13 Gut Health Hacks: Boost Your Digestive Health With Ease

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Gut health is an important topic in the health and wellness industry. Having a healthy gut brings many benefits, including better digestion, proper absorption of vitamins and minerals, and better immune function.

We’re all on the lookout for ways to boost the health of our gut microbiome and lead a healthier, happier life, but what can you actually do to have a healthy gut?

In this article, we’ve listed 13 of our top gut health hacks that are guaranteed to support good bacteria in your gut, improve the function of your digestive tract, and promote overall gut health. Have a look now to take the first steps toward better gut health.

13 Gut Health Hacks You Should Know About

From fermented foods to fiber-rich foods, what we eat can have a huge impact on our gut health, so choosing foods that are better for your digestive system is a really easy way to reduce digestive symptoms and feel better yourself.

And it’s not just the food we eat either. Below are 13 different gut health hacks that we have found to work to improve gut health and make you feel better in general – and you’ll be surprised to find they’re not all related to food consumption!

Take a look below to find tips and tricks for a healthier, happier digestive system.

#1 Eat fiber-rich foods

Fiber is the number one macronutrient for your gut, and fiber-rich foods should be at the top of your list for gut-healthy foods. Fiber comes in two forms, soluble and insoluble, and both work together to keep everything moving along nicely.

As soluble fiber makes stool bulkier and softer, insoluble fiber essentially acts as a sweeping brush, moving stool along your colon. Eating more fiber can ensure you have regular bowel movements and help with constipation, as well as reduce gas and bloating.

You can find soluble fiber in food sources like oatmeal, chia seeds, lentils, apples, and blueberries. You’ll find insoluble fiber in food sources, including quinoa, kale, brown rice, legumes, and fruits with edible skin.

On top of this, there is another form of a plant fiber called prebiotic fiber. This can be found in plant foods like onions, leeks, chicory root, and Jerusalem artichoke and is essentially food for your gut bacteria. It helps the gut microbiome thrive and provides more balanced gut health.

As well as aiding digestive health, fiber also plays a role in blood sugar regulation and can help you feel fuller for longer, inducing appetite control and offering potential benefits for weight loss.

Getting more fiber in your diet is essential for gut health, but some people might find it difficult.

#2 Choose foods packed with probiotics

Probiotics are essentially live forms of bacteria that help the healthy bacteria in your gut thrive. Probiotic supplements exist, but the best way to get probiotics into your diet is through probiotic food, like fermented foods.

Really great sources of probiotics come from products like kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, and sourdough bread. All of these products go through a fermentation process and contain the bacteria needed for good gut health.

While you can buy probiotic supplements, we always recommend a food-first approach. By eating an array of probiotic foods, you’re getting a much more diverse range of probiotics into your diet to feed the literally millions of bacteria in your gut.

On top of promoting good gut health, there is evidence that probiotics could be useful in reducing symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease, promoting better immune function, and reducing the risk of some types of cancer, including colon cancer. Some probiotics might also help to treat leaky gut syndrome.

#3 Drink water frequently

Staying properly hydrated is an easy way to fend off constipation and irregular bowel movements. If you’ve got enough water in your body, your stool will be soft, bulky, and easy to pass.

In addition, drinking water has been linked to a more diverse range of gut bacteria and may actually prevent bad gut health.

#4 Hydrate yourself with herbal teas

While hydration is key, there are several herbal teas that can ease digestive symptoms like stomach cramps, bloating, and gas. Peppermint tea, for instance, has been used for centuries to ease indigestion.

Ginger, a favorite Ayurvedic herb, makes for a delicious and tummy-friendly tea. Dandelion root tea is thought to help ease indigestion, promote gut health, and keep things moving, and turmeric tea is a great anti-inflammatory.

#5 Practice mindful and slow eating

Mindful eating is linked with the meditative practice of mindfulness and is used to develop a healthier relationship with food. It promotes the idea of eating slowly, eating for good health, and using physical cues to know when to eat.

Changing the way you think about food can help aid weight loss, reduce overeating and binge eating, and help you focus on foods that are good for your gut and overall health. If you’re new to meditation and self-awareness, you may try one of the many mental health apps to help you get started.

#6 Exercise regularly

Recent studies have found a link between healthy bacteria in the gut and exercise. The study showed that exercise led to more diverse bacteria, weight reduction, and reduction in gastrointestinal symptoms. It recommended exercise as a method of rebalancing the gut microbiome and supporting treating chronic digestive issues.

Additionally, exercise is constantly listed among home remedies for constipation as it is known to help get things moving again. Indeed, studies show it to be an effective therapy for easing the symptoms and discomfort of constipation. Yoga is perfect for relieving constipation and bloating.

