Scientists have discovered that probiotics — beneficial microbes found in the gut that aid digestion and other bodily processes — may help alleviate various ailments. One study, for instance, demonstrated how specific strains of bacteria reduced Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea after antibiotic use as well as necrotizing enterocolitis — an infection of preterm infants’ gut tissue that is deadly if left untreated.

1. Eat a Whole Foods Diet

There’s truth in the old saying “you are what you eat”. Achieving gut health depends on the food choices we make for ourselves – such as avoiding processed or packaged goods with added sugar and fat content as well as chemicals or dyes. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, beans and legumes will also aid in keeping good bacteria active while attenuating bad ones.

Probiotics may also help. Many doctors suggest them if you’ve taken antibiotics that have altered your gut microbiome and reduced symptoms like diarrhea in some patients. Probiotics have even been proven to work more effectively if multi-strain probiotics are used.

Prebiotics, the food your gut bacteria feed on, play an integral part in maintaining overall digestive health. You can find them in garlic, leeks, artichokes, bananas, avocados, apples and whole grains among many other sources.

Fermented foods are an excellent way to incorporate prebiotics into your daily meals, such as yogurt (look for high-fibre low-fat varieties), kimchi, kefir and sauerkraut.

Start eating right today to give your gut a boost and help reduce cancer, depression and obesity! Just be sure to talk with your physician first – they can advise on the most effective strategies for improving gut health. Nutritious whole food are far superior to supplements as they contain important micronutrients not found elsewhere and their beneficial interactions cannot be replicated in pills alone.

2. Eat Fermented Foods

Probiotic supplements may be one way to add probiotics to your diet, but for an even better (and more natural) approach consider fermented foods instead. Fermented foods contain microbes which encourage good bacteria growth like Kimchi, Kefir, Sauerkraut Miso or Pickles which provide good sources of probiotics in our diets.

These foods not only help increase gut bacteria but also provide prebiotics – which work alongside probiotics to keep the gut functioning optimally – such as garlic, onions, artichokes and bananas.

Probiotic-rich diets have been found to restore diversity of gut bacteria after antibiotic use or illness, and to strengthen immunity. Probiotic-rich foods include yogurts containing scientifically tested bacterial strains; pickles; sauerkraut from supermarkets are likely pasteurised and lack live probiotic bacteria that support health.

Make sure you’re eating enough fiber-rich foods. If your intake falls short of that goal, even increasing by just 6g (the equivalent of one bowl of high-fibre cereal or two thick slices of wholemeal bread each day) could make a significant impactful difference to your gut health.

Remember, whole foods are always best. Consuming processed food, like that found in packaged meals and snacks, has been linked with reduced diversity in gut bacteria. Exercise will do wonders for both your microbial community and overall health! According to studies, physically active people tend to have healthier and more varied gut microbiota than inactive individuals.

3. Exercise Regularly

Science has long acknowledged the impact of gut microbiomes on physical health; only more recently have scientists realized just how crucial they can be for mental wellbeing as well. Indeed, many mental disorders have been linked to imbalanced gut microbiomes; medication may be required in some cases but lifestyle strategies may help you feel better and prevent future mood issues.

Probiotic-rich foods can help increase the number of beneficial bacteria in your digestive system. Consider eating plain Greek yogurt without added sugars (such as plain Greek yogurt with berries) or kombucha; fermented foods such as tempeh, natto and miso can also contain probiotics, though you must find one from a reliable source that has been tested for potency and spore counts. There are many probiotic supplements on the market as well; just ensure it has been verified as being potency tested against an authoritative source before purchasing one.

Some probiotic strains have been demonstrated to improve mood, including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium bifidum. However, it’s important to remember that probiotics shouldn’t replace eating healthily, and more research must be conducted before we can recommend specific probiotics as treatments for specific mental disorders.

Establishing regular exercise can also have immense mental health benefits. A recent study demonstrates this by finding that those who regularly engage in physical activity tend to have more diverse gut microbes that help reduce stress and anxiety, according to Nutrients publication of 2020 study. Probiotic supplements containing Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and L. rhamnosus help alleviate symptoms of depression while raising serotonin levels in the brain – increasing daily physical activity may even decrease your risk of chronic or autoimmune disease!

4. Sleep Well

Chronic and autoimmune diseases have long been linked to an imbalance of gut microbes, known as dysbiosis. When this happens, more harmful bacteria than beneficial probiotics populate your intestines – but there are ways to restore equilibrium: eating whole foods and vegetables regularly, exercising regularly, getting sufficient sleep each night, forgoing harsh chemicals cleaners when possible and only taking antibiotics when absolutely necessary can all work towards creating a happier gut microbiome.

Add variety to your diet with fermented foods like tempeh, kimchi and miso for flavor and digestive support, while simultaneously improving immunity, lowering disease risks and aiding weight loss.

Avoid processed food, as they often contain added sugars and preservatives that can compromise healthy bacteria. Instead, incorporate more fruits and vegetables – particularly dark greens, vibrant fruits like berries and purple cauliflower into your meals – as well as drinking lots of water and eating fiber-rich foods like oatmeal, barley, legumes or whole grains into your diet.

If you’re struggling to make diet adjustments, include probiotic supplements in your daily regimen. Probiotic supplements contain beneficial microbes designed for ingestion into the GI tract that will work together with existing communities of bacteria to treat dysbiosis or prevent dysbiosis in order to alleviate symptoms such as diarrhea and vaginal infections.

When purchasing probiotic supplements, make sure the label specifies how many live organisms, known as colony forming units (CFUs), are contained within each bottle. CFU counts will vary from product to product. Finally, pick one that has been third-party tested to ensure purity and potency; additionally you may find probiotics in foods like kombucha or fermented products.

5. Take a Probiotic Supplement

There are two approaches to improving your gut bacteria: supplementing with probiotics or feeding the existing population directly. One effective strategy for providing food to existing bacteria colonies in your colon is eating foods high in prebiotics – undigested parts of nutritious food such as vegetables and whole grains which provide food sources for beneficial bacteria that reside there.

Eating three meals throughout the day – breakfast, medium lunch and small dinner – can provide your microbiome with an assortment of food sources to feed on. Another way to increase diversity in your gut microbiota is to explore new food items and cuisine; trying new cooking methods or spices could have an enormous effect on how your microbes thrive. Finally, it’s also wise to avoid harsh cleaning products, which could damage healthy bacteria.

Your bacterial community plays an essential role in supporting you and assisting with digestion and absorption of nutrients; they even play an integral part in fighting infections! Plus, these bacteria produce essential fatty acids and vitamins in your colon which your immune system can utilize for improved health.

However, sometimes our gut bacterial communities become out of balance, which can lead to various discomforts ranging from constipation and diarrhea to anxiety and depression. Probiotics can repopulate your gut with healthy bacteria to rebalance its population as well as prevent or treat diseases affecting your GI tract such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, IBS-related issues such as bloating gas or abdominal pain as well as chronic inflammatory conditions like ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.

Though more research needs to be conducted into how best to select and utilize probiotics, numerous randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have demonstrated positive effects for various symptoms and conditions. One RCT found that probiotic supplements containing Bifidobacterium infantis and Lactobacillus casei reduced abdominal discomfort in children diagnosed with IBS.