
5 Habits That Are Harming Your Gut Health

According to Ayurveda, 90% of health problems originate from the stomach or Gut. Simply put, If you reset your gut health you’ll eliminate the risk of almost every major health problem in life.
A healthy gut keeps your immune system strong, protecting you from diseases & infections, helps you maintain high energy levels, better cognitive ability, weight, and an overall healthy body.
Constipation, digestive distress, irregular bowel movements, and many more health issues get resolved completely, if only you maintain a healthy gut.
When we talk about improving gut health, the first and foremost factor that comes to our mind is “DIET” and sure it helps improve gut health.
We certainly can’t deny that fact.
But…
There are certain non-dietary lifestyle factors that are silently killing the good bacteria in your gut and are always ignored.
If you make changes in your diet, lifestyle and avoid these 5 habits, you can own a perfectly healthy gut.
1) Not Doing Regular Physical Exercise
You need to do physical exercises like walking, Jogging, swimming, and cycling and you need to do them regularly and consistently. Lack of exercise can significantly affect the microbiota (micro-organisms that inhabit a particular region) and can increase the risk of colorectal cancer.
Physical activities have a number of benefits and It’s not something I need to explain. You already know. But recent studies have shown that along with the other miraculous health benefits that physical activities have, they can also alter your gut bacteria and improve gut health.
If you are new and have never practiced any kind of physical exercise before. Don’t worry. Start small and increase the duration of your exercise eventually. It’s never too late!
2) Cigarette Smoking
You know it. I know it. How cigarette smoking affects our health and how it is actually killing us from inside. If you are someone who smokes or anyone from your family has this habit. You need to read this one.
Due to the widespread industrialization, environmental air pollution has increased so much that if you live in any of the metro cities like Delhi or Mumbai…Then the air you inhale is already worth smoking 10-12 cigarettes. So If you smoke more on top of it, just realize the harm you’re doing to your body.
Smoking increases the risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), in which there is ongoing inflammation in the digestive tract. Stopping smoking can instantly increase gut floral diversity and reduce the risk of inflammation.
3) Not Getting Enough Sleep
This is a no-brainer. An average human body needs 7-8 hours of sleep at regular intervals to function properly. If not given, It can adversely affect the body and one of its adverse effects can be on Gut health.
Our body basically has a 24-hour internal clock called the circadian rhythm. Sleep deprivation can abruptly disrupt the circadian rhythm and it negatively affects gut health.
Gut microbiota follows the circadian rhythm to perform core processes of the body including metabolism, and if this rhythm is disrupted due to lack of sleep, it will eventually lead to bloating, Stomach pain, inflammation, food sensitivities, etc….
4) Stress
Stress not only affects your mental health but also your body. Studies have shown that excess stress reduces the gut floral diversity and alters gut flora profiles by increasing the harmful bacteria and decreasing beneficial bacteria like lactobacillus.
Stress also contributes to IBS disorder. The gut-brain axis is bidirectional. It involves both hormonal and neurological pathways and therefore changes in the gut may influence brain activity, including your mood.
5) Hand sanitizers
Every person has a unique balance of bacterial colonies on and in their bodies. Hand sanitizers are something that most people overuse without realizing its consequences.
Remember, Alcohol doesn’t differentiate between good microbes and bad ones. It kills all of them. Hand sanitizers definitely kill the dangerous microbes but they also alter the beneficial ones and using them frequently can reduce their numbers.
Hand Sanitizers should be used sparingly, with caution, and only in situations that truly warrant it.
Avoiding these 5 habits can immensely boost your gut health.
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The author of this article, Vinita Contractor is a Holistic Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach who has helped over 5000+ people achieve better health through food & lifestyle changes. She is a Culinary Wellness Specialist and an expert in Ayurveda Diet.
Join her online courses at Wellcure to reset your gut health, and build healthy eating habits:
2. Healthy Vegan Indian Cooking
3. Everyday Dairy-free Delights
4. 30-Day Healthy Cooking Mastery
Disclaimer: The health journeys, blogs, videos and all other content on Wellcure is for educational purposes only and is not to be considered a ‘medical advice’ ‘prescription’ or a ‘cure’ for diseases. Any specific changes by users, in medication, food & lifestyle, must be done under the guidance of licensed health practitioners. The views expressed by the users are their personal views and Wellcure claims no responsibility for them.
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