Gut health:  The key to your overall well-being

By Dibya Prakash

During a recent discussion on the secrets to maintain good health, one of the attendees posed a thought-provoking question: “What is the key to staying healthy?” This inquiry led to a deeper exploration of how our overall well-being is intricately linked to our gut health. Understanding this connection reveals how vital it is to nurture our digestive system for a balanced and vibrant life.

According to Ayurveda, when your gut is mindful of the foods your belly enjoys, you are likely to lead a more balanced and happy life. After all, a happy belly leads to a happier you!

Digestion is the cornerstone of health, as it is the body’s initial function that influences all other functions. Eating is both a biological necessity and a sacred act, where life is sacrificed to sustain life. Through this process of eating, digestion, and metabolism, we either foster health or disease, depending on our food choices, mental and spiritual state, and the efficiency of our digestive system.

A healthy digestive system is fundamental to wellbeing, as every disease is thought to originate from poor digestion. Hippocrates, the Greek physician known as the father of medicine, famously said, “All disease begins in the gut.” Your gut microbiome is the cornerstone of your health. Good gut health is achieved when there is a balance between the beneficial and harmful bacteria in your digestive system.

Did you know that 80% of your immune system resides in your gut? Additionally, the majority of your body’s serotonin (the feel-good hormone) is produced there as well. Therefore, if your gut is imbalanced and your immune system isn’t functioning properly, your serotonin and hormones won’t work effectively either, making it harder to stay happy and healthy.

When we discuss gut health, we’re focusing on the bacteria in the microbiome, most of which reside in your large intestine. The microbiome consists of both beneficial and harmful bacteria, known as gut flora. The beneficial bacteria thrive on dietary fibre, including both soluble and insoluble types, while the harmful bacteria feed on components found in simple sugars and processed foods, also known as prebiotic or food for bacteria.

Therefore, to maintain a healthy gut microbiome, it’s essential to use probiotics. Probiotics are foods and health products that introduce live, beneficial microbes to your gut, helping to strengthen these microbial communities. They are intended to prevent and treat dysbiosis, which is an imbalance or deficit of beneficial microbes in your microbiome. Some examples of fermented foods that naturally contain probiotics include:

• Curd, Yogurt and kefir (milk or non-dairy based, such as soy, coconut, and water)
• Sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles
• Miso, tamari (soy)
• Tempeh (soy)
• Kombucha
• Sour cream, cottage cheese, aged cheese.

Your gut not only plays a crucial role in digesting the foods you eat, but also in absorbing nutrients, and using them to fuel and sustain your body. It is also responsible for eliminating metabolic waste and toxins. An unhealthy gut can hinder your body’s ability to remove these toxins, leading to issues such as chronic fatigue, illnesses, and inflammation throughout the body. This is why people with poor gut health often experience symptoms like brain fog, diarrhoea, constipation, gas, joint pain etc.

You may not realize it, but the gut is often referred to as the second brain. If your gut isn’t functioning properly, your brain is also affected. Since the gut microbiome impacts the brain, it also plays a crucial role in mental health.

It is now understood that gut health and digestion are closely linked. The health of your gut impacts everything, as all of our bodily systems are intimately connected. Research shows that our gut microbiome can affect every organ in our body. Therefore, nourishing your gut microbiome is crucial for overall health. The best way to maintain a healthy microbiome is to consume a variety of fresh, whole foods, primarily from plant sources like fruits, vegetables, legumes, beans, nuts, and whole grains. These foods, known as prebiotics, serve as nourishment for beneficial microbes.

However, the challenges and stresses of modern life can make achieving optimal gut health more complex than necessary. Let’s explore some of the most common factors that contribute to poor gut health:

Stress: Stress can increase intestinal permeability (leaky gut), leading to an imbalance where harmful bacteria outweigh beneficial ones in the gut.

Poor nutrition: Consuming processed foods and sugar can damage the beneficial bacteria in your gut and contribute to inflammation throughout the body.

Long-term use of antibiotics and antacids: These medications are often prescribed with little regard for their consequences. However, they can reduce B12 levels in the gut, which is crucial for cell production, brain function, and energy. Additionally, they can eliminate the beneficial bacteria in your gut.

An unhealthy gut can also manifest as gas, bloating, constipation, and diarrhoea, along with other painful maladies. Symptoms such as brain fog, headaches, poor concentration and memory, fatigue, chronic pain, sleep disturbances, and issues with cravings or mood swings are significant indicators of a troubled microbiome. Fortunately, many individuals find that they can restore balance to their microbiome and heal their gut by managing stress, practising mindfulness, eating healthily, getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night, and exercising regularly.

In conclusion, maintaining a healthy gut is essential for one’s overall well-being as it undoubtedly influences every aspect of our health, from digestion to mental clarity. The interconnectedness of our gut and body underscores the importance of nurturing our microbiome through mindful eating, stress management, and a balanced lifestyle. By understanding and addressing the factors that impact gut health, such as stress, nutrition, and medication use, we can foster a balanced gut environment. Embracing practices that support gut health not only enhances physical vitality but also promotes mental and emotional well-being, leading to a more harmonious and fulfilling life.

(The column Metamorph with Dibya appears every Friday.)

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