Gut Feeling: 5 Ways to Improve Your Stomach Health

PROS: Eating these foods can help with stomach issues naturally
CONS: These won’t solve more complex stomach issues
TAKEAWAY: Probiotics alone aren’t enough to treat your gut, so add these foods to help

They say that a healthy gut can greatly affect your overall well-being. At the same time, your well-being can have an affect on the health of your gut. Just think about that for a second.

There are an estimated 40 trillion bacteria (aka microbiota) living in the human body and because your gut and brain tend to work in tandem, it’s probably in your best interest to feed said bacteria with the right kind of nourishment. There are, of course, a slew of other factors that contribute to your well-being, but why not start with what you can affect almost immediately?

Here are five supplements and foods to help improve your stomach health.

1. Palouse Brand Garbanzo Beans

A diet high in fruit and vegetables, like garbanzo beans or chickpeas, is great for a number of reasons. Not only do they provide you with an ample source of fiber for to keep things flowing, but fiber also promotes the growth of certain bacterias, like Bifidobacteria, which can help prevent intestinal inflammation.

2. Gold Mine Organic Kimchi

You’ve heard of kimchi and maybe you’ve even tried some in the past, but did you know that there are over 100 different varieties of the Korean export? This is important because fermented foods, like kimchi or plain natural yogurt or sauerkraut, are rich in lactobacilli, which is a type of microbiota. Which brings us back to this kimchi. Contrary to what you’re probably thinking, this isn’t the variety that’s been made with fermented shrimp or fish sauce, so don’t worry about the pungent smell you might be used to. Though you should eat that kind too.

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3. Nature’s Bounty Ultra Strength Probiotic 10

If a drastic change in diet isn’t in the cards, you can at least start with a probiotic supplement, like Nature’s Bounty Ultra Strength Probiotic 10. With 20 billion live cultures and 10 specific strains, your gut will thank you later. Nature’s Bounty even makes Probiotic Gummies but these only contain 4 billion live cultures and one specific strain called Unique IS-2 bacillus coagulans. They come in pineapple, raspberry and orange flavors.

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4. Rice Select Whole Grain Lover’s Sampler

In addition to being a source of fiber, whole grains contain non-digestible carbs, like beta-glucan, which promotes the growth of certain beneficial bacteria in your gut. In other words, the impact of said bacteria on your gut may improve certain aspects of your overall metabolic health. This variety pack from Rice Select includes couscous, brown rice, a mix of brown and red rice, as well as a mix of brown rice and wild rice.

5. Kombucha Wonder Drink

Kombucha falls into the fermented food group but is served in the form of an 8.4 ounce drink. This one in particular is a blend of organic pear essence, ginger and oolong tea. It’s organic and comes in a 24-pack, so you really have no excuse because this is probably the easiest way to get the microbiota you need to lead a healthier life.