Gut health is a term that is thrown around a lot in the media these days but like everything to do with health it is very rarely explained well enough for the average person to understand. I am sure if it was explained correctly the information I am going to share in this article would be common knowledge and many of the chronic health problems we see today would either not exist or managed much better than they currently are. Gut health is something that I rate very highly for myself as it is something I have struggled with at times over the years and has been a big part of me developing an auto-immune disease. The first thing most people think of when they hear the term ‘gut health’ is how our body digests food. While this is definitely its major role, gut health is so much more than that as it can have a direct impact on the health of your entire body. It can influence the health of our immune system, and even your mental health, and works extremely hard to keep us healthy and happy. Our gut breaks down the meals we eat into a functional form that can enter the bloodstream and go where it is needed in the body. Unfortunately, our modern lifestyle with poor nutrition and high levels of stress can greatly affect the health of our gut leaving our body exposed to serious digestive diseases to food intolerance causing problems with how our body extracts nutrients from food. The message is clear, when gut health is compromised, we are guaranteed to face major health consequences.
Every year, 50% of Australians experience gut health problems, and 1 in 7 Australian adults experience distressing gut health symptoms which they tend to manage themselves through the elimination of key foods or food groups.
The hard-working gut allows nutrients and water to enter the body while preventing the entry of toxins/antigens. It’s a selective barrier between “us” and the outside world. But a stressed out digestive system cannot function correctly and instead of protecting us, it allows dangerous compounds to enter the body.
This is when the value of eating quality nutrition is extremely important. The right diet strengthens the gut in its guardian role, improving overall health and well-being whereas a poor diet exacerbates small problems and turns them into big ones.
Did you know that you have more bacteria in your gut than cells in your body!
Bacteria can be classed as harmful or helpful. Beneficial bacteria come and go as we don’t have a permanent supply to maintain optimal levels of gut health.
The only way we can continually replenish them is by the foods we eat.
Our gut bacteria vary depending on age, gender, diet, geography, hygiene, stress and medication use. Birthing method (C-section vs. vaginal delivery) and first foods (breast milk vs. formula) can also determine what bacteria colonize our gut, with breast milk being an “immunological asset,” because it generally increases the number of friendly bacteria.
“Good” gut bacteria help produce vitamins (B12, K, B6, B5, B3, folate and biotin), enhance absorption of minerals, fight off pathogens, digest food, and metabolize drugs. They even influence our metabolic rate.
Things that can do damage to your gut include antibiotics and lack of fibre.
Antibiotics can eliminate the good bacteria in your gut that creating the perfect breeding ground for yeast (Candida albicans) growth. Candida, in turn, can provoke inflammation and symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome.
Reduced beneficial bacteria can also occur with low iron levels and/or a low carbohydrate diet. At the same time, excessive carbohydrate consumption can contribute to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (the bad kind), aka SIBO. This is why many people do very well with a limited carbohydrate and higher protein/fat diet as seen with the keto diet.
The importance of eating enough fibre cannot be overstated.
A study involving nearly 2,000 adults revealed low fibre intake was associated with reduced measures of lung function while a diet rich in fibre-containing foods may play a role in improving lung health.
Here is what they found:
•68% of those with the highest fibre consumption had normal lung function compared to 50 percent with the lowest fibre intake
•15% of those who ate the most fibre had airway restriction compared to 30 percent of those who ate the least
•People who ate a lot of fibre scored better on two breathing tests, indicating larger lung capacity and the ability to exhale more air in one second.
In this study, the high-fibre group was consuming 18 grams of fibre a day or more, which is still on the low end of what you should, ideally, be eating. A general rule is to make sure you get 20 to 30 grams of fibre per day.
Fibre resists digestion in the small intestine, then makes its way to the large intestine and ferments, creating short chain fatty acids, an important source of fuel for the body.
Fibre also adds bulk and improves regularity, reducing our exposure to potentially dangerous compounds. Finally, the breakdown of fibre regulates pH balance, promoting the optimal environment for beneficial bacteria.
Below is a great video about lung health and the impact fibre has.
Important Facts about the Gut
A properly functioning gastrointestinal system is critical for overall health and well-being, yet many people are completely unaware of what this system even does or what you can do to improve it.
