Let’s Talk About Supporting Your Gut Health

You’ve likely heard much about gut health, but do you know what it truly means? Inside your gut lives a large microbiome consisting of trillions of beneficial bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi — each of which keeps the delicate balance of your gut health in check.

However, lifestyle choices and certain foods significantly affect gut health, allowing harmful bacteria to flourish. As gut health declines, so does immunity and other issues within the body.

At Texas Digestive Disease Consultants, Dr. Ilyas Memon provides various treatments and tips to keep your gut health in check. If you’re living with uncomfortable abdominal pain, constipation, or diarrhea, Dr. Memon provides an endoscopy and colonoscopy to get to the root of the problem.

What exactly is gut health?

Gut health is an essential aspect of overall wellness. The intestines contain over 200 species of viruses, bacteria, and fungi, which keep everything working in and throughout the body.

The gut regulates many body functions and is essential for immunity, digestion, and mood. The whole body suffers when lifestyle habits, foods, and other factors affect the delicate biome in the gut.

A healthy gut means good bacteria are nutritious, and destructive bacteria, viruses, and harmful fungi are in check. Dysbiosis happens when the gut microbiome is not as it should be, leading to various medical conditions and symptoms.

Consequences of poor gut health

When your gut isn’t working correctly, your stomach suffers. Poor gut health leads to malfunctions throughout the body.

Although issues like irritable bowel syndrome and acid reflux are common with an unhealthy gut, other issues pop up with poor gut health, including:

• Skin problems
• Chronic fatigue
• Digestive issues
• Autoimmune disorders
• Mental health issues
• Weight gain
• Liver and kidney issues
• Infectious illnesses

The first sign of an unhealthy gut is digestive problems like gas, bloating, and heartburn. Diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and constipation are other likely signs of poor gut health.

The best way to maintain immunity and physical and mental wellness is to control your gut. Keeping your gut healthy allows you to control other issues in the body without a trip to the doctor.

Lifestyle tips to support your gut

Taking control of your gut health may seem impossible, but it’s straightforward. You must eat a nutritious diet and make simple lifestyle changes to keep your gut microbiome healthy.

Dr. Memon provides various lifestyle hacks and tips to keep your gut in good working order, and they include:

• Lower your sugar intake
• Avoid smoking
• Cut back on alcohol
• Look into probiotics
• Control your stress

These steps are essential in keeping the good bacteria healthy in the gut. Smoking, alcohol, stress, and too much sugar allow the bad bacteria to flourish, overcoming the good bacteria and leading to uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms and health issues.

Foods that support your gut's microbiome

It’s easy to fall into processed foods with a hectic life — but they wreak havoc on your gut health. To keep your gut healthy, you must choose whole foods and cut back on overly processed and sugary foods.

Certain foods are better than others to support your gut health, including fermented foods, prebiotic foods, and others that include:

• Kimchi
• Sauerkraut
• Kefir
• Kombucha
• Fermented vegetables
• Miso
• Tempeh

High-fiber foods are also essential to keeping your gut working as it should. Fiber adds bulk to your stool and helps prevent constipation. It also aids in healthy digestion, which reduces issues like gas, bloating, and abdominal discomfort.

If food alone isn’t making your gut happy, Dr. Memon may recommend over-the-counter prebiotics and probiotics to give it a healthy boost.

To learn more about supporting your gut health, call one of our conveniently located offices in Texas or request a consultation using our online booking feature.