Introduction of Gut Health: The Gut is in the gastrointestinal tract, in the whole digestive system the small and large intestines are the gut. Most microbes are found in the intestine. There are 1000 types of microbes present in the gut and the total number of microbes present in the gut is 100 trillion. Our whole body is affected by Gut or Intestinal Health. It has been observed that almost 90 percent of the diseases in the body are caused due to disturbances in the gut or intestines. A healthy gut plays an important role in maintaining good digestion as well as mental health. Bacteria have always been considered the cause of disease, but this is not full truth some bacteria helps you to keep healthy. Now, the question is how to keep our Gut Health healthy and what are the Good Foods for Gut Health. In this article we will get to know about gut health and good foods for gut health.

Functions of Small and Large Intestine :

Small intestine : 

Small intestine is responsible for absorption of the most of the nutrients from the food. It helps to further digest food coming from the stomach. It absorbs nutrients (vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, proteins) and water from the food. so, they can be used by the body, and moves the remaining part of the food in the large intestine.

The Principal function of the small intestine are :

1. Breakdown food
2. Absorb nutrients needed for the body.
3. Get rid the unnecessary components.

Large Intestine :

It is about 1.5 meter long tube, it starts from caecum and ends at rectum, large intestine absorbs the remaining portion of nutrients in the consumed food around 90% of the nutrients is consumed by the small intestine remaining 10% is absorbed by the large intestine. Good bacteria (gut bacteria) in the large intestine breakdown the remaining food absorbs remaining water and electrolytes from the remaining food also breakdown the remaining carbohydrates in the food and produces vitamins i.e. Vitamin B and Vitamin K. It stores and excretes the stool from the body.

What is gut health?

Gut health is the absorption of nutrients from food and excretes waste from the food.

We can refer to good gut health as having a healthy gut microbiome and good digestive health.

Why gut health is important?

The whole digestive tract right from the mouth covering, the stomach, and the small and the large intestines is the gut through which the food travels. Over time, it gets clogged up if you ignore servicing it, and the gut gets overloaded with toxins which then starts to damage its lining.

How do we know that our gut needs to reset?

Right from the digestion of food absorption of nutrients to the excretion of waste material, the 30 feet gut is probably the most vital system in the human body. Hence, anything going wrong in the digestive tract, the body is quick to show up its signs and signals. The most obvious digestive disorders like gas, bloating, constipation, acidity and IBS(Irritable bowel syndrome)

• Gas
• Bloating
• Constipation
• Acidity
• IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome)

Suggest that there is an imbalance between the food and bad bacteria in gut 70% of our immune system resides in the gut. so, if you fall ill often, your gut needs a service. if you often face skin problems, be sure that its root lies in the gut.

Deficient in vital nutrients, it’s a gut problem apart from this, unexplained weight changes, hormonal disorders, food intolerances, disturbed sleep, constant fatigue and poor mental health are your body’s way of saying, focus on your gut if ignored, you are inviting chronic diseases.

Why does our digestive tract gets clogged up?

Well, apart from environmental factors eating fast food, consumption of fiber less grains, irregular food timings, heavy doses of antibiotics, too much of non-veg food, deep fried food in bad oils, binge drinking, smoking  overeating regularly clogs up the intestine. Essentially, how long it takes food to get from one end to another depends on dietary habits.

Beet root test for gut health 

In fact there is a simple beetroot test to measure your own oral and transit time eat some beetroot, either as salad or cooked. Then note when does your stool turn pink. It it takes less than 36 hours, you are in a safe zone. Later than this, you should get alert so, how to cleanse the intestines.

How to cleanse the intestine?

Well, give your body an opportunity and it is component enough to cleanse itself. Yes, every-time well, give your body an opportunity and it is component enough to cleanse itself. Yes, every time you give your digestive some rest by eating light, avoiding food post sunset or fasting, an internal mechanism activity, the workers get to work and removing the waste materials.

