{"id":56012,"date":"2017-02-09T07:15:00","date_gmt":"2017-02-09T12:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=56012"},"modified":"2017-02-13T11:52:54","modified_gmt":"2017-02-13T16:52:54","slug":"gut-health-benefits-tips-improve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/gut-health-benefits-tips-improve\/","title":{"rendered":"How Healthy Is Your Gut? Here’s How to Tell"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo: Twenty20<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Trillions of microorganisms hang out in the body, forming what\u2019s known as your microbiome. And as you\u2019ve probably heard, the mix of organisms that call your gut home tend to influence not just your waistline<\/a>, but your overall health. In fact, scientists have discovered links between gut health\u00a0and your immune system, sleep<\/a>, mood<\/a> \u2014 even chronic diseases. So whenever your belly bacteria\u00a0is out of whack, it could throw your whole body off balance.<\/p>\n

The question is, though, how do you know if your gut is actually healthy<\/a>? Let the experts we talked to help you decipher a real problem from simply a bad case of bloat.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>\u00a0Is It All In Your Gut? The Sleep-Gut Connection<\/a><\/p>\n

What Does It Mean to Have Good Gut Health?<\/h2>\n

For teeny tiny microbes, bacteria has a pretty big job in the body. It helps you digest the plant material that the body doesn\u2019t have enzymes to break down. It synthesizes vitamins<\/a> and long chain fatty acids, and helps maintain the integrity of the GI tract lining. It even communicates with the central nervous system and strengthens the immune system<\/a> to give illnesses the one-two punch. In return, the body provides the microorganisms with food and a place to live. (This is one co-dependent relationship we all need.)<\/p>\n

A healthy gut microbiome depends on a diverse and balanced population of microorganisms, which can help crowd out the bad bacteria. \u201cIt\u2019s like if you have a lot of good people and one bad person. The bad person can get kicked out. If you have fewer good people, the bad person can more easily make inroads,\u201d says Dr. Purna Kashyap, assistant professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic and member of the scientific advisory board for the American Gastroenterological Association Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>\u00a0Here\u2019s What You Should Eat for Stress Relief<\/a><\/p>\n

The tricky thing: Unlike say, cholesterol levels<\/a>, there\u2019s no one definition or measurement for what defines good gut health. And there\u2019s no ideal ratio of microorganisms.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s so much inter-individual variability. What may be present and healthy in one person could look very different in another person,\u201d says Dr. Claire Fraser<\/a>, PhD, professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. \u201cEveryone\u2019s body determines its own homeostasis \u2014 where they are in harmony and don\u2019t have any symptoms,\u201d says Dr. Kashyap.<\/p>\n

So, in a broad sense, that means if you have a strong\u00a0appetite<\/a>, eat well, have a normal-for-you bowel pattern and generally feel good, your gut is doing OK.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>The Sneaky Reason You Can\u2019t Shake the 3 p.m. Munchies<\/a><\/p>\n

When Your Gut\u2019s Out of Whack<\/h2>\n

\u201cThe interaction of the microbiome and humans as the host is like an ecosystem and as complex as a rainforest,\u201d says Dr. Fraser. A number of factors can mess with the balance in your microbiome, including medication, diet<\/a> and stress<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For example, a seven-day course of antibiotics may shift the balance of bacteria, eliminating the good right along with the bad. Also, eating a diet full of easily digested and quickly absorbed simple sugars<\/a> and carbs leaves little food for the gut microbes in your colon to munch on. Instead, they scavenge for nutrients<\/a>, often nibbling at your own gut lining.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen your gut isn\u2019t working well, you can have a whole range of symptoms,\u201d says Dr. Kashyap. Think: losing your desire to eat, experiencing changes in your\u00a0bathroom breaks and fluctuations in weight<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As mentioned, it\u2019s important to pay attention to your individual bowel movements, as there\u2019s a range of what\u2019s considered healthy and normal. While general guidelines say you should go number two once a day, some people might go every other day or twice a day. As long as that\u2019s your normal pattern and you\u2019re not having loose stools or feel constipated, you\u2019re good to go. Even if you have a change here or there, the gut should bounce back pretty quickly. If it happens a few times a week, however, that\u2019s when it\u2019s time to mention it to your doctor.<\/p>\n

Another important thing to note: You can\u2019t fixate on a 24-hour period, Dr. Kashyap says. \u201cEveryone, in day-to-day\u00a0life, will have some pain or variability,\u201d he says. \u201cMore alarming features are small amounts of blood in the stool and severe pain with cramping which is persistent over time.\u00a0This is telling you there\u2019s likely something wrong with the gut and you should see your doctor.\u201d Other red flags: diarrhea that persists for more than a few days, fever, and severe or recurring abdominal pain (say, if you can\u2019t stand up or your belly is\u00a0tender to the touch).<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>You\u2019d Never Guess These 7 Dehydration Symptoms<\/a><\/p>\n

Tend to Your Flora<\/h2>\n

All of this isn\u2019t to say that your gut is a delicate garden. One cupcake (or day of cupcakes) won\u2019t trample every good flower, er, bacteria. It\u2019s tough to cause serious or permanent damage after a day of an unhealthy eating<\/a>, Dr. Kashyap says. A few simple strategies for tending to your gut flora will help it thrive, though.<\/p>\n

\u201cConsuming a diet rich in fiber<\/a> will provide nutrients for the bacteria since they rely completely on humans for food,\u201d says Dr. Kashyap. Focus on a Mediterranean diet (legumes<\/a> and whole grains welcome). Fermented foods \u2014 think sauerkraut, kombucha and pickles \u2014 will also provide some fertilization for your good bacteria to grow, as will yogurt<\/a>. Other key habits: Regular physical activity<\/a> and avoiding antibiotics \u2014 both in your food and at the doctor\u2019s office. \u201cAntibiotics are used a lot in agriculture so if you eat a lot of meat, be aware of your sources,\u201d says Dr. Fraser.<\/p>\n

As for probiotic supplements<\/a>? The jury\u2019s still out on those popular pills. \u201cIf you\u2019re having some constipation or GI distress, you might try taking a probiotic<\/a>, but the science behind it is in its infancy,\u201d says Dr. Fraser. \u201cThere\u2019s some science\u2026but there haven\u2019t been well-designed clinical trials to look at the efficacy of probiotics to treat various conditions.\u201d Dr. Kashyap also notes that the government doesn\u2019t regulate probiotic supplements so it\u2019s hard to tell what exactly is in them.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>The Truth About the New Probiotics Trend<\/a><\/p>\n

The Bottom Line on Bacteria<\/h2>\n

While a ton of exciting research continues to emerge on gut health and your microbiome, the field is still in its early stages. \u201cIf you look at some of the studies that have been published and the changes in the microbiome associated with diseases, these are interesting associations but oftentimes we don\u2019t have cause and effect data,\u201d says Dr. Fraser. \u201cEven before we have all the answers, avoiding antibiotics [whenever possible] and eating a healthy diet<\/a> can go a long way to feeding and caring for your gut microbiome.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What goes on in your gut could affect the rest of your body. Here\u2019s why (and when) to pay attention to gut health and what to do to improve your microbiome.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":56016,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7,11],"tags":[291,41,126,59,341,380,113],"class_list":["post-56012","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","category-health-hacks","tag-clean-eating","tag-diets","tag-fiber","tag-healthy-substitutions","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2diet-advice","tag-wellness"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56012","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56012"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56012\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56016"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56012"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56012"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56012"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}