A healthy gut supports a strong and stable immune system. It can influence your mood, the condition of your skin, and even autoimmune diseases.
It sounds serious — and it truly is!
The gut is incredibly complex and needs proper care. Your digestive tract is home to between 300 and 500 species of gut bacteria, numbering in the millions. Most of these are beneficial and crucial for your health. But they need to be nourished to keep supporting your well-being.
When harmful bacteria become dominant, it can cause fatigue, illness, and low mood. An imbalance like this in your gut can contribute to inflammation, which often only becomes apparent after years.
You might start feeling unwell without noticing why.
Soon, we'll explain what you can do and eat to keep your gut well balanced and healthy.
But first, let's take a look at how your gut functions.
How your gut works
Digestion means breaking down the food you've eaten into its essential parts. As your gut breaks down food, it releases vital nutrients and passes the rest out as waste. The time this process takes depends on what you eat. Digestion can take anywhere from 20 to 65 hours.
So, you can see your gut is working hard.
Station 1 - Mouth and Esophagus
For good reason, digestion starts in the mouth.
Why?
By chewing your food slowly and thoroughly, you don’t just break it down for the gut to digest more easily—you also mix it with saliva, beginning the digestion process right in your mouth. Additionally, this helps prevent the food from feeling heavy or uncomfortable in your stomach.
That unpleasant sensation.
Once this process is complete, the chewed food moves down the esophagus toward the stomach, pushed along by the contractions of the surrounding muscles.
Station 2 - Stomach
The stomach contains gastric acid, one of the most powerful and acidic substances in your body — and that’s both normal and essential.
This acidity helps to kill bacteria and other harmful components present in the food mixture. The stomach protects itself with a protective film that gastric acid cannot penetrate. Sometimes, after eating, you can feel your stomach at work. When this happens, the contents are tossed back and forth and gradually move toward the duodenum through the continuous contracting and relaxing of the intestinal muscles.
Station 3 - Duodenum
In the duodenum, the chyme from the stomach is neutralized. This is necessary because only the stomach has a protective film to shield it from excessive acid.
In addition, enzymes are added to further break down the chyme, preparing it for digestion in the small intestine.
Source: German Cancer Society (DKG)
Station 4 - Small Intestine
In the small intestine, food is further broken down. This is accomplished by the small intestine working closely with the pancreas, which produces the digestive juices needed.
Within the roughly 5-meter-long small intestine, nutrients from your food pass into the bloodstream because its mucous membrane is selectively permeable.
It’s a delicate balance: the mucous membrane covers about 500 square meters and is designed to allow beneficial nutrients into your bloodstream, while keeping harmful substances from entering your body. Unfortunately, this balance is disrupted in Leaky Gut syndrome: a diet high in typical Western foods can damage the intestinal wall, allowing toxins to enter the bloodstream, which can trigger inflammation and lead to various health issues.
This is yet another reason to prioritize your gut health.
Station 5 - Large Intestine
Here, the large intestine extracts remaining fluids and minerals from the food residue, delivering them back into your body.
Nearly 90% of minerals are processed and made available to you in this stage. This amazing function is possible only because of the colon’s healthy gut flora. This flora consists of millions of microorganisms that play an essential role in extracting minerals and other trace elements from food.
If problems occur here, your colon won’t be able to extract as many minerals from your food as it should. Your digestion becomes slow and inefficient. As a result, deficiencies can develop because food isn’t properly broken down.
At the end of this digestion process, food residue remains. It is then moved toward the rectum with the help of mucus from the intestinal wall. This is where the stool is held until its final elimination.
Supporting a Healthy Gut
In fact, nurturing your gut health is quite straightforward: simply avoid what harms you and enjoy what benefits both you and your digestive system.
Easier said than done, of course.
Since you’ve learned how intricate the digestion of your morning muesli can be, you’re probably curious about what you can do—and what you should avoid—to keep your health on track.
That’s exactly what we’ll be focusing on now.
Digestion works better when you’re relaxed
It might sound like a cliché, but it’s true.
But here’s a tip: turn off the TV and radio, and maybe just enjoy the sound of birds singing (whether from your garden or your computer) while eating together with your family.
Eating in a calm and relaxed environment helps improve digestion by removing distractions.
