4 Critical Habits To Start Your Day For Optimal Gut Health

November 17, 2023

We have mentioned before that our gut health and overall well-being are connected. Hence, having a healthy gut system is imperative. While there are many ways to achieve and maintain a healthy gut system, one of the best ways to achieve so is through our daily morning routines.

We are aware of how having a good morning routine can set the tone for the rest of the day. However, what benefits our digestive system will vary between individuals. However, there are certain habits that can help you get started.

Importance of having good gut health

Gut health is more than just having consistent bathroom habits. It affects everything from your mental health to your immune system. Your gut microbiome consists of various communities of beneficial bacteria that break down your food to keep you healthy.

Having an imbalanced gut microbiome leads to digestive issues, an increased risk of developing certain conditions, and weakened immunity.

In this article, we compile some straightforward yet vital daily habits you can observe in the morning to help you start your day for optimal gut health.

Morning habit #1: Hydrate before consuming coffee

Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning is vital for any healthy routine. Not only does it help to aid in digestion and stimulate bowel movements, but it helps to remove toxins from our body while keeping us hydrated.

The problem is that everybody wakes up slightly dehydrated. Hence, drinking water before you start your day helps to rehydrate your body. It is particularly beneficial for individuals suffering from indigestion or constipation, as drinking water can boost nutrient absorption, making them feel more comfortable.

The thing about drinking water before consuming coffee is that caffeine in the morning is kind of a “Goldilocks Situation”. While caffeine is a good stimulant for beneficial bacteria in our gut, stimulating digestion, too much caffeine can irritate the gut lining. Hence, drinking water before consuming caffeine allows our body to prepare itself for the day.

Morning habit #2: Begin your day with a well-balanced breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it is when you can start your day optimally. Have a breakfast that is packed with nourishing fibre for your gut microbiome, including ingredients such as pecans, oats, and blueberries. Not only are they rich in fibre, but they are also rich in prebiotics. Additionally, you might also want to consider consuming food containing probiotics, such as yoghurts.

Having a well-balanced breakfast helps you control your blood sugar levels, maintain stable energy levels throughout the day, and reduce the risk of blood sugar spikes, impacting your overall mood and health for the day, as well as contributing to a healthy gut-brain connection.

Morning habit #3: Avoid stress

Our gut-brain connection is the reason you experience an upset stomach when you get nervous. Stress influences our gut health directly due to the vagus nerve that runs to our digestive tract from our brain.

Hence, starting your day right and building a low-stress morning routine helps to set the stage for the rest of the day, keeping your gut healthy. Apart from that, maintaining a low-stress morning routine also helps us to maintain healthy daily bowel movements. It is vital to protect our pooping time. Feeling stressed and rushing through the morning can affect that routine.

Morning habit #4: Start your day with light physical activity

Whether it is a simple weight training session or a short walk in the park, movements help our gut microbiome, improving its diversity and promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria. If you are not a morning person, even doing light activities such as stretching or yoga is sufficient to start your day right.

Conclusion

Having optimal gut health takes intentional steps to achieve, and you can easily do so by maintaining a beneficial morning routine daily. However, all these habits are supplementary to the most important routine, which is regular gastroenterology checkups. The thing about gut conditions is that some of them are asymptomatic or develop minimal symptoms. As such, you would want to ensure regular screening to detect them early.

Here at GUTCARE, we offer a wide range of gastroenterology services, from treating IBS symptoms to pancreas cancer symptoms. Take charge of your gut health today!