Ways to maintain a healthy gut this monsoon season

Do not eat heavy foods no matter how irresistible they are. The highly humid monsoon weather tends to cause our digestion process to slow down, which can cause problems like bloating, gas, acidity and indigestion.

You may love gol gappas, but the water used can be a host to bacteria that can cause severe stomach infection. For that matter, avoid drinking water from any source other than sealed bottles and water purifiers.

Toss your batch of fizzy drinks as they reduce the mineral content in our body, which in turn leads to reduction of enzyme activity. Mineral loss is undesirable with an already weakened digestive system.

Avoid dairy products like milk as they take time to digest and are heavy on your gut.

Make sure you are not eating a lot of sea food. During rainy season, water tends to get contaminated; the fish you eat could possibly cause cholera or diarrhoea.

Fresh juices are great as long as they are made at home, especially during monsoon. Roadside vendors tend to cut their fruits well in advance; however, these fruits come in contact with the contaminated air.

While all vegetables are healthy, one should avoid buying leafy greens. The grime and dampness present in them can make them high susceptible to germs.

Eat in moderation; consume lighter foods that can be easily digested and are gut-friendly.

Drink lots of herbal teas like chamomile tea, green tea, or even ginger lemon tea that can help improve digestion and also boost immunity.

Load up on lots of probiotics; consume more yogurt, buttermilk, cheese kefir, cultured vegetables, kombucha and natto (fermented soybeans). Probiotics contain good bacteria that acts on our digestive system, supporting nutrition absorption and the immune system.

Choose lighter cooking oils that are easily digestible. Use oils that include olive oil or sunflower oil that help manage your digestive system.

Drink lots and lots of water so as to help flush out toxins from your system. Drinking water can also help boost your digestive system.

Consume more bitter foods like bitter gourd or karela, bottle gourd or lauki, neem, methi seeds, et al that are responsible for keeping your digestive system in check. They also help improve your immunity.

Have steamed or boiled veggies rather than raw ones as the latter may contain bacteria and virus, which could lead to stomach infections, making it worse for your gut.

Eat lesser refined sugar as it may cause inflammation and promotes the growth of bad bacteria and upsets the gut flora balance.