A well-functioning digestive system depends on a healthy gut microbiome, proper bile flow, and optimal stomach acidity.
Learn how to improve gut health with ten simple but effective dietary and lifestyle changes, and discover the best foods to promote digestive wellness.
Why does gut health matter?
Maintaining a healthy gut is essential for digestive wellness and overall well-being.
Your digestive tract not only breaks down food and helps absorb nutrients that fuel every cell in your body, but also eliminates waste products, recycles bile acids, and houses the gut microbiome.
A balanced gut microbiome comprises trillions of beneficial bacteria and other microbes and plays a key role in supporting the immune system, regulating mental health, and protecting against chronic health conditions.
Poor digestive functions and an unhealthy gut microbiome, also known as dysbiosis, can lead to far more than just digestive symptoms.
Research published in the International Journal of Molecular Science reports that dysbiosis is detrimental to overall health and greatly increases the risk of gastrointestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and Crohn’s disease.1
In addition, the authors note that poor gut health has been associated with type 2 diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and insulin resistance, highlighting the importance of maintaining optimal digestive wellness.
Signs of poor gut health
In addition to common digestive issues such as stomach pain, bloating, gas, and acid reflux, poor gut health can lead to a wide variety of seemingly unrelated symptoms.
This can make it difficult to identify digestive problems as an underlying root cause, leaving many treating surface-level symptoms without addressing gut health.
Common signs and symptoms of poor gut health include:
- Digestive discomfort
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Irregular bowel movements
- Unexplained fatigue
- Joint pain
- Skin issues
- Insomnia
- Weakened immune defenses
- Food sensitivities
- Inflammation
- Mood changes
- Bad breath
- Sugar cravings
If you experience persistent digestive symptoms or suspect gut health issues, it’s crucial to consult a healthcare provider for a comprehensive evaluation and appropriate treatment.
Watch the video below to discover how to fix common digestive problems instantly.
10 simple ways to improve your gut health
Making simple diet and lifestyle changes can help promote a healthy microbiome, support proper bile flow, and maintain optimal stomach acidity, all vital factors for digestive health.
Here are ten ways to achieve better gut health.
1. Consume plenty of fermented foods
Fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, miso, and kimchi are rich sources of natural probiotics that help populate the large intestines with beneficial bacteria.
Regularly consuming probiotic foods supports a diverse gut microbiome, essential for proper digestion, nutrient absorption, and balanced immune function.
2. Incorporate prebiotics
Eating plenty of fiber-rich foods, such as leafy greens, garlic, onions, artichokes, and asparagus, helps nourish the gut microbiota.
These foods are rich sources of prebiotic fibers that feed healthy bacteria in your gut, encouraging their growth and supporting a resilient microbiome, which is crucial for maintaining a healthy gut.
3. Follow a nutritious high-fat diet
A gut-friendly diet that includes healthy fats, such as those from avocados, nuts, seeds, and oily fish, can help reduce inflammation and support gut lining integrity.
When part of a healthy diet, these nutritious fats offer anti-inflammatory properties that promote overall digestion, support microbiome balance, and stimulate bile flow and gallbladder function.
Healthy Keto® is an ideal meal plan to promote gut health. This optimized version of the ketogenic diet focuses on high-quality fats, low sugar intake, and nutrient-dense whole foods, all of which help reduce gut inflammation, support microbial diversity, and optimize digestion.
4. Support optimal bile flow
Effective gallbladder function and optimal bile flow are crucial aspects of maintaining a well-functioning gastrointestinal tract.
Bile helps support digestion by breaking down dietary fats and fat-soluble nutrients, eliminating toxins, and maintaining a healthy gut environment.
Certain foods, such as beet tops, bitter greens, and lemons, as well as healthy fats including coconut oil, beef tallow, grass-fed butter, and extra-virgin olive oil, stimulate bile release.
“Low-fat diets are an often overlooked cause of poor gut health, as fats stimulate gallbladder contractions and help keep bile fluid flowing while lowering the risk of gallstone formation,” explains Dr. Berg.
Supporting bile flow also enhances the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients and may help reduce the risk of harmful bacteria proliferating in the small intestine, a condition known as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).
5. Avoid processed foods
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are packed with inflammatory ingredients known to disrupt gut health, including added sugars, synthetic preservatives, refined seed oils, artificial sweeteners, and modified starches.
