Did you know that the development of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes has a direct correlation to gut health? What we put into our bodies is entirely up to us. However, it’s no easy task to ensure we are eating a well-balanced and healthy diet. While grocery shopping, it’s easy to fill the cart with items that taste delicious but don’t have any nutritional value. While these foods may satisfy our cravings, they may have a lasting impact on our health. Read below on how gut health is an essential place to control when trying to avoid getting diabetes and keeping your body’s overall health inline. 

Gut Health and Diabetes

Gut health is the core of many health problems individuals face. Our gut is full of an abundance of diverse bacteria. These bacteria are what break down and digest food for different purposes in the body, like energy. The food we put in our body either helps promote the good bacteria to make more, or works against it.

When we eat foods that are high in fat or sugar, there becomes an imbalance of good gut bacteria over time, which causes several adverse side effects, such as bloating, gas, constipation, and other long-term health concerns like diabetes. Recent research suggests that gut microbes are linked to the development of type 2 diabetes. When microbes form toxins that enter the gut and cause inflammation in the body, they can affect the liver and fat cells. This can cause insulin sensitivity and your overall metabolism to change, which can eventually cause a diabetes diagnosis.

Protect Your Gut

Whether diabetes runs in the family, you’re in the prediabetes phase, or feel you are having diabetic symptoms; be conscious of your body and take care of it. There are many indications for recognizing the signs and symptoms of a diabetes diagnosis. Some of these signs include feeling fatigued, constant urination, sudden weight gain, or symptoms of your nerves being affected. Whatever the circumstances are for you, pay close attention to what you are putting into your body. 

There are many things you can do to prevent developing diabetes. First, what’s your diet? To help monitor this, keep a food journal. Although we physically put food in our mouths, it’s challenging understanding what we’re eating and how it makes us feel. Foods high in fat or carbohydrates increase the level of blood sugar in the bloodstream. Over time, foods like this are what cause a gut bacteria imbalance, and the chance of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis is more likely. However, we can control this balance or imbalance by choosing what we put into our bodies.

Whole Foods: Good Bacteria for Gut Health

If you lack sufficient whole foods in your daily diet, your gut suffers from a lack of promoting the crucial good bacteria. The best fuel for our stomachs is whole foods, also known as superfoods. There are many superfoods that you should start adding to your grocery list, like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains that can have a positive impact on your gut health and help prevent diabetes. 

These foods all include fiber, which is essential in protecting your gut health because it improves immune functions, prevents inflammation, and works with those good bacteria. The more fiber you put in your stomach, the more good bacteria there is to digest the food you are eating for a balanced system. To ensure you are getting enough whole foods in your diet, make sure there are some in each of your meals. For example, if you have a pasta dish for dinner, have a bowl of fruit or steamed vegetables as a side dish. Eating right doesn’t have to be complicated or unappealing, just balanced. 

The bottom line

If you are concerned about your health and your chances of getting diabetes, start by recognizing your habits and daily actions. Take an inventory of the what and when you’re eating every day in support of gut health. This will be the easiest way to confront a problem you might not be seeing. With the information gathered, see your healthcare professional and move forward with your healthy and diabetes-free lifestyle.

References:

Cleveland Clinic: New Research Explores Link Between Gut Health and Diabetes. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/new-research-explores-link-gut-health-diabetes/

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