Gut health is body health.
If your gut is messed up, your overall well-being will feel it too. In fact, too often, many of us consume things that upset the balance of our guts – and we don’t even know it! Even if you don’t have noticeable digestive issues like cramps, bloating, and gas, you still might be suffering silently.
Wondering what you can do to optimize your digestive health and feel better? Looking to give yourself the health advantage you’ve been missing?
Let’s cover six everyday products that affect your gut and ways to address ’em.
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1. Artificial ‘Sugar’
While a lot of us are trying to avoid sugar, it turns out artificial sweeteners aren’t all that great either. Commonly found in diet sodas, certain snacks, and other processed junk food, artificial sweeteners can definitely wreak havoc on the gut.
Whether it’s aspartame, saccharin, or something else, these sweeteners have been shown to actually increase the amount of harmful bacteria in your digestive system. This can cause all kinds of issues, even metabolic dysfunction. Fortunately, by limiting your use and going for natural alternatives like stevia, honey, and maple, you can nip these problems in the bud!
2. Coffee
Who doesn’t like a fresh cuppa Joe?
Well, if you’re experiencing intestinal or stomach discomfort, it might just be your morning pick-me-up. Due to its acidic content, coffee can often bother the lining of your stomach which can further lead to both acid reflux and heartburn. Coffee is even known to cause cramping and diarrhea in sensitive drinkers.
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So what to do? If you just can’t go without the taste of your favorite cup, go with decaffeinated. Or, drink less caffeinated coffee and pair it with a little food. Alternatively, you can always go with some herbal teas, which give you a little buzz while also providing much-needed health benefits.
3. Residues
What are residues, you ask?
Well, just take a look at your fruits and veggies. You might notice they feel glossy or sticky or look a little odd before you wash them off. If this is the case, it could be due to the pesticides used when they’re grown. While pesticides obviously kill pests, they can also kill the good bacteria in your gut, causing digestive problems and even hurting your immune system.
As always, washing your fruits and vegetables is key. And while organic alternatives may be expensive, your health will thank you in the long run. Or, if you’re feeling a little ambitious, you can even start your own garden!
4. Anything Baked
Pastries, cakes, cookies – just the thought can get us excited.
But did you know all those baked goods may be loaded with harmful trans fats that cause inflammation in your gut? In fact, many people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are being hurt by trans fats.
Fortunately, this doesn’t mean you have to stop baking. Just be sure to incorporate fats that are good for you. Coconut oil and avocado oil are fantastic substitutes, and go great with whole-grain recipes. Just cut down on sugar!
5. Dairy
The problem with dairy products like milk and ice cream is something called lactose. You’ve probably heard of ‘lactose intolerance,’ but what does that really mean?
To break it down, lactose intolerance is a condition when your body is lacking in a certain enzyme called lactase. Because of this missing enzyme, you struggle to digest lactose, which is the sugar unique to dairy items. As a result, your body reacts by bloating, passing gas, and triggering diarrhea.
The good news is, that there are plenty of lactose-free dairy products and alternative items like oat, almond, and coconut milk.
6. Food Coloring
Not all food coloring is bad, but artificial food colorings may be especially problematic. And unfortunately, they’re in all types of processed foods, from cereals to snacks and sodas. Why are artificial food dyes so unhealthy? Many reasons, actually…
Whether disruption of the gut barrier, changes in neurochemistry, or difficulty digesting, artificial food dyes present a host of problems. Red 40 is a well-known one and can trigger bloating, diarrhea, and stomach pain in susceptible people.
The best thing you can do is avoid this stuff. Scrutinize your labels, cut back on processed foods, and go natural. Good natural food colorings include things like turmeric and beet juice – which are super healthy too!
Overall, your best bet is to protect your gut health by making simple changes. Grill foods instead of frying, cut back on sugars, avoid gluten and lactose, and eat foods like yogurt, kefir, and kimchi to heal your gut.
If you’re mindful of the foods you consume daily, it’s not that hard, and actually fun!
