EAT A VARIED DIET
You have trillions of bacteria in your gut and they thrive on different foods, so variety is key to making them all happy. The recommendation is to eat 30 different types of fruit and veg a week, including nuts and seeds. This may sound like a lot but try adding nut and seed mixes to smoothies or cereal, and use a variety of veggies to make simple stir fries.
TOP TIP:
Cook with olive oil. It's high in polyphenols, which gut bacteria love.
PREBIOTICS VS PROBIOTICS
They sound similar but do very different things.
A probiotic is a living microorganism that is beneficial to health. Probiotics can be found in food or supplements, but different strains have different effects and some might have no effect at all on particular individuals.
Probiotics do their job in the gastrointestinal tract, where they may influence the bacteria already there. Focus on the different strains of bacteria in a product and do some research about what that particular strain is good for. For example, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG has been found to reduce stool frequency in diarrhoea sufferers.
Think of a probiotic supplement as an extra pair of hands when things get a bit tough, for example, after a course of antibiotics or times of illness, travel and stress.
Because of the individual nature of the gut, it may be a process of trial and error, testing different products and strains.
Foods that contain probiotics include live yoghurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, miso and kombucha.
Prebiotics are indigestible carbohydrate molecules that nourish and stimulate the growth of good bacteria while promoting reduction in disease-causing bacteria. Foods that have high amounts of prebiotics include asparagus, avocados, bananas, aubergine, garlic, legumes, beetroot, onions, peas, leeks, oats, dairy and sweet potatoes.
Check out the recipes on the highlighted pages:
GET MORE FIBRE
Fibre is the unsung hero of nutrition and 90 per cent of us aren't getting enough. We're supposed to eat 30g per day (one apple, for example, contains 4g).
There are two types of fibre - insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fibre passes through the gut largely unchanged apart from absorbing water, which increases the bulk of your stool and how quickly you need to go to the toilet.
Soluble fibre is what the beneficial bacteria in your gut lives on by fermenting it. It also increases the bulk and softness of your stool.
When bacteria ferments fibre, it produces short-chain fatty acids, which are a source of energy. They also slow the breakdown of sugars found in carbohydrates, which help stabilise your energy levels.
Both types are important for preventing constipation. Eating a variety of fruit and veg is key as different types have different benefits and feed different bacteria.
A diet high in fibre can also reduce the risk of developing high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes and bowel cancer.
TOP TIP:
Increase fibre slowly to reduce the risk of temporary digestive symptoms. Swap refined white products for wholegrain and include plenty of veg and fruit - in that order - in your diet, eating the skins where you can.
Easy Ways to boost your gut health
POLYPHENOLS EXPLAINED
A polyphenol is a natural chemical found in some plant-based foods that is packed with antioxidant and disease-fighting properties. If something has antioxidant properties, it has the power to combat the negative effects of free radicals, which can cause stress-related cell damage to the body, including ageing.
Imagine them as superheroes, sweeping up the free radicals that your body naturally produces, as well as those you are exposed to as part of everyday life.
Your microbes need polyphenols to thrive and make them more effective. Only five to ten per cent of polyphenols are absorbed in the small intestine, meaning the rest travel on down to the large intestine, where your gut microbes break them down into more useful components that are beneficial to our health.
Polyphenols are also a prebiotic. They support your beneficial microbes and keep the less helpful one under control.
Polyphenols also help microbes produce short-chained fatty acids, which act as a fuel for our gut cells and support the immune function.
Polyphenols can be found in brightly coloured veg and fruit, dark chocolate, red wine and green tea.
AVOID ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
Some ultra-processed foods contain substances such as artificial emulsifiers, flavourings, colourings and preservatives which can wreak havoc on your beneficial gut microbes. These stifle the beneficial microbes we need in our gut.
TOP TIP:
Swap artificially flavoured drinks for sparkling water infused with fruit or herbs.
GET MOVING
A study investigated the effect of a six-week exercise regime on the composition of the different microbes in the gut. After exercise, previously sedentary individuals had increased levels of beneficial gut bacteria and short-chained fatty acids, which you need for good gut health. However, these levels returned to baseline when exercise stopped.
TOP TIP:
Exercising outside will expose you to an even greater number of bacteria that are only found in nature.
CHEW YOUR FOOD
The action of chewing physically breaks down food into small pieces, and the enzymes in saliva help break it down further. Smaller pieces mean there is less work for the rest of your digestive system to do, reducing the chance of excessive gas, bloating and pain.
TOP TIP:
Chew each mouthful 20-30 times before swallowing, and make sure you are sitting down when you eat.
KEEP CALM
Stress, anxiety and depression can have a direct effect on the microbiome and how well your gut works. Research has shown that people suffering from anxiety or depression have a less diverse range of gut bacteria than those without.
Stress stimulates production of the hormone cortisol, which negatively impacts the physical workings of the gut and gut microbes. Prolonged periods of stress may increase inflammation. Over time this can damage cells in the intestinal wall, resulting in the gut membrane becoming more permeable and allowing substances to pass through that shouldn't. This can increase susceptibility to diseases such as type 2 diabetes and depression, but we still need more research to fully understand how and why this happens.
TOP TIP:
Take three deep breaths before you eat in order to switch your body into "rest and digest" mode.
START A DIARY
Monitor what you eat, how you feel mentally and physically, your bowel movements and any exercise you do.
This will help you tune in to your body and spot patterns. Experiment by taking different foods out of your diet and putting them back in to see what happens.
You may also see some patterns between stress and digestion. If you do suffer from gut problems, you can take your diary to your GP or health professional.
TOP TIP:
To be able to spot patterns clearly, keep your diary for at least 12 weeks.