While there is no doubt of the importance of food and diet when it comes to gut health, it can sometimes ‘steal the spotlight’ entirely, meaning that other important factors get overlooked. It’s these other factors that we will look at here, and how you can take small and easy action steps to support your gut, either before you move on to considering the dietary element, or (ideally) to try alongside your dietary efforts.

It’s amazing how many things can influence the health of our gut and its microbiome, and to what extent they can do so.

It’s amazing how many things can influence the health of our gut and its microbiome, and to what extent they can do so. If you want to support your gut, but find the vast information expanse of ‘diet’ too overwhelming right now, there are still things you can try to tweak that your gut will be grateful for. We often sabotage ourselves by thinking that change must be done perfectly or isn’t worth doing at all - wrong! Imperfect action will always trump perfect inaction. Baby steps are better than no steps. One small positive change is better than no change. So, take your pick!

1.GET ENOUGH GOOD QUALITY SLEEP

The balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut is affected by how long and how well you sleep. Disturbances in your natural circadian rhythms can actually alter the gut microbiome, negatively affecting this balance between the good and bad gut bacteria. Melatonin, the hormone which regulates your sleep cycle (and is also linked to the permeability of your gut), is produced in the gut as well as your brain, so sleep- and gut-health truly are interlinked.

The occasional bad night here and there isn’t something to stress about, however, if you’re suffering from more long term sleep deprivation, this could be negatively affecting your gut and even contributing to inflammation in the body.

If you’re suffering from more long term sleep deprivation, this could be negatively affecting your gut.

While each individual’s exact sleep requirements may vary somewhat, it is generally accepted that we should ideally be aiming for an average of 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep. The uninterrupted part is very important, more so than the total sleep time, as far as optimising gut health is concerned.

Action Steps: Try to establish a workable sleep routine for yourself, so as to regulate your body’s circadian rhythm. Stop eating at least 3 hours before you sleep, and try to avoid caffeine later in the day. Do something to help you wind down (have a bath, do some yoga or breathing exercises, listen to some calming music, read a book etc), try to limit screen/tech time so that you’re not using any of your devices for an hour before sleeping (to reduce sleep-compromising blue light exposure), and aim to get into bed around the same time every night, and wake up at the same time each day. A cool, dark and quiet room has been determined to be the optimum sleep environment. And if you do wake up in the night, don’t immediately reach for your phone – maybe try a relaxation technique you’re comfortable with to help you get back to sleep.

2. REDUCE STRESS LEVELS

That managing stress is important for your health is well-known, and this absolutely includes the health of your gut. In fact, both psychological and physical stress has been established as a key contributing factor in gut dysbiosis. This means that, via the gut-brain axis, stress can directly disrupt the microorganisms in your gut.

The gut-brain axis is the direct line of communication that exists between your brain and your digestive system. This communication creates a type of ‘feedback loop’, whereby what’s happening in your brain affects your gut, and vice versa. This is precisely the reason that the gut is often referred to as “the second brain”.

Both psychological and physical stress has been established as a key contributing factor in gut dysbiosis.

We’ve all experienced the effects of stress on our digestive system at one time or another, be it an ‘upset stomach’, stress-induced nausea or running to the bathroom due to exam nerves, and the reasons for this are multi-dimensional: stress affects both the bacteria in the gut (by reducing the diversity of microbes - good bacteria in particular - while creating a favourable environment for bad bacteria to flourish), and the mechanics of the gut (either speeding it up or slowing it down), meaning that it can cause both outright physical discomfort, but it can also affect things like the absorption of nutrients and the amount of gas produced in the gut.

Action Steps: While eliminating stress altogether can feel like an impossible dream in this day and age, there are various things you can try to help manage and minimise it, such as - meditation, breathing exercises, going for a walk, spending time in nature/with a pet, regular exercise, yoga, aromatherapy, massage, spending time with loved ones, journaling etc.

3. BE CAREFUL OF OVERUSING ANTIBIOTICS

While antibiotics are of course often necessary when it comes to dealing with bacterial infections, antibiotic overuse has become a real area of concern. In fact, the CDC has estimated that around 30% of antibiotic prescriptions in the US are unnecessary!

Overuse of antibiotics is the main reason for the worrying increase in antibiotic resistance, meaning that when we truly need this medicine to work for us, it can’t because more and more bacterial strains are becoming resistant to antibiotics (and are often dubbed ‘superbugs’ for this very reason).

Some research even shows that several species of good bacteria are still lacking even 6 months after the use of antibiotics.

