Keeping your gut healthy is so important for your whole body. It's not just about digestion. Research has shown that a healthy microbiome—the right balance of the "good" and "bad" bacteria—affects your heart health, mental health, immune system, and more. According to Harvard Health Publishing, it can also influence certain conditions like heart disease, arthritis, and cancer. So yeah, gut health is a big deal.
There are a couple of things you can do to improve your gut health. You can start with your diet, making sure you're getting enough prebiotic- and probiotic-rich foods and fiber and limiting high-carb and high-sugar foods. Changing up your lifestyle habits can help, too. High levels of stress can affect your gut health, so finding ways to manage it will make a difference. Getting enough sleep also affects your microbiome.