Dr Amir Khan

They need watering as well as feeding.

Yeah, because fibre forms that gelatinous stuff in your gut.

So you need to add water to that to stop it becoming too so solid.

Unfortunately, lots of plants have water within them.

So as you're eating them, you're getting the water there too.

But you should be drinking plenty for your gut microbiome.

Movement as well.

People will know that the more you move, the more your bowels move as well.

That's really key.

If you're sitting down all day or lying down all day, you're likely to be more constipated.

You are.

But the other thing movement does is it diverts blood away from the gut, which sounds counterproductive.

But if I'm going out on a run, let's say, blood will be diverted towards my running muscles because that's what getting the priority when it comes to food and oxygen.

And that diversion away from the gut actually stimulates the gut to move.

So you might have heard of runner's poos as well as period poos or runner's trots.

And so, you know, you get the urge to pass motions when you're out exercising.

Right.

And sleep is a key part as well.

Sleep is really good for your gut microbiome.

It helps with them and it keeps them helpful.