The Best Men’s Gut Health Guide

Table of Contents:

• The Best Men’s Gut Health Guide
• What Is Men's Gut Health?
• Men's Gut Health: What Is Your Gut Microbiome?
• What Factors Affect Men’s Gut Health?
• Men’s Gut Health and the Best Foods for Gut Healing
• Men's Gut Health: Signs of an Unhealthy Gut
• Men's Gut Health: What All Does Gut Health Effect?
• Exercises Good for Men's Gut Health and Easy Digestion
• Give Your Skin the Same Attention as Men's Gut Health With the MOX Starter Set: A 2-Step System

Men's gut health is a pretty important topic – after all, your gut is key in supporting and regulating crucial body functions and keeping your systems strong and healthy. As you likely know, keeping a balanced diet and getting exercise can give you awesome benefits, but it can also lend your gut a much-needed helping hand.

To learn more about men’s gut health, along with foods for gut healing, exercises for easy digestion, and the factors that affect gut health, keep reading:

What Is Men's Gut Health?

Men's gut health has been trending on TikTok in the food and health communities with people preaching the importance of having a healthy gut. But what does men’s gut health mean and how do you know which foods for gut healing to try?

Men's gut health is likely more important than you’ve ever thought; it plays a huge role in digestion, the absorption of nutrients, and your immune system regulation. Plus, it can even influence your mental well-being, which is important, dudes. 

Below, you'll see a TikTok from Daniel G. Amen, MD, where he discusses the gut-brain connection (an intricate communicate system between your GI tract and gut that's vital for health) and the some ways to improve your gut's wellbeing:

Men's Gut Health: What Is Your Gut Microbiome?

You have microorganisms living in your intestines (AKA your gut microbiome) that can be harmful or beneficial. Interestingly enough, there are over 200 unique species of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in your GI tract right now.

Before you get weirded out about your gut microbiome, studies have shown that having different kinds of bacteria in your gut may help reduce your risk of conditions like diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and psoriatic arthritis.

What Factors Affect Men’s Gut Health?

Video: Why Men's Gut Health Matters   |   Source: Cleveland Clinic 

According to experts and scientists alike, there are a lot of factors that can affect the balance of your gut microbiome and overall gut health, such as:

• Diet: The foods you eat play a significant role in balancing your gut microbiome. A diet including fiber, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and fermented foods can support the growth of gut-friendly bacteria. Diets high in sugar, unhealthy fats, and processed foods may do the opposite. 
• Antibiotics and Medications: If you didn't know, antibiotics are designed to kill bacteria, meaning they also rid your gut of the beneficial bacteria your body needs. This includes meds like proton pump inhibitors and Aspirin.
• Stress and Mental Health: Stress and mental health can influence men’s gut health through the gut-brain axis/communication (mentioned above) by changing your gut bacteria through stress hormones and inflammation.
• Physical Activity: Exercise has been connected with a more diverse and healthy gut microbiome. Physical activity, like hiking, can support digestion, reduce inflammation, and balance your gut, leading to better overall health.
• Age: Did you know your gut microbiome changes? Age causes it to easily shift in balance, which means as you get older, paying attention to foods for gut healing becomes even more of a necessity than it already is.
• Infections and Diseases: Gastrointestinal infections, chronic diseases, and conditions affecting the gut (like irritable bowel syndrome) can all alter the balance of your gut. Some may even lead to long-term imbalances.
• Alcohol and Smoking: You're probably well-aware of the health issues that smoking and alcohol can cause. But an over-use of them can also change your gut’s composition and function. Moderation is key, guys!

Similar to fingerprints, everyone’s gut microbiome is unique with these factors varying from person to person. If you have any specific concerns or questions about men’s gut health and would like some quality answers, ask your doctor.

Men’s Gut Health and the Best Foods for Gut Healing

We can all agree that food is one of the best things in the world, right? But while super delicious, it’s also responsible for fueling your body, which is pretty cool if you ask us. But did you know a good diet is a huge part of men's gut health?

Kind of like how skincare keeps your skin fueled and young-looking (or at least MOX does, anyway), eating good-for-you foods can ensure your entire body – skin cells, gut, and all – stays in tip-top shape. Some foods for gut healing are:

