The topic of the gut microbiome is a river in the wellness world, with tributaries of reliable and not-so-accurate information flooding social media. But the bottom line is that it’s important to our overall health, and researchers are only scratching the surface of how it relates to our digestive health. mental health and more.
The microbiome refers to the trillions of microorganisms (also called microbes) that live in your body, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The gut microbiome refers specifically to the microbes in your intestines, particularly the large intestine. These microbes help us metabolize food we can’t digest, boost our immune function, and control inflammation. They also make metabolites (substances our bodies use to break down food), including vitamins, enzymes and hormones, according to Gail Cresci, a microbiome researcher and registered dietitian in Cleveland Clinic’s department of pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition.
Cresci told CNET that you should think of the gut microbiome as “little pets that live inside your intestinal tract.” What we eat feeds them, which can affect our own health.
Here are some tips for keeping your gut healthy, and how to spot one that might be unhappy.
Signs of an unhealthy gut
“If you’re bloated or have a lot of gas, you may have altered gut microbiome composition and function,” Cresci said, adding that the only way to know for sure is to measure it.
Other signs of an unhealthy gut can include vomiting or upset stomach, fatigue, trouble sleeping, skin irritation, food intolerance, and other symptoms. While it’s important to see a doctor to get to the root cause of your health problem and rule out other conditions, making changes to your diet or routine that can improve your gut and overall health is a good first step.
But it’s also important to note that there’s no exact standard for the perfectly healthy gut microbiome, Cresci said, since everyone’s makeup is so different.
Carol Yepes/fake images
1. Eat these gut-friendly foods
The gut microbiome prefers food that we cannot digest. This includes foods with a lot of fiber, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts, foods that we already know we should eat for their nutritional properties.
According to Cresci, foods to eliminate from your gut, or eat in smaller amounts, include foods that are high in sugar and fat and low in fiber.
“All of these are associated with consuming a Western diet, which is also associated with an altered microbiome,” he said.
Beyond a healthy intestinal diet, which not coincidentally coincides with a heart healthy diet, eating fermented foods can help replace the good microbes and their metabolites. Cresci lists yogurt, kombucha, and kefir as examples.
2. Take note of the medications you are taking
It’s a well-known fact that taking antibiotics disrupts, at least temporarily, the family of “good” bacteria that thrives in your body. Some common side effects of taking antibiotics include nausea, diarrhea, and development of yeast infections. If you are prescribed an antibiotic or have recurring infections that require you to take antibiotics frequently, ask your doctor what you can do to help minimize disruption to your microbiome.
Other drugs that can alter our microbiomes, Cresci says, include those that alter the pH of the stomach and remove acid. Examples include proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine H2 receptor antagonists (H2 blockers), which are used to reduce symptoms of acid reflux and may be available without a prescription.
By keeping track of the medications you’re taking, you can help identify the cause of your symptoms and take the appropriate steps to improve your gut health.
3. Find the right probiotics or supplements
In addition to incorporating more yogurt or fermented foods into their diet, some people may look for a probiotic hoping to balance your instinct as they are designed to mimic an intact microbiota. If you’re considering taking a supplement, including probiotics, Cresci told CNET that it’s important to know that probiotics are strain-specific and “each strain has its own method of action.”
For example, some probiotics are designed to help people with antibiotic-induced diarrhea, but that won’t work for a person taking them for bowel regularity.
“You want to take the one that’s been studied for whatever your problem is,” he said.
Also, unfortunately, keep in mind that probiotics won’t completely override what you eat.
“If you have a bad diet and you want to keep eating a bad diet but you want to improve your microbiome, a probiotic is not going to help you,” Cresci said. “You have to do the other part too.”
Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are great food choices if you want to start healing your gut.
piotr_malczyk/fake images
4. Get more sleep
Sleeping well is another general wellness tip directly related to the health of our intestines. Specifically, according to Cresci, our microbiome adheres to the circadian rhythm, too. And if we’re eating when our gut microbiome isn’t ready, we won’t be ready to properly process the nutrients in our food.
Lack of sleep also triggers increased stress and cortisol, which have negative mind and physical impacts.
“There’s a lot going on with the gut-brain interaction, so that sends signals to the microbiome and vice versa,” Cresci said.
Perhaps most fundamental is the fact that when we’re exhausted, we don’t have the energy to dial in many of the things that keep us healthy, including exercise or finding a nutritious meal, both of which affect our gut health.
“When you’re sleepy, you’re tired, exhausted, you tend not to do the things that we know are good for microbiomes,” Cresci said. “So he’s self-perpetuating.”
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to be health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified healthcare provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or healthcare goals.
Source: news.google.com