Your Top 5 Tips for a Gut Happy Gut This Summer Summer's warmth is welcome, but it can sometimes bring unwelcome digestive issues like bloating, acidity, constipation, and even food poisoning. The heat can a ect how well your gut works due to a combination of physiological changes and environmental factors. Research indicates that for every 1°C increase in average temperature, the risk of foodborne illness can rise by 5-10%. The body's digestive enzymes can also become less e cient at higher temperatures, further contributing to sluggish digestion. Luckily, keeping your gut happy is easier than you think. Here are our top 5 ways to breeze through summer with a comfortable digestive system: Summer's Gut Challenges: Beyond the Obvious Heat While the scorching summer temperatures undeniably play a role in digestive discomfort, from accelerating food spoilage to increasing the risk of dehydration, there are other, less obvious shifts in our summer routines that can also significantly impact our gut health. Increased travel during holidays, irregular sleep patterns due to late evenings, and a tendency to opt for lighter "cool" foods that may lack su cient fibre can subtly disrupt our gut microbiome and digestive rhythm. These factors, combined with the direct e ects of the heat, can lead to unexpected bloating, altered bowel habits, and a weakened defense against gut infections. To keep your gut resilient and happy this summer, consider these impactful, yet often overlooked, tips: Tip 1: Soothe Summer Acidity with Cooling, Fiber-Rich Foods and Herbal Allies. Instead of reaching for fried snacks like pakoras, samosas, spicy meals, or fizzy cold drinks that can trigger heartburn, choose cooling and fibre-packed options like refreshing cucumber salads, gentle oats, and steamed vegetables (lauki, tori). Enhance your digestive comfort by drinking herbal teas such as fennel (saunf) or ginger (adrak). Avoiding heavy meals late at night further reduces the likelihood of acid reflux. Lesser-known fact: Chewing fennel seeds (saunf) after a meal can naturally help neutralize stomach acid and soothe heartburn due to its anethole content. By making these dietary shifts, you can e ectively manage and prevent summer acidity and heartburn. Tip 2: Hydrate Diligently to Beat Dehydration and Constipation. Combat the fluid loss caused by sweating in the Patna heat by aiming to drink at least 2.5 to 3 litres of water each day. Increase your intake of hydrating and fibre-rich fruits like watermelon (tarbooj), oranges (santra), and muskmelon (kharbooja). If constipation becomes an issue due to dehydration and low fibre, incorporate natural laxatives such as soaked raisins (kishmish), chia seeds (sabja), or flaxseeds (alsi) into your diet. Lesser-known fact: The human gut has its own nervous system, often called the "second brain," and even mild dehydration can directly impact its ability to regulate bowel movements e ectively. Consistent hydration and adequate fibre intake will help maintain regular bowel movements and prevent constipation often exacerbated by summer conditions. Tip 3: Prioritize Food Safety to Prevent Infections. Given that bacteria thrive in high summer temperatures, it's crucial to stick to home-cooked, hygienic meals. Ensure that leftovers are promptly and properly stored in the refrigerator (ideally within two hours of cooking). Exercise caution with street food and avoid ice from unknown sources, opting for boiled or filtered water. Additionally, incorporating a daily dose of probiotics like yoghurt (dahi) or curd can help strengthen your gut flora, providing a natural defense against potential infections. Lesser-known fact: The average refrigerator temperature should be below 4°C (40°F) to significantly slow down bacterial growth; even slightly warmer temperatures can dramatically increase the risk of foodborne illness, especially during the hot summer months. By adhering to these food safety practices, you significantly reduce your risk of summer food poisoning and gut infections. Tip 4: Prioritize Prebiotic-Rich Foods to Fortify Your Gut Microbiome. While probiotics like those found in dahi (yoghurt) are often highlighted for gut health, feeding the existing good bacteria in your gut is equally crucial. 1 Focus on incorporating prebiotic-rich foods into your summer diet. Good sources include slightly unripe bananas, onions (in moderation), garlic, and even the white parts of spring onions. These foods contain fibres that your beneficial gut bacteria ferment, producing short-chain fatty acids that have numerous gut health benefits. Lesser-known fact: Butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid produced when gut bacteria ferment prebiotics, is a primary energy source for the cells lining your colon and plays a vital role in reducing inflammation and maintaining gut barrier integrity, which is particularly important during the summer when the risk of gut infections is higher. By consistently including prebiotics in your diet, you can build a stronger and more resilient gut from within. Tip 5: Maintain Consistent Meal Times to Support Your Gut Rhythm. Irregular sleep schedules and travel during the summer can disrupt your body's natural circadian rhythm, which also influences your digestive system. Try to maintain relatively consistent meal times, even on weekends or while traveling. Lesser-known fact: Your gut bacteria also have their own circadian rhythms, and irregular eating patterns can negatively impact their balance and function, potentially leading to digestive issues like bloating and altered bowel habits. Sticking to regular meal timings helps keep both your body and your gut microbiome in sync for smoother digestion. Bottom Line Summer often brings digestive challenges. Beyond hydration and food safety, our diet and gut health matter. Choose cooling, fibre-rich foods. Stay well-hydrated. Eat mindfully. Support your gut with prebiotics and probiotics. These steps help avoid summer gut troubles. A little care ensures a happy, healthy gut. Enjoy your summer! Stay cool and keep your gut happy! Is Summer Triggering Gut Problems? We Can Help You Find Relief! Don't let summer gut problems like frequent acidity, bloating, or persistent discomfort ruin your season. AtGut Clinic & Endoscopy Centre, we o er expert care and personalized programs designed to bring you lasting comfort. Our advanced diagnostics and tailored support can help manage everything from persistent acidity to gut infections. If you're experiencing ongoing digestive issues and are seeking expert diagnosis and relief, book a GI & Liver Consultation with our gastroenterologist in Delhi for expert diagnosis and relief.