We've all heard the phrase "go with your gut," but what exactly does the gut do? Why is it so important? New research in the field of nutrition is beginning to reveal the importance of gut health through a greater understanding of our microbiome.
Our microbiome is the compilation of the billions of bacteria, fungi, and viruses living within our body, specifically the digestive tract. Most of this bacteria resides in the large intestine, but there is also bacteria living in other parts of our digestive system such as the stomach, small intestine, esophagus, and mouth. Surprised to hear this? Maybe even a little freaked out? Well the truth is, we have twice as much bacteria (good AND bad) living in our body than we have cells. That makes us more bug than human. And the type of bacteria we grow, and more importantly the diversity that exists, determines everything from our ability to absorb the nutrients in our food, to whether or not we will develop an allergy, to the strength of our immune system, to the beauty of our skin, to the state of our mental health, and on and on and on... With so many factors of our health at play, you can see why cultivating a diverse and healthy array of good bacteria in the body is vital.
Signs that your gut microbiome may be out of whack:
- Food intolerances
- Allergies
- Chronic sinus infections
- Chronic fatigue
- Chronic yeast infections
- IBS, Crohn's disease, and colitis
- Leaky gut, constipation, and diarrhea
- Poor skin (acne, eczema, dermatitis)
- Constant sugar cravings
- Mood disorders, anxiety, and depression
How is it possible that the kind of bacteria we grow can affect this many areas of health? It is because our gut performs a lot more functions than just digesting our food, although that function alone is important enough to set the stage for the rest of our health. Remember food is information, and the kind of information we give our body determines how we look, think, feel, and function. But if none of that "information" (in the form of nutrients), is being absorbed into our blood stream because of a compromised digestive tract, then we can be eating the healthiest diet in the world, and still be living a malnourished life. Another important factor to consider is that 2/3 of the immune system resides in the gut. In fact the gut flora found in our large intestine identify invaders, fight infection, and calm inflammation. We also have more nerve endings in our gut than in our entire nervous system. If we are living a chronically stressed life, our gut is the first place to know about it. 90 percent of our body's serotonin (the mood stabilizing neurotransmitter) is produced in the gut, along with an array of other neurochemicals that strongly influence how we think, feel, and express emotion. This is why the gut is sometimes referred to as "the second brain."
If the gut is our primary pathway to so many functions in the body, than how is it that so many of us are living with compromised digestive function? Digestive issues are quickly becoming one of the most common ailments in the health market, and products to relieve these issues are popping up left and right. The question remains: How did we get here?
Dietary Causes
- Decrease in fiber: fiber promotes mobility of food through the digestive tract and is essential for eliminating waste
- Increase in sugar: diets high in sugar cause gut inflammation and feed unfriendly yeast in the microbiome
- Less fermented food, more processed food: the invention of the refrigerator caused us to switch to a diet high in cold and processed foods, eliminating the need to ferment foods
- Changes in our fatty acid composition (eating the wrong fats): the type of fats we eat make up our cell membranes which are responsible for cell communication
- Decline in micro and phytonutrients: fruits and vegetables containing more pesticides and herbicides loose some of their nutritional value; food looses its nutrient density as it is transported across long distances (eating non-locally)
- Continuous snacking: not giving our body enough time to digest and reset
Environmental & Biological Causes
- Increase in c-section deliveries: Babies are exposed to an array of different beneficial bacteria when delivered through the vaginal canal as apposed to a c-section birth
- Breast milk vs formula: Breast milk contains many strains of bacteria and nutrients that are beneficial to the microbiome as opposed to formula
- Less exposure to germs: the microbiome changes if we live in an environment that is too sterile (we live in a germ obsessed culture: an over abundance of hand sanitizer and hand washing; the anti-bacterial soaps, detergents, and washers we use are changing the bacteria within our gut)
- Antibiotics: Although necessary at times, antibiotics kill the bad AND good bacteria in our microbiome
- Genetics: As our environment changes over time, so do our genes.
Now that we are aware of how important the gut is to our overall health, and why the microbiome has changed throughout time, what are some ways we can start introducing good bacteria back into our lives and promote good gut health?