The clue for why and how antibiotics are harmful to gut health is in their name: anti- (against) + bios (life). Their purpose is literally to kill bacteria. While we want them to wipe out the bad bacteria that are causing problems and are behind an infection, the good bacteria that we want to protect and help flourish within our digestive tract, also get wiped out in the process. This causes an inevitable microbial imbalance in the gut, which can be challenging to undo. In fact, some research even shows that several species of good bacteria are still lacking even 6 months after the use of antibiotics.

Action Steps: While antibiotics cannot (and should not) be avoided in certain cases, they are often routinely recommended when not fully needed, so it’s certainly worth having a careful discussion with your doctor about their necessity, and any alternative options, before taking them.

4. AVOID ALCOHOL & SMOKING

This suggestion is not new in the field of overall health and wellness, but it also has a direct impact on your gut health.

Alcohol irritates the intestinal lining, can increase intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”) and excess consumption can elevate the production of C-reactive protein (CRP) - a key marker of inflammation. Alcohol also turns to sugar in the body, which not only has a negative effect on immune function, but also feeds bad bacteria and promotes their growth in your gut, contributing to dysbiosis.

Alcohol irritates the intestinal lining, can increase intestinal permeability and excess consumption can elevate the production of C-reactive protein (CRP) - a key marker of inflammation.

Smoking, in addition to increasing the risk of cancer, actually causes negative changes in the gut microbiome, decreasing levels of good bacteria, and increasing potentially harmful microorganisms.

Action Steps: Any steps you take towards reducing your alcohol intake and stopping smoking will specifically help your gut, as well as your overall health.

5. HYDRATE

Drinking plenty of water is a simple way to promote gut health. Staying hydrated helps regulate bowel movements, prevents constipation and is crucial to the digestive process as water, combined with stomach acids and enzymes, aids the breakdown of foods and extraction of nutrients.

Your body needs fluids to help move food through your system. If you aren’t getting enough, then there won’t be sufficient amounts available for this process, so your body will need to pull fluids from your large intestine, resulting in slow digestion, bloating, and even constipation.

Your body needs fluids to help move food through your system.

While everybody’s body and precise needs can vary, the general recommendation is that you should aim to drink 1.5 litres per day. You may need more depending on the climate (hot and sweaty days need more water), how much you are exercising (and therefore sweating), or how much fibre you’re eating (fibre absorbs water in the gut so you need to drink more to compensate) etc.

Action Steps: Here are some tips to help you stay on top of your hydration -

Don’t wait to feel thirsty. In fact, feeling thirsty means you’re probably already dehydrated so don’t ignore this signal from your body.
Keep a water bottle handy are refill it throughout the day – this also makes it easier for you to keep track of just how much you’re drinking.
Try to avoid drinking from plastic bottles, and look into buying a water filter. Some water bottles come with their own in-built filter as well, which is helpful for when refilling on-the-go.
If you find plain water boring, try “infused water” - simply add fresh fruit and herbs to your water to create a tasty alternative.
Try this Homemade Electrolyte Drink for days with increased hydration needs.
For tips on “eating your water” by consuming foods with a high water content, check out this post.

6. LOOK AFTER YOUR ORAL HEALTH

The phrase “good digestion begins in the mouth” is well-known, but it’s usually interpreted only in terms of chewing our food thoroughly (which is of course very important – see tip 7 below). However, it also relates to the health of your mouth, and your oral microbiome, to be more precise.

Every time we swallow, we ingest the various bacteria that are in our mouth, most of which are good and important for our health and that help as part of the digestive process. But we also swallow any bad bacteria that is in our mouth, and this naturally moves down into the digestive tract, and becomes part of the gut microbiome, with the potential of negatively changing it.

Poor oral health can worsen gut inflammation, and IBD (Crohn’s and colitis) in particular.

Oral bacteria spreading throughout the body has been associated with various systemic diseases. Indeed, a study has found that poor oral health can worsen gut inflammation, and IBD (Crohn’s and colitis) in particular.

Action Steps: The goal here isn’t to kill off all bacteria and ultimately sterilise your mouth! That could in fact have negative knock-on effects, as the mouth is not supposed to be a sterile environment. So don’t start guzzling harsh antibacterial mouthwash as a solution. Instead, you can focus on maintaining good oral health by brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing regularly, having regular dentist check-ups and cleanings, and just as you don’t want to feed the bad bacteria in your gut by giving them processed and sugary foods, the same goes for the bad bacteria in your mouth.

In a nutshell: the healthier your mouth and oral microbiome are, the healthier your gut (and the rest of your body) will be.

7. EAT SLOWLY & CHEW WELL

It’s important for optimum digestion to chew your food thoroughly and eat your meals slowly.

As mentioned above, digestion begins in the mouth. Firstly, chewing alerts the rest of your digestive system to “start its engines”! Secondly, this is the important “mechanical digestion” part of eating: it’s the only chance we have to mechanically break down our food (the rest of the digestive process is chemical). By chewing well, we expose more surface area of the food to the enzymes and chemicals that will act on it in order to ensure optimum digestion. Remember – there are no teeth in your stomach!

