I hope you’re ready to have an amazing season ahead!

Maybe you’re excited about checking things off a long to-do list…

Or you’re ready for some fun to put a smile on your face…

Well, I want to help make sure you’re at ease on the inside, too…

You see, one of the keys to feeling relaxed on the inside is to maintain a healthy gut microbiome.

Your gut microbiome refers to all of the microbes that live in your intestines. Together, they act as another organ that’s crucial for maintaining your overall health. (1)

And just like any organ, when your gut microbiome is out of whack…it can lead to all sorts of problems.

That’s why today, I’m wanted to share with you 3 things you’ll need to avoid and 3 things you should start doing right away (if you aren’t already) to ensure your gut microbiome is an ally in your journey to optimized health.

3 Things to Avoid:

#1 Artificial sweeteners
In an Israeli study, researchers found those who consumed the maximum amount of artificial sweetener allowed by the FDA had higher levels of Bacteroides and fewer Clostridiales — a combo associated with type 2 diabetes. (2)

#2 Stress
Not only can stress disturb your gut microbiome, it can lead directly to various other disorders and diseases.

In a study looking at mice, the mice ended up having increased intestinal permeability, making them more likely to suffer gut injuries from medicine when extra stress was present. (3)

#3 Lack of sleep
On top of robbing you of energy the following day, a lack of sleep also wreaks havoc on your gut microbiome.

Recently, Swedish researchers revealed how stress can negatively change a person’s gut microbiome. They found that just two days of partial sleep deprivation was enough to cause a shift in a person’s gut bacteria. (4)

3 Things to Start Doing (Right Away!):

#1 Exercise
Exercise has the ability to boost your “good” bacteria and enrich the diversity of your gut microbiome. (5)

One study showed how elite rugby players had a richer gut microbiome when compared to a random selection of people with no athletic history. (6)

#2 Eat cocoa
All-natural cocoa is one of the more versatile foods around. Consuming it not only reduces fatigue, it has the added benefits of stimulating your nervous system, improving your digestive function and reducing weight gain. (7)

#3 Take Probiotics
A diet high in probiotics is certainly the best way to ensure a rich, diverse, healthy gut microbiome.

A probiotic like Dynamic Biotics increases the amount of ‘good bacteria’, while simultaneously decreasing the levels of potentially harmful microbes in your gut. An incredible 1-2 punch.

Of course, I don’t expect you to implement all of these changes into your routine right away — after all, it takes time to turn new lessons into old habits.

So, whether you start with one, three or even all six of these changes, just know…

You’re doing everything you can to improve your digestive health and improve your quality of life.

SOURCES:

(1) Shreiner, Andrew B., John Y. Kao, and Vincent B. Young. 2015. “The Gut Microbiome In Health And In Disease”. Current Opinion In Gastroenterology 31 (1): 69-75. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). doi:10.1097/mog.0000000000000139.

(2) Abbott, Alison. 2014. “Sugar Substitutes Linked To Obesity”. Nature 513 (7518): 290-290. Springer Nature. doi:10.1038/513290a.

(3) Benedict, Christian, Heike Vogel, Wenke Jonas, Anni Woting, Michael Blaut, Annette Schürmann, and Jonathan Cedernaes. 2016. “Gut Microbiota And Glucometabolic Alterations In Response To Recurrent Partial Sleep Deprivation In Normal-Weight Young Individuals”. Molecular Metabolism 5 (12): 1175-1186. Elsevier BV. doi:10.1016/j.molmet.2016.10.003.

(4) Yoshikawa K, et al. 2018. “Psychological Stress Exacerbates NSAID-Induced Small Bowel Injury By Inducing Changes In Intestinal Microbiota And Permeability Via Glucocorticoid … – Pubmed – NCBI “. Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov. Accessed October 2 2018. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27075753.

(5) Monda, Vincenzo, Ines Villano, Antonietta Messina, Anna Valenzano, Teresa Esposito, Fiorenzo Moscatelli, and Andrea Viggiano et al. 2017. “Exercise Modifies The Gut Microbiota With Positive Health Effects”. Oxidative Medicine And Cellular Longevity 2017: 1-8. Hindawi Limited. doi:10.1155/2017/3831972.

(6) Clarke SF, et al. 2018. “Exercise And Associated Dietary Extremes Impact On Gut Microbial Diversity. – Pubmed – NCBI “. Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov. Accessed October 2 2018. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25021423/.

(7) Tzounis X, et al. 2018. “Prebiotic Evaluation Of Cocoa-Derived Flavanols In Healthy Humans By Using A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind, Crossover Intervention Study. – Pubmed – NCBI “. Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov. Accessed October 2 2018. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21068351.

(8) van Zanten GC, et al. 2018. “Synbiotic Lactobacillus Acidophilus NCFM And Cellobiose Does Not Affect Human Gut Bacterial Diversity But Increases Abundance Of Lactobacilli, Bifi… – Pubmed – NCBI “. Ncbi.Nlm.Nih.Gov. Accessed October 2 2018. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25098489.