You’ve probably realized how hard your gut works during digestion — and yes, it really is hard work. Your body focuses on this process, so it’s best not to get distracted by watching TV or getting upset over the 9:30 news on the radio during your meal.
Chew slowly — even slower(!)
Speed might be great for sprinting, but when it comes to eating, slow down and chew thoroughly.
The more time you take to chew, the better your digestion. Your digestive system appreciates it when food arrives already broken down and doesn’t have to handle large chunks.By chewing your food thoroughly and eating more slowly, you can promote complete digestion and better nutrient absorption. This helps reduce digestive discomfort and supports a healthy gut.
Tip: Aiming to chew each bite at least 30 times is a good practice. Of course, this can be difficult with soups. With soups, chewing 30 times isn’t necessary.
Don’t pile too much on your fork
You don’t need to overload your fork with food. Take smaller bites that you can comfortably move around in your mouth. If your bites are too large, you quickly end up looking like a hamster preparing for winter.
Make sure to get enough dietary fiber
Dietary fiber does not burden your intestines; it benefits them. However, increase its share in your diet gradually. Your intestines are indeed a marvel of nature, but they also take time to adjust to changes in your diet.
Also? Dietary fiber provides long-lasting satiety.
Pay attention to a balanced intake of dietary fiber, proteins, and healthy fats in your diet. Often, healthy fats such as olive oil or flaxseed oil are important to enable the breakdown of dietary fiber.
Fiber-rich foods like beans, peas, oats, bananas, or berries have demonstrated positive effects on gut health in various studies (2). They supply prebiotics that support the good bacteria in your gut.
Bring variety into your diet
Sticking to a healthy diet becomes easier when you don’t feel like you’re depriving yourself. Instead of cutting out milk, dairy products (yes, including FETA and Parmesan!), red wine, grains, and more starting tomorrow morning, enjoy a little of everything.
This way, the transition feels smoother and you’re already doing something good for your body. For example, instead of eating bread twice daily, try having it six times a week.
It’s better to eat a bit of everything now and then than to slip into a dull and restrictive diet. Because a limited diet cannot be healthy for you, even if you only think you’re consuming good ingredients. So try to bring variety into your diet, as this helps boost your metabolism in a positive way.
Above: Healthy gut, populated with beneficial gut bacteria
Below: Unhealthy gut, lacking gut bacteria
Gut bacteria – your body’s best tenants
Good gut bacteria are essential not only because they support healthy digestion but also because they play a key role in regulating your overall well-being.
According to a study (1) published in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, having a diverse range of beneficial bacteria in the gut can enhance immune system function, to ease symptoms of depression and support weight loss.
By avoiding processed foods and those high in refined sugars, you can help protect your gut flora. Processed foods can harm beneficial bacteria and encourage the growth of harmful ones.
Luckily, there are plenty of foods that promote the growth of good bacteria and contribute positively to your overall health. These include:
- Fermented foods: Fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, miso, and kefir provide valuable probiotics. Although their quality varies, numerous studies have highlighted their benefits for gut flora (3).
- Collagen-boosting foods: Collagen-rich foods, such as bone broth, offer great support for gut health. Bone broth delivers valuable nutrients like amino acids (glycine, arginine, proline, lysine, glutamine…), collagen, and glycosaminoglycans, all of which help support and stabilize a healthy gut flora.
 | “I especially recommend bone broth to my patients with gut conditions, including those with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease), as well as many who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. And of course, to everyone who just wants to eat healthily.“ Dr. med. Birgit Gergelyfy |
Wild Fruit Isn’t Found Everywhere
Our German forests are not only vital for fresh air but also serve as nature’s marketplace for delicious berries. We’re talking about “WILD BERRIES.”
Of course, all fruit is healthy—especially because of its high vitamin C content—but we want to share some special insights about wild berries.
- Wild blueberries
- Wild raspberries
- Wild blackberries
- Wild strawberries
- and more…
These are true powerhouses; they look different from the berries you usually find around the corner for €4.00 per 100g container, and they taste SO MUCH better.
This might be just right for you.
Tip: Wild blueberries (forest blueberries) are dark inside, not light. Cultivated blueberries have a pale, almost yellowish interior and contain significantly fewer nutrients.
