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How Your Health is Linked to Your Gut

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Written by
SickNWell Staff Writer

 

Gut Microbiome 101 | 6 Tips for Improved Gut Health | What’s the Takeaway?

 

Overview 

Have you ever heard of the gut microbiome? The world within us is a complete, living system in our gut, where trillions of bacteria, fungi, and viruses perform particular functions. 

There are about as many microorganisms as human cells in our bodies at any given time,[1] so understanding how this’ world within’ works can be crucial to good health. 

The microorganisms in our gastrointestinal tracts play a vital role in nutrient uptake, vitamin synthesis, energy harvest, inflammatory regulation, and immune response. Still, they can also influence the development of chronic diseases ranging from metabolic to gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, and other adverse health impacts.[2]

Packing this kind of punch, it becomes easier to see how this intricate world within us deserves our full attention.

 

Gut Microbiome 101

Most of the microorganisms in our body reside in a specific location called the cecum, a pouch that forms a part of the large intestine – the area we call the gut microbiome. 

Having evolved alongside human cells from the moment we first appeared, the gut microbiome affects the body by controlling multiple functions from birth.

These functions also evolve with our growth. For example, a baby will have specific bacteria that allow the digestion of breast milk.[3] As a human grows, these microorganisms begin to diversify, enabling us to eventually digest and use fiber which, as we will see later, has multiple benefits for our health.[4]

Digestion, the immune system, the central nervous system, heart health, blood sugar control/diabetes prevention, and mental health are all tied to gut health.[5][6][7] Without this system, we would not be able to survive at all.

So, is there something that we can do to ensure that this structure works for us and not against us?

 

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6 Tips for Improved Gut Health

The key to maintaining or improving gut health and overall health is to focus on your diet, which makes sense when considering the gut microbiome’s location. 

 

1) Prebiotic Food

Prebiotics are a fiber that feeds the good bacteria in your gut and allows them to do their job correctly. Artichokes, asparagus, onions, leeks, garlic, and bananas are excellent sources of prebiotics.[8]

 

2) Probiotic Food and Supplements

Probiotics are healthy bacteria introduced to your gut via food or probiotic supplements. In either scenario, they act as regenerative agents to the gut microbiome and keep it functional and healthy.[9] Probiotic foods include the fermented type, such as yogurt, kefir, kimchi, and kombucha. 

 

3) Diversification is Key 

A diet that is good for microbial health is nutritionally diverse.[10]So, ensure you eat various foods, especially whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and pulses like beans and lentils.

 

4) Eat your Polyphenols 

These are plant chemicals that our gut microorganisms especially love. Gut bacteria feed on these polyphenols and produce substances that protect against certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and even aging![11] Treat yourself to some berries, coffee, tea, nuts, seeds, and dark chocolate to maximize your polyphenol intake. 

 

5) Whole Grains

The many benefits of eating whole grains vs. white, refined types have been discussed for years, but one of the main reasons is the positive impact on gut health.[12] 

Whole grains contain not only fiber but also different types of carbohydrates that are beneficial to our gut flora. Digesting whole grains spurs our little critters to produce protective effects against metabolic-based issues like weight gain and diabetes.  

 

6) Caution is Advised: 

Artificial sweeteners,[13] red meat,[14] highly processed/refined foods,[15] and alcohol[16] can adversely interfere with the natural functions of the gut microbiome and should therefore be limited if not eliminated. 

Antibiotics are also advised to be taken only when necessary. Their function is to kill harmful bacteria, but they do so indiscriminately where good bacteria are destroyed.[17]

 

What’s the Takeaway? 

It would not be an understatement to say that the path to good health leads through the gut. However, to function optimally, it does need some vigilance on our part.  

So, make sure to eat a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fermented foods, and try to stay away as much as possible from harmful foods and drinks to enable your gut microorganisms to keep doing what they do best – keep you going! 

 

References:

