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Mar 31 2023
5 Ways to Optimize Your Gut Health
Gut health is a key factor in a healthy lifestyle. It affects EVERYTHING, including digestion, immunity, mental health, skin, and overall well-being!
Gut health describes the function and balance of bacteria in the GI (Gastrointestinal) tract. The key to good gut health is the microbiome makeup or the diversity of the trillions of bacteria living within the GI tract. There are “good” and “bad” bacteria in the gut, and the key is to have the good bacteria outnumber the bad to prevent them from multiplying. So how do we get there?
For optimal gut health, probiotics and prebiotics are essential. To put it simply, probiotics are the good bacteria we want, and prebiotics are foods that feed the good bacteria. Foods that contain probiotics include yogurt, kefir, and other fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi. Prebiotics come mostly from fiber in plant sources like legumes, beans, asparagus, oats, berries, onions, and garlic. We want to consume both pre and probiotics, ideally from foods, to help keep the gut happy and healthy
Healthy Gut Cheat Sheet
✓ Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet that consists of a variety of fruits and vegetables
✓ Eat refined sugar in moderation
✓ Drink plenty of water
✓ Engage in regular exercise
✓ Try to limit your stress, which can affect gut health. Take a deep breath and get some rest!
Need some recipe inspo? Try this easy, prebiotic-filled roasted asparagus
Ingredients:
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese or Nutritional Yeast (optional, but delicious)
Salt and pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Farenheit
- Place asparagus in a mixing bowl and toss in olive oil, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
- Arrange on baking sheet in a single layer and bake for approximately 12-15 minutes until tender
- Remove from oven and enjoy!
Save your new go-to recipe HERE!
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