Metabolic health is a key measure of overall health. It refers to having ideal levels of five key markers that show how well your body processes and uses energy. These five markers include blood sugar (glucose), triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), blood pressure, and waist circumference. You might be familiar with these measures and have them tested routinely with your PCP.
Metabolic health is essential because it can help reduce the risk of many chronic health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer. You might also notice improved overall energy levels, hormonal balance, and better cognitive function.
Research on the gut microbiome suggests that changing the types and amounts of gut bacteria living in your body may improve metabolic health and, therefore, may also reduce the risk of developing chronic health issues. This article will discuss ten evidence-based strategies for improving gut health. You might be surprised to learn how easy this can be and how quickly the body responds to many small changes.
Evidence-based strategies for improving gut and metabolic health:
1. The first strategy is to eat more fiber. While this is a general recommendation, the average American consumes around 15 grams of fiber daily, which falls short of what most people need to be healthy. Healthy adults should aim to consume 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories consumed daily. This typically falls around 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. Foods that are easy to add to your diet to help you achieve this goal include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts. Adding various foods will promote better diversity (different types) of gut bacteria. Some of my favorites in the winter are chia seeds, oats, and sweet potatoes. Although fiber powders are another way to add fiber, I tend to favor using whole foods for more variety and ease of consumption.
2. The next strategy is to add more probiotic foods. Foods that naturally contain
probiotics (or beneficial bacteria) are fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, and miso, to name a few. Many people choose to take probiotic supplements, but consuming certain foods like those mentioned here is another way to increase healthy gut bacteria.
3. Try to prioritize adding prebiotic foods to your diet. Prebiotic foods contain fibers that feed the gut bacteria to help them thrive. Some top choices to include in your diet daily are onions, garlic, asparagus, and bananas. Many types of fiber supplements are available that also act as prebiotics for gut bacteria. Still, again, my preference is to consume whole foods that will naturally increase the diversity and abundance of healthy gut bacteria.
4. Consider adding polyphenol-rich foods that act as antioxidants and support gut
health. Foods rich in polyphenols tend to have nice bright colors. Try green tea, dark chocolate, and berries for a boost. Isn’t it amazing that the colors found in foods can feed the healthy gut bacteria in your body?
5. Adding foods with resistant starch can help improve the health of your colon. Resistant starch can be found naturally in foods like potatoes, rice, or pasta cooked and cooled, then reheated the next day. Lentils and under-ripe bananas are also excellent sources of resistant starch.
6. Avoid artificial sweeteners and highly processed foods, especially those high in refined sugars. These types of foods reduce the number of healthy bacteria in the gut and promote inflammation. Adding more whole foods will increase your fiber intake and make it easier to avoid processed foods with sugars.
7. Staying hydrated, especially with adequate water, can help to keep the gut microbiome healthy. We don’t often think about hydration when discussing a healthy microbiome, but water helps to keep the mucosal layer moist and strong.
8. Ensure that you are getting plenty of high-quality sleep each night. Inadequate
sleep or poor quality sleep can negatively impact gut bacteria. Pay attention to good sleep hygiene, such as keeping a consistent sleep schedule, ensuring the bedroom is cool and dark, and avoiding using phones, tablets, or other electronic devices too close to bedtime.
9. Including regular exercise and activity in your day helps to promote good gut bacteria diversity (or an increase in the number of different bacteria). This can be as simple as a 10-minute walk after each meal or something more structured like an exercise class or other activity. The idea is to increase overall movement throughout the day to help improve the gut microbiome and overall health.
10. Reducing overall stress can help improve the gut microbiome. High and chronic long-term stress can negatively impact the bacteria in your gut. Stress can lower diversity and create an imbalance in the gut bacteria. While some stress in life can be good, too much for too long creates an unhappy microbiome. Finding your tools for managing stress is essential and can be as easy as watching funny videos and laughing more often. People often think that they need to meditate to reduce stress, but stress management can look different for each of us. My favorite way to manage stress is walking in the woods, which I try to do most days, even when it’s cold and snowing because I feel so much better when I’m done.
Practical ways to incorporate healthy gut habits each day:
Start your day with a bowl of oatmeal or other whole-grain cereal topped with bananas, blueberries, and walnuts. Find combinations you enjoy but think about ways to add whole foods that contain fiber to breakfast.
Another breakfast or snack option during the day is Greek yogurt with a mix of berries on top. This combination will give you live probiotic bacteria with some polyphenol-rich fruit. Adding some crushed nuts or flaxseed will add a punch of fiber.
Cooking with onions and garlic will provide some great prebiotic fiber. This can easily be added to many recipes if it’s not already a part of a dish. Many cuisines already include this for the added flavor, but it’s also great for the gut bacteria.
Meal-prepping some potatoes is a great time-saver but will also help provide some resistant starch for your gut bacteria. These leftover potatoes can be great as a side dish for meals or even as a snack. They can be steamed, boiled, or even roasted and then cooled and stored for a few days in the refrigerator.
Try replacing any processed sweet snacks with a few squares of dark chocolate. This is an indulgent treat but will provide you with polyphenols and some health benefits. My favorite brand of dark chocolate is Hu, which comes in several flavors and is truly extraordinary!
Conclusion:
Good metabolic health is key to having energy and reducing the risk of many chronic health conditions. Improving the balance and diversity of gut bacteria can be a great way to address metabolic health through changes to diet and lifestyle.
Key Takeaways:
Increase overall fiber intake to meet the daily recommendations of ~25 grams for women and 38 grams for men.
Increase the amount of whole foods in the diet and reduce the use of processed foods.
Increase daily movement with enjoyable activities and find new ways to manage stress levels.
References
Kassaian, N., Feizi, A., Rostami, S., Aminorroaya, A., Yaran, M., & Amini, M. (2020). The effects of 6 mo of supplementation with probiotics and synbiotics on gut microbiota in the adults with prediabetes: A double blind randomized clinical trial. Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.), 79–80, 110854. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2020.110854
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