Fibre has other benefits to our health apart from the gut, for example, reducing our risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Fibre is only found in foods that come from a plant.

Australian adult women should be aiming to eat at least 25g of fibre a day, and men 30g. Prebiotic fibres, which are not found in all high fibre foods, may be especially helpful for our gut microbiome, as they can act as a fertiliser for the healthy bacteria in our gut.

The diversity of food on your plate can help lead to a more diverse microbiome, which is an indicator of a healthy gut microbiome. While almost all foods have had some kind of processing , it is best to eat foods that are minimally processed.

These foods retain their nutritional value and do not usually have added sugar , salt , unhealthy fats or additives such as emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners, all of which may impact your gut health. Unprocessed foods include fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, unflavoured dairy , eggs, seafood, poultry and lean red meat.

Ultra-processed foods include deli meats such as ham and salami, many breakfast cereals, ready-made meals, sweet desserts and many packaged snacks such as chips.

Water is the best fluid to drink and provides benefits to gut health. Water assists with the breakdown of food, so that your body can absorb nutrients.

Water also assists with softening stools, helping prevent constipation. Chewing your food thoroughly and eating slowly may reduce digestive discomfort such as gas, pain and bloating. Fermented foods External Link have undergone a process in which their sugars are broken down by yeast and bacteria.

While research into fermented foods is limited, the bacteria found in some fermented foods have been linked with digestive health and other benefits. Breastfeeding helps an infant develop a healthy gut microbiome, which may help protect against certain health conditions later in life.

Regular cardiovascular exercise such as walking and cycling can stimulate the muscles of the gut to move digestive contents through the body.

Stress can impact your gut health. Manage your stress levels by exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, socialising, using relaxation techniques and eating well. Not getting enough or sufficient quality of sleep may impact your gut microbiome and may contribute to digestive discomfort.

It is best to improve your gut health through food and other lifestyle factors rather than supplements. There are many nutrients in wholefoods that cannot be packaged into a single supplement. Nutrients in foods also interact with each other in a helpful way and this cannot be replicated in a pill.

Many people are interested in taking probiotic supplements. In some cases, there is research to support taking a probiotic, however just like medications, you need to take a specific probiotic for the health condition you are trying to manage.

While antibiotics can be very important and useful, they can also have a negative impact on your gut microbiome.

Antibiotics aim to kill the harmful bacteria when you have an infection or illness, but in doing so they can remove some of the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Research into gut health is relatively new and understanding of this complex topic is developing. Be careful of non-evidence-based information about gut health.

Focusing on eating healthily with the tips suggested on this page is the best evidence we have so far. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional.

The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website.

All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances.

The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website.

Skip to main content. Healthy eating. Home Healthy eating. These are available in health food stores, drug stores, and online. Some research has suggested that taking probiotics can support a healthy gut microbiome, and that it may prevent gut inflammation and other intestinal problems.

Probiotics feed on nondigestible carbohydrates called prebiotics. This process encourages beneficial bacteria to multiply in the gut. Research from suggested that prebiotics may help probiotics become more tolerant to certain environmental conditions, including pH and temperature changes.

People who want to enhance their gut health may wish to include more of the following prebiotic-rich foods in their diet:. Eating a lot of sugar or artificial sweeteners may cause gut dysbiosis, which is an imbalance of gut microbes. The authors of a study in animals suggested that the standard Western diet, which is high in sugar and fat, negatively affects the gut microbiome.

In turn, this can influence the brain and behavior. Another animal study reported that the artificial sweetener aspartame increases the number of some bacterial strains that are linked with metabolic disease. Metabolic disease refers to a group of conditions that increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Research has also indicated that human use of artificial sweeteners can negatively impact blood glucose levels due to their effects on gut flora. This means that artificial sweeteners may increase blood sugar despite not actually being a sugar.

Managing stress is important for many aspects of health, including gut health. Animal studies have suggested that psychological stressors can disrupt the microorganisms in the intestines, even if the stress is only short-lived.

In humans, a variety of stressors can negatively affect gut health, including:. Some stress management techniques include meditation, deep breathing exercises, and progressive muscle relaxation.

