You are what you digest
Did you know that your gut is connected to your overall health? It’s true: taking care of your gut may be one of the most influential things you can do that affects your entire well-being.
Surely you have heard the saying, “You are what you eat,” but really, “you are what you digest.”
Your digestive tract is the place where all nourishment begins. How food is digested, absorbed, and eliminated can affect your overall health and immunity – especially the health of your immune system.
Your digestive system houses millions of bacteria, which play a key role in keeping you healthy. These good guys help fight off harmful germs, synthesize vitamin K and B vitamins, produce hormones that regulate your metabolism, and thus provide support for the immune system.
When your digestive tract is working properly, you can enjoy good health. When it isn’t, you may develop health problems like nutrient deficiencies and constipation. Several autoimmune diseases have even been linked to gut health. Some examples include:
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): IBD is a chronic condition that involves inflammation of the gut. It is believed to be caused by an abnormal immune response to bacteria in the gut. The two main types of IBD are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Celiac disease: Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the small intestine in response to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. This can lead to damage to the gut lining and malabsorption of nutrients.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA): RA is an autoimmune disorder that causes joint inflammation and damage.
Multiple sclerosis (MS): MS is an autoimmune disorder that affects the central nervous system.
Type 1 diabetes: Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
The average person may not struggle with auto-immune diseases but rather experience more common symptoms such as brain fog and fatigue. Brain fog and fatigue can be related to the gut in several ways. The gut and brain are connected by the enteric nervous system, which is sometimes called the "second brain." This network of neurons in the gut communicates with the brain through the vagus nerve, and it plays a role in regulating mood, cognition, and energy levels.
One way that the gut can affect brain function is through the gut-brain axis. The gut microbiome, which is the collection of microorganisms that live in the gut, can influence brain function by producing neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. These chemicals are involved in regulating mood, energy levels, and cognitive function.
Imbalances in the gut microbiome, such as dysbiosis, can lead to inflammation in the gut. This inflammation can trigger the release of cytokines, which are immune system signaling molecules. Cytokines can cross the blood-brain barrier and affect brain function, leading to symptoms such as brain fog and fatigue.
The gut is also involved in the production of energy. The gut microbiome is involved in the digestion and absorption of nutrients, which are essential for energy production. Dysbiosis or other gut issues can lead to malabsorption of nutrients, which can result in fatigue and other symptoms.
As you can see, there are several ways in which the gut can affect brain function and energy levels, and maintaining a healthy gut microbiome through diet and lifestyle changes may help to improve these symptoms and manage or prevent autoimmune diseases.
To keep your digestion healthy:
Eat fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, and sauerkraut which are packed with probiotics.
Eat plenty of fiber to keep things moving along. Fibrous foods are usually more nutritious and provide food for the good bacteria in your gut.
Avoid processed foods; they contain ingredients that damage your gut lining and cause inflammation.
Sleep! Sleep regulates the movement of food through the digestive tract, reduces inflammation, supports the microbiome (promotes the growth of good bacteria over bad bacteria), improves the gut barrier function, and regulates the hormones that control appetite.
Manage stress. When you are in a “flight and fight” mode, your digestion actually shuts down, so try not to eat when you are stressed.
Chew your food well. Chewing thoroughly will help any food digest. We complicate digestion whenever we eat on the run or gulp down our food. Slow down, savor your food and chew it up! (Saliva contains lots of enzymes that aid digestion.)
If you take care of your gut, your gut will take care of you!