Here Are 6 Ways You Can Build A Healthy Gut

A healthy gut is the key to a healthy body.

Recent findings in the area of the gut microbiome shed light on the impressive role our gut bacteria have in promoting or preventing chronic disease.

These bacteria are responsible for the digestion and absorption of food. So it goes without saying that they should be ‘well-oiled machines’ if they are to work effectively.

Even though the microbiome is a collection of trillions of different bacteria, it is still unique to you. Infants inherit their first gut microbes during vaginal delivery and later through breastfeeding. Then, diet and other environmental exposures will introduce new microbes to your biome. Some of these can harm and even diminish your ‘good’ gut microbiota.

The fact that some of these bacteria seek refuge in our gut begs the question: Why are they there, in the first place?

Essentially, this is because they are symbiotes. They have a quid pro quo relationship with their host (the human) in that we shelter them in exchange for their services. These services generally are:

Digestive. These bacteria help break down complex carbohydrates and dietary fibers. In doing so, they produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) as byproducts. These SCFAs, like butyrate, are immensely important for human health. As an aside, these bacteria also produce the enzymes necessary to synthesize certain vitamins, like B1, B9, B12, and K. They also metabolize bile in the intestines after its purpose has been fulfilled.
Immunity. A healthy gut will have its host experience fewer ‘faults’ in the immune system, such as those commonly born of ‘leaky gut syndrome’. It does this by ‘training’ the immune system to tell apart pathogenic molecules from useful ones.
Nervous system. These bacteria affect the nervous system through the gut-brain axis - the network of nerves, neurons, and neurotransmitters running through the gastrointestinal (GI tract). It does this by producing (or stimulating the production of) neurotransmitters, like serotonin, that in turn send chemical signals to the brain.
Endocrine system. These bacteria interact with the endocrine cells in your gut lining. The cells there (enteroendocrine cells) make the gut practically the largest endocrine organ in the body. They secrete hormones that regulate metabolism (to some degree), including blood sugar, hunger, and satiety. Researchers continue to explore this concept, but presently, we do not have any concrete evidence to support any hard claims.

As you can see, these bacteria could be great allies to us if we would only reciprocate by being kind to them. So on that note, here are six ways we can do just that.

#1: Eat More Fibre

Fiber keeps things moving through your intestines and out of your body. This does not only mean you get to have a good bowel movement daily. It also means that the good bacteria in your gut are fed optimally. In return, they will create a thriving environment for healthy digestion.

The National Institute of Medicine recommends that adults get anywhere from 25 g - 38 g of fiber daily. That’s roughly 200g of chickpeas (dry).

Fiber is one of the few food groups directly correlated with a decrease in all-cause mortality. In fact, one systematic review that included 64 studies and a total sample size of 3,512,828 subjects investigated this relationship. It found that higher consumption of total dietary fiber significantly decreased the risk of all-cause mortality (by 23 %), cardiovascular disease-related mortality (by 26 %), and cancer-related mortality (by 22 %).

In the same study, researchers found that consumption of insoluble fiber tended to be more effective than soluble fiber intake in reducing the risk of total mortality and mortality due to CVD and cancer. Additionally, dietary fiber from whole grains, cereals, and vegetables was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality, while dietary fiber from nuts and seeds reduced the risk of CVD-related death by 43 %.

#2: Eat Probiotic-Rich Foods

Probiotics are living bacteria and yeasts that promote a healthy gut microbiome. Think of them as ‘highly-skilled workmen’ moving into your neighborhood to get specific jobs done.

They supply live, beneficial microbes to the populations within your gut and strengthen the communities there. Some probiotics naturally already live in your gut and fight off the less friendly types of bacteria. In doing so, they prevent and treat dysbiosis - an imbalance or deficit of beneficial microbes in contrast to the harmful ones.

Probiotics are found in foods such as yogurt, cottage cheese, miso, kefir, and kombucha and also in fermented vegetables like pickles, kimchi, or sauerkraut.

You can get probiotic supplements made from strains of beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus plantarum and Bifidobacterium lactis.

