Have you recently been suffering from diarrhea, constipation, acid reflux, bloating, or just stomach pain? Maybe you always feel some digestive discomfort? Or you just had a round of antibiotics or a stomach virus that has your digestive health off course. I was hospitalized just two weeks ago for the flu that developed into pneumonia. I had a round of antibiotics in my IV along with a number of other medications.

So this past week my digestive system has been paying the price. And having digestive health problems is not fun! First I was constipated probably due to the anti-nausea meds. Then I couldn’t stop needing to run to the toilet. Finally, after a whole week, I’m starting to feel my digestive health is getting back on track.

11 Ways to Improve Your Digestive Health

Change Your Diet

You don’t have to make drastic changes to your diet to see better digestive health. I won’t go into too much about what foods are better or worse for your digestive health, because I already wrote a blog about that. Check that out here: The Best Gut Health Foods & What to Avoid

Add more fiber

Try to add more fiber to your diet. Fiber Is important for keeping the portions of the digestive tract like the large intestine free of waste particles that can cause pockets to form in the lining of the intestines. Fiber also has soluble components that help lower cholesterol by attracting free-floating fat particles in the bloodstream. In all cases, fiber is essential for keeping things clean. It can help sweep away remnants that rot and produce gases. Start slow though or you can experience bloating and uneasy feeling in your stomach. Eating more vegetables and fruits are a great way to get in more fiber.

Cut back on oils

Reduce heavy oily foods that can cause blockages in your system. Think of your intestinal and gut area like pipes in your home. Oils can block your pipes and cause the path to be lined with oil. Has your mom ever told you not to pour grease down the kitchen sink? That works the same way. It will clog up the pipes. This makes digestion slower and it can increase the number of toxins leaking out into your system.

Consider Eating Fermented Foods

Fermented foods may not sound overly appealing, but they can do wonders for the gut. They’re packed full of healthy bacteria. You should aim to eat around one portion per day.

It’s worth keeping in mind that if you’re new to fermented foods, you’ll want to start by consuming very small amounts. Aim for around one-quarter of a cup of fermented foods until your digestive system gets used to them.

Don’t Eat Late

Many people are guilty of this habit even I am from time to time. But it’s an important habit to evaluate. Eating late can be very bad for your digestive tract. If you eat late, your body will think that it’s time to be awake for longer.

Your body begins to “get ready” for rest when you don’t eat. Rest periods should only really be for rest and healing of the body. If you have to also digest food, it can put undue stress on the body. The body will have to perform extra tasks that it’s not really designed to perform simultaneously.

Now sometimes you don’t have the choice but to eat late, your dinner was large, or full of mostly foods that take a while to digest. If that is the case you may need a supplement that has active enzymes to help break down that food so that it isn’t keeping you up at night. I found a great product that helps me and my clients with not only this, but it also helps with acid reflux and GERD. It is called Verdezymes. You can find it by clicking the link below or take my two-minute Health Assessment.  With that, I can tell you more about what your body says it needs along with a $25 gift certificate to use on your first order with Solle Naturals.

Stick to A Meal Schedule

Now that you know how important it is to avoid eating late, it would be a good idea to
get on a solid schedule that works for your body. Most people should avoid eating at
least 3- 4 hours before bed, so you want to find a breakfast, lunch, and dinner schedule that will allow time to end your day without it being too late.  Once you have a routine, your body will begin to expect certain events to take place at similar times each day, making your metabolism run more smoothly.

Add Probiotics

Everyone should be including more probiotics into their diet, but especially if you are dealing with digestive health issues. Probiotics come in the form of supplements you can take daily, or in the foods you eat. Depending on the issues you have and their severity, you might want to introduce both of them for a while. Some foods with probiotics include
fermented foods like kombucha, certain types of yogurt, kefir, and dark chocolate.

Probiotics promote healthy colonies of good bacteria that help to digest foods. They also send signals to the body to make sure that everything is working properly. If colonies of harmful bacteria become too strong then they can take over part of your body resulting in an infection. Probiotics contain live bacteria that also counteract the growth of harmful bacteria.

But I don’t like those foods…

That is ok you can get probiotics from a supplement. You will need to make sure you choose high-quality supplements and that you buy them from a reliable source. This is because some supplements, especially the ones you find online or at your local Walmart, aren’t always as genuine as they say they are. Low-quality supplements also contain far fewer probiotics than they should. I have found a really good quality probiotic supplement which has even more benefits than any other probiotic on the market.

You can find it by clicking the link below or take my two-minute Health Assessment.  With that, I can tell you more about what your body says it needs along with a $25 gift certificate to use on your first order with Solle Naturals. If you decide to try my Fresh Start Detox program I will be throwing in a free bottle of this probiotic.

Drink More Water

The truth is, simply drinking more water can help. It won’t cure the gut health issues but water offers several benefits.

1. Water can help with the breakdown of the food you are eating which makes it easier to digest and easier to move out of your system.
2. Water makes absorption of minerals and supplements easier by allowing your system to be hydrated and ready to absorb nutrients.
3. It also helps you keep hydrated which can help with overall health.

