Intestines - unlock the key to your health
Most of us don't really know what happens in our intestines, how, when, which part etc does it happen.
We only remember our gut when we are hungry or when it gives us trouble. Or stops us from fitting into our favourite clothes! Then we want to punish the lump, do a lot of exercises and wish that it will go away.
But let’s see how our intestines and gut is our friend:
Some scientific facts about intestines:
There are about 100 trillion bacteria residing in the gut and they produce metabolites. These are the active parts, either as a loop in a chain or the end produt of metabolism, and they have the health effects. Some examples of their function are: producing energy and the materials needed for growth, reproduction, and maintaining health.
70-80% of the body’s immune cells are concentrated in the gut
There are 100 million neurons located along the gut which produce various neurotransmitters that regulate mood and satiety
95% of the body’s total serotonin is located in the gut. Serotonin is the key hormone that stabilizes our mood, feelings of well-being, and happiness. This hormone impacts your entire body. It enables brain cells and other nervous system cells to communicate with each other. Serotonin also helps with sleeping, eating, and digestion. Pretty useful thus, and most of it is in our gut!
The Gut-Brain Axis is one of the least talked about health topics
Your gut has a direct connection to your brain via the gut-brain axis. If you have an unhealthy microbiome, your mental health is also not at its best. Isn't it funny to think that the much revered sharp mind would come from your underbelly?
Many researches have shown that intestines have a part to play in many diseases: diabetes onset, Parkinson Disease, overweight, recurring infections, disease resistant, acne, eczema, depression, PMS, major player in your immune system and disease resistance.
It maybe because this is not much talked about as intestines are not one of the most poetic topics! Here are some top gut destroyers that you should avoid to help improve your overall health by the way of your gut.
However, this is not much talked about as intestines are not one of the most poetic topics! Here are some of the top gut destroyers that you should avoid to help improve your overall health by the way of your gut.
Top gut destroyers
Sugar – one of the biggest every day gut distroyers, sugar as well as sugar replacements
Stress - the good old gut feeling, not to be ignored. When you feel funny in your stomach, you probaly feel funny in general.
Prescription Antibiotics – hey kill all, the good with the bad. Not to be taken lightly! Recovering from one course of antibiotics can take six months and sometime it will never happen. Then you need to take action.
GMO Foods – Widely used glyphosates (pesticide that kills pests and living creatures that are smaller than pests) can reduce the immune system, augment infection rates as well as influence mood and behavior.
Inflammatory Gluten – that lovely white bread can cause a lot of havoc.
Alcohol – eats many of the nutrients and also is a disinfectant: kills the good with the bad.
Lack of Exercise – Research has shown improvement in the microbiome after six weeks of exercise. This is a living process, one good exercise time counts for 5-8 days, then starts to decline
Smoking – Smoke is poison that kills the gut microbiome very effectively, lots of clincal and practical studies to prove that.
Lack of Sleep – Your gut needs it sleep just like you. Studies show that just two days of sleep deprivation caused subtle changes to the gut flora and increased the abundance of bacteria associated with weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes and fat metabolism.
Overuse of Antibacterial Products – Antibacterial products kill the good with the bad so think again if it is worth disinfect your home environment. Most of the bacteria is back within a couple of hours anyway.
Practical actions to help your intestines
All the above is very important stuff, and what can we do about it? We want to get on with it and fortunately, there is a lot you can do. There is the the best thing and then the second best thing. The best thing invovlves a lot of exercise and change of the whole lifestyle and many people see it and feel how daunting it is. Then they close the book when they feel that they can't do it anyway. I would say that if second best thing is the only one you can do, that is great!
In my blogs, Instagram and Facebook pages I give regular tips and advice what can be done. I am a very practical person so I will give practical suggestion how even couch potatoes can take a step in the right direction! Here is something to consider.
https://www.nutriciaresearch.com/gut-and-microbiology/the-central-role-of-the-gut/