WOMANSDAY.COM / APRIL 2020 85

Health

1

2

N

aturally, a healthy belly likely

means fewer gastrointestinal

problems. But did you know

that gut health is also linked to

improved mental health, lower

risk of chronic conditions like heart disease,

and better immunity? It all starts with your

microbiome, the ecosystem of organisms

living within your gastrointestinal tract.

“These bacteria and fungi help us synthesize

vitamins as well as produce compounds

that can stimulate the immune system

or maintain the health of the colon,” says

Purna Kashyap, M.B.B.S., a member

of the scientific advisory board for the

American Gastroenterological Association.

An imbalance in the gut can trigger

inflammation, impair cognition, sour your

mood, cause acne, and, as you might expect,

lead to GI issues like diarrhea. Fortunately,

there are things you can do to keep your

microbiome happy and healthy.

FOCUS ON FIBER

“I tell people our gut is like a garden—if you feed it

good stuff, you have lovely roses, but if you feed it bad

stuff or ignore it, you get weeds,” says Mahmoud

Ghannoum, Ph.D., author of the new book Total G ut

Balance. He recommends a diet high in plant-based

proteins and cruciferous vegetables and low in saturated

fat, added sugar, and processed foods as well as refined

carbohydrates. Fiber is especially important: Unlike

simple carbohydrates such as refined white flour, which

are easily digested and converted to energy before they

reach the intestines, fiber makes its way to the small

intestine and colon. “There, the microorganisms in

our gut can take the leftovers,” says Kashyap. Women

should aim for 25 grams of fiber daily. To avoid GI issues

and help move everything through your pipes, increase

your fiber gradually and drink lots of water.

SLEEP ON

A SCHEDULE

Changes in your circadian rhythm—

caused by, for instance, switching

time zones or working nights during

the week but not on weekends—can

cause shifts in your microbiome. But

a healthy diet may lessen the effects,

which is another reason to follow

smart eating advice.

BE SMART ABOUT

ANTIBIOTICS

“If you take antibiotics to kill the

bacteria causing, say, a urinary

tract infection, the bacteria in your

gut also suffer,” says Kashyap.

That doesn’t mean you should avoid

antibiotics when needed, but you may

want to take a probiotic supplement

(containing Lactobacillus casei and

Lactobacillus acidophilus) while

on antibiotics, as some research

suggests that this might prevent GI

issues such as diarrhea that sometimes

accompany an antibiotic regimen.

3

ILL

US

TR

AT

IO

N:

S

HU

TT

ER

ST

OC

K.

W

OM

AN

:^ G

ET

TY

IM

AG

ES

.^