Lifestyle factors that support gut health – do what you can to get these in order:
- Be regular with your sleep schedule and your eating schedule. Our body’s functions are controlled by internal clocks that work best when they are in synchrony with each other, and irregular sleeping and eating times can get our clocks out of rhythm. This can cause issues with sleep and digestion, and can even make us feel less than optimal.
- Sleep enough. Sleep issues are connected to gut issues and stress. Do your best to get your daily rest!
- Eat slowly and chew well. Avoid overeating. Our digestion works the best when we eat in a calm environment (activates the rest-and-digest response) and chew our food thoroughly. Pay attention to food. Avoid eating on the run or standing up, or eating when you feel out of sorts or stressed out. Begin your meal with a few deep breaths and take a moment to appreciate your food before eating it.
- Drink plenty of fluids. This is to say, avoid getting dehydrated. This often means drinking at least 6 cups/1.5 liters of fluids per day, and drinking more on hot days and when exercising. If you are drinking a lot of fluids already, drinking more is not helpful, however.
- Exercise regularly. At least 30 minutes per day. Walking counts! It’s not only your gut that will thank you.
- Avoid tight clothes and long periods of sitting. This helps avoid trapping gas in the intestines. Taking breaks from sitting is excellent for your overall health, too!
- Stress management. This is a big one! Utilizing stress release methods help us calm the gut-brain connection and switch our bodies to the rest-and-digest mode. Even if you don’t feel especially stressed out, I recommend a daily stress release practice.
The long version can be found here.
