NUTRITION KNOW-HOW: GUT HEALTH 101
We’ve all heard the phrases before, “go with
your gut,” “trust your gut,” “gut feelings,” etc. While such analogies are
associated with listening to one’s intuition, the impact and numerous roles
that the gut plays on ones health (mind and body,) is something that has come
into the healthcare spotlight recently. Hippocrates,
the father of medicine, from whom came one of the most popularly used health
quotes (“let food be thy medicine,”) also stated, “all disease begins in the
gut.” So is it true? Should you care to take care of the critters inside of you
(bacteria, fungi, parasites?) Does the state of your “gut” really impact your
overall health and wellbeing? Read on to find out more.
GO FORTH INTO THE GUT:
The
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT (GI Tract) is a long and complex pathway from which the
foods you consume travel down to be digested, absorbed, and eventually
excreted. Starting with the mouth, it includes the esophagus, stomach, small
intestines, large intestines, and anus. When partnered with its accessory
organs, the liver, pancreas, and gall bladder, it forms the DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.
As
you chew up your food and swallow it, a cascade or “domino” of events occurs so
that you are able to absorb the nutrients that you take in. From specialized
cells in the gut responsible for secreting hydrochloric acid, to the hair-like
projections in our small intestine that house cells which allow us to absorb
the nutrients in their simplest forms- the system is vast, and an essential proponent
to human health.
BACTERIAL BUDS:
The
human body is composed of roughly 30 trillion human cells, and depending on age, health, and a variety of other
factors, can also be home to anywhere between 39-100 billion bacterial cells.
This means, in essence, that we are more bacteria then human! Known as the
body’s “flora,” the bulk of these bacteria reside in your colon, where they
work (for the most part) in synergy with the rest of the body’s complex systems
to uphold the state of your overall health.
While
bacteria are often associated with infections, illness, and disease, when it
comes to bacteria in the gut, fret-not, my bacteria-bewildered friend! While
the human body does contain some “bad” strains of bacteria, fungi, and
parasites, the bulk of the bacteria that make up our inner ecosystem (aka: “microbiome”)
are actually of the friendly varietal! These beneficial strains of bacteria are
often called “probiotics,” and support a variety of functions that affect the
entire body.
From regulating digestion and absorption of
micro/macro nutrients, balancing immune responses, regulating hormones,
assisting detoxification, and even communicating to the brain (more on the
gut-brain axis in another post,) it really is quite amazing how much of an
impact such miniscule and invisible “critters” have on us!
◼ NUTRITION/DIGESTION: The friendly fellows that populate the lower
regions of our GI tract (small intestines and colon,) are responsible for
finishing the digestion of certain nutrients like carbohydrates, fats, and
proteins, and also assist in the production of certain vitamins like vitamin K,
and a range of B vitamins! This allows the cells of the GI tract to fully
absorb nutrients in their simplest forms, so that we are able to convert those
nutrients into energy!
◼ IMMUNITY: Probiotics are called “pro” for good reason.
They are seasoned when it comes to crowding out the “bad” guys and letting the
good ones in to thrive and grow. With nearly 80% of your immune system residing
in the gut, you can think of the lining of your GI tract as the walls guarding
your castle (body;) and those probiotics act as the guards, or first line of
defense in any attempted attacks/breaches.
◼ MENTAL/HORMONAL: A
network of nerves that connects our guts to our brain is a communication pathway
that we call the GUT-BRAIN axis. When one is imbalanced, the other is directly
affected. Issues such as inflammation stemming from the gut from poor dietary
choices, a leaked membrane barrier (“leaky gut,”) or other toxins, can trigger
an inflammatory cascade that may impact our brains ability to function, and
therefore, inadvertently effect the synthesis and regulation of hormones and
other highly regulated bodily functions.
MINDING YOUR MICROBIOME:
As
you can see, the GI tract, all of its components, and those trillions of
friendly bacteria that call your GI tract “home” are essential proponents of
balanced health. Stay tuned for future posts diving deeper into how you can
balance, heal, and or maintain the state of your gut through dietary and
lifestyle choices, and be sure to attend this months True Kitchen Cooking Class
all about Gut Health 101!
OCTOBER TRUE KITCHEN COOKING CLASS
GUT HEALTH 101
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18TH
6:00-7:30PM
$35.00 (pre-paid) OR $40 (at door)*
Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine
stated, “all disease begins in the gut.” With over 100 trillion bacteria making
up the human MICROBIOME (the environment within each and every one of us
that is home to an array of bacteria,) an imbalance in this immense system can
affect immune, cognitive, hormonal, and even cardiovascular health! Gain
insight into the wonderful world of beneficial bacteria, the many interactions
they have within the body, and how we can maintain the friendly-flora that
reside inside of us through the foods we eat. Welcome the good, crowd out the bad,
and come hungry to this not-to-miss dive into how to attain a good gut!
* Cost of class includes colorful informative handout, all of
the recipes prepared in the class, and of course tasty plates of the food she
whips up!
TO REGISTER:
EMAIL: info@biologicalhealth.com
PHONE: 267-308-0777
Genevieve – “G”
Certified Plant Based Nutritionist | CHHC|
Culinary Nutritionist
True Wellness Biological Health
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