5 Tips for a Healthy Gut in the New Year

During the holiday’s people tend to overindulge in food and alcohol while neglecting their habitual healthy habits. There’s nothing wrong with this (with moderation), as long as such behavior is not repeated throughout the rest of the year!

It’s easy to get your gut back on track for 2020! Just follow these 5 tips for a healthy gut in the new year.

Vary Your Diet

Your body needs a lot of nutrients, and you can only get the nutrients you need from a variety of foods. If your diet is unadventurous, then you’re going to be missing out on things that you need for a healthy gut.

Staples (wheat, rice, potatoes) should be mixed with legumes (beans, lentils), plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole-grain foods, nuts and plenty of unprocessed food. If you are the kind of person who survives on pizza and microwave dinners, then you need to reconsider some of your dietary choices!

Reduce Certain Oils and Fats

Contrary to popular belief, all fat is not bad for you. In fact, you need to eat fat in order to survive. However, you need to select the right kind of fats.

The fats you need to cut down on are trans (saturated) fats like those found in butter, milk, animal fats and in salty snacks, cookies and crackers. Good (unsaturated) fats can be found in vegetable oils, fish, seeds and nuts.

Cut Down on Your Drinking

Many people use the holidays as an excuse to drink more than usual and while that is fine, it is not a habit that ought to prolong any further than January 1st. The less you drink, the better it is for your health, but that does not mean that you need to stop drinking completely.

The World Health Organization says there is no safe level of alcohol consumption but how much notice you take depends on how important your overall health is to you. Moderation is the key, and if you don’t want to cease drinking completely just make sure you have a few non-drinking days every week.

The Less Sugar the Better

Sugar is in everything these days, including in food items you might not consider. Did you know that, for example, a tablespoon of ketchup has more sugar than a chocolate chip cookie?

The best way to cut down on your sugar intake is to limit your consumption of obvious sugar sources such as sodas (diet sodas and fruit juice are just as bad!), processed food and in tea and coffee. You don’t have to go cold turkey – just gradually reduce your sugar intake and you’ll be surprised how easy it is to lose your sweet tooth.

Get Your Gastrointestinal System Checked Out!

One major tip for a healthy gut in the new year – schedule an appointment with Great Lakes Gastroenterology! No matter the battering your digestive system takes during the holiday season, we will help you to feel fit and raring to go for 2020! Contact us now at (440) 205-1225, or use our online contact form.