3 Simple Diet Tweaks for Better Health
By Chelcee Porter, PharmD, IFMCP
Gut health is buzzing on social media and for a good reason! Your gut is the cornerstone of your health. It influences the way you think to the way you feel. If you are struggling with tummy troubles, joint pain, hormone problems, or skin issues, it’s time to take a look at your gut. But contrary to popular belief, supplements aren’t the only way to improve your gut health. In fact, the most powerful tool you have for gut health is your diet.
Your microbiome can begin to transform in as little as three days with the right dietary changes. The foods you eat provide essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that strengthen your gut lining—an essential factor in overall gut health. Let’s dive into three simple tweaks you can make to your diet today that will kickstart your gut health journey!
#1 – Ditch the processed foods
Processed foods are full of inflammatory oils and other additives that disrupt your microbiome and lining of your gut. When this happens, we start to see inflammation. This inflammation doesn’t just stay in the gut. It starts to spread to other areas of your body. When you have chronic inflammation throughout your body we see symptoms like trouble losing weight, fatigue, joint pain, and hormone problems.
Switching from processed foods to things like fruits, veggies, high quality dairy and meat, will make a huge difference in how you feel!
#2 – Bump up the fiber
The bacteria in your gut love fiber. Fiber acts as a fuel source for the good bacteria in your gut. Increasing the amount of fiber you consume every day will have your microbiome thriving! Fiber also keeps things moving through your GI tract. Having regular bowel movements daily is key for a healthy gut and helps get toxins out of your body.
Aim for at least 25 grams of fiber per day. Don’t know how to do that? Start by adding high fiber foods like chia seeds, fruits, veggies, lentils, and other beans to your diet.
#3 – Eat in COLOR!
One of the easiest ways to start making changes in your diet is to think about what colors you are eating. Each color of food plays a different role for your body by providing different nutrients. Having a colorful plate helps ensure you are getting a good variety. Your microbiome loves variety. The more variety you have in your diet, the stronger the good bacteria in your gut will be.
