THE guts TO CHANGE

You are not a completely solitary being. Believe it or not, you have microscopic bugs living inside of you. To be more specific, there are more microbial cells (40 trillion) than human cells (30 trillion) in your body1. Your body is made of water, minerals, protein, fat, bones and also trillions of bacteria, fungus and virus. You have these microscopic “pets” in your gut system known as the gut microbiota that helps with your emotional wellbeing and many other things. The growing research in discovering the vital function of the gut microbes is changing the paradigm of them being disease-causing to health-promoting (excluding the pathogenic microbes). Though they are invisible to the naked eye, they are not to be underestimated. In fact, to be happier and healthier you need to please your symbiotic housemates. Happy gut, happy life.

A Symbiotic Relationship

A healthy gut microbiome provides the host (no pun intended) with numerous health benefits. A person who has a healthy gut microbiome will have more energy, fewer allergies and better immune protection, digestion, weight management, mental clarity and emotional wellbeing. This is known as symbiosis; both the human (as host) and the microbes (recipient) benefit from each other2. A healthy gut microbiome is meant to have diversity in the population3, a balanced ratio of the Firmicutes species of bacteria and the Bacteriodetes species of bacteria4, stability and resilience5 to cope with insults and lastly, perform a myriad of functions6 to regulate, digest, detoxify and release good stuff. The gut microbiota break down food that the body can’t digest. They absolutely love prebiotic fibres. As they digest the prebiotic fibres, the microbes produce important due to the existence of the vagus nerve that connects the gut and the brain and they send signals to each other11. The neurotransmitters that are produced in both the gut and the brain contribute to feelings and emotions. What these gut microbes can do is like a miracle pill. But when a human host does not provide the right food for the microbes to thrive and grow, there is a dysbiosis, which has been linked to various neurotransmitters, vitamins and nutrients, and short chain fatty acids such as butyrate, acetate and propionate7. These by-products provide protection to the gut lining, regulate the immune system, maintain glucose stability, reduce inflammation, regulate appetite8, protect the nerve cells from damage9 and maintain health to the gut lining10. Interestingly, the gut has been coined as the second brain diseases such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, colon cancer, autoimmune conditions, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, coeliac disease, arthritis, anxiety, depression and more2.

A baby is first exposed to the microorganism from their mother during a vaginal delivery and at breastfeeding. The first 1000 days of life are critical for the building of the microbial population in a baby’s gut. There are a number of factors that contribute to a baby’s gut microbiota12, such as: the mother’s health status and diet during pregnancy, vaginal or caesarean birth, breastfed or formula-fed, exposure to antibiotics, and more.

Believe it or not, there are more microbial cells (40 trillion) than human cells (30 trillion) in our body.

Update Your Profile

We all have our own unique microbial profile that begins from the womb and becomes modified depending on our diet and lifestyle.

Babies who are exposed to a healthy maternal diet and status, born through a vaginal birth, breastfed longer before eating solid food and not exposed to antibiotics, have a higher probability in establishing a stronger immune system, less allergies and healthier development12. A mother with high body mass index and underlying disease, along with habits of not exercising, eating non-nutritious food, smoking or alcohol consumption, can alter the maternal gut microbiota, and this may lead to pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia13. While life complexities can interfere, it is never too late to make changes. The more you understand the importance of diet and lifestyle for the gut microbiota during pregnancy and after birth, the greater your freedom to choose wisely.

In adulthood every individual has the opportunity to make lifestyle decisions to heal and enhance their gut health. Underlying infection, period of exposure to antibiotics and medications, genetic predisposition, sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition (low-fibre diet, high intake of saturated fat and sugary foods), and stress, to say the least, are some of the major factors that contribute to an imbalanced gut microbial population. Even partial sleep deprivation in one night can modify the gut microbiota diversity and function14. While it’s difficult to determine how long it takes for a person’s gut flora to be restored, there are choices we can make to start to feel better.

10 Steps To Improving Your Gut

To improve your gut microbiota balance, diversity, resilience and function:

1. EAT A WHOLE-FOOD PLANT-BASED, FIBRE-RICH DIET. Challenge yourself to daily introduce an extra serving of vegetables and plant-based protein (nuts, beans and legumes) to your diet daily.

2. INCLUDE PREBIOTIC FIBRE FOODS. such as garlic, onions, leek, shallots, spring onion, asparagus, beetroot, fennel bulb, green peas, snow peas, broccoli, sweet corn, Savoy cabbage, artichokes, chicory root/inulin, lentils, soybeans/products, chickpeas, red kidney beans, wholegrains, baked beans, linseed, jicama, raspberries, green bananas and apples.15

3. AIM FOR A RAINBOW ON YOUR PLATE. Challenge yourself to try a new or different vegetable and fruit per week.

4. INCLUDE A DAILY DOSE OF FERMENTED FOODS. Have kimchi, sauerkraut, tempeh, miso, kombucha, kefir or natural unsweetened yoghurt.

5. BE ACTIVE AND EXERCISE DAILY. The recommendation is at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise, which is 30 minutes per day for five days/week. If this is new to you, start with 10 minutes walking per day, either in the morning or during lunch time.

6. GET ENOUGH SLEEP. The right sleep period is 7–9 hours for adults and 8–10 hours for teenagers. If you have difficulty sleeping, wind down with chamomile tea, a relaxing bath or book to read. Avoid checking a digital device one hour before bedtime.

7. MANAGE YOUR STRESS. Practise five minutes abdominal deep breathing, walking outdoors and daily gratitude.

8. GIVE UP SMOKING AND DRINKING ALCOHOL. If you need to drink something, grab a kombucha.

9. AVOID USING ANTIBACTERIAL TOOTHPASTE AND MOUTHWASH. This can damage the beneficial bacteria, create antibacterial-resistant microbes which then changes the bacteria flora in your mouth.16 Use natural soap and cleaners and avoid aggressive cleaners.

10. TRY OUT THE ENHANCE YOUR GUT HEALTH PROGRAM by scanning the code at the end of this article: As Hippocrates said 2400 years ago, “All disease begins in the gut.” If we can help to look after our gut microbiota by providing it with the right kind of food, we will be able to reduce the risk and development of various chronic diseases, and survive and thrive. Do yourself a favour: feed

Christiana Leimena has worked in cardiovascular research in molecular cardiology and hypertension. She obtained her PhD through the University of New South Wales and did her postdoctoral training at Loma Linda University, California. She has a passion in educating and promoting whole-person health and nutrition. She loves the outdoors and cooking.

References for this article can be found on the online version, at <signsofthetimes.org.au/2023/07/theguts-to-change/>