Being healthy inside and out is very important. However, giving more emphasis on our "inner" health, we're saying that taking care of our gut health is the best way to prevent further complications and illnesses that we'll probably experience in our middle years or earlier. The gastrointestinal (GI) system is referred to as the "gut," and the quantity and variety of bacteria in your stomach and intestinal tract largely affect the health of this system. Having a healthy gut has implications for more than just digesting. It may have noticeable effects on your immune system, mood, and other factors.
According to an article from Harvard Health Publishing: Your gut is home to trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. They assist with more than just food digestion. They combat dangerous bacteria, produce vitamin K and other crucial molecules, alter how pharmaceuticals work, and may have an impact on your immune system, heart health, and risk of developing cancer. Additionally, it seems that gut microbes may contribute to longevity and healthy aging. The gut microbiome is the collective name for all the genes in your gut microbial population.
Here are some ways to have a healthy gut:
- Choosing the right food. Consume more foods high in fiber like leafy greens and veggies, whole grains, beans and legumes. Taking in probiotics or probiotic rich foods like foods that have undergone fermentation: such as yogurt, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut.
- Quench your thirst. You have to stay hydrated and replenished those lost electrolytes especially when doing an exercise or just merely doing and completing a physical task. Your digestion slows down as a result of dehydration, which can result in constipation, nausea, bloating, and/or abdominal pain.
- Lessen sugar and sweetener intake. The imbalance of gut bacteria known as gut dysbiosis may be brought on by consuming large amounts of sugar or artificial sweeteners.
- Do exercise. It is not only good for your heart and gut health, but good for your overall health. Regular aerobic exercise lowers your risk of developing colon cancer and can assist with bloating symptoms and bowel regularity.
- Manage stress. For many facets of health, including gut health, managing stress is crucial. Gut health can be harmed by lack of sleep. Meditation, deep breathing exercises, and progressive muscle relaxation are a few stress management techniques.
- Avoid smoking. Cigarettes are loaded with toxins and chemicals that are bad for your entire body, including your gut and its inhabitants. Smoking causes physical stress on the body, which affects bacteria as well, and when microbes are stressed, they modify their function, feel that they're in a terrible condition, and in some circumstances, attack each other. This can lead to the imbalance in the gut microbiome. This is according to April Pawluk, strategic program manager at the Harvard Chan Microbiome in Public Health Center.
Therefore, eating complete, unprocessed foods with lots of fiber and taking probiotics or digestive enzymes are ways to promote gut health. From a behavioral perspective, regular exercise, stress management techniques, and healthy sleep patterns can be beneficial for your gut health. A healthy gut has a favorable impact on both physical and mental health, we must be aware of the connection between gut health and overall health.
Take good care and give utmost importance of our gut health.
AA I Floricel N. Denopol, RND
References
The digestive system
https://patient.info/news-and-features/the-digestive-system
Gut health: What is it and why is it important?
By Lou Mudge
https://www.livescience.com/what-is-gut-health-and-why-is-it-important
7 Reasons to Listen to Your Gut
https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/7-reasons-to-listen-to-your-gut
'Gut health': a new objective in medicine?
Stephan C Bischoff