  1. Sender, R., Fuchs, S., & Milo, R. (2016). Revised Estimates for the Number of Human and Bacteria Cells in the Body. PLoS biology, 14(8), e1002533. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002533
  2. Hills, R. D., Jr, Pontefract, B. A., Mishcon, H. R., Black, C. A., Sutton, S. C., & Theberge, C. R. (2019). Gut Microbiome: Profound Implications for Diet and Disease. Nutrients, 11(7), 1613. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11071613
  3. Arboleya, S., Watkins, C., Stanton, C., & Ross, R. P. (2016). Gut Bifidobacteria Populations in Human Health and Aging. Frontiers in microbiology, 7, 1204. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2016.01204
  4. Slavin J. (2013). Fiber and prebiotics: mechanisms and health benefits. Nutrients, 5(4), 1417–1435. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu5041417
  5. Aron-Wisnewsky, J., & Clément, K. (2016). The gut microbiome, diet, and links to cardiometabolic and chronic disorders. Nature reviews. Nephrology, 12(3), 169–181. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneph.2015.191
  6. Kostic, A. D., Gevers, D., Siljander, H., Vatanen, T., Hyötyläinen, T., Hämäläinen, A. M., Peet, A., Tillmann, V., Pöhö, P., Mattila, I., Lähdesmäki, H., Franzosa, E. A., Vaarala, O., de Goffau, M., Harmsen, H., Ilonen, J., Virtanen, S. M., Clish, C. B., Orešič, M., Huttenhower, C., … Xavier, R. J. (2015). The dynamics of the human infant gut microbiome in development and in progression toward type 1 diabetes. Cell host & microbe, 17(2), 260–273. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2015.01.001
  7. Pinto-Sanchez, M. I., Hall, G. B., Ghajar, K., Nardelli, A., Bolino, C., Lau, J. T., Martin, F. P., Cominetti, O., Welsh, C., Rieder, A., Traynor, J., Gregory, C., De Palma, G., Pigrau, M., Ford, A. C., Macri, J., Berger, B., Bergonzelli, G., Surette, M. G., Collins, S. M., … Bercik, P. (2017). Probiotic Bifidobacterium longum NCC3001 Reduces Depression Scores and Alters Brain Activity: A Pilot Study in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Gastroenterology, 153(2), 448–459.e8. https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2017.05.003
  8. Dewulf, E. M., Cani, P. D., Claus, S. P., Fuentes, S., Puylaert, P. G., Neyrinck, A. M., Bindels, L. B., de Vos, W. M., Gibson, G. R., Thissen, J. P., & Delzenne, N. M. (2013). Insight into the prebiotic concept: lessons from an exploratory, double blind intervention study with inulin-type fructans in obese women. Gut, 62(8), 1112–1121. https://doi.org/10.1136/gutjnl-2012-303304
  9. McFarland L. V. (2014). Use of probiotics to correct dysbiosis of normal microbiota following disease or disruptive events: a systematic review. BMJ open, 4(8), e005047. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005047
  10. Heiman, M. L., & Greenway, F. L. (2016). A healthy gastrointestinal microbiome is dependent on dietary diversity. Molecular metabolism, 5(5), 317–320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molmet.2016.02.005
  11. Cardona, F., Andrés-Lacueva, C., Tulipani, S., Tinahones, F. J., & Queipo-Ortuño, M. I. (2013). Benefits of polyphenols on gut microbiota and implications in human health. The Journal of nutritional biochemistry, 24(8), 1415–1422. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2013.05.001
  12. Martínez, I., Lattimer, J. M., Hubach, K. L., Case, J. A., Yang, J., Weber, C. G., Louk, J. A., Rose, D. J., Kyureghian, G., Peterson, D. A., Haub, M. D., & Walter, J. (2013). Gut microbiome composition is linked to whole grain-induced immunological improvements. The ISME journal, 7(2), 269–280. https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2012.104
  13. Palmnäs, M. S., Cowan, T. E., Bomhof, M. R., Su, J., Reimer, R. A., Vogel, H. J., Hittel, D. S., & Shearer, J. (2014). Low-dose aspartame consumption differentially affects gut microbiota-host metabolic interactions in the diet-induced obese rat. PloS one, 9(10), e109841. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0109841
  14. De Filippis, F., Pellegrini, N., Vannini, L., Jeffery, I. B., La Storia, A., Laghi, L., Serrazanetti, D. I., Di Cagno, R., Ferrocino, I., Lazzi, C., Turroni, S., Cocolin, L., Brigidi, P., Neviani, E., Gobbetti, M., O’Toole, P. W., & Ercolini, D. (2016). High-level adherence to a Mediterranean diet beneficially impacts the gut microbiota and associated metabolome. Gut, 65(11), 1812–1821. https://doi.org/10.1136/gutjnl-2015-309957
  15. Lopez-Legarrea, P., Fuller, N. R., Zulet, M. A., Martinez, J. A., & Caterson, I. D. (2014). The influence of Mediterranean, carbohydrate and high protein diets on gut microbiota composition in the treatment of obesity and associated inflammatory state. Asia Pacific journal of clinical nutrition, 23(3), 360–368. https://doi.org/10.6133/apjcn.2014.23.3.16
  16. Engen, P. A., Green, S. J., Voigt, R. M., Forsyth, C. B., & Keshavarzian, A. (2015). The Gastrointestinal Microbiome: Alcohol Effects on the Composition of Intestinal Microbiota. Alcohol research : current reviews, 37(2), 223–236.
  17. Bailey, L. C., Forrest, C. B., Zhang, P., Richards, T. M., Livshits, A., & DeRusso, P. A. (2014). Association of antibiotics in infancy with early childhood obesity. JAMA pediatrics, 168(11), 1063–1069. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2014.1539
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