WELLNESS

Hosting more than your family for the holidays

Human microbiome in intestine

With the holiday season in full swing, many of us are “hosting” for the holidays. In this instance, “hosting” doesn’t mean your relatives you begrudgingly tolerate or the new travel companion you share your pretzels with on the plane. You’re also hosting gut bacteria. Depression, emotional response, genetic expression of diseases, proper functioning of our immune system, and more reside in the hands of the little organisms in your gut.

The gut is a bunch of connected organs that primarily take food and break it into parts. Dwelling within it are trillions of bacteria that outnumber human cells by nearly 10 to 1. This area also provides a critical barrier between genes and the environment we are exposed to. Although blaming mom and dad for our disease woes is popular, the Centers for Disease Control says that only about 10% of diseases are purely genetic. Exposures often come through the gut and are advanced or treated by the gut bacteria acting as frontline defenders.

The Dance of the Two Brains

Development of the gut happened before the brain’s development. The actions and behaviors of our ancestors were driven by this troop of trillions. Fire and the advance of cooked food were the possible sparks that allowed digestive energy to be diverted and develop our brain and our higher functions. Today, the upper brain houses the autonomic nervous system comprised of breathing, heartbeat, muscle movement, glands, etc. The lower brain, or gut, controls the enteric nervous system, a network of neurons in the gut lining mirroring what we see in the head but larger. The two brains are connected and converse through the Vagus nerve. They both impact each other, but are capable of independent action. Your upper brain does not control your gut bacteria. The two brains appear as partners in response to stressors by changing our behavior or causing us to act from a gut instinct or a knotted stomach.

Being a Proper Host

Tea service and silver spoons are not required for a happy gut this holiday season. While still in our infancy of understanding how the outside world impacts gut populations, we do know that the diversity of populations is vital to their effectiveness in helping us, so here are a few tips:

1. Eating Fermented Foods Makes You a Less Reactive Host. In 2013, the Journal of Gastroenterology followed a human study on reactivity and gut bacteria. Study subjects became more objective and less reactive, especially to fear when eating certain bacterial strains in yogurt. This study is one of a growing number showing a direct correlation between an increase in several species of bacteria in our gut and the impact on our reactivity to the world. Fermented foods are widely available and can be served at a dinner party to humans and bacteria alike. When eating yogurt and other fermented foods, check the sugar content as they can be high in sugar.

2. Resistant Starch Is the Special Diet Request. Prebiotic fibers are nondigestible plant fibers that help feed bacteria and grow diversely. While this may not be your favorite food, it is your non-human guests’ favorite. Fibers from green bananas, asparagus, and limited amounts of starchy veggies like sweet potato or potatoes that are cooled (i.e., potato salad), nuts, legumes, etc., are all great sources of this prebiotic fiber. A study published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience showed that prebiotic fibers helped reduce stress from an acute event and aid normal sleep patterns after a stressful event. A second study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison identified that the fermentation of plant material (vegetables and fruits) by consuming gut bacteria produced signals to our genes, turning them on and off. Resistant starch and vegetables seem to help bacteria produce “good” instructions to our genes that can positively impact health and potentially change a disease profile.

3. Prioritizing Sleep to Help Reduce Everyone’s Stress Level. Studies show that stress on the gut bacteria is positively impacted by good sleep. In December 2011, the Journal of Psychology and Pharmacology said that melatonin production during sleep helps moderate the stress levels in the gut. When not moderated, these stress levels can prompt “the development of gastrointestinal disorders including inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and other functional gastrointestinal diseases.” Our stressed-out psychology destroys our gut physiology, and sleep alters the stress response. So, turn off the TV, put down the phone, shut off the light, and get some sleep.

This article is for education only. Nothing in it constitutes medical advice. All medical advice should be sought from a medical professional.

EMILY REIBLEIN

Director-Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) Crowley Logistics