How to improve your gut health: everyday habits that help

Gut health is everywhere at the moment, from fermented drinks to fibre challenges on social media, and it's easy to feel you need a complicated plan.

The good news is that the habits with the best support are simple and fairly familiar. Here's what gut health actually means, what Australian health advice suggests, and how the Thrive Health Band and its app can help you see your own patterns so you can talk them through with your GP or dietitian.

What gut health actually means

Your gut is home to trillions of microbes, together called your gut microbiome. healthdirect explains that these microbes help digest some sugars your body can't break down on its own, support your immune system, and communicate with your brain.

When people talk about gut health, they usually mean two things: how comfortable and regular your digestion feels day to day, and how well that community of microbes is doing. The two are linked. healthdirect notes that the balance of your microbiome can be affected by antibiotics, infections, changes in your diet and stress, among other things.

There isn't a single test for "good" gut health. Day to day, it's more about your own pattern and whether anything has changed for you.

Everyday habits that help

Eat more fibre, from lots of different plants. Fibre is the part of plant foods that your small intestine can't digest. It travels on to your lower gut, where bacteria break it down. healthdirect gives the recommended intake for adults as 25g a day for women and 30g a day for men, and notes that most Australians eat less than this.

The Australian Dietary Guidelines suggest at least 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegetables, including legumes, each day, plus wholegrain or wholemeal foods. Dietitians Australia says eating a range of fibres from different sources is linked with a more varied gut microbiome. A few easy swaps:

wholemeal or wholegrain bread instead of white
brown rice, quinoa or barley with a curry or stew
lentils in a bolognese, or chickpeas in a salad
a handful of nuts and seeds as a snack
fruit with the skin on, where you can

Go slowly. Dietitians Australia suggests adding new high fibre foods gradually, every few days, so your gut can adjust. More wind is normal when you eat more fibre, and it usually settles.

Drink enough fluid. Fibre absorbs fluid, so healthdirect suggests drinking enough, including water, as you add more.

Go easy on some foods. healthdirect notes that diets high in fatty foods, red meat, and foods that are high in sugar and low in fibre can upset the gut microbiome.

Look at the rest of your day. healthdirect says managing stress and only taking antibiotics when your doctor says you need them can support your gut health. Moving more helps too, and regular mealtimes can help too.

Ask before you buy supplements. healthdirect says probiotics may be helpful in some situations, such as after antibiotics, but that different probiotics work in different ways. Your doctor or dietitian can tell you whether one would suit you.

How Thrive can help you see your own patterns

The Band has no screen, so there's nothing to check during the day. You log what matters to you in the Thrive by Optihealth app, and the Band adds what it measures.

Daily Check-In. In the optional Digestive health section, you can log how often you go and your stool type on the Bristol Stool Scale (types 1 to 7, from hard lumps to watery), along with tummy symptoms such as bloating, reflux, cramping or wind, your mood, stress and energy.
Meals. You can log meals in the Nutrition tab, including by scanning a barcode.
The Gut Function Index. This is Thrive's own proprietary algorithm, and it brings your digestion data together into one score from 0 to 100. It looks at how regular you are (your Bristol Stool Scale types, how often you go and your daily steps), how consistent your meal timing and overnight eating gap are, and how stress, sleep quality and HRV sit alongside your gut. It works on trends in your own data rather than single readings, it isn't a medical test, and it suggests small experiments, such as a 10 minute walk after meals. You'll find it on the Gut Health screen in My Health once you've logged meals and check-ins for a few days.
Your own normal. Thrive learns what's usual for you across nine areas of your health, including gut and digestion, from what the Band measures and what you log.

You can ask Ask Thrive questions in everyday language, such as "How many days did I log bloating this month, and how does that compare with last month?" or "How has my Gut Function Index looked this week compared with the week before?"

Thrive also keeps track right across your health, from meals and Food Fit to blood tests, medications and supplements and your medical history.

Talking to your GP about your gut

Thrive isn't a diagnosis. healthdirect suggests seeing your doctor if you have symptoms of poor gut health, or if you're already getting help for a gut problem and things aren't improving. If you notice a recent, ongoing change in your bowel habits, blood in your poo, or losing weight without trying, see your GP promptly. If you're 45 to 74, the free National Bowel Cancer Screening Program kit is worth doing (people aged 45 to 49 can request their first kit).

Ask Thrive can help you get ready by pulling together a few weeks of your check-ins and meals, so you can describe what's been happening clearly. Here's how to use Ask Thrive before a GP appointment. If you'd like a dietitian or someone you trust to see your logs, Thrive Loops lets you share selected information with a participating trainer, health professional or someone you trust. You decide what to share and with whom, and you can change or revoke access at any time.

Before you buy

You'll need a compatible iPhone or Android phone, because the Thrive app is on the Apple App Store and Google Play, in Australia and eight other countries. The app stores are only for downloading the app, though; they aren't where you buy the Band or a Plan. You can buy at thrivehealthband.com, or at a participating World Gym Australia location or health and wellness clinic.

The Thrive Health Band is A$660 for the first year under the launch offer (usually A$740). That includes the Band, which is yours to keep, and 12 months of the Thrive by Optihealth app, My Health on the web, Health Fingerprint, Ask Thrive, Thrive Loops and your data, paid once upfront. Prices are in AUD and include GST. Free Australia-wide shipping during the launch offer (usually A$14.99).

Nothing renews automatically. After your first year, you can get a new band plus 12 more months for A$660, or keep your band and renew the Thrive Connected Plan for A$240 a year (A$20 a month).

You're also covered by a 12-month Thrive Care Warranty, and consumer guarantees under Australian Consumer Law always apply. See Returns if something is wrong with your purchase.

Common questions

How much fibre do I need a day?

healthdirect gives the recommended intake for adults as 25g a day for women and 30g a day for men. Fruit, vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, nuts and seeds are good sources.

What is the fastest way to improve gut health?

There's no quick fix. Eating a wider range of plant foods, adding fibre gradually, drinking enough fluid and keeping regular mealtimes are good places to start.

Can Thrive track my gut health?

You can log bowel habits, tummy symptoms and meals in the Thrive by Optihealth app, and Thrive shows your patterns over time, including a Gut Function Index once you've logged enough.

For more answers, see Questions.