Healthy food
Eat a high-fibre diet
You will take good care of yourself if you eat as many unprocessed and high-fibre products as possible. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. Also, always choose the wholemeal version of bread, pasta, rice, crackers or wraps. Wholemeal flour is made from the whole grain and therefore contains the most fibre. Try eating potatoes more often and have a handful of nuts, kernels or seeds every day. And regularly eat legumes such as lentils, chickpeas and kidney beans. These are rich in fibre and also contain a lot of protein, iron and vitamins.
Vary widely and make your plate colourful
A healthy microbiome consists of many different types of good bacteria. These are obtained from high-fibre foods such as vegetables, fruit, wholemeal cereal products, legumes, nuts and seeds. Diversity is the keyword in the microbiome. Vary as much as possible with high-fibre products. It is best to put all the colours of the rainbow on the menu. More shades on your plate means more variety. That is exactly what is needed to keep your belly healthy.
Avoid highly processed products
Heavily processed foods such as biscuits, sweets and crisps are not good for you or your microbiome. By eating highly processed products, you feed the ‘harmful’ bacteria in your microbiome. As a result, they increase in number and there is less room for good bacteria. Why is ‘processed’ not good? You want the good bacteria to have space in your microbiome too, because it is precisely the good bacteria that help you stay healthy. You give them less space by eating highly processed foods. Did you know that about 70% of the foods available in the supermarket are processed? A long list of ingredients on the label is often not a good sign.
Try eating fermented food
Fermented food contains live bacteria. If you regularly eat fermented food, these beneficial bacteria will occupy more and more space in your intestines. This gives ‘bad’ bacteria less chance to settle there. This improves the condition of your microbiome. Unfortunately, they do disappear after a while. For a lasting effect, you need to supplement them regularly. In other words: put fermented foods on the table more often. Examples of fermented foods are yoghurt, kimchi, kefir or sauerkraut. Although these products are good for your microbiome, not all fermented products are healthy. Some, for example, contain too much salt or sugar.
Give your digestive system a rest
If you eat all day long, your digestive system has to work constantly and has less time for other important processes. After each meal, a kind of cleaning crew is on hand to clean up the leftovers. Give your intestines time to do this.
Eat mindfully, chew well and eat slowly
If you eat mindfully, your senses will be stimulated and you will taste your food better. This way you can enjoy the delicious, fresh meal you have made even more. If you chew well, you will eat more slowly and therefore often eat less.
Drink enough
Drink 1.5 to 2 litres a day. Choose water, tea or black coffee. Fibre and fluids belong together. Fibre needs fluid to swell. Drinking plenty of fluids is very important on a high-fibre diet. Otherwise the fibre will have the opposite effect and can lead to diarrhoea or constipation.
Make the right high-fibre choice in the supermarket
Also take a good look at the labels of the grain products you buy. Compare a few to see which ones contain the most fibre. It is not always easy to find the wholegrain variety. And another tip: walk along the outer ring of the supermarket. That is where you will usually find the fresh and healthy products. The shelves in the middle are mainly full of processed and often less healthy foods such as soft drinks, snacks and sweets.
Exercise
In addition to nutrition, exercise is also good for your gut. Getting enough exercise helps keep your body healthy. Whether it’s walking, cycling, running or swimming, choose a form that suits you and that you enjoy. It helps digestion run more smoothly. Exercise supports the blood flow to the intestines. It stimulates the squeezing and pushing motion of the intestines, causing food to move further through the intestines. This improves the absorption of nutrients and the removal of waste products.
Are you not getting enough exercise?
Then your intestines may start to work more slowly. This can lead to constipation. The reverse is also true. Getting enough exercise can prevent constipation. Moreover, exercise appears to have a positive effect against bowel cancer and conditions such as intestinal diverticulosis.
Relaxation
Your body needs to relax. Stress can disrupt the digestive system. You will recognise this when you are very nervous or tense. Try to make time for relaxation. Get enough sleep and do fun things. Your body recovers during moments of inaction.
Are you getting enough sleep?
Getting enough sleep is also good for your digestion. We recharge our batteries at night and process all the stimuli and impressions of the day. Getting enough sleep also stimulates the hunger-suppressing hormone leptin. Those who sleep poorly become less sensitive to it. This may also explain why you sometimes feel like having that unhealthy snack after a bad night’s sleep.
