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Why is it so Important?: Our Gut Bacteria

I know you know what bacteria is but did you know billions live inside your stomach and intestines? We often think of bacteria as harmful organisms but these little guys are extremely important for your overall health! There is a LOT to know about this topic but I'm keeping it simple and covering the basics.



What is Gut Bacteria?

Gut bacteria, gut microbiota, gut microbiome, or gut flora are all synonyms for this colony of tiny superheroes! Every person's microbiome is unique to each individual based on many different factors such as diet, genetics, stress, sleeping habits, age and environment. It is estimated that there are trillions of microbes living in your gut with a variety of different species. Both good and bad bacteria harbor your intestines but in a healthy microbiome they can all live symbiotically. These microbes feed on undigested fibers/starches from the food you eat which makes them very happy and healthy!


The Role They Play in the Body

Research is continually being done to understand all the different benefits these microbes have in our body. Some of the known benefits are:

  1. Make essential vitamins and amino acids (building blocks of proteins)

  2. Stimulate immune system

  3. Provide protection against contaminated food or water

  4. Help digest food

  5. Produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), an important nutrient which has an important role in muscle function, possibly prevents certain chronic diseases, regulation of immune response and inflammation, and appetite control

  6. Metabolize foods and nutrients

Gut Brain-Axis

This is a newer topic and area of research in the world of gut bacteria. There is a bidirectional signaling between your intestines and brain which controls many functions in the body. Research has shown that these microbes help regulate anxiety, mood, cognition, pain and neurological development. They also regulate your central and peripheral nervous system which basically controls everything in your body. It's so crazy to think that these microscopic organisms could possible affect our brain!


What are Pro/Prebiotics?

Pro/prebiotics can be extremely helpful at establishing good bacteria in the gut and feeding/promoting the healthy bacteria you already have. So to break it down, think of PRObiotics as foods/supplements that contain live microbes that will maintain and/or establish healthy bacteria in the gut. And PREbiotics are foods/supplements that feed already existing bacteria. This is why doctors recommend taking or eating probiotics when taking antibiotic medication. Antibiotics wipe out all the bacteria in you gut good or bad, so it's important to recollinate the intestines.


Things That May Hurt Your Microbiome

Research has shown that there are many factors in a person's life that may harm/diminish the amount of healthy bacteria living in their intestines. Some of these factors include:

  1. Diets low in fiber

  2. High stress

  3. Antibiotics

  4. Poor sleep habits

  5. Lack of diversity in diet

  6. Lack of prebiotic foods/supplements consumption

  7. Frequent consumption of alcohol

  8. Cigarette smoking

  9. Lack of regular exercise


How to Foster/Maintain a Healthy Microbiome


There are many different ways you can improve your gut and adopt healthy microbes to create a happy, healthy family in your intestines. There are many factors that affects ones microbiome make up like I had mentioned before such as, genetics, age, stress, sleeping habits, environment and diet of course. But one of the best ways to improve it is through diet! Some of the best foods to eat to improve you little bacteria family are:

  1. Anything fermented such as: miso, kombucha, kimchi, sauerkraut, apple cider vinegar, kefir, YOGURT (this is a big one!)

  2. Fibrous foods such as: oats, barely, rye, fruits, vegetables, popcorn, beans, legumes

  3. Eat foods high in polyphenols (a plant compound with many health benefits) these foods include: cocoa and dark chocolate, red wine, grape skins, green tea, almonds, onions, blueberries, broccoli


References:


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