The future of nutrition lies in your gut microbiome
The gut microbiome is now called our “second brain” because it plays such a crucial role in so many chemical reactions and health-related parameters in our body, so taking care of your nutritional needs starts by feeding your gut microbiome first.
The mass media has been taken over by conversations about the gut microbiome and how it’s suffering in the modern age due to toxins in the air, the food, the water, and poor nutritional habits of our generation. Our gut biome is quite complicated, with 100 trillion microbes representing as many as 5000 different species and weighing two kilograms residing in the human gut, according to the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.
There are 10x more bacterial cells in our body than our own body’s cells. We are more bacteria than humans, if you think about it.
In any case, these gut microbiota need a lot of TLC to ensure they stay healthy and happy, which ensures, in turn, that we stay healthy and happy. Our health is intertwined in a complicated fashion with the health of the microbiota.
What Does the Gut Microbiome Do?
Are you aware of all that the gut microbiome is involved with in your body? It isn’t just about digestion, which is probably its biggest role.
The varied microbes in your gut are constantly working on and reworking the foods that you intake, so that you can get the best out of them. They break down the complex carbohydrates, produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), and metabolize bile acids. They are also involved in the production and synthesis of certain B vitamins, like:
SCFAs like butyrate are crucial in the body since they nourish the gut lining cells and are involved in many chemical reactions.
So that’s digestion. But what about our immune system?
Is It True That 70% Of Our Immune System Is In Our Gut?
A lot of immune activity takes place in the gut rather than elsewhere in the body. Surprising, huh?
Well, think about it. You are constantly consuming food and taking in water or other drinks that might have pathogens, bacteria, or viruses in them. Your gut microbiome helps in educating the immune system so it can distinguish friendly bacteria from dangerous ones (friends vs foes), and also to modulate the immune response (so you don’t end up with an overactive immune system, as in the case of allergic reactions or autoimmune diseases).
A lot of gut microbiome also fights directly against pathogens entering the gut from our respiratory system, assisting the immune system in protecting our bodies from unwanted strangers.
A Lot of Your Serotonin Comes from the Gut Microbiome
There’s another thing that the gut microbiome is involved in. It is involved in the two-way communication between the gut and the brain. The gut sends way more signals back to the brain about the state of affairs than the brain sends to the gut.
This communication influences brain activity and behavior. 90% of the serotonin produced in the body is actually produced in the gut, not the brain! It influences gut immunity.
How Do We Strengthen Our Gut Microbiome?
There is a lot you can do to strengthen your gut microbiome, and actually, you should truly be making it a priority, since it influences so many aspects of your health. The first thing to work upon is your nutritional habits.
Your gut microbiome needs a very specific diet of probiotics and prebiotics, and lots of fiber to feel on top of its game.
You are probably not eating the right kinds of foods to keep them healthy and happy. Which in turn results in your health and happiness suffering.
Personalized nutrition counseling from a company like JM Nutrition is a great idea, since a lot of us aren’t taught how to eat well. We stuff our faces with fried foods, fast food, and junk food, thinking that’s good enough. It doesn’t mean that you can’t have these foods once in a while, but a general diet of these foods isn’t good for your gut microbiome at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do We Tell If Our Gut Microbiome Is Bad?
You can absolutely tell that your gut microbiome is in trouble by the way your digestion functions, and sometimes even by how you feel on a day-to-day basis.
For example, if you have problems with bloating, diarrhea, or constipation, then there’s definitely something wrong with your gut microbiome. On the other hand, if you feel sad, depressed, anxious, or out of sorts all the time, then consider that it might have something to do with your gut microbiome’s ill health.
Of course, the best way to tell is by visiting a nutritional expert and getting them to do a check-in with your gut microbiome. They can do this by testing your stool.
What Are Some Gut Microbiome Foods?
There are lots of delicious, fresh foods that you can feed your microbiome to make it healthier and happier. Most of them involve fibrous foods, like:
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Leafy green vegetables
- Any kind of fruit
Your gut microbiome also loves onions, garlic, and other such alliums. Any fresh fruit or vegetable, either cooked or raw, will be great for your microbiome. Also, fermented food items, like kefir, kombucha, kimchi, yogurt, and more, are great for your biome.
How Can We Improve The Gut Microbiome In A Week?
There is no real way to improve your gut microbiome in a week. It is a long process that takes time, patience, and a lot of changes in your lifestyle, nutritional habits, and more. Do not look for quick fixes when it comes to your gut microbiome.
Improve Your Gut Health by Focusing On Microbiome Nutrition
The future of wellness begins when you start focusing on your gut microbiome and feeding it the right foods. Gut flora balance is quite tricky and requires you to change yourself from the inside out.
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