Gut health, without the jargon

Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria, and the mix of them is shaped less by any one supplement than by what you eat across a normal week. Variety matters more than intensity.

Fermented foods are a useful place to start because they are familiar. Fura da nono, kunu and other traditional fermented staples have been part of West African eating for generations — long before the word probiotic entered the conversation.

Fibre matters just as much as live cultures. Beans, whole grains, tiger nuts and vegetables give existing gut bacteria something to feed on, which is the part most routines skip.

The honest summary: eat a wider range of plants, include fermented foods where you enjoy them, and give it time. Nothing about that has to feel like punishment.