70% of your serotonin is made in your gut. What’s going on in your gut is going to affect your mood — anxiety, depression, and focus. — Dr. Frank Lipman
Last year, I wrote an article on the 6 best and the worst foods for your gut health.
The article received a lot of views and questions; therefore, I recall and expanded more on the worst foods for gut health. First, let’s try to understand the importance of gut health.
Importance of gut health
What’s going on in our gut can affect everything: mood, health, productivity, etc.
We all know that when our body does not have the right balance of bacteria, many organisms can grow out of control, which can cause fungi and other infections in the long run.
Antibiotics kill both good and bad bacteria, and a person taking antibiotics may be vulnerable to yeast infection.
According to the Victoria Government Health website, gut health is important for a healthy and happy life.
What are the initial signs of an unhealthy gut?
First, let’s try to learn what can contribute to affecting your gut health (microbiome).
- You are stressed.
- Gut health is crucial for your liver health.
- You sleep too little, and your quality of sleep is poor.
- You don’t walk 10000 steps a day or do little physical activity.
- You are consuming too many fast foods.
- You are smoking and drinking alcohol.
- You are taking antibiotics.
Here are the clear signs that you have poor gut health.
- You are always bloating, gassed, constipated, diarrheal, and heartburn.
- You do not have quality sleep or are tired all the time.
- You have anxiety.
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- inflammation
- You get the common cold more frequently than someone with better gut health.
Recall:
Gut health is super important to living a more productive and happy life.
My grandmother, who never attended school, always stocked the fridge with gut-friendly foods.
When I was a kid, I had no idea that fermented foods (yogurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, etc.) naturally contain probiotic cultures to strengthen your digestive system.
My grandmother always encouraged me to eat yogurt with breakfast; since then, I have tried to remember if I ever missed a day not consuming yogurt. It’s just a part of my life.
I can eat yogurt with almost any type of food, including pizza. I know my wife says it’s gross, but try adding a little bit of natural yogurt to your pizza. You will find out once you try.
Worst foods for your gut health
Stay away from processed foods.
- Most of us know that process is good for our health, but many do not know it’s bad for our gut health.
- A new study shows that heavily processed food can develop colitis and metabolic in the long run.
- Process food contains large quantities of saturated fat and also trans-fat that seriously affect gut health. And don’t forget the added sugar, salt, and food additives (chemicals) that harm your health.
- Just stay away from processed food.
List of ultra-processed foods (non-exhaustive list)
- Deli meats
- Packed snacks (many)
- Desserts
- Breakfast cereals (many)
- Over-the-counter meals
Red Meat
- A study published in the European Heart Journal in 2019 found that red meat raises trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) levels. It’s a byproduct of your gut bacteria. Study links the high TAMO to a higher risk of stroke and heart attack.
- Many studies suggest that high consumption of red meat affects the gut microbiota, which can affect immune functions and inflammation in the body.
- I love red meat, but prefer to be fresh, and the way I cook, I cannot live without eating mutton. A good quality steak can beat any meal. However, everything in moderation is important.
Why Fried foods are bad for gut health?
It’s the most common and available food around the neighborhood. But do you know that it’s super bad for your gut health? Here are a couple of reasons.
- Fried food is high in unhealthy fats, which cause inflammation in the body.
I don’t need to explain the rest of the food because those are self-explanatory.
- Foods with antibiotics — (antibiotics kill all the bacteria, good and bad)
- Alcohol — moderation
- Artificial sweeteners
- Sugary soft drinks
Caffeine (moderation is the key here), I also wrote a detailed article on the long-term impact of coffee consumption.
Key takeaways
We know that microorganisms (microbiome or microbiota) in our gut health can affect our health.
I highly suggest staying away from the foods I mentioned in this article: processed foods, too much red meat, desserts, etc.
Focus on high-fiber foods; here is a great article about high-fiber foods.
Start by saying no to deep-fried and ultra-processed foods.
Thank you for reading. I wish you a happy and healthy life.
As a new reader, please check my holistic health, productivity, and well-being stories reflecting my reviews, observations, and 30+ days of experiments (29 completed so far) to build a sustainable healthy lifestyle.