These ingredients can promote the growth of harmful bacteria, reduce beneficial microbes, and irritate and inflame the gut lining.
This has been confirmed by a study published in Nutrients, summarizing “UPFs, characterized by a high content of synthetic additives and emulsifiers, and low fiber content, are associated with a decrease in microbial diversity, lower levels of beneficial gut bacteria… and an increase in pro-inflammatory microorganisms.”2
6. Practice intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting is a meal timing schedule that alternates between periods of eating and fasting and has been shown to positively affect digestive health and gut functions.
Prolonged periods of caloric restriction allow the digestive system to rest, which supports gut lining repair, helps lower inflammation, and promotes gut motility.
In addition, research published in Frontiers in Nutrition found that intermittent fasting supports a balanced gut microbiome by improving microbial richness and diversity.3
7. Promote optimal stomach acidity
Stomach acid is the body’s first line of defense against invading microbes, helps break down and digest foods, and triggers the release of digestive enzymes.
This explains why individuals with low stomach acid often experience a range of digestive issues and are at increased risk of nutrient malabsorption and intestinal infections.
Taking a diluted apple cider vinegar drink or lemon water before or with a meal can naturally support the stomach’s acidity, aid digestion, and enhance nutrient absorption.
8. Avoid alcohol
Alcohol has toxic effects and can damage the delicate cells lining the small intestines, greatly increasing the risk of intestinal permeability or leaky gut.
When the gut lining becomes inflamed and compromised, it can no longer effectively break down and digest proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and other essential nutrients.
In addition, a leaky gut allows the entry of partially digested food particles, toxins, and microbes into the bloodstream, which can trigger constant immune responses, contribute to chronic inflammation, and trigger a range of digestive problems.
9. Stay physically active
Physical activity supports gut health by reducing inflammation, improving gut motility and bowel movements, and promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria in your gut.
Evidence published in Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity found that regular movement enhances microbial diversity and supports a strong and more resilient digestive system.4
Activities such as swimming, hiking, biking, gardening, or even doing household chores can stimulate digestive functions and contribute to a healthy gut environment.
10. Eliminate trigger foods
Food sensitivities or intolerances, which commonly include gluten, soy, and dairy products, can irritate the gut lining and contribute to intestinal inflammation.
Identifying potential trigger foods by keeping a food journal and noting digestive symptoms and the meals you have been eating can play a vital role in helping heal the gut and support digestive health.
In addition, certain whole-grain varieties, including wheat, rye, oats, and barley, contain phytates, which are antinutrient compounds that can block mineral absorption and trigger gut irritation in sensitive individuals.
Eliminating potential dietary triggers for a few weeks and gradually reintroducing one food at a time can help pinpoint specific sensitivities, allowing for a personalized diet that supports long-term gut health.
Key takeaways
If you experience persistent digestive issues, you may be wondering how to improve your gut health.
Following a nutrient-dense, high-fat diet such as Healthy Keto in combination with intermittent fasting and regular physical activity is an excellent strategy to support digestive functions.
In addition, it’s vital to support optimal bile flow and stomach acidity and promote a diverse microbiome by incorporating plenty of pre- and probiotic-rich foods while avoiding alcohol, processed foods, and added sugars.
FAQ
How can I improve my gut health?
Incorporating fermented foods rich in good bacteria, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, yogurt, and miso, is an excellent strategy to support a diverse gut microbiome and promote gut health.
In addition, it’s crucial to avoid processed foods, alcohol, and added sugars, as they can trigger intestinal inflammation and interfere with the gut’s ability to effectively digest and absorb nutrients.
What are signs of bad gut health?
Signs of bad gut health include digestive discomfort, unexplained fatigue, brain fog, poor skin health, sleep problems, joint pain, delayed wound healing, and frequent infections.
Symptoms such as nutritional deficiencies, bad breath, and mood disorders can also be indicative of an imbalanced microbiome and disrupted digestive functions.
How do I detox my gut?
While detoxing the gut in the traditional sense is not possible or necessary, intermittent fasting can play a key role in supporting digestive health.
Prolonged periods of caloric restriction give the digestive system time to rest, allowing for more efficient waste elimination and repair of the intestinal lining, two vital factors to improving overall gut function.
