Gut health is one of the most talked-about topics in the wellness sphere today — and for good reason. Having a healthy gut can impact a slew of factors regarding your body and how it functions. But between knowing the best foods for gut health, how to improve gut health naturally, how to get rid of bad gut bacteria, and so much more, there’s tons to grasp and even more to be overwhelmed by.
If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to improving your gut, that’s OK. Ahead, I’ll break down the basics of gut health, as a registered dietitian, and share what other experts have to say when it comes to making improvements. Ready for a gut check?
What Is Gut Health?
At the heart of gut health is a term you might have heard of: the microbiome. The microbiome refers to the diverse community of trillions of microorganisms living in our intestines. This includes bacteria, viruses, and fungi. While it may sound a bit unappealing, these little critters play a pivotal role in our health.
As for gut health, it’s all about the balance and diversity of these microorganisms. A healthy gut has a good balance of different types of bacteria, which aid in digestion, help the immune system function optimally, and even influence our mood and mental health. When this balance is disrupted, it can lead to conditions known as dysbiosis, or an imbalance of microbial species in the gut, which can have wider health implications.
“By improving your gut health and the diversity of your microbiome, you can mitigate unwanted symptoms such as bloating, excessive gas, and irregular bowel movements,” food writer and dietitian Melissa Mitri, RD, MS, tells POPSUGAR.
Some signs that you may need to work on your gut health include:
Bloating
Constipation and/or diarrhea
Heartburn
Excessive gas
Additionally, unexpected weight changes may be an indication of an unhealthy gut, which can impact your body’s ability to absorb nutrients, regulate blood sugar, and store fat. Sleep disturbances or constant fatigue may also be a sign that your gut could use some TLC.
How to Improve Gut Health Naturally
Improving your gut health may sound like tall order, but you can actually improve your gut naturally with a few simple lifestyle changes — from your diet to your sleep schedule.
Eat a diverse diet
“Eating a diverse diet is one of the best ways to improve your gut health,” Mitri says. She encourages people to eat a wide range of foods from every food group, especially fiber-rich foods like fruits and vegetables. “These foods contain prebiotics, or beneficial fibers that can nourish your gut in positive ways,” she tells POPSUGAR.
Eating a diverse diet also introduces various bacteria into your gut microbiome, diversifying the composition and enhancing health benefits.
Lower your stress levels
“Your stress levels can negatively impact your gut health, leading to potential digestive issues and symptoms,” Mitri says, adding that you can naturally improve your gut health by paying attention to and lowering stress levels.
A few stress-relieving activities Mitri suggests include guided meditations, nature walks, deep-breathing exercises, and body scans, where you regularly tune into any physical signs of stress, such as indigestion, physical pain, or stiffness.
Include prebiotics and probiotics in your diet
Consuming probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut and taking probiotic supplements can help increase the beneficial bacteria in your gut.
But prebiotics, the less-talked-about fiber, are also crucial for gut health, Mitri says. “Prebiotics are plant fibers that the good bacteria in your gut eat to help them thrive. Think of prebiotics as the ‘food’ for the probiotics,” she says. Foods rich in prebiotics include onion, garlic, artichokes, and cruciferous vegetables, such as kale and broccoli.
Stay hydrated
Adequate water intake supports gut health by softening food components throughout the digestive tract, facilitating smoother movement, and promoting regular (and easier-to-pass) bowel movements. As a result, being adequately hydrated may reduce the risk of constipation. The National Academy of Medicine recommends people assigned female at birth consume nine cups of water every day, and people assigned male should aim for 13 cups per day.
Exercise
Regular physical activity contributes to good gut health. One study showed that participation in moderate- to high-intensity exercise for 30 to 90 minutes at least three times per week (or 150 to 270 minutes per week) is linked to positive changes in the gut microbiota.
When looking to improve your gut, thinking about what you’re putting on your plate every day is crucial.
As mentioned earlier, fiber-rich foods and probiotics can be crucial. Some research also suggests that eating a plant-heavy diet can create more good bacteria, says nutrition consultant Lisa Andrews, MEd, RD, LD.
When exploring individual foods to focus on, here are some to consider:
Yogurt: Rich in probiotics, yogurt contributes to a healthy gut microbiota and aids in digestion.
Kefir: This fermented dairy product is packed with probiotics and helps balance gut bacteria.
Sauerkraut: Sauerkraut, or fermented cabbage, is an excellent source of natural probiotics and fiber.
