Obesity
Figure 2 : Visualization of the gut biome in the intestine
Eating a diverse diet with a wide range of foods also improves the diversity of the microbiome , an indicator that correlates with good gut health
Sudi Narasimhan is a seasoned healthcare executive , working in senior leadership roles in marketing , business development , operations , management , and administration . He is a keen health enthusiast with a focus on exercise , nutrition , and the use of science to improve our own wellness and longevity .
How to cultivate a healthy gut microbiome Fortunately , there are steps that we can take to ensure that we are improving our overall gut health . Our gut bacteria feeds on fiber , which is broken down into short fatty acid chains that further feed intestinal flora . Healthy fiber that comes from plant based sources such as apples , bananas , oats , flax seeds , and fresh vegetables all contribute to fiber that can be used to feed the gut . Eating a diverse diet with a wide range of foods also improves the diversity of the microbiome , an indicator that correlates with good gut health . Legumes , beans , fruit , and whole grains are varied foods that should be consumed as part of a regular healthy diet .
Fermented foods like sauerkraut , kimchi , kefir , and yogurt contain healthy bacteria ( mostly Lactobacilli ) and can help mitigate disease-causing species in the gut . This can be used as a starter culture that can then be maintained by eating a healthy diet . Probiotic supplements can also help to ‘ seed ’ a healthy starting culture in the gut .
There are also certain foods and medications that are deleterious to our gut health . Consuming artificial sweeteners to excess appears to increase the growth of unhealthy bacteria ( Enterobateriaeae ) that can increase blood sugar and create other adverse health problems .
Taking antibiotics frequently can also cause problems for gut health , as broad spectrum antibiotics can kill both good and bad bacteria . Possible consequences are weight gain and antibiotic resistance . Therefore , it is important to only take antibiotics when medically required .
Although we don ’ t often give thought to the inner workings of our gut bacteria , it is worth spending a little time to learn more about what we can do to improve our gut health . Experimenting with different foods to keep track of how we feel can be insightful and helpful to cultivate new dietary habits . There is a good chance that this will be beneficial for your health .
In summary We ’ ve explored the number and different types of gut bacteria that are present in our body . Amazingly , this gut bacteria operates outside of our bloodstream and interacts with the way we process food and extract nutrition from what we ingest . There is evidence that our gut bacteria helps keep us from getting fat , regulates our immune system , makes us feel better , and prevents us from getting sick . I can think of no better reasons for us to learn more and cultivate better dietary habits , such as eating more fiber rich natural foods and avoiding the more processed foods to increase the diversity of our gut bacteria and keep this microbiome population alive and healthy . n
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