Your gut health is the root of most illnesses (not just poor digestion)

A lot has been said in recent years about gut health and how important it is, but what exactly does this refer to?

Our gut is our gastrointestinal tract and its job is to break down the food we eat, which then enters our bloodstream in the form of nutrients that keep us feeling well. It's basically where the following process takes place – food goes from our mouth to our stomach, then gets converted into nutrients and energy and, finally, sent out of our body in the form of waste. 

In the past decade or two, experts have discovered that what happens in this part of our body doesn't just affect how food is broken down and eventually discarded. The condition of our gut actually has an impact on a lot more, including our level of immunity, what chronic illnesses we could develop, how well we sleep and also our mental health. 

One of the most important elements in our gut is the gut microbiome. This is the bacteria and other microorganisms in our digestive tract that work hard to keep our physical and mental health in check. As with most things in life, bacteria can be good or bad. The good bacteria multiply often so as to overwhelm the bad ones. In short, our gut needs to have a healthy balance of bacteria to reap the most benefits.

Here are some ways our gut affects our bodies and overall health.

How gut health affects different parts of your body and health

Immunity

Approximately 70% of our immune system is found in the gut. Having a weak immune system makes us more susceptible to colds and allergies, and likelier to succumb to autoimmune diseases such as lupus and multiple sclerosis. Therefore, it's crucial to keep our gut working well. 

Tummy

You often feel bloated or you're alternating between constipation and diarrhoea. Or perhaps you've noticed lately that you're gassy but don't know why you've suddenly developed this could-be-embarrassing condition. All this can be attributed to your gut health.

When our gut has a balanced mix of healthy and unhealthy bacteria, it will have no issues processing food and getting rid of the waste, and we wouldn’t experience the unpleasant symptoms mentioned above. Although those can be a result of food intolerances, food intolerances usually disappear when our gut health improves and is able to digest food better.  

Sleep & mood 

Our gut also produces a lot of our body's supply of serotonin, the hormone that affects our mood and quality of sleep. That’s why poor gut health could lead to disturbed sleep or even insomnia. Lack of sleep, of course, will make us feel more tired, which exacerbates our bad mood.

(Read also "35 Simple Ways To Improve Your Sleep")

Skin

Our skin is our largest organ, so it's only natural that the health of our gut affects our skin too. When our gut is inflamed, our body gets stressed and our skin produces less of what it needs to protect it. With its defenses down, our skin becomes more prone to issues such as acne and eczema. Food,  medication and alcohol could contribute to an inflamed gut, so be careful of what you put into your body. Food allergies or food intolerances should be addressed too.

Mental health

The gut-brain connection is a strong one, which means what happens in either part of our bodies affects the other. When we're stressed, angry or anxious, it can lead to symptoms in our gut, such as stomach pain or loose stools.

Likewise, the health of our gut influences our mental health. An unhealthy balance of bacteria in our gut microbiome affects our brain and the way it processes information. This, in turn, could affect our mental health. Conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia can develop as a result of an unhealthy gut.

5 tips to improve gut health

1. Adopt a healthy, diverse diet

Credit: 123rf

1/5

You know the drill when it comes to healthy eating: Have more whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains, and limit your intake of processed foods, added sugar and red meat. The more diverse your diet (in whole foods, of course), the richer and more diverse your gut microbiome, as your gut has a wide variety of nutrients for healthy bacteria to grow.

2. Drink plenty of water

Credit: 123rf

2/5

Staying hydrated helps to improve the balance of good bacteria in your gut. It also enables your gut to do what it’s supposed to do: get rid of waste in your body. That’s why we are always told to drink water to keep the bowels moving and prevent constipation.

FYI: The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends women to drink about 2.7 litres of fluid a day. Besides chugging down the fluid, you can also get hydration from water-rich foods such as celery, tomatoes and cucumber.

3. Take probiotics and prebiotics

Credit: 123rf

3/5

Probiotics contain good bacteria that's beneficial for your gut. Instead of taking a supplement, get it from foods like yoghurt, kefir and fermented vegetables such as kimchi and sauerkraut. Prebiotics, on the other hand, are a type of fibre that encourages healthy bacteria in your gut to grow. They are found in foods such as bananas, asparagus, oats, garlic, soybeans, leeks and artichokes.

(Read also "The Latest Probiotic And Prebiotic Skincare You Need For Healthy Skin")

4. Don't overuse antibiotics

Credit: 123rf

4/5

This form of medication should be taken when needed. However, while antibiotics help to fight bacterial infections, antibiotics could also get rid of the helpful bacteria in your gut, thereby upsetting the balance of bacteria.

Don't smoke or drink excessively

Credit: 123rf

5/5

Cigarettes and alcohol are known to disrupt your gut microbiome and promote inflammation in the gut. They have also been linked to an increase in the risk of gastrointestinal diseases.