The Game-Changing Gut Health Tip We Wish We'd Known About Sooner

Struggling with bloating, frequent colds or digestive issues? It might be time to check your gut health.

We’ve all been there, feeling sluggish, battling bloat or noticing our immune system can’t quite keep up. But what if the root of all these issues lies within something most of us don’t pay enough attention to: our gut? Gut health is one of those things we don’t often think about until it’s too late, but the truth is, the signs your gut is out of balance can be more subtle than you might expect.

In fact, according to Dr. Robynne Chutkan, MD, author of THE ANTI-VIRAL GUT and host of The Gutbliss Podcast, it’s all connected—and there are simple, science-backed changes you can make today to turn things around.

Signs Your Gut Health Might Be Out of Balance

One of the most common but often overlooked signs that your gut health is out of balance is bloating. While it’s easy to write off as a simple inconvenience, Chutkan explains otherwise.

“Bloating, bowel irregularity and getting sick a lot with respiratory tract infections and food poisoning are often overlooked signs that your gut health is out of balance,” she tells Parade. “Seventy percent of your immune system is physically located in your GI tract and your immune system is regulated by the bacteria in your gut (known as the microbiome). Without a healthy gut microbiome, your immune system can’t properly do its job of protecting you against pathogens.”

Chutkan says this is most likely the reason why you’re more likely to experience things like frequent colds, viral illnesses and food-borne infections when your gut isn’t in tip-top shape.

Simple Ways to Improve Your Gut Health Today

So, what can you do to improve your gut health and avoid those frustrating symptoms? Chutkan offers three evidence-based tips that are easier to incorporate into your daily routine than you might think.

Limit Disruptive Medications

First, talk to your doctor about limiting medications like antibiotics and acid blockers that disrupt the gut microbiome. These medications, while sometimes necessary, can wreak havoc on the beneficial bacteria in your gut.

Increase Fiber Intake

Next, focus on eating more high-fiber foods like beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and unprocessed whole grains.

“Species like Faecalibacterium Prausnitzii ferment fibrous foods into short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) that are essential for regulating your immune system,” Chutkan explains. The more fiber you consume, the better your gut bacteria can do their job.

Drink More Water

Chutkan stresses the importance of hydration, saying, “Your GI tract is one long tube that runs from your mouth to your anus. If you’re not drinking enough water, your digestive pipes will get clogged and that can lead to bloating, constipation, bacterial overgrowth and even bowel obstruction in extreme cases.”

The rule of thumb: Drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water every day.

How Stress and Mental Health Impact Your Gut Health

While diet and hydration are key, Chutkan emphasizes the significant role stress plays in gut health. When you’re stressed, your body produces catecholamines like epinephrine and norepinephrine, which can disrupt the delicate balance of bacteria in your gut.

“These catecholamines can increase levels of your harmful gut bacteria ten thousand-fold and intensify their infectiousness in less than 24 hours,” Chutkan says. The result? A rise in potentially harmful bacteria, which can crowd out the beneficial ones and leave you more vulnerable to infections.

Related: This Controversial Beverage is Actually Good for Your Gut Health

Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Postbiotics: The Gut Superheroes You Need

Now that we’ve covered the basics of gut health, let’s dive into a topic that’s been trending for a while: probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics. These gut superheroes can work wonders, but how can you get them naturally through food?

According to Keri Gans, MS, RD, a registered dietitian based in New York City, probiotics are live microorganisms that provide health benefits to their host.

“They can be found in fermented foods like miso, kimchi, yogurt, and sauerkraut,” Gans says. Probiotics are essential for supporting your gut’s microbiome, ensuring a diverse and thriving community of bacteria. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are the food that probiotics need to survive and grow. Keri recommends incorporating more foods like onions, garlic and bananas into your diet to feed the probiotics.

Then there are postbiotics, the beneficial compounds produced by probiotics. These help maintain gut health and contribute to overall well-being. However, Gans also points out that it can be hard to get the right amount of these helpful bacteria through food alone.

“Many individuals do not consume nearly enough fermented foods daily to receive the right amount of helpful bacteria; supplementation can help meet these needs,” she advises.

Gut Health Myths You Need to Stop Believing

With so much information out there, it's easy to get lost in myths about gut health. One of the biggest ones Gans wishes would go away? The belief that you should automatically exclude dairy and gluten from your diet if you have gut issues.

“There could be many reasons for gut issues that are unrelated to dairy and gluten. Unless you have a diagnosed intolerance, allergy, or condition like celiac disease, there’s no need to automatically eliminate dairy or gluten,” she explains.

In fact, unnecessarily restricting these foods can reduce your dietary diversity, which is key to a healthy gut. So, next time you’re feeling off or noticing those familiar gut symptoms, remember it’s not just about what you’re eating or drinking, it’s about keeping your whole system in balance. Probiotics, prebiotics, stress management and simple daily habits like drinking more water and eating fiber-rich foods can go a long way.

After all, we wish we’d known sooner how powerful these changes could be for our gut health, and now you do too.