Understanding and Improving your Gut Health

Microorganisms are often perceived as harmful to humans. However, did you know that billions of them live in your colon, forming the intestinal flora, and that they are beneficial to your health? Let’s talk about gut health.

Among other things, microbial health helps protect our gut, produce certain vitamins, digest dietary fiber, and strengthen our immune system⁴. It also plays a role in communication between the gut and the brain, which can influence mood and stress¹.

But then, how can we tell if our intestinal flora is truly healthy? Unlike other aspects of our health, there aren’t always clear signs that an imbalance is present. Yet our microbial ecosysteminfluences many aspects of our health, and certain clues can help us better understand its condition.

Is your microbial ecosystem healthy?

It’s important to know that intestinal flora health is unique to each individual and can vary depending on age, gender, geographic origin, environment, lifestyle, and the use of certain medications, such as antibiotics. Certain symptoms may be associated with an imbalance in the intestinal health, such as:

• persistent digestive issues (constipation, diarrhea, cramps, excessive bloating);
• chronic fatigue or lack of energy;
• irritable bowel syndrome;
• and susceptibility to infections.

However, these symptoms can have many causes, so it is important to consult a healthcare professional for a proper diagnosis.

Is it possible to restore your gut health?

Good news! Long-term lifestyle changes, such as exercise and diet, can positively influence intestinal health, which is constantly changing. Here are some foods that affect the intestinal flora:

• Fiber: Fiber feeds beneficial bacteria and promotes their growth, which can positively influence the gut flora², ⁶.  Dietary fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

• Probiotics: Probiotics are fermented foods that promote diversity in the gut flora, which is beneficial for gut health. Recommended foods include yogurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, tempeh, and kombucha².

• Foods that are less beneficial: It is also important to limit consumption of foods high in refined sugars, saturated fats, and trans fats. These foods harm the health of the microflora by feeding the harmful microorganisms in the gut flora. They are found in red meat, processed meats, fried foods, pastries, sugary drinks, and many ultra-processed foods⁵.

Winning Habits for a Healthy Gut Microbiome

In conclusion, a varied and colorful plant-based diet is the key to optimal microbial health. Remember that there is no such thing as a “perfect” microbiota. However, lifestyle habits such as diet and physical activity are factors that will contribute to keeping it balanced to support digestion, the immune system, and overall health.

Have you been diagnosed with an unhealthy gut microbiome? Don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with one of our nutritionists. They can help you incorporate foods that will promote your microbial health.

Article written by Yara Hage, Dt.P.

References

1. Berding, K., Vlckova, K., Marx, W., Schellekens, H., Stanton, C., Clarke, G., Jacka, F., Dinan, T. G., & Cryan, J. F. (2021). Diet and the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis: Sowing the Seeds of Good Mental Health. Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 12(4), 1239–1285.
2. Deleu, S., & Sabino, J. (2025). Personalized Dietary Approaches to Optimizing Intestinal Microbial Health and Homeostasis. Gastroenterology Clinics of North America, 54(2), 317–331.
3. Hindle, V. K., Veasley, N. M., & Holscher, H. D. (2025). Microbiota-Focused Dietary Approaches to Support Health: A Systematic Review. The Journal of nutrition, 155(2), 381–401.
4. Landman, C., & Quévrain, E. (2016). Le microbiote intestinal : description, rôle et implication physiopathologique. La Revue de Médecine Interne, 37(6), 418–423.
5. Rondinella, D., Raoul, P. C., Valeriani, E., Venturini, I., Cintoni, M., Severino, A., Galli, F. S., Mora, V., Mele, M. C., Cammarota, G., Gasbarrini, A., Rinninella, E., & Ianiro, G. (2025). The Detrimental Impact of Ultra-Processed Foods on the Human Gut Microbiome and Gut Barrier. Nutrients, 17(5), 859.
6. Zhang, F., Fan, D., Huang, J., & Zuo, T. (2022). The gut microbiome: linking dietary fiber to inflammatory diseases. Medicine in Microecology, 14, 100070.

Understanding and Improving your Gut Health is a post from Nautilus Plus. The Nautilus Plus blog aims to help people in their journey to fitness through articles on training, nutrition, motivation, exercise and healthy recipes.
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