Here is some interesting facts about the gastrointestinal system: you may not know.
•The gastrointestinal system comprises 75% of the body’s immune system.
•There are more neurons in the small intestine than in the entire spinal cord.
•It is the only system in the body that has its own, independently operating nervous system, called the enteric nervous system.
•If you stretched out the gastrointestinal system in its entirety, it would have the surface area of a regulation sized singles tennis court.
•There are over 400 species of microbes living in your gut, containing more bacteria than there are known stars in the sky.
It is fair to say, if the body allocates this many resources to one particular system, it must be important. The more health problems you have the more you should be treating your gut with care and doing everything you can to improve its overall health and vitality.
For you must understand that the body is constantly running a series of systems 24/7. If one system is not functioning well it compromises the health of the others in order to bring it up to the level it should be. Many of these are part of our autonomic nervous system that regulates a variety of body process that takes place without conscious effort.
This means that they need constant care and maintenance in order to run efficiently and at an optimal level.
The thing to really understand is this.
Each system is dependent on the other to run optimally and efficiently.
Many of these systems have pain receptors that tell the brain when something is wrong so you can do something about it before things get out of hand. Unfortunately, our gastrointestinal systems does not have this sort of pain sensing system. As a result, we typically don’t know when our gastrointestinal systems have a problem.
Instead we have to wait until things get bad enough to present symptoms to us.
If you have any symptoms such as,
•gas
•bloating
•burping after meals
•inadequate digestion (feeling like you have a brick in your stomach after you eat)
•undigested food in your stools
•foul smelling stools
•constipation
•diarrhoea
•burning in the stomach
•bad breath
•nausea
These are clear indications that you have some type of gastrointestinal dysfunction.
Sometimes many other symptoms surface that are not normally associated as gut health problems. Things like hormonal imbalances, migraines, allergies, skin problems, and even autoimmune disease all can be traced back to gut health.
Gut Health Can Affect Mental Health
Our gut communicates with all cells in the body, which means that disturbances in the gut can show up as problems in the brain. Interestingly the same thing can work in reverse as mental problems can instigate gut problems! More on that in a moment. The brain actually kicks off digestion before the gut as we secrete acids and digestive enzymes before even swallowing the first bite of a meal!
In addition, our emotions influence gut health.
When you’re afraid, your brain and gut know, and your digestion slows down. Ever had the experience of not being able to eat when you’re feeling especially anxious? That’s because blood flow and enzyme production in the gut are limited during stress to direct the blood to your arms and legs in preparation for fight or flight.
This is why stress can be often be the trigger for many gut related problems. You may be eating the same foods you have always eaten that never gave you any problems with before, but now due to the excess stress in your system your body is no longer able to digest it correctly and these foods begin to cause problems. Changing your diet to avoid inflammatory foods is important and certainly will help but it can be difficult to know what these are.
However, you must understand that the stress trigger is most likely still at large. The most important thing you need to do at this point is to find a way to manage your stress levels and allow the body to begin operating the digestive system correctly again. Failure to control your stress will continue to disrupt the digestive system and even “healthy” foods can begin to create health problems.
This is easier said than done.
As I am sure you can imagine the topic of stress is a massive one and for the sake of this article not going another 10,000 words I will not go into too much detail about what to do if you know stress is behind your gut problems. Be sure to get enough sleep, try things like meditation, Yoga, or Tai-chi to try and calm your mind and obviously seek help if you know stress is a big problem.
Exercise can be great for stress but you must be careful with how much or how intense you do it. Watch the video below for more ideas.
At rest, the gut receives over half of all organ blood flow, but during exercise, blood flow to the gut can drop to less than 20% of this resting value. Lack of blood flow to the gut during digestion can lead to increased intestinal permeability.
People who over-exercise and overly stress their body are highly susceptible to leaky gut syndrome. Also those with heart or circulation problems will also be at risk for in both cases there is not enough blood is making it to the gut.
What is Leaky Gut Syndrome?
Leaky gut, also known as increased intestinal permeability, is a digestive condition in which bacteria and toxins are able to “leak” through the intestinal wall. There are many in the mainstream medical profession who do not recognize leaky gut as a real condition.
However, there is lot of scientific evidence that leaky gut does exist and many health practitioners who do recognize the danger of this problem and how it can be linked to other health problems. I myself have suffered with this in the past and know exactly what happens when my gut is affected.
How does this work exactly?
The walls of the intestines act as barriers, controlling what enters the bloodstream to be transported to your organs. Small gaps in the intestinal wall called tight junctions allow water and nutrients to pass through, while blocking the passage of harmful substances. Intestinal permeability refers to how easily substances pass through the intestinal wall.
When the tight junctions of intestinal walls become loose, the gut becomes more permeable, which may allow bacteria and toxins to pass from the gut into the bloodstream. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as “leaky gut.”
When the gut is “leaky” and bacteria and toxins enter the bloodstream, it can cause widespread inflammation and possibly trigger a reaction from the immune system.
Supposed symptoms of leaky gut syndrome include bloating, food sensitivities, fatigue, digestive issues and skin problems.
In my case I know that my psoriasis flares up if my gut is not functioning well, and this has happened in the past when I did too much exercise in the heat and lost excessive fluids. I also had a massive flare up in 2021 that ended up with me suffering with Psoriatic arthritis that completely crippled many of joints. I am still on medication for this today but at the root cause of all this was my gut health. Stress may have pushed me over the edge but I had to clean up my food even more than ever by eliminating grains, and many vegetables that were causing me trouble.
One of the best things I have used in recent times to counter this is using BONE BROTH!
Bone broth is a highly nutritious stock made from simmering connective tissue, marrow, and bones of animals, for example chicken, beef, or fish. Over the recent years bone broth has become a very popular health drink as more people have become aware to the incredible health benefits it contains. It is such a versatile food that it can be easily added to soups, casseroles, gravies, and sauces.
Bone broth contains several important nutrients which may provide your body with potential health benefits but the best part is the collagen that helps to close the gaps in the leaky gut. This is where I noticed an immediate improvement from using this in my diet several times per week.
This is the bone broth I use
What other foods are good to eat for gut health?
Best Foods for Gut Health
Just like exercise, there is no one size fits all approach to nutrition. What works well with one person may cause problems in another. Your best bet is to experiment with certain foods until you find what works.
Eliminating processed foods, sugar, alcohol, and limiting your consumption of breads and dairy will often produce great results. However, this is only part of the battle as your body may still be nutrient deficient so you need to ensure you are eating the right foods to provide good gut bacteria, for if you remember from earlier your body cannot make this by itself.
There are hundreds of species of bacteria in your intestines, each of which plays a specific role in health and requires different nutrients for growth. The more diverse your diet is, the more species of bacteria you have and as a result the more health benefits they may be able to contribute to your body. A diet consisting of different food types has been shown to lead to a more diverse microbiome.
Unfortunately, most people eat a very plain diet of the same foods over and over and do not provide their gut with this diverse bacteria. Not only do many people eat a very small range of foods, the food they do eat is often rich in fat and sugar. Research shows that an estimated 75% of the world’s food is produced from only 12 plant and 5 animal species!
One of the best things you can do is start eating a wide range of vegetables, healthy fats, and protein.
By eliminating problem foods and diversifying your nutrition you should already notice a massive change in your gut health and overall mood.
But to help you out a bit more here are some foods you might find help out even more.
Coconut
Coconuts work as an anti-microbial and prebiotic at the same time. This food increases your good bacteria and decreases your bad bacteria at the same time. The best part is that it is shown to create a bad environment for Candida and yeast infections to thrive.
You can get this into your diet via a number of ways. You could drink coconut water or add it into your meals. You can even cook with coconut oil.
Blueberries
Blueberries are very high in anti-oxidants and shown to reduce inflammation in the gut. Blueberries are high in fibre, which as discussed earlier is vital for ensuring your digestive system is functioning well.
Did you know that one cup of blueberries provides 24 times you’re your recommended daily allowance of vitamin C? Vitamin C is an essential nutrient and can also boost immunity, help manage high blood pressure, reduce the risk of chronic disease & improve skin health.
Pineapples
I doubt many of you would have thought of this food as a great addition to your gut. This food is a strong prebiotic that help improve the good bacteria in your gut. Like blueberries it is also very high in fibre.
