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Last updated: December 23, 2020  Your gastrointestinal system (aka your gut), which includes your intestines and other parts of the digestive tract, doesn’t just break down food and call it a day. It impacts practically every area and function of your body, making it a core — if not the core — of your overall wellness. “We have three times as many microbial cells within and on the human body than we do human cells,” says Jocelyn Harrison, a registered dietitian and the cofounder of Pacific Nutrition Partners in Los Angeles. (Microbial cells include viruses, bacteria and fungi, while human cells include white blood cells, platelets, skin cells, sex cells and fat cells, among others.) The majority of those cells live in the large intestine, and they’re an integral part of your immune system, metabolism, brain function and more. These microbes host both beneficial and harmful bugs, but in a healthy gut, the good outweigh the bad. When you eat a high-quality diet that’s rich in whole foods and fiber and take care of yourself, you set the stage for a well-functioning GI tract and good health overall, says Harrison. When the bad bugs get more of a foothold, however, it can manifest as various cardiovascular and weight issues, depression and anxiety, fatigue and inflammation. It can also cause stress, which is associated with headaches, skin problems and even sleep disturbances. (If any of those symptoms sound familiar and unexplainable, give a gastroenterologist a call.) These issues can in turn wreak havoc on your microbial cells, collectively called your microbiome. But it works the other way too. “If you take steps to heal your gut, it can heal your other systems as well and vice versa,” says Harrison. Even researchers are still trying to fully grasp how it all works. Most gut studies have been performed on animals, because unraveling how gut bacteria impact the brain requires direct examination on both, which isn’t possible in living humans, says Monika Fleshner, PhD, a professor in the department of integrative physiology and the Center for Neuroscience at the University of Colorado at Boulder, who has led studies of her own extensively. But the more researchers learn the power of the gut, the more they dig into how we can max out its potential. Here’s what they suggest so far: ## “If you take steps to heal your gut, it can heal your other systems as well and vice versa.” __Jocelyn Harrison__, Registered Dietitian and the Co-founder of Pacific Nutrition Partners in Los Angeles 1. __Feed the good bugs.__ Think of it as creating an environment that will grow flowers versus weeds, says Harrison, who specializes in GI issues. The best way to promote the growth of healthy microbes is to eat whole plant foods high in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. The soluble, or “prebiotic,” fiber found in onions, garlic, bananas, whole grains and sunchokes might be especially helpful. Either way, Harrison says you could notice a difference in your symptoms within days of making dietary changes. 2. __Cut the crap.__ “Highly processed foods and meat-heavy diets promote the growth of harmful microbes,” says Harrison. “They’ve done fascinating studies on the association between the processed American diet, which might include frozen pizza, hot dogs and soft drinks, and levels of anxiety and depression,” she says. The lack of fiber and other nutrients basically starves the good bugs, letting the bad ones gain traction. If you’re going to eat meat, go for organic, grass-fed cuts from local suppliers (or the best quality you can afford) and pair it with whole grains, legumes and vegetables to make sure you’re getting plenty of healthy fiber and other plant-based nutrients, says Harrison. 3. __Find your Zen.__ “When we’re stressed, our bodies produce adrenaline, which creates an environment that supports the nonproductive bugs,” says Harrison. That overgrowth of bad bugs can make you feel even more stressed or anxious. Improving your ability to stay present will help you handle all kinds of tension better. Try a few minutes of meditation and work your way up, or take a walk outdoors, recommends Harrison. 4. __Add to the community.__ Whereas prebiotics feed the bugs, probiotics are live, beneficial bacteria that help maintain balance in the gut. There are tons of probiotic-rich foods and drinks — kimchi, miso and kombucha, for example — and the thinking is that regularly incorporating them into your diet (aim for one serving every day) can boost gut health. So far, yogurt and kefir, a fermented milk drink similar to yogurt, have the strongest research where your GI tract is concerned, says Kim Kulp, a registered dietitian and the owner of Gut Health Connection in the San Francisco Bay Area. 5. __Get more shut-eye.__ “If you don’t sleep well, it can cause an unfavorable shift in the balance of bugs in your GI tract and you can start craving foods that are going to feed these now dominant pathogenic bugs,” says Harrison. That, as the cycle goes, “then makes sleep more difficult.” Most adults need seven to nine hours of shut-eye a night, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Even if you feel rested, for your gut’s sake, don’t skimp. 6. __Sweat it out__. Regular exercise, especially the aerobic kind, seems to create a more favorable microbiome, which then has positive effects on the brain, per an animal study published in “PLOS One.” There’s no set exercise recommendation for gut health — yet — but there is plenty of research showing the benefits of accumulating at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week (half that amount if it’s vigorous), along with at least two days of strength training. If all these tips sound a little familiar, they should. The things that tend to improve your overall health also help keep your gut humming along. Focus on those and you’ll do right by your belly, body and brain. 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