Sandra Mikhail on how to maintain a healthy gut
Before delving into gut health strategies, I always prioritise defining its essence, as it’s a common question I get. Gut health encompasses a beautifully constructed world that works in synergy, influencing our overall wellbeing. It is also influenced by a synchrony of the pillars of Nutrition, Mind, Movement, and Sleep. Despite inevitable disturbances like diarrhoea or constipation, the focus remains on our gut’s recovery and resilience.
Many of us can go on to develop a faulty gut with two contributing factors that are out of our control; ageing and genetics. An external trigger is needed such as the “environment” to flick the switch on the development of some gut disorders such as coeliac disease and inflammatory bowel disease but we won’t be getting into this today.
There are a number of factors that we can control that can trigger a faulty gut and they include:
- A diet low in fibre and poor in plant-diversity.
- A diet high in processed and red meat.
- High stress levels that remain unaddressed.
- Being sedentary.
So, where should you start? Use my 4-pillar approach below that can help you harness a blissful gut…
Nutrition
If I had to only choose two things to work on when it comes to nutrition and gut health, it would most definitely be:
- Focusing on having 30 plant ingredients per week
Aim to include at least 30 different plant ingredients in your diet each week. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds are packed with fibre, antioxidants, and phytonutrients that nourish your gut microbiota and promote a balanced and resilient ecosystem within your digestive system.
- Consuming more butyrate-producing foods Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid produced by the gut microbiota through the fermentation of dietary fibres, particularly those found in foods like barley, chickpeas and oats. Butyrate plays a crucial role in maintaining gut barrier function, reducing inflammation, and supporting overall gut health.
Movement
In my book The Gut Chronicles, I introduce readers to the concept of WYP. The WYP (Walking, Yoga, and Pelvic Floor Exercises) is a trio of exercises that can significantly contribute to better gut health. Walking, a simple and cost-effective activity, stimulates the digestive tract, promoting regular bowel movements and reduces bloating. Incorporating nature into walks adds a stress-relieving element, benefiting both the mind and movement. Yoga, often underestimated, has scientific backing for improving gut symptoms and reducing inflammation. Its focus on the gut-brain axis and breathwork aids relaxation and alleviates uncomfortable gut symptoms. Pelvic floor exercises are crucial for maintaining bladder and bowel continence, strengthening muscles essential for urinary and bowel functions. Proactive care for the pelvic floor ensures optimal function and prevents issues associated with ageing, injury, or childbirth.
Mind
One gut-health practice under this pillar that everyone should be consistent with is diaphragmatic breathing. Stress management is essential for gut health, as the gut and brain are intricately connected through the gut-brain axis. Diaphragmatic breathing, also known as belly breathing, activates the body’s relaxation response, reduces stress hormone levels, and promotes optimal digestion and gut function.
Sleep
Just as we have a regulated internal body clock called our circadian rhythm, so does our gut microbiome. If our sleep is disturbed, its natural rhythm is disturbed, possibly jeopardising our gut health. Two steps you can start implementing include avoiding caffeine after 12pm and ensuring that your final meal is 3 hours before bedtime.
If you’re left wanting more, Chapter 12 of my book takes an in-depth look at every pillar with practical strategies that you can incorporate today!
By Sandra Mikhail
About Sandra Mikhail
Sandra Mikhail is an internationally-known accredited practising dietitian, author of The Gut Chronicles (Published by Hammersmith Books, £19.99) and the founder and director of Nutrition A-Z. She is also known as the gut-health dietitian “making poo talk salon chic”, breaking the taboo around topics many find themselves secretly searching the internet for. Sandra holds a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics(Monash University, Australia), a Master of Advanced Studies in Nutrition and Health (ETHZ) and is still an active member of Dietitians Australia. She also holds a Sports Nutrition Diploma by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Being a globe-trotting dietitian, she has extensive experience in clinical practice, nutrition consulting and health promotion, working in Australia, the UAE and Switzerland. Her main areas of specialty are digestive disease, sports nutrition, eating disorders and corporate health working with popular brands and partners such as the Swiss football club FCZ, She’s Mercedes, Johnson & Johnson, Thomson Reuters, Samsung and Adobe to name a few. As a mental health advocate, her workshops and articles on stress and nutrition have gained popularity internationally where she was personally invited by Arianna Huffington to contribute to her global platform Thrive and has appeared on CNN to talk about nutrition and stress in the workplace.