5 Ways to Improve Your Gut Health During the Pandemic

The third wave of the covid-19 virus has hit the country yet again with cases rising by the day. There are some take-home messages from the past, helping to manage the coronavirus and its effects better this time. One of the crucial ones is, understanding the connection between gut health and the infectious virus. According to reports based on scientific studies, Covid-19 gets severe as the immune system goes into an excessive overdrive, adversely affecting the gut health of patients and lowering the existence of good bacteria in the human body. The gut study suggests that the gut microbiome of people with and without Covid-19 are significantly different.Also Read – France’s ‘Vaccine Pass’ Enters Into Force Barring Unjabbed From Restaurants, Tourist Site Amid COVID

What is gut health?

Sharanya Srinivas Shastry, Clinical Dietitian and Nutritionist, Apollo Spectra Hospital, Bangalore explains gut health refers to the balance of microorganisms that live in the digestive tract. Maintaining the right balance of these microorganisms is significant in living a wholesome life and reinforcing physical as well as mental health. Furthermore, superior gut health can ensure stronger immunity. So, you are as strong as your gut. Also Read – Dangerous to Assume Omicron Will be The Last Variant of COVID-19: WHO

What’s your gut feeling?

Here are a few ways to work on strengthening our gut health if one has been hit by covid-19 or if someone is constantly suffering from Acidity, Bloating and Constipation. Those who have managed to dodge the virus so far can also adopt some of these ways to continue living covid-free. Sharanya Srinivas Shastry recommends 5 ways to strengthen gut health. Also Read – World At ‘Critical Juncture’ In COVID Pandemic; Countries Should Work Together To End It: WHO

1. Probiotic and prebiotic foods: While making up for real food with food supplements is the new mantra amongst fitness enthusiasts, it is not as difficult to go for the real while ensuring good health. Fermented foods are a great source of probiotics. Some of these include idli, dosa, home-set curd, home- made buttermilk, akhuni, dhokla, home- set shrikhand are easy to cook or find on a menu. Prebiotic foods such as kichdi, curd rice garlic, bananas, onions, and whole grains are necessary to introduce good bacteria in our system.
2. Self-medication: While antibiotics are helpful in combating viruses and infections in the body, over the counter buying of medicines, especially antibiotics can do more harm than good to the human body. Antibiotics flush out the good bacteria along with driving the toxins away from the body. Chronic episodes of self-medication can rip one’s gut off many friendly microorganisms, crucial for building a healthy body and mind.
3. Exercise/ Yoga: The power to re-energize or recharge oneself lies in the right movement of the body. Some yoga postures such as the ‘Balasana’ (‘Child’s Pose’) help in relieving physical stress and calming the mind. It is done by sitting down on heels and bending the lower hip region, along with extending the arms straight ahead. Another one is ‘Trikonasana’ or the ‘Triangle Pose’ is beneficial to the abdominal area, helping in stimulating the appetite and improving the digestive system. It is done by standing with both legs wide apart and turning the body towards the right side and bending on the same end with the other hand above in the air. The easiest of all is ‘Sukhasana’ or the cross legged position. It is advisable to have at least one meal by sitting in a cross legged position on the floor. Cross legged position helps in digesting, absorbing and assimilating the food well. Also, for those who are constantly worried about how much to eat, cross legged position will help your stomach understand the portion control.
4. Adequate Rest and an Active lifestyle: Most of the people would agree that there is nothing like adequate sleep which solves most of our problems. Hectic lifestyles seldom give us the opportunity to rest adequately especially when in need. Hence fixing a bedtime and nutritional discipline becomes very important. One useful tip in order to have a good immune system/gut health, weight loss, and healthy skin is to bring your bedtime as close to 11 pm. Adding on, “sitting is the new smoking” as per the recent American guidelines. So, 20 minutes of exercise for five days a week (any exercise that you’re comfortable doing) can give you excellent results.
5. Refrain from artificial sugars: Frequent consumption of processed foods cause “dysbiosis”- imbalance of gut microbes. Dysbiosis may further lead to acidity/ frequent bloating post a meal or even sugar cravings (most commonly found in women) which are indicative of nutritional deficiencies. Hence, including a vegetable based chutney with lunch or consumption of 1 tsp(teaspoon) of home-made ghee with rotis or a tsp of ghee and jaggery consumed after lunch work wonders as they take care of deficiencies, sugar spikes and acidity/bloating after meals.

Say hello to strong gut health with these tips!