Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsImprovement With DietNon-Diet ImprovementsEffects of Gut HealthCauses of ChangesSymptoms of ImbalanceSigns of Balance
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Improvement With Diet
Non-Diet Improvements
Effects of Gut Health
Causes of Changes
Symptoms of Imbalance
Signs of Balance
Balancing your gut health through foods, supplements, and lifestyle habits is about so much more than improving digestion. Gut health is linked to physical and mental health, and an imbalancedgut microbiomecan lead to chronic health conditions.
Improving gut health may also improve quality of life. A gut-healthy lifestyle considers thefoodand drinks you’re consuming, and how you’re managing daily stressors.
This article will explore the role of bacteria in gut health and explain how to improve gut health naturally.
Terms to KnowGut microbiome: The helpful and harmful microbes, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses living in the gastrointestinal (GI) tractPrebiotics: A nutrient that feeds and balances your gut microbiomeProbiotics: Probiotics are supplements containing live organisms to improve balance in gut healthVagus nerve: largest nerve in the parasympathetic system linked to stress, rest, breathing, mood, and digestionNoncommunicable diseases: Noncontagious chronic health conditions
Terms to Know
Gut microbiome: The helpful and harmful microbes, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses living in the gastrointestinal (GI) tractPrebiotics: A nutrient that feeds and balances your gut microbiomeProbiotics: Probiotics are supplements containing live organisms to improve balance in gut healthVagus nerve: largest nerve in the parasympathetic system linked to stress, rest, breathing, mood, and digestionNoncommunicable diseases: Noncontagious chronic health conditions
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Improving Gut Health Through Diet
Recent studies demonstrate dietary changes can have significant effects ongut healthin as little as 24 hours.The following are foods to eat and avoid to improve gut health.
Foods to Eat
Focusing on foods rich in fiber, prebiotics, and probiotics can help support a healthy gut microbiome.
Food to include:
Foods to Limit
Diets high in processed foods are linked to poor gut health and the development of noncommunicable diseases.
Foods to limit include:
Supplements
How Effective Are Probiotics?The most-studied probiotic species includeLactobacillus,Bifidobacterium, andSaccharomyces.However, there’s a lack of evidence sufficient to determine the ideal type and dose for specific GI diseases or improving gut imbalances.
How Effective Are Probiotics?
The most-studied probiotic species includeLactobacillus,Bifidobacterium, andSaccharomyces.However, there’s a lack of evidence sufficient to determine the ideal type and dose for specific GI diseases or improving gut imbalances.
Expert-recommended gut health supplements include:
Mastic Gum: How Does It Benefit Gut Health?
Non-Diet Gut Health Improvements
Some gut health issues may need more than dietary modifications to see relief.
Stress Management
Managing stress is essential for improving gut health. Research has linked stress to leaky gut, which is gut lining permeability (capable of being penetrating). Stress also contributes to food cravings and digestive dysfunction.
Try the following ways of reducing stress in ten minutes or less:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Therapy Comes With Its Own RisksPsychological treatment isn’t risk free. It’s said that your overall health and any special circumstances such as pregnancy may affect the safety of these non-diet approaches to treating gut health.
Therapy Comes With Its Own Risks
Psychological treatment isn’t risk free. It’s said that your overall health and any special circumstances such as pregnancy may affect the safety of these non-diet approaches to treating gut health.
Acupuncture
The research onacupuncturefor gut health is growing, but not yet conclusive on whether or not acupuncture is an effective treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).Acupuncture may work on the vagus nerve topromote relaxation.
More clinical research is needed, but several clinical studies on humans have demonstrated improvements in IBS symptoms and gut microbiome health after acupuncture treatments.
Digestive Health
Whole-Body Effects of Gut Health
Improving the health of the gut can help the whole body in various ways.
Mental Health
Working on improving gut health may have a positive impact onmental health. Experts say mental health challenges including excess stress, anxiety, and depression can be the cause or product of gut health and digestion distress because the gut and brain are constantly communicating.
Noncommunicable Diseases
Gut health research has also consistently found links between gut microbiome health,chronic inflammation, immune system health, and the following noncommunicable diseases:
The Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders
What Causes Gut Health Changes?
