We take pains to take care of our hearts, lungs, skin, and weight, but we often forget our gut health. Consequently, we don’t pay enough attention to what put in our bodies. But our digestive system impacts our well-being in profound ways. A healthy gut keeps our brains and psyche in tip-top shape. .It also helps us look our best.
6 Remarkable Ways Your Gut Health Affects Your Well-Being
1. The Brain
The cliche ‘butterflies in the stomach’ came about for a reason. All of us get them when we feel fear, anger, anxiety or a combination of these negative emotions. Why do these queasy sensations occur at our weak moments? According to the Harvard University Medical Center, uneasy feelings trigger gut irritation.
Harvard’s researchers have found that our brains and stomachs have close links. A good illustration of this is salivating. Just thinking about eating is enough to activate your gut juices and cause you to drool. They and other scientists attribute these sensations to the signals sent by the Enteric Nervous System in the gut.
It consists of a hundred million cells lining the stomach. They explain our mood swings when we feel hungry. Conversely, a weak gut sends signals to the brain. The researchers concluded that a distressed digestive system is a result of conflicting emotions like anxiety, stress, or anger.
2. Your Heart
Our guts and hearts have more to do with each other than we imagine. Your heart feels good when your gut does. That’s because molecules produced by the gut microbiota end up in the bloodstream.
Researcher Stanley Hazen of the Lerner Research Institute at the Cleveland Clinic suggests that our food holds more responsibility than other factors for our heart health. His team of researchers has found that gut bacteria break down L-carnitine, a component of meat. The action produces TMAO, a substance that causes artery blockage.
He also found that some compounds block TMAO production. Therefore, medicines targeting TMAO can improve overall well-being.
3. Your Eyes
What we put in our stomachs may affect how well we see. Poor gut health is responsible for eye disorders, as science has found. According to a study by the National Eye Institute, gut microbiota causes an eye disorder known as autoimmune uveitis.
The researchers shared that the gut is the perfect place for resistant bacteria to attack the eye. After removing all possible triggers, they concluded that T- cells become activated in the digestive system. They can only invade the eye upon activation.
So, to improve your eyesight, do the same for your digestion.
4. Your Lungs
Are you always short of breath? Perhaps your digestive tract isn’t healthy. A speaker at the Cambridge Immunology Network seminar, Dr. Benjamin Marsland explained that what we eat decides how well gut microbiota metabolize.
For example, these organisms produce Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs) after they metabolize dietary fiber. What that translates into is greater protection against inflammation and fewer lung allergies. Your body won’t produce so many SFCAs if you take in plenty of meat and high-fat food.
Chances of becoming ill are also higher. High fiber foods mean better digestion and therefore, fewer lung-related illnesses.
5. Your Weight
If your gut bacteria are healthy, you’re likely to lose weight. Research is ongoing, but scientists have found that lower rates of weight-related conditions like diabetes and obesity are due to changes in gut microbiota.
6. Your Skin
Yes, your gut affects the way you look. Keep your gut bacteria healthy if you want your skin to glow. Unhealthy gut bacteria damages skin flora and cause inflammation. Research shows that people with Rosacea tend to have SIBO (Small Intestine Bacteria Overgrowth). Furthermore, they release a neuropeptide, Substance P, which causes eczema.
How to Maintain and Restore Your Gut Health
So, how do you fix poor gut bacteria?
- First of all, to collect healthy microbiota, sleep well. In one study, men who had partial sleep deprivation after two days reported having unhealthy gut bacteria.
- In another study, intermittent fasting helped participants to improve their circadian rhythms and food timing.Consequently, their gut health improved.
- You should also watch what you eat. Diets that are high in sugar and fat but low in dietary fiber will create unhealthy microbiota. Vegetables are an excellent source of dietary fiber. Also, eat lots of fermented foods.
- Take probiotics as well. Those with lactobacillus strains will keep your gut in good health. They also promote weight loss.
- Moreover, exercise plays a huge part in keeping gut microbiota friendly. Studies on mice show that it influences gut microbes positively.
Good gut health is the key to maintaining overall well-being.