#3: Eat Prebiotics

Probiotics and prebiotics are not the same things. Probiotics are live microorganisms isolated from the human intestines that are shown to have beneficial effects on the body. To be considered a probiotic, after ingestion, the microorganisms need to survive stomach acid and bile so they can make it to your colon to meet up with the other live microorganisms living there. Once they arrive, they need to be able to survive in that environment. The more variety of these healthy microorganisms you have, the more they can do for you.

Prebiotics are the food source for your gut’s microorganisms — and they too need to bypass digestion and make it to your colon. There, the microorganisms metabolize and ferment these prebiotics to survive. This metabolism and fermentation process is beneficial to your gut health because it creates a variety of other byproducts that help you in several ways.

When prebiotics are broken down by the microbes in your gut, different SCFAs are created (depending on the kind of prebiotic). As a result, these short-chain fatty acids do many things like provide energy to your colon cells, help with mucus production, and aid in inflammation and immunity

Common examples include oats, apples, bananas, garlic, jicama, Jerusalem artichokes, and asparagus.

#4: Do Not Eat Processed Foods And Alcohol

Processed foods are loaded with sugars, saturated and trans fats, and other artificial ingredients that wreak havoc on your digestive system.

Sugar can be a gut offender. Like vegetable oils, sugary substances have been linked to inflammation. Gut inflammation makes it difficult for the cells in your gut lining to absorb otherwise useful nutrients, leading to stress and poor absorption.

Alcohol too, needs to be controlled. Particularly beer and wine, which can inhibit the growth of probiotics and worsen an already-established irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Instead of going for store-bought bread, pasta, and dressing, try making your own at home. Doing so will help you control what goes into each dish, and a healthy gut is sure to follow. Follow the Iron Living Approved Foods List to see a comprehensive list of gut-friendly foods.

#5: Exercise Every Day

Exercise increases the amount and diversity of beneficial microorganisms in the host microbiome.

A 2017 study found that exercise can “enrich the microflora diversity; to improve the Bacteroidetes-Firmicutes ratio which could potentially contribute to reducing weight, obesity-associated pathologies, and gastrointestinal disorders; to stimulate the proliferation of bacteria which can modulate mucosal immunity and improve barrier functions, resulting in a reduction in the incidence of obesity and metabolic diseases; and to stimulate bacteria capable of producing substances that protect against gastrointestinal disorders and colon cancer (such as SCFAs).”

Exercise can be used as a treatment to maintain the balance of the microflora or to rebalance his eventual dysbiosis, thus improving health. More research, however, is needed to understand the mechanisms that determine changes in the composition and functions of the microflora caused by exercise and all their related effects.

As for what the minimum standard of exercise is; that was covered in article #11. But to summarise, it should be a combination of:

Resistance training.
Steady-state cardio (Zone 2).
High-intensity coordination training.

#6: Reduce Stress

Acute stress, like that which comes from training hard, fasting, and cold plunges can benefit your health. Chronic stress, however, can have the opposite effect.

One 2019 review found that psychological stress and depression can promote the consumption of highly palatable foods, thereby promoting the growth of harmful bacteria in the gut. That aside, however, stress and depression can together reshape the gut bacteria’s composition through the formation of stress hormones, inflammation, and other autonomic alterations. In response to these stimuli, the gut bacteria will begin to release metabolites, toxins, and neurohormones that alter eating patterns and general mood. Altogether, this could encourage “dysregulated eating.”

Researchers of the same review noted that “gut bacteria may also upregulate stress responsiveness and heighten the risk for depression, which probiotic supplementation may attenuate.”

Take that long walk, play the occasional game, and be around people who make you feel good. Mediate even for as little as 10 minutes every day. Nowadays, you can even use YouTube guided meditations if not advice through mobile apps like Headspace, Calm, Smiling Mind and Healthy Mind Program.

I would also recommend trying mindful breathing; a powerful mindfulness meditation. This works by focussing your attention on your breathing - to its natural rhythm and flow and the way it feels to inhale and exhale. Doing so is helpful because it serves as an anchor; something you can turn your attention to at any time if you feel stressed or carried away by negative emotions.