the ocean - whatever works for you, mother nature has tremendous healing powers and an ability to help rebalance your gut and clear your mind.

Essential oils are a powerful way to maintain a healthy gut and to boost your mental clarity and focus. Essential oils are also a great alternative to synthetic medicines and should be a basic foundation of your self care routine. There are a handful of pure essential oils that are particularly effective for supporting gut health and in turn, better concentration and focus.

Alternatively, you can get the benefits of many gut-healthy essential oils in one unique proprietary blend with dōTERRA's amazing DigestZen.

All of these essential oils can help soothe and restore your digestive system. For this reason, we recommend dōTERRA essential oils because of their purity and efficacy. You will find a full selection of doTERRA essential oils in our store at Tolmanselfcare.

Just like your diet, the extent to which you moderately move your body each day, plays a vital role in your overall health and wellbeing, including your gut health and concentration. Studies show that exercise helps to cultivate the growth of healthy bacteria, which produces a fatty acid known as, Butyrate.

Butyrate helps to repair the gut lining, which in turn reduces inflammation that can lead to bowel diseases and insulin resistance a major cause of diabetes. Not to mention, that regular exercise is a major key to boosting your energy, maintaining a healthy weight and to supporting your overall mental health and wellbeing.

Set aside at least minutes per day to get some quality exercise. This is vital to your overall gut health and your ability to concentrate. Your gut health is critical to many important functions of your body and is very much connected to concentration. The secret to avoiding dysbiosis - or imbalances in the gut - that can impact your level of mental clarity and focus over time, begins with embracing the tips that we've shared with you here, consistently.

Get quality sleep and daily exercise. Include fermented foods in your diet, connect with nature and use essential oils. All of these practices will go a long way to helping you to restore and maintain healthy gut balance, avoid discomfort and disease, as well help you to thrive and maintain a healthy, happy mind.

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We recommend switching to Edge, Chrome, Safari, or Firefox. Shop Show menu Exit menu Shop. Whole Foods Show menu Exit menu Whole Foods. It is important to note that not all synthesised probiotics will survive the acidity of the stomach to reach the lower intestines.

If buying a probiotic supplement, always choose a good-quality product that is proven to remain 'live' as it moves through the digestive tract. Visit charity Guts UK for further information about prebiotics and probiotics.

While acute stress has been shown to increase immune response in some contexts, chronic stress and anxiety can increase motility of food through the gut; this reduces the absorption of essential nutrients and can exacerbate symptoms of IBS and reduce immune function.

So finding ways to relax and reduce stress is crucial in ensuring optimum health for the gut-brain axis. Dietitians, nutritionists and nutritional therapists: what is the difference? If that term is new for anyone I will explain.

Disclaimer: This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions. Egton Medical Information Systems Limited has used all reasonable care in compiling the information but make no warranty as to its accuracy.

Consult a doctor or other health care professional for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. For details see our conditions. Last updated by Sally Turner Peer reviewed by Dr Sarah Jarvis MBE. Last updated 29 Nov The best anti-ageing supplements for your health The term anti-ageing is written on many beauty creams and other skincare products packaging.

The best anti-ageing supplements for your health. Why grow your own food for your health? Brain food: what to eat, when to eat, recipes. Read next. Are fermented foods worth the hype?

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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. The top 5 toxic triggers are gluten, dairy, sugar, coffee and alcohol.

In the ideal scenario, you will eliminate all 5 for 21 days. Then add 1 food beverage back in every 2 days during a reintroduction phase. The cool thing about the reintroduction phase is, you will know right away if the food is a toxic trigger for you, or not, because you will notice brain fog, lack of focus, or poor memory return.

Drink fresh, whole food green smoothies for breakfast. Load your smoothie up with fresh kale, spinach, cucumbers, berries, avocado, fresh almond milk and a clean plant-based protein powder.

Include a meal-sized green salad and a green juice daily too, for added healing benefit. Balance your gut health. Do you know that you host more bacteria in your body than cells, by a ratio of 9 to 1? That means you host a community of trillions of bacteria inhabiting your gut, mouth, lungs, nasal passages, skin, and brain, your microbiome.

The gut microbiome is critical to the normal functioning of the brain-gut axis. Balance the friendly flora in your gut to promote digestive health, to in turn support clear thinking and healthy cognitive function.

Your brain depends on the neurotransmitters produced by the microflora in your gut to process thought and emotion. To repopulate the friendly flora in your gut, take a high quality probiotic of million units daily. Alternate your selection monthly to nourish the diverse community of bacteria that live in your body.

Include fermented veggies daily. You can make them yourself , or buy them in the cooler section of your natural health food store.

Reduce stress. Stress triggers the fight-or-flight response and causes a cascade of hormonal responses, increases inflammation and causes an imbalance in your gut flora, which all impact your cognitive function.

Include stress management as a daily practice to not only help you decompress and lighten up. Try, for example, yoga, meditation, deep breathing and even walking in the woods or going on a bike ride. While meditation, yoga and deep breath work are noted to help improve concentration and focus by quieting and calming the mind, choose what you enjoy.

Beyond the physical benefits exercise offers, research shows over and over that exercise improves overall brain performance.

Exercise increases your decision making skills and promotes higher thinking and learning by releasing feel good hormones, increasing oxygen in your bloodstream and nourishing your microbiome.

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