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Your gut or gastrointestinal system does more than digest food and process various nutrients. It also fights diseases and acts as a bridge between the nervous and immune systems. The gut microbiome (comprising trillions of microbes like bacteria, viruses, and fungi), mainly situated in the large intestine, helps maintain weight as well as heart and brain health. It might also reduce the risk of diabetes. Now, gut health depends on the balance between the good and bad bacteria in your digestive tract. So, in general, a healthy gut is all about a well-balanced and diversified microbiome.
Let us discuss how gut health affects your overall wellness.
Impact on digestive wellness
There is a direct connection between gut health and the digestive system. If the gut microbiome is well-balanced, the digestive system can break down food easily, derive important nutrients from it, and ensure optimal absorption.
However, if the microbiome is unbalanced or disrupted, you might experience issues like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The chemicals and gas produced by certain microbes might cause abdominal cramps, bloating, and discomfort.
Healthy gut bacteria, on the other hand, can boost digestive wellness by sealing the gaps between intestinal cells or preventing disease-inducing bacteria from sticking to the walls of the intestines. The bacteria found in yoghurt and other probiotics are especially helpful for this.
Impact on weight
As mentioned, your gut microbiome is composed of both healthy and unhealthy bacteria. However, if the number of unhealthy or bad bacteria shoots up, it can disrupt the balance and negatively impact the digestion of different foods. It can also affect how fat gets stored in your body.
Certain species of gut bacteria can also emit chemicals that might cause inflammation and weight gain. Low microbiome diversity and an unhealthy diet, rich in excessive sugar, fat, and calories, can increase the risk further.
The bacteria in your gut can also affect the production of hormones related to appetite. The inadequate presence of certain bacterial species can make you feel excessively hungry, or you might not feel full even after having had enough. This can lead to excessive consumption and weight gain. Taking prebiotics or foods rich in fibre often helps.
Impact on heart health
The microbiome in your gut is believed to boost good cholesterol levels and control triglycerides. An excess of bad cholesterol leads to fatty deposits inside blood vessels, making them narrow and increasing the possibility of strokes and heart attacks. High triglycerides also tend to make artery walls thick and hard, disrupting blood flow and increasing the chances of heart attacks and strokes. Hence, a healthy gut reduces such risks.
Also, certain unhealthy bacterial species produce the chemical trimethylamine n-oxide (TMAO), which might cause artery blockages. Some bacteria also convert nutrients present in red meats and animal-based foods to TMAO. However, the bacteria present in probiotics might counter the risk by lowering cholesterol.
Impact on brain health
A healthy gut is believed to benefit brain health, too. This is because certain bacterial species help generate brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. For instance, the antidepressant neurotransmitter serotonin is produced chiefly in the gut.
Moreover, your gut and brain are physically connected via millions of nerves, which means the gut microbiome helps control the messages your brain receives. A healthy lifestyle and dietary habits also improve gut health and, hence, brain health.
Impact on blood sugar
If your gut microbiome loses diversity, you might develop a leaky gut, which means your intestinal lining will become weak. This might help harmful bacteria and viruses to leak out easily and cause inflammation. Inflammation, in turn, might impact your pancreas’s functioning and spark the development of diabetes. Any imbalance in the gut microbiome can also make it difficult for your body to process glucose or sugar.
Boost your gut health for overall wellness
Now that you know how your gut microbiome affects key aspects of your body and the way it functions, find out how to improve gut health:
- Eat whole (high-fibre) grains, fresh veggies and fruits (variety of fibres), seeds and nuts (healthy fats), fermented foods like yoghurt (loaded with good bacteria), and probiotics (especially after an illness). Green tea and dark chocolate (suitable for the growth of good bacteria) are also healthy additions to your diet.
- Avoid artificial sweeteners, sugary foods, and those containing unhealthy fats to minimise unhealthy bacteria and promote the good ones in your gut.
- Stand, stretch, move around, and indulge in low-intensity activities every day to enhance digestion and intestinal flora.
- Since your gut and brain are connected, get enough rest and sleep to boost gut health.
- Manage stress with meditation, yoga, or breathing exercises. Otherwise, it can lead to inflammation and spark the growth of unhealthy gut bacteria.
Conclusion
Keeping your gut in shipshape is essential for smooth digestion, a healthy heart and brain, well-controlled blood sugar, and a proper weight. You can prevent cardiac diseases, strokes, diabetes, obesity, gastrointestinal disorders, and even depression. Following a healthy diet, managing stress, resting enough, and moving around can help with that.
It is also wise to be prepared for emergencies with health insurance. You can avail financial coverage for screenings, ambulance services, day-care procedures, hospital stays, treatments, and more. With the right health insurance app, you can also manage policies, consult doctors, find the nearest hospital, order medicines, and file claims. Get started today to embrace holistic wellness.