Four Everyday Lifestyle Swaps For Better Gut Health

It might come as no surprise to learn that gut health has a huge influence on our overall health. Everything you eat—and every nutrient you consume—gets processed in the gastrointestinal tract, helping produce the energy you need. In fact, much of our immune system—the cells, tissues and organs that help us fight infection—is located here.

Luckily, you won’t need to embark on a dietary overhaul to see positive changes in your gut health. Instead, taking simple steps towards a healthy lifestyle is the best way to establish good habits that last for the long haul. But how? Make these four swaps part of your everyday routine:

Swap: coffee for fresh fruit

The thought of guzzling litres of water every day can be overwhelming and even a little off-putting. But for optimum function, the body needs to be hydrated for nutrient transport and joint, organ and digestive function—even for better sleep, skin and mood. Skip the sugar-laden juices and sodas and opt for plain or sparkling waters, herbal teas and other non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic drinks. Fruit and vegetables that are high in water content count too: think melons, cucumbers, tomatoes, oranges, apples, spinach and more.

Swap: Long, infrequent workouts for regular exercise (however short)

Any and all physical activity is great for body and mind, even if you’re busy and can only do it in short bursts. Aim to do something several times a week, even if it’s just a brisk after-dinner walk (great for digestion!). Weight and resistance training plus cardio plus doing something you really enjoy is the perfect mix—and having fun while you’re doing it is great for the soul.

If your workouts have, ahem, been few and far between, start with a low-impact routine that won’t put you off exercise in the future. This routine focuses on strength, and can be done from the comfort of your living room.

Swap: Doomscrolling for an uplifting book or podcast

While it’s sometimes easier said than done, practising good sleep hygiene is essential for physical and mental health. What does that entail? Ideally, that means having a consistent sleep and wake time, even on days off. What might interfere? Late-night meals, too-long naps and blue light before bed, which includes your evening doomscrolling (consuming too much bad news at once). Try a warm bath before bed, a dark and cool bedroom and some quiet time reading or meditating before turning off the lights.

 Swap: party mix for trail mix

As much as possible, swap out the sugar and processed food for whole grains, nuts and seeds, pulses, all different colours of fruits and vegetables. Fibre helps promote friendly bacteria in the gut and keeps digestion on track. Fermented foods like yogurt (with live cultures), miso, sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir contain probiotics—friendly bacteria that help keep bad bacteria in the body in check.

And for those times when diet is not enough, you may want to consider adding Centrum to your day.

In its Multi+Probiotics, Centrum has combined an effective probiotic, BB12®, with 18 vitamins and minerals. It's a convenient way to help support immune function and gut health in a first-of-its kind bi-layer tablet.

In Centrum®'s Multi+Probiotics, scientists have combined zinc and Vitamins C and D to help support immune function. Vitamin A helps provide eyesight support, and B vitamins help in energy metabolism.

With 18 nutrients and a probiotic all in one tablet, add Centrum Multi+Probiotics to your day to help in the maintenance of good health.

Backed by over 35 years of research, Centrum is the #1 doctor-recommended and #1 pharmacist-recommended adult multivitamin brand in Canada.*

For more information, visit centrum.ca.

*Multivitamin and Mineral Supplement. This product may not be right for you. Always read and follow the label. *This post is sponsored by Centrum *Based on IMS Health Data dated March 2020