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Gut health isn’t just about healthy digestive processes. It also affects mood, the immune system and overall health.
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TAKING care of your gut is essential for maintaining good health, preventing digestive problems and strengthening the immune system.
Ever felt irritable at others due to hunger pangs, or experienced diarrhoea triggered by feelings of stress?
Such experiences are tell-tale signs of how the human digestive system can potentially affect one’s physical and emotional health.
While the digestive system serves two key purposes – i.e. helping the body to absorb required nutrients from food, and expelling harmful hazards such as toxins, allergens and harmful microorganisms – a healthy gut can also impact our mood, immune system and overall health.
Dubbed as the “second brain” by medical practitioners, the digestive system has an autonomous nervous system – the enteric nervous system – which possesses more neurotransmitters than the brain.
For instance, the gut produces 95% of serotonin, the brain chemical responsible for impacting mood, as serotonin is also involved in the digestive process.
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a physiological wonder in itself and plays an important role in protecting the immune system.
It produces over 100 trillion microbial cells, including gut bacteria that reside predominantly in the lower bowel, which are collectively known as the microbione.
Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health in the United States have discovered that gut bacteria produce chemicals that allow immune cells in the colon to grow and function well.
Whether it is constipation, diarrhoea or bloating, 40% of people have experienced at least one gastrointestinal problem at any given time, according to the British National Health Services’ estimates.
Failing to care for and keep track of one’s digestive system not only results in discomfort, but it can also be a matter of life and death.
According to the Health Ministry, diseases of the digestive system were among the top five causes of deaths in Malaysian public and private hospitals, and among the top six causes of hospitalisation, as of December 2013.
Prevention is better than cure, and instead of waiting for a health problem to arise before taking action, one can actively take steps towards improving one’s gut health.
Besides lowering risks of future digestive problems, a healthy digestive system allows one to live fully in the present and perform at their best in every area of life.
From processing toxic substances like alcohol and drugs into safe by-products and excreting toxic ammonia to preventing dangerous carcinogens from being absorbed into the bloodstream, the human body’s built-in “detox organs” – the liver, intestines and kidneys – demonstrate that our bodies are more than well-equipped to eliminate toxins. These organs must therefore be cared for in order to function optimally.
To support the liver’s supply of glutathione, a natural antioxidant peptide that is essential for the body’s immune function and controlling inflammation, eat more sulphur-rich foods such as garlic, broccoli, cabbage, onion and cauliflower.
As for healthy functioning kidneys, keep yourself hydrated and avoid consuming too much salty, sweet or fatty food.
High blood pressure is one of the most common causes of kidney disease, so get your blood pressure checked regularly, and avoid smoking and drinking too much alcohol.
Regular exercise not only allows us to keep a healthy weight but also helps keep high blood pressure at bay.
Caring for your gut with the right diet
Don’t sideline your greens and fruits, as research has linked higher fibre intake to lower risk of colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Eating more fibre will help create a smoother digestion process and prevent constipation.
Fibre also stabilises blood glucose levels, as it slows down the absorption of glucose in the small intestine, and reduces the risk of heart disease by lowering total blood cholesterol.
Sources of fibre include oats, wheat, beans, lentils, vegetables, fruit, seeds and unsalted nuts.
Probiotics promote good gut health
Maintaining a balance of good bacteria in the gut is essential to good digestive health.
We can increase the number of good bacteria by consuming probiotics, which are found in cultured dairy milk drinks and fermented food like yoghurt, cultured milk drinks, kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh and kimchi.
Probiotics have been known to provide relief from diarrhoea and the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
When looking for probiotic foods, select cultured milk drinks with “live and active” cultures. This means they are not heat-treated after culturing, which would have killed all beneficial bacteria.
A balanced diet is the simplest way to safeguard and boost the performance of our digestive system.
With a healthy detox, the right diet and probiotics, our physical bodies are equipped with the tools to maintain good gut health.
We too need to play our part and take active steps to ensure our bodies are fed well and kept fit to be in good shape from the inside out.