The Good Gut Guide

Most of us have heard the term “gut health” and know that keeping it in good standing is desirable and advantageous to our overall well-being. But what does it truly mean to have a healthy gut? The human gut is complex. While research is ongoing, it seems clear that the gut microbiome impacts whole-body health, in fact, 80% of your immune system is in the gut, and the majority of your body’s serotonin is, too. This means if your gut isn’t healthy, then your immune system and hormones won’t function, and you will get sick.

The In’s & Out’s

Gut health is the foundation of everything. It aids in the digestion of the foods you eat, absorbs nutrients, and uses it to fuel and maintain your body. So, if your gut is imbalanced and your immune system isn’t working properly, your serotonin and hormones won’t either, making it more challenging to stay healthy. Your gut is also where your body gets rid of metabolic waste and toxins. However, if you have an unhealthy gut, your body will struggle to rid itself of those toxins. If this occurs, it can cause many issues, including chronic fatigue, chronic illnesses and inflammation throughout the body. That’s why people experience symptoms such as brain fog, diarrhea, constipation, gas, joint pain, etc. You may not realize it, but the brain is the second gut; therefore, if your gut isn’t working, your brain is struggling too.

And there’s good reason to pay attention to your gut, in fact about 100 trillion reasons. That’s the approximate number of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract of a human, divided up into several hundred species, with thousands of varieties possible between individuals. These microbial populations need to be kept in balance, as any upset can influence broader wellbeing. Gut microbes produce compounds that have multiple benefits for our health. Some of these compounds are called “short chain fatty acids” , which are produced by fermentation of dietary fibre in the large intestine.

The short chain fatty acids provide energy for the intestinal cells and good gut bacteria. It’s important to have a healthy intestinal lining, as this helps prevent harmful bacteria from entering the tissues and blood stream. Gut bacteria can also produce important vitamins, such as vitamin B12, vitamin K and thiamine.

Gut Stressors

There are other lifestyle factors, such as stress, that can influence our gut microbiome. You may be aware that the gut and the brain talk to each other via the vagal nerve. This includes signals between the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord nerves) and the enteric nervous system (nerves of the digestive system). The vagus nerve also communicates other gut events to the brain. Along with the ingested food comes allergens and other microbes that can activate normal immune responses in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Even though they are typical, healthy responses, these reactions can occasionally and temporarily get in the way of regular gut function.

Psychological stress has been associated with weakened gut function when cortisol (a stress hormone) levels also increase. Your gut might be paying the price for normal, everyday stress. If you are feeling that stress may be altering the composition of bacteria in your gut, consider incorporating practices, such as mindfulness and mediation, into your lifestyle to help manage stress.

Occasional bloating or gas is normal, but can be uncomfortable. Gas is caused by bacteria in the digestive tract. And how much gas you have can be influenced by swallowed air, what you eat, and the health of your digestive tract. As gas builds up, the abdomen may expand, especially right after eating. This can also be painful and not just because your clothes start fitting tighter! You can help beat the belly bloat by avoiding gum chewing, slowing down when you eat, and not drinking out of a straw. Support the normal digestion of high-fibre foods with probiotics and digestive enzymes if certain foods tend to cause gas or bloating. Or, as is the case with lactose intolerance, you may need to identify the culprit and cut it out of your diet.

Unfortunately over the decades, much of the diversity in the western diet has disappeared.  It has been suggested that the average western food intake is sourced from only 12 plants and five animal species. So, a diet lacking in a variety of different whole foods can result in a loss of gut microbe diversity leading to adverse health effects.  However, it is promising to know that changing up your diet can alter your gut microbiome and can be achieved after only a few days.

Minimize your intake of saturated fats. And start turning towards Unsaturated fats like olive oil and avocados, these help promote the healthier bacteria like Bifidobacteria, where as Saturated fats tend to increase Bacteroides, the bacteria that negatively impact gut health.

We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but alcohol is toxic to gut health, even in small, consistent amounts. Not only does alcohol dehydrate you, but it also aggravates your digestive system. This irritation triggers a hold-up in the proper breakdown of food, causing increased gas production and often a post-alcohol stomachache. But it’s not all bad. Enjoying the occasional glass of red wine can benefit your gut ecosystem. This is because it contains polyphenols, which have been known to increase the quantity of valuable microbes in your intestinal system. The key here is moderation.

Smoking can have adverse effects on gut bacteria, applying direct stress on your gut and microbes. You already know what advice we are going to give you on this one.

