Your journey to a healthy microbiome

Have you ever wondered what’s going on inside your tummy? Or how can the food you eat improve gut health? Wonder no more! We’ve researched five easy-to-manage ways of achieving the healthiest microbiome ever!

What is gut microbiome?

About 200 unique species of bacteria, viruses, and fungi call your large intestine home. This community of microorganisms is commonly referred to as your gut microbiome. The bacteria play a necessary role in digesting your food, converting it into nutrients your body can absorb.

While certain microorganisms can negatively affect your health, many are essential and beneficial for maintaining a healthy body. Here are five ways to achieve a much healthier gut microbiome.

Eat a variety of plant-based foods

A diverse diet, rich in plant-based foods is essential for a healthy gut microbiome. Foods that are rich in fibres and nutrients include fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes, and these nourish the helpful bacteria that make up your microbiome.

Health professionals recommend aiming for at least 30 different plants each week. If this number makes your eyes water, we’re here to say don’t worry – achieving this is much easier than you may think.

A great way to get most of these gut health foods in one go is in a tasty nourish bowl. Looking for nourish bowl ideas? Check out our 5 mind-blowing nourish bowl recipes; who said eating well couldn’t be tasty?

Include fermented food in your diet

Tangy, tasty, spicy and sweet – fermented foods can certainly give your taste buds a workout. They can also be a powerhouse for feeding your gut microbiome. Fermented foods like yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha are created through controlled microbial growth. This process has two important results:

• it helps preserve the food, and
• creates beneficial bacteria and enzymes

Studies have shown that yoghurt, kefir, kombucha and sauerkraut contain strains of – take a deep breath - Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. These two charmers can help improve your digestion and boost immunity. Kimchi is also rich in lactic acid bacteria that can enhance gut health and potentially reduce inflammation.

Try and include one of these foods in your diet every day. You could put a dollop of yoghurt on your cereal in the morning, sip on some kombucha at lunch, or add a spoonful of kimchi to your stir fry.

But make sure you moderate your intake of probiotic food. Some people have been known to overdose on probiotics. This is because everyone’s microbiome is genetically different. Speak to a health professional to figure out how much probiotic food is beneficial for you.

Limit your ultra-processed food and sugar

We all know how tempting it is to enjoy a cheeky bit of fast food once in a while – a treat for your cheat day. But unsurprisingly, too much of this ultra-processed food and sugar is bad for your gut health.

These fast foods often lack fiber and nutrients that beneficial bacteria thrive on, while their high sugar and unhealthy fat content can promote the growth of bad bacteria.

To reduce your chances of this imbalance of bad over good bacteria from happening, simply moderate your intake of these foods and sweeteners. Look at incorporating cleaner eating options to fill the void of junk food. Here are 10 ways you can make clean eating easy.

Exercise regularly

It wouldn’t be a Virgin Active blog if we didn’t talk about the wide-reaching benefits of exercising! Beyond benefits to your physical fitness and mental health, regular exercise has been shown in studies positively influence your gut health microbiome.

Try to do at least 30 minutes of vigorous exercise two to three times a week. One of Virgin Active’s friendly Personal Trainers can give you advice on healthy eating and tailor exercise routines to meet your needs and goals.

Spend time in nature

Stepping outside and breathing is the crisp, clean fresh air of mother nature is one of life’s great pleasures. But did you know time in the great outdoors can also benefit your gut health?

Research conducted in Finland found a positive influence the natural environment has on our microbiome and health. It was discovered that the higher numbers of shrub species in the yard around the study participants’ homes was associated with a healthier balance of gut bacteria species in their – ahem – stool samples.

Trust your gut microbiome

If there’s one thing you should take away from this article, it’s this: having a healthy gut microbiome is all about achieving a balance of nutritious gut health foods and physical activity.

If you want to learn more about ways you can improve your gut microbiome speak to a nutritionist or doctor. But if you would like to learn more about matching your microbiome-boosting diet with exercise, get in touch with us today.