Welcome to our 12 Quick Tips Series. How gut microbiome is affected by circadian rhythm and sleep deprivation. The centre will close from 3pm 22 nd December and will reopen am 4th January Eating whole grains can keep you full for longer, reduce the risk of heart disease and inflammation learn more about the research here Change your plate ratios : increase the levels of vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts and fruits on your plate.

People who eat a higher proportion of plant-based foods, tend to have lower risks of obesity, inflammation and cholesterol learn more about the research here Increase your intake of foods high in polyphenols : these are a compound found in plants which are often digested in the gut by our gut bacteria.

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What can you do to support the good bacteria in your gut? What are the signs or symptoms that there are problems with your gut health? Anything else people should know about gut health? Topics Nutrition.

Read More by Sarah Zizinia. Request an Appointment. Coronavirus Precautions. Help EndCancer. Give Now. 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. Eat foods rich in polyphenols Polyphenols are plant compounds that may beneficially impact our gut microbiome.

Foods rich in polyphenols include: herbs and spices colourful fruits and vegetables nuts and seeds green and black tea coffee cocoa and dark chocolate.

Eat slowly Chewing your food thoroughly and eating slowly may reduce digestive discomfort such as gas, pain and bloating. Eat fermented foods Fermented foods External Link have undergone a process in which their sugars are broken down by yeast and bacteria.

Fermented foods include: yoghurt kimchi sauerkraut kefir kombucha tempeh. Gut health and breastfeeding Breastfeeding helps an infant develop a healthy gut microbiome, which may help protect against certain health conditions later in life. Gut health and exercise Regular cardiovascular exercise such as walking and cycling can stimulate the muscles of the gut to move digestive contents through the body.

Exercise can also positively affect the gut microbiome. Gut health and stress Stress can impact your gut health.

What you eat, your gut health and your mental health are all linked. Gut health and sleep Not getting enough or sufficient quality of sleep may impact your gut microbiome and may contribute to digestive discomfort.

Gut health and probiotic supplements It is best to improve your gut health through food and other lifestyle factors rather than supplements. Gut health and antibiotics While antibiotics can be very important and useful, they can also have a negative impact on your gut microbiome.

Myths about gut health There are no miracle cures for good gut health. Where to get help Your GP doctor A dietitian Dietitians Australia External Link Food and Mood Centre, Deakin University External Link The Gut Foundation External Link. Resources External Link , Food and Mood Centre, Deakin University.

Blog External Link , Food and Mood Centre, Deakin University. How to improve your gut health External Link , Vic Health.

What you need to know about gut health External Link , Deakin University. Understanding gut health: Signs of an unhealthy gut and what to do about it External Link , Healthline. How your gut health affects your whole body External Link , WebMD. Your digestive system: 5 ways to support gut health External Link , Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Fermented foods External Link , ISAPP.

If you need a reason to opt for natural, whole foods, this is it. Swap sweets for fruit and your gut will thank you! Evidence suggests that aerobic exercise is beneficial to the microbiota [ Source: PubMed ].

Incorporating regular exercise into your daily routine is a great way to optimise your gut health. Stress can really damage your microbiome. Studies show that elevated cortisol the hormone released during your fight-or-flight response changes your microbiome [ Source: NCBI ].

Try to be aware of your stress levels, and minimise them through activities like meditation, breathing exercises and journaling. Over the long term, these little habits can build up into big changes. Research shows that eating a plant-based diet promotes a more robust and diverse microbiome: a key indicator of good gut health as well as overall wellbeing [ Source: NCBI ].

Antibiotics destroy your microbiome. Try to avoid over-consuming antibiotics, and only take them when you really need them as prescribed by a doctor. A great way to improve your gut health is to give up smoking. Evidence shows smoking damages the microbiome [ Source: NIH ]. Too much sugar can be a problem for your gut, as it can cause imbalances between good and bad bacteria [ Source: NCBI ].

Try to limit sugary foods be aware of hidden sugars, too and enjoy the benefits of improved gut health. Fermented foods are a natural source of probiotics, and an easy way to help your gut bacteria achieve a healthy balance.

