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When was the last time you had a gut feeling about something? Your gut is good friends with your brain - they share a lot of information with each other. In fact, the state of your gut health dictates your physical, and mental health. For instance, there is a link between autoimmune disease and gut health.
Medical professionals call the enteric nervous system (ENS) the second brain. The ENS, a layer of more than 100 million nerve cells within a person’s gastrointestinal (GI) tract, controls the digestive function. The vagus nerve helps convey signals from the ENS to the brain. Then there is the gut microbiome, which helps produce chemical neurotransmitters that carry messages between the gut and the brain.
This mind-gut connection can impact, mood, stress, anxiety, metabolism, food sensitivity, cravings, cognitive function, immunity and pain. For instance, if your GI system is disturbed, it might send signals to the CNS and result in anxiety.
“90 per cent of our serotonin is produced in the gut. Gut microbiome influences 70 per cent of our immune system, and our gut health also affects cognitive function, memory, and mood,” says Manissha Bhagat, Sr Nutritionist & Health Coach.
Dr. Rajiv Dang, Senior Director and HOD - Internal Medicine and Medical Director, Max Healthcare says, “gut microbiome are microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, and viruses, that live in our digestive tract. Regular bowel movements, easy passage of stool, without much discomfort or bloating all point to good gut health, while poor gut health is likely associated with autoimmune diseases, thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), sleep disturbances, skin allergies, sugar craving and even diabetes.”
What causes poor gut health?
So, what causes poor gut health? Experts say an overuse of antibiotics, a stressful lifestyle, lack of sleep, not being physically active, eating processed food, not eating a diverse range of food, and of course, smoking and drinking are all linked with poor gut health.
How can we improve our gut health?
Dr. Dang says, poor gut health results from overuse of antibiotics and antimicrobials, consuming too many refined sugars, refined grains, artificial sweeteners, saturated fats, and processed food. To improve gut health, he suggests the 80/20 rule, which is ensuring 80 per cent of the diet is nutritious food.
Bhagat says we can boost our gut health with prebiotics and probiotics. Also, foods rich in fiber such as fresh fruits, veggies and whole grains. Further, we must include foods rich in omega 3 such as salmon and walnuts in our diet. Vitamin D rich foods such as mushrooms and egg yolks, are good for not only our gut but also help the body absorb calcium. Fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt are good for maintaining proper gut health.
In addition, we must change our lifestyle to get adequate rest and relaxation. A digital detox, getting 7-8 hours of sleep and exercising 30-minutes a day are essential.
Ten steps towards a happy gut
1. Use your mid-morning and lunch breaks to stretch, walk, and do sit-ups. Get your 30 minutes of exercise by breaking it into two slots of 15 minutes each.
2. Add a prebiotic (banana, oats, avocado) to your meal plan.
3. Include a probiotic (yogurt, pickled cucumber) in your diet.
4. Eat a handful of nuts (cashews, almonds, walnuts) every day. These little nuts are packed with nutrients.
5. Include more fiber (whole wheat chapati, sweet potato, chickpea salad) in your daily diet.
6. Eat slowly. Yes, this simple trick can make your gut a happy place. Try it.
7. Hydrate. You could try drinking cucumber water if you want flavour, antioxidants and vitamins in your water.
8. Meditate or sit still for 15 minutes every day. This will help give you a sense of calm and relaxation.
9. Laugh, or hum a tune. It stimulates the vagus nerve.
10 Breathe. Take in a slow deep breath through your nose and let it out through your mouth. Repeat.
