Gut health influences more than just digestion; it impacts immunity, metabolism, mood, and skin health. Maintaining a healthy gut is essential for overall wellness, immunity, and even mental health.
But the million-dollar question is, how do you do that? According to Healthline, daily routines play a crucial role in supporting digestive function and preventing gastrointestinal issues.
Simple morning habits support your gut health, boost energy, improve digestion and reduce inflammation throughout the day. Here are 8 morning habits for a healthy gut:
Start your day with warm water: The first thing that you should do in the morning is drink a cup of warm water, as it helps to rehydrate your system and activate gastrointestinal motility, which encourages a natural bowel movement.
Gentle movement: Light movements such as yoga, exercise, stretching or brisk walking stimulate the abdominal muscles and encourage peristalsis (motion that moves food through the digestive tract).
Add a high-fibre breakfast: Dietary fibre is a prebiotic, which feeds beneficial gut bacteria. This helps to maintain a healthy microbiome, essential for strong immunity and efficient digestion.
Add protein to your morning meal: Protein is the most essential component for health and overall wellness. It supports tissue repair within the digestive tract and promotes satiety, preventing mid-morning sugar cravings.
Avoid scrolling on phone: Many people use their phone while having breakfast, which can trigger a stress response in the body, slowing down digestion. It can also lead to overeating, as your brain may not register fullness signals in time.
Exposure to sun: Vitamin D helps to regulate immune function and maintain the gut’s protective barrier, which prevents toxins from entering the bloodstream. The exposure to the sun during morning hours also helps reset your circadian rhythm, which plays a role in digestion timing.
Avoid sugary food: Sugary foods, such as cereals, sweets or pancakes, cause a rapid spike in blood sugar, which feeds harmful bacteria and yeast in the gut. Over time, this can lead to an imbalance in the gut microbiome and increase inflammation.
Ginger tea or lemon tea: Drinking ginger tea in the morning can help with digestion, reduce nausea and has anti-inflammatory benefits. It can also improve blood circulation and heart health, support the immune system, and assist with weight management.