One of the most important parts of digestion is hydration. In fact, without hydration, many systems in the body would cease to function entirely. Keeping hydrated means
the efficient passage of vital information that keeps your heart pumping, your stomach
working, and your brain operational.

That being said, remember this is pure water. This is not water that has been added to a drink like coffee or tea.

Increase your Cardio

According to research, partaking in cardio exercise can have awesome benefits on your digestive health. Researchers from the University of Illinois discovered that cardio has a positive impact on the guts composition. It creating short-chain fatty acids which are known to boost colon health.

Try Yoga and Meditation

Yoga and meditation have also been scientifically proven to be beneficial for the gut.

A study carried out in 2015, discovered those who participated in yoga and meditation experienced genetic changes within the body which resulted in improved gut health.

Treat Yourself to a Fresh Start Detox

My Fresh Start Detox Program is a simple, and gentle way to clean out the gunk that has built up in your digestive system. It is a great way to kickstart your digestive health with more energy and boost your immune system.

It is so simple my kids even did the detox with me last year. (Yes! That is how easy it is! And all products can be used with children as well since they are all plant-based.)

• There is no complicated food list. There is no “diet” at all just eat normal everyday food.
• You won’t starve! (You can eat as you please, but the cleaner the better results of course).
• No, it’s NOT a liquid diet!
• You won’t spend the day on the toilet or have diarrhea.
• No, it’s not just a liver, colon, digestive health detox. It is a FULL BODY detox!
• You won’t die! You’ll actually feel great and have more energy.

Get more information by clicking the picture with the link below.

Drink Less Alcohol

We all know too much alcohol is bad for us, but did you know it’s especially bad for the gut? Therefore, limiting your alcohol intake and replacing it with water you can really help to improve your gut health.

Cut the Sugar

Remove the sugar from your diet as much as possible. Sugar increases the growth of
unhealthy bacteria and fungi. The more harmful bacteria the less space for good
bacteria to thrive.

Lower Stress

Stress is a huge part of any debilitating condition and doing anything to decrease it will improve your gut as well. Go to sleep on time, take time to self-reflect and meditate, and take care of your body. Get my 101 Stress Busting Techniques Free Guide for many more tips on relieving stress since sometimes you can’t just lower it.

Resolving Gut Issues

With the right knowledge and tools, you can improve your digestive health. When working properly, your gut helps to prevent toxins from building up, while also helping nutrients to enter the body. However, when it’s not working properly, toxins and substances can leak out into the bloodstream, causing a whole host of health issues.

As you can see from the above tips, you don’t need to make drastic changes to boost your digestive health. Even just following one of the above tips will help you to see positive changes. However, if you truly want to improve your gut health, following all of the tips is highly recommended.

Surprising Benefits of Improving your Digestive Health

You already know improving your gut health is going to help your digestive system and your mental health. However, it’s health benefits don’t stop there.

In fact, there are many surprising benefits of improving your digestive health you may not be aware of. Let’s take a look at some of the most surprising benefits you can expect to experience as well.

Digestive Health Can Really Boost Energy Levels

Did you know your energy levels are largely impacted by your digestive health? This is because the gut is responsible for helping the body to absorb nutrients. If it’s unhealthy, nutrients may not be able to get through, leaving you feeling super-tired.

It’s been proven via a study that athletes who take probiotic supplements have more energy and perform much better than those who don’t. Probiotics are known to be extremely good for the gut and as I mentioned earlier are recommended to those looking to improve their digestive health.

You’ll Find It Easier To Lose Weight

Another surprising benefit is that a healthy gut can make it much easier for you to lose weight. So, if you’re finding it hard to shift those pounds, it could be down to your gut.

By increasing the level of good bacteria in the body, it helps to prevent overeating. An interesting study found that healthy mice which were given gut flora provided by obese mice actually gained weight.

Your Oral Health Will Benefit

The mouth is packed full of bacteria which can lead to bad breath, a sore throat or tonsillitis. The good bacteria found within the gut can help to combat these issues, keeping the bad bacteria in check.

If you suffer from poor oral health, you may even want to start taking probiotics to increase the good bacteria within the throat. See I said probiotics are so good for overall health.

It Prevents Excess Estrogen Levels

The final surprising benefit of improving your digestive health, is that it can help to prevent excess estrogen from forming. Bad bacteria can seriously impact how the hormones are processed.

The beta-glucuronidase bacteria is known to cause the estrogen to reactivate in the gut, leading to excess levels. However, taking probiotic supplements can help to reduce this bad bacteria.

What Surprised You the Most? 

So, there you have it – some of the most surprising benefits of improving your gut health. Which one surprised you? The gut is responsible for so many processes within the body.It is now being called the second brain even. If it’s unhealthy, it can cause a large number of issues. Therefore, if you’re looking to stay healthy, you’ll definitely want to look into these ways to improve your digestive health today. Let me know your thoughts below.