The gut-brain connection explains why stress, anxiety, or depression, for example, cause and contribute to gut health changes. One review from 2023 published in the journal ofGut Microbessays other influencing factors include environmental pollution, overall diet, and lifestyle.
Medications, especiallyantibioticsfor bacterial infections, and age also play a role in gut health.
Imbalanced Gut Health Symptoms
Gut health imbalances affect every bodily system, so there are many signs and symptoms to watch for.
Common symptoms associated with imbalanced gut health include:
Methods of improving gut health naturally may not be suitable for everyone due to known or unknown underlying health conditions, food allergies, or specific dietary needs. If you’re wondering how to heal the gut, and you’re not seeing improvement with supplements and following which foods to eat and avoid, consult with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian for more a more individualized approach.
Dietitian vs. Nutritionist: Similar But Different
Signs of Balanced Gut Health
Balanced gut health looks like the absence of symptoms associated with imbalanced gut health. Research suggests a healthy or balanced gut microbiome includes a diverse and stable collection of microbes and doesn’t include pathogenic or overtly harmful organisms.
Summary
Gut health is directly related to your physical and mental health. The foods you eat and other factors like stress, pollution, and lifestyle all impact gut health. Improving gut health comes down to eating a diverse diet of whole foods rich in prebiotics, probiotics, and fiber to support a healthy gut microbiome, considering the role of supplements in your diet, and managing stress. If stress or mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression, are making it more challenging to eat for gut health, it may be time to consult with a healthcare and/or mental health professional.
20 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Singh RK, Chang HW, Yan D, Lee KM, Ucmak D, Wong K, Abrouk M, Farahnik B, Nakamura M, Zhu TH, Bhutani T, Liao W.Influence of diet on the gut microbiome and implications for human health.J Transl Med.2017;15(1):73. doi: 10.1186/s12967-017-1175-y.Harvard Health Publishing.Feed your gut.Better Health Channel.Gut health.Zhang P.Influence of foods and nutrition on the gut microbiome and implications for intestinal health.IJMS. 2022;23(17):9588. doi:10.3390/ijms23179588Sasso JM, Ammar RM, Tenchov R, Lemmel S, Kelber O, Grieswelle M, Zhou QA.Gut microbiome-brain alliance: A landscape view into mental and gastrointestinal health and disorders.ACS Chem Neurosci. 2023;14(10):1717-1763. doi:10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00127Wilkins T, Sequoia J.American Academy of Family Physicians.Probiotics for gastrointestinal conditions: A summary of the evidence. 2017;96(3):170-178. PMID: 28762696Fu Y, Wang Y, Gao H, Li D, Jiang R, Ge L, Tong C, Xu K.Associations among dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, the gut microbiota, and intestinal immunity.Mediators of Inflammation. 2021;e8879227. doi:10.1155/2021/8879227Cândido FG, Valente FX, Grześkowiak ŁM, Moreira APB, Rocha DMUP, Alfenas R de CG.Impact of dietary fat on gut microbiota and low-grade systemic inflammation: mechanisms and clinical implications on obesity.International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 2018;69(2):125-143. doi:10.1080/09637486.2017.1343286Abrahams M, O’Grady R, Prawitt J.Effect of a daily collagen peptide supplement on digestive symptoms in healthy women: 2-phase mixed methods study.JMIR Form Res. 2022;6(5):e36339. doi:10.2196/36339Akimbekov NS, Digel I, Sherelkhan DK, Lutfor AB, Razzaque MS.Vitamin D and the host-gut microbiome: A brief overview.Acta Histochem Cytochem. 2020;53(3):33-42. doi:10.1267/ahc.20011Madison A, Kiecolt-Glaser JK.Stress, depression, diet, and the gut microbiota: Human-bacteria interactions at the core of psychoneuroimmunology and nutrition.Curr Opin Behav Sci. 2019;28:105-110. doi:10.1016/j.cobeha.2019.01.011Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tips to improve your emotional well-being.Nakao M, Shirotsuki K, Sugaya N.Cognitive-behavioral therapy for management of mental health and stress-related disorders: Recent advances in techniques and technologies.Biopsychosoc Med. 2021;15(1):16. doi: 10.1186/s13030-021-00219-w.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Irritable bowel syndrome: What you need to know.Song G, Fiocchi C, Achkar JP.Acupuncture in inflammatory bowel disease.Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. 2019;25(7):1129-1139. doi:10.1093/ibd/izy371Harvard Health Publishing.The gut-brain connection.Huang Z, Li Y, Park H, Ho M, Bhardwaj K, Sugimura N, Lee HW, Meng H, Ebert MP, Chao K, Burgermeister E, Bhatt AP, Shetty SA, Li K, Wen W, Zuo T.Unveiling and harnessing the human gut microbiome in the rising burden of non-communicable diseases during urbanization.Gut microbes. 2023;15(1): 2237645. doi:10.1080/19490976.2023.2237645Hills RD Jr, Pontefract BA, Mishcon HR, Black CA, Sutton SC, Theberge CR.Gut microbiome: Profound implications for diet and disease.Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1613. doi:10.3390/nu11071613National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of indigestion.Shanahan F, Ghosh TS, O’Toole PW.The healthy microbiome—what is the definition of a healthy gut microbiome?Gastroenterol. 2021;160(2):483–494. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2020.09.057.
