3 Lifestyle Changes to Improve Your Gut Health

Looking after the careful balance of our gut microorganisms may seem like something solely attributed to our diet. However, our lifestyle factors can impact our gut health. Here are 3 lifestyle changes you can make to support your gut and boost your overall health.

Exercise

There are many reasons you should try to exercise regularly; weight maintenance, heart health and muscle maintenance are just a few. In terms of your gut, studies have suggested that having a regular workout regime may increase the variety of gut flora in your body. Aim for two and a half hours of moderate-intensity exercise and 30 minutes to 1 hour of muscle-strengthening activities twice a week.

Reduce Stress

Stress can upset the microorganisms in your gut as well as impacting other aspects of our health. Psychological stress, disturbed sleep and extreme temperatures can all be causes of stress. Research suggests that just small amounts of stress can impact the gut. While sometimes out of our control, we can do things to manage our stress. Taking a bath, meditating, exercise or reading a book are all ways we can reduce stress. Find what works for you and set some time aside each day.

Sleep

According to studies, poor sleep or irregular sleeping habits may negatively impact our gut flora and increase the risk of inflammation. Aiming for a regular bedtime and wake up time and try to get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep to get the most benefits for your gut and overall health.

If you would like to know how healthy your gut is our innovative Functional Gut test will provide you with a gut health score and offer personal dietary and lifestyle advice on how to improve your gut health. The test is available to buy here.