Nutritionist reveals what to eat and what to avoid to keep your gut healthy in monsoon: Avoid fried food, eat yoghurt

During the monsoon, gut health can be compromised, leading to bloating and constipation. Dr Sridhar advises maintaining a healthy diet and hygiene practices.

Monsoon season often becomes a breeding ground for many diseases, including gut health issues. Sudden weather changes, humidity, and food contamination are some of the contributing factors that lead to stomach issues in the rainy season. Therefore, it is best to avoid foods that may increase the risk of your gut health getting compromised. Moreover, it is also important to know which foods to eat to boost the gut, too.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Manjula Sridhar, MBBS, MSc Nutrition, Apollo Spectra Hospital, Chennai, talked about what one should eat and avoid in the monsoon season to keep their gut healthy.

Symptoms of compromised gut health in monsoon

But what leads to gut health problems? Dr Sridhar explains, "Gut health problems occur whenever there is an imbalance of beneficial and disease-causing bacteria in the gut, leading to problems in the digestive system. As a result of this imbalance, people are prone to infection with issues in various ways, like digestive uneasiness, loss of nutrients, and even symptoms of mental illness.

A healthy gut translates to overall wellbeing. (Freepik)

Per Dr Sridhar, nausea and vomiting, constipation, diarrhoea, bloated stomach, gases, acidity and indigestion are among some of the most common symptoms caused by compromised gut health during the monsoon season. “Apart from the weather, this can occur due to food poisoning and poor sanitation,” she states.

What to eat and what to avoid to keep your gut healthy

Here are some tips as suggested by Dr Sridhar to keep your gut healthy in monsoon:

• Freshly cooked home food, herbal tea, yoghurt, buttermilk, bananas, apples, cumin, and fennel seeds can help enhance your immunity, thereby improving gut health.
• Foods that need to be avoided include street foods, raw leafy vegetables, and fried and spicy foods.
• Consuming hot water is vital.
• Quick solutions, such as maintaining cleanliness, washing, and cooking fruits, vegetables, and other food items as a precaution, can help prevent stomach infections.

Lastly, Dr Sridhar suggests: “Including a purely enjoyable diet meal with no gastrointestinal detours will not only help maintain its state of health but also solve the existing gut health issues. Gastrointestinal health can be balanced through a good diet and hygiene, particularly during the rainy season.”

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.