While we’re still gaining an understanding of the full extent of the gut’s capabilities, we do know that leading a healthy lifestyle through keeping active, managing stress, looking after our mental health and following a healthy diet can go a long way to looking after our gut bacteria, and consequently our general health.

Growing Your Gut Garden

You may never have planted a seed and cared for it until it sprouts from the earth. But you’re still a gardener of sorts. That’s because your gut is like a garden and your diet acts as the soil and fertilizer. What you put into your garden influences your microbiota (the microbes that grow there). Specifically, the mix of fiber, protein, carbohydrates, fat, and micronutrients in your diet determines whether your microbiome will flourish.

The microscopic residents of your gut include fungi, viruses, yeast, and other microorganisms. But bacteria are the most notable gut flora. Because their lifespan is short, bacteria can adapt to environmental changes rapidly. They can also take genetic material from neighboring gut flora, which can benefit both bacteria and the host they live in (you!).

These characteristics are what make bacteria so impactful on human health. And that’s why it’s important to understand how your diet cultivates the health and diversity of bacteria and other gut flora. You weren’t born with the bacteria you now have in your gut. This profile was built over the initial years of your life, starting with the way you were born. Cesarean versus vaginal delivery dictated the initial dominant bacteria in your gut. Then, what you were fed rounded out your gut’s early bacterial profile.

Studies on mother’s milk really illustrated the role and importance of gut microbiota. Researchers initially were unsure why the milk contained such complex carbohydrates. These molecules were known to be indigestible for infants. The babies lacked the necessary enzymes. However, early research revealed the complex carbohydrates are actually present in mother’s milk to nourish the infant’s gut microbiota, and not the infant.

So, your gut garden began at this early stage in life. Mother’s milk acted as the rich soil that nourishes bacteria within. The result was symbiotic for the bacteria and baby. The bacteria flourished, and in doing so, protected the baby’s gut lining. This was important for healthy immunity and nutrient absorption—and remains important as an adult. Proliferation of good bacteria meant they can crowd out possible pathogens and break down the complex carbohydrates into digestible parts. After your first two years of life, your microbiome’s profile was nearly set. And even with all the variety in flora, lifestyle, genetics, and anatomy, there are some bacteria typically found in the gut microflora.

The most common types of bacteria found in the human gut belong to the phyla firmicutes and bacteroidetes, actinobacteria, and proteobacteria. These phyla (a biological classification) contain bacterial species you may have heard of before, like Lactobacillus, Prevotella, Bifidobacteria, and H. pylori. There has been a concerted effort to extensively analyze the human microbiome. More research needs to be done before one profile is proclaimed the healthiest. But even with a lack of definitive answers, an educated conclusion can still be made.

One confirmed characteristic of a healthy gut is a diversity of microflora. Diverse bacterial communities tend to be more resilient. This means they’re better at fending off potential pathogens that might invade and try to take over space. When the gut microbiota is filled with a plethora of various good bacteria, the bad kind don’t have empty space to take up residence. This is a constant battle for space and resources. And you play a big role. As the gardener, you control the soil and fertilizer, which determines what grows best. That’s where what you choose to eat comes into play.

Eating for Good Gut Health

The key foundation for nourishing your gut health, is by eating more probiotics, prebiotics, fiber, polyphenols and fermented foods, along with eating less artificial sweeteners, red meat, processed foods and alcohol. It's never too late to change your diet to support better gut bacteria.

Here, we break down each category and explain what each one means.

Probiotics

Probiotics are the beneficial bacteria that live in your gut and can be found in fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, miso and yogurt. Eating foods that are naturally rich in probiotics adds good bacteria to your gut. The most common types of good bacteria are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, with each having its own specific strains. In addition to helping balance your gut bacteria and prevent chronic disease, probiotics can help if you have diarrhea, boost your immunity and keep your heart and skin healthy.

Prebiotics

When you're trying to establish more probiotic bacteria in your gut, you need to feed them with prebiotics so they can flourish and keep making more good bacteria. Prebiotics are fibers that feed the beneficial probiotics in your gut. Ingredients to look for include galactooligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides, oligofructose, chicory fiber and inulin. Fructans and cellulose are two other prebiotic fibers. But don't get too bogged down in the scientific names. In fact, you won't see most of these compounds listed on a label because they are present in foods that don't have labels, such as fruits, vegetables and legumes. So including a wide variety of these foods can be very beneficial.

Polyphenols

Polyphenols are a type of plant chemical that gut microbes love. They are found in berries, apples, artichokes, red onions, tea, dark chocolate and other fruits and vegetables. Gut bacteria feed on polyphenols and produce beneficial substances, which in turn, have a positive influence on certain conditions, including, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and ageing.