By: Dr. Riffat Sadiq, CEO of WNY Medical PC, Channel Creator

In the overall health of our body, the gut plays an extremely important role. If we do not take care of our gut, it actually can mess up our whole equilibrium. To have a healthy gut we should have a healthy diet for mind and body.

There is physical health and there is psychological health. Body and mind play the game together for our overall health. For our body we have to take care of what we take in for food. Appropriate amounts of water are very important to keep our gut healthy too. We also need to give our body a break, fasting can provide health benefits including weight loss, blood sugar control and may help with chronic inflammation. So, if we are eating breakfast, then don’t eat anything until lunch time. Try to have healthy foods at each meal and don’t over eat. Don’t fill yourself up all the way. As I’ve always said, food is medicine. Food works for our body as medicine. We have to be extremely cautious and careful of what type of food we are taking in because it’s going to affect our body, and is going to affect our gut. 

70 to 80% of diseases are directly related to inflammation. The gut gets this inflammation more quickly than any other organ. So, we also must be extra cautious with foods that cause more inflammation than others. Avoiding highly processed foods, foods high in saturated and trans fats, and foods high in sugar and salt will benefit your gut health. If our gut is inflamed, we will not be able to absorb food properly. We will have either constipation or diarrhea. You should check with your doctor if you are experiencing these symptoms. 

Certain foods have more nutrients than others. A healthy diet should consist of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat, and lean protein. According to the federal government My Plate symbol ½  your plate should be vegetables, ¼ lean meat and ¼ whole grains.

 Stress can be unavoidable but it is directly related to our gut. We need to have good psychological health, in which we learn how to relax ourselves; how to meditate. So, we must know how to manage psychological stress, before we proceed to manage ourselves, physically. Daily exercise, hobbies, and social connections have been shown in studies to help manage stress.

If you remember these key factors and take the time to treat food as medicine, your mind and your body will thank you for it in the long run.