Eating slowly and calmly is also very important. When you eat too quickly, you are certainly not chewing your food properly, but you are also very likely swallowing air as you eat, and this is a recipe for bloating and post-meal discomfort.

Take your time when you eat, relax, try not to multitask, but rather focus on your food, take smaller bites, chew well, and enjoy the process of eating your meal.

When we are stressed, our body enters ‘fight or flight’ mode, which focuses on the physiological actions we need in order to fight or run from an enemy or immediate threat - digestion is not in this category, and so, being ‘non-essential’ to our immediate survival, it gets de-prioritised, even suppressed, during times of stress. It's always far better to eat when in ‘rest and digest’ mode (the clue is in the name!), when you are relaxed and your body is in an ideal state to receive food.

Action Steps: Take your time when you eat, relax, try not to multitask, but rather focus on your food, take smaller bites, chew well, and enjoy the process of eating your meal.

8. INCORPORATE REGULAR EXERCISE

While regular physical movement is important for overall health, it’s also good for the gut. Physical activity has a positive effect on the microbiome, by seemingly increasing the diversity of microbes living in the gut.

Exercise has also been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects, which is great for reducing any symptoms of inflammation you may be having in the gut (a key issue in IBD). Moving your body can also help encourage the healthy movement of your gut, which is key for elimination and getting rid of bloating.

Physical activity has a positive effect on the microbiome, by seemingly increasing the diversity of microbes living in the gut.

Action Steps: Don’t think you need to be hitting the gym daily or running marathons to reap the benefits of exercise! Even shorter durations of moderate exercise have positive effects. A 20-minute walk or swim is a great place to start, and if you are unwell or low on energy, some gentle yoga or stretching can also be beneficial. Focus more on the idea of simply moving your body, rather than the concept of intensive exercise.

9. GET IN TOUCH WITH NATURE

As the world has become increasingly industrialised, we have become more disconnected from nature in our daily lives, and this has a negative impact on our microbiome.

The more contact we have with nature, animals and other people, the more diverse our microbiome becomes. People who grow up in cities have a less diverse gut microbiome, precisely because they interact with nature less often and less closely, while, by contrast, growing up in a more microbe-rich rural environment, can create greater diversity in the gut, and lead to a healthier immune system as a result.

The more contact we have with nature, animals and other people, the more diverse our microbiome becomes.

‘Bugs’ are everywhere, and most of them are actually harmless, and even beneficial, for our health. Of course, this is currently a challenging concept to wrap our head around, what with the prevalence of a certain virus starting with “C” and ending with “19” that we are all very familiar with at the moment! Sanitising, isolating, mask-wearing and using all sorts of anti-bacterial products has become the norm in the last couple of years, to the detriment of our microbiome.

Action Steps: Now, I’m certainly not suggesting you stop all such precautions and start licking doorknobs to boost your microbiome! But there are things you can do to help compensate for all the anti-bacterial action going on. Simply getting outside and in contact with nature is a great start, maybe try going barefoot, hug a tree, spend time with a pet – these little things can all help your gut and, as a bonus, they are great for stress-reduction, which your gut (and overall health) will absolutely thank you for.

10. CONSIDER TRYING A PROBIOTIC

“Probiotic” is essentially another word for beneficial bacteria, and while dietary adjustments, as well as many of the suggestions laid out here, can increase the probiotics in your gut, many people choose to take supplements for this purpose.

Research suggests that taking probiotic supplements can support a healthy gut microbiome, and may even prevent other intestinal problems, including inflammation in the gut. By taking a supplement, you are essentially increasing the abundance of your healthy gut bacteria, as well as ensuring you are getting certain targeted probiotic strains suited to your health needs.

By taking a supplement, you are essentially increasing the abundance of your healthy gut bacteria, as well as ensuring you are getting certain targeted probiotic strains suited to your health needs.

For this reason, and because not all probiotic supplements are created equal, it’s always best to discuss supplementation with a healthcare provider, to ensure you get one that supports your particular health requirements. Furthermore, while probiotics are very safe to take for the vast majority of people, there are certain conditions under which probiotics are not recommended, including in cases of SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) severe illness, or a highly compromised immune system.

Action Steps: If you and your medical practitioner decide that taking probiotics is right for you, this could be a great, and easy, way to help support your gut health.

TO SUM UP:

Various small, and seemingly unrelated, lifestyle factors can have a significant impact on your gut and the health of its microbiome. Why not stack the deck in your favour and support your gut by trying them out?

10 Ways To Support Gut Health (That Have Nothing To Do With Your Diet)