You Aren’t Paying Enough Attention to Your GUT
This is a topic that is supremely important but also can be extremely complex. I am going to do my best here to make it as easily digestible as I can. In this blog, I will dive into the importance of the gut microbiome during early life, how it evolves through different stages of life, its impact on the your body, as well as the consequences of an imbalanced microbiome (dysbiosis, remember this word!), and of course how to maintain a healthy gut through diet, lifestyle, and supplements.
An Brief Introduction
Your gut microbiome is in all likelihood the most important part of your health that you are not paying attention to. Your gut has influence over nearly everything, overall health, your immune system, your digestion, to even your mental health. We are talking about an ecosystem of trillions of microorganisms that are essential to our health from the very moment we’re conceived. This community of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes all have a vital role to play.
The Gut Microbiome: Before Birth
While I would assume most of us think about our bodies and our internal systems developing starting at birth, it actually starts during pregnancy. Makes sense right? The mother’s diet and health can profoundly influence the baby’s microbiome, even shaping its immune system and overall health for years to come. For example, its been found that maternal gut microbiome impacts the composition of the microbiome in the placenta and amniotic fluid. For all the men out there, these are the first environments the baby is exposed to. A women’s diet is crucial during pregnancy, not only for their own health but for establishing a robust gut microbiome for their children. A diet rich in fiber, fruits ,vegetables and fermented foods can promote the growth of important beneficial bacteria for their baby. What a diet like this will do is prevent dysbiosis. What this term dysbiosis means is you have an imbalance within your gut. This imbalance or dysbiosis, can have long-term effects on the child, including an increased risk of your child having allergies, asthma, and even neurodevelopmental disorders. Another interesting fact, maternal women who intake probiotics during pregnancy has been linked to reduced risk of eczema and other allergic conditions in their children.
Early Life
The first few years of life are a critical period for the development of ones gut microbiome. Initially, a baby’s microbiome is influenced by factors like mode of delivery and feeding practices. Vaginal delivery exposes the baby to the mother’s vaginal and gut microbes. Might sound kinda gross but these are vital for establishing a diverse microbiome. In contract, babies born via C-section are more likely to acquire microbes from their environment which leads to a less diverse microbial. As I previously alluded to, feeding practice plays a significant role in shaping the baby’s gut microbiome. Breast milk contains healthy fat, called oligosaccharides, that acts as a prebiotic feeding the baby beneficial bacteria. Specifically, Bifodobacterium and Lactobacillus. I mention the specific bacteria incase anyone wants to do their own deep dive but for the average bear, the umbrella label of bacteria is what you need to know. These bacteria for the development of a strong immune system and protecting against infections and allergies. Another important note here is the role of antibiotics. Early exposure to antibiotics can disrupt the gut microbiome and lead to serious long-term health consequences like obesity and autoimmune disease. I want to mention here, if you cannot for whatever reason breastfeed, it is OK. There are plenty of formulas out there that can, in some ways, mimic that of the mother.
The Gut Microbiome Throughout Life
As we get older we change. The same is true with our gut microbiome. It can be influenced through our diet, environment, and our lifestyle We already talked about the importance of a diverse microbiome for proper development but this diversity also supports cognitive development. Research has found a link between gut health and brain health. This is known as the gut-brain axis. In adulthood, the gut microbiome plays a pivotal role in metabolic processes, immune function, and mental health. A balanced and healthy microbiome can prevent chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. But how does it effect your mental health? Well, gut bacteria can produce neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. If you don’t know what these do, I am sure you’ve heard them mentioned at least. These two neurotransmitters are crucial for mood regulation. The older you get the more taking care of yourself becomes more important. Your gut health is no different. The aging process naturally reduces microbial diversity, this drop off in diversity can lead to increased inflammation and a much higher risk of disease such as inflammatory bowel disease, cognitive decline, and even neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s. A diet rich in plant foods, fibers, lean meats, and probiotics can help counteract these effects.
The Gut Microbiome’s Influence on Your Overall Health
If you haven’t put it all together yet, your gut microbiome is not confined to the gut. Its influence extends throughout the entire body. A healthy microbiome helps maintain the integrity of your gut barrier, preventing harmful pathogens and toxins from entering your blood stream. Ever heard of “leaky gut”? This is the condition that comes from a compromised gut barrier. This condition can trigger chronic inflammation and contribute to autoimmune diseases, allergies, and mental health disorders like depression and anxiety. Do you know anyone with IBS or IBD? Do they take medication for depression or anxiety? My bet is they do. This gut-brain axis I mentioned previously, which is the network which your gut and brain communicate, influences brain function which affects mood, stress responses, and cognitive processes. Dysbiosis is linked to several neuropsychiatric conditions, including anxiety, depression and even autism spectrum disorders. It is extremely common to have a condition like IBS and also some sort of neuropsychiatric condition…they essentially go hand in hand.
Dysbiosis: Your Microbiome is Out of Balance
I’ve already mentioned this word quite a bit. But its important to understand how this imbalance in the gut microbiome can have far-reaching consequences for your health. The best part though, you can control it. Dysbiosis results from things like a poor diet, stress, lack of sleep, or the overuse of antibiotics. Diets high in processed foods, sugars, and unhealthy fats, ya know essentially the average American diet, will ultimately lead to reduced microbial diversity and also the overgrowth of harmful bacteria. The most immediate danger of all this, inflammation. Inflammation is a key factor in chronic disease and must be address.
What to Eat?
Maintaining a healthy and diverse gut microbiome requires a diet rich in whole foods, specially those high in fiber. Foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds are not only delicious but provide prebiotics. These are non-digestible fibers that feed your gut bacteria. Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi are excellent sources of probiotics, which too help you maintain a health balance of gut bacteria. I have already mentioned the types of foods and diet to stay away from, but I would also add artificial sweeteners to that list as it has been shown to negatively impact your gut and potentially lead to dysbiosis.
Supplements
If you are a supplement person, great. Supplements are fantastic, especially if your diet is not…lets say…where it should be. There are probiotic and prebiotic supplements that will greatly benefit you that are all available in any pharmacy or of course, the great and powerful Amazon.
Final Thoughts
Your gut microbiome can be a powerful ally in your health journey, influencing everything from your immune system to your mental health. Or it can be your greatest nemesis. The best part about it though is you can mostly control it through diet and lifestyle. If you remember nothing else, remember this: a healthy gut is the foundation of a healthy life, both for you and if you’re pregnant, your children.