20 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Singh RK, Chang HW, Yan D, Lee KM, Ucmak D, Wong K, Abrouk M, Farahnik B, Nakamura M, Zhu TH, Bhutani T, Liao W.Influence of diet on the gut microbiome and implications for human health.J Transl Med.2017;15(1):73. doi: 10.1186/s12967-017-1175-y.Harvard Health Publishing.Feed your gut.Better Health Channel.Gut health.Zhang P.Influence of foods and nutrition on the gut microbiome and implications for intestinal health.IJMS. 2022;23(17):9588. doi:10.3390/ijms23179588Sasso JM, Ammar RM, Tenchov R, Lemmel S, Kelber O, Grieswelle M, Zhou QA.Gut microbiome-brain alliance: A landscape view into mental and gastrointestinal health and disorders.ACS Chem Neurosci. 2023;14(10):1717-1763. doi:10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00127Wilkins T, Sequoia J.American Academy of Family Physicians.Probiotics for gastrointestinal conditions: A summary of the evidence. 2017;96(3):170-178. PMID: 28762696Fu Y, Wang Y, Gao H, Li D, Jiang R, Ge L, Tong C, Xu K.Associations among dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, the gut microbiota, and intestinal immunity.Mediators of Inflammation. 2021;e8879227. doi:10.1155/2021/8879227Cândido FG, Valente FX, Grześkowiak ŁM, Moreira APB, Rocha DMUP, Alfenas R de CG.Impact of dietary fat on gut microbiota and low-grade systemic inflammation: mechanisms and clinical implications on obesity.International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 2018;69(2):125-143. doi:10.1080/09637486.2017.1343286Abrahams M, O’Grady R, Prawitt J.Effect of a daily collagen peptide supplement on digestive symptoms in healthy women: 2-phase mixed methods study.JMIR Form Res. 2022;6(5):e36339. doi:10.2196/36339Akimbekov NS, Digel I, Sherelkhan DK, Lutfor AB, Razzaque MS.Vitamin D and the host-gut microbiome: A brief overview.Acta Histochem Cytochem. 2020;53(3):33-42. doi:10.1267/ahc.20011Madison A, Kiecolt-Glaser JK.Stress, depression, diet, and the gut microbiota: Human-bacteria interactions at the core of psychoneuroimmunology and nutrition.Curr Opin Behav Sci. 2019;28:105-110. doi:10.1016/j.cobeha.2019.01.011Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tips to improve your emotional well-being.Nakao M, Shirotsuki K, Sugaya N.Cognitive-behavioral therapy for management of mental health and stress-related disorders: Recent advances in techniques and technologies.Biopsychosoc Med. 2021;15(1):16. doi: 10.1186/s13030-021-00219-w.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Irritable bowel syndrome: What you need to know.Song G, Fiocchi C, Achkar JP.Acupuncture in inflammatory bowel disease.Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. 2019;25(7):1129-1139. doi:10.1093/ibd/izy371Harvard Health Publishing.The gut-brain connection.Huang Z, Li Y, Park H, Ho M, Bhardwaj K, Sugimura N, Lee HW, Meng H, Ebert MP, Chao K, Burgermeister E, Bhatt AP, Shetty SA, Li K, Wen W, Zuo T.Unveiling and harnessing the human gut microbiome in the rising burden of non-communicable diseases during urbanization.Gut microbes. 2023;15(1): 2237645. doi:10.1080/19490976.2023.2237645Hills RD Jr, Pontefract BA, Mishcon HR, Black CA, Sutton SC, Theberge CR.Gut microbiome: Profound implications for diet and disease.Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1613. doi:10.3390/nu11071613National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of indigestion.Shanahan F, Ghosh TS, O’Toole PW.The healthy microbiome—what is the definition of a healthy gut microbiome?Gastroenterol. 2021;160(2):483–494. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2020.09.057.