Through our environment and practices:
1. Do not eat distracted:
Create a relaxing environment during meal time. Do not eat while you're in the car, or trying to do other things. The energy we create before and during meal time gets absorbed into our body and affects the way we digest our food.
2. Chew, chew, CHEW:
Digestion begins in the mouth. In order to properly assimilate nutrients into the body, we need to properly break down our food first. Most of us are so rushed or distracted when we eat we are swallowing food that isn't even chewed, thus creating more work for our body later down the tube. Undigested food chunks that make it into the intestinal tract can be mistaken as invaders in the body, can trigger an immune response, and cause bad bacteria to thrive.
3. Avoid drinking water during mealtime:
An incredibly acidic environment is required to break down food in the stomach. In fact the pH level down there is between 1.5 and 3.5, acidic enough to strip paint off a wall! The pH of water is 7. If we are gulping down water with our food, we are essentially putting out our digestive fire (and probably using the water to swallow large bites of unchewed food).
4. Avoid constant snacking:
Digestions takes an incredible amount of energy to accomplish. If we are constantly eating throughout the day, we are never giving our digestive tract a break, taking energy away from the body to perform other tasks.
5. Use safe, natural cleaning products and soaps:
Many hand soaps, dish soaps, and hand sanitizers are made with harsh ingredients that kill the bad AND good bacteria in our body. Children that are raised in overly sterile environments have weaker immune systems and less gut flora diversity. So go a little easy on the hand sanitizer eh? A little dirt won't kill ya.
6. Use a tongue scraper & practice oil pulling:
This one may sound random but a lot of bacteria and germs live in the mouth, especially in the morning after we wake up. Doing these practices will not only improve our oral health, but by pulling out those toxins, you are preventing them from being swallowed into your body. (Side note: traditional mouth wash also kills the bad AND good bacteria, just like any antibacterial product would. If you use a lot of these products, make sure you are replenishing the gut with a good probiotic)
2. Through our diet:
1. Eat foods rich in probiotics and prebiotics:
Probiotics introduce new bacteria to the gut and encourage more to grow. These are in foods like yogurt, kefir, kombucha, kimchi, sauerkraut, and fermented veggies. Prebiotics are a type of fiber in certain foods that ferment in the gut and fertilize the good bacteria that is already present. These are found in garlic, onions, bananas, apples, oats, quinoa, amaranth, jerusalem artichokes, and chicory root.
2. Eat foods high in fiber:
Ex: fruits and vegetables with the skins, lentils, black beans, berries, dates, flax seeds, and chia seeds.
3. Add more bone broth and collagen:
Collagen may be linked to helping heal leaky gut because it's primary function is to seal and cement muscles, joints, and cells in the body. Drinking more bone broth or investing in a collagen supplement is a great way to improve digestion and seal the gut lining.
4. Seek out food intolerances:
A lot of times our digestion may be out of whack because we are eating something we are intolerant to and do not know it. The most common food allergies are gluten, dairy, eggs, and soy. Elimination diets are a great way to figure out which foods you are sensitive to. Working with a doctor or licensed professional to investigate this further may be a good option to improving gut health.
5. Eat a diverse diet:
Our bodies need a wide range of vitamins and minerals to thrive. Most often people find a food that they like and then eat it every day because that is the simplest thing to do. Because we now have access to any food at any time of year in most grocery stores, we are not eating with the seasons and changing up our diet enough. If we have a compromised digestive system, eating the same food every single day can actually cause our bodies to become intolerant to that food. Ever get sick of something after eating it too much? That's a sign your body (and the bacteria living inside it) needs something different! Cultivating a diverse bacterial flora helps keep us happy and healthy.
6. Eat an anti inflammatory diet:
Limit the sugar, caffeine, and alcohol, and start adding in more anti inflammatory foods like turmeric, leafy greens, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats such as olive oil, walnuts, and salmon.
Are you still with me? I know that was a lot of information to digest (heheh) but remember its all about taking baby steps! Choose one or two of these suggestions to start incorporating into your routine, and as you begin to feel a difference, add in another one. Given half the chance, your body will begin to heal on its own. It's all about creating the right environment for that to happen. Be patient, be kind, and remember to feed the right bugs.
xo,
The Homemade Sage