The 4 Reasons Why You Should Listen to Your Gut

Let’s start with what defines “the gut”. You hear about how gut health is so important, but what part are they actually talking about? Well, your digestive system incorporates everything from the mouth, right down the oesophagus, into the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and rectum to anus. So “gut health” really does cover all these areas, even your oral health where you start to break down food through chewing and the enzymes in your salvia.

Pssst… did you know you even have an oral microbiome?
There are different microbiomes all through the body, from the skin and the mouth to the vagina and of course the gut microbiome, which is largely located in the large intestine. A healthy, balanced gut microbiome is home to trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that support your digestion, immune system, and nutrient absorption. They even produce certain vitamins like vitamin K2 and some of the B vitamins, and they produce certain neurotransmitters like serotonin which can impact your mental health.

Also, the vagus nerve connects the gut to the brain and it’s a two-way communication system: the gut sends sensory information to your brain and your brain send motor signals to your gut; this is what we call the gut-brain axis.

The obvious one is:

• Digestive issues, of course, such as bloating, excessive gas, bowel irregularities, excessive acidity, and abdominal discomfort are all clues that something needs to be checked out and your gut needs some TLC.

Others include:

• Sensitivities and intolerances to certain foods may develop due to poor gut health. The common ones include gluten and dairy.
• Fatigue: An imbalanced gut can lead to nutrient absorption issues, causing low energy levels.
• Mood swings and mental health issues: Irritability, worry, or low mood can sometimes indicate an unhealthy gut.
• Skin problems: dry, flaky, irritated skin may be linked to gut imbalances.
• Weakened immune system: Low resistance to ills and chills can be a sign that your gut is not functioning properly.

As we’ve alluded to previously, balanced gut health is super important for our overall health and wellbeing. It supports digestion and absorption of nutrients, and the delivery of those nutrients supports our energy production, our tissue repair and maintenance, our brain function, and so much more.

As we age our digestive fire tends to be lower and therefore it’s harder for many older people to break down and absorb nutrients like they used to, which is why is so important to look after the function of your gut from an early age, to preserve our digestive function as much as possible.
A healthy microbiome supports our immune system by ensuring a healthy gut lining, in particular the mucosal barrier which supports the integrity of the intestinal lining and a healthy immune response. But also, the gut microbes and their metabolites support the healthy function of the immune system. Also, a balanced microbiome supports mood stability and a healthy weight and metabolism.

Going hand-in-hand with a healthy microbiome is a healthy gut lining, because without this the gut lining can become permeable and, in some cases, “leaky”. The intestinal walls are made up of cells and between the cells there are the junctions, which should be tight. When the gut is unhealthy these junctions can become loose and therefore let substances through into the blood stream that shouldn’t be there, such as pathogens, toxins, and undigested food particles. This can trigger a widespread immune response. Poor gut health can be linked to a range of other health conditions.
So, you can see the importance of gut health!