How to Heal Your Gut and Reduce Inflammation (2024)

Inflammation in the gut may be caused by a variety of factors. Addressing inflammation could include eating a diet that is plant-based and higher in fiber, monitoring stress, getting enough sleep, and staying hydrated. However, there are other causes of gut inflammation that may be chronic and more difficult to address.

This article will discuss the factors that may contribute to inflammation in the digestive system and the ways to address them through diet, lifestyle, and stress reduction.

Quickest Ways to Reduce Inflammation in the Gut

When gut inflammation is suspected, there may be some ways to try to calm it down. That may include avoiding things that could contribute to inflammation.

Incorporating an anti-inflammatory diet: Diet may both contribute to inflammation in the body and also reduce it. A Western diet includes high amounts ofrefined grains, sugars, red meat, processed meat, eggs, high-fat dairy products, artificial sweeteners, and salt. These foods may contribute to inflammation.

Avoiding pro-inflammatory foods and including anti-inflammatory foods may help with lowering inflammation. Some examples of anti-inflammatory foods include:

• Apples
• Avocados
• Beans (red beans, pinto beans, black beans)
• Berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
• Broccoli
• Cherries
• Dark leafy green vegetables (kale, spinach, collard greens)
• Grapes
• Mushrooms
• Nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts)
• Sweet potatoes
• Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Whole grains

Consider probiotic supplements: The digestive system contains a number of beneficial types of bacteria and other organisms, called the microbiome. The balance of these microbes can get skewed, which may contribute to inflammation.

Evidence is still being gathered about how probiotics may work to shift the gut microbiome. There is some evidence that probiotic strains may be helpful in reducing inflammation, especially when it is linked to a disease or disorder.

However, for most people, there is little evidence that probiotic supplements may be helpful for managing digestive conditions. You might focus on eating fermented probiotic foods (such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi) rather than looking for a supplement.

Avoid alcohol: Rather than something to do, this is something to stop doing. Alcoholic drinks are known to be inflammatory to the digestive system. They can also disrupt the balance of the microbiome. For those who drink, stopping may help in avoiding the inflammatory effects it causes in the gut.

Reduce stress: Stress may also contribute to inflammation in the gut and other parts of the body. Putting some stress reduction techniques into place may help. This can include avoiding stressful situations and actively trying to manage stress through tools such as meditation, mindfulness, diaphragmatic breathing, muscle relaxation, yoga, or talk therapy.

Get some sleep: Being sleep-deprived may increase the risk of a disruption in the gut. Focusing on sleep by getting more sleep or quality sleep may help avoid the problems associated with chronic sleep disruption.

Ongoing Therapies to Reduce Gut Inflammation

There are acute and chronic factors that affect gut inflammation. One night of drinking may cause gut inflammation in the short term. A stressful life event (such as the death of a family member) may lead to inflammation that is chronic and more difficult to address.

You can do several ongoing things to address the factors that may contribute togut inflammation.

Continue eating fewer inflammatory foods: Addressing diet can look like eating more anti-inflammatory foods and avoiding the inflammatory ones.

Experts often recommend a Mediterranean diet for overall health. This doesn’t mean trying to eat exactly like people who live in the Mediterranean. The plan can be customized to accommodate cultural and local foods.

The Mediterranean eating plan focuses on higher levels of olive oil, legumes, nuts, unrefined cereals, fruits, and vegetables; moderate amounts of fish, seafood, and dairy products; low amounts of alcohol; and limited amounts of red and processed meats.

Stay hydrated: It’s now thought that being dehydrated may contribute to a number of health conditions. One study showed that middle-aged people who showed evidence of long-term dehydration may be at risk for some health conditions. The authors found that higher inflammatory markers at midlife may translate to an increased risk of disease later in life.

Aside from drinking a glass of water, eating foods with a high water content can also help. Including these fruits and vegetables that have a high water content in your diet on a regular basis might help with hydration:

• Asparagus
• Bell peppers
• Cantaloupe
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Cucumbers
• Honeydew
• Lettuce
• Radishes
• Summer squash
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon
• Zucchini

Focus on sleep. A lack of sleep is associated with a host of health issues. Addressing sleep problems may be a long-term consideration. Getting a few nights of better rest may not be enough to address what could be a chronic issue.

Some things that may help you sleep better include:

• Avoid daytime napping.
  
• Create a bedtime routine, which can include calming activities such as meditation or reading.
• Don’t drink alcohol or caffeine or smoke within a few hours of bedtime.
• Don’t eat or snack close to bedtime.
• Get daily exercise.
• Go to sleep and get up at roughly the same times every day (weekends too).
• Keep the bedroom dark and cool.
• Limit screen time (phone, TV, computer) in the half hour before bed.
• Plan to sleep for seven or more hours every night.
• Use the bed for sleeping and for sex (not for scrolling on the phone or watching TV).
  

