Symptoms And Diseases Outside The Gut:
The toxins which leak into the body unchecked trigger a chronic inflammatory reaction affecting the whole body, causing collateral damaging joint, bones, the heart and brain as well as individuals being more prone to immune related disorders and allergies. The paradox is that this heightened non-specific inflammatory state stressed the immune system makes it less efficient so individuals effected are more prone to infection from viruses and bacteria. In this state the levels of chemicals called inflammatory cytokines are sky high and its a strange quirk of nature that these cytokines also encourage cancers to form and grow faster.
A leaky poorly functioning gut, as well as cancer cause general distressing symptoms which have a significant impact on quality of life. The most well known systemic links to poor gut health include:
- Fatigue and low mood
- Dementia and Parkinsons disease
- Premature ageing
What Are Prebiotics And Probiotics
Dietary amounts of protein, saturated and unsaturated fats, carbohydrates, and dietary fibre influence the abundance of different types of bacteria in the gut. The microbiota can also be modified by adding live micro-organisms to food or by periods of fasting.
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Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that, when administrated in a viable form and in adequate amounts, are beneficial to human health. They are usually added to yoghurts or taken as food supplements.
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Prebiotics are defined as a substrate that is selectively used by host micro-organisms conferring a health benefit. Although all compounds considered prebiotics are microbiota accessible carbohydrates or fermentable dietary fibre, the reverse is not true. The prebiotic concept is an area of current debate70
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Synbiotics contain a mixture of prebiotics and probiotics
Types Of Food For Gut Health
Diet and gut health appear to be very closely linked. Avoiding processed foods, high fat foods, and foods high in refined sugars is likely important for maintaining a healthy microbiome, as these foods may promote the growth of damaging bacteria.
There are also foods you can eat that actively promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, contributing to your overall health. These foods include:
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Puffed Rice Offers Important Vitamins And Minerals Without Adding Excess Sodium Fat Or Cholesterol Says Debjani Banerjeeincharge Dietetics Psri Hospital New Delhi
The very thought of puffed rice or murmura reminds us of the mouth-watering roadside bhelpuri we all love to relish at any time of the day. Touted for its crunchy taste, this healthy snacking option is not only pocket-friendly but has many health benefits right from losing weight to maintaining your blood pressure and more.
To begin with, let us first understand the nutritional benefits of puffed rice before moving on to unveil its incredible health benefits.
Puffed rice offers important vitamins and minerals without adding excess sodium, fat, or cholesterol. Heres a look at the nutrient profile of a 100 g of puffed rice:
This staple Indian diet with its richness of carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals offers some incredible health benefits. Unlike other rice, puffed rice is a type of short-grain rice that has been puffed or compressed using air. So it is denser, chewier, fibrous and has a nutty flavour. It is rich in vitamin B6. It has complex starch that needs time to be broken down, thereby preventing you from snacking.
Relieves constipation Our desi murmura with its rich fiber content promotes the growth of good bacteria which help to ward off your constipation problem and prevent intestinal hemorrhages as well.
Its goodness doesnt just end here, it also acts as a digestive stimulant and promotes the secretion of digestive juices which in turn increases the absorption of essential nutrients through the intestine.
Ideal Takeaway food
What Does The Gut Do
The gut or gastrointestinal tract is a long tube stretching from the mouth to the bottom. The gut is an incredibly important organ which has led to many researchers calling it the second brain.
The 9 meter long tube is responsible for breakdown, digestion, and absorption of nutrients. It coordinates over 30 different hormones and multiple enzymes to help break down the food you eat and aid in nutrient absorption.
It also helps in the circulation of nutrients and movement of digestive tissues. The gut has a critical role in removing waste and defending against illnesses too. In fact, more than 80% of the bodys immune cells are found in the gut which is similar to Star Wars The Force Awakens and Jurassic World since about 80% of those movies were pitiful but lets not digress on that. However, the gut is not alone in doing all these jobs.
