Digestive Health Expert: Trusted Gastro Specialist

1. Foods to avoid for better gut health The gut refers to the gastrointestinal system. It can simply be defined as the track or path through which food and liquid pass when we consume them. This path is called the GI tract or gastrointestinal tract, which starts from the mouth and ends at the anus, extending through organs in between. The gut contains all major organs that are related to eating and digestion, like the mouth, stomach, throat, salivary glands, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, intestine, anus, and rectum. It helps to digest the food and liquid and absorb nutrients from what we eat. Further, let’s discuss the importance of a healthy gut and foods to avoid to maintain it: Why is gut health important? As engines need fuel, just as our bodies need fuel for functioning, which comes from the food we eat, The gut helps in digesting food by breaking it into smaller pieces and absorbing all nutrients from it. Nitesh Ratnakar says that the gut also helps in balancing our immune system, on which our overall health conditions rely. A balance between good and bad bacteria helps to maintain gut health. Bad gut health can lead to bad organ health, as the gut is the main foundation and is somehow connected with every organ of our body. What should we avoid to maintain gut health? As we discussed before, the body needs fuel for proper functioning; therefore, a healthy diet plan plays a vital role in maintaining good gut health. Intake of healthy food and a healthy diet plan will help to maintain the immune system and reduce the risk of digestive disorders. Try to include food rich in fibers, with less added sugar, unprocessed, etc.

2. Let’s discuss in details which type of food you should avoid and which to add: To Avoid: ● Highly processed food Highly processed foods include unhealthy preservatives, bacteria, and fats, which make the gut unhealthy. Although each food has some kind of processing, we prefer to take unprocessed or minimally processed food. Processed food usually has additives like added salt, sugar, and other substances that imbalance the gut bacteria and lead to inflammation and infection problems. ● Refined and artificial sugary items Items that include added sugar and artificial sugar for taste are harmful for your organ health as they disturb the immune system, metabolize, and result in bad bacteria in the gut. Sugary items like candy, drinks, and desserts are common intakes, but they include artificial sugar, which is really harmful to gut health and overall health. ● Alcohol Alcohol consumption leads to serious health issues as it disturbs the digestive and immune systems. It has a bad impact on the nutrient absorption process, which reduces gut health and leads to infection and other digestion and health issues. It also disturbs the balancing biological process and generates new bad bacteria. ● Fried Items Fried food items are always recommended to be excluded from diet plans and intakes. Fried foods lead to inflammation and digestive issues as they are hard to digest and contain unhealthy fats and bad bacteria. These are usually oil-fried which is harmful for the overall health of an individual, causing harm to gut health. Common foods that should be avoided are fried chicken, chips, rings, and other snacks. ● Salt in excess Excessive salt consumption leads to high blood pressure, inflammation, digestive disorders, and other health issues. According to Nitesh Ratnakar, excessive salt not only disrupts the gut balance but also leads to leaky gut, which allows harmful substances to enter the blood, which can cause infection issues and other serious diseases. It reduces blood flow, which has an impact on gut health. And many more.

3. To Include: ● High fiber diet To feed healthy bacteria, promote digestive health and bowel movements, and prevent constipation and immune-related issues, fiber is important. That is why it is important to include foods rich in fiber in your diet plan. High fiber helps to maintain good gut health. Fiber-rich items are vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruits, grains, etc. ● Water Water is considered to be the best liquid intake, which also helps to maintain good gut health. Water intake prevents infection and digestive issues. It also helps in the absorption of nutrients. It also prevents constipation and dehydration. ● Herbs and spices Natural herbs and spices are always considered to be healthier options. Spices and herbs improve digestion, boost immunity, and address a number of general health problems. Everyone uses herbs and spices on a daily basis and considers them to be incredibly healthy sources for maintaining gut health and general health. ● Fruits, vegetables, and salads Fresh fruits, green vegetables, and salad are the best options to maintain a healthy routine and diet. These are the best sources for your stomach and body, including your digestive system, immune system, and gut health, as they are rich in fiber, vitamins, and nutrients, which are really important to maintain good general health. And many more. Conclusion In conclusion, as the gut plays a major role in the proper functioning of our body by helping with proper digestion, maintaining bacterial balance, absorption of nutrients, and much more, it is necessary to maintain good gut health. Nitesh Ratnakar concluded that good gut health results in good overall health; therefore, you should follow a proper, balanced, and healthy diet plan. The above-mentioned details will help you build a proper diet plan to maintain gut health as well as overall health and improve the quality of life.