How is your Gut Health?

If you ask a friend about their gut health, most people would avoid the question, or deny anything was wrong, because digestive health is not something we talk about.

 

The taboo nature of discussing our gut health, even with friends, has everything to do with symptomology.

 

The nature of gastrointestinal symptoms are quite often not ones we like to discuss - gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, cramping.

 

But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be talking about it, because 60-70million people in the United States are affected by some form of digestive disease, with over 63 million people experiencing constipation on a regular basis. (SNAP).

How can you check whether you have good gut health?

 

 

Digestive symptoms may occur in between or after you eat, and can be associated with a food sensitivity, intestinal inflammation, or, poor digestive function.

 

Symptoms relating to poor gut health are many and not all are isolated to the gut and can impact mental health and immune function. Including but not limited to:

 

Nausea, burning, bloating, gas, flatulence, rumbling, cramping, stagnation, bad breath, burping, chronic fatigue, acid reflux headaches, fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, sleep interruption, skin breakouts, anxiety, diarrhoea, food intolerance, and constipation.

 

These are all common symptoms for people who have poor gut health. If you have any of these, it’s worth talking with your healthcare provider to discuss these symptoms.

 

Depending on symptoms and severity, there are also a range of diagnostic tests your doctor may perform, such as a stool sample or, a hydrogen breath test for SIBO, or a urea breath test to determine if you are positive for Helicobacter Pylori overgrowth.

 

What could be causing your poor gut health?

 

 

Many things can disquiet the human gut microbiome and no one thing is the cause.

 

There are genetic factors, environmental factors, stress levels, diet high in refined sugars, hormones, infection, micoflora, all play a huge role in how well you metabolise foods and your overall digestive health.

 

Microbiome actually plays a significant role in gut health, as it represents the intestinal environment and impacts the entire body including immune function.

 

Your microbiome describes the body (stomach, intestines, colon), and all the germs, microbes, viruses and bacteria (intestinal microbiota) that live inside.

 

It is a critical part of the human body, so much so that it is considered “the second brain”.

 

The gastrointestinal system represents an entire cosmos of activity in the gut, and balance can be easily disrupted. An imbalance of microflora (bacteria) can occur by:

 

• Antibiotic use
• Infection by virus or particular bacteria such as H.Pylori
• Chronic stress
• Poor diet
• Environmental factors such as drinking alcohol, smoking, drinking a lot of coffee - this changes the gastrointestinal acid / alkaline balance of the gut, which impacts bacterial growth.
• Genetics - the microbiome of a mother, directly impacts the microbiome of a baby. (SNAP)

How do you reset your gut?

 

 

If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms I listed previously, you should seed the advise of your healthcare professional if the symptoms are distressing, persistent or getting worse.

 

If however, you are experiencing symptoms such as stagnation, bloating after eating or in between meals and just feeling like your digestion needs improving, you may benefit from a gut reset and cleanse.

How do I cleanse my gut

 

 

A gut reset and cleanse can be beneficial especially after festive periods full of feasting, drinking and overeating.

 

The first part of a gut reset is to use a gentle elimination supplement and implement a healthy eating plan free of refined sugar, alcohol and processed foods.

 

The second part of a gut reset is to introduce healthy beneficial bacteria to promote healthy intestinal microbiota.

 

Continued cleansing can occur through daily use of super greens and cleansing and alkalizing nutrients from food powders, beets, spirulina and chlorella are great examples of these.

 

How can you introduce healthy beneficial bacteria into your gut?

 

 

There are billions of bacteria in the gut, some healthy and some harmful. Maintaining a healthy intestinal microbiota - primarily keeping the bad bacteria from proliferating is key to optimal gut health.

 

If you tested positive for H.Pylori bacteria, you may be experiencing distressing gut symptoms.

 

It is important to get that bacteria under control as H.Pylori overgrowth is associated with chronic disease such as gastrointestinal ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, and heart disease.

 

Not all probiotic strains act in the same way on the body, each strain has a specific action on the body.

 

Some specifically act against certain bacteria and fungal overgrowth, one beneficial gut bacteria strain has been found to be effective against H.Pylori bacteria - Lactobacillus reuteri.

 

Another way to introduce good bacteria into your gut is through diet. Prebiotics are non soluble high-fiber diet food compounds that stimulate the growth or function of good microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, they can be ingested in foods and also supplied in supplements.

 

These have the most activity in the gastrointestinal tract, where prebiotics can impact the composition of good and bad organisms in the gut microbiome. Examples of prebiotic ingredients are slippery elm, aloe vera, bananas, inulin, greens, artichokes and garlic.

 

Is it only probiotics that you need?

 

 

Pre and probiotics work in the gastrointestinal tract, however much of the metabolism of foods happen in the stomach.

 

To optimally break down proteins, carbohydrates and fats, we need a healthy production of digestive enzymes to assist this metabolic activity.