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Singh RK, Chang HW, Yan D, Lee KM, Ucmak D, Wong K, Abrouk M, Farahnik B, Nakamura M, Zhu TH, Bhutani T, Liao W.Influence of diet on the gut microbiome and implications for human health.J Transl Med.2017;15(1):73. doi: 10.1186/s12967-017-1175-y.Harvard Health Publishing.Feed your gut.Better Health Channel.Gut health.Zhang P.Influence of foods and nutrition on the gut microbiome and implications for intestinal health.IJMS. 2022;23(17):9588. doi:10.3390/ijms23179588Sasso JM, Ammar RM, Tenchov R, Lemmel S, Kelber O, Grieswelle M, Zhou QA.Gut microbiome-brain alliance: A landscape view into mental and gastrointestinal health and disorders.ACS Chem Neurosci. 2023;14(10):1717-1763. doi:10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00127Wilkins T, Sequoia J.American Academy of Family Physicians.Probiotics for gastrointestinal conditions: A summary of the evidence. 2017;96(3):170-178. PMID: 28762696Fu Y, Wang Y, Gao H, Li D, Jiang R, Ge L, Tong C, Xu K.Associations among dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, the gut microbiota, and intestinal immunity.Mediators of Inflammation. 2021;e8879227. doi:10.1155/2021/8879227Cândido FG, Valente FX, Grześkowiak ŁM, Moreira APB, Rocha DMUP, Alfenas R de CG.Impact of dietary fat on gut microbiota and low-grade systemic inflammation: mechanisms and clinical implications on obesity.International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 2018;69(2):125-143. doi:10.1080/09637486.2017.1343286Abrahams M, O’Grady R, Prawitt J.Effect of a daily collagen peptide supplement on digestive symptoms in healthy women: 2-phase mixed methods study.JMIR Form Res. 2022;6(5):e36339. doi:10.2196/36339Akimbekov NS, Digel I, Sherelkhan DK, Lutfor AB, Razzaque MS.Vitamin D and the host-gut microbiome: A brief overview.Acta Histochem Cytochem. 2020;53(3):33-42. doi:10.1267/ahc.20011Madison A, Kiecolt-Glaser JK.Stress, depression, diet, and the gut microbiota: Human-bacteria interactions at the core of psychoneuroimmunology and nutrition.Curr Opin Behav Sci. 2019;28:105-110. doi:10.1016/j.cobeha.2019.01.011Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tips to improve your emotional well-being.Nakao M, Shirotsuki K, Sugaya N.Cognitive-behavioral therapy for management of mental health and stress-related disorders: Recent advances in techniques and technologies.Biopsychosoc Med. 2021;15(1):16. doi: 10.1186/s13030-021-00219-w.National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Irritable bowel syndrome: What you need to know.Song G, Fiocchi C, Achkar JP.Acupuncture in inflammatory bowel disease.Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. 2019;25(7):1129-1139. doi:10.1093/ibd/izy371Harvard Health Publishing.The gut-brain connection.Huang Z, Li Y, Park H, Ho M, Bhardwaj K, Sugimura N, Lee HW, Meng H, Ebert MP, Chao K, Burgermeister E, Bhatt AP, Shetty SA, Li K, Wen W, Zuo T.Unveiling and harnessing the human gut microbiome in the rising burden of non-communicable diseases during urbanization.Gut microbes. 2023;15(1): 2237645. doi:10.1080/19490976.2023.2237645Hills RD Jr, Pontefract BA, Mishcon HR, Black CA, Sutton SC, Theberge CR.Gut microbiome: Profound implications for diet and disease.Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1613. doi:10.3390/nu11071613National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of indigestion.Shanahan F, Ghosh TS, O’Toole PW.The healthy microbiome—what is the definition of a healthy gut microbiome?Gastroenterol. 2021;160(2):483–494. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2020.09.057.
