Wellness Wednesday: Gut health

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – “Gut health” refers to the health of your digestive system and the microorganisms that live in it.

A healthy gut can benefit digestion and metabolism, can help to lower your stress levels and can boost your immune system. Poor gut health, on the other hand, can lead to digestive conditions, allergies and even mental health disorders.

“It can help prevent some cancers, and it can help to control some autoimmune diseases that some of us may have. But then, overall, when you have a better mental clarity and a better immune system, you’re going to feel better.” Sarah Smith, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian with University of Michigan Health – Sparrow, said. “With all of the healthy bacteria in our gut, so many things can destroy that, which then would lead our gut to feeling unhealthy or leaving us to feel like we don’t have as much energy…So, making sure that healthy bacteria is as healthy as you can make it, is going to be beneficial for you.”

Smith says to start with what you eat – a well-diverse diet can improve your gut health. So can specific things like kefir, sauerkraut and yogurt.

“We can feed that good bacteria with fiber-containing foods…fruits and vegetables, plant-based proteins and grains,” Smith explained. “Making sure that you’re having some fermented foods also is going to be helpful…Making sure that it has live and active cultures in it.”

Keep in mind, certain medications, including antibiotics, can destroy that healthy bacteria in your gut. Smith suggests talking with your physician to make sure you’re taking the right probiotic to prevent the destruction of healthy bacteria.

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