 

Our stomach naturally produce enzymes, which are specialized particles tasked with helping to break our food, and converting them into key nutrients like glucose for energy, amino acids for muscle function and cognitive health and, fatty acids for healing, addressing inflammation and brain and heart health.

 

Supplementing with a range of digestive enzymes can help improve symptoms related to poorly digestion of foods.

 

 

What are the worst foods for gut health?

 

 

The British Journal of Nutrition argues that diet is among the most easily controlled factors that can potentially manipulate the gut microbiota.(SNAP).

 

Eating whole grains and fresh produce, nutrient-dense foods rich in prebiotic fiber is a great way to keep your gut and microbiome healthy.

 

Plant food sources of fermented foods can also help to generate a healthy balance of bacteria. There are several foods however that can negatively impact gut health, and consuming in moderation is recommended.

 

Processed foods are common in the standard Western diet, and have long been linked to poor health outcomes, digestive health included.

 

Linked to weight gain and high blood sugar, processed foods are quicker to digest. Processed foods are easier to digest than unprocessed, whole foods, which means we burn less calories digesting them.

 

This plus the fact that processed foods are often high in preservatives, salt, and calories, there is little in the way of nutrients and little to no fiber so moves quickly through the digestive tract.

 

Additionally, processed foods increase the risk of cancers including colon cancer. A five-year study of over 100,000 people found that every 10 percent increase in consumption of ultra-processed food was associated with a 12 percent higher risk for cancer. (SNAP).

 

Artificial sweeteners move through the stomach unprocessed and have shown in vitro studies to have a negative impact on gut microflora.(SNAP).

 

Avoiding artificial sweeteners and using natural sweeteners such as honey, organic raw cane suar, coconut sugar or monk fruit in moderation is a better alternative to avoid harming microflora balance. List of artificial sweeteners include:

 

• Stevia. Available under various brand names, including Splenda Naturals Stevia Sweetener and Truvia.
• Aspartame, brand name Equal.
• Sucralose, brand name Splenda.
• Saccharin, brand name Sweet'N Low, Sugar Twin and Necta Sweet.
• Acesulfame K, brand name Sunett.

 

Alcohol consumption and its impact on various aspects of health has received alot of attention in research in the last few decades.

 

Regular daily over consumption has been associated with chronic disease - such as an increased risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and now, researchers are looking into alcohol and its impact on gut microbiome.

 

One study confirms that moderation has little impact on gut flora, however, excessive consumption had a significant impact on intestinal bacteria leading to dysbiosis (microbiota disruption and balance of bacteria). (SNAP).

 

Fried food require bile and healthy amount of gastric enzymes to digest fried foods compared to fresh fruits and vegetables. For people with sensitive stomachs and inadequate microflora and digestive enzymes, the saturated and trans fats used to fry food can be problematic for some people and should be avoided.

 

 

Can poor gut health make me put on weight?

 

 

If your digestive function is poor, then the body can’t metabolise dietary fats, which end up being absorbed and stored in the body.

 

There has been speculation regarding whether poor gut microbiome leads to obesity, or whether poor dietary habits associated with obesity, leads to poor gut flora.

 

There is data that suggests that the types of bacteria composition of gut microbiota differs between obese and lean individuals and that a Western-style diet (high in saturated fat and refined carbohydrates) may be responsible for increased poor gut health linked to obesity.

 

Questions remain regarding whether addressing gut health can lead to weight loss, however, science agrees that healthy balanced diet, exercise and a healthy microbiome can help keep healthy weight and digestive function. (SNAP)

 

 

Could your food allergies be linked to poor gut health?

 

 

Poor digestive function can lead to increase in food sensitivity and allergies if not addressed.

 

One study determined food allergy is associated with alterations in the gut microbiota or dysbiosis early in life and may be a predictive of development of disease and allergic response to certain foods. (SNAP).

 

Its suggested that taking a serious approach to addressing your microbiome can have a positive impact on digestion and aid in mild food sensitivities.

 

So what makes a happy gut?

 

A healthy gut is a happy gut, one that has a balanced microbiome composition (intestinal environment), with healthy digestive enzymes and free of harmful species of bacteria overgrowth.

 

If you are experiencing symptoms, talk with your doctor who can determine if in fact, you have a bacterial overgrowth, and probiotic strain supplementation may be helpful.

 

Eating a variety of foods rich in high-fiber foods and low in processed foods, artificial sweeteners, fried foods and alcohol and maintaining a healthy weight can all have a positive impact on gut health.

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Amanda Lovett-Jones is an Australian Naturopath, and practices in the US as a registered Herbalist and culinary medicine specialist. She is a freelance copywriter and compliance specialist within the dietary supplement industry. She owns a virtual natural therapies wellness clinic that targets and helps treat inflammation using complementary medicine and diet. She lives with her family in Seattle.