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Manipulating The Gut Microbiota Through Diet
Changes to the gut microbiota can occur within days of changing diet remarkable differences were found after African Americans and rural Africans switched diets for only two weeks.66 Increased abundance of known butyrate producing bacteria in the African Americans consuming a rural African diet caused butyrate production to increase 2.5 times and reduced synthesis of secondary bile acid.66 Another study comparing extreme shifts between plant and animal protein based diets showed these changes after only five days.67 But healthy microbiota are resilient to temporal changes by dietary interventions, meaning that homeostatic reactions restore the original community composition, as recently shown in the case of bread 68
Microbiota Diversity And Health
Lower bacterial diversity has been reproducibly observed in people with inflammatory bowel disease,31 psoriatic arthritis,32 type 1 diabetes,33 atopic eczema,34 coeliac disease,35 obesity,36 type 2 diabetes,37 and arterial stiffness,38 than in healthy controls. In Crohns disease smokers have even lower gut microbiome diversity.39 The association between reduced diversity and disease indicates that a species-rich gut ecosystem is more robust against environmental influences, as functionally related microbes in an intact ecosystem can compensate for the function of other missing species. Consequently, diversity seems to be a generally good indicator of a healthy gut.4041 But recent interventional studies indicate that major increases in dietary fibre can temporarily reduce diversity, as the microbes that digest fibre become specifically enriched, leading to a change in composition and, through competitive interactions, reduced diversity.22
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Why Is Gut Health Important
The gut is hugely important for immune function, with the gut wall providing a barrier that, when functioning properly, prevents viruses, fungi and bad bacteria from entering the bloodstream. Unfortunately, this barrier sometimes becomes permeable, known colloquially as a leaky gut, which means these nasties can break through and make us sick. Conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome , inflammatory bowel disease and coeliac disease can make people more prone to developing permeability in the gut wall, making them more vulnerable to disease or infection entering the body this way.
Research shows that gut health also has a knock-on impact on mental health. Known as the second brain, theres a reason we feel a lot of our emotions in our guts. Gut bacteria have the power to stimulate our nervous system, sending messages to our brains through the vagus nerve. They can also release hormones identical to those our own systems release, making them little pilots with a large impact on our bodies and decision making given how tiny they are. This communication between gut and brain is known as the gut-brain axis. Stress can also impact these bacteria, as a lot of them are hormone-sensitive, which may lead to an imbalance.
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Function Of Healthy Bacteria
The human gut contains 10 times more bacteria than all the human cells in the entire body, including 400 known bacterial species. These strands of bacteria in your gut promote gastrointestinal function, protect the body from infection, regulate metabolism and comprise more than 75% of our total immune systemand thats only the extent of what we know about the guts role in our health.
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What’s The Difference Between Digestive Enzymes And Probiotics
Because they’re both essential for healthy digestion, and because both are involved in the breakdown of foods, theres a lot of misunderstanding about the separate functions of probiotics and digestive enzymes. It may help to think of them this way:
Digestive enzymes function like solvents that break foods down into the components that allow them to be absorbed and used by the body. They work throughout the GI tract, but are especially plentiful in the stomach and uppermost sections.
Probiotic bacteria, which live predominantly in the lower GI tract, are living organisms that live symbiotically with us. Their benefits mostly come from the byproducts they produce. These substances favorably balance the digestive environment, inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, and promote overall health. We inherit probiotic gut bacteria from our mothers, and these microorganisms may be permanently lost as the result of or poor diet.
Tips For A Better Gut
Knowing how to keep our gut microbiome healthy and happy is the first step in improving our gut health. Luckily for us, we can alter our gut microbiomes and make them a better environment for those good bacterias. Here are some other ways that we can keep that gut happy!
- Change up our diet. Diet plays a large role in the health of our gut and simple changes can help improve its functions. Switching out highly processed foods such as chips, sugary drinks, and fast food for food with more fiber and resistant starch will help feed those bacteria living in our intestines.
- Eat fresh vegetables and fruits
- Introduce some pulses into your diet, such as beans, lentils, or chickpeas hummus is a really great option
- Eating small amounts of food throughout the day
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day and decrease caffeine intake
TIP: Always check with your doctor before making any major food changes if necessary!
TIP: Strenuous exercise isnt necessary! Do whats comfortable for you and make alterations as needed to your routine.
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What’s Next For Gut Health
Dr. Smith believes personalized gut-health programsâtied to what specific individuals should eat for optimal healthâwill continue to explode in the next decade. “Researchers are continuing to zero in on more specific aspects of gut health, including what functions various organisms in the microbiome perform, and how we might continue to personalize the treatment of gut health on an individual basis,” he says. “According to what weâve discovered so far, the gut features more than 10 trillion microbial cells that come from around 1,000 different bacterial species, so there is still plenty to research. Scientists have already isolated and published information about some of these strains, which have been made available in a sort of ‘library’ to help inform research and study.”
Jain believes gut health tech will continue to get better and more affordable with timeâa boon for people who can’t currently afford the kits or even more expensive testing at a doctor’s office . “The technology we use to analyze the microbiome is advancing at such a rapid pace that weâll be able to do so much more within the next 10 years. Individuals will be able to take control of their own health by creating a virtual model of their own biologyâno more expensive hospitals, complicated tests, or confusing second opinions,” he says. “Science-based and personalized, preventative medicine will be a reality for everyone.”
The Importance Of Maintaining Gut Health For Overall Wellbeing
Many people know that maintaining a healthy GI tract is one of the best ways to increase your overall health and wellness and anyone who has faced gut issues in the past knows the impact they can have on your body. The reason behind this is simple. Your gastrointestinal system serves as the main portal for your bodys ability to process the nutrients that your body needs. With more than 80% of your immune system and the majority of your bodys serotonin, it also acts as a disease fighter and communication center connecting your immune and nervous systems.
