A healthy, balanced gut is the foundation for excellent health. That includes a diet filled with diverse, nutrient-rich foods that support your microbiome.

1 Sugar - Of course, you know that added sugar is best kept to a minimum in your diet. But you might not know it could potentially affect your gut health, too. Sugar can slow down the production of specific proteins that help maintain the gut flora found in healthy people.

2 Alcohol - Drinking too much alcohol may contribute to imbalances in your gut flora and inflammation. It could also lead to dysbiosis or bacterial overgrowth, which may cause problems like poor digestion, acid reflux, and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. With alcohol, quality and quantity matters. Drinking a glass of quality cabernet will affect your gut entirely differently than, say, a number of sugar-laden margaritas.

3 Artificial sweeteners - Once positioned as a healthy alternative to sugar, we now know that artificial sweeteners are not great for your gut and overall health. It can disrupt healthy gut flora and increase the number of inflammatory gut flora.

4 Soy - Soy, another lectin-rich legume, can also be hard to digest, which may lead to bloating and abdominal pain. Some people do well with small amounts of fermented non-GMO, organic soy, like tempeh or natto, which are friendlier to
your gut.

5 Dairy - About 65% of the world's population has a reduced ability to digest lactose, the primary sugar in milk and other dairy products, after infancy. Gas, bloating, and diarrhea are some of the symptoms of lactose intolerance. If you notice any negative symptoms within hours after eating dairy (headaches, fatigue, stomach pain, etc.), you may want to speak to your doctor about the possibility of lactose intolerance and potentially cutting back on dairy. However, you might benefit from some cultured dairy products (such no-sugar-added yogurts and kefirs).