Factors That Can Affect Your Gut Health: Diet, Stress, Dental Health And More

The gut is an incredibly complex system which affects your overall health in more than one way. It is known to have its own ecosystem which is home to microbiota bacteria commonly called gut flora. There are both good and bad bacteria the ratio percentage known is 85% for good bacteria and 15 % for the bad bacteria. This percentage between the good and bad bacteria seems interchangeable based on lifestyle, dietary habits and overall health, as this ratio disturbs the health complications arises. Since most of the nutrient absorption takes place in the intestine itself so the very first thing to get affected is the proper absorption of the nutrients that further impacts your overall health. Despite being such an important and complex system yet we know very little about how the gut system works.

Factors that affect your gut health

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Various factors impact the gut health in both good and bad ways, what is important here to still be able to sustain the ideal ratio between good and the bad bacteria.

1. Diet- As is the home to millions of bacteria it becomes important to stuff the gut with the food that helps these bacteria survive. Diet plays an integral part here. Food like both probiotic and prebiotic plays an integral part in the well-being of this entire eco-system. Foods like whole-grain lentils, pulses raw fruits and vegetables, buttermilk, yogurt, curd, onion, garlic, barley etc. are the foods that keep this ecosystem healthy.

Yogurt is a probiotic that helps in production of healthy bacteria in the gut
Photo Credit: iStock

2. Exposure to pathogens- You generally give deworming to kids but as you grow into adults or elderly deworming should still be a part of your routine in every once a while.

Also read: Importance Of Prebiotics For A Healthy Gut: Know Best Prebiotic Foods You Should Consume

3. Physical activities- Long sedentary hours often causes major digestion problem like constipation and acid reflux that impacts our gut health. Daily 30-45 minutes of any physical activity is mandatory.

Also read: PCOS And Gut Health: Know The Link Between PCOS And Leaky Gut And What You Can Do To Improve Your Condition

4. Stress/ anxiety/depression- This is one of the most complex factors it is difficult to give a straight statement about the impact of these on gut health. Is it the brain impacting the gut or the distorted gut impacted the brain? This factor seems like a vicious cycle. Meditation and intuitive eating practices play a very important part for your overall well being.

Levels of stress can also affect your gut health
Photo Credit: iStock

5. Dental health- Studies also suggest that somehow dental hygiene also plays an integral part. Oil pulling is a practice that you should opt for a healthy gut.

Also read: Gut-Friendly Foods You Should Have During Monsoon

You should give enough emphasis on maintaining a healthy gut. A healthy balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut is vital for your overall well-being.

(Arooshi Aggarwal is a Nutritionist at Arooshi's Nutrylife)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.