Good gut health
6 ways to support immunity through good gut health this winter
Taking care of our bodies becomes even more important during the colder months to ensure that we can properly enjoy, rather than enjoy, rather than endure, the winter season. Changes to our diet and sleep routine can have a huge impact on our overall mood, health, and wellbeing during this time – being aware of our gut health can also be vital.
While it's not a magic fix-all remedy, taking care of our gut health could be the key to enable us to thrive during these months.
The immune system's health and efficiency are intimately correlated with the condition of your digestive system. The gut microbiome plays a variety of beneficial tasks, including managing your metabolism, mood, cognition, hunger, digestion, and immunity – with between 70-80% of your immune cells estimated to be present in the gut.
6 expert tips to support immunity through gut health
Supporting a healthy gut-immune response is a multi-factorial process. Here, nutritional therapist Eve Kalinik, and prebiotic fibre specialists Bimuno (bimuno.com) highlight six easy ways to boost immunity through gut health.
1 Aim for 30 plants a week
Increasing our overall plant diversity supports a more diverse gut microbiome and immune system. This can be from vegetables, fruit, whole grains and nuts and seeds as well as spices and herbs. Consider making up nut and seed mixes that you can sprinkle over soups, salads, cooked vegetables, overnight oats and more.
2 Consume gut-nourishing foods
This includes fermented foods, mushrooms, seeds, nuts, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, spinach and more. Spices such as turmeric also contain vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, amino acids and types of fibre that all help to support the health of the gut and the immune system. Try making up a stewed apple compote with cinnamon that you can serve alongside breakfast or as a tasty snack.
3 Supplementation
Whilst a food-first approach is recommended, if you are struggling to get enough fibre to support your gut health from your diet, you could also consider using a high-fibre supplement, such as Bimuno. This is an award-winning, scientifically-backed prebiotic supplement that feeds bifidobacteria, a 'good bacteria' found in the gut, connected with digestive health, immunity and mental wellbeing. Gluten-free and taste-free, the sachet powder can be added to any food or drink and is shown to begin working in just seven days of routine daily use.
4 Include key co-factor nutrients
Vitamin C and zinc are integral for the health of the immune system. Vitamin C is found in strawberries, avocado, broccoli, peppers, spinach and citrus fruit. Zinc is abundant in pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, cashew nuts and traditional hard cheese, which also includes a boost of beneficial bacteria for the gut too.
5 Let the sunshine in
This is a key component of how our body makes vitamin D. But this can also be trickier in the winter months as the sunshine is not as strong, so if you are living in the UK you might want to consider taking supplements.
6 Prioritise rest
Too much stress and not enough sleep can encroach on the health of our immune system. Allowing sufficient time before we go to bed without our electronic devices in sight can help to cultivate a more restful night's sleep.
Article by nutritional therapist, Eve Kalinik, and prebiotic fibre specialists Bimuno (bimuno.com)
Om Magazine
First published in November 2009, OM Yoga magazine has become the most popular yoga title in the UK. Available from all major supermarkets, independents and newsstands across the UK. Also available on all digital platforms.
