Having a healthy gut might seem like a nitpicky concept that's being sprung upon you because of the current popularity of probiotics. But, considering how your gut affects different aspects of your health [1], including your immune system and balancing your hormones, it's important to keep it in good health. Read on for four ways to keep your gut healthy.

Eat More Fibre

As we all learnt early on, fibre is an important component in keeping digested foods moving through our bodies. Making sure you're eating enough fibrous foods [2] ensures healthy movement, which means your body isn't holding onto any toxins.

Take a Probiotic

Taking a probiotic can is highly beneficial to your health [3] because it can be engineered to contain potent strains of bacteria that can help balance and restore the good bacteria in your gut. You don't necessarily have to consume any animal produce to get your probiotic fix either; there are plenty of vegan probiotic options [4], including miso and tempeh.

Chill Out

Going into stress mode affects our health [5] as much as it does our mental well-being. There's a reason why many of us experience stomach upset when we're stressed or anxious — when the principal "stress hormone" cortisol [6] is released, it can cause an inflammatory response in your gut that makes it a less than ideal place for good bacteria to thrive.

Avoid Antibiotics

Because antibiotics cant always tell the good bacteria from the bad, they sometimes end up wiping both out, leaving your colonies of good bacteria depleted and disrupting the ecosystem in your gut. It can time some time for the microbes to regulate their own behaviour and production, which can make you susceptible to over- or underproduction of candida.