Kimchi: Similar to sauerkraut, this Korean dish is made from fermented cabbage and contains probiotics that contribute to gut health.
Bananas: Bananas are rich in fiber, aiding digestion and promoting good gut health. Choosing a slightly underripe banana will provide more prebiotic fiber, or fiber that acts as fuel for the probiotics.
Fructans and galacto-oligosaccharide foods: “Results of a 2018 study showed that fructans and galacto-oligosaccharides greatly improved the number of Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp. — two types of probiotics that have been found to aid in gut motility, the reduction of infectious disease, production of vitamins, and reduction in symptoms of IBS,” per Andrews. Foods containing fructans include wheat, onions, and garlic,” she says, while foods containing galacto-oligosaccharides include “beans, lentils, and soybeans.”
Probiotics and gut health go together like the sun and daylight. Just as the sun is the source of daylight, illuminating our world and catalyzing life, probiotics are the sunshine of the gut, fostering a thriving microbiome and promoting robust health. They are inseparable and interdependent, each enhancing the function of the other in a symbiotic relationship.
To help expose your gut to probiotics, Mitri suggests including “at least one to two servings of probiotic-rich foods daily to improve your gut health. Examples of probiotic foods are yogurt, kefir, and fermented vegetables such as kimchi and sauerkraut.”
She adds that you may also consider a probiotic supplement to improve your gut health. “There are many options on the market, but I recommend looking for supplements with well-researched strains, such as lactobacillus acidophilus, and third-party testing to ensure safety,” Mitri says.
Worst Foods For Gut Health
When it comes to the worst foods for a healthy gut, the best approach is everything in moderation. That’s not to say you have to cut these foods out of your life entirely, but limiting your consumption may be beneficial when it comes to your gut health.
Ultra-processed foods
“Ultra-processed foods have undergone extreme processing and are typically high in food additives, added sugar, and refined grains,” Mitri says. These highly processed foods can introduce harmful bacteria and cause inflammation and unwanted gut symptoms in some people.
It’s best to limit your consumption of ultra-processed foods like potato chips, cookies, soda, and sugary breakfast cereals. “Instead, focus on whole, minimally processed foods, including lean protein, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains,” Mitri tells POPSUGAR.
Alcohol
“Alcohol is a major culprit for poor gut health, and chronic overconsumption can change the composition and function of your gut, disrupting major bodily processes and harming your liver,” Mitri says
While even small amounts of alcohol can cause damage, try to stay within the recommended guidelines of one drink a day for people assigned female at birth and two drinks for those assigned male, she advises.
Dairy
People with a lactose intolerance lack the enzyme to break down the natural sugar found in dairy food. For those who can’t break down lactose, dairy may be considered a “bad” food if you are focused on supporting gut health.
Gluten
In the same vein as dairy, some people can’t tolerate gluten. For these people, gluten consumption may damage the lining of the gut over time.
How to Get Rid of Bad Gut Bacteria
If you have an abundance of harmful bacteria, often called dysbiosis, you’ll want to implement strategies to remove them. To determine if you have dysbiosis, your healthcare provider may test your urine or stool or measure the hydrogen in your breath.
“For individuals with extremely high levels of harmful bacteria, sometimes a stronger intervention, such as antibiotics, will be recommended by your healthcare team,” Mitri says.
However, for everyone else, you can remove harmful gut bacteria by creating a healthy environment inside your gut microbiome using the lifestyle changes above, including eating a balanced and fiber-rich diet; limiting your intake of processed foods, sugars, and alcohol; exercising regularly; getting adequate sleep; incorporating probiotics into your diet; and managing stress.
That being said, it’s important to consult with a healthcare provider before making drastic changes to your diet or lifestyle. If you’re concerned about whether or not you have bad gut bacteria and want to improve your overall gut health, talk to your physician and/or a registered dietitian.
The Canadian government says it will donate up to 200,000 vaccine doses to fight the mpox outbreak in Congo and other African countries.
It says the donated doses of Imvamune will come from Canada’s existing supply and will not affect the country’s preparedness for mpox cases in this country.
Minister of Health Mark Holland says the donation “will help to protect those in the most affected regions of Africa and will help prevent further spread of the virus.”
Dr. Madhukar Pai, Canada research chair in epidemiology and global health, says although the donation is welcome, it is a very small portion of the estimated 10 million vaccine doses needed to control the outbreak.
