{"id":15901,"date":"2022-09-13T09:12:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-13T09:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/?p=15901"},"modified":"2023-04-17T16:09:33","modified_gmt":"2023-04-17T16:09:33","slug":"4-ways-for-men-to-improve-their-gut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/4-ways-for-men-to-improve-their-gut\/","title":{"rendered":"4 ways for men to improve their gut\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"Whether you\u2019re looking to ease those occasional bouts of tummy turmoil or just wanting to optimize your wellness- improving your gut health is a good place to start. A healthy digestive tract has been linked to lower risk for conditions like colon cancer, IBS and indigestion, as well as better mental health. So, what can you do to start reaping the benefits of a healthy digestive system? Don\u2019t just go with your gut on this one. Check out these science-backed ways to improve your digestive health.Gut health basicsBefore we dive into the how-to of gut health, let\u2019s break down the basics. Your gut is made up of all the organs in your digestive system but primarily the small and large intestines. The intestines contain trillions of tiny bacteria referred to as your microbiome \u2013 that play various roles in your health. Some of these bacteria are good for you while others may be harmful. So, when we talk about improving gut health, we often mean creating an environment where good bacteria can thrive. A thriving microbiome consists of many different types of good bacteria referred to as microbiome biodiversity.Don\u2019t skimp on fiberWe\u2019ve got 99 reasons for you to eat fiber and gut health is one. Fiber is a carbohydrate found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Your body can\u2019t digest fiber, so instead, it makes its way into your colon where it&#8217;s broken down by the bacteria in your gut (and we haven\u2019t even gotten to the good part yet). This breakdown process produces methane (yes, sometimes this leads to gas) but also something called short chain fatty acids (SFCA). SCFA have loads of health benefits including keeping the good, health promoting bacteria in your gut flourishing.Most of us are only eating 10-15 g of fiber a day. That\u2019s less than half of the 38 grams a day recommended for men over 50 &#8211;but adding fiber to your diet can be simple. Toss a handful of oats into your morning smoothie or cook up your favorite pasta dish using whole wheat pasta.Keep it movingYour body that is. Regular exercise can benefit your digestion in more ways than one. First, low intensity exercise is linked to higher gut motility (i.e. stool moves through your colon faster i.e.i.e. you poo faster). Why is quicker moving stool a good thing? Because the bacteria that live in your colon breaks down nutrients in your waste, creating byproducts, which have the potential to be harmful, the longer your waste sits in your colon. Exercise has also been linked to a higher diversity of gut bacteria which can mean good things for your digestive system and overall health. Bottom line: staying active helps keep your gut in good shape. Aim for 30 minutes of low or moderate intensity exercise per day.Drink upThe term \u2018beer belly\u2019 just got a whole lot sexier thanks to new research that found a link between beer consumption and gut health. Hold our kombucha, please. A study done on male beer drinkers found that those who drank 1 beer a day over a 4-week period had an increase in gut microbiome diversity. That is to say, the beer drinkers had healthier guts than the non-beer drinkers. This result could, in part, be because of the high polyphenol content of beer. Polyphenols are plant sourced nutrients with health benefits, including promoting biodiversity in your gut. But before you make a sloshy toast to your gut health, more research is needed to make any definitive statements about the health benefits of beer. If you\u2019re choosing between a soda and a non-alcoholic beer though\u2026 you\u2019re better off grabbing a cold one.MeditateKeeping your stress levels in check is easier said than done but finding your zen can have a big impact on your digestive health. When you\u2019re stressed (either mentally or physically) your body goes into fight or flight mode, signaling the release of stress hormones that can interfere with the healthy bacteria that reside in your gut. Meditation can help lessen your body\u2019s stress response- keeping your gut bacteria healthy and happy. If you\u2019re part of the 88.2% of men that have never meditated- start with an app like headspace or set a timer for 1 minute and focus on your breathing.\u00a0\u00a0About Allie\u202f\u202fAllie has a master\u2019s in nutrition science from Framingham State University. She has worked as a Health Educator and Personal Trainer, and has a passion for helping people lead happier, healthier lives.\u202f\u202f\u202f\u202f\u202fDo you have questions about supplements? Reach out to one of our experts, or take Persona\u2019s free nutrition assessment, and learn exactly what you need to take your wellness to the next level*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.This information is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional, or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. Do not use the information from this article for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal, or homeopathic supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, contact your health care provider promptly. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking professional advice because of something you have read in this article.","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Whether you\u2019re looking to ease those occasional bouts of tummy turmoil or just wanting to optimize your wellness- improving your gut health is a good place to start. A healthy digestive tract has been linked to lower risk for","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":15903,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1819,679,1893,1901],"tags":[1975],"class_list":["post-15901","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-digestion","category-mens-health","category-wellness-journey","category-wellness-journey-digestion","tag-lifestyle-tips"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15901","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15901"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15901\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15909,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15901\/revisions\/15909"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15903"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15901"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15901"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.personanutrition.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15901"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}