On top of being good for your gut and gastrointestinal tract, exercise has benefits for your overall health. Studies show it promotes brain health, has been used for improved mental health, and benefits heart health too.

With all these benefits, it may be worth adding a short walk to your morning routine to promote better overall health.

#7 Incorporate more veggies into your diet

Vegetables are an important part of a balanced diet and can promote digestive health. Leafy greens, for instance, are full of vitamins and contain sugars that promote a balanced gut microbiome.

Vegetables are also a source of soluble and insoluble fiber, which, as we know, profoundly affects gut health and regular bowel movements. Indeed, there is even evidence to suggest that a diet rich in vegetables and fruit could actually prevent illness resulting from bad bacteria in the gut.

Nutritional advice for a healthy and balanced diet always includes eating lots of vegetables. This is because of their high fiber content as well as being low in fat and packed full of essential vitamins and minerals for good overall health.

#8 Avoid sugar and processed foods

Generally, the more processed and refined a food is, the less healthy it is for you. Processed foods tend to be much lower in fiber than whole, unrefined foods, and they often contain additives and preservatives to change the taste of the food, including added sugar.

The typical Western diet is extremely high in this processed food, and much research has been done to show their negative effects on digestive health. Processed food has been shown to increase the risk of a number of chronic diseases and metabolic disorders, including diabetes and heart disease. It has also been linked to chronic inflammation.

For a healthier and more balanced, gut-friendly diet, stick to whole and unprocessed foods, ensuring you eat lots of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, beans, nuts, fish, and seeds.

#9 Try drinking ACV before meals

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is a natural prebiotic known to aid digestion. It is thought to raise acid levels in the stomach, promoting better digestion and overall gut health. Most evidence of apple cider vinegar’s benefits for gut health is anecdotal, but many people swear by this remedy.

On top of gut health, ACV is also useful in the regulation of blood sugar levels and may have benefits for those trying to lose weight.

#10 Eat more fermented foods

We’ve discussed the benefits of fermented food as probiotics for restoring health to your gut flora and gastrointestinal tract, but this kind of food may have other benefits for your gut on top of this.

The fermentation process used to create foods like sauerkraut and kombucha actually breaks down some of the sugars and starches in the product for you. This makes these foods easier to digest and puts less stress on your digestive system.

Additionally, some foods, like legumes, contain what are known as “anti-nutrients.” These compounds, namely phytic acid, make it more difficult for the body to absorb nutrients. When foods are fermented, these anti-nutrients are broken down, making nutrient absorption easier for the body and ensuring we get all the vitamins and minerals we need.

#11 Get enough sleep

Good sleep is integral to good health. During sleep, our body can re-energize, restore, and renew itself. It also uses this time to fight inflammation and heal itself. But did you know that your sleep quality also has a direct impact on your gut health?

There are a few ways sleep impacts gut health. Firstly, lack of sleep increases the stress hormone cortisol. Increased cortisol can lead to digestive problems like leaky gut, inflammation, and abdominal pain.

Being sleep-deprived also makes you more likely to reach out for unhealthy, processed, and sugary foods, which have a negative effect on the gut microbiome. Indeed, sleep deprivation has actually been linked to a higher risk of obesity.

Lastly, staying up later makes you more likely to eat closer to bedtime. Eating later in the evening or within one hour of sleep can disrupt your circadian rhythm. This internal body clock is responsible for a number of hormone secretions and bodily processes, and disruption can lead to poor gut health.

Getting at least 7 hours of sleep a night is important for health. If you struggle to sleep, there are several things you can try, including reducing artificial lighting in the evenings, drinking soothing and sleep-friendly teas, diffusing lavender oil, and speaking with a doctor if you have had prolonged sleep problems.

#12 Calm your mind

Stress has a huge impact on our health, and prolonged stress can lead to several health problems, including digestive issues. High levels of stress can lead to gastrointestinal issues and problems with digestion.

The gut and brain are inextricably linked, meaning that when one is healthier, so is the other. To get stress under control, you could try practicing mindfulness and meditation, taking up yoga, or speaking with a mental health professional about your worries and problems.

#13 If nothing helps, consult with your doctor

Unfortunately, there comes a point when you have tried everything and your gut health is still causing you problems. If you’ve tried eating better, getting more sleep, and reducing stress, and nothing has helped, it may be time to consult your doctor or try a holistic nutrition consulting service.

Your doctor or nutritionist can help you rule out any underlying conditions and offer treatment programs to get your gut health back on track.

Conclusion

Good gut health is essential for overall health, and we have provided a number of different methods of getting it back on track. Remember, the key is to eat a varied, balanced, and whole diet, avoiding processed and refined foods as much as possible.

If these gut health hacks aren’t working, it may be time to seek professional medical advice to get your gut health back on track.