Although it is often necessary to take antibiotics to combat bacterial infections, overuse is a significant public health concern that can lead to antibiotic resistance. Antibiotics are also damaging to the gut microbiota and immunity, with some research reporting that even 6 months after their use, the gut still lacks several species of beneficial bacteria.

As a result, the CDC recommend that people discuss antibiotics and alternative options with their doctor before use. Regularly exercising contributes to good heart health and weight loss or weight maintenance. Research has also suggested that it may also improve gut health, which may, in turn, help control obesity.

Working out may increase species diversity. A study found that athletes had a larger variety of gut flora than nonathletes.

However, the athletes also ate a different diet to the control group, which could account for the differences in their microbiomes. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults engage in at least minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week, along with muscle strengthening activities on 2 or more days each week.

A animal study indicated that irregular sleep habits and disturbed sleep can have negative outcomes for the gut flora, which may increase the risk of inflammatory conditions. Establish healthful sleep habits by going to bed and getting up at the same time each day. Adults should get at least 7 hours of sleep per night.

Just as antibiotics can disrupt the gut microbiota, so too can disinfectant cleaning products, according to the results of one study. The research analyzed the gut flora of over infants ages 3—4 months.

The researchers found that those who lived in homes where people used disinfectant cleaning products at least weekly were twice as likely to have higher levels of Lachnospiraceae gut microbes, a type associated with type 2 diabetes and obesity.

At age 3, these infants had a higher body mass index BMI than children without exposure to such high levels of disinfectants. Smoking affects gut health as well as the health of the heart and lungs.

It also greatly increases the risk of cancer. A review of research published over a year period found that smoking alters the intestinal flora by increasing potentially harmful microorganisms and decreasing the levels of beneficial ones.

These effects may increase the risk of intestinal and systemic conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease IBD. Studies have demonstrated a significant difference between the gut microbiomes of vegetarians and those of people who eat meat.

Other symptoms can include nausea, sour or bitter taste in the mouth, difficulty swallowing, sore throat, coughing, wheezing, or repeatedly needing to clear your throat. In GERD, acid and digestive enzymes from the stomach flow backward into the esophagus, the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach.

If GERD is not treated, it can cause permanent damage to the esophagus. Celiac disease. Symptoms of celiac disease include diarrhea, fatigue, abdominal bloating and pain, and weight loss.

Diverticulosis and diverticulitis. In diverticulosis, small pouches develop and bulge out through weak spots in the walls of the colon. These small, balloon-like pouches are called diverticula.

If the diverticula become inflamed or infected, the condition is called diverticulitis. Diverticulitis can lead to severe complications, such as abscess, perforation tears in the colon wall , intestinal blockage from internal scarring, or fistula, an abnormal connection between two organs.

The most common symptoms of diverticulitis are abdominal pain and tenderness, pressure in the lower abdomen, fever, nausea, vomiting, chills, cramping, constipation, and diarrhea.

Inflammatory bowel disease IBD. IBD occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the intestines and triggers inflammation of the tissues. These areas can thicken or wear away in spots, which creates ulcers, cracks, and fissures. Inflammation can allow an abscess a pocket of pus to develop.

With UC, inflammation in the lining of the large intestine the colon causes ulcers. This can cause bleeding, diarrhea, weight loss, and fatigue. Other symptoms can vary depending on the severity of the inflammation and where it occurs in the large intestine. They include:. Irritable bowel syndrome IBS.

IBS is characterized by recurrent bouts of constipation or diarrhea or both , abdominal pain, bloating, and gas. The severity and duration of symptoms vary. Some are mild and come and go, while others are severe and last several weeks. Some people can go months or years between episodes.

Most people are never cured of IBS, but dietary changes, medication, and stress management can help manage the condition. Gallstones are hardened bits of bile that form inside the gallbladder, a pear-shaped pouch that sits just below the liver. Bile makes it easier for the body to digest fat.

Small stones can pass out of the body through the intestines. However, gallstones can cause symptoms if they get caught in the narrow outlet of the gallbladder or in the ducts that drain the gallbladder.

Symptoms include abdominal pain, usually high in the abdomen and often in the center or on the right side where the gallbladder is located , and can spread to the area of the right shoulder blade.

When symptoms recur or the gallbladder becomes inflamed, the gallbladder needs to be surgically removed. Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift.