{"id":298,"date":"2022-06-04T15:07:27","date_gmt":"2022-06-04T15:07:27","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2023-08-28T14:41:13","modified_gmt":"2023-08-28T06:41:13","slug":"gut-health-an-overview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/gut-health-an-overview\/","title":{"rendered":"Gut Health: An Overview"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gut health is extremely important because the health of your gut directly impacts both your physical and mental well-being. Researchers are fortunately always discovering new ways to improve gut health. A healthy digestive system has always been known to be imperative for our well-being when it comes to feeling good. The scientific community, however, has only recently begun to grasp just how important gut health is for our overall health.<\/p>\n

The effects of an unhealthy gut extend beyond our stomachs to include our other vital internal organs, our skin, and even our cognitive functioning.<\/p>\n

In fact, it has been suggested that poor gut health might be an underlying cause of a variety of mental health <\/a>conditions including mood disorders and ADHD<\/a>. Researchers have spent the better part of the last decade investigating the unique relationship between the gut and the brain, and some of the evidence<\/a> suggests the health of our microbiome directly affects neurotransmitter activity, particularly serotonin<\/a>, dopamine<\/a> and GABA<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This is very promising for people living with mental health disorders who have been unresponsive to medications such as antidepressants. Perhaps a change in their gut health could improve their mental health.<\/p>\n

What exactly is \u2018good\u2019 gut health, what does poor gut health look like, and what steps can we take to improve our gut health? We\u2019ll discuss all of these questions and more, below:<\/p>\n

Why is Gut Health Important?<\/h2>\n

\u201cGut health has been making headlines lately, especially when it comes to the gut microbiome,\u201d says Dr. Vanessa M\u00e9ndez<\/a>, a triple board-certified gastroenterologist and founder of the telemedicine practice Planted Forward<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To explain what gut health is all about, Dr. M\u00e9ndez says, \u201cOur microbiome is about 30-100 trillion microbes in our gut made up of bacteria, viruses, fungi and single-celled organisms which have evolved with us through time and are now known to have essential effects, not only [on] our gut health, but on the health of our entire body. These play a major role in breaking down fibre and using the by-products from this process to keep our colon wall healthy and not [allow] toxins and harmful microbes from crossing over.\u201d<\/p>\n

M\u00e9ndez goes on to say that the health of our gut actually plays a huge part in our overall health.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe microbiome is in constant communication with our immune system (70-80% of our immune system is in our digestive system) and helps the immune system in differentiating harmful vs non-harmful substances that we ingest or come in contact with. Our microbiome has other crucial functions such as regulating our metabolism, communicating with the brain through the gut-brain axis and even turning our genes on and off. Therefore, gut health really means whole-body health.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPoor gut health and microbiome imbalances can cause not only digestive problems but also chronic diseases that result in disability and [negatively] impact [the] quality of life. Microbiome imbalances have been linked to asthma, allergies, skin issues, autoimmune conditions, Parkinson\u2019s, Alzheimer\u2019s, anxiety and depression. So by optimizing our microbiome we are really improving our overall health<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

What Does It Mean to Have \u2018Good\u2019 Gut Health? \u201cWe all want good gut health,\u201d says Dr. M\u00e9ndez. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing worse than having to deal with digestive issues. These take the joy out of eating and ultimately out of life, leaving you feeling anxious and depressed about eating or going out and living your life.\u201d<\/p>\n

What Does it Mean to Have \u2018Good\u2019 Gut Health?<\/h2>\n

Essentially, what good gut health comes down to, is achieving a balance by having a wide variety of bacteria living in your microbiome.<\/p>\n

Most of the bacteria that live in a healthy gut are beneficial to you, but there is a small percentage of gut bacteria that promotes disease. There\u2019s no way to completely rid your gut of pathogenic bacteria, but in a healthy gut, both kinds of bacteria are able to coexist without causing digestive distress. If the healthy bacteria outnumber the bad bacteria, your microbiome is in balance and can support a wide variety of bacteria.<\/p>\n

However, when there aren\u2019t enough good bacteria in your gut, pathogenic bacteria thrive and multiply, causing your microbiome to become unbalanced, a condition known as dysbiosis. The effects of dysbiosis aren\u2019t only felt in your gut.<\/p>\n

Dr. M\u00e9ndez explains, \u201cPoor gut health can lead to a myriad of other problems even including anxiety and depression. Good gut health means having a well-functioning digestive system that processes, digests foods and extracts the right amount of nutrients to keep you energized, mentally sharp and functioning at your highest capacity. Good gut health means not having chronic or debilitating digestive conditions like bloating, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn or abdominal pain.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Signs of Poor Gut Health<\/h2>\n

Poor gut health can negatively impact much more than just your digestive system. \u00a0Signs of poor gut health can show up all over your body.<\/p>\n

People often think \u2018the obvious\u2019 when it comes to poor gut health \u2013 bloating, diarrhea, abdominal pain and constipation. While these are definitely signs of poor gut health, other, lesser-known symptoms include:<\/p>\n