5 Tips to Promote Your Gut Health

‘Follow your gut instincts’ is may be more than just a phrase. The importance of gut health cannot be undermined and is directly linked to your overall wellbeing. Emerging research is pointing toward the extensive health benefits of the microflora colonizing your gut.

About 70-80% of our immunity lies in the gut and an imbalance in the gut flora is linked to numerous diseases. [1] Given its intricate functioning and positive contribution towards its host’s health, many research papers are also referring to this complex ecosystem as a ‘virtual organ’. Before we jump in on tips for gut health let’s quickly learn what probiotics are and what is its role in the body.

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are live microorganisms that when ingested attach to your gut lining and contribute to your gut microflora. It is estimated that the total number of microflora in your gut alone is almost about 10 times the total number of cells in the human body. About 300-500 species make up this complex ecosystem of the gut microbiota [2] and here's how they contribute to your health:

Role of the gut flora
  • Strengthens your immune system.
  • Synthesizes certain vitamins like vitamin K and most water-soluble B vitamins.
  • Helps prevent gut stress episodes in athletes.
  • Restores your gut flora and maintain a healthy balance of good bacteria.
  • Prevents and soothes antibiotics-associated diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
  • Breakdowns fiber into short-chain fats which contribute to metabolic functions.

5 tips to promote your gut health

Gut flora is highly sensitive to factors such as environment, diet, stress, hectic lifestyle, and age. Certain unhealthy lifestyle habits can lead to poor gut health. Here are some things to include in your routine to help your gut flora thrive:

  • Manage stress: Good bacteria in the gut are sensitive to higher cortisol levels (stress hormone) and hence it is important to manage stress. Meditation, walking, regular exercise, spending time with family and friends and quality sleep are some ways to help you manage stress thus promoting gut health.
  • Supplement with a probiotic: Fermented foods are great to keep your gut healthy, but there are many reasons why you cannot rely on them alone. For vegans and vegetarians the food sources are limited and for some food sources it is difficult to determine the effective strains present. Especially if you are someone why is consuming antibiotics, it is all the more important for you to restore your gut flora with a probiotic as antibiotics can knock out the beneficial bacteria present in the gut. You can add Unived's FLORA-17 to your daily health regime.
  • Eat more fiber: Our digestive system cannot digest fiber. However, fiber can be broken down by the gut microflora into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which is then absorbed by our body. These metabolites- SCFAs are said to play a key role in the neuro-immunoendocrine function. SCFAs are thus speculated to be involved in the microbiota-gut-brain interactions. (3)
  • Hydrate adequately: Water helps fiber do its job and ensures proper digestion. Drinking plenty of water is also linked to an increased diversity of bacteria in the gut.
  • Cut out the junk: Research evidently shows that excess junk over time, specifically foods high in fat, skews the gut balance and allows bad bacteria to thrive.

References:

  1. Wiertsema SP, van Bergenhenegouwen J, Garssen J, Knippels LMJ. The Interplay between the Gut Microbiome and the Immune System in the Context of Infectious Diseases throughout Life and the Role of Nutrition in Optimizing Treatment Strategies. Nutrients. 2021 Mar 9;13(3):886. doi: 10.3390/nu13030886. PMID: 33803407; PMCID: PMC8001875.
  2. Quigley EM. Gut bacteria in health and disease. Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2013 Sep;9(9):560-9. PMID: 24729765; PMCID: PMC3983973.
  3. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2020.00025/full
  4. Evans, J. M., Morris, L. S., & Marchesi, J. R. (2013). The gut microbiome: the role of a virtual organ in the endocrinology of the host. J Endocrinol, 218(3), R37-47.