As autumn approaches and the nights get longer, it’s easy to start getting the winter blues, which has the potential to negatively impact your wellbeing – including your gut health.
Research shows just how important your gut is when it comes to your overall health and vice versa, so nourishing it in the best possible way is key. Here are 10 tips to support your wellbeing and gut to help you feel peachy this autumn and winter.
1. Add colour to your day
Science shows colour can have an impact on mood, from the clothes we wear to what we eat. Dressing in bright colours or starting a new hobby such as painting are just a couple of ways to bring colour and joy into your life. ‘Eating the rainbow’ can have an impact too.
Fill your plate with a range of colourful seasonal fruits and vegetables. Veggies high in fibre feed the good bacteria in the gut while seasonal produce can make it more cost-effective. Herbs and spices are a great addition to your plate and offer multiple benefits to support a balanced diet.
Certain colours of fruits and veggies are also higher in beneficial compounds. For example, those that are orange and yellow contain beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A and helps the immune system function normally and maintain healthy skin. This can include carrots, peppers and squash.
2. Get your C and D vitamins
With the change of seasons, we can be forgiven for feeling a little more lethargic and being prone to illness. Getting a variety of vitamins and minerals is crucial for supporting your health. Vitamin C supports the immune system and helps to lower fatigue, which can result in having more energy and fighting off common colds or flu. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, peppers, blackcurrants, broccoli and potatoes. If you’re looking for a quick fix on-the-go, the new Yakult Plus Peach is also rich in vitamin C, and contains 20 billion friendly bacteria, which increase the bacteria in the gut.
Vitamin D is another important nutrient we need, particularly in winter months. Through the summer, it‘s easier to get our daily recommended amount from sunlight, but between October and March, even on a sunny day, the UV rays are not strong enough.
Lack of Vitamin D may lead to an illness called rickets in children and bone pain and muscle weakness in adults. Sources include oily fish such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel, red meat, egg yolks, and fortified foods such as Yakult Balance.
3. Stick to a routine
Our bodies love routine, so keeping your lifestyle habits consistent can support your circadian rhythm, which is your internal body clock, and also help keep your gut happy.
Research shows those who stick to a consistent bedtime routine are more likely to sleep better. This will in turn support other functions such as digestion – improving the health of the gut microbiome, which is the combination of all the different microbes living in the gut, their collective genomes (DNA) and the substances they produce. The gut microbiome can influence gastrointestinal health, immunity and cognitive functions.
4. Put your best foot forward
Don’t let the new season put you off from getting out and exercising. The outdoors has so many benefits for your wellbeing and gut health and exercise is one great way to stimulate the digestive system and have a positive impact on mental health.
5. Increase intake of fermented foods
Fermented foods contain live microbes that feed the good bacteria in the gut and therefore can support your gut health. With 70% of our immune cells living in our gut, this is a sure way to support your body’s defence system.
One simple way to consume fermented foods is through dairy products, kimchi, miso, pickled vegetables and sauerkraut. Ensure you check the labels to make sure they contain live bacteria.
6. Get into the garden
Getting out into the garden is perfect for lifting your mood and supporting good gut health. Just because it’s no longer summer, doesn’t mean you can’t do a bit of gardening. In fact, September, October and November are the best time to plant bulbs such as tulips ahead of spring. Plus, being in the garden exposes you to different beneficial bacteria, which will support your own microbiome.
7. Eat more fibre
Fibre is important for a healthy gut and eating more of it is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer. Guidelines recommend 30g a day, but most adults only eat 20g on average. Fibre is easy to incorporate into meals as part of a healthy balanced diet. For example, add pulses like beans, lentils or chickpeas to dishes, choose wholemeal options when it comes to bread, pasta or rice and snack on nuts and seeds. Keep some prepared fruit and veg in the fridge – it makes it so much easier to quickly add them to a dish, or as a handy snack with a dip like hummous.
8. Laugh it off
Have you laughed today? Laughter has the power to reduce stress and anxiety, which in turn benefits your gut health and overall happiness. When stressed, the body releases a chemical called cortisol which activates our ‘fight or flight’ response- also known as our sympathetic nervous system – which draws blood flow away from the gut. This disrupts our gut’s normal rhythm, slowing down digestion and causing inflammation. Even if you don’t feel like laughing, pop on your favourite comedy show, call your funniest friend or meet up with family who make you laugh, activating that good-feel sensation in your gut.
9. Mindful breathing
Life can sometimes be hectic, which can affect everything from your mood, to sleep, diet and overall health. Simple breathing techniques can reduce stress and be incorporated any time of the day – whether during your commute, while showering or cooking! Pause, take a deep breath through your nose, hold for a few seconds, and exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat this several times.
10. Dance around the house
Research shows dancing may be better than other physical activities to improve emotional wellbeing, depression, motivation, social cognition and some aspects of memory.
You don’t need to head to your local nightclub to enjoy the benefits. Simply crank up your favourite songs and dance around the house to get that endorphin hit!
If you don’t fancy dancing alone, you can find just the routine you want on YouTube.
