Give Your Gut A Makeover

Try these simple tweaks to your lifestyle and diet to help sort out your digestive system

Whatever’s going on in your stomach is reflected in the state of your general health. If your gut isn’t working properly, it can affect the level of nutrients in your body. Stress, poor diet and unhealthy lifestyle choices are all contributing to a rise in stomach disorders, from constipation, diarrhoea and bloating to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and coeliac and Crohn’s diseases. Plus, cases of bowel cancer have increased in the UK since the 1970s – it’s now the second biggest cancer killer, with over 41,500 people diagnosed and 16,000 dying every year.

‘A healthy digestive system is a basis for your overall health,’ says Dr. Simon Gabe, consultant gastroenterologist at St Mark’s Hospital in London. ‘Keep it functioning well with healthy food, regular exercise and a good work/life balance.’

Eat more fibre

Fibre adds bulk to your stools and makes it easier for them to travel through the bowel, says Bowel Cancer UK. Aim for at least 30g of fibre a day.

Try wholegrains such as brown rice and wheat, nuts, seeds, oats, barley, beans, peas and chickpeas.

Vegetables and fruit may also protect against bowel cancer, as they contain fibre and antioxidants that help to delay or prevent cell damage. Aim for at least five portions a day. If you find that too much fibre causes wind or bloating, reduce it until your body adjusts.