Try to include things like sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, miso and kefir in your diet. We all know the impact that good sleep, or lack thereof, can have on how we feel overall, but recent research has found that good quality sleep is positively correlated with microbiome diversity [ Source: NCBI ].

All the more reason to get to bed on time! Sweeteners commonly found in low-calorie drinks and foods, such as saccharine, sucralose and stevia, have been shown to disrupt the composition of our gut microbiota [ Source: PubMed ].

Steer clear of these artificial sweeteners and opt for real, whole foods instead. Our bodies are home to over trillion organisms, and no two microbiomes are the same. Try these thirteen ways to improve your gut health and see how fast you feel the difference.

Focus on these thirteen research-backed tips and start to support your microbiome and improve your gut health today:. Caroline Hanna BA Hons is a soon-to-be Registered Nutritional Therapist DipCNM mBANT , chef and writer.

A lover of food and nutrition, Caroline first trained to cook at Le Cordon Bleu before studying at the London College of Naturopathic Medicine.

Caroline also has a background in journalism and copywriting, and continues to write regularly for magazines and private clients, inspiring others to optimise their wellbeing through delicious, healthy food.

SIBO is confusing. Functional Medicine seeks to identify and tackle the root causes of disease. The twentieth century saw incredible advances in the Introducing the Grilled Salmon and Herb Frittata — This recipe promises to refresh your meal routine with its simplicity and nutrient-packed Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult with a qualified Functional Medicine practitioner or your local GP.

At the time of purchase, you will only be charged for the first payment. On the same day of the following month your card will be charged the second payment and so on for each remaining month of the purchase plan. To be eligible, you must own a Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card and have the entire amount of your purchase available on your card at the time of authorisation.

Debit cards have a maximum transaction value of £ per transaction. If you require to spend over this amount, you may carry out two transactions. Credit cards have no maximum. Splitit works by pre-authorising you payment card and then splitting the payment down into monthly charges.

There is no extra charge for this service. Caroline Hanna 08 Aug Gut Health , Latest Articles. By Caroline Hanna. Reviewed by Dr Jenna Macciochi, PHD Medical review board member. Find the cause of your symptoms. Test your gut health. View our gut health tests. Speak to a gut health expert.

Tags: Gut , Gut Health , Health , Improve Gut Health. Bacteria , Breath , Diet , Gut , IBS , Intestines , SIBO , SIBO test , Symptoms , test. Thus, you can eat probiotics in yogurt, for example, to add them to your gut microbiome and benefit from them. However, the microbiota that are already living in your gut are not considered probiotics, since they are not being added.

So it is important to understand which are beneficial. Just a few sources of healthy prebiotics include:. Because a plant-based diet is naturally high in fiber, some evidence suggests that vegetarianism may boost your gut health.

When needed, antibiotics are effective treatments for bacterial infections. However, taking antibiotics when you do not have a bacterial infection antibiotics do not work for viral infections can disrupt your gut microbiome unnecessarily. See your doctor before beginning a new antibiotic regimen.

Chronic stress results in a myriad of negative effects on your body and overall health and wellbeing. One of the ways that stress interferes with your health is by disrupting the balance of good bacteria in your gut. Consider adopting healthy stress management tips to help reduce stress and improve your health and mood from the inside out.

It is vital to your gut health that you stay hydrated. Keep in mind that you may need to reduce your coffee intake, as well as increase your water consumption. Coffee is a diuretic, meaning it makes you urinate more frequently, so your body may lose more water content if you are not drinking enough to make up for this deficit.

Chewing food well helps your body more readily access the nutrients it needs. In turn, eating slowly also aids in proper digestion and can help you avoid digestive discomfort.

As an added bonus, slowing down your meals and practicing mindful eating techniques can help you reach weight loss and fitness goals.

Reduce Sugar Intake Diets that are high in sugar are detrimental on your health in a number of ways, one of which is disrupting the good bacteria in your gut.

Eat Prebiotics and Probiotics Probiotics are living microorganisms that can be added to a specific environment in order to provide a benefit.