Gut health plays an essential role in overall health. Various types of good and bad bacteria exist in your gut to form your gut flora. They are vital to keeping your gut health in check. Good bacteria are responsible for cleaning out harmful bacteria and aiding digestion. They also fight bad or harmful bacteria. When the harmful bacteria exceeds the good bacteria in your gut, an imbalance may occur and lead to gastric issues that need evaluation by the Best Gastroenterologist in Karachi. You can find and consult top gastroenterologists like Dr. Talat Naheed through oladoc.com
Things that harm gut bacteria
External factors can harm bacteria. Unknowingly we may be doing things that are damaging our get health. Here are seven surprising ways in which you may be harming your gut bacteria:
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Lack of sleep
Your sleep cycle can affect your overall health. Your body heals and rests while you’re asleep. A disturbed sleeping pattern makes you feel tired and fatigued, and it can also disrupt your gut health. Studies show that sleep deprivation can increase bad bacteria associated with diabetes and obesity.
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An imbalanced diet
A diverse diet with a balance of different types of food is necessary to maintain healthy gut flora. Lacking diversity in your diet makes you more susceptible to infection and an unhealthy gut. Your diet should include different fruits, vegetables, fibers, fats, and whole grains. The wide variety of foods in your diet can help you keep your gut healthy. Altering your diet and adding a variety of foods can fix any imbalance in your gut.
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Skipping prebiotics
Your gut bacteria needs prebiotics to thrive. Prebiotics aid the growth of healthy bacteria. It is a form of fiber that your body does not digest, but your gut does. Foods rich in prebiotics include legumes, onions, bananas, nuts, garlic, etc. Adding these foods to your diet also produces fatty acids that promote digestive health.
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Consuming antibiotics
Antibiotics should be taken when it is absolutely necessary. They are used to treat infections and diseases that would not get better with time. Antibiotics kill the bacteria in your gut, throwing off the balance of good and bad bacteria. They can have a short and long-term effect on your gut. Use antibiotics only when it is crucial to protect your gut health.
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Sedentary lifestyle
Physical activity makes you feel active and provides many health benefits, such as reducing the risk of chronic disease and stress. Being physically active promotes the formation of healthy bacteria, hence improving our gut health.
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Smoking
Smoking cigarettes impacts all the organs in your body as smoke contains harmful chemicals. It increases the risk of cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Moreover, smoking can also lead to inflammation in the gut, stomach ulcers, and Crohn’s disease. Your gut health will improve if you quit smoking.
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Stressing out
Everyone faces stress in one form or the other in their daily lives. Stressful situations may not be avoidable, but you need to manage you stress as it has numerous adverse effects on your health. Increase in stress can decrease your blood flow and reduces the amount of good bacteria present in your gut. Due to this, the harmful bacteria exceeds the good bacteria causing inflammation and cause harm to your overall health.
Conclusion
The balance of good and bad bacteria determines your gut health, which affects many bodily functions. Some daily habits may damage your gut health. The trick to having good gut health is avoiding these habits and adopt healthy lifestyle which benefits your body.
