How to improve gut health: 5 evidence-backed ways to support your microbiome

We often don’t appreciate a functioning digestive system until it’s disrupted—then it can have a big impact on our quality of life. A key part of keeping your digestion running smoothly is maintaining a balanced gut microbiome—the bacteria, fungi, and even viruses that live in the GI tract. But these microscopic lifeforms do more than help us digest food. They also play important roles in our immune systems, metabolism, and mood.

From the foods we eat to our lifestyles, our habits can be the difference between a thriving microbial community and one that harms our health and well-being. So, how do you improve gut health? Read on.

Understanding gut health

A healthy gut starts with understanding how the microbiome functions. There are trillions of microbes living in your gut, each doing a different job. Some break down fiber to make short‑chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which help maintain gut lining and aid digestion. Another type trains your immune system to recognize invaders. Others communicate with the brain via the gut–brain axis, influencing mood and stress responses.¹
A thriving microbiome depends on having a wide variety of microbes that live in balance. When that balance is thrown off (“dysbiosis”), previously helpful bacteria can become harmful.

Signs of poor gut health

How do you know if you have an unhealthy gut? If you’ve been experiencing bloating, excess gas, diarrhea, constipation, or abdominal pain and want to know how to improve digestion, the cause could be an unbalanced microbiome.²

Beyond your midsection, you may feel the effects of an unhealthy gut throughout your body. Energy and mood changes are linked to the gut-brain connection. Unexplained weight gain and certain skin conditions may also be signs of dysbiosis. While these symptoms can have many causes, if you are experiencing some of them along with GI disruption, you may want to talk to your doctor about your gut health.

Natural ways to improve gut health

Fortunately, in most cases, a healthy gut doesn’t require drastic interventions. A combination of diet and lifestyle choices will gradually balance your microbiome, with benefits usually felt within a few weeks.⁴ Steady habits are more impactful than intensive cleanses or other quick solutions. Follow these guidelines to improve gut health naturally.

1. Eat a gut-healthy diet

A gut-healthy diet is key. Eat a wide variety of high-fiber plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, beans, whole grains, seeds, and nuts.⁵ These foods are “prebiotics”—fuel for good bacteria. Our bodies are actually unable to digest certain plant fibers without bacteria that ferment them first.

While prebiotics feed the microbiome, “probiotics” actively introduce new bacteria into your gut. These are fermented foods, such as kefir, yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut.⁵ However, when shopping for probiotic foods, it’s important to head to the refrigerated section and look for labels like “live cultures.” Most shelf-stable versions of these foods don’t have the same probiotic benefits.

In addition to focusing on these foods, limit those that are ultra-processed or high in saturated fat. Prepackaged, fried, and sugary foods commonly associated with the “Western diet” are linked to poor gut health5.

2. Exercise (moderately)

Like most aspects of health, combining a healthy diet with physical activity does wonders for gut health. Moderate exercise (e.g., brisk walking, cycling, yoga) improves motility and increases butyrate‑producing bacteria like Roseburia and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii.⁶ Butyrate is a vital, short-chain fatty acid that is the main energy source for colon cells, promotes gut barrier function, and supports immune health.

On the other hand, watch out for very intense or prolonged exercise without recovery, which can cause GI distress.

3. Maintain a regular sleep schedule

Never underestimate the importance of a good night’s sleep. Short sleep (less than 6–7 hours) is linked to higher stress, poorer digestion, and reduced microbial diversity.⁹ Circadian rhythm disruption throws off bacterial function and weakens the gut lining.^10,11 Additionally, when we’re tired, we find it harder to exercise and make smart food choices. Looking for additional sleep support? Discover how AGZ promotes restorative sleep.

4. Manage stress

Chronic stress disrupts your microbiome, leading to the overgrowth of harmful bacteria and damaging the intestinal barrier. Practicing mindfulness, yoga, meditation, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) reduces cortisol, improves stress‑related GI discomfort, and supports healthier gut flora.

Foods that support gut health

A diet that adds to and feeds a diverse community of flora is the best way to improve your gut microbiome. Make sure to eat a variety of foods from these categories:

High‑fiber plant foods

Fiber-rich foods feed beneficial gut bacteria like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli. Some good examples include:

• Vegetables: Chicory root, Jerusalem artichokes, garlic, onions, leeks, and asparagus.¹³
• Fruit: Bananas (especially underripe), apples¹⁴ , berries, raisins¹⁵, and plums¹⁶.
• Legumes and soy: Soybeans (tempeh, tofu, etc.), chickpeas, lentils, lupin beans, and mung beans¹⁵.
• Whole grains and cereals: Oats and barley, whole grain wheat, corn, and cereal fibers^17,18.
• Nuts and seeds: Almonds, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and chestnuts¹³.

Fermented foods and dairy

Keep in mind that not all fermented foods are probiotic. If the label includes phrases like “live cultures,” "raw," or "lacto-fermented," you’re on the right track. In the dairy category, yogurt and kefir are great probiotic sources.¹⁹ Fermented vegetables like kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickles deliver lactic acid bacteria that can compete with harmful microbes.²⁰ Just confirm that these were “naturally fermented” and not made with vinegar.

Healthy fats and polyphenols

Polyphenols are a type of antioxidant that also feeds gut microbes, similarly to prebiotics. There are thousands of types, including flavonoids (in berries, tea), phenolic acids (in whole grains, coffee), stilbenes (resveratrol in grapes), and lignans (in seeds). Polyphenols are also found in plant-based fats, such as those in olive oil, nuts, and avocados¹².

A diet rich in prebiotics and probiotics is known as “synbiotic eating.” Of course, it’s not always easy to get a good variety of these microbiome-friendly foods. Foundational nutrition supplements like AG1 can provide convenient, once-a-day support to keep your gut flora thriving.*

For more diet tips, check out our rankings for the best foods for gut health.

Lifestyle changes for a healthier gut

A pro-gut lifestyle is all about maintaining a steady routine. Establish a daily rhythm by eating regular meals, sticking to a consistent sleep-wake schedule¹², and moderately exercising for 20–40 minutes a day⁸.

Don’t neglect your mental health. Get outdoors, spend time with friends and family, practice breathing exercises and yoga, and consider therapy if necessary. These mood-boosting activities benefit the gut–brain axis and stress‑linked GI discomfort¹².

Drinking alcohol and smoking can also disrupt gut balance and increase gut permeability. Cutting down or quitting may contribute to fixing your gut health⁹.

Improve gut health with AG1

With over 75 ingredients, including prebiotics, probiotics, and digestive enzymes, AG1 provides the nutritional foundation for a balanced microbiome. In a clinical trial, AG1 Next Gen increased healthy bacteria in the gut by 10x. Discover how AG1 can support your gut health today.*

*In a triple-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled parallel-designed clinical trial evaluating nutrient biomarkers and microbiome shifts in 105 healthy adults ages 20-59 over the course of 12 weeks.

References:

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