You may have heard the phrase, “You are what you eat,'' but what’s more true is that you are what you absorb. Your gut is where you digest and absorb what you eat. Your gut microbes help you to digest and absorb what you eat, but also can make a number of happy neurochemicals that promote good mental well-being and play a key role in your immunity.

The diversity and abundance of your microbiome - the mix of bugs that live in the gut - support your well-being in so many ways. The health of your gut is a good indicator of your physical and mental well-being. Having a diverse bunch of bacteria helps keep your immune system strong and primed to deal with incoming microbes and viruses. Your gut needs to be healthy in order to make neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine which make you happy, and you need a healthy microbiome in order to absorb all the nutrients from your food as well as for detoxing.

There are many ways to ensure your gut health is at its best. Here are the top seven lifestyle changes you could make:

1. Chew your food well - well-chewed food is much easier to digest and your mouth is the start of digestion
2. Add in a digestive aid to support your internal digestion, or start the day with gut-stimulating warm water and lemon
3. Opt for whole foods as often as possible - these are the foods nature made to feed your microbes
4. Include plants with every main meal and aim for as many colours as possible
5. Incorporate bone broth into your diet, as it’s loaded with healing compounds such as gelatine, and collagen, and healing amino acids like proline, glycine and glutamine
6. Eat fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut to give your microbiome an abundance of fibre and good bacteria
7. Drink water and stay hydrated - you need good hydration for regular bowel motions and bowel motions are detox! Take small sips often instead of big glugs rarely. It’s great that you can take control of your digestion each time you eat and drink.

Remember, what you eat can impact your gut health, as well as mood, digestion, sleep, vitality, immune system and skin health. How you eat is just as important: you can support your digestion by using digestive aids, chewing thoroughly, and staying hydrated. Also, when you eat can impact the diversity and health of your microbiome and giving your digestive system a break can make it work more efficiently.

The path to support healthy digestion is unique for everyone, but there are supplement options that offer great support for many. If you’re looking for additional support, two top picks are BePure Digest Assist, your all-in-one, high-strength digestive support, formulated with powerful active digestive enzymes - and BePure Two Probiotic, made to provide your body with a powerful dose of beneficial bacteria to support optimal gut health.