Nourish Your Gut Bacteria For Health And Vitality
IBS Awareness Month falls in April each year. IBS stands for Irritable Bowel Syndrome and refers to a collection of digestive symptom-related symptoms, impacting one third of the UK population.
IBS is a chronic syndrome that’s characterised by a combination of abdominal pain or discomfort and changes in bowel habits. These changes may include diarrhoea, constipation, or a mix of both, often accompanied by bloating and excessive gas. IBS symptoms can vary widely among people and may fluctuate over time, ranging from mild inconvenience to severe disruption to daily life.
We are going to keep things simple in this blog and offer a simple tip for supporting gut health this IBS Awareness Month.
Feed your gut bacteria!
The gut microbiota, often referred to as gut bacteria, plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health and well-being. These microorganisms, which include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes, inhabit the gastrointestinal tract and form a complex ecosystem that interacts with various bodily systems. This is known as your ‘gut microbiome’.
A diverse and balanced gut microbiota composition is crucial for optimal digestion, nutrient absorption, and immune function.
Here are some simple ways to support your gut bacteria to thrive:
1) Eat probiotic-rich foods such as live natural yoghurt, fermented foods like raw unpasteurised sauerkraut and kimchi, kefir, miso and kombucha. These foods contain beneficial probiotics that can help replenish and maintain healthy gut bacteria.
2) Eat prebiotic fibres such as leeks, onions, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, oats, flaxseed, and unripe (slightly green) bananas. Prebiotic foods are non-digestible fibres that feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut.
3) Improve diversity in your diet by eating a varied diet rich in berries, different colours and types of vegetables, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. Each type of food feeds different types of bacteria in your gut, promoting diversity. So remember, diversity of plants and other whole feeds leads to diversity of healthy gut bacteria.
4) Limit processed foods and sugar as it can feed unhealthy / potential pathogenic bacteria strains.
Feeding gut bacteria through a balanced and diverse diet rich in fibre, whole, unprocessed grains, berries, all vegetables, and fermented foods is crucial for maintaining gut health, supporting immune function, enhancing nutrient absorption, and promoting overall well-being. By nourishing our gut microbiota, we can optimise digestion, boost immunity, and support both physical and mental health.
