The Overwhelmed Woman's Guide to digestive health (and how to actually keep yours happy).

When we think of our health, it’s normal to feel confused and mildly overcome by all that there is to consider.       

What we eat and drink, how we move our bodies, our skincare regime, how we practice self-care, how much sleep are we getting (or rather more aptly, aren’t getting)... 

Then there’s digestive health. And we’re not always entirely sure we know what that entails. 

With the mental load of juggling everything else that needs our attention, our digestive health is often an easy element of our wellbeing we tend to overlook. Yet, it’s vital to our overall health and wellbeing. 

You might not realise but, our digestive health impacts our whole-body health: it contributes to a stronger immune system, heart health, brain health, improving our mood, quality sleep, effective digestion and a lot more. So, if you need the lowdown on what we can do to make sure we’re keeping our digestive health in tip top shape, here’s exactly where to start.

So, what does digestive health exactly relate to?

Put simply, your digestive system is made up of your gut, bowel, and stomach. Millions of bacteria are within our digestive system – some good, some not so good. The good bacteria is responsible for helping digest food which then leads to ensuring we are getting the nutrients needed to support immunity and wellbeing. 

A healthy balance of gut microflora (which is the fancy name given to the microbes living in our digestive system) is the key to maintaining health and digestive wellbeing.

What are the benefits of good digestive health?

First things first: a healthy digestive system improves the effectiveness of our body absorbing the nutrients from the foods we eat. 

When I first learnt this myself, a light bulb went off. The advantages of a healthy digestive system are HUGE, and include improving vitality, energy levels, and strength, improving skin clarity (hello radiance!), and it enhances your mood – which leads to overall greater mental wellbeing. That’s ticking a lot of boxes!

The happier your digestive system, basically, the better your mood. There is also the added benefit of boosting immunity; if our system is compromised then our immunity suffers, and we can be more susceptible to sickness, like dreaded colds and flu. 

What actually happens when we don’t look after our digestive health?

Lifestyle, poor food choices, stress and certain medications can upset our digestive health, so there are several ways that this can manifest with the many typical digestion ailments. 

Poor digestive health affects sleep and can cause that constant sense of fatigue we often experience. Even our brain can be affected because good digestive health improves the production of serotonin… which is why the consequence of poor digestion can sometimes be wavering feelings and moods!

So I’ve heard of probiotics, but what’s the deal with prebiotics?

You’ve likely heard about probiotics too, being the live bacteria that is good for us, but prebiotics? They are the little wonders that serve as food for the probiotics. I guess you could say they work in partnership. 

Prebiotics look after our gut flora which is why they are so important. Prebiotics support digestive health and contribute to a healthy digestive function by increasing the friendly, good bacteria in the digestive system. Tomatoes, bananas, garlic, oats and asparagus are the foods that are gloriously good sources of prebiotics.

Green banana and Inulin are also great natural prebiotics, and both are found in Happy Flora products I discovered this year. Their Cleanse Plant-Based Digestive Block, Cleanse Plant-Based Digestive Square, and the Cleanse Plant-Based Digestive Bites are tasty ways to introduce more nutritional prebiotics into your week, that both support digestive health and to contribute to a healthy gut microflora.

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Made with digestive-friendly formulas with real fruit (including dates, figs and pineapple), I've started to add them into my own rotation (digestive health is on my 2022 list to focus on!). They're an easy, plant-based approach to help with regular bowel movements, and help contribute to the natural cleansing process of the digestive system.  

The Happy Flora range is suited for short-term use which makes it an excellent option to try, where just 1 serve contains enough prebiotics to contribute to digestive health and healthy gut microflora.

The range tastes great, and it’s a cinch to incorporate them – no shaking or blending required – with just one portion before bed or throughout the day.

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What about the food I'm eating? What food should we eat more of? 

For starters, drinking plenty of water (2 to 3 litres of water a day is recommended!) and opting for fibre rich foods is key for effective digestive health. Meals that have ample wholefoods in them too, such as fruit and vegetables is essential. 

Some high fibre foods that can be easy to get our hands on, and into our cooking, include whole grains, nuts, and seeds, legumes, leafy greens, broccoli, bananas and berries. Lots of the colourful stuff. 

Of course, as well as prebiotics, probiotic-rich foods are on the to-eat list too. Think yoghurt, kefir (cultured dairy product), chia seeds (not technically a prebiotic, but they work like one), kombucha (fermented tea) and tempeh (fermented soybeans). 

A tip of mine to remember: not all yogurt contains probiotics. When grabbing your groceries, be sure to look for “live and active cultures” on the packaging.

Anything we should we have less of or avoid?

Yep, you guessed it. Although enjoyable here and there in moderation, highly processed foods and alcohol aren't ideal to keeping your digestive system functioning at its best. 

As someone who is perpetually behind schedule, I’ve also got my own dreadful habit of eating too quickly. Turns out a digestive system is much happier when we eat "mindfully", which is to slow down and take the time to chew food consciously. 

The bottom line.

The good news? Looking after your digestive health doesn't have to be complicated, and likely includes many things you're already doing (and eating), so you can feel 10/10 for that! Keeping tabs on your digestive health also means that your body and mind will be thanking you for it: both in the short-term and long-term. 

Raising my glass of kombucha to feeling good both on the inside and the outside!

Happy Flora products contain natural ingredients to gently help cleanse your gut and help keep you regular. A single serve helps maintain healthy digestive function with the added benefit of prebiotic to promote healthy intestinal bacteria balance.

Find Happy Flora at Priceline, Chempro and selected Pharmacy and Health Stores. Use their store locator to find a stockist near you.

Products are not recommended for consumption by pregnant, possibly pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding people or children.

Suitable for short-term consumption only. Ensure adequate daily water intake when increasing fibre in your diet.

Feature Image: Getty.