Gut Health: Did you know most major health problems don’t start in your heart or liver? According to Delhi doctor Saleem Zaidi, they begin inside your gut. And it’s not just junk food outside your home causing trouble. It’s the everyday foods and habits inside your kitchen that quietly damage your digestion. If you understand this today, you can prevent nearly half of your health problems. Plus, Dr Zaidi shares a simple desi remedy using just three common kitchen ingredients that can instantly improve gas, acidity, heaviness and overall gut health.
Our gut doesn’t just process food. It determines your energy, immunity, skin glow and even your mood. A healthy gut means a healthy body. Surprisingly, your gut is about 7–8 meters long and contains nearly 500 million neurons. That’s why scientists call it our “second brain.” It also produces serotonin, the happy hormone. So, when your gut is weak, sadness, anxiety, irritability and low motivation can automatically appear.
Why Gut Health Gets Weakened
Dr Zaidi explains that poor gut health is caused by multiple everyday factors:
- Processed and fast food – Excess junk food damages the gut lining. He recalls an 11-year-old girl whose intestine ruptured after consuming too much junk food.
- Overuse of medicines – Frequent use of antibiotics and painkillers disturbs gut bacteria.
- Chronic stress and overthinking – Mental health directly affects digestion.
- Poor sleep and late-night meals – Disrupts gut repair cycles.
- Years of gas, acidity, and constipation – Weakens the gut lining, leading to toxin leakage into the bloodstream, a condition called leaky gut.
Even a normal diet can cause issues if it lacks fiber, the main food for good gut bacteria. Without fiber, digestion slows, bowel movements become irregular, and gas or acidity increases. High-fiber foods like oats, daliya, jowar, bajra, vegetables like bottle gourd, okra, carrots, cabbage, and fruits like apples, pears, guava, and bananas are essential. Eat fruits whole — juices don’t give the same benefit.
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How To Protect And Improve Gut Health
1. Include probiotic foods: Homemade curd, buttermilk, kanji and fermented foods restore the balance between good and bad bacteria. Avoid packaged flavoured curd or store-bought buttermilk.
2. Eat prebiotic foods: Onions, garlic, bananas, oats and cumin feed good bacteria and strengthen your gut ecosystem.
3. Stay hydrated: Drink 8–10 glasses of water daily. Low water intake causes hard stools, constipation, and toxin buildup.
4. Try intermittent fasting: Give your gut 12–16 hours to rest once or twice a week. This allows digestion to reset and improves energy, while reducing gas and acidity.
5. Reduce sugar and ultra-processed foods: Sugar weakens good bacteria and strengthens bad ones, leading to bloating, gas, and cravings. Packaged snacks, chips, and ready-to-eat foods disturb gut balance.
Simple Desi Remedy For Daily Digestion
Dr Zaidi recommends a Cumin–Coriander–Mint water recipe:
- Take 1 glass of water.
- Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon coriander seeds and a few crushed mint leaves.
- Boil, strain and drink lukewarm after lunch, sip slowly.
Cumin improves digestion and feeds good bacteria, coriander cools acidity and mint reduces heaviness. Over time, it can make your stomach lighter, improve energy, clear your skin and strengthen immunity.
A healthy gut can truly change your life. Half of your health problems start and end her. Take care of your gut and the rest of your body will thank you.
