Simple Steps to Boost Your Gut Wellness"

 Essential Recommendations from a Functional Medicine Practitioner for Enhanced Gut Wellness

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Before we explore an array of gut-nurturing advice from functional medicine physician Mary Pardee, N.D., it’s important to state: those suffering from IBS, celiac disease, ulcers, or any other severe gut health issue should probably bypass general health recommendations and follow a more specific plan from their healthcare provider.

If this doesn’t apply to you and you’re looking to enhance your gut health, you’ve come to the right spot. In an episode of the Mind-Body Green podcast, Pardee offered the following crucial recommendations for gut health:

Increase your fiber intake

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Fiber is a unique complex carbohydrate (exclusively found in plants) that moves through the body without being digested; this is why it can assist in maintaining a smooth-running digestive system by pushing food along post-meal.

Before the nutrient helps you eliminate what you’ve consumed, your microbiome takes advantage of the soluble fiber you ingest. The bacteria in the colon thrive on fermentable soluble fibers—such as legumes (e.g., beans)—and generate gut-friendly metabolites known as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)1, as reported in the Journal of Lipid Research.

These SCFAs then help sustain energy levels, encourage a healthy inflammatory response2, and manage blood sugar levels.

Given these gut-related advantages, it’s no surprise that Pardee advocates for increasing your fiber consumption. "Options like psyllium husk, flaxseeds, quinoa—all of these are high-fiber foods," she notes. "They serve as important sources for your gut microbes to consume, leading them to produce substances that benefit our human body."

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Here’s a list of additional fiber-rich foods to think about adding to your shopping list. If you’re having trouble meeting your fiber needs (and many are), consider incorporating a fiber supplement into your routine—here's how to tell if yours is effective.

2.Consume a variety of plants

Another piece of advice from Pardee (and numerous other health experts) is to diversify the plants on your plate. 

 That will increase the diversity of your gut microbiome, she says. "Just to expose your [gut] bacteria to a variety of phytochemicals and fiber, try something different once a week from the grocery store or farmer's market."

Research backs this suggestion, revealing that individuals who consume around 30 different plants weekly boast the healthiest microbiome.

Now, 30 isn’t an absolute requirement, and it isn’t feasible for everyone considering the barriers to accessing whole foods in certain communities. Instead of viewing this number as a strict standard, heed Pardee's guidance to concentrate on increasing the variety of plants in your diet—whatever that looks like for you.

If you want to challenge yourself with the 30 plants goal, take a look at my journey following the protocol over the course of a month.

3.Emphasize fermented foods

Lastly, Pardee encourages adding fermented foods to your diet, highlighting their probiotic-rich properties. These fermented items have been shown to boost microbial diversity and decrease gut inflammation, according to a Stanford clinical study3.

So the next time you’re crafting your grocery list, include a couple of fermented products. Here are some quick suggestions from Pardee:

Sauerkraut

Kimchi

Kefir

Plain yogurt

The conclusion

To achieve optimal gut health, begin by boosting your fiber intake. Once you establish that foundation, shift your attention to plant variety, and strive to incorporate new fruits, vegetables, legumes, and spices into your meals.

Then, before you leave the market, don’t forget to grab some fermented foods to nourish your microbiome as well.