IS MY GUT HEALTHY - QUIZ
May 18, 2022When it comes to gut health there is no set prescriptions for how many or which different types of bacteria we should have. Every individual is going to have a different microbiome composition, however what we do know is that diversity (different types) and richness (lots of them) are what is most important in reflecting healthy microbiomes.
Now you might be wondering if you can test to see what your microbiome make-up looks like and yes tests are available (they are stool tests), however they are expensive and the data they provide is limited until we have more research in this area. That’s not to say they are not worthwhile, many great practitioners use them and if you are suffering from quite severe symptoms of a compromised microbiome then working 1:1 with a practitioner to have these tests done might be a useful treatment strategy for you, however for most of us, a good place to start to understand how healthy your gut might be is by asking yourself a few simple questions.
Take this quiz below and see if you might need to do a bit of gut loving…
Gut Health Quiz sourced from Megan Rossi - The Gut Health Doctor
How did you score?
If you scored excellent or pretty good, then I would encourage you to keep on doing what you are doing in terms of your diet and lifestyle. If you scored average, could improve, or time for some real gut loving then have a read below for my suggested next steps;
Firstly, you don’t need fancy treatments, supplements or diet protocols to improve your gut health. A varied diet with a diverse range of plant whole foods (and some fermented foods), exercise, stress management, environment exposure/being out in nature and quality sleep are the fundamentals that build a healthy microbiome. Start with these and see if your answers to the above questions change.
Want to work on these fundamentals but don’t know where to start?
My 12 Day Nourish program is a fantastic way to tick these boxes off where you can follow a structured plan and be reassured you are getting the variety and nutrients you need.
Secondly, if changing some of your habits doesn’t quite stick and you feel like you are suffering from gut symptoms (gas, bloating, stomach pains etc) then working with a practitioner 1:1 is definitely the way to go. I don’t offer 1:1 consults myself but look in your local area for a recommended and qualified Nutritionist, Naturopath or Dietitian.
Interested in knowing more about working on your gut health?
See some of my other articles here..
