Do you know how good you gut health is? Gut health is one of the latest trends, but for a very good reason. In new health science, there are many discoveries linking the health of the digestive system to long-term disease, particularly autoimmune diseases. It’s therefore important you take care of your gut health because it could protect you against poor health later on in life.

What is gut health?

Gut health, in simple terms, is the health of your digestive system and how well it functions. You’ll know if you have poor gut health because you may suffer from chronic bloating, excessive gas, acid reflux, burning and more. But to understand gut health you need to understand your gut and how it functions…

The first part of digestion happens when you decide what to eat for your next meal. Enzymes in your mouth are released in saliva ready to start the breakdown of food when you are chewing. The more you chew your food, the more you break your food down making it easier to digest in your stomach.

Your food is then passed down into your stomach, where hydrochloric acid churn’s away at the food mixing it like a cement mixer with enzymes breaking your food down into smaller particles with certain enzymes breaking down certain food groups.

Food is then passed on to the small intestine, which measures at approximately 6 metres of an adult human [1],where nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream after it has been digested in the stomach. However, fibre cannot be broken down in the small intestine, so fibre is passed on to the large intestine where the amazing and wonderful community of your body’s largest eco-system – your gut microbiome, breaks down food fibres through the process of fermentation.

This complex process of natural digestion can become effected particularly when you are stressed, have a poor diet, drink too much alcohol, have a high sugar diet, or even take too many pharmaceutical drugs.

In medicine today, there is an enormous increase of dependency on the health system due to poor health, but could the secret to health lie in the health of your digestive system?

How you can take care of your gut health

There are lots of ways you can make sure you have good gut health. The first to consider is what are you putting in your mouth? How natural are the foods you are eating? We have become a race of convenience where humans are looking for the easiest and quickest solution to daily activities. Living in a world of temptation too can make it easier to choose quick, easy meals that aren’t always nutritious. The best foods you can choose are natural foods – if you can’t grow it, then don’t eat it. At least 80% of your diet should come from natural foods such as vegetables, salads, fruits, nuts, meats and meat-based products, fish, grains and more.

Aside from eating better foods, make sure you are moving your body. You don’t have to be a gym fanatic but walking or having a manual job can help keep your metabolism functioning.

Managing your stress levels is also important. Stress can directly affect the function of your gut, so make sure you have ways in which to help you manage stressful times.

Making a start on your wellness journey can always seem daunting, but small changes can have a big impact. Start with your food first and then work towards some of the other goals you would like to set.

Interested in some more health tips? Head to the Boil and Broth [2] website for more information.