Drink plenty of water
Drinking water supports the intestinal lining and helps maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria. This, in turn, promotes a healthy gut flora.
Plus, staying well-hydrated makes it easier for your body to flush out toxins. Everything harmful should be eliminated and not allowed to build up in your body. It is recommended that an adult drinks at least 2 liters of water per day.
But what about meat?
Meat also provides valuable nutrients, minerals, and trace elements, but it’s best not to overdo it when it comes to meat consumption. Enjoy meat only occasionally, treat it as a special treat, and when you do, choose high-quality, organic, pasture-raised meat.
Traditional Chinese Medicine even suggests that small amounts of meat can have healing properties. While we can’t confirm this scientifically, it’s an interesting perspective. But we truly believe that a steak from an animal that has roamed freely on pasture for years and enjoyed fresh air tastes better and is richer in nutrients than mass-produced, packaged options costing just 80 cents.
Prebiotics and Probiotics
Prebiotics support the growth of beneficial bacteria in your gut, while probiotics are those good bacteria themselves. Prebiotic dietary fibers are naturally found in foods like chicory, chicory root (inulin), Jerusalem artichokes, parsnips, artichokes, leeks, dandelion root, onions, and black salsify. You can also find dietary supplements with bacterial cultures to support both probiotics and prebiotics.
What Harms Your Gut
Stress, lack of sleep, processed and sugary foods, as well as chemical medications, can all harm the good microorganisms in your gut.
We all have a few bad habits here and there,
so we’re not here to point fingers and say, ‘Stop that!’.
Instead, we’ll simply explain how these factors might affect your wellbeing.
Ready?
Stress is harmful
Ongoing high stress impacts your whole body and your digestive system. Some great ways to ease stress include meditation, massages, walks, yoga, reading a good book, spending quality time with friends or family, and keeping caffeine intake low.
All of these can help you unwind and relax. You might even notice how your stomach begins to settle. Only then do you realize just how tense you truly were.
Sweet sugar with bitter consequences
Consuming a lot of processed foods with added sugar can reduce the number of good bacteria in your gut while encouraging the growth of harmful bacteria. This imbalance can increase your craving for sugar, which may, in turn, harm your gut health. Consuming high amounts of refined sugars can lead to inflammation throughout the body. Such inflammation can trigger a range of health issues.
Skin conditions like eczema or acne may be linked to an unhealthy gut. Gut inflammation caused by poor diet or food allergies can allow certain proteins to enter the body in larger amounts, potentially irritating the skin.
Not Getting Enough Sleep
Insufficient sleep can seriously affect your gut health, which in turn may contribute to further sleep difficulties. Try to get at least 7–8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.
An unhealthy gut can lead to sleep problems like insomnia or poor sleep quality, which may cause chronic fatigue. Most of the body’s serotonin, a hormone that influences mood and sleep, is produced in the gut. Damage to the gut can therefore affect your sleep.
Which foods don’t you tolerate well?
If you’re experiencing symptoms such as abdominal cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, stomach pain, skin issues, nausea, fatigue, or heartburn, you might have a food intolerance. Try slowly cutting out some foods you consume often (like dairy or grains) to see if your symptoms improve.
Food intolerances happen when the body struggles to digest certain foods. It is believed that food intolerances develop when there is an imbalance between beneficial and harmful gut bacteria. This imbalance can cause difficulties digesting certain foods, leading to unpleasant symptoms such as flatulence, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and nausea.
If you suspect you have a food intolerance, a doctor can confirm it through appropriate testing.
Sources:
1) E. M. M. Quigley: Gut Bacteria in Health and Disease, Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2013
2) J.A. Parnell, R.A. Reimer: Prebiotic fiber modulation of the gut microbiota improves risk factors for obesity and the metabolic syndrome, Gut Microbes, 2012
3) E. Alvaro et al.: Composition and metabolism of the intestinal microbiota in consumers and non-consumers of yogurt, Br J Nutr., 2007
4) M. A. Razak et al.: Multifarious Beneficial Effect of the Nonessential Amino Acid Glycine: A Review, 2017
5) Z. Zhong: L-Glycine: A Novel Anti-inflammatory, Immunomodulatory, and Cytoprotective Agent, 2003