• Fiber-Rich Foods: Fiber is essential for promoting a healthy gut microbiome. It acts as a prebiotic, meaning it provides food for beneficial bacteria to thrive. Foods high in soluble and insoluble fiber (both important) include whole grains (oats, quinoa, brown rice), legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas), fruits (berries, apples, pears), and veggies (broccoli, carrots).
• Fermented Foods: Fermented foods are rich in probiotics, which are live beneficial bacteria that can keep your gut microbiome balanced and healthy. These foods include yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha.
• Bone Broth: Bone broth is rich in collagen and amino acids that support your gut lining and reduce inflammation, which is great for skin health. Vegetable and mushrooms broths are good for men's gut health, too. 
• Ginger: Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and can help soothe your digestive tract, alleviate nausea, and promote digestion. 
• Turmeric: Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can support men's gut health.
• Garlic and Onions: Both garlic and onions contain prebiotic compounds that feed beneficial gut bacteria and promote their growth.
• Leafy Greens: Dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals that support gut and skin health.
• Berries: Berries – specifically blueberries – are high in antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber, which can have a positive impact on men's gut health.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), flaxseeds, and walnuts, have anti-inflammatory effects that benefit the gut by diversifying its microbiome.
• Chia Seeds: Chia seeds are high in fiber and can help promote regular bowel movements while providing prebiotic benefits (mentioned above). 
• Coconut Products: Coconut-based products contain medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that strengthen the gut and fight inflammation.
• Protein-Rich Foods: Lean sources of protein, such as poultry, fish, and tofu, provide essential amino acids that support the body’s tissue repair and healing, thus contributing to a healthy gut microbiome.

Men's Gut Health: Signs of an Unhealthy Gut

An unhealthy gut can put a damper on many of life’s great experiences as it’s known to cause annoyances like painful bloating, gas, and diarrhea. Here are some notable signs of an unhealthy gut to keep an eye out for:

• Reoccurring digestive problems may suggest an imbalance in your gut. These issues can include persistent bloating, gas, heartburn, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, and/or constipation that lasts for an extended period.
• If you’ve recently developed a food intolerance to a dish that’s always been your favorite or you’ve just noticed a few food sensitivities that you’ve never had (nausea, bloating, trapped gas), then it may be your gut.
• Have you had any significant or unexplainable weight loss/gain? This could be a sign that your gut is having a problem absorbing nutrients or your gut microbiome is out of whack and could use some balancing.
• As an adventurous spirit, you probably rarely feel fatigued. But if you’ve noticed a bit of tiredness after a good-quality sleep, then your gut-brain axis may be suffering, causing your energy levels to plummet.
• Skin conditions – think acne and psoriasis – have been linked to gut problems. Inflammation and imbalances in your gut can present themselves as blemishes, dry patches, and the conditions mentioned above.
• Do you deal with frequent colds, infections, or illnesses? These things could all be due to an unhealthy gut microbiome, which can wreak havoc  on your immune system.
• Mental health is a convo we don’t have as guys, but the stage is finally opening. If you’ve noticed your mood weighing you down lately (anxiety, depression, brain fog, mood swings), your gut may need some TLC.
• While carbs and sugar are two of life’s greatest gifts, excessive cravings for them can be a sign that you have an overgrowth of certain types of gut bacteria, which could be causing an unbalanced microbiome.

Men's Gut Health: What All Does Gut Health Effect?

While your gut is a very complex system, its importance to your overall health is significant, to say the least. Through extensive studies, scientists and experts have found some interesting links between men’s gut health and:

• The immune system
• Autoimmune diseases
• Endocrine disorders
• Cardiovascular disease
• Mental health
• Gastrointestinal disorders
• Eczema
• Acne
• Dry Skin
• Aging Skin

Exercises Good for Men's Gut Health and Easy Digestion

As we've mentioned previously, exercise has some amazing benefits for men's gut health. But you may be wondering where to start, which is where MOX comes in with the facts. Check out these benefits of exercise for digestion and gut health:

• Increased Blood Circulation: Getting some physical activity in is known to boost blood flow throughout your body, including to your digestive organs.
• Stimulated Bowel Movements and Digestive Enzymes: Exercise activates bowel movements and promotes the release of digestive enzymes, aiding in the breakdown of food for easy digestion. 
• Nervous System Stimulation: Exercise stimulates nerves in your nervous, muscular, and endocrine systems, enhancing digestion and gut health.

Here are our top 5 exercises to boost men's gut health and digestion:

• Walking: Brisk walking stimulates your digestive system by promoting muscle contractions in your stomach and intestines. Aim for 20-30 minutes of walking several times a week to experience improved digestion.
• Yoga: Yoga reduces stress and includes poses like downward dog and child’s pose (they're manly, too, we promise), which can enhance digestion and men's gut health by relaxing muscles and strengthening the core.
• Biking: Biking encourages food movement through the digestive tract and can alleviate pesky issues like constipation. Plus, it aids in weight management, which has been known to impact digestive and gut health.
• Abdominal Exercises: Situps, crunches, and other abdominal exercises strengthen core muscles, leading to improved digestion and gut health. Try doing these exercises on an empty stomach or 1-2 hours after eating.
• Pelvic Floor Activation: Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles can enhance your urinary and bowel function (two birds with one stone – you know?). Start with pelvic floor exercises and gradually increase intensity.

For the visual learners out there, here's a YouTube video showing you an easy 7-minute intestine exercise to promote men's gut health and easy digestion:

Video: An Expert Showing Intestine Exercises for Men's Gut Health and Easy Digestion   |   Source: Body & Brain TV

Give Your Skin the Same Attention as Men's Gut Health With the MOX Starter Set: A 2-Step System