Gut health is something you likely would have read about before, maybe even googled or asked Chat GPT about. Pooping regularly and experiencing minimal bloating and gas is about more than just feeling comfortable. Did you know that healthy digestion reflects a healthy gut microbiome, and that our gut microbiome are involved in many processes in the body. Our gut microbiome can be thought as an additional organ in our body. They are made up of trillions of bacteria and fungi, with our own individual gut microbiome being unique to us, kind of like a finger print. The gut microbiome influence systems such as our immune system, recycling and clearance of sex hormones, mood and even help us to make some vitamins. It really does all start in the gut.

Gut health can feel complicated and many people may think to jump straight to excluding food groups to find ease of gut symptoms such as bloating, excessive gas, loose bowels or constipation. While some people with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may benefit from an elimination diet, there are many evidence-based strategies that are likely easier to implement to help ease your gut symptoms.

1. Fiber Forward

Fiber is found in two forms in the diet, soluble and in-soluble fiber. The difference between the two is how they interact with water in our large intestine. Soluble fiber dissolves and forms a gel like substance in our colon which helps to slow digestion and feed our gut bacteria. In-soluble fiber on the other hand does not dissolve in water but has a role in digestion non the less, increasing movement of our meal though our intestines and increases flow. Fiber is only found in plants and plant-based foods and adults are recommended to have somewhere between 25-30g per day for optimal digestion. Some diets, such as those in vegan or plant-based diets, may be much higher in fiber content. Suboptimal and excessive fiber can both cause digestion symptoms. Modern women are busy meaning we are often eating on the go or picking fast options which can be lower in fiber. Adding in both soluble and insoluble sources of fiber into your diet is a great place to start with digestion foundations. Some simple ideas include:

• Use soaked chia seeds (in coconut milk, stewed berries or milk of choice) to add to oats, cereals, smoothies, yoghurt

• Pick higher fiber snacks such as nuts/seeds, grainy toast and nut butter, hummus and seed crackers, fruit and yoghurt, bliss ball or chia pudding

• Add colour to your plate across the day, not just at dinner. Adding spinach to smoothies, using left over greens with eggs at lunch and pairing crackers and hummus with diced carrots are all easy ways to meet your fiber goals across the day

2. Drink up

Drinking enough fluid across the day is a key part of digestion that is often over looked. In our large intestine water and fiber interact together (remember the soluble fiber tip above) and water is reabsorbed into our system. Water also helps movement of our stomach contents along the digestion line, to our small intestine and then to our large intestine and lubricates the bowel making it more comfortable for bowel motions to move along. Everyone’s fluid requirements are different but aiming for 2-2.5 liters per day (more if you are very active) is an appropriate target for most women. Tracking your fluid intake for a day or so can be an interesting activity to see if you are meeting this target or if you could improve. Lifting your fluid intake can be done by finishing meals and snacks with a glass of water, starting the day with a hot cup of water with lemon or lime juice and if you do take any supplements finish a whole glass of water along side them (not just a mouthful). Water, electrolytes, herbal teas and broths all count towards your fluid intake.

3. Use your gut

It is estimated that ~90% of those with disordered eating habits will experience issues with digestion. Skipping meals, very low-calorie diets and avoiding food groups can all increase the likelihood of experiencing more bloating or constipation. Sometimes undereating or skipping meals is not intentional but may be due to feeling time poor and not having breakfast before work as an example. You don’t need to set alarms to eat but ideally focusing on building healthy eating habits and maintaining a routine to your eating can work wonders for constipation and bloating. Regular eating patterns is helpful for digestion as your body has its own digestion rhythm (kind of like our circadian rhythm) and routine eating patterns aids enzyme release, stomach acid production and even how often you poop.

4. Diversify

Eating a wider variety of plants gives you more opportunity to eat different sources of prebiotics, the food for our gut microbiome. This is important as a diverse intake of prebiotics helps to build a more diverse gut microbiome. Many of us cook from the same recipes or use meals on rotation but it can be easy to bring in new plants without needing new recipes:

• Use different beans, lentils and pulses in cooking – swap chickpeas for lentils as an example

• Use different nuts or seeds in recipes – add seeds to granola, oats, baking recipes

• Shop in season produce

5. Lifestyle

Stress, sleep health and movement all play a role in our gut health as well as other body systems. Long term stress can impact the heath of our gut microbiome and stress hormones such as adrenaline change our breathing patterns which can also influence the gut. When we breath with our stomach rising and falling, such as when we are feeling safe or calm, the diaphragm muscle massages the gut and promotes better digestion. This breathing pattern changes to chest breathing when we are in the nervous system state of flight or fight. Movement and exercise is also important for gut stimulation not only because exercise helps us to manage stress and overwhelm, but also because exercise uses the abdominal muscles surrounding our bowel which improves movement of our bowel.