5 Tips for Better Digestive Health

There are simple, proactive changes that you can make to your diet and lifestyle today to benefit your digestive health now, and throughout your life. Desiree Nielsen, registered dietitian and education specialist for Bio-K+, offers her top five tips on how to maintain a healthy digestive system.

1. Bolster your body’s healthy bacteria.

Intestinal bacteria communicate with the nervous system, so ensuring a healthy internal bacterial community is critical. Did you know that most of the serotonin in the body is produced in the gut? And that intestinal bacteria can influence the amount of serotonin produced? Probiotics such as Bio-K+, available as a pill or in a drinkable format, help by protecting and reinforcing your naturally selected community of healthy bacteria.

2. Eat high fibre plant foods.

Fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains feed beneficial bacteria because they are high in dietary fibre. Eating plenty of plant foods helps ensure the growth of the right kind of bacteria.

3. Keep intake of sugar and saturated fat low.

Both of these substances, common in our modern hyper-processed diet, foster the growth of more harmful intestinal bacteria and create inflammation that further harms your beneficial bugs.

4. Meditate.

You might think of this as a suggestion for your mental health, but stress has a direct effect on digestive health too. Stress is linked to flare ups of irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease and can increase inflammation that damages the gut and the bacteria residing there.

5. Exercise.

The gut is a muscle…and you encourage healthy movement when you move. Constipation is common in our sedentary lifestyles and exercise helps improve elimination.

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