7 Foolproof Ways To Reset Your Gut Health This Summer
Summer is in full swing and while you may be living your best life, your gut may be in need of a little extra TLC. After all, things like processed foods, alcohol and even stress may wreak havoc on your digestive system -and in turn your gut.
If you're looking for a little reset, we've got you covered! This week on the Vibrant Health blog, we're sharing 7 foolproof ways to optimize your gut health this summer.
Here's How to Optimize Your Gut Health this Summer
- Invest in a High Quality Probiotic
- Go for Gut-Friendly Summer Produce & Whole Foods
- Fill Up on Fermented Foods
- Stay Hydrated
- Skip the Added Sugar
- Slow Down & Eat Mindfully
- Limit Stress
1. Invest in a High Quality Probiotic
Probiotics are the cornerstone of a healthy gut, so it's about time you invest in a high quality probiotic supplement for support. Loaded with the good bacteria, probiotics work to restore digestive health in the body. Our go-to probiotic is our Green Vibrance plant-based superfood powder, packed with 25 billion probiotics per serving to help strengthen digestion and immune health. Win, win! To really help you hit the reset button on your gut health, we suggest Digestive Vibrance, with 100 billion probiotics per serving, it provides nutritional support to help the body heal itself. Digestive Vibrance contains fermentable fibers, 100 billion probiotics, and a group of specific ingredients all carefully selected to improve digestion and bowel health.
2. Go for Gut-Friendly Summer Produce & Whole Foods
We're all about promoting a gut-healthy diet ‚ one that is chock-full of fiber-rich whole foods. Fortunately, the summer months offer an abundance of gut-friendly seasonal produce to choose from like blueberries, leafy greens, and avocados. Here are some more of our favorite summer veggies to try this season!
Whole grains, fatty fish, grass-fed meats, beans, legumes and healthy fats (like extra virgin olive oil) are also great foods to promote digestive health this summer. Here are some more tips for incorporating a gut-healthy diet this season and beyond.
3. Fill Up on Fermented Foods
While you're at it, you‚ll also want to integrate fermented foods into your diet this summer for an added gut-health boost! After all, regular consumption of fermented foods may promote healthy gut microbiota.
This summer, mix naturally fermented foods into your diet like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kombucha. Have fun adding them into your diet this season by making a cooling tzatziki dip with yogurt or grabbing a watermelon kombucha on your way to the beach!
4. Stay Hydrated
You know it‚s important to stay hydrated and drink your water, but did you know it also plays an important role in gut health?
Be sure to stay hydrated during the summer heat by sipping on water or coconut water throughout the day. You can also incorporate summer foods high in water content such as watermelon, cucumber and berries. Here are some more cool down tips to beat the summer heat!
5. Skip the Added Sugar
It's ice cream season, and while it's fine to indulge in a sweet treat every now and then, be mindful of pesky added sugars this summer. Processed foods and added sugar may wreak havoc on your digestive system, and tend to sneak their way into summer go-tos (everything from barbecue sauce to frozen yogurt).
There's no need to deprive yourself this summer; simply be aware of reading food labels. You can also opt for low sugar natural alternatives like this gut-friendly Chocolate Coconut Nice Cream, starring our Green Vibrance superfood powder.
6. Slow Down & Eat Mindfully
Take a tip from your yoga class, and bring mindfulness into your mealtime this summer! Mindful eating not only allows you to be more present, but it also reduces stress on the digestive system (a major win for gut health).
Try taking a deep breath before diving into your food, noticing your environment (i.e. the smell of the ocean or the feeling of the sunshine on your face), and thoroughly chewing your food. Here are some more mindful eating tips to support your summer gut health reboot!
7. Limit Stress
Speaking of digestive stress, with the hustle-bustle that summer brings, now is also an ideal time to take a look at your overall stress. In fact, studies have shown that stress can negatively impact the gut microbiota, and in turn your overall immune function.
What areas in your life are causing unnecessary stressors? How can you make more time for yourself this season to slow down and breathe? Here are some steps you can take to help manage your stress levels through diet!
DISCLAIMER: This information is not intended as a substitute for advice provided by a competent health care professional. You should not use this information in diagnosing or treating a health problem. No claim or opinion in this blog is intended to be, nor should be construed to be, medical advice. If you are now taking any drugs, prescribed or not, or have a medical condition, please consult a competent physician who is aware of herb/drug interactions before taking any herbal supplements. The information presented herein has not been evaluated by the FDA or the Department of Health and is not intended to diagnose, prevent, cure, mitigate or treat any disease or illness.
