How to maintain gut health for overall wellness
Researchers uncover the intricate gut-brain connection, impacting thoughts and mood. Gut microbiota, lifestyle habits, ans intestinal permeability play crucial roles in overall health. Consult healthcare providers for personalized health strategies and maintain diverse diet with stress management.
There is more truth to ‘gut instincts’ than we knew. Researchers are increasingly discovering links between the enteric nervous system and the central nervous system that can revolutionise medicine. The gut may not be capable of thought but it does have a great influence on the way we think, researchers have found. The discovery of the close links between gut and brain and body health has revolutionized medicine and helped understand human bodies better.
The often repeated phrase” you’re what you eat” is proving to be rather intuitive. The fresh understanding of the gut-brain connection has helped doctors diagnose symptoms of disease that may arise in the gastrointestinal tract but impact mental health significantly.
The gut essentially has a “ 2nd brain” that does not participate in intellectual activities but triggers mood changes that can profoundly impact our thoughts. The “ 2nd brain” is the enteric nervous system (ENS)- it consists of 2 thin layers of 100 million nerve cells lining the digestive tract from the esophagus (food pipe) to the rectum.
The ENS is responsible or digestion as it controls everything from swallowing, the release of enzymes to the breakdown of food and the absorption of nutrients. Scientists has already found that depression and anxiety cause chronic problems like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea, constipation, bloating etc. however, evidence is emerging that it works the other way round too.
With this new knowledge, healthcare providers can diagnose and treat diseases that arise due to the communication pathway between ENS and the central nervous system (CNS). For e.g. , gastroenterologist may prescribe antidepressants to certain patients of IBS to calm symptoms of depression in some cases by acting on nerve cells in the gut.
Various other connections between gut and brain health are emerging though they need to be firmly established. It appears that digestive system activity can impact our thinking skills and memory too. Researchers are also studying the way that signals from the gastrointestinal tract can affect metabolism and as a result our propensity toward diseases like Type 2 diabetes.
The gut is a rather thriving environment. It is home to gut microbiota—the microorganisms (bacteria) that aid digestion. These good bacteria keep all processes running smoothly and so, when we talk of gut health, we also talk of nutrient that keep these bacteria in their fittest form.
It is important to have a high fiber diet and cut down on sugars and saturated fats to keep the gut healthy. Alcohol and stress could also disrupt this fragile environment leading to inflammation and a condition that is known as “ leaky gut”.
The thin lining of the gut controls what gets absorbed into the bloodstream but when this barrier develops “holes” or “ cracks” due to a bad diet or lifestyle habits, it can pass partially digested food and toxins into the tissues beneath/ surrounding it. This may cause changes in the gut flora and cause many chronic diseases.
The leaky gut or an increased intestinal permeability may play a role in certain gastrointestinal conditions such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. Now, research is trying it uncover whether a leaky gut may also contribute to diseases elsewhere in the body. Scientists are exploring links between the gut and autoimmune disease like lupus, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, arthritis,, allergies, asthma, acne, obesity and even mental illness.
It is clear that when we make alterations to our diet and lifestyle to incorporate food and habits that support overall health, every unit in our body benefits whether it be the gut, brain or heart. It is therefore important to pick a few achievable health targets and be consistent in trying to meet your goals.
Exercise regularly to keep stress at bay. Eat a diverse range of food- including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fermented products, prebiotics and probiotics= to promote gut health. If these interventions are not enough, then consult your healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis of your individual concern. Also exercise regularly and eat a healthy and balanced diet.
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Labels: (IBS), beneficial microbiota, celiac disease, central nervous system, Crohn's disease, enteric nervous system, maintain gut health, prebiotics, probiotics
posted by G S Iyer at 11:38 PM
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