The “gut health” trend has taken social media by storm, especially TikTok. Unfortunately, there’s tons of health misinformation surrounding the new buzzword: Gen Z is bombarded with countless wellness influencers promoting expensive supplements, $12 Erewhon green juices, and restrictive diets to decrease bloating and “heal” your gut. In the case of uncertified wellness influencers, the gut health to diet culture pipeline is very real.
For what it’s worth, TikTok has made me realize that I’m not alone in my struggles. My heart goes out to all the college peeps on my FYP that are dealing with gut issues in communal bathrooms — you’re so real for that. It’s important to remember that some bloating is completely normal, and many TikTok users tend to self-diagnose themselves with gut issues. However, intense and painful bloating is definitely not normal! Instead of looking for expensive products to “fix” your gut, there are plenty of alternative ways to boost gut health that are beneficial and accessible.
What even is “gut health?”
When influencers talk about the gut, they’re referring to the gut microbiome. The gut microbiome is made up of your intestines and stomach, which are filled with trillions of bacteria, according to Time Health. There are so many factors that impact our overall gut health, including stress levels, the food that we eat, how much exercise we get, what supplements and vitamins we take, etc.
Stress Can Only Worsen Gut Health
The mind-body connection plays a huge role in a healthy gut. Having always struggled with anxiety, I never realized how interconnected my mental health was with the rest of my body. According to the Harvard Health Medical School, intestinal distress in the gut can either cause anxiety, or be caused by anxiety. There’s a vicious cycle at play here, and it can be so difficult to break. According to studies within the Medical School, psychological approaches to gut dysfunction have proved to be even more useful than solely medical approaches. It’s so much easier said than done, but if you can identify stressors in your life and work to resolve them, it will make for a much healthier gut!
Diets Do More Harm Than Good
Because of social media it may be tempting to go on restrictive diets in hopes of “fixing” your gut, but these diets do more harm than good. Calories are the basis of energy for our bodies, and eating extremely low calorie, keto, paleo, or any other fad diet will actually slow down the functioning of the gut. When you restrict the food that you’re eating, the small amount of energy that your body is getting from your food will go towards things like keeping your heart beating. It’s a scary thing, and your digestion will be completely thrown off.
Move your body
Staying active isn’t just good for your physical health. It’s also amazing for your mental health, which we know feeds into the gut! Studies have shown that people who exercise more have higher levels of gut microbiome diversity. Exercise has also been shown to aid in digestion. In my own experience, going on short walks after meals or throughout the day has also helped my gut health. Yoga poses have also been game-changing in aiding digestion. If I’m feeling particularly bloated or having really bad abdominal pain, doing a quick “child’s pose” and stretching have been helpful for pain relief!
Eat foods with lots of fiber
Fruits and veggies in college are hard to come by, trust me I get it! In any way that you can, sneaking in some fiber-rich foods will give your gut the healthy boost that it needs. For all my IBS girlies out there, fiber will get things moving, guaranteed! According to Eating Well, some foods with high fiber content include raspberries, avocados, beans, lentils, and oatmeal. Eating a wide range of plant-based foods throughout the week will be extremely beneficial for gut health.
Fermented foods, Too
Whether it’s sauerkraut, kefir, yogurt, or kombucha, there are so many possibilities when it comes to incorporating fermented foods into your diet. These foods are packed with probiotics that help feed the good bacteria in your gut microbiome! Although fermented foods tend to be more expensive, they’re great additions to your diet if you’re able to get them. Luckily, TikTok has no shortage of yogurt bowl recipes to choose from.
Get plenty of sleep
Getting more sleep or lessening your screen time seems to be the cure for every problem. But plenty of sleep really does allow for our bodies to recharge and keep our immune systems functioning optimally. Sleep has been shown to impact our mental health as well. When we experience sleep deprivation, a common symptom is increased anxiety. Anxiety has been shown to negatively impact gut health. It’s no surprise that getting more sleep actually helps maintain a diverse and healthy gut microbiome!
Be kind to yourself
Ultimately, you can’t hate your body into changing. If we’ve learned anything about the mind-body connection, it’s that our mental health is deeply intertwined with our physical well-being. There were so many times where I missed out on social events because I was painfully bloated or was having abdominal pain. We all just want to be able to live our lives. Try to remain patient with your body. Healing your gut won’t happen overnight, and it can be a frustrating process. Making even the smallest of changes to improve your physical and mental well-being will have real benefits for your gut.
All this to say, hotties have stomach issues, bestie. Remember that!