One of the things that throws people off when researching the subject of gut health is the amount of scientific language used to describe it. It’s easy to feel confused by terminology that we aren’t familiar with.

Two words that come up regularly in internet searches are ‘microbiome’ and ‘microbiota’ – surely they’re one and the same? Well, not really.

“Microbiota is the scientific name for the community of microorganisms – including about 40 trillion bacteria – living in and on the human body. Often, we think we only have bacteria living inside our gut, but they’re even on our skin too,” says Dr Prpa.

“The microbiome is the collection of genes of all the microorganisms residing in and on the human body.”

In layman’s terms, and when talking about gut health specifically, the gut microbiota refers to the community of microbes found within the gut and the gut microbiome refers specifically to the genes of these microbes that make up the microbiota. 

These two terms help us understand that keeping the microbiota happy leads to a happier environment in which our bacteria can thrive.

“There are a number of factors that affect the gut microbiota, including those which we don’t have much control over, like our age, genetics, medications,” says Dr Prpa. “But there are two factors that we have more control over – lifestyle and diet.

“For example, things like too much stress, too little exercise, lack of sleep and smoking can all negatively affect our gut.”

However, building an awareness of how these things can affect our microbiota is a crucial first step to take when addressing gut health. Small changes like moving more and introducing certain foods into your diet can make a massive difference to how your gut functions. 

Fibre has always been a bit of a buzz word in the world of gut health, but do any of us know what it actually does? 

“I can’t stress enough how important fibre is for our overall health,” Dr Prpa reveals. 

“Previously, the message was simply that fibre ‘helps you poo’, but it’s so much more than that. Eating enough fibre has been linked to a reduced risk of so many chronic diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

“But, for our gut health, it’s not just about eating our recommended daily amount of fibre (30g per day), because different dietary fibres work very differently. Different fibre can change the types of microbes living in our gut – our gut microbiota – and can impact our ‘good’ bacteria. 

“Put simply, fibre is what our gut microbes feed on, but our gut microbes can be fussy eaters and they prefer different types of fibre.

“To ensure you nourish your entire community of microbes with a mix of different types of fibre, it’s important to eat a variety of plant foods, including fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices.”

And in terms of eating a more diverse diet, this doesn’t have to be a complete overhaul. A few simple swaps can make a big difference.

“Buy mixed peppers, rather than always red,” Dr Prpa says. “Choose mixed berries, instead of always raspberries. Pick the mixed lettuce bag with added grated carrot and beetroot, rather than only iceberg, and snack on mixed nuts, rather than always cashews. 

“This applies to frozen and tinned foods, too. For example, buy frozen mixed Mediterranean vegetables, rather than just frozen peas or add a tin of mixed beans or lentils to your stews or soups.” 

There has been a lot written about how our gut, or more specifically, our enteric nervous system, acts as our body’s ‘second brain’, but wrapping our head around this concept isn’t easy. 

We asked Dr Prpa to explain this idea, and how it benefits our overall wellbeing. (FYI, it’s pretty mindblowing.)

“Our gut is a newly appreciated organ and it is essential to our health,” she says. 

“The gut has its own nervous system called the enteric nervous system (ENS). The enteric nervous system (ENS) is made up of an enormous number of neurons which line the entire digestive tract (from the mouth all the way to the other end). It helps regulate our gut and is often called the body’s ‘second brain’. 

“Although we aren’t aware of our gut ‘thinking’, it is your ENS that makes you feel butterflies before a first date or sick to your stomach about an upcoming work presentation.  

“Through this extensive network, the gut and brain are in constant two-way communication, known as the gut-brain axis. Your brain ‘talks’ to all organs in the body, and your gut is able to ‘talk’ back.

“The ENS has long been known to control digestion,” Dr Prpa continues. “But now we know it can work both independently of, and also with, the brain, impacting both our physical and mental wellbeing. 

“The gut microbiota helps to regulate the function of the gut-brain axis. The microbiota and brain communicate with each other through the ENS, along with other pathways. Scientists have now realised the important role the gut microbiota – and looking after your gut health – play in both physical and mental wellbeing.”

So, how can all this information help us nail good gut health? According to Dr Prpa, it starts with a basic awareness of what our gut needs, and making small, mindful changes to help our microbiota thrive.

First and foremost, stay hydrated.

“Hydration is important for your overall health as well as your gut health, particularly when it comes to keeping your bowels ticking over,” Dr Prpa advises. 

“We know this because dehydration is one of the most common causes of constipation. This is because when you’re dehydrated it’s harder for food to pass through your digestive system. Staying hydrated may help regulate bowel movements because fluid is required to transport the acids and enzymes which break down food in the small intestine.

“Growing evidence indicates that constipation can lead to gut microbiota dysbiosis (imbalances) and that constipated individuals have a different gut microbiota (i.e., dysbiosis) to healthy individuals.”

Secondly, consider the foods you eat. While we can’t be angels all the time, introducing certain foods into your diet can be beneficial.

“When it comes to eating for a happy gut, think inclusion, not exclusion,” says Dr Prpa. “This is because a varied diet breeds diversity within our microbiome.

“Our gut microbiota adapt according to the foods we eat. A diet focused on adding more – more plants, more variety and more fibre – can increase gut diversity and create a flourishing ecosystem inside of us.

“Fermented foods have been consumed by humans for over 14,000 years and can be a great source of live bacteria in the diet,” Dr Prpa adds. 

“Examples include yoghurt, fermented milk drinks and kefir, kombucha, tempeh, kimchi and sauerkraut. 

“Fermented foods are thought to support gut health – some human studies have shown that microorganisms in fermented foods can play a part in changing the composition of the gut microbiota.”

And finally, we can be a bit more gut-aware when it comes to our busy lifestyles. This includes ensuring that we’re getting enough sleep, committing to mindful practices such as meditation or yoga to help lower stress levels, and getting outside more. All of these things will help support the gut-brain axis.

“Although it sounds like a long to-do list, looking after your gut health doesn’t need to be complicated,” Dr Prpa concludes. 

“And the best thing is that, for most individuals, it doesn’t take long to start seeing improvements in their gut health. This is what excites me most about being a specialist gut health nutritionist, because unlike other changes we make for our health and wellbeing, our gut microbiota composition can be altered in a relatively short space of time.”