Gut health goes beyond relieving occasional or irregular bowel movements.
Everyday, the best-selling cookbook author sticks to these gut health non-negotiables to support a healthy body.
First things first, its important to establishwhygut health even matters.
More importantly, it helps absorb nutrients from the foods we eat.
While a healthy gut microbiome is essential for digestion, its impact is far-reaching throughout the body.
Your immune health, sleep, and cognitive function are all linked to your gut microbiome.
Immune health
The gut plays an active role in your immune response.
Immune cells in the gut interact with your microbiome to train how they respond to fight off pathogens.
Research even links a more diverse microbiome with a naturalboost in your immunity1.
This means a healthy gut is essential to quality sleep.
Whats more, theres a positive correlation between increased microbiome diversity and sleep efficiency.
Cognitive function
The link between your gut health and cognition is known as the gut-brain axis.
Gut microbiota produce neurotransmitters, like serotonin and GABA, that play a role in regulating mood and emotions.
Here are a few expert-approved tips to get you started.
You need fluids to keep food moving down the gastrointestinal tract, explains Amidor.
Your water needs will vary based on factors likeage, sex, and activity levels.
And while water should be a top priority, Amidor says its important to consider all liquids.
Any fluidcoffee or soupscounts towards your daily fluid intake, Amidor adds.
Keeping a can of sparkling water at her desk throughout the day.
Taking a probiotic every single day.
Most importantly, your probiotics need to actually make it to the gut.
Thats why Amidor is a huge fan of Jarrow FormulasJarro-Dophilus EPS.
The shelf-table probiotic has a special EnteroGuard Coating to protect the probiotics from stomach acid.
Of course, whats inside this capsule matters just as much.
These antioxidants canincrease the helpful or good bacteria5in your gut:BifidobacteriumandLactobacillus.
Eating plenty of dietary fiber.
I confirm to eat high fiber foods every day, says Amidor.
Get moving every single day.
When Amidor was younger, her mom would encourage running around to get her bowels moving.
Now the registered dietitian sees it as a natural way to support her gut health.
Movement helps your gut motility, explains Amidor, who prioritizes tennis, HIIT classes, and reformer Pilates.
During digestion, the muscles in your GI contract and stretch to keep food moving through your digestive system.
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