When we sleep well at night, it eliminates toxins the signs of which can be easily noticed in the morning. The focal point being reducing the casual factors as much as possible ayurvedic scriptures propound various herbs and concoctions that help cleanse the digestive tract and reset the gut in a few days. Out of the numerous, I have selected 4 ways that helps to cleanse the digestive tract which are easy, practical and time tested.

First is Isabgol(Psyllium Husk)

Isabgol works just as a scrubber pulls out the clogged dirt of the skin and open ups its pores, isabgol or psyllium husk is literally fiber that acts as a scrubber attracting the toxic debris with itself. It is a natural probiotic act as a good bacteria thrive only on fiber. To, use it, before going to sleep at night, mix 2 teaspoons of isabgol mixed with warm milk or warm water have it continuously for 5 days and that will be enough to properly service the gut.

Second is Triphala

Triphala is combination of 3 fruits

Triphala = Amla + Harad + Baheda, this classical formulation is arguably the best for the gastrointestinal tract. It is a potent detoxifier with an antioxidant value highest among all foods. It strengthens the digestive system, soothes the intestinal walls and aids smooth bowel movements. You can have 500 mg tablet with warm water before going to sleep at night for 45 days. when consumed in a small quantity, it doesn’t act as a strong laxative but a rejuvenative  supplement that can be continued for a long period.

Third is Carrot Kanji(Medicated water)

The traditional Indian probiotic supplement which not only restores the gut microbiome but also its high vitamin C content cleans the intestines. To make it, in a mud pot, add 1 liters of drinking water. In this put 3 medium sized carrots, 1 beetroot, coarsely grounded yellow mustard seeds, rock salt, black pepper and asafoetida(hing). Cover it with a muslin cloth and let it put at warm place. Depending on environmental conditions, within 2-3 days kanji will be fermented. Then every morning, for 5 to 7 days take out 200 ml from the pot and have it 1 hour before breakfast. Not only its super tangy but with a miraculous benefits that come with it, the effects of this 5 days gut treatment can be same as long term probiotic pills treatment.

Fourth is Cumin water or Cumin powder

This is also a way for gut cleansing, but this way is slow and takes more time but this is more homely than other ways to cleanse the gut, cumin water or cumin powder not only restores the gut microbiome but also rich in vitamins and minerals.

• How to prepare cumin water and how to consume it

Cumin water can be prepared by taking one glass of water put 5 grams of cumin in the water in night time then boil this water in the morning till the water gets half glass than strain the water, then consume the water by sipping slowly-slowly this a very good way for gut cleaning and it can be continue for a long period of time up 15 days to a month.

• How to prepare cumin powder and how to consume it

Take 100 gm of cumin then cook it on light flame of gas in a utensil till the time its color changes to light brown the cumin should be cook light be aware the cumin should not be burn it takes around 2 to 4 minutes. Then grind lightly the cumin and make it in powdered form. Consume a full teaspoon daily empty stomach with light warm water.

This is also a very good way to keep your health good and the make your digestion very strong.

Each of these four ways are powerful in itself, you can choose as per your convenience.

What Are the Good Foods for Gut Health?

• Dietary Fiber (whole grains)
• Curd or Yogurt (acts as a great probiotic)
• Black Beans (vitiate properly)
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Spices (cumin, asafoetida, carom seed)
• Fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Having this food you are least likely to have intestinal problems. If you already have it, you are on the path of reversing it be sure of this.

Still if you ask me the best food for the gut are :

• Warm or normal water in between the meals avoid using chilled water.
• Spiced butter milk post lunch
• Especially bottle, luffa, and scarlet gourd
• Pomegranate
• Khichadi(a dish of rice and legumes)
• Porridge

To reduce body’s toxic overload have fresh air in the morning time, and expose your body to the morning sunlight is extremely helpful.

To recap, whatever we eat either helps our gut cells get better or it can damages them:

• Include the foods that strengthen the digestive system.
• Try reducing the toxic overload as much as possible.
• Give your digestive system regular rests.
• Practice yoga daily.
• Avoid compromising on sleep.

Foods that destroys gut health:

1. Refined sugar
2. Artificial sweeteners
3. Fried foods
4. Saturated fats
5. Fine floor and foods prepared from fine flour
6. Too much caffeine drinks
7. Too much alcohol drinking
8. Deep fried and fast foods

To reset the gut, pick any of these above given 4 ways.

