Each of us is walking around with 100 trillion microbes in our guts. This diverse community of bacteria, yeast, viruses, and microbes is called the gut microbiome. Our gut microbiome is vital for overall health and fighting infection.
Sadly, modern life can give our good gut bugs a hammering. For instance, antibiotics wipe out all bacteria – good and bad. Moreover, our beneficial bacteria don’t share our love of processed foods. And that’s just the beginning of the many threats our guts face.
Why your gut loves variety
For starters, a beleaguered gut microbiome suffers from a lack of diversity. There are fewer species of microbes, which is not ideal. That’s because each species has different properties and functions linked to other aspects of health.
“A healthy gut means you have a stronger immune system, a better mood, effective digestion that’s free of discomfort and a healthy brain and heart,” says Sabine Hazan, M.D., a gastroenterologist.
Does the prospect of restoring your healthy gut microbiome have your head reeling?
Alas, it’s not as hard as you may think. And lucky for you, we’ve rounded up five surefire, science-backed ways to welcome back a diverse range of microbes.
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Diverse Foods = Diverse Microbiome
Eating a diverse diet rich in whole foods can lead to a diverse microbiome, which is beneficial for your health in countless ways. Nutrient-rich fruits and veggies are your gut’s BFF. They are loaded with fiber, which your body can’t digest. However, certain species of bacteria can digest fiber, which stimulates their growth. Conversely, research suggests that a diet full of fruits and veggies can halt the growth of some disease-causing bacteria. -
Get Fermentation Friendly
Simply put, fermented foods have undergone a process in which the sugars they contain are broken down by yeast or bacteria. Why does your gut love them? They promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and reduce the number of disease-causing bacteria in the intestines. Some examples of fermented foods include yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha and tempeh. Pro Tip: To reap the gut health perks, make sure the label says: “contains live active cultures.” -
Get Some Exercise
It’s hard to find a health advice list that doesn’t include exercise, and gut health is no exception. Exercise has a direct effect on gut bacteria, which in turn improve our metabolism, cardiorespiratory fitness, and insulin resistance. Researchers found longer workouts and high-intensity aerobic training, in particular, contributed most to gut bacteria diversity and function in relation to overall wellness. -
Stress Less
Whatever your stress of the day may be, it’s wise to consider the impact it’s having on your health and well-being. Your gut health often pays the price for these frantic episodes, leaving you with digestive distress of all ilk. That’s because your stomach and emotional state are linked, so any change in everyday stress can impact your digestive health and the complex microbiome that lives in your gut. Stress busters can include 1-minute morning meditation or simply breathing intentionally. Or what about a mindful walk or calling a friend whom you can count on to make you laugh?
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The Power of Probiotics
Remember #2 when we talked about fermented foods? Well, they are chock full of beneficial live probiotic cultures. You may also want to consider a probiotic supplement to help balance your gut flora. However, choose your supplement wisely. According to the World Health Organization, to be effective, a probiotic strain must be alive at the time of ingestion. It must survive the harsh conditions in the stomach and small intestines to make it to the large intestine alive.
At Zenwise we pride ourselves in providing effective formulations that address multiple digestive health needs. In fact, we are the only top 25 digestive health company to offer multiple formulas that combine probiotics, prebiotics and enzymes. Each of these formulas feature Reliably Alive DE111 probiotics, which a human study proved survives passage through the stomach and arrives alive in the small intestine, allowing it to work within hours, not days or weeks.
Have more questions about digestive health supplementation? For more gut health advice, visit our Digestive Support page and take a 2-minute quiz to find your digestive solution. Or, reach out to our Customer Service Team who are available to answer your questions seven days a week at support@zenwise.com or M-F from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (800) 940-1972.
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1 https://www.forbes.com/health/body/how-to-improve-gut-health/
2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26757793/
3 https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-super-healthy-probiotic-foods#_noHeaderPrefixedContent
4 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31380886/
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