When the gut health revolution began a decade or so ago, few could have predicted the sheer variety of pre and probiotic foods that we would come to embrace in our diets. From kimchi and natural yogurt to fiber-rich jerusalem artichoke and probiotic shots, microbiome-nourishing foods and supplements once deemed left-field have become everyday essentials for many — with plenty of evidence that they help our gut bacteria to thrive.
While many of us assume that diet is the only way to feed the trillions of microorganisms (including bacteria, fungi and viruses) that make up the microbiome, there are myriad daily habits that can help nurture this important part of the body.
“Diet often takes center stage in discussions about the gut microbiome, and rightly so — it plays a major role,” says Emily Leeming, a scientist, dietitian and research fellow at King’s College London, and author of Genius Gut. “But it’s just one part of a much bigger picture. Our entire lifestyle — from stress levels and sleep quality to time spent outdoors — profoundly shapes our gut health. Everything we come into contact with can influence the ecosystem that lives there.”
Photo: EPA
Since the gut has a big influence on all aspects of our physical and mental health, it makes sense to look after the microbiome that drives it. Here are just a few ways to do that.
KISS
You may have to kiss a lot of frogs before finding your prince — but here’s an upside: each (French) kiss can transfer up to 80m microbes in just 10 seconds, making some of those awkward dates potentially worthwhile … at least for your gut.
“The mouth is the gateway to your gut and digestive tract, and it’s home to billions of bacteria that can easily make their way down,” says Leeming.
But before you pucker up, there is a catch.
“It does matter who you kiss,” says Amati. “If someone has strep throat or an imbalanced oral or gut microbiome (which can manifest as persistent bad breath, tooth decay and bleeding gums), those are not microbes you want to share.”
The more intimate we are with another person generally, the more microbes we will exchange — so pick your relationships wisely.
GET IN THE GARDEN
Soil is “the richest habitat on the planet” and contains billions of beneficial microbes that can make their way into and on to the body, says Leeming. In fact, a remote group of Amazonian hunter-gatherers, who live in close contact with nature and walk barefoot on nutrient-rich soil daily, were found to have the most diverse gut microbiota ever recorded in humans.
Most of us wear shoes outdoors, but there are gut health benefits to be gleaned from going barefoot in the park, as well as spending time in forests and getting our hands dirty in the garden or allotment. Not only do these activities boost mental wellbeing, they’ve also been linked to greater microbial diversity. Research shows that people — especially children — who garden tend to have more diverse gut microbiomes than those who don’t.
The more we can engage with the natural environment, the better, whether that’s tending to a house plant or hugging a tree.
“Forest air is much richer in beneficial microbes than the air inside, so even breathing fresh air can improve your health,” says Leeming.
COOK, THEN COOL, YOUR CARBS
Make the most of starchy, carbohydrate-rich foods, such as potatoes, rice, pasta and bread by allowing them to cool after cooking, and then eating them. This creates resistant starch, a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion in the small intestine.
“Instead, it reaches the large intestine, where our good bacteria feed on it,” says nutritionist Emily English. “In doing so, they produce compounds that help maintain a healthy gut lining, reduce inflammation and even support blood sugar balance.”
You can reheat these foods after they have been cooled and the resistant starch will remain.
Whether it’s a pasta dish you eat the next day or fresh bread you freeze and toast later, this simple kitchen hack transforms the gut-boosting potential of everyday foods, making them better for your gut than they were when you first cooked them. “Overnight oats and not-quite-ripe green bananas also offer plenty of resistant starch,” says English.
TAKE A BREATH
A growing body of research shows our gut microbiome and emotional wellbeing are intrinsically linked. Stress and mood disorders such as depression can even affect the composition of our gut bacteria. Most of us can’t just opt out of stressful lives or situations, but we can tap into our breathing. Deep, conscious breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system (our body’s “rest and digest” mode) promoting repair, regeneration and a calmer state of mind.
“When we use the breath in a certain way, we speak the nervous system’s language,” says transformational breathwork coach Rob Rea. “This helps the body shift out of the high alert, fight-or-flight sympathetic response and into the parasympathetic rest-and-repair mode. In this calmer state, the body’s systems can work at their best, restoring balance, repairing everyday wear and tear, and counteracting the effects of stress.”
By contrast, when we remain stuck in fight-or-flight, the body diverts resources away from functions such as digestion, channeling blood toward the muscles that would have helped us escape a threat in the wild. This survival strategy leaves the digestive system under-resourced, slowing motility, reducing blood flow and limiting the production of digestive enzymes to break down food. Shifting back into the parasympathetic state reverses that pattern, allowing digestion to resume its full function, with improved circulation, healthy motility and better nutrient absorption.
Before breathwork, Rea encourages his clients — who include business executives and celebrities — to master the simple (but surprisingly difficult) practice of sitting still, in silence, for five minutes a day. “It sounds easy, but with attention spans now hovering around eight seconds, it’s more challenging than ever,” he says.
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