AIIMS gastroenterologist says ‘women's gut health is linked to hormones, immunity’; shares top 4 gut-healthy foods

Gastroenterologist Dr Saurabh Sethi stresses the importance of consuming gut-healthy foods for hormone balance, immunity, and overall well-being in women.

In a post shared on July 23, Dr Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist trained at AIIMS, Stanford, and Harvard Universities, who often shares tips on managing gut health and how to maintain your liver, talked about foods that are great for the gut health of women. He listed the top 4 food items that women should eat in his post. Let's find out what they are:

Best gut-healthy foods for women

According to Dr Sethi, eating foods that are healthy for the gut is important in women because their gut health is closely linked to hormones, immunity, and mood. Therefore, it is important to eat more of the food items that are healthy for gut health. Here are the food items he suggested:

1. Leafy greens

Your leafy greens are rich in magnesium and fibre. What do these nutrients mean? According to the gastroenterologist, it leads to a happy gut and less cramping.

2. Blueberries

Blueberries are rich in antioxidants and polyphenols. Per the gut doctor, they support the gut and the brain.

3. Fermented foods

Fermented food like yoghurt or kefir is great for women's gut health. They support vaginal and gut microbiome, Dr Sethi stressed.

4. Pumpkin seeds

According to the AIIMS-trained gastroenterologist, pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc and fibre. These two nutrients are great for the immune system and digestive health.

Your gut health is as important as your physical and mental health. According to the Cleveland Clinic, your gut is your largest immune system organ, containing up to 80 percent of your body's immune cells. These cells help to clear out the many pathogens that pass through them every day.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

(Dr Saurabh Sethi, MD, MPH, is a board-certified gastroenterologist, hepatologist, and interventional endoscopist. He trained at AIIMS (India), earned his MPH from the University of Texas, and completed fellowships in gastroenterology and hepatology at Harvard and advanced endoscopy at Stanford.)