Singh RK, Chang HW, Yan D, Lee KM, Ucmak D, Wong K, Abrouk M, Farahnik B, Nakamura M, Zhu TH, Bhutani T, Liao W.Influence of diet on the gut microbiome and implications for human health.J Transl Med.2017;15(1):73. doi: 10.1186/s12967-017-1175-y.
Harvard Health Publishing.Feed your gut.
Better Health Channel.Gut health.
Zhang P.Influence of foods and nutrition on the gut microbiome and implications for intestinal health.IJMS. 2022;23(17):9588. doi:10.3390/ijms23179588
Sasso JM, Ammar RM, Tenchov R, Lemmel S, Kelber O, Grieswelle M, Zhou QA.Gut microbiome-brain alliance: A landscape view into mental and gastrointestinal health and disorders.ACS Chem Neurosci. 2023;14(10):1717-1763. doi:10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00127
Wilkins T, Sequoia J.American Academy of Family Physicians.Probiotics for gastrointestinal conditions: A summary of the evidence. 2017;96(3):170-178. PMID: 28762696
Fu Y, Wang Y, Gao H, Li D, Jiang R, Ge L, Tong C, Xu K.Associations among dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, the gut microbiota, and intestinal immunity.Mediators of Inflammation. 2021;e8879227. doi:10.1155/2021/8879227
Cândido FG, Valente FX, Grześkowiak ŁM, Moreira APB, Rocha DMUP, Alfenas R de CG.Impact of dietary fat on gut microbiota and low-grade systemic inflammation: mechanisms and clinical implications on obesity.International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition. 2018;69(2):125-143. doi:10.1080/09637486.2017.1343286
Abrahams M, O’Grady R, Prawitt J.Effect of a daily collagen peptide supplement on digestive symptoms in healthy women: 2-phase mixed methods study.JMIR Form Res. 2022;6(5):e36339. doi:10.2196/36339
Akimbekov NS, Digel I, Sherelkhan DK, Lutfor AB, Razzaque MS.Vitamin D and the host-gut microbiome: A brief overview.Acta Histochem Cytochem. 2020;53(3):33-42. doi:10.1267/ahc.20011
Madison A, Kiecolt-Glaser JK.Stress, depression, diet, and the gut microbiota: Human-bacteria interactions at the core of psychoneuroimmunology and nutrition.Curr Opin Behav Sci. 2019;28:105-110. doi:10.1016/j.cobeha.2019.01.011
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tips to improve your emotional well-being.
Nakao M, Shirotsuki K, Sugaya N.Cognitive-behavioral therapy for management of mental health and stress-related disorders: Recent advances in techniques and technologies.Biopsychosoc Med. 2021;15(1):16. doi: 10.1186/s13030-021-00219-w.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Irritable bowel syndrome: What you need to know.
Song G, Fiocchi C, Achkar JP.Acupuncture in inflammatory bowel disease.Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. 2019;25(7):1129-1139. doi:10.1093/ibd/izy371
Harvard Health Publishing.The gut-brain connection.
Huang Z, Li Y, Park H, Ho M, Bhardwaj K, Sugimura N, Lee HW, Meng H, Ebert MP, Chao K, Burgermeister E, Bhatt AP, Shetty SA, Li K, Wen W, Zuo T.Unveiling and harnessing the human gut microbiome in the rising burden of non-communicable diseases during urbanization.Gut microbes. 2023;15(1): 2237645. doi:10.1080/19490976.2023.2237645
Hills RD Jr, Pontefract BA, Mishcon HR, Black CA, Sutton SC, Theberge CR.Gut microbiome: Profound implications for diet and disease.Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1613. doi:10.3390/nu11071613
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms and causes of indigestion.
Shanahan F, Ghosh TS, O’Toole PW.The healthy microbiome—what is the definition of a healthy gut microbiome?Gastroenterol. 2021;160(2):483–494. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2020.09.057.
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