When people talk about wellness sometimes, we imagine very expensive diet plans and fancy boutique gyms. It doesn’t have to be that way! Sometimes, simple is better. Our bodies crave the basics: eat plants, drink water, go outside.

As I’ve talked about before, your gut health is the key to your overall health. You can take crucial steps to improving your gut health right now without spending a dime more on your grocery bill. Believe me!

  1. Swap out a few meat-based meals for plant-based meals

    Some studies show that vegetarian diets lead to reduced weight, inflammation and cholesterol levels as well as benefitting gut microbiota. Animal based foods promote the growth of different types of intestinal bacteria than plant based diets do.

    By simply replacing one or two meats per week with a plant based meal, you could do your gut a huge favor.

  2. Diversify your fruit and veggie intake

    We all know that eating fruits and veggies is a good idea. However, our bodies crave new and exciting things. There are hundreds of species of bacteria in your intestines and each one plays a different role in your health. A diverse gut is a healthy one, so a diverse diet is required.

    Switch up and diversify your fruit and veggie intake so that all those bacteria strains can be nurtured and grown and your gut can be kept happy.

  3. Cut out the artificial sweeteners

    Fake sugars like aspartame can increase blood sugar and impair your insulin response, which can alter the levels in your gut microbiota. By cutting them out, you can preserve the natural bacterias needed to enact the processes going on in your gut right now.

    Not to mention, you’ll actually save money by not buying things like sodas, candies and energy drinks.

  4. Choose foods rich in polyphenols

    A polyphenol is a plant compound that can reduce blood pressure, inflammation, cholesterol, and oxidative stress. Polyphenols are digested by our gut bacteria.

    Polyphenols can be found in:
    Cocoa and dark chocolate
    Grape skins
    Green tea
    Alminds
    Blueberries
    Broccoli

  5. Go for a walk

    Taking a walk in the park is a beautiful, stress-reliving, absolutely free experience. Grab your kids, a friend, a spouse, or your dog today and go expose yourself to your local ecosystem today. Breathing fresh air will strengthen your lungs and empower your entire body. Stress relief is a powerful gut-healing tool.

    A walk in the park really can heal all sorts of ailments, and it won’t cost you a thing.