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Gut Microbiome

  • Introduction
  • Possible symptoms of an unhealthy gut
  • Ways that might help improve the gut microbiome

Introduction

More than 2,000 years ago, Hippocrates — the father of medicine — suggested that all diseases begin in the gut.

While not all diseases begin in the gut, there is an influential number of diseases that do.

The Gut Microbiome to put it in simple terms is a collective term used for trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi in the human body.

The gut microbiome plays a significant role in the metabolism or breakdown of dietary fibers.

Dietary fibers are the indigestible parts of plant foods. The breakdown of these fibers is responsible for the production of short-chain fatty acids.

These short-chain fatty acids are involved in multiple physiological process like:

  1. Managing blood sugar levels
  2. Appetite or hunger regulation
  3. Immune system protection
  4. Cholesterol lowering

The development of the gut microbiome begins at birth, and as you grow older, your it proceeds to grow and develop, and is influenced by multiple factors such as diet, medications and stress.

Sue-Ellen Anderson-Haynes did an article based on a study that shows how the gut microbiome is heavily influenced by the diet and how an unhealthy gut can be responsible for an array of diseases like Type-2 Diabetes, heart diseases, autoimmune diseases.

Possible symptoms of an unhealthy gut

  1. Stomach disturbances like gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and heartburn (IBS)
  2. Unhealthy cravings for processed food like sugar
  3. Unusual weight changes
  4. Insomnia or disturbed sleep
  5. Skin irritation
  6. Autoimmune Diseases
  7. Feeling Blue(Due to lack of Serotonin hormone)
  8. Food intolerance

Ways that might help improve the gut microbiome

  1. Try a diet that includes plant-based foods.
  2. Take antibiotics only when necessary
  3. Adding foods:
    1. High-Fiber Foods: Wholegrain, Fruits and vegetables, Nuts and seeds Beans and pulses.
    2. Prebiotic Foods: Garlic, Onions, Leeks, Bananas, Apples.
    3. Resistant Starch: Cooked and cooled potatoes, pasta and rice, Legumes.
    4. Fermented Foods: curd/yogurt, Sauerkraut, Achaar, Kimchi, Miso.
    5. Probiotics: curd/yogurt, Sauerkraut, Kimchi, cheese.
  4. Cutting down on:
    1. Artificial sweeteners
    2. Refined and processed foods like sugar and refined flour.

This was a small introduction of the gut microbiome. It is a fairly new field of study and is being actively researched upon. You can learn more about it online or from your doctor.

Always consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet.