DO you feel sluggish in the afternoons or a bit down in the evenings?
These could be signs your gut is in trouble, experts warn.
But there are a whole host of other signs too – from skin redness to bloating and constipation, and anxiety to recurrent colds.
If you’re unsure whether poor gut health could be causing your ailments, there’s a simple checklist that can do the work for you.
It’s from the new book Genius Gut by Dr Emily Leeming, a leading microbiome scientist and dietitian.
She said: “Gut health is your gut functioning at its best.
“It’s where there’s no disease or disorder, no gut symptoms, and a healthy gut microbiome.
“If your microbiome is unhealthy, you’re likely to feel the same too – from feeling sluggish to low mood, and often digestive problems as well.
“Your gut isn’t just a digestive system, it’s a powerhouse – your second brain.
“Your gut microbiome influences every aspect of your health and has the capacity to signal to your brain influencing your mood and how well you think.
“Your thoughts and moods can influence the biology of the rest of your body.”
While your poo can reveal major clues as to how unhealthy your gut is (think sudden changes in how often you ‘go’ or poo that’s mushy, runny or hard pellets), the quiz below can too.
Answer the following 12 questions.
For the first four, give yourself a score of 1 for yes, and 0 for no.
For questions five to 12, score 0 for yes, and 1 for no.
Add up your scores and check the key below.
Dr Leeming said: “This quiz is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
“If you’re struggling with your gut or mental health, please see a healthcare professional.
“Please note that while what and how you eat can support your mental wellbeing, this shouldn’t replace or delay seeking mental health guidance or taking prescribed medication.
“If you have a condition, syndrome, disorder or disease – you may have unique needs that I unfortunately can’t cover.
“Please talk to your healthcare professional for advice.”
Dr Emily Leeming said: “Your gut microbiome influences every aspect of your health and has the capacity to signal to your brain influencing your mood and how well you think.”
With that in mind, here are all the ways the gut and brain interact.
Source: Genius Gut by Dr Emily Leeming
Dr Leeming reckons there are several core ways to get your gut health back on track.
First up – make half your plate vegetables at dinner time.
“Veggies are bright, colourful, packed with flavour and textures,” Dr Leeming said.
“They also contain the double whammy of fibre and polyphenols, rocket fuel for your gut bacteria.
“Plus, they’re proven to make you happier too.
“Having two or more servings of veggies a day is linked to having the cognitive age of someone five years younger in later life.”
And when you’re choosing your vegetables, “go for the colourful five”, she added.
“A more diverse gut microbiome is linked to better health, and for those with certain gut bacteria – with better emotional wellbeing,” according to Dr Leeming.
Try mixed bags of stir fry veg, mixed bags of salad leaves, mixed frozen vegetables, frozen forest fruits, mixed bags of nuts and seeds, cans of mixed beans – you get the idea.
What you eat is important, but so is when you eat it, Dr Leeming said.
“Have your dinner early,” she said.
“Eating at regular times and early before bed (and ideally in an eating window of 10 hours) can help in sleeping better at night, being less likely to feel hungry, and is linked to more energy, better mood, higher diversity of gut bacteria, better blood sugar and fat control, and improved blood pressure.”
Unsure what to pair your vegetables with? Try oily fish at least twice a week.
According to Dr Leeming, regular fish eaters tend to have more grey matter in key brain regions like the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, linked with better cognitive function.
Getting enough fibre and protein is key for every meal – but particularly for breakfast.
“The morning meal is a prime opportunity to add in some fibre and polyphenols for your gut bacteria,” Dr Leeming said.
“It also seems to make us happier too.
“Make sure to add in protein, keeping you feeling fuller and more energised for longer, and dramatically easing sweet and savoury cravings later in the day.”
You may not immediately associate coffee with being good for your insides.
But two cups of coffee a day is related to better brain health and function compared to having no coffee or drinking decaf, Dr Leeming said.
However, pay attention to the type of coffee – and steer clear of the ones high in sugar.
You should try to sleep for between seven and nine hours every night.
“Sleep quality is equally important,” Dr Leeming added.
“Try a wind-down bedtime routine and regular sleep and wake times.”
“Every week you should do at least two and a half hours of moderate intensity movement that raises your heart rate,” she said.
This could be anything from walking fast to hiking to cycling.
Alternatively, you should do 75 minutes of high intensity movement, where you’re out of breath and/or sweating, the expert added.
For example, jogging, swimming or team sports.
As well as cardiovascular exercise, it is also important to incorporate muscle-building exercises into your routine at least twice a week, Dr Leeming said.
Why not try lifting weights, working with resistance bands, rock climbing or body weight exercises?
“Both sitting for a long time without moving and being sedentary for a large part of the day aren’t great for your health,” Dr Leeming said.
“If you’re sitting down for a while, try and move your body every 30 minutes – even if it’s only for a minute or two.
“If you are sitting at a desk for work every weekday, then it’s recommended to try and work standing up for two hours (and progress to four hours) a day.”
Several factors can negatively influence gut health, either by altering its function or wiping out the beneficial bacteria (allowing bad bacteria to thrive). Here are some common ones:
A poor diet
High sugar and high-fat diets can lead to an imbalance in gut bacteria.
This typically means processed foods, like cakes, biscuits, fried foods and more.
Artificial sweeteners may also disrupt gut flora, and alcohol – particularly cocktails and mixers with high sugar – aren’t beneficial either.
Lack of fibre
Dietary fibre is essential for healthy gut bacteria and therefore, a diet low in fibre can negatively impact gut health.
Fibre is in foods such as wholemeal bread, oats, jacket potato, fruits and vegetables.
Antibiotics
We all need to take antibiotics now and again, sometimes they are necessary.
But antibiotics can kill beneficial gut bacteria along with harmful ones, leading to imbalances in the gut.
Other medications like NSAIDs and proton pump inhibitors can also affect gut health.
Make sure to implement gut health habits – or take a probiotic – during antibiotic use.
Stress
Stress affects us all but some are better at dealing with it than others.
Stress can alter the gut microbiome and increase gut permeability, leading to a “leaky gut”.
Symptoms include diarrhoea, pain and gas.
Adults should consume no more than 14 units of alcohol a week on a regular basis, according to the NHS and Dr Leeming.
That’s about six pints of average-strength beer or six glasses of typical-strength wine.
“Spending a total of two hours or more across the week outside in nature is linked with better health and wellbeing,” Dr Leeming said.
“Zen out your brain, zen out your gut,” the gut health specialist said.
Genius Gut by Dr Emily Leeming is out on July 25, 2024.
