Sure, sculpted abs look great, but you’ll need to look beyond your physique to stay your peak. Gut health happens from the inside out.
A strong core may optimize athletic performance, but a healthy gut supports better performance from the inside out. To be a member of the good gut club, you need to do some training from the inside out. That means putting just as much effort into what you eat as you do your abs and crunches. Doing so supports your microbiome—a collection of microorganisms that live in our gastrointestinal tract.
These “good bacteria,” along with millions of other microorganisms that live in our gut, have a big job to do, including:
- Supporting the digestion of carbohydrate to provide energy for the cells and exercising muscles
- Supporting the manufacturing of vitamins
- Aiding in defending the body from bad bacteria
- Supporting a healthy immune system
So, how do you nourish your microbiome to have it flourish? You go for the triple play! That means incorporating prebiotics, probiotics and fiber into your daily eating plan. Check out the two handouts below to learn more:
Bottom Line
To treat your gut well, you need to consistently prepare, repair and pair foods that deliver on good gut health. If your gut doesn’t feel well, you won’t feel well. To give your microbiome a healthy home, be sure to provide it with the nutrients it needs.The variety and diversity in your bowl or plate may be the key to helping you look and feel great.
