Tips For Healthy Gut In Summer: Maintaining your gut health is crucial year-round, but it becomes even more important during the summer months.
How Summers Affect Gut Health?
Remember, not all bacteria are harmful; maintaining a balanced microbiome in your gut is crucial for gut health.
By minimising unnecessary antibiotic usage, we can better preserve gut health and combat antibiotic resistance.
Replenish healthy bacteria: Incorporate foods with active cultures, such as homemade curds and pickles, to support gut health.
Tips For Healthy Gut In Summer: Maintaining your gut health is crucial year-round, but it becomes even more important during the summer months. Your gut health encompasses the variety of organisms that reside in your digestive system, and it can affect not only your gastrointestinal tract but also your mood, emotional resilience, and various other bodily functions. Ensuring a healthy gut is essential for overall well-being, and it's particularly vital during the warmer season.
In a conversation with Jagran English, Dr Govind Nandakumar, Consultant - Surgical Gastroenterology & Laparoscopic GI Onco Surgery, Manipal Hospital, Yeshwanthpur, Millers Road, Varthur, Hebbal and Sarjapur, Bangalore listed some effective tips to stay gut-healthy this summer.
How Summers Affect Gut Health?
According to Dr Nandakumar, staying hydrated during the summer is essential, as the risk of dehydration increases in the warmer months. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids, such as isotonic water, which can be more effective at hydrating than plain water. Coconut water is also a good option. Due to the potential scarcity of clean water and the mixing of clean and unclean sources, the risk of waterborne diseases may rise during the summer. Always drink clean water, ideally from a reputable source. If this isn't possible, boil your water to make it safe.
When it comes to food, avoid consuming cut fruits and vegetables exposed to unhygienic conditions. If you must eat at a place with uncertain hygiene standards, choose food that is served hot, as this reduces the risk of harmful bacteria. Remember, not all bacteria are harmful; maintaining a balanced microbiome in your gut is crucial for gut health. Prioritise a healthy gut environment to support your overall well-being.
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Tips For Healthy Gut In Summer (Image Credits: Canva)
In our longstanding Indian culture, homemade curds and pickles have been prized for their ability to nurture a healthy gut with their active cultures of beneficial bacteria. When antibiotics disrupt this balance, probiotics can help restore gut health. It's crucial to use antibiotics only when necessary, as their excessive use is common in our country despite often being unwarranted. By minimising unnecessary antibiotic usage, we can better preserve gut health and combat antibiotic resistance.
Tips To Maintain Good Gut Health
1. Keep your environment clean: Maintain appropriate sanitation, and ensure clean and dirty water are kept separate to prevent cross-contamination.
2. Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of clean water to keep yourself hydrated, especially during the warmer months.
3. Choose safe food: Avoid exposed cold foods from unhygienic sources and be cautious of where you eat.
4. Use antibiotics judiciously: Avoid unnecessary antibiotic use, as it can disrupt the natural balance of gut bacteria.
5. Replenish healthy bacteria: Incorporate foods with active cultures, such as homemade curds and pickles, to support gut health.
6. Seek medical advice for changes in bowel habits: If you experience changes such as constipation, diarrhoea, or abdominal pain, consult a healthcare specialist instead of waiting for symptoms to worsen.
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