Vaccine donations from wealthier countries have only recently started arriving in Africa, almost a month after the World Health Organization declared the mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
A few days after the declaration in August, Global Affairs Canada announced a contribution of $1 million for mpox surveillance, diagnostic tools, research and community awareness in Africa.
On Thursday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said mpox is still on the rise and that testing rates are “insufficient” across the continent.
Jason Kindrachuk, Canada research chair in emerging viruses at the University of Manitoba, said donating vaccines, in addition to supporting surveillance and diagnostic tests, is “massively important.”
But Kindrachuk, who has worked on the ground in Congo during the epidemic, also said that the international response to the mpox outbreak is “better late than never (but) better never late.”
“It would have been fantastic for us globally to not be in this position by having provided doses a much, much longer time prior than when we are,” he said, noting that the outbreak of clade I mpox in Congo started in early 2023.
Clade II mpox, endemic in regions of West Africa, came to the world’s attention even earlier — in 2022 — as that strain of virus spread to other countries, including Canada.
Two doses are recommended for mpox vaccination, so the donation may only benefit 100,000 people, Pai said.
Pai questioned whether Canada is contributing enough, as the federal government hasn’t said what percentage of its mpox vaccine stockpile it is donating.
“Small donations are simply not going to help end this crisis. We need to show greater solidarity and support,” he said in an email.
“That is the biggest lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic — our collective safety is tied with that of other nations.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.
HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia government says it could be months before it reveals how many people are on the wait-list for a family doctor.
The head of the province’s health authority told reporters Wednesday that the government won’t release updated data until the 160,000 people who were on the wait-list in June are contacted to verify whether they still need primary care.
Karen Oldfield said Nova Scotia Health is working on validating the primary care wait-list data before posting new numbers, and that work may take a matter of months. The most recent public wait-list figures are from June 1, when 160,234 people, or about 16 per cent of the population, were on it.
“It’s going to take time to make 160,000 calls,” Oldfield said. “We are not talking weeks, we are talking months.”
The interim CEO and president of Nova Scotia Health said people on the list are being asked where they live, whether they still need a family doctor, and to give an update on their health.
A spokesperson with the province’s Health Department says the government and its health authority are “working hard” to turn the wait-list registry into a useful tool, adding that the data will be shared once it is validated.
Nova Scotia’s NDP are calling on Premier Tim Houston to immediately release statistics on how many people are looking for a family doctor. On Tuesday, the NDP introduced a bill that would require the health minister to make the number public every month.
“It is unacceptable for the list to be more than three months out of date,” NDP Leader Claudia Chender said Tuesday.
Chender said releasing this data regularly is vital so Nova Scotians can track the government’s progress on its main 2021 campaign promise: fixing health care.
The number of people in need of a family doctor has more than doubled between the 2021 summer election campaign and June 2024. Since September 2021 about 300 doctors have been added to the provincial health system, the Health Department said.
“We’ll know if Tim Houston is keeping his 2021 election promise to fix health care when Nova Scotians are attached to primary care,” Chender said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Newfoundland and Labrador‘s chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says that so far this year, the province has recorded 230 confirmed cases of the vaccine-preventable respiratory tract infection, also known as pertussis.
Late last month, Quebec reported more than 11,000 cases during the same time period, while Ontario counted 470 cases, well above the five-year average of 98. In Quebec, the majority of patients are between the ages of 10 and 14.
Meanwhile, New Brunswick has declared a whooping cough outbreak across the province. A total of 141 cases were reported by last month, exceeding the five-year average of 34.
The disease can lead to severe complications among vulnerable populations including infants, who are at the highest risk of suffering from complications like pneumonia and seizures. Symptoms may start with a runny nose, mild fever and cough, then progress to severe coughing accompanied by a distinctive “whooping” sound during inhalation.
“The public, especially pregnant people and those in close contact with infants, are encouraged to be aware of symptoms related to pertussis and to ensure vaccinations are up to date,” Newfoundland and Labrador’s Health Department said in a statement.
Whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics, but vaccination is the most effective way to control the spread of the disease. As a result, the province has expanded immunization efforts this school year. While booster doses are already offered in Grade 9, the vaccine is now being offered to Grade 8 students as well.
Public health officials say whooping cough is a cyclical disease that increases every two to five or six years.
Meanwhile, New Brunswick’s acting chief medical officer of health expects the current case count to get worse before tapering off.
A rise in whooping cough cases has also been reported in the United States and elsewhere. The Pan American Health Organization issued an alert in July encouraging countries to ramp up their surveillance and vaccination coverage.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2024.
