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When the gut health revolution began about ten years back, few have foreseen the sheer variety of pre- and probiotic foods that we would come to embrace in our diets. Including kimchi and natural yoghurt to fibre-rich jerusalem artichoke and probiotic shots, gut-supporting dietary additions previously considered unconventional have turned into daily staples for countless people – with strong research that they help our digestive microbes flourish.

While it's common to think that nutrition is the sole method to feed the billions of microbes (including bacteria, molds and pathogens) that make up the gut flora, there are myriad everyday practices that can support this important part of the body.

"Nutrition often takes the spotlight in discussions about the digestive ecosystem, and for good reason – it plays a major role," explains an expert and nutritionist. "But it’s just one part of a larger story. Our entire lifestyle – from anxiety and sleep quality to time spent outdoors – significantly affects our gut health. Everything we come into contact with can impact the environment that lives there."

Because the gut has a big influence on every part of our body and mind wellbeing, it is logical to look after the internal ecosystem that powers it. Below are just a few ways to achieve that.

Show Affection

It might take meet many people before discovering the right one – but there's a benefit: every intimate kiss can transfer millions of microbes in a brief moment, making some of those awkward dates potentially worthwhile … at least for your gut.

"The mouth is the entry point to your digestive tract, and it’s home to countless microbes that can easily make their way down," says one expert. But before you pucker up. "Choosing wisely is key who you kiss," adds another professional. "In cases of infection or an unhealthy mouth or digestive flora (often shown by chronic halitosis, tooth decay and bleeding gums), those are not microbes you want to share."

Closer contact we are with someone else generally, the more microbes we will exchange – so choose companions carefully.

Get in the Garden

Earth is "the richest habitat on the planet" and holds countless helpful bacteria that can make their way into and onto the body, says an authority. Indeed, a remote group of Amazonian hunter-gatherers, who are deeply connected to nature and walk barefoot on fertile ground every day, were found to have the richest bacterial variety ever recorded in humans.

Many people wear shoes outdoors, but there are gut health benefits to be gained by going barefoot on grass, as well as spending time in forests and gardening actively in the yard or allotment. These activities not only improve psychological health, they’ve also been linked to greater microbial diversity. Research shows that individuals – particularly kids – who garden tend to have more diverse digestive ecosystems than those who don’t.

Increased interaction with the outdoors, the better, whether that’s tending to a house plant or embracing nature. "Forest air is much richer in beneficial microbes than the air inside, so simply inhaling outdoor air can improve your health," says the expert.

Cook, then cool, your carbs

Make the most of high-carb items, such as tubers, grains, pasta and loaves by letting them chill after cooking, and then eating them. This creates indigestible carbohydrates, a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion in the small intestine. "Rather, it arrives in the colon, where our good bacteria consume it," says an expert. "This process, they generate substances that help support a healthy gut lining, lower swelling and even support blood sugar balance." It's fine to warm these foods after they have been cooled and the beneficial fiber will stay intact.

Be it a noodle meal you eat the following day or newly baked loaf you chill and toast later, this easy trick enhances the gut-boosting potential of everyday foods, making them more digestive-friendly than they were when you first cooked them. "Overnight oats and slightly unripe green bananas also offer plenty of resistant starch," says the specialist.

Take a breath

A growing body of research shows our gut microbiome and emotional wellbeing are deeply connected. Stress and mood disorders can even alter the balance of our digestive microbes. Many people can’t just opt out of demanding situations, but we can utilize our respiration. Slow, intentional breaths stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (the system's "calm and process" mode) encouraging healing, renewal and a more peaceful mentality.

"When we use the breath in a certain way, we speak the body's calming language," says a breathing expert. "This assists the body shift out of the stressed, fight-or-flight stress mode and toward the parasympathetic recovery mode. In this relaxed condition, the body’s functions can operate optimally, restoring balance, fixing daily damage, and reducing the effects of stress."

An extended exhale consistently reduces the pulse and signals to the nervous system that it’s moment to relax

By contrast, when we remain stuck in fight-or-flight, the body diverts resources away from functions such as digestion, sending circulation toward the muscles that would have helped us escape a danger in the natural world. This survival strategy results in the gut deprived of support, reducing movement, limiting circulation and limiting the creation of gut chemicals to process food. Returning into the parasympathetic state undoes this effect, allowing digestion to return to normal, with better blood flow, healthy motility and enhanced assimilation.

Before breathwork, many experts encourage learning the simple (but unexpectedly challenging) habit of sitting still, in quiet, for a short period daily. "It sounds easy, but with attention spans now averaging a brief moment, it’s more challenging than ever," notes one coach.

After establishing this routine, the breathing practice starts. One method uses the memory aid N-G-S-E: Nose, Gentle, Slow and Expansive as a helpful reminder. "Begin with breathing in through your nostrils for a count of three, then out for three," suggests. "When that feels comfortable, build up to longer durations. Next, start to lengthen the exhale through the nostrils: breathe in for five, exhale longer. A prolonged exhalation reliably reduces the heart rate and communicates to the nervous system that it’s time for calm."

Enjoy High-Cocoa Treats

When eating the right kind, chocolate can be beneficial for digestion. "Dark chocolate – containing at least 75% raw chocolate – is rich in beneficial substances called antioxidants, which nourish healthy bacteria and fight oxidative damage in the gut," says an expert. "It's often overlooked that chocolate comes from processed seeds, so you can include it as one of your 30 plants a week." With an array of beneficial nutrients, fibre and other micronutrients, ensure you choose options that contain minimal additives.

Use Your Voice

The vagus nerve – which links the brain to a number of different organs, including the gut – travels from the base of the brain down through the neck to the abdomen. As per specialists, it is one of the most direct ways that the digestive tract can send signals to the brain. "Specific healthy microbes create chemical messengers – like gamma-aminobutyric acid and the happiness hormone – that stimulate vagal receptors in the gut wall," notes a body-mind expert