Address stress: Short- and long-term stress can affect the microbiome. The effect on the gut bacteria could lead to behavior such as eating inflammatory foods, which alter the gut bacteria further.

It might not be possible to eliminate all negative stress. It is a long-term process to avoid or cope with consistently stressful situations, such as those caused by a job or finances. However, it is possible to take steps to manage the stress response, which could include:

• Getting enough exercise
• Participating in a support group with peers or people in a similar life stage
• Seeking help from a mental health care provider
• Using mind-body practices such as mindfulness, deep breathing, guided imagery, muscle relaxation, meditation, or yoga
  

Stop smoking: Smoking cigarettes or electronic cigarettes may affect the gut lining and the microbiota and cause inflammation. Stopping smoking will prevent these effects and also may reduce the risk of other chronic illnesses.

What Causes Gut Inflammation?

The gut contains hundreds of millions of neurons that make up the enteric nervous system. It is part of the immune system that reacts to stop threats to the body. When needed, the immune system sends out proteins called cytokines. The cytokines, in turn, prompt inflammation.

The intestine is also home to trillions of microorganisms. The types and number of these microbes can get pushed out of balance, which is called dysbiosis. Dysbiosis may leave the tissues of the gut more susceptible to the processes that lead to inflammation.

Inflammation isn’t always bad: It’s a response that can rally to help fight off an infection. However, chronic inflammation isn’t beneficial and can lead to health problems.

There are many reasons that people may experience inflammation in the body. In the gut, inflammation could be caused by stress, pro-inflammatory foods, alcohol, smoking, sleep disruption, and some types of medications.

Diet and Lifestyle Causes

Diet and lifestyle influences on gut inflammation include:

• Stress affects multiple body systems and may result in inflammation in the gut.
• A so-called Western diet that is high in saturated fat, processed foods, and refined sugar may contribute to gut inflammation.
  
• Alcoholic drinks are toxins and are known to cause inflammation in the digestive system.
• Sleep disruption may increase the risk of negative effects on the gut lining and the microbiome.
• Smoking affects every body system, including the gut. Smoking cigarettes, including e-cigarettes, could increase the risk of inflammation in the gut and developing digestive conditions.
• Regular physical activity may help regulate the gut microbiome in a positive way. However, intense exercise may be pro-inflammatory. The intestinal wall and the microbiome may be negatively affected in endurance athletes.

Medications

Several different kinds of medications can alter the microbiome or have an effect on the lining of the intestines:

• Antibiotics are well known for changing the gut microbiome because they kill all the bacteria there. Avoiding antibiotics unless they’re truly needed will help avoid these effects.
• Antidepressants are associated with the risk of weight gain and obesity. It’s thought that these medications may affect the microbiome. This could mean that they also carry a risk of leading to inflammation.
  
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) also affect the lining of the gut and, in some cases, can cause bleeding. Using NSAIDs only short term usually is recommended to avoid the negative effects on the digestive system.
• Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have also been looked at for disrupting the balance of gut bacteria, especially in the small intestine. This connection is still being studied. People with concerns about gut inflammation should talk with their healthcare providers about using proton pumpinhibitors.
  

Heath Conditions

Certain health conditions, both acute and chronic, can cause inflammation in the digestive system.

Infections, including gastroenteritis (the“stomach flu”) may cause intestinal inflammation. When the gut lining is weakened from other factors, infection with viruses or bacteria may even be more likely.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and microscopic colitis, cause chronic inflammation in the digestive system. The causes of IBD are poorly understood but may be a result of genetic predisposition coupled with environmental factors (such as diet, infection, smoking, and microbiome disruption).

Other Causes

Other factors may contribute to inflammation, though they are less well understood. Some may also be out of your control. This can include air pollution, noise pollution, environmental toxins, heat exposure, and aging.

Integrated Treatment Approach to Gut Inflammation

An integrated treatment approach will address the many factors that could be affecting the gut. People may be able to make some changes on their own, but for those who live with health conditions or who need to quit smoking, the assistance of a healthcare provider may be needed.

The many aspects of health that may need to be addressed together to bring inflammation under control include:

• Addressing psychological stress and putting stress-relieving techniques into place
• Adopting an anti-inflammatory diet
• Avoiding alcoholic beverages
• Being vaccinated against infections and avoiding people who are sick
• Creating a supportive environment for sleep
• Engaging in appropriate exercise
• Getting underlying health conditions (such as IBD) under control
• Quitting smoking
• Using medications wisely and avoiding medications that may contribute to inflammation

Summary

Gut inflammation can be from a variety of causes. There may be ways to address gut inflammation in the short-term, but long-term changes to diet, behavior, and lifestyle may also be needed to manage chronic inflammation.

When several of the potential causes are present, they may interact and lead to changes in the microbiome that could promote inflammation. One or more healthcare providers may be needed to address diet, stress, and any underlying conditions that may be causing inflammation.

Symptoms of inflammation that don’t respond to changes and go on for longer than a few days are a reason to see a healthcare provider.