Gut health and gut bacteria may not be something you think much about, but it’s very important for your overall health. Having an unhealthy gut can cause all sorts of issues, like IBS and even heart disease, so learning more about how to prevent gut health problems will help keep you healthy from the inside out. Read on to learn more about what constitutes good gut health and how you can prevent it from happening to you!
Did you know?
The healthy bacteria that live in your digestive tract (known as gut flora) have more genes than there are people on Earth. These bacteria and other microbes in your digestive system play a crucial role in digestion, nutrient absorption, immune function, and even mood regulation. However, our guts aren't always populated with beneficial bugs; most of us have unhealthy levels of potentially harmful bacteria like E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus (or staph), Salmonella, and Clostridium difficile.
The causes of gut problems
Your gut houses trillions of bacteria, most of which are good for your overall health. Intestinal permeability—the condition that allows things to leak from your digestive tract into your bloodstream (and sometimes even into other organs). That leakiness occurs when disease-causing bacteria create an inflammatory response that damages intestinal cells. Inflammation triggers immune reactions in your body, which lead to autoimmune diseases such as Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, and ulcerative colitis.
Tips for what to do if something goes wrong
- If you suspect your gut health has gone south, first determine if there’s a legitimate reason to worry.
- If you’ve been experiencing diarrhea or constipation for an extended period, visit your primary care physician who will do further testing to make sure nothing serious is going on. However, certain trends might be worth paying attention to.
- If I notice any mucus in my stool sample or blood when I wipe myself after having a bowel movement, then I’ll probably talk with my primary care physician about seeing a gastroenterologist get things checked out, DeFino says.
- Severely reduced energy levels should also be checked out by a medical professional particularly if other areas of your body are starting to show some symptoms as well.
Helping your gut health naturally
Gut health, more commonly known as digestive health, refers to your gastrointestinal system. It's made up of a long tube-like organ system from your mouth down to your anus. Your gut contains vital organs that are responsible for performing essential bodily functions like breaking down food and absorbing nutrients, as well as protecting against toxins or harmful microorganisms that may enter our body through food or drink. Ensuring that these organs are operating at optimal capacity should be a priority if you're looking to keep your body healthy both inside and out. There are two major factors related to maintaining good gut health dietary intake of certain foods (or lack thereof) as well as keeping stress levels low.
Benefits from eating better for your gut
Many of us know that eating better makes us feel better. But why do we feel good after a healthy meal? A lot of it has to do with gut health. It turns out, that what’s good for your gut might be great for more than just your tummy it could also help keep your mind sharp. According to a review published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, people with poor guts may be at an increased risk for mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. This isn’t surprising given our growing understanding of brain-gut connections, but researchers are starting to figure out which foods are best for promoting optimal gut health which could have major implications when it comes to preventing cognitive decline later in life.
The best foods for gut health
The key to a healthy gut depends on reducing inflammation and supporting good bacteria. This means a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds is best. A gluten-free diet can also be important for those with celiac disease or another autoimmune condition. If you don’t already follow a gluten-free diet, start by removing obvious sources of gluten (bread, pasta, pastries). Then try eliminating any foods that seem to cause gas or bloating after eating them. For some people, dairy products like milk and cheese may be culprits. For others, it might be beans or legumes. Still, others may find they have an intolerance to nightshades tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers, or other types of food that aggravate their symptoms. Once you’ve identified your sensitivities, avoid them as much as possible.
Gut Check: How to Promote a Healthy Gut and Improve Overall Health
- There’s nothing quite like the feeling of having great gut health; you feel good, you’re in better spirits, and you sleep better at night. But what does it mean to have good gut health? And how can you ensure that your gut stays healthy?
The Digestive System
The gut is home to trillions of bacteria that play important roles in maintaining good health. These bacteria help digest food, synthesize vitamins, produce neurotransmitters, fight off invaders, protect against toxins, influence mood, and even regulate genes. You can help keep your gut’s bacterial population in check by avoiding unnecessary antibiotics; eating a diet rich in fiber; consuming probiotics—which are found naturally in some fermented foods like yogurt or can be taken as supplements—and reducing stress through meditation or yoga.
The Microbiome
The term microbiome refers to all of our microbial friends, both good and bad. The microbiome is essentially all of our bacterial flora (or good gut bacteria), as well as other microbes that reside in our gut. There are more microbial cells than human cells in our body! We now know that these microbes have an impact on numerous aspects of our health—everything from weight gain/loss, mood disorders, allergies, inflammatory conditions like chronic sinusitis or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and even mental disorders like depression.
Probiotics
Probiotics are friendly bacteria that work in our digestive system, where they help digestion and nutrient absorption. Probiotics can be found in yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, dark chocolate, and miso. Prebiotics are food for probiotics, particularly fiber that’s soluble in water. They should not be confused with probiotic pills or dietary supplements (though prebiotic fibers can also be found as supplemental powders). In general, prebiotics promotes good gut health by encouraging certain strains of beneficial microbes (probiotics) while limiting the growth of harmful strains. Common sources of prebiotic fiber include onions, leeks, garlic, bananas, and artichokes.
General Tips for Improving Gut Health
You may not realize it, but our gut or gastrointestinal (GI) tract is its little ecosystem. And if you’re going to promote healthy gut health, you need to treat it right. To promote optimal digestion and prevent disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), I recommend sticking with whole foods that are easy on your digestive system. Here are 10 tips for promoting healthy gut health in addition to eating plenty of probiotic-rich foods.
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