How to improve Gut Health
Gut health is a pretty hot topic these days - and for good reason. Our gut plays a huge role in how we feel day to day. From mood, mental clarity, and energy to skin health, immunity, digestion, and even autoimmune conditions.
A well-functioning gut can support your immune system, reduce inflammation, improve your mood, and help you feel more balanced overall. On the flip side, poor gut health is linked to bloating, constipation, reflux, IBS, fatigue, and a range of chronic conditions—including autoimmune diseases like IBD, rheumatoid arthritis, and Hashimoto’s.
The good news? There’s a lot you can do to support your gut through food and lifestyle.
Eat a gut friendly, anti-inflammatory diet
We’re not always perfect and we don’t have to be, but when we do our best to provide our body with nourishing food most of the time, it can make such a difference to the way we feel and our gut health. A diverse, mostly whole foods, plant-rich diet is ideal. It provides fibre, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats that feed your gut microbiome and support digestion.
Fibre rich foods: Vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains help keep things moving and support microbial diversity.
Fermented foods: Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, and tempeh add beneficial bacteria to your gut.
Prebiotic foods: These feed your existing gut microbes. Think garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, green bananas, and oats.
Polyphenol-rich foods: Found in berries, green tea, olive oil, dark chocolate, herbs, and spices like turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon. These compounds are antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, and they help feed the microbiome.
Anti-inflammatory fats: Omega-3s from fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel) and plant sources (chia, flaxseeds, walnuts) help reduce inflammation and support gut health.
Reduce these:
Ultra processed foods: Foods with long ingredient lists. These often have limited fibre and contain additives and emulsifiers that can have a negative impact on gut health.
Added sugars: Often in ultra processed foods as well. Sugar can negatively influence the balance of gut bacteria and contribute to inflammation.
Refined grains: white bread, white rice and other highly processed carbs have minimal fibre, micronutrients (if not fortified with extra after processing), and can contribute to imbalanced blood sugar and energy levels.
Note: Food sensitivities, intolerances, or allergies should be considered, especially in cases of gut symptoms, IBS, or autoimmune conditions. Identifying and removing trigger foods (short or long term) can make a big difference.
Manage Stress were you can
Some stress is normal—but chronic, ongoing stress can be a problem. It has been shown to disrupt gut bacteria, increase inflammation, impair digestion, and weaken the gut lining (contributing to leaky gut/intestinal hyperpermeability).
Interestingly, a healthy gut can also help regulate stress, mood, and hormones. Your gut and brain are in constant communication via the gut-brain axis, and imbalances in one can affect the other.
Stress reduction strategies that support gut health:
Breathwork, deep, or diaphragmatic breathing, can help activate the parasympathetic nervous system helping reduce stress
Meditation and mindfulness
Journaling or creative outlets to release emotion
Time in nature to help down-regulate the stress response
Therapeutic support including talk based therapies or somatic practices when needed
These approaches can calm your nervous system, reduce inflammation, and even positively impact your gut microbiome.
Prioritise Sleep
There’s a two-way relationship between sleep and your gut. Poor sleep can disrupt your microbiome and increase inflammation, while a healthy gut can support better sleep quality.
Aim for:
7–9 hours of quality sleep per night
A regular sleep-wake schedule
Tips to improve sleep:
Avoid caffeine after midday
Limit alcohol (negatively affects sleep quality)
Finish meals 2+ hours before bedtime
Create a calming bedtime routine (e.g. dim lighting, reading, gentle stretches)
Reduce blue light exposure in the evenings (e.g., avoid screens an hour before bed)
Include physical activity during your day (but not too much intense movement close to bed time, this can keep us from falling asleep easily)
Practice Mindful Eating
The way you eat matters as well as what you eat. Rushed or distracted eating can impair digestion and nutrient absorption.
Support your gut with these mindful eating habits:
Sit down for meals without distractions
Chew thoroughly to support digestion
Take a few slow breaths before you eat to shift into "rest and digest" mode
Avoid eating on the go when possible
These habits support digestion, reduce bloating, and improve nutrient absorption.
Move Your Body Regularly
Regular physical activity supports gut health in several ways: it boosts circulation to the digestive tract, supports regular bowel movements, and can increase microbial diversity.
Some great options include:
Walking
Yoga or Pilates
Resistance training
Moderate cardio (e.g. cycling, swimming, jogging)
Even 30 minutes a day of light-to-moderate movement can make a difference.
Stay Hydrated
Water helps keep digestion smooth and supports your gut lining and microbiome.
Tips:
Aim for 1.5 to 2.5 litres of water per day, depending on activity level, climate, and individual needs
Herbal teas, broths and soups also count toward your fluid intake
If you struggle with constipation, hydration can make a big difference
Be mindful with Alcohol and Caffeine Intake
Excessive alcohol can damage the gut lining, promote inflammation, and disturb microbial balance. High caffeine intake, especially when paired with stress or poor sleep, may worsen gut symptoms like reflux or anxiety-related digestive issues and disrupt the gut lining.
What to do:
Limit alcohol to 1–2 servings per week or less
Be mindful of caffeine tolerance—try to stick to only one cup in the morning (if you love it and tolerate it)
Consider herbal alternatives like rooibos, ginger and lemon tea, or dandelion root tea
Don’t Ignore Symptoms
While occasional bloating or changes in digestion can be normal, ongoing gut issues are a sign that something needs attention.
Chronic constipation, diarrhoea, pain, bloating, gas, reflux, or food intolerances may indicate:
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
Coeliac disease
SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth)
Leaky gut (intestinal hyperpermeability)
Dysbiosis
Food sensitivities
Working with a practitioner can help uncover the root cause and create a personalised approach to support your gut health and reduce symptoms.
Final Thoughts
Improving gut health doesn’t mean doing everything perfectly—it’s about building consistent habits that support you from the inside out. A whole food, plant-rich diet, quality sleep, nervous system regulation, daily movement, and tuning into your body are powerful tools for nourishing your gut.
When we support our gut health and build resilience through nutrition and lifestyle habits we’re not just supporting digestion — we’re investing in our immune system, energy, mental health and clarity, hormone balance and long-term health. These habits can also help manage ongoing conditions like IBS or autoimmune diseases, and may even lower the risk of developing chronic health issues down the track.
The more we understand what our gut needs, the better it can support us in return and the better we can feel.
If you’re dealing with gut symptoms, IBS, an autoimmune condition, or just not feeling your best—and you’re ready to figure out your next steps—I’d love to help. Book your free 15-minute online Wellness Investigation let’s talk about what’s going on and how you can best support your health and wellness.
Learn more about my 12 week online coaching program: Gut, Autoimmune & Inflammation Reset
Learn more about my 8 week online coaching program: Nutrition and Wellness Foundations
References
Exercise Modifies the Gut Microbiota with Positive Health Effects. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/3831972
Understanding the Connection between Gut Homeostasis and Psychological Stress. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.01.026
Gut microbiome diversity is associated with sleep physiology in humans. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0222394
The Role of Gut Microbiome in Sleep Quality and Health: Dietary Strategies for Microbiota Support. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16142259
