Good gut health is essential to supporting our immune system – which is vital during the colder months as 70 per cent of our immune cells reside in our gut. These gut microbiota play a major role in our body’s defence system; they are the ‘gatekeepers’ to our immune system, training our immune cells which bacteria to fight off and which substances to leave alone. Essentially, the 'good' bacteria in our gut compete with 'bad' bacteria and viruses for space and nutrients. The gut microbiota helps to keep these bad pathogens at bay by stopping them from colonising.
The immune system is a complex network of organs, cells and proteins that defends the body against infection. As long as your immune system is running smoothly, you don’t notice that it’s there. But if it stops working properly, you can get unwell.
The good news is a few simple and small changes can have a beneficial impact on our gut health. To help look after our gut and support our immune system this winter, Yakult has created a winter gut health guide with top tips from Dr Emily Prpa, nutritionist and science manager at Yakult, so we can be winter wellness ready.
1. Make sure you get enough vitamin D
Vitamin D supports the normal function of the immune system plus the maintenance of normal bones and muscle function. The Food Safety Authority Ireland recommends we supplement our diet with vitamin D between October and April as the sun is not strong enough during these months for our bodies to produce it naturally.
There are only a few foods that provide a good source of vitamin D such as oily fish, liver, meat and eggs, and so we also need to consider supplements and food products that have had vitamin D added into them – known as fortified foods. Fortified foods can give our intakes of vitamin D a boost, so look out for commonly fortified foods such as breakfast cereals, milk alternatives and Yakult Balance.
2. Get enough sleep
Sleep is important for gut health as it is linked to increased gut bacteria, as well as reducing the stress hormone, cortisol. Poor sleep quality and length is associated with an increase calorie intake and a heightened craving for lower fibre, higher sugar foods, which we know don’t benefit our gut health.
While many may believe that the warmer summer months are most difficult to sleep in, the winter months can make it more challenging. Make sure to keep your bedroom dark, cool and quiet. Avoid screens with artificial light and limit alcohol intake, as these can impact sleep. Additionally, make sure you’re getting outdoors during the day and exposing yourself to daylight.
3. Maintain a regular exercise routine
Staying active aids the transit of food through the digestive system which supports gut function and in turn supports immune health. Physical activity also boosts circulation and stimulates the release of feel-good hormones.
So, try to keep up those healthy summer exercise habits throughout the colder months. Exercise can look after our gut health in other ways too – moving our bodies helps our bowels to work properly and also reduces the risk of unhealthy inflammation in the body.
Exercise doesn’t have to mean training for a marathon. In fact, as with anything, starting small and building up gradually means you are much more likely to stick to it. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity, or 75 mins of vigorous intensity activity per week. Simple changes like going for a walk in your lunch break or parking further away from your office and walking the extra distance can make a significant difference.
4. Eat more plant foods
A balanced diet is key to feeding the bacteria in the gut which work closely with immune cells. But when the weather turns frosty we often crave more unhealthy ‘comfort’ foods. However, during the colder months it is important to maintain a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables and healthy fibres so that we can help arm ourselves to better support our gut and immune function.
One way that many of us can improve our diet is to add in foods that nourish the gut microbiota. This is the trillions of bacteria and other microbes that live in our gut. Put simply, if they are happy, they send signals to the brain via the gut-brain axis, which can boost our mood.
5. Try to reduce stress
When we are stressed not only can it affect our mental health, but also our body’s ability to fight off pathogens. Increased production of stress hormones, such as cortisol, can also cause intestinal permeability.
It’s crucial to look after our mental wellbeing as much as our physical health. One simple way to combat stress can be to try mindfulness.
If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, it can be helpful to stop, take a deep breath and refocus your brain by using the 5-4-3-2-1 method - list 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel; 3 things you can hear; 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste at that very moment. This is a way of blocking out the chaos and focussing on the right now, which can be very calming and grounding, and may help towards reducing stress.
6. Stay hydrated
Sufficient fluid intake aids the transition of food through the digestive system. It is also important for the absorption of nutrients and the breakdown of food molecules, so they can be absorbed into the bloodstream. When you’re dehydrated it’s harder for food to pass through your digestive system, and dehydration is one of the most common causes of constipation so make sure that you’re getting at least six to eight glasses or cups of fluid per day, which includes cups of tea.
