Get Better Gut Health in the New Year

As we shift into a brand-new year, you may be deciding on a New Year’s goal. Consider letting the upcoming year bring forth the healthiest version of yourself by focusing on ways to invigorate your gut wellness. Having a healthier gastrointestinal system can improve your general health in many ways you may not have even thought about.

The dedicated team at Hattiesburg GI Associates, PLLC has put together some general information concerning methods for better digestion. Discover how you can improve your gut wellness with a few suggestions from our Hattiesburg, MS digestive specialists.

What are the benefits of good gut wellness?

When your digestive wellness is not up to par, it can influence every facet of your life. Within our digestive system, we have a detailed relationship between good and bad microbes. When that microbiome is disproportionate, it can be the reason for various GI issues. Poor gut health might affect your sleep, elevate your levels of stress, and put you at risk for other health problems. Alternatively, when we keep track of our gut health, the benefits are endless. A few of the ways that having good GI wellness can positively increase your overall GI wellness include:

• Brain to health advantages
• Management of weight
• Increasing your bone strength
• Enhancing your sleep quality
• Healthy heart advantages
• Improving your mood
• Boosting your immunity

As a whole, evidence suggests that the GI microbiome is important for overall wellness. Any lifestyle alterations you incorporate to advance your gut health will not only help in digestion, but can also serve as methods to boost your entire well-being.

How can I enhance my gut well-being?

There are multiple steps that you might take to elevate your gut health. A number of these are centered around the types of nutrition we feed ourselves, which directly correlates to how effectively we process our foods and the overall wellness of our gut. Some of the alterations we may make surrounding our food options include eating:

• A vast assortment of foods
• Whole grains
• Foods rich in polyphenols (dark chocolate, blueberries, almonds, green tea)
• A lot of Legumes, fruits, beans, vegetables (artichokes, raspberries, broccoli, bananas, and apples)
• Prebiotic items (peas, oats, bananas, and berries)
• A vegetarian diet

You can also amplify your GI health by ingesting foods with probiotics, such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, or kimchi.

What can I do to assist my digestion?

Once you start making the changes specified above to your diet to improve your gastrointestinal health, these adjustments should, in turn, also help with digestion. You might also make many lifestyle modifications to further enhance your digestion. These additional measures include:

• Do not smoke, or quit smoking
• Stay hydrated
• Minimize stress
• Keep a steady, healthy weight
• Get standard exercise
• Get a good night's rest

If you've changed your dietary habits and lifestyle and have had gastrointestinal problems for over two consecutive weeks, it is time to consult a digestive doctor at Hattiesburg GI Associates, PLLC for further examination. Persistent constipation, stomach or abdominal pain, loose stools or diarrhea, or additional GI concerns are signs that you need to contact one of our Hattiesburg, MS gastro specialists to request a consultation.

Connect with an experienced digestive specialist in Hattiesburg, MS

At Hattiesburg GI Associates, PLLC, we're a team of skilled gastrointestinal doctors that strives to deliver all-inclusive care not only for problems as they happen, but also to assist you in maintaining better gut health for optimal wellness. If you're facing digestive issues and need assistance with elevating your gut health, book an appointment at one of our Hattiesburg, MS locations to start your journey to a better you this new year.