Hippocrates once said that all disease begins in the gut, and this is an exciting area that modern research is confirming.
Gut health research
Research is linking different disorders or disease states to disruptions in gut health or bacteria levels. For example, there is research linking improvements in atopic diseases, such as eczema, asthma, and allergies with the supplementation of specific beneficial bacteria strains.
Research has also been done showing improvements in Irritable Bowel Disease symptom scores with certain types of probiotic supplementation.
Some types of probiotic bacterial strains encourage healing and rehabilitation of the gut post-coeliac disease diagnosis as well as improvement in symptoms experienced in other inflammatory bowel conditions.
There may also be improvements with:
Immune system disorders
Immune system disorders, such as autoimmunity and poor immunity may also benefit from improving gut health and function. 70% of our immune cells are in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue and are educated here.
Balancing the immune system by regulating the education of immature immune cells in the gut makes sense for any immune-related issues.
Some inflammatory conditions may also benefit by improving gut function and through the application of certain probiotic strains.
There has even been research showing improvements in mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression.
Good gut function has a flow on effect to all areas of health and wellness.
The importance of diet in gut health
You are what you eat, and you crave what the bugs in your gut use as a fuel source! What that means is that the healthier your diet is, the more you will crave these healthy foods as the bacteria that feed on these healthy foods will increase in numbers.
A healthy diet promotes bacterial diversity in the gut. Whole food diets high in fibre are highly beneficial for gut health.
Foods that promote a balance of good to bad bacteria in the gut include:
Of course all forms of fibre will feed the beneficial bugs in your gut and promote optimal health.
