Good gut health is the key to overall health
There are between 10 and 100 TRILLION bacteria in your gut, all metabolizing what you eat and then releasing biologically active compounds in your body!! Humans and their gut bacteria (also known as the microbiome) evolved together, so we absolutely have to have a symbiotic relationship. If you give your gut bacteria what they need, they will help you in ways you could hardly imagine. In addition to fixing their digestive issues - which improves quality of life - I have had patients see major improvements in weight, mood, blood sugar, chronic inflammation, and skin problems like acne just by fixing their gut health!
How gut bacteria impact health
A healthy microbiome nourishes the gut lining and releases chemical compounds that your body wants and needs. This helps the gut heal and seal itself, limits inflammation, and modulates the immune, hormonal, and neurological systems in helpful ways. Unhealthy bacteria in your gut, however, release toxins that cause your intestines to get inflamed and leaky. Bacterial toxins then get into your bloodstream. That’s why when someone has gut dysfunction, it doesn’t just cause very frustrating bloating, gas, belly pain, and diarrhea or constipation. It can increase the risk of other severe problems.
What issues are thought to be caused or impacted by an unhealthy microbiome?
Anxiety and depression
Weight problems
Impaired memory and mental focus
Autoimmune disease, inflammation, and cancer risk
Poor sleep and low energy
Poor athletic performance
Skin problems like acne, dermatitis, hives, and psoriasis
Alzheimer’s disease
The list would probably be shorter if we asked what health issues ARE NOT affected by your microbiome.
Simple steps you can take to upgrade your gut health
Fix it with food. Vegetables have fiber and prebiotics in them. Both of these have been proven to improve the amount of healthy bacteria in your gut. Seeds such as chia seeds, hemp seeds, and flax seeds are also extremely beneficial for gut health. Nuts like walnuts, almonds, and peanuts are a great addition. Foods such as garlic, onion, asparagus, bananas, chicory root, and the cheap and natural supplement inulin are all full of prebiotics, which nourish healthy bacteria in the gut. Fruit is fine in smaller amounts, but avoid fruit juices.
Choose organic food with no artificial additives. Pesticides and herbicides used in commercial farming can kill good bacteria and irritate the gut, leading to overgrowth of unhealthy bacteria. Accumulating evidence suggests that food additives like emulsifiers and sweeteners also disturb gut health. How do you know if you should eat it? If you read the label of something that comes in a jar or bag and everything is identifiable as an actual component of food that you would add in your own kitchen, you are fine.
Eat probiotic foods (usually fermented). Things like sauerkraut, plain yogurt, kimchi, miso, kombucha, and cultured cottage cheese (like Good Culture brand) contain large amounts of healthy bacteria to help maintain your gut.
Increase fiber. Increasing fiber intake reduces your risk of illness and death. Get a lot of fiber in your diet AND use organic psyllium husk, 1 tablespoon 2-3 times daily.
Take a probiotic. If your health and performance are optimal, this is only necessary when you are ill or traveling and straying from your usual diet and routine. Make sure the one you choose has the specific strains that have been found in studies to provide the most benefit - Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus reuteri, Bifidobacterium bifidium, and Streptococcus thermophilus.
Chew very, very thoroughly. Many digestive problems are caused by challenges digesting carbohydrates. This is the reason some people get gassy after eating beans and other legumes. It is also the reason many people feel better when they eat a low FODMAP (a diet that eliminates many carbs). The good news is that saliva has amylase in it, which starts breaking down carbohydrates in your mouth. Also, when your taste buds detect carbohydrates, a signal is sent to your gut to release the right enzymes to break down those carbohydrates, so having your food spend longer in your mouth is an easy way to kick-start good digestion.
Exercise vigorously. Recent studies indicate that exercise increases the numbers of healthy microbes in the gut. In fact, it has been shown that participation in exercise of moderate to high-intensity for 30 to 90 minutes, 3 or more times per week, for more than 8 weeks is likely to produce significant and beneficial changes in the microbiome.
In summary, the importance of a healthy microbiome can not be overstated. If you have digestive issues, such as gas, bloating, frequent soft stools, or belly pain, you probably understand that you need to put some work into improving the health of the bacteria that live inside you. The connection between gut health and overall health may be a little less clear to people struggling with low energy, weight problems, poor memory, high blood sugar, chronic inflammation, or disappointing athletic performance, but the research is extremely clear. All of these areas can see major improvements with a healthier microbiome.
