Happy Gut Health Month!

Gauri Donald, Dietitian

It’s time to recognise the important role out gut plays in our life. We now know our Gut can influence not only our digestive health but also our immunity, metabolic health, cardiovascular health and even our Mental health.

So how do we improve our gut health? Is it all about the gut microbiome? Is it enough just to add in any probiotic to our diet. Which ones should we be using?

There is a whole spectrum of probiotics out there however each particular one will have it’s own array of benefits it promises to deliver. So, we really need to get to know our little live friends and which is the best one for us. Looking at the evidence base behind a Probiotic you choose to use is essential in knowing if it is going to deliver what you are looking for.

As with any live creature, the probiotics we are adding to our system need the right food and environment to survive. So how do you get the right diet for better gut health? Prebiotics, as you would have heard are equally as important in our diet as Probiotics. These substances in our food pass through our gut without being absorbed in our small intestine and can become food for the gut bacterial population (probiotics that you’ve added in and the ones already existing in you).

A healthy diet with a good variety and volume of plant based whole foods; like fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and legumes, are essential in achieving a good amount of probiotics. We need a whole range of these fibres (soluble, insoluble, resistance starches, prebiotics) which all do their various jobs in creating a healthy gut. A fibre supplement will often only provide one of these fibre types, whereas a healthy balanced diet can provide the full spectrum of fibres, be delicious, and feed that good gut bacteria.

If you’ve been on any restrictive diet whether it be Keto diet or a low FODMAP diet, Dairy free or Gluten free diet, cutting out any of these food groups without dietary guidance from a dietitian can result in reduced fibre intake and a deprived gut biome.

Gauri is an independent consultant who runs her own medical model within The Madison Medical Practice.

Phone 9000 9955 to make an appointment with Dietitian Gauri Donald to discuss this issue.