5 simple habits for you to maintain good intestinal health

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Maintaining a healthy gut is essential to ensure good nutrient absorption, prevent diseases, and promote overall body health. The intestine is responsible for digesting food and absorbing essential nutrients for body function.

It also houses a large amount of beneficial bacteria, which aid in digestion, strengthen the immune system, and prevent diseases.

Knowing this, we have prepared this post to show you the importance of having a healthy gut, in addition to listing simple habits that provide good intestinal health.

Importance of a healthy gut

The importance of the gut as an organ and its relationship with other body systems has been the subject of several scientific discoveries. Maintaining gut health is essential to balance the bacteria present in the organ, which promotes nutrient absorption and benefits overall health.

The imbalance of these bacteria is known as dysbiosis and can compromise the intestinal barrier, allowing particles to pass into the bloodstream and harm health. This imbalance can be caused by intestinal diseases, inadequate diet (such as excessive consumption of saturated fats, trans fats, alcohol and low fiber intake), smoking, medications, and stress.

The particles that pass through the intestinal barrier can trigger negative responses in the immune system, so it is important to maintain intestinal health and the balance of bacteria to assist the body’s defense.

The symptoms of dysbiosis include nausea, flatulence, abdominal distension, hair loss, weak nails, intestinal irregularity (alternation between diarrhea and constipation), poorly formed stools, headaches, among others.

It is important to talk to a health professional if you have symptoms or have questions about intestinal health.

5 simple habits for you to maintain good intestinal health

To keep your gut in good working condition it is important to follow some simple habits, but very effective when applied together for a considerable time.

Consume fiber-rich foods

The diet we follow has a significant impact on the gut microbiome, which is composed of many types of bacteria that live in our gut.

Scientific studies show that a Western diet, characterized by being rich in animal fats and proteins, but poor in fiber, can increase the production of compounds that cause inflammation and cancer in the body.

On the other hand, the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fiber and includes little consumption of red meat, has been associated with increased levels of short-chain fatty acids in the stool, which have anti-inflammatory properties and improve the health of the immune system.

Including fiber-rich foods is very important to keep your gut health up to date. Some options for fiber-rich foods include:

• Fresh fruits: orange, tangerine, papaya, fig, plum, mango, kiwi, pineapple, grape, among others;
• Dried fruits: black plum, apricot, dried fig, raisin;
• Whole grains: oat bran or wheat, wheat germ, flaxseed, whole grain bread, brown rice;
• Legumes: beans, lentils, chickpeas, soybeans;
• Vegetables: eggplant, broccoli, beans, asparagus, artichoke and preferably raw vegetables, such as chicory (escarole), lettuce, arugula.

Drink at least 2 liters of water daily

Drinking water is very important to maintain gut health, as water helps keep stools soft, facilitating evacuation, preventing constipation and stuck gut.

In addition, water helps maintain the balance of body fluids, which is essential for nutrient absorption and for the proper functioning of the digestive system as a whole.

It is recommended that adults drink at least 2 liters of water per day to maintain good hydration and intestinal health.

Here is a laxative juice recipe for you to make at home.

To prepare a 200 ml glass:

• 1/4 of papaya or 1 slice of formosa papaya;
• 1/2 glass of orange juice or juice from 1 orange unit;
• 4-5 dried plums (without pit).

Blend in a blender, strain and drink immediately. Preferably, do not use sugar or sweetener.

Eat probiotic and prebiotic foods regularly

Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when consumed in adequate amounts, can exert beneficial effects on the intestinal flora, promoting improvements in intestinal transit and other benefits.

There are a variety of products available on the market that contain probiotics, such as yogurts and fermented milks, which usually contain lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.

Prebiotics are non-digestible carbohydrates, mainly fibers, that stimulate the growth and/or activity of desirable bacteria in the gut.

They are found in foods such as onion, chicory, garlic, artichoke, cereals, asparagus, dandelion roots, beetroot, banana, wheat and tomato, as well as honey and brown sugar and in tubers like yacon.

Practice physical exercises daily

Regular physical exercise can improve gut health. Several studies have shown that physical activity can help prevent and treat intestinal problems such as constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease and even colon cancer.

Exercise can help regulate intestinal transit, promoting an increase in the frequency and consistency of bowel movements. In addition, physical activity also helps reduce inflammation in the gut, which is an important factor in many intestinal diseases.

The practice of physical exercises is also useful to improve the composition of the gut microbiota, increasing the diversity of beneficial bacteria and reducing the presence of pathogenic bacteria. This contributes to gut health and the prevention of intestinal diseases.

Include detoxifying foods in your diet

Some foods considered “detoxifying” can contribute to improving gut health, especially foods like kale, beetroot, fresh parsley, and whole grains.

These foods help increase fiber intake, which is important for maintaining regular bowel movements and eliminating toxins and waste.

Some foods contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds that can help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the gut.

Conclusion

Maintaining a healthy gut is essential to ensure physical and mental well-being. This can be achieved through a balanced diet, rich in fiber and probiotic foods, as well as regular physical activity, stress reduction, and the adoption of other healthy habits.