How do you keep your gut healthy? Find out what Mumsnet users told Nairn’s Oatcakes

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Many of us are becoming more aware of how our gut can affect our overall wellbeing and the importance of taking care of it in order to stay healthy and happy. The majority of us have all been there when bloating and/or indigestion strikes, and this is why Nairn’s would love to hear your tips for maintaining good gut health.

Here is what Nairn’s have to say: “We’d like to think we know a thing or two about the superfood that is oats – we’ve been baking with them for over 100 years. We know how good oats are for your gut and we know that gut health as a topic is no flash in the pan either!

Oats are one of the foods that can help keep our gut healthy. They’re high in gentle fibre, which not only helps us stay regular, but also ‘feeds’ the friendly bacteria in the gut and helps keep the gut lining healthy. Oatcakes in particular can also be a good alternative to wheat-based products such as cereals and breads to keep our gut happy, as wheat can trigger digestive problems for some. The topic itself can be a bit daunting to the less familiar, so it makes sense for us to work with some lovely experts to help us spread that Good Gut Feeling in a simple, accessible, achievable way. Our website covers a number of Good Gut Health areas including The Family, Fitness and Managing a Free From Diet so do drop by and check them out. In the meantime, don’t be shy, and please share your own tips and tricks – they’ll really help others, and we can’t wait to hear them.”

What are your go-to and no-go foods and drinks when it comes to maintaining a healthy gut? How have you been eating oats outside of your morning porridge? If you already eat oatcakes, how do you eat yours? How do you encourage your family to follow in your footsteps? Did you find you had any digestive problems when you were/are pregnant and how did you deal with this? Or maybe you noticed some surprising benefits to keeping your gut health in check (e.g. a new-found spring in your step or blemish-free skin)?

Whatever your advice for maintaining a healthy gut, share your experiences on the thread below to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list) and a bumper box of Nairn’s Oatcakes.

Thanks and good luck

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

I eat a diet rich in fibre

Try to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables and probiotic yoghurts. Most importantly try to get regular exercise.

Cut down on sugar and alcohol and eat less processed food

daily can of coke to cleanse the gut

I eat a probiotic yoghurts daily, only use cashew milk and drink plenty of water

I'm vegetarian so I eat plenty of fruit and veg and have a pro-biotic yoghurt every day for good gut flora.

I have a very healthy diet which I also happen to enjoy! I have porridge for breakfast with a bit of cinnamon mmm! Lunch is sandwich with seeded bread, salad and fruit and evening meal is mostly salad and fruit based. I don't eat much processed food. I have a bit of natural live yogurt every day and avoid fizzy drinks and white bread that don't agree with me at all!

I'm coeliac so have to be very careful what I eat - I genuinely think nearly everyone would benefit from limiting their bread intake though

I've been fully vegetarian since I was 17 years old and my father was an Olympic athlete so food was a very important subject in my family of origin.
I try my best with my family and certainly myself. No stomach or belly issues even when we go to South East Asia.

Generally eat my 5 fruit and veg

Eating food high in fibre

Eat healthy fats

It’s somethjng I’m really researching At the moment, as I have ms and some possible links between gut health and ms are coming up. I am finding it very confusing though.

I try to eat porridge and I will get some oat cakes, as I have kind of forgotten about them. I used to eat them with peanut butter.

We don't have any of the products for sale but we do have a healthy diet which gives you all that you need! :)

I drink a small bottle of Go! Kombucha after my main meal. It’s a deliciously refreshing drink which promotes the good bacteria in your gut. It’s been really helpful for my energy levels too as I suffer from fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis as well as a rare inflammatory disease called relapsing polychondritis. I also have a lot of allergies so have gone gluten, wheat, egg and dairy free which has also helped

I take probiotic supplements

Fresh, veg heavy diet for me. Scratch cooking and lots of salads. Light on carbs. Fried food really upsets my stomach so that's off the menu. I'm not a porridge lover but do eat oatcakes, particularly with crowdie and a slice of cucumber. However, the individual packs are great to have in my bag on a busy day. If I'm low on energy I'll have one just on its own.

I avoid wheat products and have full fat Greek yogurt with fresh fruit a few times a week

Brown bread, healthy yogurts, and as much fruit and vegetables as i can persuade my family to eat. So far, so good.

Eat lots of fibre

Eating healthy snacks between main meals (fruit, smoothies, nuts, rasins) and preparing meals from scratch whenever possible.

try and eat lots of fruit and vegetables

Probiotic yogurts, lots of water, and eating plenty of fermented veggies like sauerkraut.

probiotic yogurt
less processed foods and eat more plant-based foods and more fibre.

I take a probiotic supplement, i avoid processed food and have recently started adding kimchi and sauerkraut to my diet which all seems to help my long term bloating problems.