When people speak of gut health, we all imagine it as having only something to do with digestion. However, the gut is much more than the mere digestive tract where our foods are processed to the simplest compounds that are needed in our body.
It is a system that affects or has the potential to affect nearly all aspects of health including the immune system and mental health. Recent scientific investigations have revealed close relations between the gut with some other aspects of the human body.
In our intestines there live trillions of microbiome and are commonly referred to as the gut microbiome, and they are essential for our well-being. That’s why, it is appropriate to understand the phenomena of gut health for healthier life.
Let’s go to the next level and see how a healthy gut contributes to our well-being.
The Gut-Brain Connection
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of gut health is that it has the mind in its hands. There is a connection between the Gut and the Brain, and this is referred to as the gut-brain axis This communication is through special messages through nerve signals or hormones.
The fact is that a healthy gut benefits your mood and mental health. On the other hand, there are circumstances where a healthy gut may lead to anxiety, depression, and any other mental disease. Such a connection is so close that the gut is even called the “second brain”.
Supporting the Immune System
Do you know almost 70 % of your immune system depends on your stomach? The gut is one of the important organs which protect your body from disease-causing organisms such as bacteria and viruses.
Many researchers proved that good bacteria in the gut make our immune system strong enough to fight against diseases. if the gut is unhealthy it does not support the body’s immune system thus making one prone to diseases.
Nutrient Digestion and Absorption
This also included the absorption of nutrients from the food that is consumed daily. A healthy gut also ensures that your body supplies vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in good amounts. If your gut is not working properly the digestion of nutrients will not be efficient and leads to a lack of proper nutrients that are vital for the body. It not only impacts gaining energy but also affects our skin, nails and hair.
The Gut-Skin Axis
Could your skin and the state of your gut be more intertwined than you can imagine? This is known as the “gut-skin axis. ” If the individual has an inconsistent population of microbes in the gut, then the change in the population is capable of causing inflammation and this may present itself in skin diseases such as acne, eczema, or rosacea. On the same note, a healthy gut means healthy skin, and hence you will likely see little to no acne on the skin.
The Impact of Diet
It concerns how to improve your gut through a healthy diet. Our diet supports the multiplication of friendly bacteria in the gut hence encouraging a proper digestion system. Yoghurt and kefir are also recommended as well as sauerkraut and any other foods that contain probiotics which are living bacteria that are good for the stomach.
When we take low-nutritive meals and fibre which help to feed the good-sigmoid bacteria positively will impact the gut health. Processed foods, sugar, and unhealthy fats highly affect the gut leading to an unhealthy balance of gut-sigmoid bacteria.
Probiotics and Prebiotics
You have probably come across terms such as probiotics and prebiotics when it comes to foods for your gut. Best Probiotics for gut health contain live bacteria which can help in increasing the level or count of good bacteria in the stomach. Prebiotics are a category of fibres that help nourish the bacteria already living in your digestive tract.
Both are essential in the preservation of good health of the human body microbiome. While there are naturally existing foods that are probiotic-rich such as yoghurt and kefir, prebiotics are plentiful with foods such as garlic, onions and bananas.
Chronic Diseases and Inflammation
Recent studies have also stated that the gut correlates with many diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular, and some types of cancer. An unhealthy gut also results from the failure of the digestive system and may cause chronic inflammation which is the cause of these diseases. These conditions can be therefore prevented by seeing to it that the body’s gut is clean to create space for healthy digestion and good health standards.
Lifestyle Factors
However, other factors such as stress, sleep and exercise are also important to the overall gut health. Chronically elevated stress alters the GI microbiome resulting in digestion disorders as well as compromised immunity.
On the other hand, adequate amounts of sleep and regular exercise are beneficial to the digestive health system. Other ways how gut health can be maintained include stress management where one can employ the use of relaxation activities such as meditation and yoga.
Conclusion
Thus, gut health means more than just the digestive process and its efficiency. Gut health plays a significant role in your brain’s state, immune system, skin condition, and many more factors associated with chronic diseases.
Thus, adhering to the process of a balanced diet containing fibres, probiotics, and prebiotics, stress control, timely sleep, and regular exercise will boost your gut, and, therefore, your health. Taking care of your gut is one of the ways of ensuring that you have achieved your lifetime goal of living a healthy life.
