\n<\/p>\n
W<\/span>hen the gut health revolution began a\u00a0decade or so ago, few could have predicted the sheer\u00a0variety of pre- and probiotic foods that we would\u00a0come to embrace in our diets. From kimchi and natural yoghurt to fibre-rich jerusalem artichoke and probiotic shots, microbiome-nourishing foods and supplements once deemed left-field have become everyday essentials for many \u2013 with plenty of evidence that they help our gut bacteria to thrive.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Guardian\u2019s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link.\u00a0Learn more.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n While many of us assume that diet is the only\u00a0way\u00a0to feed the trillions of microorganisms (including bacteria, fungi and viruses) that make\u00a0up\u00a0the microbiome, there are myriad daily habits that can help nurture this important part of\u00a0the body.<\/p>\n \u201cDiet often takes centre stage in discussions about the gut microbiome, and rightly so \u2013 it plays a major role,\u201d says Dr Emily Leeming, a scientist, dietitian and research fellow at King\u2019s College London, and author of Genius Gut. <\/em>\u201cBut it\u2019s just one part of a much bigger picture. Our entire lifestyle \u2013 from stress levels and sleep quality to time spent outdoors \u2013 profoundly shapes our gut health. Everything we come into contact with can influence the ecosystem that lives there.\u201d<\/p>\n Since the gut has a big influence on all aspects of our physical and mental health, it makes sense to look after the microbiome that drives it. Here are just a few ways to do that.<\/p>\n You may have to kiss a lot of frogs before finding your prince \u2013 but here\u2019s an upside: each (French) kiss can transfer up to 80m microbes in just 10 seconds, making some of those awkward dates potentially worthwhile \u2026 at least for your gut.<\/p>\n \u201cThe mouth is the gateway to your gut and digestive tract, and it\u2019s home to billions of bacteria that can easily make their way down,\u201d says Leeming. But before you pucker up, there is a catch. \u201cIt does matter who you kiss,\u201d says Amati. \u201cIf someone has strep throat or an imbalanced oral or gut microbiome (which can manifest as persistent bad breath, tooth decay and bleeding gums), those are not microbes you want to share.\u201d<\/p>\n The more intimate we are with another person generally, the more microbes we will exchange \u2013 so pick your relationships wisely.<\/p>\n <\/span> Photograph: Martin Steinthaler\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Soil is \u201cthe richest habitat on the planet\u201d and contains billions of beneficial microbes that can make their way into and on to the body, says Leeming. In fact, a remote group of Amazonian hunter-gatherers, who live in close contact with nature and walk barefoot on nutrient-rich soil daily, were found to have the most diverse gut microbiota ever recorded in humans.<\/p>\n Most of us wear shoes outdoors, but there are gut\u00a0health benefits to be gleaned from going barefoot\u00a0in the park, as well as spending time in forests and getting our hands dirty in the garden or\u00a0allotment. Not only do these activities boost mental wellbeing, they\u2019ve also been linked to greater microbial diversity. Research shows that\u00a0people \u2013 especially children \u2013 who garden tend\u00a0to have more diverse gut microbiomes than those who don\u2019t.<\/p>\n The more we can engage with the natural environment, the better, whether that\u2019s tending to a house plant or hugging a tree. \u201cForest air is much richer in beneficial microbes than the air inside, so\u00a0even breathing fresh air can improve your health,\u201d says Leeming.<\/p>\n Make the most of starchy, carbohydrate-rich foods, such as potatoes, rice, pasta and bread by allowing them to cool after cooking, and then eating them. This creates resistant starch, a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion in the small intestine. \u201cInstead, it reaches the large intestine, where our good bacteria feed on it,\u201d says nutritionist Emily English. \u201cIn doing so, they produce compounds that help maintain a healthy gut lining, reduce inflammation and even support blood sugar balance.\u201d You can reheat these foods after they have been cooled and the resistant starch will remain.<\/p>\n Whether it\u2019s a pasta dish you eat the next day or fresh bread you freeze and toast later, this simple kitchen hack transforms the gut-boosting potential of everyday foods, making them better for your gut than they were when you first cooked them. \u201cOvernight oats and not-quite-ripe green bananas also offer plenty of resistant starch,\u201d says English.<\/p>\n A growing body of research shows our gut microbiome and emotional wellbeing are intrinsically linked. Stress and mood disorders such\u00a0as depression can even affect the composition of our gut bacteria. Most of us can\u2019t just opt out of stressful lives or situations, but we can tap into our breathing. Deep, conscious breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system (our body\u2019s \u201crest and digest\u201d mode) promoting repair, regeneration and a calmer state of mind.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we use the breath in a certain way, we\u00a0speak the nervous system\u2019s language,\u201d says transformational breathwork coach Rob Rea. \u201cThis\u00a0helps the body shift out of the high alert, fight-or-flight sympathetic response and into the parasympathetic rest-and-repair mode. In this calmer state, the body\u2019s systems can work at their best, restoring balance, repairing everyday wear and tear, and counteracting the effects of stress.\u201d<\/p>\n An extended exhale always slows the heart rate and signals to the nervous system that it\u2019s time for calm<\/p>\n By contrast, when we remain stuck in fight-or-flight, the body diverts resources away from functions such as digestion, channelling blood toward the muscles that would have helped us escape a threat in the wild. This survival strategy leaves the digestive system under-resourced, slowing motility, reducing blood flow and limiting the production of digestive enzymes to break down food. Shifting back into the parasympathetic state reverses that pattern, allowing digestion to resume its full function, with improved circulation, healthy motility and better nutrient absorption.<\/p>\n Before breathwork, Rea encourages his clients\u00a0\u2013\u00a0who include business executives and celebrities \u2013 to master the simple (but surprisingly difficult) practice of sitting still, in silence, for five\u00a0minutes a\u00a0day. \u201cIt sounds easy, but with attention spans now\u00a0hovering around eight seconds,\u00a0it\u2019s more challenging than ever,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/p>\n Sign up to Inside Saturday<\/span><\/p>\n The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend.<\/p>\n Privacy Notice: <\/strong>Newsletters may contain information about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. If you do not have an account, we will create a guest account for you on theguardian.com to send you this newsletter. You can complete full registration at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.<\/span><\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n Once that foundation is in place, the breathwork begins. He uses the acronym N-G-S-E: Nose, Gentle, Slow and Expansive as a memorable guideline. \u201cStart by breathing in through your nose for a count of three, then out for three,\u201d he recommends. \u201cWhen that feels comfortable, build up to five or six counts. From there, begin to lengthen the exhale through the nose: breathe in for five, out for seven. An extended exhale always slows the heart rate and signals to the nervous system that it\u2019s time for calm.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/span> Photograph: Geanina Vlasceanu\/Getty Images<\/p>\n If you consume the right kind, chocolate can be good for your gut health. \u201cDark chocolate \u2013 made of\u00a0at least 75% cocoa \u2013 is rich in powerful plant compounds called polyphenols, which feed your good microbes and act as antioxidants in the gut,\u201d says Dr Federica Amati, head nutritionist at the wellness company Zoe and author of Every Body Should Know This. \u201cWe tend to forget that chocolate\u00a0is made from fermented beans, so you\u00a0can\u00a0also count it as one of your 30 plants a\u00a0week.\u201d With an array of healthy minerals, fibre\u00a0and\u00a0other micronutrients, just be sure you choose options that contain as few ingredients as\u00a0possible \u2013 Lindt Excellence Dark 85% Cocoa and\u00a0Green & Black\u2019s Organic Dark 85% Chocolate are\u00a0great options.<\/p>\n The vagus nerve \u2013 which connects the brain to a number of different organs, including the gut \u2013 runs from the brainstem down through the neck to the abdomen. According to Leeming, it is one of the most direct ways that the gut can communicate with the brain. \u201cCertain beneficial bacteria produce neurotransmitters \u2013 like gamma-aminobutyric acid and serotonin \u2013 that stimulate vagal receptors in the gut wall,\u201d says Nahid de Belgeonne, somatic movement educator and author of Soothe.<\/p>\n Research suggests that people with higher vagal tone (the level of activity of the vagus nerve) tend to have more diverse and balanced gut microbiomes \u2013 and vice versa. \u201cIf the vagus nerve is impaired, it can contribute to conditions in your gut that make it harder for your microbiome to thrive, like slowing gut motility and reducing the release of digestive juices,\u201d says Leeming, \u201calthough it is just one of many factors that influence gut health.\u201d<\/p>\n While more research is needed, stimulating the vagus nerve in certain medical settings has been shown to influence gut motility (the movement of food through the digestive system) and improve microbial balance, inflammation control and immune function. But where to start? \u201cGargling is a simple technique \u2013 the mechanical stimulation of the throat muscles activates vagal pathways,\u201d advises De Belgeonne. \u201cSinging and laughing also create beneficial vibrations and emotional shifts that are believed to enhance vagal tone.\u201d<\/p>\n Other simple practices include humming while exhaling, or massaging the sides of the neck, especially around the sternocleidomastoid muscle on either side, where the vagus nerve runs close to the surface.<\/p>\n <\/span> Photograph: Eric Isselee\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n \u201cThe people we live with \u2013 whether family, friends\u00a0or flatmates \u2013 can influence our gut health, and the same applies to the animals who share our\u00a0homes,\u201d says Amati, adding that those with pets\u00a0are more likely to have diverse gut microbiomes. Why? Because we naturally exchange\u00a0bacteria with those we are in close proximity to. And our pets \u2013 whether we like it or not\u00a0\u2013 are curious creatures who like to nudge their noses into all sorts of questionable places, exposing\u00a0themselves (and, by extension, us) to a\u00a0wider variety of microbes.<\/p>\n Studies show that early-life exposure to furry pets (such as cats and dogs) both before and in the first few months after birth, can enrich the gut microbiome with beneficial bacteria, such as ruminococcus and oscillospira. They are linked to a\u00a0reduced risk of childhood allergies, including asthma, as well as lower rates of\u00a0obesity.<\/p>\n The benefits don\u2019t stop there. In adults over the\u00a0age of 65, canine companionship has been shown to increase populations of beneficial bacteria,\u00a0while simultaneously suppressing harmful\u00a0strains. So if you needed another reason to\u00a0welcome a pet into your home, your gut just gave\u00a0you one.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When the gut health revolution began a\u00a0decade or so ago, few could have predicted the sheer\u00a0variety of pre- and probiotic foods that we would\u00a0come to embrace in our diets. From kimchi and natural yoghurt to fibre-rich jerusalem artichoke and probiotic shots, microbiome-nourishing foods and supplements once deemed left-field have become everyday essentials for many \u2013<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22485,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[650,2761,37,3996,13788,4970,4005,6200],"class_list":{"0":"post-22484","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-science","8":"tag-boost","9":"tag-gut","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-kimchi","12":"tag-kissing","13":"tag-surprising","14":"tag-ways","15":"tag-wellbeing"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22484","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=22484"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22484\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/22485"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=22484"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=22484"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=22484"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Kiss<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Get in the garden<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Cook, then cool, your carbs<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Take a breath<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Eat dark chocolate<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Gargle and hum<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Get a dog <\/strong><\/h2>\n