Gut health is vital to overall well-being, influencing mental health and immune function, with poor gut health linked to anxiety, depression, and other conditions.

Late-night snacking on high-fat or high-sugar foods can disrupt digestion, cause symptoms such as acid reflux and bloating, and promote bacterial imbalance that may lead to weight gain.

Reducing vegetable consumption diminishes essential nutrients and dietary fiber, leading to decreased gut bacteria diversity, slower digestion, constipation, and weakened immune and mental health.

Consuming excessive ultra-processed foods laden with refined grains, artificial additives, sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats harms gut microbiome diversity, triggers inflammation, and raises the risk of conditions like IBS, metabolic syndrome, and cancer.

Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a Harvard-trained gastroenterologist, emphasizes that poor habits are damaging gut health and recommends corrective measures.

Overuse or misuse of antibiotics damages beneficial gut bacteria, causing dysbiosis and increasing susceptibility to infections and digestive issues, which can be mitigated through dietary and probiotic strategies.

A diet high in sugar and low in fiber disrupts beneficial gut bacteria, promotes inflammation, and increases the risks of obesity and diabetes; boosting fiber intake from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help restore balance.