5 Gut Health Myths, Debunked By a Doctor
Dr. Amy Shah sets the record straight with these common gut health myths.
Your gut health has a surprising impact on every system in your body — even your mental health. When you’re eating the right foods, nourishing your body, and staying active, you’ll notice big changes in your overall well-being. But when there’s a buzzy topic that emerges in the wellness space, common misconceptions often follow. That’s why we tapped Alo Moves nutrition expert Dr. Amy Shah to help separate fact from fiction and break down the most common myths about your gut health.
Looking for a full gut health reset? Our 7 Days to Gut Health series includes more tips from Dr. Shah as well as Pilates classes to aid digestion, reduce bloating, and balance your microbiome.
Myth #1: It takes a long time to improve gut health.
Though it seems daunting to completely rehaul your gut health, research published in the journal Nature shows it only takes three days to see changes. “This is because the half-life of these bacteria are very short — 12 hours, or even 24,” says Dr. Shah. “Within a few days, you actually have a whole new gut microbiome. This is really empowering for those of us who want to improve our gut health, because things can happen really fast.”
Myth #2: Your gut health only affects you.
There’s a bigger picture here when it comes to how your gut health is shaped. Studies show that the gut microbiome in your grandmother was passed down to your mother and onto you, and what you experience is received from the generations before you. It’s truly a domino effect.
Also, the people you spend the most time with can influence your gut microbiome. This process of introducing microbes from other people or your surroundings is called “seeding” your gut. If you live under the same roof as your partner or family members, you’ll likely have similar microbiomes due to being physically closer and sharing certain spaces.
“When you look at studies, they found that twins who were separated had a different gut microbiome, and that their gut microbiomes looked closer to the people they spent the most time with than even with each other,” says Dr. Shah. “That really tells you that your gut microbiome is not just you. It’s influenced by the people around you and the generations before you.”
This can mean a higher likelihood of transferring bacteria that leads to sickness, but it also creates some benefits like promoting bacterial diversity in your gut and strengthening your immune system.
Myth #3: The only way to have better gut health is through food.
When you think about gut health or digestion, the first thing that comes to mind is often food. While food is one of the ways to help balance your gut microbiome, there are other factors that can make just as much of a difference:
Exercise – This study in Nature showed that moderate- to high-intensity exercise three to five times a week led to microbial diversity and higher levels of good gut bacteria.
Sunlight – The authors in this study point out that limited UVB exposure is linked to the onset of chronic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and multiple sclerosis. Fortunately, the study showed that UVB light can alter the gut microbiome in humans — a key learning that’s promising for future gut health research.
Time in nature – Researchers looked at the impact of nature-related progamming on preschool children and found lower levels of overall stress and improved gut microbiota composition after spending time outside.
Sleep – Research shows a link between sleep quality and the type of bacteria in our gut, influencing factors such as how long we sleep and our likelihood of experiencing sleep issues such as insomnia.
Myth #4: Mood has nothing to do with gut health.
Ever had nervous butterflies in your stomach? That’s the gut-brain axis at work. The gut-brain axis is a two-way communication network that sends signals back and forth to influence each other. Your brain can influence your gut activities, and your gut can influence your mood, cognition, and mental health.
Myth #5: You need probiotic through supplements.
According to Dr. Shah, supplements can be a helpful way to get probiotics in your diet, but it’s not the only way. “I would say that food is even better as a way to get probiotics than supplements most of the time.”
Dr. Shah rounded up a list of probiotic-rich foods that everyone should add into their diet, but on days when you need that extra boost, try Alo’s Digest & Debloat supplement.
Want more nutrition tips for gut health? Try 7 Days to Gut Health on Alo Moves.
This article is meant to share general information and isn’t intended to be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It’s always best to talk to a qualified healthcare provider about any health concerns.