Have you ever stepped on your bathroom scale, wondering why your extra pounds don’t seem to be melting away despite your efforts with dieting and exercise? The answer might be right inside your gut. And no, we’re not talking about your intuition or your love handles (that is, if you have love handles). We’re talking about your gut microbiome, the living ecosystem inside your digestive system. If you’re not losing weight despite your best efforts, maybe it’s time to check your gut health.

What is the gut microbiome and why does it matter?

We all play host to trillions of microbes inside our bodies—bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other microscopic organisms. While some of these microbes can make us sick, some are actually helpful and contribute to our good health. Each organ in your body has its own microbiome. Still, the ones that attract scientists’ medical attention the most are the microorganisms living in your gut. Medical researchers have come to believe that processes done by your gut microbiome can affect your health significantly. Its composition and diversity can influence the development or suppression of diseases like cancer and autoimmune disorders. Those organisms in your digestive tract also interact with the drugs and supplements you take. So, whether the medicine you’re taking is effective or not can depend on the state of your gut microbiome.

Evidence shows your gut health affects your weight.

Apparently, those tiny living things in your digestive system can dictate whether or not you’d lose weight too. A research team at the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, WA, found this out. The study observed two groups of participants over six months to a year. One group had 48 participants who shed off more than 1% of their body weight over a year. The other group had 57 participants who maintained their body mass index (BMI) and didn’t lose any weight. The researchers didn’t make their subjects go through a specific diet or workout program. Instead, they went through behavioral coaching and worked with dietitians. The study resulted in two significant findings. One is the participants who did not lose weight nonetheless increased their gut microbiome’s ability to break down starches. The other is that, for the participants who lost weight, the bacteria in their gut gained the ability to grow and multiply much more quickly. This means the gut microbiome can influence weight loss. So, if you want to lose weight, you may need to improve your gut health instead of going on restrictive diet or workout programs.

7 Ways you can improve your gut health

Now, the big question is this: How can you improve your gut health? Here are seven tips:

• Add fermented foods to your meals. Fermented foods like vegan kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, and miso are probiotic foods. They’re rich in healthy bacteria that can fight off the disease-causing microbes in your digestive tract.
• Eat prebiotic foods. Just like you, your gut bacteria need to eat too. Prebiotic foods are fiber-rich foods that your gut microbes can feast on to keep healthy. Examples are garlic, bananas, asparagus, and whole grains.
• Eat with variety. Make sure that you have a diverse range of food on your plate whenever you sit down for a meal. Different types of fruits, vegetables, and legumes offer different kinds of nutrients and fibers. The more variety your gut flora get to eat, the more diverse your gut microbiome will be.
• Reduce your intake of sweeteners. Sweeteners, especially the artificial kind, encourage the growth of harmful bacteria in your gut. At the same time, sweeteners limit the growth of the good ones.
• Eat polyphenol-rich foods. Polyphenols stimulate the growth of good bacteria. Foods rich in polyphenols include olives, whole grains, green tea, dark chocolate, and red wine.
• Avoid taking antibiotics. You should only take antibiotics if your doctor tells you to. Antibiotics can wipe out your gut bacteria, whether they’re good or bad, and increase your antibiotic resistance.
• Try a plant-based diet. Going on a plant-based diet offers your gut microbe lots of fiber and nutrients to feast on. An anti-inflammatory plant-based diet discourages the growth of harmful microbes that can cause inflammation and other diseases.

So there you have it. If you’re having trouble losing weight, maybe it’s time to take a closer look at your gut. A few simple changes in the way you eat can considerably impact your overall health, not just your weight. And if you need help with changing the way you eat, contact me today. Update the webpage schema html based on this information: Rewrite any sections on a college level. Do not include breadcrumb sections. Can relate it to Perimenopause and women seeking relief as well:

Not Losing Weight? Maybe It’s Time to Check Your Gut Health

Here is the image: https://fabuloushealing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/blogheader-NotLosingWeight-2048×1108.jpg Have you ever stepped on your bathroom scale, wondering why your extra pounds don’t seem to be melting away despite your efforts with dieting and exercise? The answer might be right inside your gut. And no, we’re not talking about your intuition or your love handles (that is, if you have love handles). We’re talking about your gut microbiome, the living ecosystem inside your digestive system. If you’re not losing weight despite your best efforts, maybe it’s time to check your gut health. What is the gut microbiome and why does it matter? We all play host to trillions of microbes inside our bodies—bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other microscopic organisms. While some of these microbes can make us sick, some are actually helpful and contribute to our good health. Each organ in your body has its own microbiome. Still, the ones that attract scientists’ medical attention the most are the microorganisms living in your gut. Medical researchers have come to believe that processes done by your gut microbiome can affect your health significantly. Its composition and diversity can influence the development or suppression of diseases like cancer and autoimmune disorders. Those organisms in your digestive tract also interact with the drugs and supplements you take. So, whether the medicine you’re taking is effective or not can depend on the state of your gut microbiome. Evidence shows your gut health affects your weight. Apparently, those tiny living things in your digestive system can dictate whether or not you’d lose weight too. A research team at the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, WA, found this out. The study observed two groups of participants over six months to a year. One group had 48 participants who shed off more than 1% of their body weight over a year. The other group had 57 participants who maintained their body mass index (BMI) and didn’t lose any weight. The researchers didn’t make their subjects go through a specific diet or workout program. Instead, they went through behavioral coaching and worked with dietitians. The study resulted in two significant findings. One is the participants who did not lose weight nonetheless increased their gut microbiome’s ability to break down starches. The other is that, for the participants who lost weight, the bacteria in their gut gained the ability to grow and multiply much more quickly. This means the gut microbiome can influence weight loss. So, if you want to lose weight, you may need to improve your gut health instead of going on restrictive diet or workout programs. 7 Ways you can improve your gut health Now, the big question is this: How can you improve your gut health? Here are seven tips: Add fermented foods to your meals. Fermented foods like vegan kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, and miso are probiotic foods. They’re rich in healthy bacteria that can fight off the disease-causing microbes in your digestive tract. Eat prebiotic foods. Just like you, your gut bacteria need to eat too. Prebiotic foods are fiber-rich foods that your gut microbes can feast on to keep healthy. Examples are garlic, bananas, asparagus, and whole grains. Eat with variety. Make sure that you have a diverse range of food on your plate whenever you sit down for a meal. Different types of fruits, vegetables, and legumes offer different kinds of nutrients and fibers. The more variety your gut flora get to eat, the more diverse your gut microbiome will be. Reduce your intake of sweeteners. Sweeteners, especially the artificial kind, encourage the growth of harmful bacteria in your gut. At the same time, sweeteners limit the growth of the good ones. Eat polyphenol-rich foods. Polyphenols stimulate the growth of good bacteria. Foods rich in polyphenols include olives, whole grains, green tea, dark chocolate, and red wine. Avoid taking antibiotics. You should only take antibiotics if your doctor tells you to. Antibiotics can wipe out your gut bacteria, whether they’re good or bad, and increase your antibiotic resistance. Try a plant-based diet. Going on a plant-based diet offers your gut microbe lots of fiber and nutrients to feast on. An anti-inflammatory plant-based diet discourages the growth of harmful microbes that can cause inflammation and other diseases. So there you have it. If you’re having trouble losing weight, maybe it’s time to take a closer look at your gut. A few simple changes in the way you eat can considerably impact your overall health, not just your weight.