If we take care of the root cause, most diseases don’t find a place to breed. This is why gut health is significant.

Following the above given suggestions will renew your gastrointestinal tract in few days  and you will feel lighter, energetic immunity will get better and the skin problems will begin to disappear.

How to Improve Your Gut Health? 

1. Drink a lot of water 8 glass of water in a day, it detoxify the body but remember water should not be very chilled.
2. Use rocksalt, if you are not suffering from high blood pressure problem use rocksalt, add some rocksalt in hot water mix it, and consume it slowly-slowly, it will clean your intestine.
3. Fiber is very essential for good gut health, one should consume adequate amount of fiber, the fiber rich food are fruits, vegetable salads are very good for gut health.
4. Lemon and honey is very much beneficial for gut health, if we take 1 glass of hot water add some honey 1 to 2 teaspoon it, consuming it is very much beneficial for stomach, it cleans the stomach and intestine.
5. Fresh juice or smoothies during day time i.e. apple juice, vegetable juice, and add aloe Vera in it,  these drinks or smoothies clean intestine and increase the movement in the intestine.
6. Herbal tea is very much beneficial for gut health, can be consume one time in a day, it is very much beneficial for gut health.
7. Ginger water is prepared by adding ginger in water boil it and stir it, consume 100 to 150 ml in a day, it reduces inflammation in intestine, controls blood pressure, prevent cancer.
8. Consuming a good amount is very beneficial for gut health rich sources of starch are potato, rice, and legumes, starch keeps the stomach healthy.
9. Probiotics such as curd or yogurt and apple cider vinegar is also a probiotic, these probiotic have healthy bacteria this healthy bacteria moves to the intestine and keeps the intestine healthy.
10. Fasting is very much beneficial for gut health, if you do fasting one or two days in a month it gives rest to the intestine, it will help to keep the intestine healthy.
11. Peppermint is very much beneficial especially who has pain in stomach can consume small amount of peppermint, or can consume peppermint water.
12. Asafoetida is very much beneficial for good gut health, using asafoetida in cooking food, or adding asafoetida in water then boiling it, then consuming that water will help in cleaning the intestine.

Gut health and weight loss:

Researches, shows that good gut bacteria able to chop food into smallest pieces that get digested, add calories to our body.

Following are the benefits of good gut health:

• Reduces unnecessary fat, especially belly fat.
• Reduces obesity.
• Makes the body slim and fit..
• Keeps energetic.
• Keeps the weight under control by removing unnecessary body fat.
• Boost the immunity because 70% of the immunity is in the gut.
• Good gut health Keeps the skin clear and glowing because a good gut removes toxins from the body and purifies the blood.
• Good gut health flushes out toxins, and bad cholesterol from the body and it helps to keep the heart healthy.

Summary of How to Maintain a Good Gut Health:

• Drink a lot of water 8 glass a day, it detoxifies the body but remember avoid drinking chilled water.
• Expose your body to sunlight in early morning time.
• Eat food timely don’t be hungry for a long time daily. Fasting a day in a month or in every 15 days is good, but being hungry for a long time daily is harmful very for gut health.
• Eat fiber rich food i.e. fresh fruits, vegetables, and salads is very much beneficial for gut health.
• Eat natural probiotics curd, yogurt, and apple cider vinegar are very rich in good bacteria and these probiotics are very much beneficial for gut health.
• Walking after half an hour of dinner is very beneficial for gut health.
• The very famous proverb is very much true for gut health “Breakfast like a king; lunch like a prince; dinner like a pauper.”
• Take dinner at least before two hours you sleep.

These are some tips if we follow, we will have a very good gut health.

I wrote this article with the motive to summarize gut health. and this article will provide you the information on how to keep our gut health fine.

I wish all the readers of the article a healthy gut life and all the success in their life.

This article is written under guidance of : Dr. Anil Kumar Sharma

(Former Additional Director Department of Ayurveda Rajasthan)

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