‘Having a healthy gut is intrinsic to our wellbeing’
YOU’VE probably heard the term ‘gut health’ banded about, but what exactly is it and how can you achieve it? Your digestive system is made up of the gastrointestinal tract [also known as the GI tract or digestive tract], the liver, pancreas and gallbladder.
Scientists have discovered that the microbiome (the bacteria, fungi, viruses and their genes) that live in the gastrointestinal tract, don’t just process food, they have an influential role in our overall health, wellbeing and cognitive function.
‘Having a healthy gut is intrinsic to our health and wellbeing,’ says Eve Kalinik, a nutritional therapist, functional medical practitioner and author of Happy Gut, Happy Mind (£25, Piatkus).
‘Scientists have discovered that not only does the gut microbiome aid digestion and absorb nutrients from our food, but they have other influences, including regulating certain gastric secretions, helping to manage hormones that govern our appetite, producing neurotransmitters like serotonin and certain vitamins, plus managing our immune systems and inflammation in the body,’ she says. ‘To put it simply, our microbes do a huge amount for us.’ Gut microbes might be microscopic in size, but there are trillions of them and while we can’t actually digest fibre, it’s an essential fuel source for them to stay healthy.
‘It’s important to aim for variety of fibre in the diet as this helps to cultivate a more diverse gut microbiota which, research suggests, leads to a healthier and stronger gut,’ says Eve.
‘Fibre is found in all plant-based foods like vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kefir,