15 Reasons to Care about Gut Health

Our body is loaded with all kinds of microorganisms; some good-others not so good. These good microorganisms which comprise bacteria, certain viruses and fungi make a healthy environment in our body and collectively form the microbiome. This pool of good microorganisms, bacteria and fungi help in sustaining metabolic health making it crucial to life.

Microbiomes of the gut also initiate a healthy immune response to disease by activating the self-defence mechanism of the body against infections. More than a thousand species of bacteria live in the gut, and every bacteria is specialised to combat a different types of infection.  It is often said that most of the body's infections can be countered by a healthy gut. A healthy gut produces a strong immune response while an unhealthy gut can lead to worsening of infections making it all the more difficult to fight.

Gut Health - Why Pay Heed?

The process of digestion starts right from the mouth: chewing, reaching the stomach, churning food and ultimately reaching the intestine for absorption into the bloodstream. To absorb as many as possible nutrients into the bloodstream, the intestine has to work more efficiently. This would be only possible if the gut contains some healthy bacteria. A healthy gut will enable absorption of the nutrients and invoke the immune response against any metabolic disease. 

Signs of Poor Gut Health

If you have experienced vomiting, nausea, dysentery, constipation, and bloating issues, then you have experienced poor gut health. Weight loss without any reason and stomach aches after eating food are also signs of an unhealthy gut. Often children or aged people suffer from a stomach ache or bloating issues immediately after food. The gut health is weak during early childhood and weakens in old age. A strong gut is usually present during adulthood. There can be strong gastrointestinal issues involved if you have a weak gut.

Reasons to Care about Gut Health

1. Protection from Disorders

An unhealthy gut invites infection from various sources. If you want to live a healthy life, always ensure you sustain a healthy gut. Some of the disorders linked to an unhealthy gut include Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome.

2. Boosts the Immune System

A healthy gut boosts the immune system by stimulating the right bacterial response to disease infection. The right metabolites from your gut will initiate the best possible response. 

3. Healthy Gut - Healthy Face

Often it is said your face is the mirror of your body. Whatever is going on internally reflects clearly on the face. Therefore, if your body's core isn't absorbing the right nutrients, it wouldn't matter much whether or not you eat healthily.

4. Heart Health

Certain bacteria are linked with the good health of the heart. They help to maintain and cut down the fat levels in the blood, which may otherwise adversely affect the heart. These are also convincing results from a study which states that the absence of good bacteria (butyrate-producing) causes an increased risk of heart disease. 

5. Relation to Stress

Our gut bacteria are sensitive to stress. High levels of stress affect the good bacteria and their quantity in the intestine. Stress levels trigger the bad bacteria and lower the nurturing of good bacteria in the gut. 

6. Gut Bacteria are Markers of Obesity

Certain bad microbes in the gut are markers of obesity. 

7. Risk of Developing High Glucose Levels

Similar to a positive correlation of developing obesity due to unhealthy gut microbes, there can be an increased risk of developing high blood glucose levels in the blood. This is mainly due to the inefficiency of the gut, which is unable to absorb the right nutrients.  

8. You Eat what your Gut tells you to Eat.

The gut has a direct connection with the brain and the other organs, specifically your stomach. This connection is solely responsible and regulates the type of food you like to eat. A healthy gut demands healthy food, zero processed food, and low sugar food, whereas an unhealthy gut will invite unhealthy food.

9. Functional Deterioration of the Immune System

A weak gut allows infections to permeate through the gut wall and into the bloodstream. A healthy gut acts as a barrier, preventing infections and other harmful bacteria from getting absorbed through the intestine. With a weak or sometimes known as the leaky gut, you may face irritable bowel syndrome.   

10. The Gut-Brain Axis

The relationship between the brain and the gut undeniably affects mental health. The gut, often known as the second brain, takes a toll if we do not have a healthy gut. The gut bacteria stimulate the brain to produce healthy hormones, just as good food makes you and your metabolic health happy. 

11. Improved sleep quality and low levels of fatigue

A healthy gut relates to the amount of good sleep your mind and body get. Research has shown how a healthy gut can prove beneficial in having a good sleep. Otherwise, you may experience late-night stomach cramps and stomach aches. 

12. Skin Allergies and Irritation

As the gut reflects an improved skin barrier, if you have a healthy barrier from within, it will control skin irritation and rashes much more effectively. A weak barrier shows up with skin irritation and a poor system of internal health.

13. Bad Breath

Poor gut health affects bad breath, and this is often looked upon as a symptom. The mouth is the gateway to the gastrointestinal system and the digestive system. If you are experiencing a smelly breath, it's time to strengthen your gut health.

14. Your Gut's Favourite Food

Most of the microbes have food preferences. Their sustenance is supported by including healthy food in your diet. Reduce processed food items and increase healthy foods like yoghurt, curd, soy-rich food, eggs, and fish. The least processed healthy foods can help the gut to have a varied microbiome. 

Bottomline

Poor gut health reflects in multiple ways. The body gives us certain signs and symptoms of poor gut health, which we should not neglect. It is also important to remember that there can be more than one underlying problem. The gut is the second heart of our metabolic system, and it should be strengthened by living a healthy lifestyle.