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Why The Gut Microbiome Is Crucial For Your Health
Your body is full of trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi. They are collectively known as the microbiome.
While some bacteria are associated with disease, others are actually extremely important for your immune system, heart, weight and many other aspects of health.
This article serves as a guide to the gut microbiome and explains why its so important for your health.
Why Use Probiotic Supplements
A probiotic supplement can be used to replenish the microbiome with beneficial bacteria. It is recommended to take probiotics like PhD Life DIGEST daily to avoid imbalance in your gut microbiome. Antibiotics are known to upset the balance of microbiota, so it is particularly important to use probiotic supplements after taking Amoxicillin or similar medications. When taken on a regular basis, a probiotic supplement will keep your gut in optimal health.
Probiotics can be used to treat conditions including IBS and constipation. If you have a gastrointestinal problem, you should always seek medical advice, diagnosis or treatment through your doctor. They will be able to give you additional information on whether probiotics are a suitable treatment for your condition.
At PhD, we understand that you want to be at your very best every day. To help you achieve this, we have created PhD life, a range of premium, expertly formulated health optimisation products. From our high in protein, low sugar, plant-based Complete meal solution, and Reset, our night time formula, to Mind, made to support optimal mental performance, weve created a new range to optimise you for life. Check out the entire PhD Life Range here.
Make sure to let us know how you get on with your training program and tag us in your workouts on, , and @phdnutrition.
Ruth Hayward
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Gut Health And Healthy Aging
As we age, we can experience changes to our gut bacteria because of diet changes, functioning of our digestive system, medication, and a decline in our immune system. These factors can contribute to an increase in infection and just general fragility of the body. Scientists have seen less diversity in our gut microbiome as we grow older but that does not necessarily mean a decline in our overall health.
Some studies have shown that healthier, more active adults have a more complex gut microbiome than less healthy adults. In fact, adults with more varied bacteria took less medication and had better overall mobility than adults with less complex guts. A more diverse gut biome helps us fight off disease and improve overall health.
Why Is Your Gut Health So Important
Your gut health is directly proportional to your overall wellbeing. For instance, if you have nausea, stomachache, or abdominal pain, it can affect other parts of the body and hinder your day-to-day life.
Health conditions, such as Crohns disease, celiac disease, and cancer, have a significant impact on your body. Because your gut relates to all systems of the body, improving it can reduce the risk of various health conditions, including:
Autoimmune Diseases: It is characterized by a compromised immune system, causing it to attack healthy cells in the body. Rheumatoid arthritis is one example of autoimmune disease.
Metabolic Diseases: Osteoporosis can result in weak bones and reduced fluid in the spinal discs. Diabetes and obesity are metabolic diseases that take a significant toll on your body. Gut health can help prevent these diseases. The microbiome of the gut can potentially lead to intestinal diseases like irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease .
Why is your gut health so important? There are many ways to improve your gut health which includes the all-important microbiome of the gut. For instance, you can take probiotics, take Aguulp prebiotic, reduce stress, focus on getting at least eight hours of sleep at night, exercise regularly, and reduce sugar consumption, to improve your gut health. Here are four reasons why gut health is crucial.
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What Is The Gut
Most of us have some vague understanding of the fact that our gut handles digestion, but its actually AT THE CORE of almost every aspect of our health.
When you think about old sayings like gut feeling, gut-wrenching, or gut punch all of which use the gut to describe a powerful experience its clear that we have long known, on some level, how central the gut is to our existence.
Which makes sense: its literally in the center of our bodies! Your gut is more than just your stomach. It is a HUGE part of your body, encompassing several organs, and it is in charge of removing waste from your body and taking in essential energy and nutrients.
Stress And Gut Health
Another key thing to avoid?
Chronic stress.
While we all get stressed out from time to time, its important to find healthy ways to deal with that stress. Meditation, exercise and more can all help combat stress.
When we get stressed out, our gut is impacted and all that stress can keep your helpful gut inhabitants from doing their jobs.
One other thing to avoid?
Being a couch potato.
Exercise is incredibly beneficial for your gut health and promotes diversity among your microbiota.
Eating right and managing stress are important, but if youre not exercising, your gut health suffers. Eating well, and taking care of your body- they go hand in hand when it comes to gut health!
Whats the bottom line?
Our GI tract is populated with trillions of powerful, friendly bacteria that help keep us thin and healthy- both mentally and physically.
Keeping them happy by exercising, eating right and getting plenty of fiber and probiotics means we live better, healthier lives!
If you suspect the foods you eat may be causing problems, then check out our Denver Nutritionist page and see if working with our Registered Dietitian might be right for you.
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