But the best part is the food contains a digestive enzyme called bromelain and it is known to have some of the most powerful anti-inflammatory compounds among all food groups. This is a great food to add when you are trying to heal your gut as the bad bacteria may be over-powering the good guys so any additional ammunition you can provide may help tip the scales in your favour.
Fermented Foods
Fermentation of vegetables is something that has been around for a long time. Originally it was done to preserve foods for a long shelf life but it was later discovered to be extremely beneficial to the health of the gut.
The microbes present in fermented foods act as powerful probiotics. The microorganisms found in fermented foods expose our guts to a wider range of bacteria keeping your microflora diverse and balanced.
Some examples of fermented foods are:
•yogurt
•kimchi
•sauerkraut
•kefir
•kombucha
•tempeh
Many of these foods are rich in lactobacilli, a type of bacteria that can benefit your health.
Below is a video we did several years ago with a friend of ours who is a chef to show you how to cook your own fermented foods.
Healthy Fats
We have already looked at coconuts as one of our gut friendly foods but all the healthy fats are great choices and this is why.
Our body prefers carbohydrates for fuel or energy, but it will use fat if it is starved of glucose from carbohydrates. When fat is used as the primary source it provides us with more sustained energy and produces less damaging by-products than carbs.
Fats fall into two groups; omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs.
1.Omega-6 EFAs are readily available in grain products, meats and many commonly used cooking oils such as corn, safflower and sunflower.
2.Omega-3 EFAs are found in leafy green vegetables, oily fish and free-range eggs and comparatively small quantities are available in walnuts and animal meats.
The ideal ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in your diet is 1:4.
Good Fats to Include in Your Diet
•Olive oil
•Coconut oil/butter
•Butter
•Organic, grass-fed animal fats
•Fish oil
•Seeds (especially flax seeds)
•Nuts (raw, organic)
•Avocados
Lastly make sure you eat your food slowly.
Eat Your Food Slowly
When you wolf down your food you take larger bites and chew less. This is bad news for your digestive system as your stomach has a hard time trying to break down big chunks of food into chyme—the sludgy mix of partially digested food, hydrochloric acid, digestive enzymes, and water that passes from your stomach into your small intestine.
When food isn’t properly broken down into chyme, it can cause indigestion and other GI problems. Large food particles make it difficult for the small intestine to absorb food molecules and nutrients we need.
This type of eating depletes our body of valuable vitamins and minerals.
Many do not realize the first part of digestion begins the mouth. Our saliva contains digestive enzymes that breakdown foods, especially carbohydrates. If you are dehydrated and cannot produce enough saliva your foods won’t be properly prepared for digestion in the stomach and intestines.
Dehydration is a big problem with digestion and people who are not drinking enough water combined with eating too fast are destined for big problems. When your body is dehydrated it wills scavenge water from vital organs and water from the mucus membrane in the stomach and intestines.
Heartburn is a common problem with the fast eater and dehydration plays a big part in this. Relying on antacids to treat this is ignoring the real problem. Apart from water our bodies are made up of proteins and fats. If proteins for repairing cells are not properly broken down they are less likely to be absorbed. The body will begin to break down its own proteins from muscle.
The combination of eating too fast and dehydration can lead to a host of problems like intestinal permeability and constipation.
Summary
Your gut bacteria are extremely important for many aspects of health. Many studies have now shown that a disrupted microbiome can lead to numerous chronic diseases. By following the tips outlined in this article you should be well on the way to great health and be able to avoid some of the serious problems created by poor gut health.
Obviously this is a delicate and complex subject so if you are really struggling to get on top of your gut make sure you seek medical or specialist help as it can get out of hand really quickly.
About The Author
Nick Jack is owner of No Regrets Personal Training and has over 20 years’ experience as a qualified Personal Trainer, Level 2 Rehabilitation trainer, CHEK practitioner, and Level 2 Sports conditioning Coach. Based in Melbourne Australia he specializes in providing solutions to injury and health problems for people of all ages using the latest methods of assessing movement and corrective exercise.
References
•Precision Nutrition
•How To Eat Move and Be Healthy – by Paul Chek
•Eat Real Food – by David Gillespie
•Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers – By Robert Sapolsky
•Metabolic Typing – By Trish Fahey & William Wilcott