We’ve been talking a lot about gut health and the connection between what we eat and the health of the gut. But it comes down to more than just food. You could eat a “perfectly” gut-healthy diet and still have gut dysbiosis. What????

Yep, it’s not all about the food.

Don’t get me wrong, food plays a major role in gut health. But there’s more to it than that. We talked last week about some of the things you may be doing to harm your gut. Scroll back and take a look at that post if you missed it. Today, let’s talk about healing the gut! 

I’m talking about totally FREE lifestyle factors!!! These are things you can do right now, without purchasing anything! That’s the beauty of this - no expensive pills or powders, no magical serums or creams, not even trips to different specialists who are not covered by your insurance. Anyone can do these things.

Are they going to heal your gut even if you don’t change what you eat? Nope, most likely not. It’s a balancing act.

But, by making a few lifestyle changes, you will begin to foster a more healthy internal environment in which disease and inflammation have a difficult time surviving!

It’s important to note, don’t try to implement all these changes at one time. That will be overwhelming and will likely backfire. Instead, pick one or two things that seem the easiest and work on those for a few weeks. Once you get those down and they are part of your everyday life, come back to this list and give something else a try. If something isn’t working for you, move on to the next thing and try again later. It needs to be the right time to make the change or it’s not going to work!

Let’s do this!

1. Hydration.  Most people in the United States, and likely the world, are dehydrated. We just don’t drink a lot of water and that’s likely contributing to our horrible statistics on chronic and preventable diseases. Every cell in your body, including all your organs, use water in some way. In fact, you are made up of about 60% water so it only makes sense that we need to stay hydrated. When we don’t consume enough water, the body pulls water from other places inside of us, which is not a good thing! 

   How much is enough? Some sources say at least eight glasses a day and other sources say half your body weight in ounces. I think eight glasses is a great place to start but more is likely better. 

   Does it need to be plain old water? No, you could add things like fruit, spices, or herbs to spice it up a bit. But be careful of added sugar. Water is the healthiest beverage. So make sure you get that in, and then you can include other stuff like coffee or tea. Sugary beverages are counterproductive and should be avoided especially when working to improve gut health.

   Here’s a simple trick. First thing in the morning, drink two big glasses of water. You are dehydrated when you wake up because you’ve been fasting all night. Water will help get your organs moving and wake up your brain! 

2. Mindful Eating. This is exactly what it sounds like. Chew your food, take time to be social with the people you are with, and enjoy your food. Use your senses to truly enjoy your food. This makes eating a much more pleasurable experience!

3. Time-Restricted Eating.  Let me start by saying, time-restricted eating is very trendy right now, but for all the wrong reasons. You may have heard of “intermittent fasting” which is very similar or “time-restricted feeding”.

Also, if you have a history of disordered eating or the thought of “restriction” does not sit well with you, do not do this. Disordered eating or an unhealthy relationship with food can be triggered by restrictive diets of any type, even if they occurred a long time ago. Err on the side of caution, or work with a nutrition professional to implement a safe plan for you. 

Ok, time-restrictive eating is the idea that you only eat or drink within a certain timeframe and fast during the other part of the day/evening. You want to have about a 12-13 hour window of not eating. This gives your gut microbiome a chance to rest. Just like you, those little guys need a break and don’t want to be working 24/7. 

An easy plan looks like this….

Eat an early dinner, then after dinner, no food and only water for 3-4 hours before bed, and then eat breakfast around 7 am. This will give you the 12-13 hour eating window. It will take some time to adjust, but your body doesn’t need to be eating late at night. Especially if you are consuming a high-fiber dinner that will keep you full.

4. Stress Management.  Stress can manifest with gut symptoms, even if you don’t feel stressed. Oftentimes, we become so accustomed to the go-go-go society we live in that it just becomes the norm. Stress triggers certain hormones to be released in the body which travel to the gut.

In the gut, immune receptors are activated which release specific inflammatory cytokines. These cytokines damage the gut and cause dysbiosis.

To combat this, take a serious look at your stress levels and come up with a plan. Again, even if you don’t feel stressed, make time for yourself and find a mindfulness practice or something that brings you joy, like a hobby.

5. Human Connection.  Happiness comes from human connection. Research shows that people who live together share a similar gut microbiome because they tend to eat similar foods, share similar activities, and share similar bacteria.

This is a good thing! Kissing is a perfect way to do this! Although, it also brings into question who you kiss! Gut microbiome status may become the next screening tool in online dating! 

6. Reconnect With Nature.  Being outside enhances our mood and can help improve the immune system. In contrast, electronics can disrupt hormones. Their blue lights can affect the production of melatonin when used in the evening which can disrupt sleep patterns. It’s a good idea to limit screens to no later than an hour before bedtime, more may be better!

7. Sleep and Exercise.  Besides changing your diet to include more plant diversity, sleep is the next biggest change you can make to start healing your gut.

You want to aim for at least 8 hours of good quality sleep every night. Any less than that and your body likely isn’t able to recharge and do everything it needs to do. Plus, giving your gut microbe a break from food is a great idea!

Exercise is a close third behind sleep, in my opinion. Exercise can change your gut microbiome. Research shows that different forms of exercise will have different effects on the gut microbiome.

Marathon runs have more microbes that process lactic acid to help improve endurance. Rugby players have more microbes that help to heal their bodies. Switching things up a bit is a great approach. But if you’re not currently into exercising, start with just one activity or try several different ones until you find some that fit your lifestyle and that you enjoy!

So there you have it. Plenty of ideas for you! Where will you start? There’s so much to choose from! 

If you LOVED these tips, you’re going to love the FREE ebook I put together with even more hacks to optimize your gut! Pop your info in below and download your FREE ebook right now!