Gut Health & Wellness: Why Checking Your Gut (and Supporting It) Matters

Gut Health & Wellness: Why Checking Your Gut (and Supporting It) Matters

Optimizing Digestion, Immunity, and Energy Starts Here

Your Gut Runs the Show

Your gut isn’t just responsible for digestion—it’s the foundation of your immune system, energy levels, and overall well-being. A healthy gut microbiome supports nutrient absorption, metabolism, and even mental health through the gut-brain connection. But if your gut is imbalanced? You might experience bloating, fatigue, food sensitivities, or digestive discomfort.

That’s why understanding your gut health and making intentional changes—like taking a gut microbiome test, adding probiotics, choosing gut-friendly foods, and even trying intermittent fasting—can transform your health from the inside out.

Why You Should Check Your Gut Health

A gut microbiome test can give you insights into your gut bacteria balance, helping you pinpoint issues like:

✅ Imbalanced gut bacteria (too much bad bacteria, not enough beneficial strains)
✅ Inflammation or leaky gut that could be triggering digestive discomfort
✅ Poor nutrient absorption affecting energy and metabolism
✅ Food sensitivities that cause bloating, fatigue, and skin issues
✅ Dysbiosis (an unhealthy microbiome) that weakens the immune system

How to Get a Gut Health Test:
At-home gut microbiome tests (like the Thorne Gut Health Test) analyze your gut bacteria diversity, providing personalized recommendations for probiotics, prebiotic foods, and lifestyle changes. If you're dealing with chronic bloating, IBS symptoms, or gut inflammation, working with a healthcare professional can help identify deeper digestive issues.

Also be sure to share any changes in your gut health with your doctor, who can help to pinpoint specific causes and create a personalized plan for you to follow.

Probiotics: The Key to Gut Balance

Adding probiotic-rich foods or supplements helps restore gut bacteria balance, improving digestion, reducing bloating, and strengthening immunity.

Best Probiotic Foods for Gut Health

• Fermented Vegetables – Sauerkraut, kimchi, and pickles improve gut flora diversity.
• Yogurt & Kefir – These dairy-based probiotics enhance digestion and immune function.
• Miso & Tempeh – Fermented soy products that support gut microbiome diversity.
• Kombucha – A fermented tea that introduces beneficial bacteria.
• Prebiotic Foods – Garlic, onions, bananas, and asparagus feed good gut bacteria.

Probiotic Supplements for Gut Health

If you’re not getting enough probiotics from food, a high-quality probiotic supplement can help, especially if you’ve recently taken antibiotics or experience frequent digestive issues. Look for strains like:

• Lactobacillus acidophilus (supports digestion & gut lining)
• Bifidobacterium bifidum (reduces bloating & enhances immunity)
  
  

Fasting and Gut Health: Can It Help Reset Your Microbiome?

Fasting—whether through intermittent fasting (IF) or longer periods of digestive rest—has been shown to support gut health and improve microbiome diversity.

How Fasting Benefits the Gut Microbiome

1. Encourages Gut Microbiome Balance – Fasting creates a break from constant digestion, allowing beneficial bacteria to thrive while harmful bacteria diminish.
2. Reduces Gut Inflammation – Chronic inflammation in the gut can lead to bloating, discomfort, and leaky gut. Fasting reduces inflammatory markers and gives the gut lining time to heal.
3. Boosts Gut Motility – A fasting period encourages the migrating motor complex (MMC), which helps clear out waste and undigested particles from the intestines.
4. Supports Autophagy – During fasting, your body enters a state of autophagy, breaking down damaged cells and regenerating new ones—including cells in the gut lining.

Best Fasting Methods for Gut Health

• Intermittent Fasting (16:8) – Fasting for 16 hours and eating in an 8-hour window gives your gut time to reset overnight.
• 12-Hour Fast – A beginner-friendly method that allows digestion to complete overnight before eating the next meal.
• 24-Hour Fasting (Occasionally) – Done once or twice a month, this gives the digestive system a full break, promoting deeper gut healing.
• Alternate-Day Fasting – Eating normally one day and reducing calorie intake the next can improve gut microbiome diversity.

Important Tips for Fasting & Gut Health:

• Hydration is key – Drink plenty of water, herbal teas, or bone broth during fasting periods.
  
  
• Break the fast gently – Avoid processed foods; instead, opt for probiotic-rich foods, soups, or smoothies to ease digestion.
  
  
• Listen to your body – If fasting causes bloating or discomfort, adjust your approach.
  
  

How to Improve Gut Health Daily

Supporting your gut microbiome isn’t just about probiotics: your lifestyle including exercise and diet choices also play a huge role.

Eat for Gut Health

• Increase fiber intake – Whole foods like vegetables, legumes, and whole grains help with digestion.
  
  
• Hydrate properly – Water prevents bloating and supports gut function.
  
  
• Reduce processed foods – Sugary and processed foods feed harmful gut bacteria, causing imbalances.
  
  

Exercise for Gut Health

• Walking for digestion – A 20-minute walk after meals stimulates digestion and gut motility.
  
  
• Yoga for gut health – Twisting poses like Seated Twist and Child’s Pose improve gut function.
  
  
• Pilates for digestion – Core-focused movements strengthen the gut-brain connection and reduce bloating.
  
  

Manage Stress & Sleep

• Poor sleep disrupts gut health – Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night.
  
  
• High stress weakens digestion – Try deep breathing, meditation, or journaling to lower stress and improve gut function.
  
  

Time to Take Action

A thriving gut microbiome is the key to better digestion, increased energy, and stronger immunity. The best part? You can start improving gut health naturally with small, consistent habits.

Your Gut Health Action Plan:

✅ Get a Gut Microbiome Test – Understand your gut bacteria balance and make informed choices.
✅ Eat Probiotic & Prebiotic Foods – Support your gut with fermented foods and fiber-rich meals.
✅ Try Intermittent Fasting – Give your gut a break to reduce inflammation and reset your microbiome.
✅ Incorporate Gut-Friendly Exercise – Prioritize walking, yoga, and core workouts to boost digestion.
✅ Manage Stress & Sleep – Your gut-brain connection depends on rest and relaxation.

By making these changes, you’ll enhance digestion, reduce bloating, and support a healthy gut microbiome—improving your overall well-being.

Have a Happy, Healthy Day!

-Lauren Ramsey, Founder, PaceWell 

References

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