Let’s Talk About Gut Health

By now, many of us have heard about gut health and how it can affect our overall health. But the subject of gut health can be confusing and hard to navigate- so let’s try to simplify that!

Our gastrointestinal (GI) tract contains trillions of organisms consisting of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and yeast and all these combined is what we call our microbiome. Out of all these organisms, bacteria are the most prominent so therefore, the most spoken about. While we often think of bacteria as bad, this is not always the case for the gut. In simple terms, our gut contains good bacteria and bad bacteria. For example, bad bacteria could cause increased inflammation in the gut while the good bacteria act to fight off that inflammation. The goal of a healthy microbiome is to counterbalance- we want enough good bacteria that can counteract the bad bacteria. When the levels become skewed, the bad bacteria can outnumber the good causing some commotion in the body.

Now, how will we know when our gut microbiome is not optimal? There are many symptoms that can arise. You can have GI symptoms which can range from increased gas, bloating, extreme food cravings, and bowel movement regularity. But not all symptoms have to relate directly to the gut. Others notice fatigue, trouble sleeping, and changes in their mood. Headaches can be more prominent. You may also find yourself gaining or losing more weight with little reasoning. While these are a few symptoms you may experience, there are many that can occur. So just pay attention to some clues- have you noticed feeling more tired? Are you having more allergies? Do you have new autoimmune diseases?

Now that you know what can happen if your gut microbiome is out of sync, there are ways you can help it! There are a few things that affect your gut lining that at this point, we have no control over. The nature of your birth, breastfeeding vs. formula, and exposure to bacteria as a child are all things that can alter the gut lining. But what can we do about it now that we’re older? To begin, diet is one of the most crucial aspects of our gut health. Eating processed foods and sugars tend to feed the bad bacteria and yeast in our gut. Instead, you should aim to eat high fiber vegetables and fermented foods. Probiotics are also a tool in helping your gut- but you have to be careful. The goal of probiotics is to bring bacterial cultures back into your gut. The catch is that these cultures must be something that is naturally found in the intestines and even better is if it is a live culture. Exercising can also have an effect- there are some studies that show the more physically fit a person is, the more diversity there is in their microbiome. While stress goes hand in hand with diet and exercise, it also can be part of the cause that leads to an unideal gut microbiome. Lastly, medications can have an effect on your bacteria, specifically antibiotics. Antibiotics are used to kill bacteria, but that can also mean that it kills the good bacteria in our gut.

Now that you know the basics, it’s time to take your (gut) health into your own hands! Start off small if you need to and make a few changes at a time. We’re here to help you along your health journey!

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