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Gut health is all about our digestive system, which is filled with bacteria and other microorganisms that help with digestion and can help with other health-related conditions. There are many conditions that can be partially cause by disturbances in your gut, such as Crohn’s Disease, diabetes, obesity and it has even been linked to mental health disorders. Gut health can be affected by things such as what we eat, but it will also be affected if we aren’t sleeping, exercising, or taking care of our mental health. It’s almost like our gut bacteria are another organ in our body. You might be asking yourself, so bacteria are actually helpful to our bodies? This is correct, not all bacteria are bad, and your gut bacteria can do a lot for your health. These healthy bacteria contribute to your immune system, digest fiber and keep your digestive tract and bowel function working properly.

Many choices we make can have an impact on our gut health. So, an important part of every diet should be choosing probiotic foods, which are foods that help support and build healthy bacteria in our digestive system. Fermented foods or those that have cultures in their ingredients are typically sources of probiotics.  There are some very good probiotic options out there for all sorts of diets such as yogurt, kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha, and pickled vegetables. There are many choices we make that can ultimately harm our gut health, these include alcohol, cigarettes, sleep deprivation and even stress can harm your microbiome.

Always make sure you’re taking care of your whole body, keep a balanced diet, and include probiotics when you can. Pay attention to your sleep and exercise and your whole body, including your gut bacteria will thank you for it!